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#1
03-14-2011, 05:01 PM
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500SE Potential Purchase?
Hey! I'm kinda new to this, so I hope I'm doing this correctly. Anyhow, I found a 1985 grey market 500SE in this guys backyard. Tells me the front sway is "snapped" and needs to be "welded". (Right off I'm nervous.) 136k on the clock, dead batt, split rear seat, headliner sagging, but body and wheels are choice. What do you think this thing's worth??? Please advise...
And I almost forgot: Is this thing FI or carb? Thanks a lot. Last edited by uberboxer; 03-14-2011 at 05:04 PM. Reason: addition 
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#2
03-15-2011, 08:33 PM
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Run don't walk away
The car was parked for a good reason. Sounds like a huge money pit. I can't imagine how one could have snapped the sway bar. What ever forces were at play were applied to the suspension and chassis.
BTW-it's FI. Mercedes never made a carb V8. Save your money for something better-don't buy it because it's convenient.
__________________
 Tony HW111 280SE 3.5 Coupe Manual transmission Past cars: Porsche 914 2.0 '64 Jaguar XKE Roadster '57 Oval Window VW '71 Toyota Hilux Pickup Truck-Dad bought new '73 Toyota Celica GT
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#3
03-16-2011, 10:08 AM
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$500 at best; that's the value of what you could part out on it provided the wheels are aftermarket specials worthy of value.
__________________
- Brian 1989 500SEL Euro 1966 250SE Cabriolet 1958 BMW Isetta 600
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#4
03-16-2011, 08:21 PM
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The sway bar ends break off when the rubber in the upper control arm wears and the protective coating on the steel is rubbed off. The bar then rusts and eventually breaks. It's a common occurrence in Eastern Europe where a lot of worn out Mercedes went after Glasnost and they have been run into the ground.
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#5
03-18-2011, 03:34 AM
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That car probably is cancer city... I would not take it, even if it were free. Which is a shame, a SWB M117 would be a fun ride.
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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.  '85 300SD 245k '87 300SDL 251k '90 300SEL 326k Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford. Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]
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#6
03-18-2011, 05:38 AM
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They are good rugged cars but use a lot of fuel and so aren't worth much today. Everything mechanical is very repairable but can be quite expensive.
From your questions it is apparent that you do not have a lot of experience with Mercedes. Unless you have a lot of money to spend fixing it up or just really want to learn everything about this complex car you probbly should walk away from it. And if Hit man is correct about it being rusty, even if you had alot of money you should walk away from it for sure. The value is it's salvage value. If you wanted to buy it for 500 or less you could probably sell off parts and make money at it. If you like the car, you can probably find a really nice one for 2 or 3K. They drive like a dream but will make maybe 12 to 13 in town and 18 highway. (I had an 84 500SEC....loved to drive it and it did not cost much to operate or repair....I bought it for 8000 with 80K on it and sold it for 4000 with 145K on it. No major repairs....pretty cheap driving except for the fuel bills and gas was only about $2 back then.) But mine did not have leveling suspension or abs. It was very simple mechanically. The power seats were my biggest headache.
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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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