Mercedes 1983 300D that hasn't been driven or operated for many years
I am the original owner of a 1983 4 door Mercedes 300D with less than 64,000 miles that has not been driven or operated at all since 1997. It has been garage kept during this entire time. It does not have a battery and my guess is that it will not start although I have not attempted to try that yet.
How would one go about trying to sell such a vehicle or does it make financial sense to have it repaired and restored, even though the wife and I no longer need or necessarily want to keep it? So if we are to pay for repairs to make it driveable again, it would most likely be put up for sale. I do not know how to fix the car myself.
I would appreciate advice from anyone who might have experience with this vehicle or with vehicles that were under similar circumstances as to how to best approach this. Many thanks in advance.
Mercedes 1983 300D that hasn't been driven for yrs
- Thread starter eight88
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I can't provide the technical expertise on a diesel that you request.
I do request pix...but only to help those with the expertise do a good job 
JHZR2
Staff member
To get it running, it would require a battery, new fuel filter, and a change of the oil. Not a huge deal. These cars can take a while to run, but assuming there is fuel in there and a good primer, Im sure it can be made to go.
Probably smart to turn it over by hand a few times as well... Again, no big deal.
Why did you put it up in 1997? Was there something wrong with it back then?
In the end it will require a lot of investment, rubber parts, tires, all fluids, etc. Who knows how the radiator has corroded. Lots of little unknowns from sitting that long, but they can all be gone through systematically.
Originally Posted By: eight88
Mercedes 1983 300D that hasn't been driven or operated for many years
I am the original owner of a 1983 4 door Mercedes 300D with less than 64,000 miles that has not been driven or operated at all since 1997. It has been garage kept during this entire time. It does not have a battery and my guess is that it will not start although I have not attempted to try that yet.
How would one go about trying to sell such a vehicle or does it make financial sense to have it repaired and restored, even though the wife and I no longer need or necessarily want to keep it? So if we are to pay for repairs to make it driveable again, it would most likely be put up for sale. I do not know how to fix the car myself.
I would appreciate advice from anyone who might have experience with this vehicle or with vehicles that were under similar circumstances as to how to best approach this. Many thanks in advance.
This is my wife's car. She stopped driving it after a heavy snow storm during the winter in 1997 and she found that it handled poorly in snow as it is a rear wheel drive car. We bought a 1997 Ford Explorer which she drove from then on until 2011, and replaced it with another four wheel drive vehicle.
The 1983 Mercedes has never been in an accident, never previously needed or received more than ordinary maintenance, and can most likely easily be brought to at least mint cosmetic condition.
Any pictures of it 88?
Just click reply then the box with the blue up arrow on it to post pics.
I know a guy that may be interested in buying it. PM me if your interested.
It will be much kinder to the car to remove all the old fuel and include something like Diesel Kleen in the refill, as well as change the oil/filter and crank it over some (with the glow plugs out?) to get oil up into the engine before firing it off. Sitting that long, even if it is an 8 out of 10, it's probably not worth more than $1500 un-started. New fuel and oil to (hopefully) get it running, new tires, and a good wash, and it may more than double the price. If you were close enough I'd happily revive it for you just to give the car a chance a better chance at finding a good home and put a little more money in your pocket. I like tinkering with these cars - to pull my 300CD in the shop of an evening and check something off my to-do list is quite therapeutic.
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What do you want for it and where in the mid atlantic are you?
Thanks everyone for the rapid fire replies. I will probably PM a few of you with some of the requested information.
Will attempt to attach the two photos that we have of it that were taken after the car was cleaned in the garage within the last 2 years. It is actually a 1985, not 1983 as originally posted. 
Originally Posted By: eight88
This is my wife's car. She stopped driving it after a heavy snow storm during the winter in 1997 and she found that it handled poorly in snow as it is a rear wheel drive car. We bought a 1997 Ford Explorer which she drove from then on until 2011, and replaced it with another four wheel drive vehicle.
The 1983 Mercedes has never been in an accident, never previously needed or received more than ordinary maintenance, and can most likely easily be brought to at least mint cosmetic condition.
The best answer for why it was not driven again is that it was my wife's car. She much, much preferred the Explorer in snow driving; that's her answer. I had almost no experience driving her cars. She did little driving, approximately 3,000-5,000 miles per year.
The cars that I drove were a series of front wheel drive mini-vans and then a Subaru Forester. I put way more miles on my cars than my wife did since I was the primary family driver.
Our priority during those years was raising three kids, managing a full time office, and running three kids to their activities, sports, hobbies, and what have you. I also had a health problem during part of that time, so the car was simply not a priority.
I would like to keep this thread focused on either selling this vehicle or getting it up and running hopefully without great expense, so my apologies in advance if I choose not to answer questions that stray from that focus.
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The car you've shown is a 123 with US bumpers.
Don't think there was any '85 US model 123.
The "123" is the chassis series - that body style of Mercedes, produced from 1976-1985, is known as the W123. Within that there were different models: 240D, 300D, etc. The W123 was still in production in '85. American models in this era had different bumpers because of crash standards.
Nice looking car. Why you parked it is immaterial - your business, and it preserved it better for the enthusiasts of this generation.
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Unless the fuel tank was open (?), there is no reason to drain the fuel. Diesel does not go bad w/o water being present. If it has water in the tank, that's a different story.
I have salvaged diesel from underground tanks that sat for 30 years. It ran fine in the equipment as soon as I could verify no water (growth happens on the water/oil interface).
Yes, I'd change the fuel filter just to be sure it was full flow. Install a new hot battery. Maybe change the oil, depending on how it looks on the dip stick? If it looks OK, it's for the new owner ... Prime the fuel/injection pump as if it ran out on the road (YouTube for how). Air up the tires. Start it. Drive it around the neighborhood to be sure the brakes are not out to lunch. Give it a wash and sell it.
You will easily make many thousands of dollars. Nice car in nice shape with a legendary diesel drive train.
Should be a fun few days, then it's gone 
My brother would prolly travel cross country to by that car, and drive it hone (NV) - if I tell him ... He's a Merc diesel nut. Always on the look out for a low mileage gem like that. He has too many projects right now, so I'm not saying anything 
My brother would prolly travel cross country to by that car, and drive it hone (NV) - if I tell him ... He's a Merc diesel nut. Always on the look out for a low mileage gem like that. He has too many projects right now, so I'm not saying anything
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