Hello, all.

Do you ever just get depressed after missing the opportunity to buy a great brick? OK - here is my little sob story (and someone else's soon to be legendary tale). Perhaps this has already been covered on the board, and I hope a bb'er was the buyer, but...

I saw a 1985 245 with 26K miles and in perfect, "Like new" condition. I couldn't believe it. I called, and a sweet lady answered the phone, telling me that the car was purchased a week ago. I asked her - did it really have 26K miles? She said yes, and that she got it new and just drove it back and forth to the grocery store. I am crushed.

Did someone on the board pick up that gem? I hope so. I guess I'm paying the Swedish gods back for my good fortune in picking up the Classic last year. Any other missed opportunity stories?

-pu
(currently considering turning over the 92 for another brick or MB 123 deisel)
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((1993 245 Classic, 100K)) ((1992 244, 110K)) ((1987 245, 271K - RIP)) San Diego

If it's any consolation, I've seen a couple similar cases here in Halifax, supposedly immaculate 240s with very low mileage, just driven back & forth to the grocery store & to church. The problem is that such a life is murder on a red block (and worse with white blocks, I've heard). One of those cars was, I'm sure, never fully warmed up nor went over 2500rpm in its first 15 years of short drives around town. The proud buyer got less than 10,000km out of the motor before it died. Once he started using it like a normal driver would, it went to pieces - knocking, smoking, valves sticking. And just about every seal on the car started leaking. A high-mileage car can be substantially less problematic sometimes. Having said that, if I found a 240 with only 26k, I'd buy it in a heartbeat and take my chances on needing to put a motor in it. I wonder if a good dose of Seafoam & AutoRX would adequately clean things up, without causing more harm by breaking up sludge/carbon and plugging the oil passages with it...
FWIW, I heard that one low mileage 240 Classic sold here for $12k. Smokes like a diesel on startup, too.

-Chris

I agree that low mileage (especially that low!) is cause for concern. Maybe the grocery store was 5 miles away and she got the car up to operating temperature every time...I'm left only to my imagination.

Our Classic runs like a top, with about 102K miles on it now. It is my wife's and she loves it. We are getting ready for a little one in the fall - and she loves the idea of carting around a baby with gear in the wagon.
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((1993 245 Classic, 100K)) ((1992 244, 110K)) ((1987 245, 271K - RIP)) San Diego