Does anyone think this is close to reality?

[cmaxwell]

I've been thinking about getting a diesel for a commute car. I'm wondering if anyone thinks this car is worth that amount of money. Seems high, even when the 1bd condo next door sold for $665,000...

MERCEDES DIESEL 1991 350 SDL - MINT CONDITION - LUXURY ( PICS) - $25000

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Reply to: sale-206870982@craigslist.org
Date: 2006-09-13, 1:19PM PDT


This car IS premium, and I really dont want to sell it, and am not sellingit for any mechanical reasons as it is in perfect condition.

This is a 1991 Black Mercedes 350 SDL Diesel Luxury Sedan. Meticulous maintainace records, 2 owners.

1. There are only a few of these cars in the state of CA. The 300's are common, but you hardly ever see the 350 ( 3.5 Liter ) engines.

2. This car is in amazing condition. The exterior and interior have been meticulously mainained, and have no major cosmetic blemishes.

3. I have replaced almost everything that needed replacing on this car. It has:
> A NEW suspension ( within 6 months )
> A New Head( Just replaced the head with a NEW upgraded head from Mercedes, so that it will not crack )
> A laundry list of meticulous repairs and fine details.

4. It is ready to run Bio Diesel

5. It can be converted to run Veggie oil for $2500 more, I have quoted this for this car for a high end Veggie Oil kit and Installation.

6. It has XM Sattelite Radio and a NEW Apline Stereo System

7. 1 year old Touring Tires

8. Black Leather Interior, huge trunk, electric everything. This was a $75,000 car new.


Price High? Well, it's a premium car with everything fixed. You can't get these,and for someone out there, the price will be worth it. This is a dream veggie oil/ bio diesel car. Has 156K miles, but like I said, a new engine and many new parts so this is somewhat trivial for this car.

I Have put at least $30K into this car since I bought it, and need to recoup that $$$. Please dont email with low end bids, I'm waiting for someone who can afford and wants this car at this price.

Pictures here:
http://makemehappytv.blogspot.com/2006/09/1991-mb-350-sdl.html


this is in or around SF

no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

[arcticathlon]

i think that price is just a little insane...

[aklim]

With or without the trunk of full of crack?

[TheDon]

25k for a 350SDL.. i think 12k is more of a real price.if its a new engine i want to see paper work and verified milage, my buddy got his 350SDL with 89k on it for 10k and everything works like the day it was sold

[N41EF]

KBB.Com says it's worth $5605 in excellent condition. Given the rarity, engine has been updated with new head, and repair record it's worth more. But 5 times more? I'd ask you insurance agent what they would give for it if you totaled it, and I'd use that as a starting point. My point of view comes from driving an 80's W123 that I bought for $2000 that I assume might be worth 5 or 6k on eBay. Best wishes, Chuck

[Hatterasguy]

$10k above market. Blue book value is next to useless with these cars. If it had 100k less miles he could probably get $20k for it.

[nhdoc]

I don't even think Mr. Phillips could get $25K for it

[TheDon]

i would rather spend 25k on a TDI

[Matt L]

Originally Posted by TheDon

i would rather spend 25k on a TDI

I'm with you there. I just bought one, after looking for a good used diesel for some time.

[TMAllison]

There was a 300SDL for sale in Walnut Creek within the last month for similar $$$ which only had ~23K original miles on it.

That one seemed expensive.

[Jim B.]

Since 1979 I lived in San Francisco, till the end of 2004, so I know something about the high prices of condominia and other things there.

This guy will *never* ever, achieve $30k for a '91 350SD with the ROD BENDER engine, I don't care if it is a brand new crate long block engine, (it isn't), even with the right color and all the repairs, it still has 161k, he should get on his hands and knees and PRAY he gets $9000 for it. At that, he should consider himself extremely lucky.

His ad copy sounds like he is stubborn, sohe will just have to sit and wait for a LOOOONG time for that $30,000.

A wildly overpriced condo in SF that sells does NOT automatically mean a wildly overpriced Mercedes diesel with the rod bender engine located in the same city is going to sell. Just because you dumped a wad of cash into it is no guarantee you wilol get it all back and then some. The car is worth simply what a willing buyer will pay for it. To get $30,000 for it, it would need to be a 560SEL with less than 20k on the clock I would think, a mint unmolested time capsule condition car, with all records, no accidents and garaged.

And keep waiting, like waiting for GODOT. $30,000 won't happen for that car.

Not EVER.

[HerbPhillips]

I agree with most, that the 350SDL's do have a stigma attached to them when selling.

The diesel marketplace right now is at a new high. VW TDI's are selling at about a 30 % premium over what the same cars fetched pre-katrina.

My guess is the Mercedes diesels are at somewhere between 30 and 40 % premium.

I had a mint 1991 350SDL last spring, 73k miles, 1 owner, perfect records, etc. I had zero trouble selling it for $15,500 in days.

I sold a nice 1987 300SDL with 180k last week for $10k and could have sold it to three buyers. $10k felt like the resistance point for the car; and given the choice , I'd rather have the 1987 model car over the 1991, if the mileage and cosmetics were the same. Last year this would have been a $7400 car.

I'm chasing a 1987 300SDL right now with 22k miles. I have in my head that it is worth somewhere around $20k to the right person. We'll see.

[nhdoc]

I should just fix the AC on my '98 and selll it today if the market is so good. It's a nice car but if I could get over $15K for it I would take it in a heartbeat and find a nice W123 to drive daily for half that money.

[HerbPhillips]

You should have very little trouble selling a 1998 w/135k for $15,000.

I sold one last fall with 155k for $16,500 and had a list of takers.

Originally Posted by cmaxwell

MERCEDES DIESEL 1991 350 SDL - MINT CONDITION - LUXURY ( PICS) - $25000

No. Maybe $15,500 at most.