The Merc itch is back!

[Hugin]

Hi

After parting with my -72 280se 4.5 and -71 230/8 I'm itching for a new (old) merc again.

Found my dream in Germany, a 300 SEL 6.3

Looks like a nice car and the description sound fine too.
The price is somewhat steep, around 45k USD.

Q: How durable are these M100's?
Q: Where are the pitfalls (exept rust)?
Q: What is the expected price developement on these cars?

[POS]

Spending $45k on a 6.3 is at the absolute top of the market. Having bought one with a good friend, and then having him buy me out, I've found that they are insanely expensive to keep going. And I thought my 1969 Porsche 911 was pricey.

The engines are durable as heck. Suspension (anything chassis-related) are very expensive to get as parts - not sure if you have the skills/tools to put those items on. Rust is a killer, but a $45k 6.3 should be fully restored and all rust should have been treated. The problem with buying a fully restored car is that you don't know who did the work and how good he might have been. You can bury a lot of bad shortcuts in a restoration, and unless you're a 6.3 genius, you probably won't catch 25% of them.

"Expected price development"? That's a new phrase. The price is going up on them, but if you buy a $45k 6.3, I'd expect to lose a lot of money immediately if you wanted to sell it in the US.

I love the 6.3s; they're amazing anamolies. Very fun to drive. Very fun to listen to. But if you want one and you're willing to buy a good one to help defray the time/expense of fixing all the things that should have been fixed, you need to search The Star, the 6.3 community, and national ads for a $25k 6.3 that was loved and now just needs a good home. You'll be WAY better off.

[Mike D]

Yikes! An "itch"? Nope, a 300 SEL 6.3 is more like a full blown infection! Have you considered something cheaper to own? Say maybe, a couple of young super models or an European football team?

[Hugin]

I forgott to say that my location is in Norway, Europe.
Our pricelevel is somewhat different then the US.
And having brought a 108 and a 111 coupe over from the US I'm sorry to say that this time I will try something "local".

And yes, i've been window-shopping for a 300SEL 6.3 for years now, I feel that it's time now ;-)

As for skills, I know my limitations, that's why I aim at the top-end.

Keep in mind that a new Mustang with top spec costs around 250000 USD here....so 40-50K is not that bad for such an icon.

And the color combo of this car...wow, I can recall it was the dream-combo in my teens.

How do you guys like the color? It's either this or black, but black is such a big job keeping shiny and clean!

[Mike D]

I've always liked the "dunkel-rot" (dark red) as a sedan color. The color just gleams when it is wet and at night. Black is a problem to keep looking tip-top.

Being in Norway brings the maintenance cost down to a reasonable level.

[wbain5280]

Please check The International M-100 Group. There are forums and you an check the 6.3 forum to get an idea of what people do to get their 6.3 running properly.

Find a 280SE/SEL with a smaller engine, either a 6 or an 8, and find the best one that you can afford. Fixing up a rust bucket is expensive and using that car for parts is a better idea.

[Hugin]

Have already had 280SE with 6 & 8 cyl, I want the BIG ONE now

[DieselPaul]

The 4.5 doesn't begin to compare to the 6.3 IMO. If you want the 6.3, get it.

Air suspension is a gigantic mess, but parts are around so its not a reason to avoid one, just a large expense to be aware of.

I know a few people from the M100 group, the community is very big and active, lots of good information over there.

$45,000 sounds like okay money if its totally rust free and the paint is amazing. Are you buying the car to enjoy or are you going to try to turn around and sell it in a year? If you aren't in cars for the money $45,000 is probably what its worth, if you'd like to profit in the next decade, I'd find another.


Looks like a nice car in the picture.

[Palolo]

Originally Posted by POS

Spending $45k on a 6.3 is at the absolute top of the market. Having bought one with a good friend, and then having him buy me out, I've found that they are insanely expensive to keep going. And I thought my 1969 Porsche 911 was pricey.

That was quick... Is doktorno now going to make it a racecar?

What expenses were you guys hit with after getting it?

Seemed like a nice example (other than easily-replaced front seat tears) when I saw the pics earlier this year; http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/vintage-mercedes/317764-our-6-3-pics.html