No 56k: I have bought my first car...280SE

matyas

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
534
Location
Espoo, Finland
Car(s)
1981 Mercedes 280SE
Hi,
I have been lurking here for quite some time, and now that I got my license, and had Summer work, I thought I would buy the car of my dreams...and here she is:

She is a 1984 280SE w126, with 243,000km on the clock.

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There...:D

I was really fortunate with her. She has had 3 previous owners, aircon works (which is super expensive to fix on the w126) and the tyres are brand new (including the winter tyres). The windows are not electric, but at least that's one less to go wrong. The 2.8L pulls nicely, and has been serviced regularily. The only problem is the interior. It needs a throrough cleaning and vacuuming (especially the floormats).
 
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It looks astonishing, it's a 24 year old car! Those seats do not look 24 years old! Mercs of this day will not age that well.
 
It looks astonishing, it's a 24 year old car! Those seats do not look 24 years old! Mercs of this day will not age that well.

Thanks. But the seats don't really show the age in those shots. The interior needs a good cleaning. A lot of leather conditioner is needed to fix them up. Grey cracking doesn't show up in a grey interior :p It stood in a garage, and had (and will have) careful owners :)

But yeah, I know about mercs of today. That's why I was planning on getting one which is pre 1995. We have a w115 in Hungary as well, and it is a real beauty.
 
It's a beauty. Very clean and the paint seems to be in perfect condition. Just watch out for underbody rust or under overlapping metal parts. Those early Mercs didn't have good rustproofing.
 
^^ I dont think anyone ever explained what rustproofing is to Mercedes :lol:
 
Thats a really imposing car for a first car and for a 21-year old! Looks v.nice!

About the only problem I can see with it is the size. Cleaning it is gonna be a bitch. Especially with those huge long bonnets. But I'm sure as a car lover you'll enjoy doing it, anyway.
 
Bottom rust is not an issue, seeing as it was completely re-covered with protective layers 2 years ago.

And yeah...cleaning will be a an issue, but I will make some time for her (starting today). I would really need to wax her right now, before the snow comes down, but I have no clue what I should use. Any nice tips? I need it mostly against the cold and the wet, not so much the sun.

P.S. Parking is an issue too...yes:-(
 
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Dayem, that car is almost as old as I am, has covered many more mile, and yet it looks a helluvalot better...
That's a real fine example over German overengineering, from those pics you can tell that it was made to last forever.

I like the little details like the wipers for the headlights and stuff, that was really groundbreaking all those years ago. Take care of it :)
 
nice, I just love old mercs.
 
Nice car. I love how what was one of the best cars in the world 20 years ago is now cheap enough to be somebody's first.
 
I like the little details like the wipers for the headlights and stuff, that was really groundbreaking all those years ago.
Not really groundbreaking, they've been around forever. Headlight washers were required by law by 1970-ish.
 
niceee sold alotta drugs last month did ya ? :D haha im joking. thats one helluva gorgeous car! GL with her
 
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