Vehicle Description
When gas prices spiked a few years ago, cars like this 1984
Mercedes-Benz 300D were suddenly very much in demand. Virtually
indestructible and capable of pulling down some rather impressive
fuel economy, they're always the first go-to vehicles when times
get tough. The fact that you can enjoy Mercedes-levels of luxury
while you save money is simply icing on the cake. With beautiful
original paint on the exterior and a nice original interior to
boot, this vintage Merc is the one they told you to look out
for.
Yes, we'd call these desirable, if not collectable, because good
ones never remain on the market for long. This one shows 96,371
miles, and since Mercedes odometers go to a million before rolling
over, we'll let you make of it what you will. The W123 series cars
were notorious for rusting in northern climates, but this one has
lived its entire life in Tennessee, so the sheetmetal is as
well-preserved as the mechanicals. The Light Ivory paint is
extremely well kept factory enamel that still has very good shine
and shows only a few very minor signs of use but no injuries or
problems lurking under the skin. The chrome and stainless trim
remains very good as well, including the familiar Mercedes-Benz
grille, which is still one of the most recognized symbols of wealth
and quality on the road.
The tan MB-Tex interior is in excellent shape, which shouldn't be a
surprise because the stuff wears like iron. The bucket seats show
no signs of wear and there aren't many cars that are better
long-distance cruisers than this, as long as your bladder can
withstand the miserly fuel economy and range. It is still a
Mercedes, after all, so you get a beautiful burled walnut
instrument panel and console, a giant steering wheel, and big,
round gauges that should look familiar to anyone who has driven one
of these in the past few decades. There's also a Becker AM/FM radio
still nestled in the dash, which is an amazing testament to this
Merc's originality and preservation. There's also automatic climate
control, a sunroof, tilt wheel, and power windows and lock, so this
affordable Benz is hardly stripped down. Plenty of room in back and
the spacious trunk will handle all the luggage you can carry.
The 300D nomenclature denotes a diesel 3.0 liter inline-5 (yes,
five cylinders), which was a mainstay of Mercedes-Benz production
for many years. If you see a Mercedes in Morocco pulling taxi duty,
this is what's powering it. Indestructible, easy to maintain, and
with fuel economy that will rival the best of today's cars, it's
all about having your cake and eating it too. They're legendary for
their durability and should run practically forever with basic
maintenance. This one has been very well maintained along the way,
but you'll probably find that oil changes and an occasional wash
and wax are all it asks. It starts easily and idles with a familiar
diesel clatter, and while the horsepower and torque figures are
modest, this car will cruise all day at 75 MPH with the engine just
purring away up front. You can also thank the 4-speed automatic
transmission and tall rear gears, which certainly help in the
economy department, and the suspension and brakes make it feel
lively yet comfortable on the road. Like I said, there aren't many
better road trip vehicles. Standard 14-inch chrome wheels look
great and carry relatively recent 195/70/14 Yokohama radials.
A Mercedes is always a Mercedes, but when it's so affordable and
will pay you back with astounding fuel economy and reliability, you
can count it as a double win. Call today!
