Ok so I believe I amy have found a good deal on a 1983 300sd $500.....BUT...there are apparently a few issues....here is how the post reads:

1983 Mercedes 300SD.
Needs suspension work, but the engine and transmission are in great working order. It has a 5 cylinder turbo diesel. Clean title.

I've put a lot of work into this car. In the last year I've put brakes front and rear, expansion valve, dryer, motor mounts, glow plugs and block heater.
It also comes with a 100 foot long extension cord

The work it needs is:
The lower control arm for the right rear needs to be replaced. I don't have prices on parts, I don't have prices on the tools to do the work and I don't know how long it will take. These are questions I would have answers to had I done the work.
The arm is rusting at the spring mount. I wouldn't drive it much more than wherever you're going to do the repair.

There is no radio

Needs an AC Compressor

There is quite a bit of rust.

307,000 miles.

$500 cash FIRM

....what are you all thinking....if i do look at it what should I be aware of/look for....and that control arm is super expensive isnt it?? but how hard is it to replace (I am quite mechanically savy and into diesels......have a dodge cummins...im the only one that works on it...ever! lol)
thanks for the insight
Justin

PS what is the significance of the "S" in the 300sd.......so 300sd vs. 300d...??

 

Suspension work total suspension rebuild is up to $1000 parts/labor independent shop and that's replacing every rubber and majo suspension component there. There is a laundry list so one grand is not bad of a deal with the labor. But piece by piece it depends on if that is the actual part causign the problem or one of them. Replacing the lower contol arm, which usually the bushings is replaced and solves problem unless the actual lower control arm is rusted or otherwise damaged. The bushings are relatively cheap and so are the ball joints. The actual lower control arms can be had for both for a couple of hundred. Just for the lower control arm the labor should be just a couple of hours maybe up to 3 if things ae old and rusty. The only special tools for that particular job that is handy is the ball joint separator (if ya doing the ball joints with it and or the bushings. One or two nice c-clamps, torque bar and standard tools and curse words.) If you worked on a car before i nthat area you should be straight and might need aligment too. Cant remember I had to take my in for guide rod mounts and to get to them you had to take it all apart about anyways and went on and replaced ever thing as the parts are relatively cheap, just many of them. If you need step by step I can get that for you. I was brave to tackle all of it but hell no to the guide rod mounts.
Not sure why they put a new expansion valve and dryer with a busted ac compressor but no complaints as that is one PITA that be glad you dotn have to be done. The AC compressor is relative easy and that can run you anywhere from $100 for working junkyard one to few hundred for rebuilt or reman. one. Up to you. If the AC compressor locked up and burnt then worse case is there is some stuff from the burnt peices got stuck in the Reciever/drier which is one ofthe cheapest parts to replace and should be replaced anyway when you replace a compressor. And make sure there was no leaks, which hope was done when expansion valve was replaced with the vaccum hecks done too. Whih means hope when they took th dahs apart to get to that expansion valve, they checkedand replaced everythign thye could under there as not many people are itching to take the dash off and on often and repair shops close up early when they have that to do because they will make pretty penny.
Now, the biggest kicker is the rust. Depending on where nd how bad that can be deal breaker. Is it just surface rust on panels, or are panels rusted through. Is the undercarriage rusty as that can be a whole battle on it's own.

$500 is not alot and of course cant expect a show room museuem condition unless the person sellign is on some strong crack. 300,000 miles sounds like a lot but for those diesel, it's meh, average. If it is running good, then it will run good for long time. Make sure that injection pump been replaced not to long ago.

The 300D is essentially the diesel version of the early "E-class", aka, the standard car for that time. The S class aka "special class" whn translated is top of the line and is the diesel version of the SELs and SEs of that time period. Same engine just different body and the SD is bigger than the D and usually better equipped but with extra weight it is said the D is better performance than the SD but Mercedes wanted you to buy the upper gassers for performance anyways.

Overall the W126 is not too expensive to have and work on if you shop for parts and do as much as you can yourself. You will save thousands in a few jobs and that's no exaggeration and might be understatement. And is it just the control arm rusting? because as mentioned early they not too expsensive or too hard to do. See what happens but it's common to do a suspension rebuild on those cars whe you first buy then as there is lot of rubber in there and is often over looked. When I bought my two W126s it was assumed that I was going to rebuild the fron suspension within a year anyways and it makes worlds difference.

$500 is really not a lot to chance on a car but when you get into things anf find yourself thousands in and knee deep that is where people start to question whether they should continue or give up. Usually they give up, take their losses and sell cheap, which is where a person like me come along, scoop it up, finish the touches and have basicially a new car. In the end just know what you getting into. Hey, got pics of the rust out of all those things that can be the deal breaker.

 

Run, don't pass go, hide from this car. It has clearly not been taken care of and will be a money pit.

For what you'd spend fixing the front end and the ac, you could buy a maintained car.

In fact, I wouldn't take the car if it were given to me. Not even worth the hassle of getting it picked up by a wrecker.

 

sounds like it could be a good parts car though. If the engine is in decent running condition seems to me it might be worth $500. I'd offer the guy three or four and walk away if he wants to hold out for the extra.