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Jim B. · #3 04-13-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonOne

I saw a great 1985 500 SEL last night. I was really impressed. I might buy it just to have a temporary driver. It needs a few things but its in great shape over all.
Does anyone here have a car like this? I was told that in 1985 the German Mark was three and a half to the dollar and so people went to Germany and simply had cars shipped to The States. Does anyone know about this?
The European headlamps with the height adjustment were very cool. And many other things about the car also.
Thanks
Jason

What you were told is basically true. 1984 and 1985 were the glory days for those gray market cars to be brought in. The savings were really big for the high line cars, the S and SL especially.

For example, in one case I personally was acquainted with a man who'd used a registered importer to pick up a brand new euro-spec '84 500SEC over in Germany, for a price of $40,000 USD, then spent about $10,000 to certify it US legal after the DOT/EPA changes were made, and about $20,000 for a full AMG conversion, (done by the registered importer, which was also an authorized AMG dealer in California at the time). The AMG conversion included
interior, body kit, Penta wheels, engine, transmission, and suspension. Total =$70,000 to his driveway. A huge savings from buying new at a Mercedes dealer in the USA. So many people did it, that Mercedes noticed; it's said that the 560 engine was introduced in part to kill the gray market, and to satisfy the American customers' demand for higher performance. In any case, it worked. The exchange rate changed, too, and in 1986, the gray market pretty much was over as a viable alternative to buying new.

I was asked to drive the car to Denver from SF just before Christmas in '85 and it was a wonderful trip, in that near new car, and convinced me I ought to own an SEC one day.

A euro-spec 500SEL gives 240 hp. Contrast with a stock 560SEL that gives 238 hp.

So long as the conversion has been performed well, (there were a lot of fly by night importers in those days), the car can be a good buy and a lot of fun.