Hello All (I apologize in advance for the braggadocious language to follow - - )
After the transmission failed in my E320 wagon, (a $3500 repair) I of course opted to junk it and began patiently browsing numerous websites for a replacement "workhorse".
And what what a SCORE I was able to come up with!
Some of you may have seen this car on bring-a-trailer a month or so ago. My new prize is an 1981 300TD Turbo. I am not kidding when I say this car is Concour material. (There is not even one scuff mark on the cargo compartment threshold!) It was owned from new by a rich New York City lawyer who only used it in summers to commute from his UN plaza condo out to his home (mansion?) in East Hampton. It has 86,203 miles on it and a mountain of service records from Silver Star Motors in downtown NYC.
If all that is not good enough - - the fellow I bought it from installed a Getrag 5 sp manual transmission. (something on the order of a $9,000. retrofit). He owns a diesel performance shop in Delaware specializing in transmission upgrades. Needless to say I am exceedingly pleased with this vehicle! It now has the acceleration that is sorely lacking in all the other 300TD's out there.
Larry in CA