Which year & model to buy?
 

I'm new to the forum. My father owned a 190 years ago, and loved it. He always pined for an older model MB, but never got one. I too have the bug, and love the looks of the late 60, early 70 models (the 108/109 style).

My question is, since I don't have tonnes of money to throw at this venture (I'm a working stiff), and since I live in Toronto, what suggestions does everyone have for the year and model?

I look to use it in the spring, summer and autumn somewhat regularily, and probably store in the snowy winter.

I'd love to get a 1971 300 SEL 6.3, but I'm not sure there is any point - why pay the money for so much car, when I could get a similar car for less. But am I going to rue the day I buy a car with air suspension? I'm thinking of repairs.

Does anyone know who a good MB mechanic is in Toronto who can work on these cars?

Thanks in advance

J

The 6.3's are undoubtably great cars when all is good on them.....but they are really old now and to buy a top one will cost plenty. Even maintaining a good one is probably backbreaking to a pocketbook. To buy a shaggy one and try to bring it up would be very very expensive.

I am thinking it is one car which might make a Ferrari look not too hard to maintain!:eek:

6.3's were for the wealthy exclusively when they were new, nothing has changed except for what's defined as wealthy.

I have a serious soft spot for the w114/115's even though they rust into nothingness at the slightest provocation.

w108's are much cheaper these days. don't want to get into the carb vs. fi debate. i would love another 280S with a stick, but would be wary of any 60's / 70's car - especially in your area - because of rust.

I bought a 1972 280SE 4.5 cheap about 4 months ago. The car was barely running but all there. The main thing was that it had no rust. I have since had a great deal of fun learning about the car and slowly putting it back in shape.

I really like the short wheelbase 108 and the V8 is a real marvel!

I like the 108's. They're the last of the stately MB's, they're basic, robust, and way under valued right now. I don't know about MB's in the 80's but I would avoid any car built in the 80's. In the 80's the Feds were screwing with regs and the car companies didn't know which way to go. In the 90's MB built nice cars that can now be had CHEAP, maybe for good reason. And I have also heard that you may not want to own any late model MB after it's out of warranty.

There is a saying; If it ain't broke it dosen't have enough features. The 108's definately win when it comes to no features.

107 chassis SL/SLC
 

I think the 107 chassis SL/SLC models are a relative bargain.These were very expensive models new which can now be had very reasonably.There is always a good resale market for convertibles if one gets tired of it.Mid 70's through early 80's 450 or even 380 V8's run well and the 380's give around 20 mpg.
The coupes (SLC) were produced in lower numbers but seem to be even cheaper to purchase.I've seen nearly mint examples with low miles for 3-5K$ tops.

By the fact that the stipulation "don't have tonnes of money to throw at this venture" was made it would be best to avoid ANY M-100 unless you believe that the smallest denomination of currency is $100.00

I would agree that 107's are reasonably priced and are common enough to find support and spares for them.

Welcome!

You are wise to investigate before making such a purchase. I have owned two W108 Sedans with the 4.5 liter engine. I have also owned a 1953 170Sb and currently own a 1962 220Sb. The Mercedes Benz up to W108 or W107 are automotive icons. People immediately recognize them and strangers wave or give thumbs up. The driver of a $100,000 car will stop to ask about your fabulous Mercedes...

Ok.. You don't have tons of money. NO problem. You just have to pick the right car to start with. If you buy a car for $500.00, it might need $4,000.00 to make it right and roadworthy. You could buy a well kept model for $4,500.00 that is cosmetically beautiful and just needs for "delayed maintenance items". The rubber on a car that is 30 to 40 years old is usually ready for replacement. You can always see a car on Ebay that caught fire cause the new owner didn't replace the fuel lines and/or leaking injector seals. If you smell gas under the hood, make fixing the fuel delivery your first priority.

How mechanical are you? Do you have friends close by who are mechanical to help? Do you have tools and a place to work? Do you have the money to buy spare parts after you buy the car? Will this car be your only transportation?

Don't buy the first car you see in person. I searched for a year before purchasing the W108 I currently own. If I spent $10,000 repairing a $5,000.00- W108, it could not turn out as nice as my car. The better the car you start with, the better it will be in the end.

Do you intend to preserve or restore? That is a major difference to consider and a topic for a completely seperate discussion.

The best $200 you could possibly spend would be a pre-purchase inspection. The owner says the car is a gem, you might be surprised to learn you need a brake job which costs $1,200.00 or a transmission rebuild $3,000.00 or motor mounts replaced $$$ or that compression is low in two cylinders $$$$.$$ An experienced Mercedes Benz specialist who is independent (not the owner's mechanic) can give you advice on what to expect in future repair bills.

