1984 Mercedes-Benz W123 300D review from North America

I am actually hoping to get some advice...

I am thinking about getting a 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300D for $2000...I know it would last me a long time (it has less than 200,000 miles) but I don't know if I should get such an investment now. I am only 20 and my parents are only willing to put some money down for a starter car. So if there are some major repairs that need to be done within the next few years I might have to give up on it.

I do know the previous owner, he took VERY good care of it, and was always down in florida over the winter and up in connecticut in the summer. The only problems are that there is a little bit of rust on the side of the back (not close to the window or trunk or anything that moves) and there is some water in the backseat because of a door that isn't sealed. Also the brakes are kind of rusty because it was left outside all winter (the first winter in Connecticut for the car). So do you think these problems are small enough and do you think repairs over the next few years will be cheap enough (under 1000 dollars over the next 3 or 4 years) to deem it fit to drive for this college student?

I'm really hoping to do the veggie oil conversion, but it's an investment that I don't know if I have the money to maintain right now, I might just get a late 90's toyota or honda... but convince me otherwise because I want this sweet mercedes!