Advice and counsel on selling (or not) my 280 SE?

[Jascha]

Greetings...

I hope you good folks don?t mind my asking the Forum for this sort of counsel (?)

I am in possession of a 1978 280 SE that was purchased new by Uncle (who was an avid collector).  The outstanding feature of the Benz (US Specs) is the rather minimal usage (only ~23K miles!) and the nearly pristine ?Garage Queen? condition. 

I plan to sell the MB (my vintage Carrera is crying to get back indoor) and was wondering what your thoughts might be about its ?value? and market price (in the US). Would this 280 command collector interest and is it likely to be sold at a premium because of the unusual condition? (?)

Thanks for the indulgence.

Jascha 

[Denis]

Hi Jascha

The answer is in two parts, an american spec W116 280SE :
-with low miles is worth far MORE than the classic car book value

and...

-is worth much LESS tha nay other W116 due to its weak engine

You need to be patient to get the best price.

Good luck

Denis

Paris, France

[Jascha]

Thank you for the cogent points and insight...

I followed your advice and submitted the Ad for inclusion in the March / April issue of MB of America Club Magazine (The Star)

[John Hubertz]

How much are you asking for the car?

PS:  I like the 6 cylinder cars, better balance.  If they made a 280SEL it would have been my first choice.  Those engines have HUGE history and racing provenance.... unlike the 4.5, which I believe was never truly campaigned by the factory.

If I'm wrong on the racing heritage of the 450, please someone, post something....

[Mforcer]

I like the 6 cylinder cars, better balance.  If they made a 280SEL it would have been my first choice.  Those engines have HUGE history and racing provenance.... unlike the 4.5, which I believe was never truly campaigned by the factory.

If I'm wrong on the racing heritage of the 450, please someone, post something....

They did indeed make 280SELs. They made 7,032 between April 1974 and May 1980 and seem to be almost everywhere in Australia.

As for racing heritage, the 2.8L I6 does have a strong racing history but the M116 which essentially became the M117 was used extensively in racing. Two prominent examples would be the M117 in the R107 as the 5.0L 450SLC 5.0 used in rallying and also in the AMG Hammer or the 5.6L W126 560. If anything, the post-1980 developments of the M116/M117 can suggest that these were very solid engines that had a lot of room for growth in their basic designs.

[AMG69]

Did the AMG 450SLC race car have the 4.5 ltr or was it one of the very first with the M117 5 litre?

(http://www.amg-classics.de/4866.html)

[Mforcer]

I will need to check my sources as I don't know much about the 107s but I thought the 5.0L M117 in the 450SL 5.0 was factory and was what AMG based their car on. It is possible that AMG increased the capacity of the 4.5L M117 and then MB followed with their production models.

[John Hubertz]

FYI I had contact with the original post author and the price I believe, is $12,500.  Beautiful brown over either the shiniest leather or the nicest 'tex I've ever seen.  Seats fluffy and tight, perfect car.

[Jascha]

Thank you for the high complements and the encouragement…!

The "For Sale" Ad will be featured in the upcoming issue of Star Magazine.

Reluctantly, I decided to post it on few dedicated-MB sites and got my share of 'swindlers' with certified checks ready to be mailed (for more than the asking price -beware! this is a standard MO)