Budget Mercedes ride

[Casey]

For all you low-ballers out there:

http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/3198426610.html









$1200!

WTF.  That's also one massive truck in the background...

[JasonP]

Everything works!

[ziper1221]

ahh hell yeah that one is mine

[Squiggle Dog]

It would make a great first car for a teenager, though his price is about $1,000 too high.

[ziper1221]

It would make a great first car for a teenager, though his price is about $1,000 too high.

Yeah, I will do my best to walk up with $150 and leave with about half a car.

[Type17]

I'd hate to see that car in a side-impact crash (or even a frontal or rear one) 


Would that even pass the Florida safety test?

[ziper1221]

There is no safety test...

AMERICA, LAND OF THE FREE

[Big_Richard]

.

[Casey]

Everything works!

I think we need to put that to the test.  Somebody should go and see it for the lulz and try turning on the A/C.  Prior to doing this, feed the seller a steady stream of b/s about how lovely the car is, so much nicer than it looked in the pictures, "that'll buff right out", etc.  Then when the A/C surely doesn't work get really angry and start accusing the seller of being a dishonest liar, storming away in a fit of fury.

[s class]

That car looks to have rolled, and they presumably couldn't get the doors to fit anymore, and bodged up a DIY alternative. 

[ZCarFan]

I'd hate to see that car in a side-impact crash (or even a frontal or rear one) 


Would that even pass the Florida safety test?

The price is dropping, bringing it closer to the parts value.  The transmission alone is worth $400 or so.  I sure wouldn't drive it though.  In some states the buyer would not need to get through an inspection, though I can guarantee you would get pulled over by the police on a regular basis.

In the U.S., the individual states handle things like "safety tests".  I use the quotes, as I am of the opinion that such things only feed bureaucracy and bribes.  Only a tiny fraction of accidents are related to equipment, the vast majority being operator error.   I find it odd that most drivers will not bother to make any attempt to make their driving safer, which could positively improve 98% + of the safety issues on the roads, yet seem almost programmed to believe that an annual equipment check is somehow indispensable.   

I previously lived in Maryland which has a "safety inspection" upon transfer of ownership.  I once had a discussion on the subject with the state policeman that was assigned to the inspection program in our area.  I challenged him to explain how effective the program could be if the car could have faults at any time after the one-time inspection.  After a bit of dodging and weaving, he admitted it was mostly a consumer protection effort.  Now, since it then protects lazy, uninvolved consumers who do not want to be responsible for checking their purchases and effectively raises prices overall for the rest of us who were willing to leverage our time and skills to economic advantage, I asked who was protecting MY consumer interests.  Naturally, he just shook his head and smiled.  Oh, says I, I get it now.

[Casey]

No inspection in Maryland if you register the car as antique - no nothing.  I have not had a car registered as anything but antique in over a decade (all Mercedes wheee) and this has worked fine in every state.  I think maybe in Washington state I had to get the emissions checked, but that was all.  Just $25/year in Maryland for the plates and mandatory insurance coverage while you possess the plates.  They screw up sometimes and send me warnings about an insurance coverage lapse - then I have to phone the insurance company and have them fax proof of coverage on the said dates to the Motor Vehicle Administration.

[TJ 450]

$25 a year, wow that's inexpensive.

I guess that's sort of like the club registration we can get here, but presumably yours can be driven whenever?

Tim

[Casey]

I guess that's sort of like the club registration we can get here, but presumably yours can be driven whenever?

Well the legalese states, "A vehicle registered as historic cannot be used for general daily transportation, or primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on highways.  It can only be used in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, occasional transportation and similar uses."

I have no idea how they might enforce such a law, since the wording is a bit vague with "primarily" and "occasional".  Unless they set up watch on somebody which seems ludicrous.  I have a few cars registered, so it's perfectly reasonable to assume I don't drive any given one of them more than a few times a week, but for most of my history, I've only had one and never had any questions.  Been pulled over plenty too many times usually for speeding, including a couple times carrying massive loads in and on top of the car; never once were the antique/historic plates brought up.

I reckon if somebody did bring it up, I'd have an "oh I don't usually drive this car, just gotta get it out on the road every so often" ready to blurt out.  If the car is altered in ways I'd like to, e.g. swapping a gas for a diesel engine, I don't think I'd even be able to register it regularly in Maryland.

They have another registration type called Street Rod, which sounds like it's got all the same constraints as historic:

"To be registered as a street rod (class N), your vehicle must:

    be 25 model years old or older; and
    have been substantially altered from the manufacturer's original design.

A vehicle registered as a street rod cannot be used for general daily transportation, or primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on highways.  It can only be used in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, occasional transportation and similar uses."

I'm really not sure why there's both, since there's no inspection on either so they'd never know it had been altered if you don't tell them.  I intend on living in a more sane state in the future anyways.

[Casey]

The price is dropping, bringing it closer to the parts value.  The transmission alone is worth $400 or so.

If you can find a buyer.  I bought a 1980 300D in pretty good shape with only 80k miles for $750.  Unfortunately the crankshaft end and harmonic balancer are damaged from the bolt coming loose, not really sure what to do about that. as replacing the crankshaft does not sound at all minor or easy, but the engine runs very smooth and nice.

Maybe I should part it out and sell the engine as is and let somebody else deal with it.  But everyone wants a turbo and it's NA.

I personally fail to see much value in W115's/W123's unlike W116's which make me sad when they're undervalued.