I didn't know where else to post this, but do any of you see the W116 finally starting to rise in value? With the cost of diesel as well as the coming shortage of DEF combined with the rising cost of new and pre-owned vehicles with limited stock and production, do you see W116 especially the 300SD finally being able to be sold for a reasonable price? I don't want to sell my baby, but the wife needs a bigger car and my hands are tied.
I work at a Lincoln dealer and was told that the days of lots full of new vehicles is over. Manufacturers are making far more money making fewer vehicles and focusing on customer factory orders. They're making $15k per car sale as opposed to $3k at most.
It seems that way... I don't think that 'modern automotive issues' are the reason for the rise though (people are likely not cross shopping a modern car with a W116). I think it is attributed to the general increase in Classic car prices and rising tide's situation. I also think that these cars are becoming 'cool' again and have passed the 'guy who couldn't buy a new Mercedes' phase.
Mercedes have been promoting the 116 for some time. Both in relevant media and the All Stars site which features the 116. It also restores the car with a general asking price of €50K. They seem to sell. I would think that Mercedes want the classic market to move forward. The 116 always gets a positive write up in Mercedes Enthusiast.
Searching for parts for the 107, 123 and the 124 seems much easier with more sources available than for the 116.
To me - ipso facto - business people have come to the conclusion that the former are more profitable than ours.
Until commerce dictates that there is money to be made from dealing in W116 related business - whether with parts or a dealer getting an extra cut in a sale - I don't see much change in the prospects of non 6.9 variants.
To me, until Bono's W116 comes out of the doldrums of the market (at least where I last saw of it anyway) values
will continue low.
I hope Bonos 116 is scrapped, forgotten and turned into Dacia parts. It's an abomination.
As for values, asking prices are going up. It doesn't mean cars sell at those prices. And there's plenty of dreamers out and about.
I wouldn't also put the W124 in the same pool as R107/W123 yet. A lot of them are used as daily drivers still, with the 500E/E500 or E36T being the true classics at this point.
I was recently in Berlin. The number of W124s on the road there was astonishing. Hundreds, literally. Dozens of W123s, a few R107s, and only one W116 spotted.
Sacrilege!!, scrap any W116.
Realistically mine should have been scrapped - the fact that it is likely one of the earliest examples remaining here is its saving grace.
There is no prospect that I will ever get any return on my expenditure . If anyone expects to make a profit on a
non 6.9. variant they are on a looser.
Unless people take an interest in preserving the remnants of what is left there is little prospect of things changing. Your experience in the home country of Mercedes would suggest that the game has been lost.
Not to burst any bubbles but even 6.9's struggle to get good money...
I suspect that the smaller engined w116's, like my own, without all the bells and whistles, are similar to a longer w123?
So unless they ride better, values shouldn't be all that different. Right?
Although looks wise I prefer my w116. ;D
I keep saying Mercedes sells them on the All Stars site with a full warranty in one of three conditions usually for €50K and they sell.
Quote from: marku on 12 June 2022, 10:05 AMI keep saying Mercedes sells them on the All Stars site with a full warranty in one of three conditions usually for €50K and they sell.
Again, that doesn't mean they support the W116, nor does it mean that people are going to pay those prices. It also doesn't mean that overall prices will rise. They only promote it based upon the fact that it's something they manufactured 40+ years ago when they were the better company. They want people to associate the build quality of a W116 with new models......which couldn't be more different.
I don't expect to make a profit on my car, as I bought it for emotional reasons. Let's be honest, we don't have a 116 as an investment. The cost of parts, restoration and running costs are about the same as Mercedes models worth far more. However, it is informative to keep an eye on the market and I spotted this today. Can't blame them for asking.
https://www.autoscout24.com/offers/mercedes-benz-280-se-3-900-km-klima-autom-gasoline-blue-ed489d20-6fe1-4b27-abea-1362a4c8a83c?sort=price&desc=1&lastSeenGuidPresent=true&cldtsrc=listPage&cldtidx=106&position=106&search_id=th2g0o0q10&source=listpage_search-results
People are certainly willing to pay way more for low mile cars. 3844km!
Quote from: Mick74 on 12 June 2022, 11:05 AMI don't expect to make a profit on my car, as I bought it for emotional reasons. Let's be honest, we don't have a 116 as an investment. The cost of parts, restoration and running costs are about the same as Mercedes models worth far more. However, it is informative to keep an eye on the market and I spotted this today. Can't blame them for asking.
https://www.autoscout24.com/offers/mercedes-benz-280-se-3-900-km-klima-autom-gasoline-blue-ed489d20-6fe1-4b27-abea-1362a4c8a83c
Very unusual spec on that one - 'only' a 280SE, and didn't even order the passenger door mirror, but paid for electric windows, aircon, cruise control and velour interior.
