My 1980 380SE is not listed anywhere.
 

My 1980 380SE is not listed anywhere. Yet the manufacture date on the driver door panel says March 1980. The cover page of my German owner's manual reads: 380SE, 380SEL, 500SE, 500SEL.
Yet those models don't even exist at any auto parts store for 1980.

Does that mean I have a Euro model? Which repair manual should I buy for that year and model. I am thinking there may be a similar U.S. version with a different model number for that year. Are there other 1980 380SE owners out there with a similar problem? Thank you for any recommendations.

Paul

If my memory serves me right, the W126 models were introduced in the USA in 1980 as 1981 models, so there should not be an U.S. 1980 380SE.

The W126 line was introduced in the 1979 Frankfort autoshow, and began selling that same year in Europe.

Due to emission regulations and safety standards, the euro W126 and the American W126 were VERY different cars. The power output of the Euro model was 218 h.p., the American version had only 155 h.p. The bumpers, lights, and equipment fitted to the car were very different too.

If your car manual is in German, and is a 1980 380SE, it should be a grey market car. For parts and reference I will consult an specialist, as they may differ from model to the other. Although most body parts should be the same between a 1984 380SE U.S. version and a 1980 Euro version.

Thanks a lot for the info. This gives me something to work with. I will post any new information I find on this forum. You folks are wonderful.

Paul

Your Euro car has 204 hp, versus the 155 hp that the US cars have.

Its engine also has a different bore and stroke than the US 3.8 liter engine.

Enjoy!

-Sam

I am excited and can't wait to get it running again. It has not started since a careless driver ran into the rear passenger side. My sister decided she would no longer drive it so now I have something to tinker with. Big Engine! What other MB fall in in the 126 series?

Paul

I have a Euro-spec 1982 500 sel (gray market) and it too doesnt show up at the local poke and dunk parts store. I use the stealership for most parts but if I have to buy from ma and pa I use an 84 500 sel as a base car to order off of. Use your head and look at the stuff and think about if its a part that mat differ from the US version and you should be fine .... just my .02

If you need parts, just go to the parts shop/dealer and tell them you've got an '84 or '85 380SE (that's when the car was in the US officially). All body and trim parts and 99 percent of underhood parts should be the same.

However, your climate controls are manual, I'm guessing, so they wouldn't be like the auto. climate controls in all official US Mercedes models.

-Sam

Phil at FastLane should be able to help you with your parts needs and won't give you dealer attitude for owning a nonUS market car.

US market 126s include any sedan with an 'S' from 1981-1991 (300SD/L, 300SE/L, 350SD/L, 380SE/L, 420SEL, 500SEL, 560SEL). The SECs are 126 coupes. The SLs and SLCs are 107s not 126s.

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

sixto wrote:

US market 126s include any sedan with an 'S' from 1981-1991 (300SD/L, 300SE/L, 350SD/L, 380SE/L, 420SEL, 500SEL, 560SEL). The SECs are 126 coupes. The SLs and SLCs are 107s not 126s.


To add some details to the previous information: In most markets except the U.S. you could also buy the following W126s:

260SE (short-wheel base S chassis with the 2.6 liter 6-cyl. eng.)
420SE (short-wheel base S chassis with the 4.2 liter 8-cyl. eng.)
500SE (short-wheel base S chassis with the 5.0 liter 8-cyl. eng.)
560SE (short-wheel base S chassis with the 5.6 liter 8-cyl. eng.)

In real terms, the short wheel base model is known as the W 126, the long wheel base model as the V 126 and the coupes are known as C 126s.