1985 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300D

- Gray over Tan Interior
- 3.0L 5-Cylinder Diesel
- Runs and Drives Well
- Highly Original Example

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300D on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 155 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, and a link to its Carfax history, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

"The 300D is the car everyone is thinking of when Mercedes reliability is mentioned, as these cars are the primary reason for that reputation." –European Car, 6/1/05

The Mercedes 300D was clearly a favorite of the automotive press. Road & Track reviewed a brand-new Mercedes 300D under the headline "The Astonishing 5-Cylinder Car." Summarizing that review, the Curbside Classic writer, Paul Niedermeyer, noted: "The 300D was the first Mercedes diesel to use a new governor system to control the diesel injection pump, which improved response to the accelerator pedal. And due to careful balancing and special motor mounts, it was deemed to be closer to the six in its vibrations than the four. Mercedes' success with their five was soon followed by Audi doing the same thing with their engines. The Germans had found a solution to satisfying the power-hungry Amerikaner by adding one more cylinder. Of course, objective performance was still leisurely.... But in normal daily driving, that wasn't really all that bad. The 300D would keep up with traffic quite nicely, and once up to speed, did very well on the highway. R&T got theirs up to a whopping 98 mph!" Commenting on the car's build quality and reliability, another reviewer of the Mercedes 300D put it this way: "You better like the color, because you could easily end up owning the car for a long, long time."

The 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300D offered here in a classic gray-over-tan combination is a well-maintained example of the legendary long-lived platform. Currently showing 173,304 miles, fewer than 5,000 miles per year-on average since new, Mercedes experts would call it "just broken in" noting these cars routinely amass double that mileage or better.

The exterior dark-gray metallic paint retains its factory finish in excellent condition overall. There are no obvious flaws. Minor cosmetic-damage to the right-front of the car four years ago has long since been corrected with no remaining sign of the damage or the repair remaining. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) The chrome finish on the car's bespoke front grille, bumpers, body and window trim has been well maintained and shows minimal patina from age. Cabin glass and lighting lenses are clear and undamaged. All factory emblems and badging, including the 3-pointed star emblems front and rear and the rear model designation, remain properly mounted. Factory-original, 14-inch alloy wheels with Mercedes-logo center caps are mounted with Michelin® X-Metric 195/70 all-season tires

Inside, the condition of every surface-legendary MB Tex vinyl upholstery, wood, and door cards-demonstrates the love bestowed on the car. Some looseness on the door trim and light soiling on the brown carpet especially in the driver's footwell are minor flaws. The 4-spoke original steering wheel, gauge cluster, and black padded dash all appear as-new. The original Becker® Grand Prix audio unit remains mounted forward of the shift lever for the automatic transmission on the wood-trimmed console. A factory sunroof is installed. Sitting behind the wheel in this car's solid, tasteful cabin, it's hard not to feel special.

Under the hood, the 3-liter, 5-cylinder Mercedes Turbo-Diesel occupies a complete and unmodified engine bay. All components are properly in place and all wiring and hoses are correctly routed. Viewed from below, the stout chassis is straight and undamaged. All components here are properly mounted.

The car's original data and identification tags remain as mounted at the Stuttgart factory. The original owner's manual is included in the sale.

While the more than 155 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '85 Mercedes 300D in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

The New York Times profiled a 1985 Mercedes 300D owner and quoted him saying: "People generally get around 350,000 in these cars." The Times writer added: "He is hoping for more than 400,000 from his."

Something tells us that owning this well-made, very original Mercedes for thousands more miles and many more years will continue to deliver a very satisfying ownership experience for its next steward.

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