I also noticed a they say it is an 1979 280SE but it has the under dashboard speakers no center console wood and D-jetronic so it must be older than 1979 (probably an typing error) but what a cool car !
I'm perplexed. Or have I just never noticed before?
I've never seen a w116 without rear seat belts.
I've never seen a w116 without cargo nets on the rear of the front seats.
It is identical under the bonnet to my car. So it is a D-Jetronic. Cannot be a 1979 year. (My car is a 1975 year of manufacture).
And add to that, it has no tachometer in the clock.
Also noticed the aerial on the front fender, (wasn't this the early models only? Later they all went to the rear - I thought) .
@ Type17, the cruise control? I can't see it.
The mystery deepens!!
Quote from: Type17 on 13 June 2022, 01:22 PMVery unusual spec on that one - 'only' a 280SE, and didn't even order the passenger door mirror, but paid for electric windows, aircon, cruise control and velour interior.
I've seen 6.9s without the passenger side mirror. I don't really understand why it wasn't just standard in the US at least where even the stripper model 240D came standard with a passenger mirror.
Quote from: mrkozzy on 13 June 2022, 09:56 PMI'm perplexed. Or have I just never noticed before?
I've never seen a w116 without rear seat belts.
I've never seen a w116 without cargo nets on the rear of the front seats.
It is identical under the bonnet to my car. So it is a D-Jetronic. Cannot be a 1979 year. (My car 1s 1975).
And add to that, it has no tachometer in the clock.
Also noticed the aerial on the front fender, (wasn't this the early models only? Later they all went to the rear - I thought) .
@ Type17, the cruise control? I can't see it.
The mystery deepens!!
By 75 at least, they had the antenna in the rear, although it wasn't moved to be hidden behind the carpet until later.
Cruise control is a switch on the center console above the HVAC controls on the early models, you can see the actuator for it next on the driver's side of the engine bay up behind the ignition coil.
There's no cruise control on that car. No stalk, no actuator. It's first registered in 1979, but it's a pre-1976 car being a D-Jet.
Lack of rear seatbelts is not uncommon in European spec cars. Even my 1979 came without them, and I've made a transplant from the parts car.
It looks like a driver's car, without rear creature comforts opted for.
More pics here: https://www.leseberg.de/sales/Mercedes-Benz-280-SE-in-Hamburg_Detailansicht_1250246.html
Quote from: orientrot on 14 June 2022, 12:37 AMCruise control is a switch on the center console above the HVAC controls on the early models, you can see the actuator for it next on the driver's side of the engine bay up behind the ignition coil.
No such switch exists on euro cars. This one only has rear dome light and heated rear windscreen switches.
The "actuator" is actually the D-jet air-mass sensor.
Interesting about the aerial, mine is early 1973 with the aerial on the back wing.
Also-I thought that later versions had the front towing hook recessed into the front panel under the bumper
as opposed to as on mine a uniform panel across with no recess.
Quote from: ptashek on 14 June 2022, 02:35 AMQuote from: orientrot on 14 June 2022, 12:37 AMCruise control is a switch on the center console above the HVAC controls on the early models, you can see the actuator for it next on the driver's side of the engine bay up behind the ignition coil.
No such switch exists on euro cars. This one only has rear dome light and heated rear windscreen switches.
The "actuator" is actually the D-jet air-mass sensor.
I stand corrected. That makes sense I guess, given that the cruise control in the early US cars is a Ford-supplied part. I should have remembered that's the air mass sensor given I have a d-jet car now.
Quote from: gurrier on 14 June 2022, 03:54 AMInteresting about the aerial, mine is early 1973 with the aerial on the back wing.
Also-I thought that later versions had the front towing hook recessed into the front panel under the bumper
as opposed to as on mine a uniform panel across with no recess.
That's interesting. I've seen an early 450SEL that had the front mounted aerial, so I don't know why some early cars like yours had them in the rear. It's interesting to have owned or seen different years of the 116 and see the revisions made along the way. That 450SEL was a sad car I wish I could have saved. 40k miles and a pristine leather interior but the paint was awful as the car was sitting long term in the elements in a remote overflow lot of a shop. I don't remember if it was a rust bucket but it may have been solid being in Georgia and given the interior didn't look water damaged.
Quote from: mrkozzy on 13 June 2022, 09:56 PM@ Type17, the cruise control? I can't see it.
I also got fooled by the D-Jet actuator - my car has neither D-Jet nor Cruise, so I was going by memories of other cars' pics.
If it's a '75, the spec makes a little more sense - lot's of little things were added/changed as the years went by.