For some unfathomable reason, this Mercedes is taunting me. Taunting me in the same fashion the ever-so unvirginal high-school girl would taunt the school’s biggest male geek in all those bad 1980s high-school movies.
This Mercedes is taunting me by speaking in her native tongue: Sie lieben doch exotischen Mädchen, Ja?
Why this taunting, and why is it creating a weird temptation? A Mercedes of unknown age, in stale beer-piss yellow should have no intrinsic appeal. The actual color is undoubtedly called something like “Swiss Mountain Lily”, but this shade makes the car look like a white Mercedes with a tragic case of jaundice.
Yet this chariot still tempts me with a temptation so extreme, I’m starting to quote Conway Twitty songs. The Mercedes is correct; I do like exotic things.
Dammit, it’s not a black Chrysler–actually, it couldn’t be any further removed from one–but it has been tempting me twice a day for nearly three weeks. Maybe it’s a matter of proximity, being directly across the street from my latest black-Chrysler conquest. But no, it is not proximity, but something deeper.
Maybe it speaks to my ancestry. Despite my great-grandfather’s whacking out of all the unnecessary letters in my surname, I’m primarily of German descent; thus, maybe it’s a tribal sort of thing–no, that idea is simply ludicrous.
Or is it? Living in a town filled with people of similar heritage, I could buy this Mercedes and fit right in; in fact, as a transplant here, it might even help me.
Scratch that: A high percentage of locals drive GM A-bodies that have been on the road 20 years–either those or four-wheel drive pickups. Hey, wait a minute–that describes my garage; OK, maybe that isn’t really it.
Yet I look at this Mercedes, and it keeps taunting me by saying things such as: Ich will das Sie mich arbeiten wie ein gemieteter Packesel.
The temptation to drive it like a rented pack mule is pulse-quickening, in a twisted and perverse way. Why would I want an ancient Mercedes, a 450 SE I strongly suspect to be a ’73; in other words, a car nearly as old as I am? Even if this series ran until 1980, I’m too cheap to buy parts for it; hell, a Mercedes power-window motor could cost more than this vehicle’s $950 asking price. And as Mrs. Jason reminded me, we are about to license a fourth vehicle in a household with a total of two drivers. No, buying this wouldn’t make a lot of sense.
Even so, a little mental searching is in order, as I need to figure out what fluke of nature happened decades ago to prompt this irrational attraction.
Nobody in my family has ever owned a Mercedes. We were always Ford, Chrysler and GM people, since the cars they built didn’t really care if you said, “Screw the maintenance schedule”. It’s likely this Mercedes has DNA that does not allow it to be indifferent to neglect.
Perhaps it is the high-quality engineering for which Mercedes in renowned. Engineers do tend to speak to each other in tongues, so maybe some Mercedes Engineers of Yore are beckoning me, in the old romance language of FORTRAN, to listen to what their years of hard work are trying to tell me.
That 4.5-liter V8 definitely makes itself heard. Its 190 horsepower from such a relatively petite displacement was pretty phenomenal at a time when only a few 7.5-liter Thunderbirds could muster anything north of 200 horses. The 4.5-liter engine in this package does make it appealing, in a halter-top-and-blue-mascara-at-the-disco sort of way.
Yes, I did have an affinity for Mercedes–long ago. There was that book about the history of Mercedes automobiles, sold to a stranger at a garage sale many moons ago. No regrets; that flirtation was simply a season of life. Or was it?
With all this contemplation, various realizations are erupting like Mt. St. Helen. When the wife was pregnant, I did suggest “Mercedes” as a girl’s name. Although the idea was resoundingly vetoed, perhaps it was simply content from my subconscious bubbling up to the surface.
One undeniable component of its appeal is pure mischief. How cool would it be for Mrs. Jason and me to pull up to various social functions where, amongst a sea of Dodge and Honda minivans (as well as the obligatory A-bodies), this Mercedes would proudly proclaim itself for all to see? Who cares about age; a Mercedes is timeless. If they were good enough for Janis Joplin to croon about, they must be about as good as Bobby McGee.
The mischievous part of this equation is really starting to resound within me. This was the Mercedes driven by J.R. Ewing during the first seasons of Dallas; mischief was one of his natural talents, and that certainly appeals to me on a baser level. But beyond that, this Mercedes appeals to me on many, many levels.