Thanks Everyone - Jeffrey - I'm looking to preserve & drive. My interest is solely in looks - when I was young a Mercedes was the mark of having "arrived" and being "successful". I'm at a point in the mid of my life where I'd like to look like that. However, without a tonne of money, I can't afford a new MB. So, since I'd like to own something different, and the older models were what I grew up with seeing as the ultimate, I want to go that direction.

But, it would be a 3rd car, for our small single car garage, and small tandem 2 car driveway. Since right now my wife takes the train to work and I drive about 1 hr in traffic in the city, I'm not sure how practical it will be. But sometimes the heart must have what the heart must have. So...I ask these questions.

I don't have a shop, and am not terribly mechanically inclined, so it would be off to a shop to fix.

For something like a 280 SE, what types of expenses should I expect? Let's say that the EBAY MB is as good as it is advertised to be, what would I look to pay yearly in maintenance? $1000, $2000, $5000? I know it is hard to estimate, but sometimes people are able to say "I've owned my car for 10 yrs and spent $40,000 on it, thus $4000 per year"

Thanks in advance

If you aren't totally in love with the big cars I'd not discount the w114/115.
They do rust but if you can overcome that with a decent example or are not afraid of POR-15 and having a pretty driver and not a show level car, they are a fine little beasty with a good mix of the old virtues and modern enough engenering that one can drive them every day. There is nothing on the road that makes my old 73 look bad parked next to it in my and most people's opinion.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...s/HPIM1206.jpg

There are several rules to consider:

You can never make a cheap car as nice as an expensive one (assuming same model) without spending twice as much as it would have cost to have bought the nicer one. A cheap car will always need some significant work to bring it up to speed, an expensive car may be nice or may be a disaster hidden underneath. A nice car will almost never be cheap.

No older Mercedes is going to be inexpensive to maintain unless you are willing and able to do much of the maintenance and repair yourself.

Generally, the more expensive the car new, the more it will cost to maintain. (S class> E class > C class)

The older the car, the cheaper it will be to work on. Corollary: At some point this reverses as parts become scarce and expensive and mechanics familiar with the car get harder to find.

Diesels cost less to maintain than gas engines, all other things being equal.
Caveat: The newer the car, the less this is true.

Mechanical issues can be fixed, rust cannot.

A beat convertible is more desirable than a nice sedan.

A wagon will trump it's sedan twin.

If you have X loonies to spend, try to limit the purchase price to .75X loonies, so you have a fund for the problems that you missed when you bought the car.....

Browse the archives, educate yourself on the common problems of each series, then decide what series/engine suits your tastes/budget. You'll get lots of advice about which cars are the "best", but note that the cheerleaders of a particular model are often owners of the same. I'll refrain from suggesting a particular car series, even though I have some ideas. :)

Good luck, owning an old MB can be a great joy or a great nightmare. The more effort and restraint you place on your search, the better your chances are of having a great experience.

Jim

What is your bottom line budget?

Hello J,

With the information you have provided, I would stay away from cars that need "TLC" and a dozen "minor repairs". There are many cars across the spectrum of vintages that you can own for less than $7,000.00 and maintain for less than $1,000.00 per year. You could find a 190 like your Dad owned up to the 114/115 or W108 cars for that kind of money. Sedans are the most available and most affordable. A 4-5k car can quickly become an 8-10k car if you have to pay a shop to repair it. Too many people buy cheap and keep dumping money because the have already "invested" so much. It is actually less expensive to buy a VERY nice car that has been loved and maintained.

If you don't have a mechanical aptitude or desire, buy the very best example of the car you like. Ideally, you want a Mercedes from the original owner with service records proving a philosophy of maintenance that is pro-active and unwavering in devotion.

Both of my Mercedes had original owners who kept them until they died. In one case the next owner preserved faithfully. The other case should be brought to trial for neglect and abandonment. I like working with my hands and rent a garage to store parts, tools and a car. There is nothing more satisfying than maintaining, restoring or preserving. You may discover that you get a thrill from successfully changing the oil.
I posted this video yesterday on my salvage yard rescue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP0oWOa8quM

Best of luck!

Jeffrey

Wonderful
 

Wonderful video!

I think the idea of paying up front is better than paying while the car is repaired.

I'm thinking this venture should cost me about $20k over a span of 2-3 years. If the cost of the car and repairs during this time is less than that, and I can sell the car (if push comes to shove) to recoup any of the money, then I'm OK with it.

J