Vintage Dilemma - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Skippy · #1 03-20-2009, 08:33 PM

It seems I will soon have the opportunity to buy a very nice '70 280SE for a very reasonable price. I already have a '71 250 in good shape but in need of a transmission. I'm wondering if I should buy the 280 and let my 250 go for very cheap, or if I should pass on the 280 and put another transmission in the 250.

Further information:

The 250 is one that I bought from my employer, a junkyard, last summer. Since acquiring it, I've had the carburetors rebuilt and the compression checked (160+ @ nearly 5,000 ft elevation). The engine runs well but the idle is a little lumpy. I haven't balanced the carbs and attribute the idle to that. The interior is in good shape for something from 1971, but not perfect by any means. The exterior is ok, but could use a paint job. The transmission was bad but driveable when I got the car. I was trying to sell it before the tranny got worse. Then it lost 3rd and 4th gear, so I obtained a junkyard transmission and installed it. That transmission turned out to be bad as well (no go no way). At the moment, the original tranny is at a shop in Reno dissassembled with a report of bad pump and a bad drum. The other transmission was recently removed by a local shop and is in the trunk of my 300 awaiting transport to the shop in Reno. Aside from the transmission and exterior cosemetics, the 250 has a sometime working blower, no AC, and could use some front subframe mounts. An aftermarket radio is present, but not working. I don't know what the bills would be if I had both shops just stop where they are, but I figure I'm into the low to mid three-figures already. The tranny shop wants to get my other transmission apart to see which parts are usable before they give me an estimate to make one good working transmission in order to complete the job. I'll estimate something in the high three figures in addition to work already performed.

The 280SE was driven to the junkyard by an older man who earlier in the week brought us a good running driving Isuzu Trooper. I drove the 280, and the engine (injected M130 by the look of it) runs very well. It idles smooth and quiet, and when floored seems to have considerably more power than my carbed M130. The transmission shifts correctly. The interior is a little nicer than mine, and the exterior (Green!) is also in considerably better shape. It has power windows, and I forgot to check whether they all work. I also didn't check the climate control. It has an aftermarket radio, which works. I can buy this car for somewhere in the ballpark of $700-800 out the door.

Oh, not that odometers mean much in these cars, but the 250 says a little over 60,000 and is known to record about every third mile. The 280 says 58 thousand and change and from the cleanliness of the engine compartment, it may be accurate.

What do you folks think?

mbgingerbread · #2 03-20-2009, 09:59 PM

I have a 71 280se which I look forward to working on to make it run and look better. Everytime I consider jumping ship for greener pastures I am reminded of a constant: you already know what you have so the choice is utilise this knowledge to move forward.
If your 250 is causing you more heartburn than you can stand then a decent 280se is a great alternative. I don't have answers beyond that;
however, with the experience of owning a fairly ordinary ( as opposed to an SL, etc.) MB you can use it for a springboard into an already fun hobby and to clarify you can treat both cars in the same way and appreciate the synergy you create for future use. The parts might interchange as well!!

Turner

Tomguy · #3 03-20-2009, 10:18 PM

I say buy the 280.

If the 280 pans out well in a few months, sell the 250 if you don't want 2 vintage MBs. Otherwise, you got an awesome 2nd car for fairly cheap!

wolf_walker · #4 03-20-2009, 11:27 PM

I don't see the problem, a good looking, running, driving old Merc for under a grand?
Duh?

Post pics.

Skippy · #5 03-21-2009, 02:28 AM

If I buy the 280, that would put me up to four old Benzes. My lease says I can park three cars on the property, but I gathered they would really prefer two.

Tomguy · #6 03-21-2009, 09:12 AM

My apartment doesnt like >2 cars.

I have 3 and the GF has 1 so that's 4 total.

They haven't booted me out and I've lived here almost a year! (Thank God I should be getting a HOUSE soon with a GARAGE so I can bring my MB, my 5th car, with me and away from the 'rents house in Scranton!!)