In the midst of this contemplation, my rational mind interrupts, telling me that my fantasy of this sultry temptress of a Mercedes is, like many other fantasies, one best played out in one’s imagination and never acted upon.
Tempting for $950 but don’t be drawn in.A cheap Mercedes usually becomes a very expensive Mercedes in a very short time.The price of spares or any work done by a Mercedes specialist would have a Scotsman in tears
Yeah, it tempts me, being maybe two hours from it…then I recall when I used to drive automotive status symbols, and marveled at their engineering, while simultaneously cringing at the cost of repairs.
And while these usually are incredibly comfortable cars, the comfort level drops when we have weeks of 100+ degree weather (which, thankfully, we’ve been spared this year) and you’re sweating on a throne of M-B Tex. It just seems that not many imports built prior to the mid-1980s had air conditioning capable of handling North America’s heat waves, but I’m sure there are exceptions.
That car gives me the exact opposite feeling in my gut—it makes me want to run the other way. You can be sure that $950 is just the entrace fee to your new world of aged foreign luxury car ownership. My son had a 740iL that was aquired for a low price and was a well-cared for car. That thing was an absolute disaster for anyone with a normal to low end budget. They just require more frequent attention and the price that attention is incompatible with cheap car ownership. You are always asking yourself why you should put another big repair into a car that worth marginally more than its annual repair bill. When his car was working right, though, it was a masterpiece of engineering excellence—light years nicer than any large american car I have ever driven. Nothing comes without a price…
Who said they didn’t want to run far, far away from it?
The cost of maintenance relates to the original cost of the car, not its 20-year-old price.
The only exception was Rolls Royce, that used Cadillac A/C systems.
Don’t be silly, Cadillac didn’t make their own a/c units, they used Frigidaire A/C units… Rolls-Royce bought many parts from GM, like TurboHydramatic Automatic Transmissions… As did BMW.
And Saginaw power steering pumps.
I feel your pain, Jason. I have periodically suffered from Benz-Want as well. About four years ago, I came across an early W108 (maybe a 1967 or 68) gas version, maybe a 280? It was a nice, straight sedan in exceptionally nice shape for an asking price of maybe $2200. Sitting in a Wal-Mart parking lot, of all places. What could possibly go wrong with it, right? I passed, of course, but I still periodically check Craigslist to get tempted by an old diesel sedan from the 70s with crank windows and a stick shift.
I know that you have to buy parts on layaway, and that when that meticulous German engineering finally breaks or wears out, the car will become like my own personal Freddy Krueger, but I still want one.
One of these big 450s would scare me, though. These were verrrrrry expensive cars back in the day, and the words of my car-mentor Howard are ringing loudly in my ears – “Never buy an old luxury car.” If I ever have a Mercedes fling, it will probably be one of the simple, basic diesels.
You echo my thoughts. It’s sitting less than a half-mile from me, but I’m not even going to call the number. The body on this car is in terrific shape with only a few minor scrapes.
There is an old 190D puttering around town, although I’ve never seen it sitting still. I could handle that, as there is another 190D for sale about 35 miles south of me that could be a parts car.
Remember there’s a HUGE difference between a W115 4 cylinder (let alone with a 4 cylinder diesel) and a W116 450 SE. Both Mercedes, both from the same era. But they’re operating in two different galaxies, especially when it comes to simplicity.
I’m pretty sure that Mercedes from the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties are the most popular classic (or just “old”) cars in Northwestern Europe. All models, all engines. At any classic car show you’ll see a whole bunch of them, mostly in a good to a very good condition.
These cars, their parts and dealers/specialists are all over the place here. You almost stumble over them. Like old Cadillacs and Buicks in North America I guess.
Personally I would prefer a very well maintained first owner’s W126 coupe.
This W116 looks classic, but its successor W126 looks timeless.
This W116 model, certainly an older one, had a “bad boys reputation” in the seventies and eighties.
Crook-O-Mobile Nummer Eins. Now only driven by enthusiasts.
In those days the W114-115-123 models were Mercedes’ working class heroes. Simpler engineering, less sophisticated, less gadgets. And smaller.
Love these S class and the next w126.
