1982 mercedes-benz 300SD. Low Miles. No Reserve. Euro and GEN II MB Updates

The time has come to part with my exceptionally clean Black on Black, accident free, low mileage 1982 W126 300SD. I purchased the car in May of 2014 with 122,000 miles on the odometer. Miles were confirmed to be accurate via CarFax. After purchasing the car I spent the next 2 years having it repainted, rebuilding it, refreshing it, detailing it, servicing it and just enjoying the car. I changed the oil every 5000 miles and at the end of summer before putting it in storage for the Winter even if it hadn't been 5000 miles. I only use high zinc content premium oil specifically for diesels.

There is a 30 page thread that covers everything I have done to the car on benzworld.org.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w126-s-se-sec-sel-sd/2026273-my-1982-300sd-restoration.html

YouTube Walk Around Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfN__oVg6TM&feature=youtu.be

I have loved this car. The car currently has 134,000 miles on it, driven only 9,000 miles since May of 2014. The miles may be slightly higher as I drive the car on nice days. The car has never seen snow and it shows. I have stored it inside and covered during the winter and have always garaged it any other time. The car has been repainted to fix the fading original clear coat/paint. The underside of the car, trunk, floor pans, front spring mounts, jack points, everything is clean and solid. It is very evident that this car was not driven in the winter or has ever seen salt.

The car starts right up and idles with no issues. On colder mornings the new block heater does make a difference but, even at 20 degrees she will fire right up with a single cycle of the glow plugs. She does smoke a little on start up when cold but, does get better as she warms up. The car really is a pleasure to drive. She tracks down the road arrow straight, no shakes or shimmy and can easily cruise all day long at 65 MPH and I have even had her up to 85 MPH on a long stretch of highway and it's like the car was made to drive at this speed. The transmission shifts are firm with no slipping. The cruise control works, all gauges work, and the car is just a pleasure to drive. The car came with all the original owner's manuals and even the original first aid kit is still there. Heck, even the strings are still attached to the cruise and HVAC cards, something I have not seen before.

I have made some nice upgrades to include a Euro front bumper with Euro fog lights, Euro headlight conversion, swapping in GEN II W126 leather interior, GEN II rear parcel shelf and swapped in better wood trim for the pieces that had cracked. The GEN II leather really transforms the car. All the carpets were removed, cleaned and re-dyed.

I've tried to write an honest listing on my car. I am a car enthusiast and am selling her only because I have started another project and just don't have the garage space for two sunny weather only cars. Please, if you want to know something ask. I will send any additional pictures or videos if you want to see something specific. I will gladly help with shipping and highly encourage any potential buyer to come and look at and drive the car, especially being a vintage classic. Or I am even willing to meet you part way if that helps.

Carfax does show an odometer discrepancy and that is accurate and is my fault. When I went to register the vehicle I initially wrote down the wrong miles on the title and scratched over it and wrote in the correct miles. I soon found out this is a big no no on a title. My options were to go back to the seller and get a notarized affidavit stating that the miles were 122,000 at the time of sale or just have 9,999,999 listed as the miles on the title. I chose the latter because I wanted to just get the car registered. The true miles at the time I bought the car were 122,000 and the miles are currently 132,000 and the odometer reads accurately as I replaced all the gears upon my purchase.

I have put a lot of hours into bringing this car to how she looks and drives now. I know you never get back what you put into a car but, I hope I have listed this at a fair starting price and hopefully she will attract a new, equally enthusiastic owner as I have been over the past two years.

I have in hand a clean title and my receipt binder with over $1700.00 in receipts not including the $900.00 it cost for the GEN II interior, $350.00 for OEM Bosch Euro headlights, and $300.00 for the Euro front bumper.What I have done (and much more) since owning the car

Engine:

- Rebuilt Turbo with a kit from Mercedes Source in Washington State

• - New turbo oil drain tube seal

• - New exhaust front to back. A spare rear muffler is included.

• - New exhaust/intake manifold gasket

• - New valve stem seals

• - Valves recently adjusted

• - EGR delete

• - Surface trued valve cover. The secret way to stop those pesky OM617 oil leaks

• - New valve cover gasket. Zero leaks now that the valve cover has been trued

• - New ALDA line and fitting

• - New Nissan radiator

• - New Radiator hoses

• - New overflow tank

• - New Injectors

• - New glow plugs

• - New injector fuel return lines

• - New fuel filters

• - New motor mounts

• - New block heater

• - Recent battery

• - All fuses upgraded to brass ceramic from Mercedes Source

• - Cooling system flushed and refilled when radiator and hoses were replaced

Interior

- Whole interior has been upgraded with GEN II W126 front and rear seats. Not a rip or tear in them. These alone were $900.00 and I waited a while to find a set in this nice of condition

