Craigslist gonna craigslist (also request for advice at the end)

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
05/18/2018 at 18:09 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping without E90M3

Craigslist search: Term “Mercedes” in “Cars & Trucks”, Transmission = manual

Mistake: did not “search titles only”, did not click “by owner”

Results:

1984 Merdeceds 190D (cool)

“$2500 OBO BENZ C280 NO TITLE” (wut?)

2004 Nissan 350Z

1998 BMW E36 M3

2017 Dodge “coupe” R/T

2014 Ford “convertible” V6

1973 Pinzgauer 710M

Porsche 986

2014 Jeep “SUV” Sport

2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

2006 Acura RSX Type S

2007 Honda S2000

2004 Mitsubishi Evi VIII

etc

See a pattern? How like... only two of these are actually Mercedes?

Clicked “search title only” and it was reduced from 29 results to 1.

One.

Uno.

Fucking Craigslist...

Sidenote: I might go look at that Mercedes. Good color and right transmission. Seller admits radio and AC are inop and it could use new shocks.

What does Oppo think? $1800, 260k miles, 5-speed, NA diesel?

DISCUSSION (21)

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:16

price is right.... mileage is worriesome... hows the parts supply over there?

(i see maintanance being a pricey issue if you dont have a good supply of junkers to nab parts off)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:22

Mercedes-Benz with a manual transmission is a hard thing to find

Mercedes Streeter > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:27

If it doesn’t look or drive too bad, I’d say NP.

Urambo Tauro > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:36

Screw it- FLAG ’EM ALL

(except for the actual Mercedes)

facw > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:43

Why search the title instead of the make/model field?

sony1492 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:44

Id imagine you’ll want to replace the entire cooling system but if the price goes a little lower than: Yes.

Bought one of those as an automatic and that promptly died, so this being a manual makes it golden

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:46

That Porsche might be a good deal...

But the Merc you posted looks good. Oklahoma plates, (right?) so little rust. If it runs, I’d go for it.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
05/18/2018 at 18:49

Parts seem to be available and within what I’d expect to pay. Not cheap, but not bank breaking.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > facw
05/18/2018 at 18:50

The bulk of CL listings don’t seem to have that filled out, in general.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > sony1492
05/18/2018 at 18:51

Yeah, I wonder how low the seller would go. I’m thinking NP at like... $1400 considering the work it needs? Maybe offer $1,000 and see if he tries to run me over.

facw > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:52

Fair enough. I sort of feel that the type of seller who is too dumb/lazy/disinterested to fill that out is probably not anyone you actually want to buy from.

FWIW, I got 12 hits searching titles, and 13 searching make. This was the difference: https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/d/1967/6583566318.html

Kinja'd!!!

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:54

okidori then... long as you can get the parts 190ds are pretty much unkillable

slow... but unstoppable :p

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
05/18/2018 at 18:55

I tend to shy away from cheap used Porshes. Too tempting and I expect they’re all money pits.

Clicking through to the ad , there are a lot of red flags: aftermarket wheels, recent cooling work, non-factory temp thermostat, rebuilt title “because of odometer replacement” (99% sure that isn’t a thing), lowered, no pictures of the interior...

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > facw
05/18/2018 at 18:56

You’re not wrong, but then again that probably disqualifies like... 90% of cheap car ads on CL haha.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:57

eeeeh.... but... at 260k miles you probably want someone to give the engine a good look over just incase something vital is on its last legs

benjrblant > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 18:58

Ditch the Merc, you need that Pinz.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
05/18/2018 at 18:59

Hmm. Any thoughts on what to look for? I know very little about diesels so I’d just be looking for the same stuff I look for on a “normal” car. Leaks, worn belts, weird noises while running, erratic idle, fluid contamination, etc

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 19:04

nope... not really.... last diesel i had died just over 200k miles in... crankshaft ate itself

but a good mechanic will be able to tell you a lot just from giving it a look over/listen/drive... so if you know one of those.. thats what i’d do

(at 1800 bucks i’d say its worth a shot tho... this is just me being over cautious)

sony1492 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 19:21

Sidenote: those interiors are fragile and you’ll hate life if there’s no steering wheel tilt

Chariotoflove > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 19:24

Need a cheap daily or something for your 17 year old girl to drive to school? Sure. For a long road trip, perhaps not.

arl > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/18/2018 at 22:33

Pinzgauer for the win.