James Hunt had the 6.9 Litre version up on blocks..
So If an ex F1 champ couldn’t afford it…Who can?
I get what you’re saying, but the 6.9 would be significantly more expensive to maintain. I believe it also had hydraulic this and that in addition to the M100 engine.
Yes, the 6.9 had an all hydraulic suspension and the engine from the 600, sheeeeeesh…….
Remember, the “6.9” on the trunklid (as with the earlier “6.3”) is a multiplier…multiply that by the purchase price, and that’s what you’ll spend on maintenance for an M100 car. 😀
You could, of course, just drop a 350 in it and be done. 😛 (Blasphemy!)
Think higher, how about a nice 556hp supercharged LS from a CTS-V?
Make the Mercedes club people eat their own intestines!
Now that’s an idea.
Along these same lines, I saw an early-ish Lexus LS sedan at the local Hyundai dealer’s lot this morning for $9970 (it was a ’99; not sure if they were still LS400s by then or had changed to the LS430). Now if you wanted the comfortable, well-engineered “vintage”-luxury-sedan-for-a-relative-pittance experience, that might be the way to go. And it would spend less time in the shop, even at 14 years old and counting.
Reminds me of the 1985 BMW 735 that my neighbor’s kid now has sitting on the street with a temporary license tag. You know the one, looks seductive on the outside with classic styling and even more seductive on the inside with the V-12 engine. The car that has spent more time sitting on the driveway waiting for genuine BMW parts than moving on the road. Yesterday, it spawned a “for sale” sign by the owner. Every time I walk by, I must keep reminding myself to keep on walking. I justify it by thinking that if I did buy it, I’d still be walking anyways. But, I could HAVE a BMW!!
The V12 (750) was not introduced by ’85. If it’s a 735 the engine should be possible to work on as the M30 was a fairly common engine.
I’m sure it’s still a money pit, though.
If you MUST have an example of “German Engineering” permanently residing on your driveway, find a Type 1 Beetle. Fun to drive and MUCH, MUCH less expensive to fix than that aging whore up there. You could restore a ’52 split to concors perfection using only authentic from the Wolfsburg factory NOS VW parts for what you’ll spend on ms. Benz in 5 years. She’ll break your heart and back & cut your hands, heart & wallet to pieces. To paraquote the Humongous: “There will be too much violence. Too much pain. But I have an honorable compromise. Just walk away.”
Random thoughts about temporary residence on your driveway: What’s the scrap value? Calculate that against the purchase price. If you must buy it, make sure it runs and drives and buy it to hoon the crap out of and discard at the first breakdown. Maybe you’ll have it six months or so before it becomes a road ornament? Maybe you could gift it to a needy relative or as a tax hedge to a charity. Road trip in it to give to Steve Lang for the lulz and write the trip up on here.
Argue the seller down a hundred or so and get it out of your system.
Ahem….thats LORD Humongus, thank you.
Thats is an interesting propsal, buy it, pretend your in Ronin for a couple of days, sell it for scrap when the transmission barfs up its guts,
Look at all the S-classes that supersued this, none was ever as good looking as this one.
The double chrome bumper, no Mercedes alloys but hubcabs, fitted to a 450 S.
And I always loved the way those wipers rest and how they move.
The ultimate sleeper I guess.
And perhaps one of the best engineered Mercedes ever.
The only thing this car is missing are European headlights
And like @Johannes Dutch rightfully mentions, a bad boy’s car, but they weren’t too bad, those boys, maybe selling hot rolexes out of the boot.
Or hot leather jackets.
Oh I guess those early Euro style bumpers will almost sell for the price of the car.
Thing with these is corrosion, in Europe a good example will take a lot more money, even selling this for parts will give you a profit at $ 950.
Alas, the boys were a bit naughty….
They often had a part of a Hieronymus Bosch painting on their arms.
And their faces and hairstyle often matched their profession.
If you had one of these, your weren’t necessarily a drug dealer, but you knew one or two….or three of them, you might be laundering their money, or their defense attorney.
Don’t forget scrap metal dealers, illegal contractors, Enter-Without-Knocking collection agencies and pimps. The typical W116 clientele with a “hands-on” and “no nine-to-five” mentality.
Low rent Armenian crime bosses…..
Back in the seventies and eighties most of them had Wooden Shoes roots.
