Any board members out there who can save me a trip to look at a car in Pittsburgh? Maybe even drive it to NH? It is a 1979 300SD. PM me directly if you can help!

I am just north of Pgh and would be glad to help if I can. I also called a local guy recently who was advertising an 85 300SD with about 275K on it. I talked to him on the phone about a week ago but I do not have the room, time or money for another car now. Maybe it would be of interest to you as well. I'll PM you.

Richard

Hi,
I'm not in the 'Burgh right now... Would be glad to help if I could.

Thanks for stopping by :) my site.

I am off in the a.m. to pick up my "new" W116. It's been pre-screened by one of our very helpful board members (thanks RML!) who declared it to be in "pristine, near showroom condition" so I will fly in and pick it up in the afternoon, have it checked and minor service done at his local mechanic's shop and hit the road on Thursday morning back to NH...with any luck I'll be back in time for dinner. Here's its listing for anyone interested in seeing it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&item=320165931507

A one owner car with at least some service records and looks from the photos to be quite original...right down to the radio.

Marty:

Did I forget to tell you it doesn't have an engine? Woops!!

Richard

Marty:

Did I forget to tell you it doesn't have an engine? Woops!!

Richard

No Biggie...I think I know where to find one close by...in YOUR driveway ;)

Looks like a beautiful car. I have always been a fan of the W116 chassis.

nhdoc, Looks like a clean car and a good deal. Wonder why it only received 2 bids? Is it because the seller has zero feedback?

Also like to know (if you're willing to discuss) how you did the paperwork buying a car out of state and driving it back ($transaction/regi/ insurance etc).

Good luck!

I am off in the a.m. to pick up my "new" W116. It's been pre-screened by one of our very helpful board members (thanks RML!) who declared it to be in "pristine, near showroom condition" so I will fly in and pick it up in the afternoon, have it checked and minor service done at his local mechanic's shop and hit the road on Thursday morning back to NH...with any luck I'll be back in time for dinner. Here's its listing for anyone interested in seeing it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&item=320165931507

A one owner car with at least some service records and looks from the photos to be quite original...right down to the radio.

nhdoc, Looks like a clean car and a good deal.
Also like to know (if you're willing to discuss) how you did the paperwork buying a car out of state and driving it back ($transaction/regi/ insurance etc).
Good luck!

I got my wagon off ebay from a mechanic in Delaware who buys/fixes up/sells german cars. He had a dealers liscense and could give me a temporary tag...that was convenient.

Then I sold my other car to a guy in Maryland, and he borrowed my liscense plate and registration to drive the car back and get it inspected/registered. Don't know how safe that would be with someone you don't know, but he had his own insurance...there probably would have been some kind of hassle though if something would have happened on his way home.
-Geoff

nhdoc, Looks like a clean car and a good deal. Wonder why it only received 2 bids? Is it because the seller has zero feedback?

Also like to know (if you're willing to discuss) how you did the paperwork buying a car out of state and driving it back ($transaction/regi/ insurance etc).

Good luck!

I think you hit the nail on the head...zero feedback seller, no details in the listing and mediocre photos. All add up to more trouble than it is worth for most bidder. But I had seen this car in Hemmings and spoke with the seller so I knew a bit more about it than most bidders did.

As for the process, I simply bring cash and a set of valid plates off one of my other cars, pay the seller and have him sign the title, mount the plates and drive off. No muss no fuss. I'll register it once I get home. Never been caught (yet) and drive with a light pedal so as to minimize the risk. I carry the signed title and the registration that matches the plates just in case so I can explain that the plates are mine and valid, just not for this particular car. If I wanted to go the extra mile I'd get a temp plate from the state which they will provide with a bill of sale but I find this works best for me. I generally don't pay for a car until I have seen it so I can't register it before I go to pick it up.

Insurance is automatic once I buy a car I have 30 days coverage but in most cases I simply notify the insurance company of my plans and they add the car the day I pick it up.

I have done that many times in the past and got stopped once in a real beater of a VW bus. This was many years ago and I was lucky that time. I explained to the state trooper exactly what I was doing and he let me go. Told me to get off the first exit and get it towed. I got off the exit, waited a while and took another chance and drove home. :D

Not sure if true but slapping plates on from another car carries a stiffer penalty than no plates. But then no plates attracts more attention so what are ya going to do? :D They certainly don't make life easy for us.

