What's My '69 280SE Coupe worth?

[coupe69]

Hey guys,

I'd like to sell my 1969 280se Coupe, but I'm not too sure what I should ask for it. It's in awesome shape. 109,000 original miles. Originally from Arizona. I bought it with collector plates and I have the papers, but I don't have any plates on right now because I decided to sell it. OEM parts only. There are 3-4 tiny bubbles under the paint and a bit behind the license plate /fuel door, but that's about it for rust. Leather is practically perfect. If anyone could point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated. Here are a few pics:

[69coupe]

Hi ,
I'd hate to say it but it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it....An old saying but it applies to everything that's for sale. The most important factor with W111 coupes as well as all of our vintage car's is rust....Have you gotten into the trunk and inspected the spare tire well's for rust...? Inspect them from underneath too...This is a notorious rust out place....Then get under the car and inspect the rear suspension mounting points for rust...Then inspect the floorboards for their integrity....Photograph these area's because any serious and knowledgeable perspective buyers will need to see these area's in order to determine your cars worth....How much are you asking for it at this point....?

Regards , 69Coupe

[Larry Delor]

As 69coupe said, pics of the underbody and other rust prone areas are one of the selling points/price points.
(I have rust on my 108, and I know for a fact it is costing me over $1k in potential sell price...probably a $2k reduction - which explains why I'm not selling mine )

Yours is the 6 cyl, M130?

[coupe69]

Ok, here is a pic of the under carriage.

[coupe69]

here is a pic of the trunk:

[69coupe]

The picture's really need to show more than shadows as your trunk photo shows....The perspective buyer will need to literally see the condition of the trunk spare tire wells .....as well as the area's I mentioned before...It's in your best interest to be able to provide these pictures.....

What are you asking for this car .....?

[300SDog]

Jeeze, i think the value of 111 coupes is all over the map and localized too. Perfect condition coupe at Hollywood might draw $12-$18k but the same car in Denver might not sell at all, borderline/extreme special interest cars you understand. One of the regular Vintage MB hobbyists here snagged a low mileage one with darned good cosmetics for about $2600 on CA ebay last year and then shipped the car to New England. Even with injector pump hibernation/recovery issues everybody agreed it was a steal. He wanted an upgrade to his daily driver 108 sedan if memory serves me well.

But if it was me up there in Canada thinkin about getting top dollar for my coupe then I'd investigate the European market, figure out how it can be shipped overseas. Huge conspiracy afoot of Europeans paying good money to recover excellent condition Vintage MB's from North American Continent. Have seen this here at the forum: Norwegians importing USA 108 V8 sedans to Norway. Also Dutch and Portuguese visitors asking questions about export and smuggling of classic cars from the USA. I think there's an uncommon glut of Vintage MB's here at North America that the rest of the world wants to seize. Excellent condition 280SE Coupe would probly fit this venue too.

Otherwise like I've said, 111 coupe values are all over the place. Could be worth anything from $6-$18k USD depending on how it's marketed and where sold. 6 cyl 280SE Coupe is probly the most difficult MB to appraise especailly compared with 113 SL's rock solid at/near $20k; Cabriolets that start at about $25k and deluxe sedans that top at about $6-$9k (USD). Even economy models at 2 to 3 or 4 thousand are more predictable at determining value according to demographics.

[lee polowczuk]

I would say 7-8 should be a decent start...if the windshield rubber and door rubber is in good shape.

windshield rubber tends to dry up and leak, ruining the dash wood.

[Thomas Webb]

Coupe69 -

I have a '69 as well - but mine is a high-grille coupe (with a Summer of '68 build date), but with a 4-speed manual and limited slip. A lot of the value with coupe - or any vintage 'Benz is going to arrive from documentation. Contact Mercedes to get your original build data card so a buyer can confirm you have the original engine #, exterior and interior colors, original options, etc.

In my case, I did all that AND actually tracked down the original owner's widow and got copious amounts of original paperwork, shipping docs from Germany, customs papers, "thank you" letters from the factory at Stuttgart, etc. Even the original oval "Zoll" license plates. Service records, etc.