The local sweethearts.
This one does look pretty clean. It definitely is a ’73; ’74 U.S. models started with the ugly cow-catcher bumpers. As it’s been said already, I believe this one wouldn’t be so bad to have and too costly at least compared to a 6.9. If the fuel consumption doesn’t get you, all the hydraulic and electricals will.
Personally, I love a six cylinder S class . . . . I’m more inclined towards an ’81-’91 300SE . . .
“Who cares about age; a Mercedes is timeless.”
So true. I have a dream of buying an older Mercedes as a second car someday. Maybe not quite one that’s 40 years old, but something from the days of my childhood.
I’ve been eying this 1993 E320 convertible that was on sale at the Mercedes dealer my mom bought her new GLK at last month. http://www.herbchambers.com/used/Mercedes-Benz/1995-Mercedes-Benz-E-Class-6da2d1480a0a006500fecda0b2efd461.htm
$15K is a ridiculous for a 20 year old, 80,000 mile car. But I’m sure they’d come down. I helped my mom get them to come down 10% off her new one. It’s hard to believe that an E-Class convertible cost about $80K in 1993, when they only cost about $50K today.
But “there’s a special feel” in a Mercedes-Benz. Sure many people buy them for status – which honestly, I have no problem with. But as a car person, there are many things special about them that no other car compares to.
An E class ragtop is more in the $65K range. A decently equipped E350 sedan is going to run mid to high 50’s. You want the E550 or the E350 Diesel? You’re now in 60 large territory.
Brendan:
You might want to read this article I found on Google, it will bolster your courage, and corroborates Paul’s comment below!
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1044698_best-mercedes-benz-ever-w124-e-class
I say this with some trepidation, I owned a 1991 300CE coupe, all black, that I acquired from my mother’s best friend’s son in 1998. Stunning car, showroom condition, meticulously maintained, but high mileage, over 100K. A lot of expensive problems developed in the three years that I had it, most notably a leaking head gasket, major money. It was a money pit, but I loved that little rocket ship, probably would have kept on if I hadn’t needed something more reliable for work. You’re absolutely correct, no other car compares to a an MBZ, just be prepared to dust off your wallet, good luck!
That’s more of a sub-$10k car, especially given it’s low mileage. That just means the head gasket and trans are likely original, as are the wiring harness and throttle body. Head gasket won’t make it past 100-125k, trans depends on the service history but reverse is first to go, and the wiring harnesses are shot if not already replaced. Soft top cylinders will also need a rebuild at some point, and there are 8 of them. But with all of those things addressed, it’ll be a great car. If you can do the work yourself. Used but updated wiring harnesses and throttle bodies can be found on ebay (must be mfd ’98 or later), Sun Valley Transmissions sells great rebuilds for ~$1500 and the soft top cylinders can be rebuilt as well.
Peter Griffin: “And now, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Conway Twitty…”.
Nothing says the seventies like a 450SE and Conway Twitty.
So ’73 has the smaller bumper, when did MB switched to big bumper that sticks out 5-6″? Does this model still have swing axle?
Just about all cars (with a few exceptions) got bigger bumpers in 1974.
By 1973, I believe everything but the 600 had switched over to semi-trailing arms.
Great cars… but you should take an apprenticeship with a local classic Mercedes enthusiast if you ever want to become serious about owning one.
Also these cars swill gas worse than a young Dean Martin experiencing Vegas for the first time.
That is indeed a ’73 and it is in fine shape. If the mileage is fairly low and the car well maintained, with one or two past owners… how can you go wrong for $950?
I credit the W108 with giving Mercedes a solid foothold in the US luxury market. When the W116 replaced it I knew, even as a pre-teen, that they would quickly become the most sought-after luxury brand, topping even Cadillac.
What an effort. Every bit and piece on the 108 was updated and upgraded, usually with a design that set a new trend in the industry. The wipers went from 50s American style to something that even Porsche wouldn’t match until the ’95 Carrera 993. The massive pull-out door handles and aero mirrors? Who doesn’t use those now? The ribbed for her pleasure taillamps? Took Trojan years to repurpose that idea.
