What so good about an '84 500SEC ?

[Austin85]

HI I am shopping again this week end and will be going down to check on an '84 500SEC.

All I know so far is ....MERCEDES 500 SEC, 2DR COUPE, UPGRADED 04 WHEELS, COLD A/C, SUNROOF, GREAT PAINT, WINDOW TINTS, RUNS SMOOTH,.....
and the asking price;
Also it is at a private dealer lot & he says it was a trade in from the original owner & there are service records.
Charcoal ext/ Burgandy interior clean looking from pic's


Anyone like TW have any experience with this model????

Thanks all advice is welcome !!!!

[Jim B.]

Check www.mbcoupes.com and www.sec-shop.com for them, to start.
They have buyers's guides. They've been discussed here from time to time also, the search function here might help.

[t walgamuth]

see pm.

tom w

[Austin85]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

see pm.

tom w

Got it; Thanks!

I read the MB COUPES buyer's guide so will check th list of basics;

AA

[Hatterasguy]

In Euro trim they are real fast! 300hp

[t walgamuth]

they are no slouch in us trim either.

tom w

[Austin85]

Well

My search continues...
I have an appt to go look at an 89 300CE tomorrow too.

Talked to the guy who is selling it for his girlf.

She has owned it for 16 yrs & just bought a new MB.

(good gf!) Has a ws crack; but says othewise it is in cleancondition around 100,000 miles only

White with royal blue interior loaded on optons & BBS rims

[t walgamuth]

the ces are very elegant too.

evaps tend to go bad on 124s though and it is a big job to replace them. other than that they drive very well!

tom w

[LaRondo]

I have a friend with a 84 500 SEC, he thinks it's the best sports coupe ever made. Problem is, that's the only Mercedes he ever owned.
He's got 300k on it, but I wouldn't want to begin listings the costly replacements
I think a 300 CE with around 100K sounds interesting and is certainly easier and less costly to maintain in the long run.
Esp. with an eye on gas prices

[LaRondo]

Originally Posted by BlackE55

The 500SEC sounds a lot more interesting, but at least the 124 is a coupe. Don't see many of them around much.

Unless I drove 20k miles/year, I would never let gas prices dictate what I purchased. Shoot, gas is $1.93/gal now.

It's at least $0.80 more over here. That can change quickly and over night.
I thought the same way, 3 or 4 years back, now I have one V8 left, out of 5. I simply got tired of pulling into the gas station every other day and for the same reason I hardly drive the V8 anymore.
It also depends on the pocket book. He seems to be used to driving a Diesel.

[Austin85]

And a diesel that has been running on straight used veggie oil for a yr and a half .....

That is the only thing that makes this a hard decision.
It may be best to keep the 300D for some driving...

Only thing is it's got 303,000 miles on it, runs & shifts great; but the body is rusting ; the sunroof needs repair ; so does the A/C; and I'll be fixing my vacuum leaks next weekend....

I don't put on alot of miles per week, since the Grateful Dead stopped touring... .so if I spend 30. a week on gas , it may not be too bad....

AA

[truckinik]

I'd buy the SEC,and ask questions later.keep in mind this coming from someone who owns one of each,plus a few others.

[LaRondo]

Originally Posted by Austin85

And a diesel that has been running on straight used veggie oil for a yr and a half .....

That is the only thing that makes this a hard decision.
It may be best to keep the 300D for some driving...

Only thing is it's got 303,000 miles on it, runs & shifts great; but the body is rusting ; the sunroof needs repair ; so does the A/C; and I'll be fixing my vacuum leaks next weekend....

I don't put on alot of miles per week, since the Grateful Dead stopped touring... .so if I spend 30. a week on gas , it may not be too bad....

AA

I'd keep the Diesel under any circumstances, 300k is not too bad, I have 290K on mine and it doesn't even burn any oil. I understand the rust problem, that's what took most cars off the road back in Germany.
If you're not depending on a 500 SEC as a daily driver, I'd say it's ok. A 300CE is simply more drivable in the long run, with decent gas/miles and probably more reasonable in maintainance.

[t walgamuth]

in my experience, havein owned both the sec and two 124s the sec is less $ to maintain.

much less.

tom w

[LaRondo]

I don't think there's a hard rule, it could go either way.

I wouldn't question your experience, but neither would I turn it into a rule.

One has to develop an instinct for what sits well.

I firmly believe in a fine balance of chemistry between me and my cars and even the cars among each other. I may sound ridiculous, but I also made my experience.

That's why this here is only comentary, if I for example start asking people about what I should give the preference, I usually get confused.

So, I rely on my sole decision making capability. If I would have known this MBsite I probably would have never bought the '95 E320. And it's too soon to say anything, but I love the car and this is what counts most. It's the basis for my intuitive relationship with the car.

If I would post the list of my friends investments in his 500 it probably would be pretty scary. But even he loves the car, so what can be said?