Frankly, I wouldn't expect a low-grille coupe like yours to fetch anything less that the high-teens (people in general seem to like the low grille cars better - I actually prefer mine) if it's as nice and solid as you say - with a potential purchaser not facing any big expenses to enjoy it right away. Your interior looks very nice, and a complete reupholstery of one of these cars is an easy $6000 or more (in leather anyway). If you can document the recent servicing of brakes, oil changes, valve adjustments, trans fluid changes, chassis greasings, etc to ease the mind of a potential buyer - you'll be that much farther ahead towards getting a buyer.

Believe me, after you deposit the money - you'll regret selling her.

[coupe69]

Originally Posted by Thomas Webb

Coupe69 -

I have a '69 as well - but mine is a high-grille coupe (with a Summer of '68 build date), but with a 4-speed manual and limited slip. A lot of the value with coupe - or any vintage 'Benz is going to arrive from documentation. Contact Mercedes to get your original build data card so a buyer can confirm you have the original engine #, exterior and interior colors, original options, etc.

In my case, I did all that AND actually tracked down the original owner's widow and got copious amounts of original paperwork, shipping docs from Germany, customs papers, "thank you" letters from the factory at Stuttgart, etc. Even the original oval "Zoll" license plates. Service records, etc.

Frankly, I wouldn't expect a low-grille coupe like yours to fetch anything less that the high-teens (people in general seem to like the low grille cars better - I actually prefer mine) if it's as nice and solid as you say - with a potential purchaser not facing any big expenses to enjoy it right away. Your interior looks very nice, and a complete reupholstery of one of these cars is an easy $6000 or more (in leather anyway). If you can document the recent servicing of brakes, oil changes, valve adjustments, trans fluid changes, chassis greasings, etc to ease the mind of a potential buyer - you'll be that much farther ahead towards getting a buyer.

Believe me, after you deposit the money - you'll regret selling her.

I already don't really want to sell it. I doubt I'll be able to buy something like this again. Right now, I'm thinking it's probably in the $14k range. It's not perfect, but in very good overall condition. I'll get some pics of the areas 69coupe suggested.

In the meantime here are a couple of pics of the rear:

[Thomas Webb]

Coupe69 - I'm sure we all know what you're going through. My wife and I were considering selling just because we are occaisionally afraid to even drive it anywhere considering all the inconsiderate idiots on the road, and to finance some house projects. Now that nice weather is returning, we are questioning our own sanity. I have been into collectible or special interest cars all my life - but have never owned anything like my coupe. I didn't grow up wealthy, and I really feel kind of honored to own such a conveyance. The fact that I'm somewhat talented mechanically and feel I can take care of it better than most potential buyers could, makes me feel more like it's current custodian than it's owner. Would the next owner care so much about the car and it's history? Maybe yes, maybe no. But we love it and I think it's here to stay. If I sold it and wanted to get back into a coupe in a few years - I probably couldn't afford to. It seems like yesterday that as a 20-something I wanted to buy an Aston DB4. In the mid-80s they were about $16,000 and I had my first "real" job - but they were WAY out of my reach then. Now a nice DB4 is $80,000. Winning lotto aside, it's just not going to happen.

Short version - unless you're about to be kicked to the curb, keep it.

[coupe69]

69Coupe,

I got some more pics. I hope this is what you were thinking of.

Driver's side inside truck wheel well:


Passenger side inside trunk wheel well (spare tyre):


Passenger underside wheel well (spare tyre):


Driver's underside inside wheel well:


some suspension bits:

[coupe69]

Originally Posted by Larry Delor

As 69coupe said, pics of the underbody and other rust prone areas are one of the selling points/price points.
(I have rust on my 108, and I know for a fact it is costing me over $1k in potential sell price...probably a $2k reduction - which explains why I'm not selling mine )

Yours is the 6 cyl, M130?

Hi Larry sorry for the late response. Yes, it's the 130.98

It also has the next generation 4 speed auto that came very late in life of the 1969's. the "P" is towards the engine compartment. Even the SL's didn't get this tranny until the 70's.

[Mike D]

Get some "rust converter" on those trunk areas quickly! Probe around them with a screwdriver. Trunk rust can spread like wildfire. Pull those mats and remove the spare. Check and treat.

Looks like a 'beaut! You already know you would never sell it.

[69coupe]

Coupe69 ,
Well if you get a "serious" prospective shopper , expect a request for a complete set of picture's. If you decide that you really want to sell it , put it on Ebay. It'll get a lot of exposure there. Set your reserve and see what happens.....