dumb question

[janko]

my friend judith has fallen in love with a 1972 280sel 4.5 sedan. the car has about 80k miles showing and the body is basically in good shape. paint is good. small rust spot on rear fender down low. interior is good to excellent. has not been run in about 2 years. i can turn a wrench. fluid and filter changes. engine, tranny,power steering. brake and radiator flush. etc. probably underestimate what i am signing up for. anywho, the dumb part. if even buying the thing is not dumb. if judith can purchase this item for less than $1k, would that be a good deal under the circumstances. circumstances being she be buying a pig in a poke. thank you.

[300SDog]

Disregard the mileage - NEVER believe what the 5 digit odometer says. But 180k or even 280k miles is nothing for the 4.5 so dont worry.

[kbflorida]

if she loves the look and feel of an old MB and is willing to budget at least $1000 each year for parts, preventative maitenance and repair (that's with you doing the work) sure.

think of it this way: if the car was free, would she/you take it? if the answer is yes, what's the big difference between -0- and $1000 for a car?
But if she/you are expecting a daily driver with no ongoing repair maitenance costs, that's not realistic. the car could easily last for 10-20 more years if cared for, but it's a long way from being a new car.

[nhdoc]

This is more a question of how committed you are to your friend Judith than whether buying a decent 280SEL 4.5 for under $1000 is a good idea or not.

Seriously, you'll probably be seeing her very regularly if she buys it. Also, look closely behind the wheels and underneath for rust. The frames on these are notorious for rusting, even in areas not prone for having lots of salt.

...and then there is the fuel costs. Tell her to expect about 12-14 mpg out of it or filling up about every 250 miles for $50 at today's prices. That can get pricey for a daily driver if she is anticipating putting a thousand miles a month on it.