First post. I currently own a 88 4Runner with a solid axle swap and 35's. Along with a bunch of other mods. It is my daily driver and gets about 15 mpg. So now I'm looking at purchasing a diesel Mercedes.
I looked at the what to buy what not to buy post but I didn't see anything about automatic or manual transmissions. There is currently a 82 240d with a 4 speed manual for sale near me.
Is there any problems with them I should know about? Usually manuals get better mileage, performance, and life. Is this true with these cars?
The car has 225k miles on it and he's asking $3200. They mentioned the right rear floor gets damp when it rains hard. Is that something that is common with these cars?

 

If the floor is getting damp there are a few possible issues.

Does it have a sunroof? Is it sealed properly? This is an easy fix assuming the body is straight.

How about the rear window leaking? Will the seller let you remove the rear seat back to look for staining? Expensive fix and should knock a considerable sum off the asking price.

Check the door and window seals. A torn seal is a likely culprit and an easy fix.

The last likelihood is a rusted through hole in the body or a split weld. These are much more expensive to fix and also symptomatic of bigger problems down the road. These should be a deal breaker unless you get the price down to the $500-$1000 range.

 

22 SECONDS!!!!
WOW
I think my truck does better than that with 5.29 gearing!
How much quicker is the 300D or SD?
Did they come with manual transmissions?