Like the W107 these were tanks that earned the roadsters the nickname Panzerwagen, meaning armored car in German. The name really fit after ’74 when Mercedes got the largest, ugliest impact bumpers ever for a luxury car. The W126 that followed was every bit as revolutionary as the 116 and ushered in the aero era, let’s be honest, years before Audi’s 100.
You owe it to yourself to give that number a call Jason. Small bumper ’73s in that condition are hard to find, impossible to find for under $1,000!
Ahhhh, expensive cheap cars, they are a lure, I personally am tempted every time I see a cheap XJ-S or 928, both of these were shockingly expensive cars when new, the 928 more so(almost $40K in the late 70’s) and are deceptively cheap now.
The XJS does satisfy and inner urge I have to own an car with 12 cylinders, and the “cheapest” (HA-HA) way to do that would be an XJS, the 12 banger E-type is of course the way way prettier alternative, but people want big money for those, by comparison, you can pick up late 70’s XJS’s for $3000.
Of course keeping one of those running is like try to shovel out the Sahara with a plastic spoon.
The 928 is a more interesting choice, it was a practically a super car when new, almost selling for Ferrari 308 money, its represented the pinnacle of what Porsche’s engineering uber menschen could do at the time, it has funky styling that has kinda aged well over time, probably more reliable than the BL Jaaaaaaaaaaaag, but still shockingly expensive to keep running.
Though I could go seriously nuts and find a Citroen SM project…….
Mmmmm, the 928S… did I have a thing for those back in the 80s. The design has held up amazingly well and I probably could be tempted with a one owner, low miles example for sale…
Same here, until I found out about how much the power window switches cost to replace- almost every one I saw seemed to need new ones….
An exceptional car, in so many ways. My first exposure to them was at MBZ of Towson, right after they came out in the fall of 1972. I crawled all over one in the showroom, and almost couldn’t believe it. This was such an advanced and radical car for the time.
So many details though out so carefully, and executed with the ultimate in engineering and production. The door handles; the incredible interior door padding that swept up around the rear inside window….I could go on for hours.
A US-spec small-bumper 450SE is a rather rare sight indeed, as it was a one-year model only. FWIW, the swb W116 is none too roomy in the back seat, considering its original price and stature. The 450SEL (lwb) soon took over it role in the US, leaving the 280SE and 300SD as the swb versions.
My senior partner at KVEA had a ’73 like this, and he hired a driver! But then he was short, so for him it worked as a “limo”.
Needless to say, certain parts of LA were crawling with these cars.
This is a car to admire, but buying one this old would be a scary undertaking. Soooo many things to go wrong.
One might be better off to pay more for an SL roadster or coupe or convertible, because at least it will hold its value better, given the the money that these will suck up.
That probably explains why they’ve become rather scarce on the road: they’re just not worth it, sadly to say. Unless one is really devoted….
There’s still a few W116 300SDs running around here, and one 450SEL but it sounds a bit rough.
If you want a Mercedes, I’d look hard for a good W124. Anything older is getting…..really old. Even the best German little seals and grommets and gaskets have a limited lifespan.
“That probably explains why they’ve become rather scarce on the road: they’re just not worth it, sadly to say. Unless one is really devoted….”
Tell me about it.
Money Pit!
I remember reading about this car in an old copy of Classic and Sportcars magazine, some fifteen years ago or so, “this is a car that can bankrupt anybody”…
Really, non wonder they have virtually disappeared.
4 years ago I was about to buy a 77 450SEL&my wife talked me out of it.instead I ended up buying a 94 buick roadmaster(LT1).
There are a collection of W123 and W124 Mercedes Benz lovers in the Ithaca, NY area and someone who is a dealer north of Watkins Glen on NY 14 has Mercedes Wagons as well as some Peugeots for sale. Anyway, these Benzs are mostly Diesel and kind of held together with durable good luck as well as hand made parts. Power windows too pricey? Just convert the windows to hand crank goodness. There is at least one modern day Blacksmith around there so some parts are made that way. I have seen these Benzs used like pickup trucks carrying stuff on their roof, hay bails in the back, towing a trailer or all three. I have never owned fast vehicles so I am used to counting blades of grass driving up hills in the Finger Lakes region and thus usually do not mind if I am stuck behind a slow vehicles. However, being stuck behind a Mercedes Benz that is smoking like a chimney and smells like a BBQ can be tiresome; like stuck behind a oil burning Saturn on a bicycle annoying.
