Upgrade 83 Mer 500 SEC from 88 Volvo GLE? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

CamelotShadow · #1 08-20-2007, 07:02 PM

Hi everyone...
Nice forum
Just looking around trying to find some answers

Been tinkering w thought of a Mercedes Coupe forever.
Don't know where to start
I want to look at a 83 500 SEC but I wonder if it might be a car hard to maintain?
I don't even know if this year still has a carbuerator?
It should be a 5 L 8 cylinder so guess it will get drunk on gas
but I don;t drive much.

This car has 196K miles is a one owner CA local car.

I may be crazy
but my 4 cyl 88 Volvo with 125K has started becoming a fix it sink hole
I fear & I'm probably right
that a older Mercedes with more mileage wouldn't be any better.

Guess my main problem is $
I only can spend about $3000....

Any comments...?
Where can I go to get specs on the car & learn more. I like the coupes
A SLC would be even nicer
but then again there goes the $$$$

Thanks

CamelotShadow · #2 08-20-2007, 07:15 PM

Spoke to my Mercedes/Volvo repair shop.
He says its too old.
A car like that takes a while to get parts & to own one you can't be worried about $.
Arrrgh...
88 volvo parts are not cheap either! That's for sure...

This was his advice
Go for a BMW 5 series or 943 Volvo...

lee polowczuk · #3 08-20-2007, 07:16 PM

look...i love my mercedes.... i don't like volvos. but don't buy an 83 SEC

Wait until you can buy a 89 or 90 SEC.

CamelotShadow · #4 08-20-2007, 07:56 PM

Thanks
Guess I got caught up in the car being local one owner CA car
but the mileage of 196K is reason for concern
A car w that miles & age is probably asking for trouble
but I like the idea of having a good strong Mercedes

This one was brown...ugh
not my favorite color!

but can't hurt to look
a learning experience...

Oooh I hated Volvo's too before I got talked into the [practicality of one
but when you drive them you learn to like them
I mean it could be a whole lot worse!

t walgamuth · #5 08-20-2007, 08:08 PM

Take a look.

I had an 84 500sec. It was the best mercedes I have had probably. (I have had 30 or so) and ddn't require much in the way of repairs.

Pretty quick but ran on regular unleaded and got in the high teens on the highway. If you don't go over 65 you could get 19 and once in a while 20 highway. 13 or 14 around town.

Very stylish. A lot better built than a volvo imho. I had a 76 volvo and my dad had five volvos, probably, 144, 144 and 245. mine was a 265.

If it has been taken care of a 500sec with that mileage should be a nice car. But if you are on a budget, don't consider it unless you can do basic repairs yourself.

Tom W

CamelotShadow · #6 08-20-2007, 08:43 PM

I think I'll look
what the heck its only a few minutes away
Engine comp looks normal
not clean or made up
Just a driver
Boots have heavy soil or soot on them
that concerns me
guess to me it looks like minimal care
not someone meticulous..
least they haven't detailed the engine
the car looks clean & well taken care of

Guess, its a good learning experience

I however am very petite
under 5 foot
A big car with seats that don't adjust won't work
The Volvo os the first car I could drive wo baby seats
Well most of my cars were pre 80's huge american
& they were not built for a petitie lady...

I know a bit about cars but I don't do repairs

Thanks Again

CamelotShadow · #7 08-20-2007, 09:00 PM

engine pic

Car is in nice shape

How do I tell from vin if its a Euro or USA model
Vin has the 126...

Ohhh...decisions?

Still, I'd rather have another color & one with half the miles...

Will take a look tomorrow
Says everything is fine
Timing chain was replaced at 150K

Ohhh I shouldn't
but I am excited to look
not yet thinking about insurance & things
more problems
but sometimes you like something different
Still I can keep my eye out
sure the right one will come along

Thanks everyone

CamelotShadow · #8 08-20-2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Take a look.

If it has been taken care of a 500sec with that mileage should be a nice car. But if you are on a budget, don't consider it unless you can do basic repairs yourself.

Tom W

I find taking a car to the shop is always expensive.
Labor is labor.
Parts are naother thing but other than that
Costs just as much to maintain & do routine to a low end car as does a quality car.

Still, I have to think saving $2000 on a older model might mean spending more in the end to fix it up.

Thanks

PS I am getting 14 city on my Volvo 17 tops HW maybe 25
that was 8 yrs ago
mileage stinks on the car
esp for a 4 cylinder it really is a lush

Jim B. · #9 08-20-2007, 10:04 PM

Well may I say something because I have a 1991 560SEC and also until a few years ago also drove a 1991 Volvo 740.

There is a lot to like about both of them, and I think either one is a good choice.

The Volvo was especially useful in the tight quarters and difficult areas of San Francisco. The turning radius was very tight (34 feet) so it was perfect for parking in tight spots, U turns, and quick handling. The volvo with the 4 cylinder engine was very sturdy, pretty easy on regular gas, and parts weren't too expensive.

They are very sturdy, very long lasting, very safe, roomy, and have wonderfully comfortable front seats. The environmentally friendly plastics used around the door handles and below the seats, and in the headliner glue does deteriorate over time.

I almost wept when the flat bed towtruck hauled if off to be donated. It was auctioned, and still runs, I think, as the new owner called me later about it.

The 1983 Mercedes 500SEC euro you are looking at is the euro model, you can tell by the thin bumpers on it.

The fact the timing chain was replaced at 150k seems to suggest that the owner(s) knew how to maintain the car and looked after it, so if it checks out it would be worth $3,000 easily, if in good condition. It would give nearly the same performance of the US version 560SEC, and it is a good car.

