1967 250 se coupe I'm buying one soon. anything I should now? thoughts please

[tulah]

I've always been in love with the 280se coupe , but was never really in the market for one. I now have a chance to buy a 67 250 SE coupe. Caliifornia car rust free frame clean body Int has some tiny rips in the back seat
all chrome is O.K . seems to be original. I'm not sure to be honest.
I noticed it has lots of build up on the suspension area, maybe the
control arm? .I'm not sure how to I.D what its called. along with leaks from a few spots on the bottom of the oil pan

What are typical problems for this car?
Is this a good engine for this series?
Is this a tough care to get parts for?


Any feedback would be great.

Thanks ,
Tony

[Dbglobal]

Tony,

Parts are not that difficult, however they can get pricey. If you can I would steer you towards the V-8 version, the 3.5. It will give you a lot more power, and should give you a better return on the dollar if you decide to sell it someday.

Good luck.

Dave Benson 71 280SE 3.5

[tulah]

I'm getting a super deal for the condition $4000.
One day I'll buy a 280 but til then I think the v6 will do.
I don't really drive all too fast anyway.

the most desired & expensive is certainly the 280 se 3.5.

Thanks

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Not sure what you mean by 'buildup'. The front suspension uses kingpins and bushings, instead of balljoints. Regular greasing may cause buildup of grease and dirt around the suspension joints. Otherwise, minor oil leaks are pretty common. If you plan on driving this car frequently, get used to regular fluid level checks.
Many mechanical parts are still availible, but coupe-specific body and interior trim parts are harder to find and pricey, contributing to the high cost of a cosmetic restoration.
I've heard the 250SE engines used to have cooling system/overheating issues, but hopefully that's been sorted out on this car by now. IMHO the small sixes are a happier combination with the stickshift, as the old automatics tend to be jerky, rob power and gas mileage. With the engine fully warmed up, check the oil pressure guage at idle. I prefer to see at least 15 PSI, and pressure should rise quickly to max while accelerating. Otherwise, check very carefully, perhaps with a magnet, for filler hiding RUST RUST RUST RUST. There are lots of shiny paint jobs rollng around, hiding filler and poor repair jobs! These typically rust around the headlights, the lower fenders behind the front & rear wheels, and the rocker panels. See if the seller will allow you to try the factory jack (with the parking brake on!) to test the jacking ports. Good luck.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[Gregg Bambo Jr.]

Most likely places to find rust on a 111 chassis are the two spare tire wells, the cavity behind the front wheels, headlight areas and lower rocker panels. A lot of them leak in the windshield area causing hidden rust in the footwells. I prefer the 6 cylinder engine, although slower, it has fewer maintenance issues.

[SatRoc]

I've owned 2-250SE coupes. That model and year were the last of the hand-built production MBZ's. The price is right for a car in "fair" condition, with the price for one in "Excellent" condition being upwards of $17,000. I'm sure you'll enjoy the pleasure of owning this model.

[t walgamuth]

i hope it doesnt actually have a v6 since an i 6 was standard.

tom w

[Thomas Webb]

Watch for rust as previsously stated - EVERYWHERE - even behind nice, shiny paint. Light pitting of chrome can be replated - even though expensive. Replacing those bumpers will cost more than you're paying for the car. Check particularly tail lamp lenses for good chrome and no cracks in the lenses. There should be a canvas or leather bag with all the Mercedes tools tied to the lug wrench in the trunk. I have read in several articles that the 250SE had main and rod bearing problems that weren't really fixed until late in the production run - watch your oil pressure (no less than 35-40) and listen for knocks!

[Mr Basil]

My wife owns a '68 280 SE saloon with the I-6. Luckily, I maintain it so I have to drive it alot. It seems to have plenty of power and a pleasant smooth purr. We live in hilly country but it goes uphill at any speed you want. I find it very enjoyable to drive, but if anything, it wants to go way faster than the speed limit. I don't think so-called civilization would permit me to drive one with a V8, but if they abolish speed limits I would have to try one out.

The six is pretty easy to work on and there're lots of used parts around.

I think you'll really enjoy driving it.

Basil

[tulah]

Thanks for all the replys fellas
I took the car to my friends body shop to inspect for rust.
Not a drop of rust anywhere...hooray
Now I'm taking it to Beverly Laurel Mercedes for a check up.


I'm thinking I got a super deal because of NO RUST ANYWHERE.
After I put some $$$ into the engine & int 'I will post some pix


Again thanks for all the replys