Missouri is one of four states I have not set foot in and I wonder if I should avoid it for as long as possible just for sh*ts and giggles.
Ignore the whiners. Assuming you have a decent set of tools, buy it!
I just replaced the belt tensioner on my 1989 W124 300E this morning. So I know first hand, you’re going to run into problems. So waht? Contrary to popular belief, Mercedes parts are quite affordable if you know where to buy them (like http://www.autohausaz.com, for example). Parts availability for these cars is amazing. I needed a special tool to hold the fan pulley in place so I could remove it…$6.45, from the dealer. The date code on the tool was 06/12 — they’re still making it!
This particular car is blessed with manual climate controls, which will work to your advantage over the long-term. Automatic climate controls tend to be nightmarish.
The primary issue with these cars; i.e., engines, is the timing chain guides — they’re made from nylon and have a tendency to disintegrate. Replace those and you’re good to go! I owned a ’79 450SL with the same engine and replaced the upper guides.
The bottom line is simple. If you can fix it yourself — and wrenching on cars is a hobby (like it is for me) — then buy it. If not…fuhgeddaboudit!!!
Before the W116 came out, any Mercedes was a pretty rare sight in my neighborhood. In 1962, a few years before I was born, my parents moved into a pretty large new subdivision, where all the lots/houses were pretty much equal in terms of price and size, and many were exactly the same. So while I certainly wasn’t aware of and certainly didn’t analyze the demographics of the neighborhood, I’d say that most people had similar financial circumstances upon moving in. So while it was probably very solidly middle class in the early 1960s, many families had some financial success and you could see the ever growing “niceness” of the cars.
Being a gear head at 5, I knew where all the nice cars were. Not too many Cadillacs and Lincolns in 1965, but quite a few by the early 70’s. I can recall exactly two W108s, and I rode my bike by them all the time just too look. But by the mid 70s, W116s started to appear in the driveways of those who became disenchanted with big American cars and/or wanted to take the next step up. My parents had very good friends who had a 1974 450SEL, and I rode in it often, and I can remember how unbelievably nice it was. I loved its looks, the details, and quality interior. Not plush, but just rock solid, with such a great smell. I used to love the way the door padding wrapped up around the sill and the frame a bit. They replaced it with a 1979 SEL, and a few years later, when I got my license, they let me use it a few times, and still remember thinking how great it drove.
Today, I’d still go for a W126, which was the pinnacle Benz IMO, or a W108. While I still admire the W116, it’s not as enticing as its predecessor and successor.
For $950 and a body that straight, it deserves at least a phone call and a drive. If it runs well, just buy it and set a price limit on how much you’ll pay for parts. Given that it’ll be your 4th car, you have time to scour the internet for cheap parts.
bought a 280se (1979)last year from a European car mechanic.it has been imported from Germany in 80s&manual transmission.very basic car like most of those are oversease lucky for me I live in smalltown outside of emission zone&my car has none of those parts on it.by far its the most pleasant car I have had so far.600,000 km&runs&drives perfect.
now that is my kind of car! how do you spell grace, style and presence? yes: W116.
If the body is solid and the mechanics work, it’s a steal for $950. yes, there will be parts needing replacement – but they will all (almost) be right there, available at your MB dealer or at a specialist in Europe. Yes, it will need being taking care of and it will need maintenance – but so will any other car you use regularly and not regard as disposable.
Doubtful to buy it? Sure, but think about what you’d get when spending 20k or so on a new car. This baby will need work, but if it’s solid, you’d spend probably less than you would on a new soulless Korean crap-box to set it straight and will from then on ride in a beautiful, super-reliable machine that is reasonably quick and comfortable by today’s standards even. And as a plus, it comes built in oozing with that wonderful old-time MB confidence. And that is priceless. And not available anywhere else.
btw: I believe the colour to be “hellbeige”, MB code 181.
If you look at this post the way he he wrote it. Jason likes MILF’s.
Meaning “Many Intelligent Literary Forays?” You bet. If you are getting at anything else, please elaborate as I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.
any car needs work once in a while,this car is 40 years old.will see if any of 2013 cars gonna be on the road in 2053.this is the car that you can hit something in 50mph&walked away from the accident.new cars made off plastic&pepsi cans will kill you immediatey.
