Small bumpers, no climate control/AC, no cruise control, no turbocharger

Description for Mercedes-Benz 300-Series 1983

This is a European-market Mercedes 300TD wagon imported from Germany as a used car in 1985. The car comes with period service books reflecting its life in Europe, as well as a very large file of importation paperwork and old receipts from its service history in Oregon. It spent most of its time in the dry climate of Bend, OR, where the engine was rebuilt at 157,000 miles.

It has a distinctive look compared to domestic vehicles because of its low-profile bumpers and height-adjustable headlight units with replaceable bulbs. Sealed-beam headlights and large ‘5-mph’ bumpers were mandated in North America at the time. There is a fun rear fog light in lieu of a second reverse light. The warning triangle and first aid kit (don't actually use it...) are present in their compartment in the back. The upholstery is striped blue cloth, unavailable in North America.

It lacks three very common failure points: a turbocharger, automatic climate control, and cruise control. It does have power front windows and passenger mirror adjust. The cargo area has a flat floor and anchor points instead of the third-row-seat option. At one time it also had the roll-up cargo cover, but that had gone before I got the car. Only the mounting hardware is left.

I have performed extensive mechanical work including replacing most of the rubber parts in the suspension, the entire exhaust system, and resealing the transmission. I replaced the horrible 90s radio with a period-correct Becker (the car left the factory without a radio at all). Mechanically almost everything works as it should except that the battery light stays on at start and remains on, dimly, even though it has been charging the battery with no problem for years. Even in very cold weather it should start on the first crank. The vacuum system works, including the adjuster for raising or lowering the headlight beams (in response to how the car is loaded). The SLS system holds its level and doesn't leak. The tailgate cylinders keep it open even in cold weather.

Early in my ownership I had to fix a slipping odometer gear, but I had been keeping fuel economy records so I adjusted it to what should be close to the true mileage.

The exterior makes it a ‘25-footer’; the clear-coat on the hood is entirely gone. There is a crack in the windshield in the middle of the driver’s side and a rock chip in one of the (glass) headlight lenses. Thedriver’s fender lip has a curled-over section. Most of the rust on the car is thousands of rock chips at the front; the jacking points have cracked undercoat and have started to rust but are still sound. I have treated rust under the battery, in the tailgate strut pockets, and a few spot areas with a high-solids urethane product. I think there is some surface rust in the difficult-to-access fender seams behind the plastic inner fenders in the front.

The interior is pretty good except for the dash, which has been fried by decades of desert sun. It has a ‘dash doily’ to cover the damage. I replaced the tailgate seal to stop a water leak when I bought it, and there are no other leaks. The dash wood is loose on the glove compartment. There is a strange melted substance under the left rear seat - it almost looks like a palm-sized blob of cured epoxy. I couldn't figure out how to remove it without destroying the foam liner, so I left it. One of the rubber 'keepers' that hold up the rear seat belt sockets has snapped, so that one lays down on the seat. The rear vinyl trim piece that holds the cargo light is starting to delaminate (the vinyl is pulling away from the cardboard).

Along with the car proper and some extra parts you will receive a thumb drive with 12 GB of materials, mostly pictures and a spreadsheet of what has been and still needs to be done or purchased (albeit the prices are from a dealership that doesn’t exist any more). The car will also come with tools including the Hazet valve adjusting wrenches, injection pump spline socket, and injection pump timing spout.

There is an extensive work thread on one of the Mercedes forums which I can provide on request.