Greetings all. I'm assisting a friend in selling his family's 1973 W108 280SEL 4.5 with 61K miles. His father recently passed and his mother wants someone new to enjoy the car.
They ordered the car in Aug. 1972 when his father was president of Esso of Libya. The car was delivered at the factory on Dec. 1, 1972. They have FULL documentation on the car from the original letters of order to the purchase order and every record since new. The car is Astral Silver with red leather. The leather has been covered with white sheepskins since new and the paint has rarely seen rain. I have been doing some research as to the value of the car but am still not sure what to tell him on value.

I would appreciate any input you folks have as to value...appraisal need, etc. I am attaching some pictures to give you an idea how pristine the car really is...

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R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)

this car is worth what someone will pay for it.

I wish I had never sold mine... sold it 8 years ago...it had 153k on it. I sold it for 4800. I paid 5500 for it 12 years earlier. Mine was in pretty darn good shape.

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1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Let us/me know, when you decide what you want for it.

Nice car

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Yes indeed. Let us know. Beautiful car. I love red interiors on these things.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Great pedigree, it sounds like. Is that an OE mirror on the right fender?

These cars take a lot of care to keep up, but the 280SEL 4.5 is the last of a fine breed of sedans. They are beautifully put together and look like such classics. You've got a nice one there, and it's likely to bring more towards the higher end of what they are worth, (whatever that is) I would wager.

Silver seems to be the default exterior color on them. Red interiors seem to be much loved in Europe especially for them. When they were new, it seems that mostly VERY rich and very discerning people bought them.

For some reason the exhaust note on these are especially appealing to me, they have a unique rasp.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I have more pics...I will post more tomorrow. The owner of the car kept AMAZING records on it...It's fascinating to see all the correspondence between Libya, MB of America and the factory. The mirror I believe was put on at the factory as it was delivered as a Euro car. The car was transported to Saudi Arabia when his father came out of retirement to become president of an oil company there. One can imagine the dignitaries/business powerhouses who have been transported in it.
My friend tells me his parents picked up the car in Stuttgart and drove to Switzerland to pick him up where he was schooling...then drove to Paris for Christmas. Oh the life...

__________________
R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)

OK...been in the country in Arkansas with no high speed connection.

Here are some more pictures...

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)

Here are a couple of more...

From what I can tell...the car should go somewhere between $11K - $15K.

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R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)

i'm thinking a family with that kind of loot can easily afford to give that car away to someone, oh i don't know, like me

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0o==o0

James 4:8

"...let us put aside the blindness of mind of those who can conceive of nothing higher than what is known through the senses"
-Saint Gregory Palamas, ---Discourse on the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ


Centrally located in North East Central Pa.

Sold my 72 280SEL for $2500 last yr. Wish I had it back.

Based upon my experience with a pretty darn near perfect W108 in midnight blue with $45K worth of receipts for work done you'll never get more than $10K for it, and probably more like $6-7K. And that's if everything (including heat, A/C, etc) works perfectly. I couldn't sell mine without first fixing the heater core and blower and even then it took months to get someone to pay $6500 for it.

I know it's not what you expected but reality bites sometimes. Don't confuse what people ask for them in Hemmings and the MBCA star magazine with what they ACTUALLY sell for. You can ask $15K all you want, but nobody will pay that for a W108.

Oh yeah, and having to put $3.00+ premium into a car which gets 12 MPG isn't going to make it more valuable.

These are not easy cars to sell, even if they have a great story attached to them, but your friend will find that out.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

$15K is getting into 6.3 territory.

This looks to be a good example of a 4.5, but sedans a rarely very valuable. Good luck with the sale.

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'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

This is great information. I'm quite up on the value of later cars, but not the older sedans. That is why I put this here...to get pics of the car out and get some feedback. I really apprecite all the input and will advise him likewise.

I take care of another friend's Rolls Royce Silver Spur. Oh do I wish he would set it on fire and buy this car... The Rolls is about to once again be on a tow truck to see what little sensor went out this time.

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R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)

Did this car ever sell? if so, at what price?

Who would let that happen to the dashboard ?
Especially if you had the car from day one and can't blame a previous owner.......