If this would be inmy neck of the woods, I’d buy it.
Immediately.
The body seems quite descent and if it IS descent, the rest is a mechanical adventure and the use of elvbow grease and common sense.
Today I make a list.
A standard list :
– Brakes, new pads, new fluid
– Engine oil & filters
– Sparkplugs
– Take out radiatior, flush it, flush cooling system and fill it with coolant
– Check water pump and hoses
– Drain auto gearbox, replace filter fill it with new ATF fluid
– Drain rear axle and refill it with new hypoid oil
– Drain power steering and refill it.
– Renew all cam belts.
When doing all this, you’ll learn about the car, you find out if things are worn or leaking and nine out of ten times, the car will appreciate this and will run better.
I did all above work on my recently aqcuired ’79 Triump Dolomite which had been sitting in storage for over 15 years.
The thing ran horribly at first but after some simple TLC it now starts on a quarter turn and it begins to run better and better.
Excercise is the best way to keep a car in shape.
And your faith in a car will grow, coz you replaced most parts that can cause wear and tear which are not costing you a fortune.
And compared with today’s electronics, these are a dream for old fashioned mechanics !
I thought old-fashioned mechanics didn’t like anything that didn’t have provision for a hand crank…
It sounds cheap on paper but look at all the work one has to go to get it into decent order.I often have gone through the bills for the W126 280SE my family had from 1982 to 1992 and how frightening they were.we were looking at things like MB 190E/230E/260E/300E,5 Series BMW’s and even things like Fairlane and Statesman(I am from Australia)the home grown products when the fourth generation of the Ford arrived in 1988 and when the Holden was revived in 1990.I have never had a Mercedes personally for good reasons one has to think what if something goes wrong past a certain age.Where I come from you used to be able to get into 300 Class Mercedes 260E’s from 1988 or 1989 for roughly the same money as a small Japanese car but that was in the nineties but the repair bills will cost over time 50% of the sensible Ford,Mazda and Nissan alternatives of the day.I often recall mentioning this to my father just after getting onto P Plates in 1998 a sensible pulsar makes more sense even with the new car depreciation than some close to decade old german and it even had abs.
I got my Mercedes-want out of my system with the 1960 220S sedan I had in 1967 when I was “that crazy idiot in the yellow Mercedes who passes us every morning” on the commute from Tacoma to Bremerton to work. Then, just to make sure, I owned for a year or so in 1973 a very clapped-out 1964 230SL.
I knew the Mercedes-want was gone when I drove a super-nice 250 sedan, a 4-speed floor-shift car, told the guy I’d think about it, got back into my 1975 V8 4-speed Monza 2+2 and headed off down the road thinking to myself “Now this is fun!”
I have always like these and it’s a good thing that I live hundreds of miles away and also that I have no more garage space. I have liked them since I was a kid in the ’70s, from when I remember our family friends’ matched pair of 280Ses; they bought them new in 1975 and still have them. I have unreasonable dreams of buying one of them and having it shipped to Miami for me to drive home. Slow, but faster than the US versions (no emissions, etc.) and small bumpers and Euro-style lights. Simple engines and, good heavens, carbs.
Merely because of the nickname I like this one, a stunning W116 “Buchhalters” edition.
That’s German for bookkeeper, bean counter. So I guess it must be the most basic W116 you can imagine. http://www.ruylclassics.nl/mercedes28_eng.htm
I’m purchasing a 1975 450 se and was wondering if that specific car has any major flaws. Or if 500 is a good price. The car is in amazing shape inside and out. And would I be able to maybe sell the car for more than I paid for it?
Besides the already mentioned problems with rust its the D-Jetronic Bosch fuel injection sytems that really are a problem on these cars.
Difficult to repair, non-availability of spare parts, and really a pain in the neck if they dont run as they should. Turns the car into a rough idling gas guzzler.
I actually bought this car 2 months ago.Had less than 129k on mileage. There wasn’t really much wrong with it.Took it up to the Mercedesdealership in Columbia. About 1500 worth the work. I paid $800 for it and its a beast. Sad you let this go but happy you did considering the parts in the trunk was worth over $2000. The car turns heads and its just beautiful.