• - The carpets are in pristine condition. No rips, tears or stains

• - Original floor mats are in prefect condition and protected by an additional set of floor mats

• - Sun visors are not cracked, vanity lights work and are in pristine condition

• - Rear parcel shelf has been restored and is from a GEN II car and includes better speaker mounts and a third brake light mount

• -New Blaupunkt stereo head unit

• - New Maxximo speakers in parcel shelf

• - Original Mercedes First Aid kit in pristine condition

• - Original owners manuals with all the other original pamphlets

• - Original 1982 W126 sale brochure

• - Euro warning triangle on underside of trunk. Very hard to find and pricey

• - Wood is in very nice condition

• - Added center Roll-top console

• - Instrument cluster needles restored

• - Speedometer and odometer gears replaced with upgraded ones

• - All gauges work as they should. Oil pressure gauge is temperamental

• - Tachometer works perfectly

• - New Programa climate control unit

• - New heater fan

• - All dash, gear shifter, dome, sun visor, opera and puddle lights work as they should.

• - Vacuum door locks converted to manual

• - Replaced all 4 window regulators. Back work but only when supplied power directly.

Exterior:

- 2 year old paint job.

• - Euro front bumper with Euro fog lights. Fogs are wired to work with the original fogs

• - Euro headlight conversion

• - Body side cladding painted to match color of car

• - New front chrome grill

• - New front grill gasket

• - All new door seals

• - New trunk seal

• - New OEM Mercedes rear window seal (needs to be installed)

• - New taillight seals

• - 4 new door handle seals

• - Extra brake light bulb in tail light modification

I will be honest as I do not want any unhappy buyers. The paint looks amazing from 5 feet away but, when you get right up on it you can see imperfections in the paint. I was deployed when the paint was finished and my wife took delivery of the car. I am not too upset with the paint job and it does look nice and shiny from 5 feet and is protecting the car

Drive Train:

- Newer tires

• - Upgraded 8 hole OEM Mercedes rims. Very straight with no curb rash

• - Two new flex discs (need to be installed)

• - New front steering components. Car is tight and drives straight

• - New brakes front and rear

• - Transmission and rear differential fluid changed last Fall before putting away in storage. (spare trans gasket and filters included) I had a set ready for this winter

What still needs to be done:

- Stereo and speakers wired

• - New OEM Mercedes gasket installed in rear window. This will be included with the car.

• - Rear windows will need to be sorted out. They only work when supplied power directly.

• - Driver's and passengers door mounted power seat switches will need new plastic internal stalks. They work but will need tidying up.

• - A/C compressor missing.

• - Heat will have to be sorted out. Sometimes the heat works down on your feet and sometimes it doesn't. If I were keeping the car I would pull out the dash and rebuild all the vacuum bellows which are normally the cause of erratic heating issues. It isn't the control unit as I bought a new rebuilt one from Programa in Florida.

• - Dash has a crack on the driver's side that will need to be fixed if you are so inclined.

• - Window switches sorted out

• - I'm still looking for a nice shifter surround

Please, ask questions if you have them. I do not want an unhappy buyer. I really have enjoyed this car but, my new project needs the garage space. I highly encourage any prospective buyer to come and look at the car.

My last big trip in the car was a 10 hour trip to New Jersey and back to look at another Mercedes and she ran flawlessly. 80 MPH on the highway was not a problem. The car rode great, not a hiccup one out of her. I truly would not hesitate to drive her cross country tomorrow.

Do understand this is a 34 year old car that has some character but, try finding a 1982 300SD with only 130,000 miles that has been taken cared of the way I have taken care of this car at my starting price. It just needs a new caring owner who is an enthusiast.

Included with the sale will be all of the above plus:

- Clean title

• - High quality car cover

• - Battery tender for Winter storage

• If desired, all of my W126 spares and this is extensive to include:

• Interior door panels

• Taillights

• Antennas

• Valve cover

• Boxes of electrical switches, lights, relays, window switched, opera lights, etc.

• Rear Parcel shelves

• Rear interior side trim

• Door cards

• Sun visors

• Filters, gaskets and new engine belts

Please keep in mind that this is not a new vehicle and that it is sold as-is, where-is with no warranties implied, stated, or otherwise intended. You are bidding to own this vehicle, not to come and look at it after the auction has ended. Remember, my descriptions are as accurate as possible. I cannot say that it is without flaws. As with any classic car, it will have flaws. However, I can assure you that this is a great example that you can cherish for many years to come.

A non-refundable deposit of $500 must be sent by PayPal within 24 hours of the conclusion of the auction. The remaining balance must be paid within three days of the end of the auction or upon pick-up of the car, whichever is earlier. The balance of the purchase price can be made by PayPal. Purchaser is responsible for pick-up or all costs related to the shipping of the car.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.