Looking for Advice on Buying 1985 Mercedes 380sl

[pluemacherg1]

Hello! So I wanted to come on here and see if any mechanics would give me some advice for a 1985 Mercedes 380sl I am looking to buy. It is in the rare red color and has around 130k miles on it. I took it to a mercedes mechanic and although it runs, theres a lot to repair:

Vacuum Locks Not Working , Needs a Catalytic Converter , Excessive Noise From Window Seals @ 55mph , Rattle From Hard Top While Driving , Drive Belts Cracked , Driver Outer Door Sticks Cant Lock Or Unlock With Key , Power Steering Pump Is Leaking , Motor mounts And Sub-Frame Mounts Collasped , Trans Front Pump seal Leaking , Possible Rear Camshaft Leaking , Trans Pan Is Wet , Center Exhaust Hanger Missing , Rear Diff Is Sweating Not Leaking , Power Steering Box Is Leaking From Top And Bottom , Trans Cooler Lines are Cracked , Oil Pan Minor Leak, Litttle Rust Left Front Rocker Panel , Shifter Bushings And Accelerator Bushings Missing , Washer Resevoir Missing Blind Plug , Passenger Sun Visor Will Not Stay Up , A/C Compressor Does Not Turn On , ABS Not Working , Needs Alignment , Idles a Little RoughAnd Has Hesitation , Odometer Not Working Maybe Since 2015, Brakes Pulled To The Left 3 Times While Braking



However, when I was going to walk away the mechanic did say the car has good bones but the repairs would cost around $8-10k. The 380sl in red has been my dream car since I was little and I really want to buy one before they get way out of my price range. I'm willing to invest in a decent amount in repairs. What would be a price you'd be willing to pay for this car? Any advice would be great, I don't know a lot about cars but I really love the 380sl and have my heart set on one specifically in the fire red color.

[Sugar Bear]

If I loved the car, it had NO rust AND a compression test was good I might go up to $2,500.

Good luck!!!

[carock]

It sounds like this car needs a complete mechanical rebuild. You are not going to be able to afford to have someone do all that for you. What I have found is that these cars need every gasket, and suspension bushing replaced. They are just too old to keep going on. If you are willing to do it all, then $5000 is a good offer if you don't need to paint the car, there is no rust, and the car has never been hit. Just the parts to do all the work will be between $12,000 and $20,000.

[KCM]

That is a long list to start off, and the list will only get longer. Figure all new rubber door and trunk seals, timing chain and guide replacement, new hoses and vacuum lines on the engine, maybe new injectors (rough running issue), possible head rebuild with new valve guides, and numerous other things here and there. Steering gearbox can be exchanged for a rebuilt or resealed. And where there is a little rust, there usually is more, so needs to be inspected very well. You did not mention how the soft top is (think they are around $800 to $1000 new).

When I bought my 1989 around 15 years ago, it was a pretty decent car to start with. But I ended up putting in as much as I paid for it to get it to my level of "perfection". And parts were much cheaper back then. SL specific parts tend to cost more anyway.

I know how you feel as I had the dream of owning and SL too, and luckily found just what I wanted. Admittedly some of the items you listed are general maintenance or minor things you can fix on your own and for minimal cost (belts, brakes, missing grommets, exhaust hanger). Some stuff, like the hard top noise which are likely just the plastic rings on the mount pins missing, which is an easy fix. Odometer is a broken gear and fixable (multiple thread on repair). The whole subframe can be dropped out for a complete front-end and motor mount rebuild, then aligned. I would agree with your mechanic on the $10000 repair estimate. All depends how perfect you want it. To me the rust and condition of the body and paint would be the big issue. Make sure the rust is minimal. Mechanical components can be replaced but rust is a lot bigger and costly issue. If you can get it cheap and expect to spend another $10,000, go for it. Otherwise keep looking for a better example. Sometimes it is hard when you want something really bad to not let it influence your decision.

Noticed in your other post you're 18 and know little about cars. This might be an opportunity for you to get into the repair of cars and learn. A lot of the little repairs you can do yourself, save money, and learn while you do it. Larger stuff you are uncomfortable about, you can have your mechanic do. I would recommend getting a service manual when you do get one. These cars are not dirt simple, but still simple enough a shade tree mechanic can repair them. Haven't been up on the values lately, but the previous poster's $2500 sounds like a good cheap price while the other poster's $5000 sounds like top end for this particular car.

Remember the old saying, "There's no such thing as a cheap Mercedes."

P.S. Is there any paperwork on previous repairs or a history? That could help you decide.

[t walgamuth]

The nice thing is they still operate and can give service with all this stuff needed. The statement about needing every gasket and seal replaced is over the top unless you are doing a full restoration....which is not financially reasonable for the value. This said I'd try to get it for the 2500.