In the early 1980s the Mercedes Benz 300D was a car ahead of its time. It was a simple yet elegant looking car. It felt solid and rode like no other car in its class.
Competitors such as Oldsmobile and Cadillac had nothing that could compete with the 300D. This car was in a league of its own.
A 1983 300D Turbo retailed new for 26K which certainly was not cheap back then. With a curb weight of 3500 lbs it wasn’t light either. But this car had a distinct feel and personality like no other.
Like other Mercedes this car has a solid and stable feel at highway speeds all while getting terrific gas mileage.
I really like the simplicity of both the exterior and interior. It’s simple yet refined looking.
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A lot of people with rusty old vehicles encounter this question everyday. When should you stop fixing your car and just buy a new one?
I’m in this predicament right now. My car is a 1998 Toyota Camry V6 with 180K miles. Here is a picture of my car that I took today. It could use a nice wash but overall the car is in good condition.
However, there are some things that will need attention in the near future.
First, my car failed New Jersey state inspection (notice the red sticker on the windshield) because of a bad catalytic converter. Cost to replace it is about 600 dollars, ouch.
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I know that hybrids are all the rage these days but are they really worth buying?
Take for instance a 2003 Honda Civic hybrid with 90K miles on the clock. Assuming the car is in good condition the average price from a private party is around $5500. It gets 39/43 mpg.
Now take a normally aspirated 2003 Honda Civic EX with 90K miles. A car in good condition will command around $5800 from a private seller. It gets 26/34 mpg.
Though the hybrid is a few hundred dollars cheaper and gets better gas mileage, is it a better buy?
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If you’re in the market for a cheap SUV that has style and is capable of off-roading then the first generation Range Rover (1970-1996) may be the car for you. Most SUVs these days are best suited for the roads and not the terrain. This car has both classic styling and off road capabilities.
The 4.2L 200hp was the most powerful of the old Range Rover engines with the least powerful engine coming equipped with a 3.5L 134hp.
Not powerful by today’s standards but enough for daily driving and off-roading. But if you’re considering buying an old Range Rover you probably don’t care about its off road capabilities.
The old Rovers are tall, roomy and classy looking. They are also cheap on the used car market.
That’s all good but the question is how reliable are they?
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Many people tend to overlook bulletin boards when shopping for a used car.
Bulletin boards can be found everywhere from grocery stores to laundry mats. What I discovered was that some really good deals can be found at Asian grocery stores.
There are many international students that need to sell their cars after they graduate to go back to their home countries. You can take advantage of their situation and negotiate a low price.
My cousin once bought a 4-cylinder Camry from an international student back in 2004. She was in a rush to sell because she needed to go back to her home country.
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There’s a 1996 Honda Accord for sale on Craigslist in the Central Jersey section. It has 36K miles on the clock and the asking price is $4700.
The car has been driven an average of 2.2K miles per year. Not sure if this is a good thing especially if those miles were driven locally.
According to the owner the exhaust, tires and brakes were recently replaced.
If this car really has 36K original miles with no mechanical defects then this is truly a bargain. Since the owner is asking for $4700 you could probably knock an extra 200 to 300 dollars off the price.
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