You are looking at the flagship car of the Mercedes line for 1983, they are heavy, fast, very high speed cruisers that are capable of going 140 mph all day long. They were engineered as GT cruisers for the autobahn.

The best website for them is the one at www.mbcoupes.com
There is a comprehensive buyers guide for the car there, which I co-wrote back in 1999, with things to watch out for, and a check list you could print out.

these cars are unbelievablly safe, sturdy, long lived, (one 380SEC has over 800,000 miles on it that I know of) beautiful, well engineered, easy for mechanics to work on (very easy to change brake pads) because they were designed to be mechanic friendly.

If it has books and records proving it is a lifelong California car it is very likely to be rust free, but run it through a carwash to make sure it has no water leaks. If you mentioned the license plate number here, sometimes that could tell how long it was in Calif.

They take premium gas, and the EPA window sticker for mine reports the highway mileage could be from about 14-17 mpg on mine (the 560SEC), but buyers of these cars when new weren't worried about gasoline mileage much.

I think the car you are looking at might have the Centra or Ronal wheels, which were very popular to put on those cars when they were new to make them look nicer, and from your pictures it might be a nice one.

Make sure it has California plates on it, and an EPA compliance sticker on the doorjamb, or there could be headaches if it hasn't got a California smog sticker on it. In any case, the seller is supposed to supply the buyer with the smog certificate.

The car may be worth a look, and while the gas mileage isn't the best, on them, for looks, prestige, performance, safety, longevity, durability, build quality, and comfort, they are really hard to beat.

They are so safe they could save you in a HUGE accident, and that alone to me is a good reason to think about owning one. Not only would it save you hospital bills, but your life too.

t walgamuth · #10 08-20-2007, 10:30 PM

Good eye. It is a euro. abs. premium fuel, 224 rear end. It should do better on gas than the 560, but it is no economy car.

Good comments.

Tom W

CamelotShadow · #11 08-20-2007, 10:40 PM

Wow, Thank You
I never would put down a Volvo anymore
they are safe & reliable & mine is almost like new with 125K
Love the turning radius & can make a full turn around on most streets
My volvo take premium need the 81 octane & its really not good on mileage which is odd. Has a new O2 sensor & has been checked
but its not great with the stop n gp short drives

Thank you for the details on the SEC 500
I will look
He says its one owner yet he said he had it since 87
I thhink it was inthe family.

Reportedly it was just CA smogged so it must have CA registration
The party is in the neghborhood but I don't know them.

Thats alot of car foe me
but I always liked to have power even if I didn't use it

I sold my 70 Trans AM a few years ago

My only question would be what abotu the differential gears & cam
If she was built to run at high speeds she may not like being run by the lil lady from pasadena
Do they have overheating problems?
LOL

I'll check that site out
Thank you so much

I'll check for the EPA sticker

I have to think the man is telling the truth about the car being a CA car
but I will try to see if he has paperwork or do a carfax search.

Personally prefer the look of the SLC
they are really cute but I was thinking if I could get a good car esp around $3000 $3500 I'd be happy

Hey its WDB126044
so your site doesn't list it as 83
126.044 1984-1985 500SEC M117.963 engine

If it has this vin could it then be a US model
It really doesn't matter to me either way just curious

Cool I love getting into engine codes & things

Thanks Again
Everyone
this is very helpful

CamelotShadow · #12 08-20-2007, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Good eye. It is a euro. abs. premium fuel, 224 rear end. It should do better on gas than the 560, but it is no economy car.

Good comments.

Tom W

224 is that the gear ratio?
That would make for higher top end speed but slower acceleration but all around better performance than say a higher gear ratio.

Gears I am familar with were about 323 to 3 83
\
Oooh this is exciting

Safe is what I need
I'm a chicken driver
I like to know in case of contact with another car
that I would be as safe as I can be

Has a fire extinguisher under the driver seat
cool
speedomwter is in miles not km

Thanks!

Jim B. · #13 08-21-2007, 01:37 AM

A WDB Vin# is a euro car. It would be a US spec. car if its Vin# began with WDBCA.

The fire extinguisher and bracket was ONLY an option on Euro cars, because the DOT did not approve them. Anyone who buys a Euro SEC with a factory fire extinguisher is pretty lucky, most euro SECs did not even come with them. If you buy that car and don't want the fire extinguisher and bracket, I would be interested in buying it off you.

They don't have carbs. They have a Bosch KE-Jetronic electromechanical fuel injection system, that is reliable. They should idle at 600-700rpm, check the tach.

Impala Brown isn't my favorite color either, for them; I would guess it was not a woman who ordered that color in Germany for that car.

A 500SEC is fine around town, though it gives no clue of its ultra high performance. It runs like just some other car with a very big steering wheel.
However, if you floor it at about 90 mph, and hold you will understand what all the fuss is about. It is engineered to cruise comfortably at its top speed all day, and it will. You can enjoy it at 120 mph for hours on end if you can find a place to do it without risk to your driving license.

They are not known to overheat, but of course like any car, need the hoses, thermostat and radiator to be in good shape with good coolant.

t walgamuth · #14 08-21-2007, 03:14 AM

the 224 gear is a tall one but with the power available from a low rpm you will not notice it. just floor it and you will get a first gear start and hold on!

Tom W

CamelotShadow · #15 08-21-2007, 03:26 AM

Interesting
I do try to keep things original though
I'm getting excited about the car even though
it's brown
& not as stunning as if it were silver or black

I guess whats meant to be is meant to be

Thanks for the idle info
that would seem low to me & if I didn't know might have been concerned.
I'll check for that

Thanks for the gear info
Can't wait to test one
but sure there will be no flooring...

Well, let me look first
No sense getting my hopes up

Thanks Again