PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

Jim B. · #2 08-22-2006, 05:26 PM

Tom, to state the obvious, the wider your search parameters the better your chances are to find one, and I'm glad you have the time, to keep looking.

Try to keep an open mind about these, get the best one condition wise you can find. Lots of records indicate good care. See also sec-shop.com for a few buying tips (a british site) on these.

They are NOT sports cars but rather GT type coupes, high speed interstate gobblers, and if you get past any AC issues, the dreaded rear window leak, and any rust problems, they really are not too horrible to maintain. I have had one for 10 years, and it has kept me well pleased for the most part.

I'd suggest you settle for one in a color thaqt appeals to you, too. I almost bought one in signal red with a white interior, but my then-wife vetoed it on the color alone, even the other MB dealer across the bay said, what are you going to do with it, go to a fire?

There was a story in autoweek about a shoe salesman in Iowa who bought a new 380SEC for carrying his shoe samples and they wanted to see how high mileage cars felt. It had stone chips and paint thin along the front and sides, but otherwise started and ran well. It had about 925,000 miles. They had given the guy a new E class sedan as a loaner while they tested the old 280 SEC and got it back in a week with 6000 more miles on it!!