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#1
02-28-2009, 08:37 AM
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280SE W111 Coupe 1970
Looking seriously at buying a 1970 280SE Coupe 'low grill'. I am after a reliable and supportable Classic car and have ended up deciding between a 1979 RR Corniche and a lovely 280SE Coupe. Apart from both being Coupes they are very different cars. My question is what are the 280 SE Coupes like to live with, and how are they compared with the 3.5 Coupe? I am especially interested in terms of reliability, supportability and drive ability - I want to use it regularly. I live in the Middle East and temperatures reach the mid 40's in summer, so this too could be a factor. Any advice would be appreciated and are there any good links to reviews for these magnificent cars? Thanks.
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#2
03-01-2009, 10:45 AM
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Make sure it has an airconditioner is you drive it in the 40C (100+F) temp range. It is manageable without, but it you will sweat. I'll let the other folks comment on the six vs V8. From my own experience, 3.5 coupe is a wonderful car to drive and almost bullet proof technology. But I use mine as a daily driver.
Bert
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'70 111 280SE/c 3.5 (4 spd manual) - sold '63 MGB '73 MGBGT V8
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#3
03-01-2009, 12:08 PM
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I would think that the benz would be a lot more usable and maintainable than a RR.
The AC on a benz of that era is sketchy though. Even when new AC was pretty weak by modern standards. That is not to suggest that the RR is any better in that respect!
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.  [SIGPIC]..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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#4
03-01-2009, 12:51 PM
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Lots of stuff to keep in mind. Since you're in the Middle East I assume rust isn't really an issue. Rolls weren't really known for reliability. Take a look at maintenance costs of simple stuff like brakes: How much are 111 brake pads for the 4 wheels Vs a Rolls?
A set of front for the MB from this site ranges from $33.28 to $48.42, rear from $28.86 to $32.83 ($59.27 for ceramic): Total is $62.14 to $81.25 for non-ceramic. A set of front for the RR from the first site I could find is $29.07 for ceramic and it says "2 required" (which is actually not NEARLY as much as they should be still, so they must be junk); so $58.14 for fronts. They didn't list rears. And that doesn't include the sensor it states. I can't find rotors online after 10 minutes of searching, I gave up. I work for a major internet company so since I do this for a living it's not like I'm not doing the right kind of search. It's just that hard to find parts for. The coupe - either the 2.8 or the 3.5 - is very reliable, it's cheap to maintain when compared to a Rolls by a factor of at LEAST 2 and often 10, and it's a nicer car to drive. The Rolls is a nicer car to be driven in. If cost is no factor to you, it comes down to if you will be the driver or not. I can't find anything on Wikipedia that seems to list the power of the 6.75L Rolls/Bentley V8, but from what I can see on other sources, the 3.5 appears to have A LOT MORE power. Quote:
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Current: 2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee" 2018 Durango R/T Previous: 1972 280SE 4.5 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi" 1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k
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#5
03-01-2009, 01:39 PM
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Very reliable, maintanable car. Plus they have those little twist front vent windows - don't know why cars ever lost them. With the desert breeze pointing at you it's quite comfortable in the 80sF and even the 90sF. But then when it goes over 100F it becomes convection oven like and you'd rather not have the breeze.
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