CLASSIC 1984 MERCEDES-BENZ 300D TURBO--CONVERTED FOR VEGETABLE OIL $5,999 OBO

1984 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series Vegetable Oil Conversion Description

I am only the 3rd owner of this pretty, well-maintained 1984 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel (W123) sedan, which runs great and always starts first try. All three owners' service records/maintenance logs are included.

In 2005, I had Lovecraft Bio-Fuels convert her to their single-tank, vegetable oil system. New owner of Lovecraft and other mechanics worked out the kinks involved with that conversion. From 2006-2010 in Southern California, I fueled with all combinations of home-filtered waste vegetable oil (WVO), new 100% veggie oil (SVO), biodiesel and petro-diesel, with no trouble. Half of her trip from SoCal to New England was free, fueled by cubes of WVO I saved up from a friend's restaurant, home-filtered, and stored in the trunk. I have only used petro-diesel during winter (and occasionally bio-diesel in summer) since arrival in this colder climate, but it should still run well on WVO in summer. Included are an electric veggie oil fueling pump (which needs cleaning but should work) and a block heater, which may come in handy one day on the coldest of winter mornings, tho I've not needed it since changing all the glow plugs in 2010.

There are approximately 180K miles on the original 5-Cylinder, 3.0 liter engine, which has a life expectancy of 500,000 miles, many say over a million. She's just getting broken in! Handed down by a father to his daughter, who sold it to me, they both always garaged her, as have I for much of the past 11 years. There is minimal oil leakage and surface rust for an antique. I have done some touch-up of the Light Ivory paint, but it is otherwise still bright and the chrome shiny. I had a minor fenderbender on the rear passenger corner in 2010, which was professionally repaired, but not perfectly.

There is a factory automatic sunroof,power windows, central locking, power steering, electricallyheated rear windshield, alloy wheels, front center folding arm rest, zebrano wood dash trim, ashtray and console (with only the driver's side curved dash piece missing), combed wool carpet, new winter windshield wipers, parcel nets, all in good working condition. I added a two-cup holder. The climate control blower and heat work well but not A/C. Overhead rear light works, but not the front (maybe just needs a bulb?)

The alignment is good with no pulling. Very little play in thesteering wheel. Rear ceramic brake pads are brand new and with calipers cleaned of minimal rust--front still good. Snow tires put on rear two years ago are in good shape, as are the standard front. An extra, standard pair of rear tires is in fair condition and are included.

Interior is in good condition. The tan/camel leather seats are clean, firm and comfortable, with minimal cracks on the drivers seat. Dash has minor cracks on passenger side. Carpet is in good condition, just a few stains. I replaced the four original tan/camel Mercedes floor mats (included but in need of cleaning) with grey ones. The trunk is very clean. The instrument paneland center console look good, with minor blemishes on driver's door panel. Upper headliner is in good shape, tho headliner surrounding driver's side door rubber strip needs replacement/repair. The original First Aid Kit remains in place under original cover on the clean back dash. There are no internal water leaks.

Original transmission is 4-speed automatic with power assisted4-wheel disc brakes. It is running strong although recently acted fussy in unseasonably cold, wet weather, flaring b/t 3rd and 4th gears, coinciding with a brake (according to manual) warning light that, despite above-referenced brake repair is still on/flickering. Returned to mechanic for a week, he experienced no shifting problems, and neither have I since the warm weather. She feels strong and mechanically sound, with Turbo accelerating smoothly.

Instrument panel gauges function properly with the exception of the odometer and speedometer and possibly the fuel gauge (which is hard for me to say as I always fill her up b/c no odometer). Although the odometer stopped at 156K in 2010, I have since driven it under 5K miles per year and guesstimate true mileage at under 180K. A few winters ago the speedometer was disconnected b/c of a screech noise during freezing weather, but itmay work fine now, at least in summers, if merely reconnected. Mechanics estimate $300-$500 to replace the odometer/speedometer.

Overall, she's a clean, safe, comfortable, reliable and good-looking ride...frequently complimented.

To be sold "as is" with no warranty.