Buy or not?

[crazycat]

Okay, theres this '85 360 GLE with only 122,000 km (76k miles) on it for sale near me:



It has quite some rust on it, needs a new pair of fenders and welding right here:


Also has rust in the battery box and on the left rear door near the windows

I can remove the surface rust by myself but how much would i have to pay for 2 decent front fenders (without holes in them) and how much would the welding approximately cost? Will fenders from 340 (3/5 door) also fit?


Guy wants €300 (wanted 500 at first). Do you think it's worth it?

[macplaxton]

Don't know, depends which country you're in what the going rate of s/h motors is.

[crazycat]

Country is Germany, 300s are quite rare here, prices range from 50 to 2000, some people think they're expensive (cause theyre volvos), theres one in "as-new condition" for 6000 with only 4000 km on the clock

don't know what you mean by s/h motors, i've never heard this before

[macplaxton]

sorry short-hand for second-hand - used.

Yes, I know what you mean, 300 EUR sounds okay to me if the sills are good (Einstiegblech?) Certainly in Ireland they can more because of registration taxes. Expensive for UK though. What's it worth to you? Is it on your doorstep?

[crazycat]

well the sill (if you mean 'Schweller' in german), what you see on the second photo needs to be welded. other side is ok.

[macplaxton]

I mean something like that, German's my 27th language. I've no idea. I struggle with the Americans calling them rocker panels.

Hmm, welding. Depends how much, knock another 100 off, if you think you can get away with it. Is the price of scrap steel high or low at the minute?? I can never keep track. It's got a bucket-load of work before it ever gets a Tuv.

[crazycat]

Here are some more pictures

[SteveP]

I'd have a look under the battery, also have a look underneath the arch to this area from the other side... I bet it will be bubbling/holed. Still though for 300 euro's looks cheap

[CBA]

rather have that than mine, at least its not metallic paint!!

[crazycat]

Crucial question: Will fenders from a 340 5 door fit? Can get a pair of them at a cheap price

[macplaxton]

Crucial question: Will fenders from a 340 5 door fit?

I don't see a problem there.

[Speedy88]

hey that's not bad for 300 euros. I'd say yes deffinatly, as it's a saloon

[Chris_C]

GLEi too, but an early one (i.e. not an F, which I think is what Tom said you need for umweltzone or however it's spelt?) When can you put classic plates on a German car?

[jtbo]

Rear door has perhaps no bottom in it or if there is, it is quite rusty, problem with these are those strips between door and window, water gets inside the door and often holes at bottom of door are not open, which leaves water to stand still inside the door and rusting it.

If you can weld, 200-300, it has injection engine and it is low mileage so those up the price from 100(ish) what higher mileage basic version in that condition would be?

However if you are not looking restoration project, car might be bit of let down as it looks like car has not seen much of care for few years, so there might be gremlin or two in it. too.

[Ride_on]

I would not worry too much about the gremlins, they can usually be made good, but the rust is the killer. My 87 saloon sat out side for a few years and the sills went from bad to terminal. I'm now finding seam rot all through the car.

It can be really well hidden, cancerous growth ready to pop out from the inside once the top layer goes, or you start treating 'small' spots and they turn out to be rather much larger than you thought.