Alrighty here is a topic to mull over... I have a 79 300TD that I thought I would keep forever but recent experience has shown that my interest have drifted to other things... I am thinking of selling it but wanted to get some feedback from the peanut gallery concerning value.
The good: - 1979 300TD non-turbo - no structural damage or rust, body is solid - transmission shifts correctly - good vacuum (locks work correctly) - Alloys with correct benz tires - 290K miles - runs like a champ! Seriously it is really strong. (probably not the original motor) - Good rear struts/hydropneumatic system, oil & filter are fresh - front balljoints replaced - upper control arms will be replaced - rear subframe bushing will be replaced - Climate control replaced with manual controls from 240D The bad: - 79 == no turbo and no sunroof! - paint is not bad, but it is a respray of the factory color and has a few blemishes. No peeling or systemic failure, just some small bubbles here and there. - windshield area *had* leaks, they are fixed now but not before it swamped the interior and ruined the carpet. Floorboards have been scraped clean, carpet replaced with home-fitted stuff from Home Depot. Actually it looks pretty good, I found a salt&pepper gray that looks very German. - Rear spare tire/tool area still leaks - AC does not work and would require a new compressor, system flush, and some spirited tinkering to integrate with the 240D climate controls. basically this car is showing its age but it is still solid and with a good motor and rebuilt suspension it has a lot of miles left in it. Think of it less a show car and more of a candidate for the "million-mile taxi" award. With some enthusiasm this could be a "restoration candidate" but there are definately nicer wagons out there. Anyone want to offer an opinion on what it is worth? I am in the Pacific NW. -Zach