What about having insurance on a vehicle not registered in your name (yet)? Did you check if coverage will be provided in case of an accident?

I think you hit the nail on the head...zero feedback seller, no details in the listing and mediocre photos. All add up to more trouble than it is worth for most bidder. But I had seen this car in Hemmings and spoke with the seller so I knew a bit more about it than most bidders did.

As for the process, I simply bring cash and a set of valid plates off one of my other cars, pay the seller and have him sign the title, mount the plates and drive off. No muss no fuss. I'll register it once I get home. Never been caught (yet) and drive with a light pedal so as to minimize the risk. I carry the signed title and the registration that matches the plates just in case so I can explain that the plates are mine and valid, just not for this particular car. If I wanted to go the extra mile I'd get a temp plate from the state which they will provide with a bill of sale but I find this works best for me. I generally don't pay for a car until I have seen it so I can't register it before I go to pick it up.

Insurance is automatic once I buy a car I have 30 days coverage but in most cases I simply notify the insurance company of my plans and they add the car the day I pick it up.

What about having insurance on a vehicle not registered in your name (yet)? Did you check if coverage will be provided in case of an accident?

Title proves ownership, so once the title is signed over I would think the insurance company would be on the hook. In fact I just read the Hagerty policy and it does not make any mention about a requirement that a vehicle be registered, only owned by the insured person. It does say that in order for the collision coverage to be in effect it needs to be a listed car so you can't use the 30 day coverage and expect them to pay for damage to the insured vehicle itself. I already applied for coverage, effective today on the W116...so I am all set. They accepted my estimate of its value for agreed upon coverage.

Hi Marty,

If you don't mind my asking, who's your insurance carrier? I have Liberty Mutual, and when I signed up my W123, they wouldn't discuss the value of the car for agreed-upon coverage. Rather, they would only say that the value was "probably close to NADA" and that they would determine the car's value at the time of a future claim if necessary. Apparently, they just plug the VIN into a computer and it spits out the premium rates.

Safe travels today. I work in Nashua, so I'll be on the lookout for your new W116.

Charlie

I am off in the a.m. to pick up my "new" W116. It's been pre-screened by one of our very helpful board members (thanks RML!) who declared it to be in "pristine, near showroom condition" so I will fly in and pick it up in the afternoon, have it checked and minor service done at his local mechanic's shop and hit the road on Thursday morning back to NH...with any luck I'll be back in time for dinner..

Don't be in such a rush to leave Pittsburgh. Take some time and see some of the city. I grew up there but hadn't been back for about 30 years until this past April for this http://www.pittsburghvintagegrandprix.com/6746108221812390/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=53151 What a great weekend. I would recommend it next year for anyone, although Mercedes won't be the featured marque. If anyone is interested the burgandy and gray 170 was a diesel. Very nice car.

Hi Marty,

If you don't mind my asking, who's your insurance carrier? I have Liberty Mutual, and when I signed up my W123, they wouldn't discuss the value of the car for agreed-upon coverage. Rather, they would only say that the value was "probably close to NADA" and that they would determine the car's value at the time of a future claim if necessary. Apparently, they just plug the VIN into a computer and it spits out the premium rates.

Safe travels today. I work in Nashua, so I'll be on the lookout for your new W116.

Charlie

My collection is insured with Hagerty. They are not daily drivers so I have collector's insurance on them.

Today was a mixed bag of luck. My travel plans went flawlessly and I was everywhere when I expected to be...at the car by 2:00 - paid, signed the papers, mounted the plates and drove off about 2:20. The car was very nice indeed (more details on that when I get home). We stopped at Richard's mechanic and I immediately noticed a tire which I didn't like the looks of that had obviously been run close to flat and the sidewalls were badly scuffed. The tech didn't think I would have trouble making it home but alas he was wrong. I don't know precisely how far I got but it wasn't more than about 30 miles when I noticed the wheel shaking, first it was subtle then more violent. I spied and exit off the turnpike and took it...by the time I reached the end of the ramp it was completely disintegrated. Fortunately there was a good spare in the trunk as well as a jack and lug wrench. 5 minutes later I was on my way to a Sears that was only a few miles off the turnpike where I got 4 brand new tires fitted and booked a room for the night across the road from the mall. Tomorrow AM I will get an early start and be in NJ for lunch with my ailing mom.

