I am interested in this 280SE 4.5

[Gobstopper]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6315&item=2402927445&rd=1

Seller says engine has low compression probably due to head gasket. Presently car is not running.

What am I realistically looking at in terms of cost to get it running well. I have a good friend who does my mechanical work. He is not a Mercedes mechanic, but he is a certified mechanic at a local Ford dealership. He did fantastic work rebuilding my 77 F-250 truck.

Alternatively, what would I be looking at to have it repaired by a "Mercedes Mechanic"?

I really want a 4.5 and could haul it home on a trailer.

Please advise me. Thank you very much.

[rbmercedes]

Check out this post on MBZ.org about purchasing a used Mercedes:

http://buying.articles.mbz.org/m100/

The article deals specifically with the M100 series 6.3 and 6.9 cars, but there is a lot of truth for buying other MB models, basically, buy the most car you can afford, as opposed to buying a cheaper one and fixing it up. You come out ahead in the long run.

The 4.5 engines were really stout (I saw a 150,000 mile engine with the heads off and the bore hone cross hatching was still apparent!), and if there are issues such as head gaskets, that suggests that there may be other abuse or larger issues looming in the background.

If you do decide to buy this car, check out movecars.com. it may be cheaper for you to have the car shipped as opposed to taking time off, driving, gas, etc...

By the way, I'm in Okanogan Co.

Good Luck!

[Aaron]

The early (pre 1976) cars had electronic fuel injection while the later 4.5 engine was equipped with Bosch CIS mechanical injection. If the engine in your car in question is bad, it might be an option to find a good used CIS engine. I always thought that would make for a clever concersion. It would most certainly be more reliable!

It's pretty rare to see a 4.5 on its last legs, but not out of the question. A biggie to watch out for is right camshaft wear, caused by infrequent oil changes. There are oodles of used 4.5 engine out there, so finding a good one should be easy.

[cbdo]

As someone on an MB BB posted, in what may be the wisest words said of these beasts: "There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes."

My father uses a variant of that phrase: Only rich people can afford to buy cheap things.

[fema]

I see all the negative press about going with a cheap MB and wanted to ask - is it that bad an idea to want to do a restoration on one of these vintage cars? I have just begun to look into restoring a 280SEL 4.5 as a project with my son. Is everyone here saying its a bad idea becuase of such high costs vs. an old american car? Any advice would be appreciated, especially from those with some experience in this area. Thanks!

[Mark DiSilvestro]

It depends on how rough the project car is. Do you plan a total restoration or just to fix it up as a driver? How good are your restoration skills and how much of the restoration you can do yourself?
How much of the restoration will you have to hire out? I recommend to find one with as little rust as possible.

Total restoration can be a bad idea because, in many cases, unless it's a really rare or desireable example, the cost of restoration can far exceed the value of the restored car, foreign or American. Today, You can often find well preserved or restored Mercedes sedans for a fraction of the cost of a proper restoration.

Happy Motoring, Mark

I have a very nice 280SE (it's not a 4.5 unfortunately) in Seattle that is looking for a new home.

If the 4.5 doesn't work out for you, feel free to contact me.

Aloha, jsc

jsc617@hotmail.com

[fema]

Thanks for the input guys!

To Mark (pisano): I have no restoration skills - this is something I thought would be a good / fun experience for my son and I - too idealistic??? It's not I have money to burn, but I do plan to take a lot of time with it, do a little each year as time allows. Keep in touch.

[cbdo]

As cars go, MBs are among the more complex to work on for body and interior projects, and the V8's demand fairly well-developed mechanical skills including early computer-regulated fuel injection systems. You might do worse than to consider a 6-cylinder 108 body like the 280SE mentioned above; it's a great driver's car overall and one of the nicest sedans MB has made IMHO. Advantages--Starting with a car that's basically in good shape, maintaining and doing upkeep-type projects on the bodywork and interior is at a level that'll be comfortable for entry-level autowork for the two of you, and the car will be usable during the process. The engine is old enough that it's purely mechanical technology, rather than the complex electronics of the newer fuel injection systems, and there's a ton of help out there on this and other BB's since it's essentially the same engine as the 113-bodied 280SL. And there's actually enough room around the engine to get at stuff without major dismantling!

[Mark DiSilvestro]

I must add that (in my opinion) if you can find one of these with the manual shift instead of the automatic, that would be a real keeper.
A friend once told me "these cars feel 500 pounds lighter with a stickshift!"

Happy Motoring, Mark

[fema]

I appreciate the opinions guys, I'll consider those and keep you posted on my quest!

enjoy.