Should I go with 4.5 or 6.3 engine in 300SEL?

Hello

I am new to Mercedes classic cars. Had 40h birthday and a midlife car crisis. I want to get a driver car that I can drive to and from work in on highways traveling 55 to 65 mph. Expect to put 75 miles per day plus local traffic on weekends.

Found a 300 SEL 4.5 that I have on hold but was told that the 6.3 might be the better car for me due to the engine size and acceleration. Will the 4.5 engine be enough to pass a truck on 95 or do I need to look for the 6.3?

If anyone can help me find one of these I would appreciate it.

Steve LaPidus
302-622-7338

[MikeTangas]

The 4.5's have a lot of get up n go. I've had mine to 110MPH up a 6-7% grade on the interstate, with plenty of pedal left. The 4.5 (and 6.3) were built to run, not conserve fuel. That said, last year I averaged 12.8 MPG combined, over almost 9K miles.

Either engine will fit the speed requirement.

Cannot offer any first hand experience with the 6.3's.

[cth350]

Steve,

If you really want a HUGE boat of a sedan for a highway cruiser, you can't beat a 300SEL, but be aware of the cost of upkeep. If you want the car for a dependable daily driver, it's going to cost you, since you are going to be putting some heavy wear and tear on a very nice, but old car.

I know people that joke about their 6.3s being a "500$ car". As in every time they take it out of the garage, it costs them 500$.

Get a nice 1979 450SLC (it's a short, hardtop coupe) if you want to have a fun, serious car or a 1979 450SL (a convertible) for a fun, fun, serious car. They are much younger, and cheaper the maintain than the 300SEL, but not by much.

If you want raw power, go for a 450SEL 6.9, but again, there is a premium on the cost of maintenance and upkeep.

Get a mid-80s 300SD if you really want that HUGE boat feel and want something to put 300,000 miles on a car commuting. And it won't hurt your wallet any to save money on gas & repair bills.

Remember if you are going to drive it every day, you can't afford to have it down until the weekend to fix it yourself or for the mechanic to order parts and have them delivered by mail. That alone is a great reason to stick to a 1979 or younger toy.

-CTH

To answer your initial question, go for the 6.3. I personally do not fancy a 4.5. I'm more of a 300SEL or 3.5 car myself... Anyway, I believe the 6.3 is a better investment since it is afterall the top-of-the-line and most revered performance wise. Just keep in mind the repairs can be high and frequent. But the initial purchase price of a nice 6.3 can be rather low, so no matter how you cut it, you get what you pay for. Good luck!

[Clunker]

I was buying parts for my 1972 300sel 4.5 when one of the mechanics said: "I believe if I were going to put up with all of the air suspension headaches I would buy a 6.3". Another customer then replied: "I believe if I were going to put up with all of the 6.3 headaches I would have to buy the 600". I drove a 6.3 before I bought my 4.5 and the 6.3 is an incredible engine. The biggest difference is the 6.3 was quicker off the line. At 65,70,75 mph the 4.5, when you "floor it", takes off like a rocket. At 80+, everything about my 4.5 starts making sense. The 3.5 and 4.5 are 230h.p. The 3.5 has a higher compression ratio, The 4.5 has more effortless torque. The lowest production V/8 109 car is the 4.5. I chose the 4.5 because I liked the condition and it had more options than the particular 6.3 I was looking at and the fact that the 6.3 is a bit more prone to overheating. The top speed of all 3 V/8's are very close to one another. If it is the design of the 108/109 you like then a 280sel 4.5 is probably more user friendly. Don't under estimate the big sixes either.

May I suggest that you disregard the 300 series entirely and look for a good 280 SEL 3.5 or 4.5? Unless $$$ is not really an issue for you, a 280-series is a smarter choice for a commuter, due to the absence of all the expensive air suspension pieces. The 280 has a much more conventional steel-sprung suspension and is virtually a cosmetic twin to the 300 series. If you can live without the burlwood dash and chrome window trim of the 300, this is the way to go. Save the 6.3's for those who will use the car as a weekend warrior.

The real beauty of a 280 is opening the garage door every morning and not having to wonder if you will find the car squatting on the garage floor, due to an air leak in the suspension.

If you were considering a weekend and/or sunny-day toy, then I would say go for the 6.3, but given the expense of maintaining a 30-year-old air suspension and a low-production (and fiendishly expensive) engine in a daily commuter...

[ctaylor738]

Second that. If you are "new to Mercedes" any of the air suspension cars are an invitation to frustration and financial ruin.

Learn the ropes with a good steel suspension 4.5 and see then if you want to take the plunge.

Good luck.

What kind of problems are you worrying about with an air suspension?

Steve

[tjohn]

I toyed with the idea of getting a 6.3. The idea of driving one of those beautiful, powerful machines was seductive for awhile, but after a bit I gave in to the reality that they are moneypits. I went a got a nice 450sl instead. It's still a moneypit, but a much smaller, friendlier one that I can work on myself

Anyway, check out this link, it has some good info on the 6.3
www.mbz.org/info/articles/misc/cheap63.html

Also, http://www.m100.org was very helpful, but it doesn't seem to be up right now. Good luck!

[Clunker]

snclap2,
To me, the air bellows are somewhat of a false concern in that they are not super expensive and do last for a few years or more. The problems are the valves, compressor, lines etc. They too are "simple". You can still get all of the o rings at the dealer. But it is taking the time to trouble shoot and find the problem, remove the problem,rebuild the problem and re-install the problem. I had a great mechanic here in Ga. who passed away a couple of years ago. Since then I have been writing checks because of " Oh yeah! I work on them all of the time" Mechanics who charge $60.00 and up an hour to "diagnose" the problemand end up replacing half of the system because they can't find the problem. So I bought the shop manuals and some tools and it is a joy to work on. But there is a reason my daily driver is a diesel!