Looking at a '78 450slc, what to look for?

[bgkast]

I'm thinking about looking at this car:

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/car/254551146.html

Not much info in the add, but I have seen previous adds for the car on craigslist with pictures and the car looked good.

I know Diesels and W123s but this would be totally new to me.

What should I look at if I give it a test drive?

[t walgamuth]

rust, ac and controls, tranny, and engine. the engines in these are bout as bulletproof as anything. the first two are the most likely to give problems. and tranny.

then look at cosmetics such as interior paint trim etc.

it is a benz. all the stuff is familiar.

oh yeah, have it on a lift to examine the front crossmember and the attachment points for the lower control arms for cracking.

good luck

tom w

[bgkast]

What can crack? The mounting point on the frame?

I would probably give this car to my mother, she is a sucker for anything red.

[t walgamuth]

there is a tab that the lower suspension parts attach to. some years it was a recall from factory. call the dealer with the car's vin. they may be able to tell if it has already been done. i think your car is one of the recall years.

tom w

[450slcguy]

Originally Posted by bgkast

I would probably give this car to my mother, she is a sucker for anything red.

$1500 for a SLC? Do yourself and your mother a favor, buy her a nice 123. 107's are nice car's, but an SLC for $1500 bucks probably will need $3000 + worth of work, not including body or interior. Front end's wear at that mileage, exhaust systems need work, P/S pump leaks, A/C system suck, front and rear frame bushings, and typical shocks and brakes. If your mother or you is mechanically inclined, then $2000 + your labor might cover the systems above. Then start thinking about the tranny mount, diff. mount, drive shaft center bearing, sway bar links and bushings. Not to mention plugs, wires, dist. cap., injectors, all fluids and filters and most rubber vacuum fittings under the hood and dash. Then things like window switches, relays, gauges, door/window seals and so on. The list is endless.

The above list is just the minor routine stuff due to age. Parts are expensive. These cars aren't like 123's for longevity. Unless your Mom or youself is willing to spend a minimum of a couple of grand + lot's of labor on the car, don't do it. You won't get much of a dependable gas Mercedes for $1500 bucks except a car that needs alot of work.

[bgkast]

That's kind of what I was thinking. I may go have a look anyway, at least that's free.

[t walgamuth]

i dont see why they would be less durable than a 123.

they would cost more to maintain because of the rarity of some parts. other parts though are the same as many other benz models.

but durability seems to me to be a strong point on the 107s.

tom w

[450slcguy]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

i dont see why they would be less durable than a 123.

they would cost more to maintain because of the rarity of some parts. other parts though are the same as many other benz models.

but durability seems to me to be a strong point on the 107s.

tom w

I have had both diesel and gas 123's and own currently a 107 450SLC. The steering/suspension in the 123 are much more robust. Lower engine weight, softer suspension I believe puts less stress on the front ends. Rarely do you see a 123's with 100k on odo that needs complete front end rebuilds, not true on 107's. Same with the rear suspensions, 107's have a tendency to sag for some reason after awhile. 123's are easier to work on, 107's have cramped engine compartments, more complex mechanics.

Your are correct they do share a number of similar hardware components and designs, but the 123's in general can outrun the 107's into the ground after the mileage starts getting up there. You just don't see many 107's running around with 200,000+ like you do 123's. Maybe it's because of the expense to maintain/repair coupled with the cost of parts, or perhaps their just driven harder, I'm not sure. I do know my 123's took alot less time, effort and money to maintain. They are similar in some respects, but completely different beasts in other ways.

Does anyone else have similar thoughts about reliability/durability of 123's vs 107's ??

[t walgamuth]

i should confess i have never owned a 107.

my comments are based on what i have read and concluded from observation only.

perhaps the reason you dont see 107s with 200 plus k is that they don't get driven as much as the 123s. most have always been second or third cars.

since they are geared pretty high i would think the engines would be about impossible to wear out if given good care.

tom w

[davestlouis]

I had an 86 560SL and didn't care for the R107 body for several reasons:
the cockpit is narrow, the cowl is high, the steering wheel is too close to the dash, there is NO room under the hood, there is even a goofy inverted oil filter canister that makes oil changes an extra joy. My personal observation is that 107's rust, more like a 116 than something more modern like a 126. In this climate I can't recall the last time I saw an SLC that wasn't a rusty beater, they just don't seem well-cared-for like some SL's.

[ctaylor738]

There's a reason it's on Craigslist for $1500 OBO. These are terrible cars from a financial perspective because parts and labor are the same as for the roadsters, but there is almost no interest in them. Unless there is something that you can fix yourself fairly inexpensively that is responsible for the seemingly bargain price, keep looking.

[bgkast]

Well I can't seem to get a hold of the guy anyway. Oh well

[bgkast]

How hard is a heater core replacement in these cars? I guess that is the reason for the price.

[t walgamuth]

i dont know but i do know a heater core in any of the sedans is a job. i would believe in the 107 it would have to be tougher.

tom w

[ctaylor738]

The job has the big one in it - "Remove instrument panel," and there's plenty to do after that.

But it might be worth doing some more investigation on the car. The heater core is not something that fails very often on 107's - it may be something else that could be fixed more easily.