1979 Mercedes-Benz 300CD Base

Description

This vehicle is being relisted due to a non-paying buyer. Please do not bid/submit offers if you do not intend to follow through with the transaction. I will report all non-paying winners to eBay for further action.
Currently located in Kingsport Tennessee, and it will be the buyer's responsibility to arrange for pick-up or shipping. I will work with you or a shipping company however I can. I've added videos to YouTube of this vehicle being driven, as well as under the hood.
See them by copying/pasting these links into your browser's address bar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA9yjxgExj0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeehDuAQ3fE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MqTXQKU4eo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X3wFUTt4Po
I can also provide more photos upon request. Please ask any questions before the auction ends!
This is a vintage vehicle, and I obviously cannot verify that everything is original, as I am not the original owner. I am also not a Mercedes expert.
~81,000 miles.
The base price on this vehicle in 1979 was ,280. That’s the equivalent of ,416.67, adjusted for inflation.
The car starts right up every time, typically with no signs of smoke unless it has been sitting for little while. The glow plug light only stays on for four seconds. I feel like this isn't enough, and I've noticed that if you switch it off and allow for a second set of four seconds of warming before ignition, start-up is much smoother. The fuel filter, pre-filter, fuel lines, and tank have recently been replaced. I also just removed all the fuel delivery valves and replaced the rubber and copper seals. This vehicle has the 603 style fuel pump, and it is now functioning flawlessly.
I have recently repaired the the cigar lighter (12V outlet), which may seem like a small issue, but it's great to have a power source!
Belts and hoses are mostly in good condition. Don't see any real problems, I just don't know when they've all last been changed, so I don't want to say they're perfect, just in case.
All exterior lights are working as expected at the time of this listing.
New windshield wipers (also working).
All four original hubs present, but could use new paint, or paint removal.
Tires have plenty of life left, but show a little age.
Brand new OEM key.
New, authentic BMW ceramic fuses.
New air filter.
Radio works well. Ordered a new power antenna, so currently in the process of working on that.
Front interior dome light missing, rear is present and functional.
Automatic transmission shifts beautifully. However, please keep in mind that this is NOT a turbo model. If you are not familiar with the non-turbo's, they are really meant to shine as flat land vehicles. Due to the lack of power (79 horsepower), long, steep stretches slow this vehicle down tremendously.
This is a Southern car, based on the most recent titles I was able to find (South Carolina, and Florida), and shows very little rust. The interior is a rich, tobacco brown color, and is a solid 7/10, in my opinion. Seats and headliner are excellent, but show a little age. There are only a couple very small cracks in the dash, and some minor staining/sun bleaching to the carpet. The very top of the backseat upholstery has dried out pretty badly, where it is exposed in the rear window. Some peeling around the seatbelt ports is observed. Altogether pretty stellar condition for a 42 year old vehicle.
The rubber seal around the windshield needs to be replaced at some point. I have experienced no leaks with this seal, but it is dried out from exposure, as is visible in the videos/pictures.
There is a cruise control lever present on the steering column, but this feature does not function.
Exterior paint is beige/cream. It and the chrome are a decent 5/10, in my opinion. There is a long (~3 foot) scratch someone poorly attempted to cover on the passenger side door, and various other chips, cracks, scratches, and dulling, as would be expected on what I believe to be the original paint. Some bubbling on the front driver side has been included in the pictures. Some minor rust spots to the chrome surfaces.
Interior defrost fan motor still runs when defrost is switched on. This car has air conditioning/climate control (not currently functioning), which has been converted over from the old servo (geared) unit, to an electronic bypass. The control unit is not reacting to the switches being engaged. If you’re unfamiliar with this first-generation system, they are fairly simple, but often problematic due to the complex system of vacuum hoses. This system relies on vacuum in order to run, and there are many tiny hoses where leaks can arise, making the control unit no longer respond. Vacuum lines have been replaced at some point, and appear to be in good condition. I don’t find any decay. That said, I’ve not yet pulled the unit to see if it simply needs to be replaced (can be purchased on eBay for about 0).The front electric windows work well, although the smaller, rear windows don't really want to roll down. It’s possible that there is a vacuum leak leading to that window from the system. (Yes, basically the whole car is pretty dependent upon a vacuum system, not just the AC). I'm not certain of the status of the heat.
Electronic sunroof still opens, but doesn’t always like to close without a little nudge. I am not sure why it acts this way, honestly. It likely just needs better lubricant applied on the inner tracks. The sunroof has no leaks.
I know next to nothing of this car’s history, unfortunately. I have not owned it for one year... That's just the lowest amount of time that the scale went to for this type of listing. What I have been able to dig up, however, is a listing from 2013 where it was listed at auction, as part of an estate sale. It is my suspicion that the car was moved to SC around this point, and must have sat in someone’s garage, rarely driven. I say this because it only acquired a few thousand miles, is still in good physical condition, and the fuel system had to be completely replaced due to rust developing inside the original fuel tank.
This vehicle has a clean title. I make no guarantees as to the status of this vehicle, all I can do is report what I see, and hope that the pictures and videos convey everything I know and see. I also do not warranty any parts, nor the labor I have put into it. Don’t hesitate to contact me with any other questions or to schedule a time to come and look at the vehicle before making an offer, if desired. I recommend having your mechanic take a look with you, since this is an as-is sale. If you would like to take it to a garage, then we can certainly arrange that as well (also before purchase).
Immediate, non-refundable deposit of 0 required. Remainder of purchase price due within 3 days, in cash.