Don't forget to stop for a Primanti Bros sandwich!

I got back home 7:00 last night, driving about 600 miles after replacing the tires in Pittsbugh on Wednesday night. The car performed flawlessly otherwise and based upon preliminary calculations delivered between 28 and 29 MPG on average.

The "delivery" of the car was a bit of a mixed bag. Though, in all the car is at least as nice as I had expected it to be, just different than described. Basically the seller, who is the original owner's son (who is himself 50-60 years old so his dad must be in his 80s) told me the car was completely rust free, had never been driven in bad weather and was all original, never had any body work or paint done to it. He also said the car's accessories all worked fine except the tach which was intermittent and he said that although the A/C worked it seemed a little "weak" to him.

OK, the truth is the car was repainted, not original. Seller seemed dumfounded by this and at first claimed it could not be true. I showed him the proof being masking lines in the door jambs and small areas of overspray. OK, he claimed his father must have had it done and not told him about it. The second non truth was the rust free claim. Fortunately the only rust I could find so far is two spots behind each of the front wheels at the bottoms of the fenders. One side is worse that the other...one is just bubbling and one has some visible rust coming through. Both are about the size of an average finger nail, maybe 1/2" square. When I pointed them out to him he basically didn't deny having known about them and told me if I wanted out of the deal that was fine with him...no I didn't want out, I only wished he was honest about it when I first asked...had it been worse I probably would have flown back to NH empty handed. I hate it when you ask someone a straightforward question and they answer it in a straightforward manner and it turns out to be false. The repaint, by the was was an A1 job, so had he told me about it I probably would have felt better than thinking I was buying a car with 28 year old paint still on it. The exterior of the car is a 9.5-9.8 with the biggest flaws being the little rust spots and some very minor scratches. The chrome is perfect all around, even the wiper arms are beautiful and those usually rust.

Mechanically I could find little fault. The tach was indeed out, there were two burned out headlights, the "seat belt warning" light would occaisionally flash and the A/C and heater blower was not functioning...of course I didn't find out about the last item until after I drove off. When we got to Richard's mechanic's shop we put the car on the lift. It was pretty good underneath...no real evidence of rust though the underbody had been resprayed with some coating that made it hard to tell without poking around more. The jack points looked solid though they may have been restored. I can attest to the fact that the right front jack point is solid as I had to resort to using it when the right front tire blew 30 miles into my trip :mad:

Anyhow, we found the ACC fuse blown and thanks to Richard we replaced it and one other blown fuse for the aux fan, and low and behold the blower started working again! I dodged a bullet there. Not only did the blower work but the A/C came on nice and cool, and I used it on the way home when temps climbed into the high 70's...it works fine!

I also found the lights in the right end of the cluster were out (tach and clock light) so I suspect a bad ground could be causing that and the issue with the seat belt warning light too as it seems to be triggered ever time and other warning light in the cluster comes on (turn signals, high beams, brake light all trigger it). The tach issue could be from that or the classic tach amp problem...either is easily fixed. Oh, and also, the cruise control does not work.

The interior of the car is about a 9.8 on a 10 scale. The only faults I have found so far are a slightly soggy rear seat bottom cushion and some minor hairline cracks in the wood surrounding the ACC control. The other woodwork and interior panels are basically showroom new as is the carpet, headliner and dash. Truly a museum inside.

So now I have a punchlist of items. Cluster, headlights, cruise, small stuff really. The car drove flawlessly all the way home. It was a pleasure to drive and now I just have to straighten out a few odds and ends and it will be in near showroom condition both cosmetically and mechanically before too long!

Well, Marty, basically none of them tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Taken in aggregate, with 9.5 paint on the exterior, and a 9.5 interior, you've got yourself quite a good deal at that price.

27 year old paint, with associated door dings, would be no better than 7 on the exterior..........no matter what the seller claims.

If you garage it, the new paint will last indefinitely.

The SDL was repainted without any comment prior to sale. It's no better than an 8.

I'm not complaining...the car is really very nice...and I will garage it. It's just funny what some people will disclose and others won't.

Whenever I do sell a car I always tell everything about it...good and bad. Sometimes it costs the sale, but 90% of the time mine sell to the first people who see them because they can see by not sugarcoating it they are buying from someone both honest and knowledgable.