I personally think one of the more overlooked Mercedes-Benz that is still relatively affordable is the W124 coupe. It’s starting to get in that sweet spot of becoming old enough to be classic, but all the equipment is still modern enough, both safety and amenities, that you are perfectly fine driving it everyday. Nothing will kill you in terms of maintenance or repairs, and even since it is a W124 at the end of the day, it shouldn’t be that unreliable at all. What’s not to like?
Take a look around the collector car market and you’ll see 1970s to 1990s SUVs are very hot right now. Either bone stock or $300,000 restomods, people want them. The typical suspects are always the most in demand like Land Cruisers, Broncos, and Defenders, but now it seems like people are digging up G-Wagens from across the globe to dump off on Americans flush with cash. Even better, they are using cheap labor and materials from countries in Europe that are economically challenged then selling them under the guise of “restored,” which is a term that has lost all meaning whatsoever given how often it is used under false pretense. Case in point, today’s 1984 Mercedes-Benz 240GD in Poland.
Nothing makes me smile more than high performance variants with a bunch of miles on them. Especially when I don’t own them. The supposedly finicky and fragile nature of them sometimes hold true, but for the most part if you just maintain them, you’ll be fine. Granted, today’s car isn’t exactly a Maserati Biturbo when it comes to build quality and complexity, but it is a hand-assembled super sedan from 20 years ago. As always, in full disclosure, I have one of these in my garage sitting under a cover, but that doesn’t mean I’m not realistic about them. That subject is none other than the W210 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG – a car which predates bi-turbo V8s and crackling exhausts. Just a big engine, some subtle body work changes, and some wide tires. That’s it. This example up for in Washington? Thoroughly enjoyed.
To say the the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen Cabriolet is a unique vehicle is an understatement. How many other hand-made two-door SUV with four-wheel drive, three locking differentials, and a power-operated top are there? They are extremely rare given their quirkiness, and as you might have guessed, extremely expensive. With the addition of the power top in 1997, this suddenly became an ultra-luxury vehicle despite it’s farm truck-like ride and dated technology. Given they were never officially offered by Mercedes-Benz for the US market, the demand far outweighs the supply. Even in markets they were offered, production was very limited. The result is a six-figure price tag and the wealthy willing to pay. This 2000 G500 Cabriolet up for sale in Chicago follows that trend, but I’m afraid this one is a little out of line.
I know when designers sit down with engineers and discuss (or fight) over a new model and how it will work, they really want to end up with the best possible product. Sometimes it ends poorly, sometimes it’s just okay, and sometimes they hit a home run. With the Mercedes-Benz Pagoda, these cheeky German knew they hit it out of the park. Actually maybe it was a “Tor!” since Germans don’t really play baseball. Either way, over 50 years later these things still turns heads. I know I badly desire one, and examples like today’s might just keep that dream alive.
This 1968 up for sale in California is finished in a lovely shade of blue over a tan interior. The condition seems about average, but the price seems awfully reasonable given the top of the food range 280 can bring six-figures for the really nice ones. I think I know why.
In terms of depreciation of the W221 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, we are probably near the bottom. A little bit of a double-edged sword as prices are well in to affordable range, but that means they are also getting into the hands of those who maybe aren’t staying up on the maintenance. On today’s car, a 2007 S600, maintenance is a way of life. Believe it or not, a twin-turbo V12 from 14 years ago isn’t the nightmare fuel you’d guess it to be. Outside of a few small things, Mercedes really did an outstanding job making these V12 durable in terms of what disasters V12 in general can become. However, this isn’t all roses. We are talking about large sums of money to drive a 14 year-ago car that probably isn’t impressing anyone outside of a handful of people and of course, me.
It was only a matter of time before the Mercedes-Benz C36 AMG became a hot item. The ingredients of a significant history, low production run, and brand status all make for a desirable automobile at any price level. For the past 15 years or so, you could buy these for almost no money at all for well-used examples because they were nothing more than a minor footnote in Mercedes history. Now that AMG is a mega brand both on the street and the race track, people want the originals. Being this was the first official post-merger AMG to grace the US market, collectors are suddenly chasing them down while they still can. Yes, you can still find a decent example for under $10,000, but the perfect example are suddenly pulling big numbers when at the end of the day this is still a W202. So naturally, when one pops up, I always take a look to see if its an example worth lusting after. This 1995 up for sale in California sure looks the part, but once again, we have a dealer that is less than helpful.
The transition from the W124 Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe to CLK-Class coupe, which for all intents and purposes is an E-Class coupe as well, was a very clear evolution. It was an abrupt switch from the old-school Mercedes feel into a new modern age with softer styling and softer materials. Of course the wrench thrown into this is that while the W208 looked like a W210 E-Class both inside and out, it was actually built on the W202 C-Class chassis. You’d never really know this and Mercedes did a really nice job of covering that up, but none the less, the new-era of Mercedes was here. It was a very fresh design for the time and while impressive for its day, signaled a very clear end to philosophy of over-engineered and over-built coupes that Mercedes was known for since basically the beginning of the automobile. Times change and you need to adapt, and this is what Mercedes did. Just looking at the front end, you went from squared off and boxy look with headlights that were literal rectangles, to a set of ovals that were split apart into two different lights. A massive change in direction for sure, but it was new, and people bought them.
However, this also signaled the time where a Mercedes-Benz wasn’t really considered a car you kept for years on end, but rather a lease special and a race to get out the door with the lowest monthly payment. Twenty years later, this is still true across the entire model range with the exception of very few niche models. So where does that leave these now old cars? Nearly worthless, basically. There is no nostalgia for a 2000 CLK or 2001 S430. Any example that is more trouble than it is worth is scrapped without a second thought and only the nicest examples still remain. Today, I came across this CLK430 example in Philadelphia that still does maybe have some appeal to it. Outside of the terrible aftermarket grille, of course.
As they years go by, it seems less and less likely that the W116 Mercedes-Benz S-Class will get its due. The newest examples are now 40 years-old, so if they aren’t in full blown classic status might now, they might not ever be. Don’t get me wrong, the best of the best examples still sell for very good money, but this is clearly not a case of rising tides lifts all ships. The holy-grail 6.9 cars struggle to sell if they aren’t in perfect condition both cosmetically and mechanically, because honestly they just are worth the trouble and money of fooling with at this stage. The non-6.9 V8 cars seem to struggle because they aren’t the 6.9 and why invest in one of those for when not much more money you buy a 6.9. I even say this as someone who owns and loves a W116, a 300SD no less, but I see the reality in owning these cars. So naturally when I see a seemingly nice W116 come up sale, I always want to take a peek to see what is out there. This 1978 450SEL up for sale outside of Chicago looks nice enough, but I have some questions.
Station wagon, estate, avant, whatever you want to call them, they are still popular. How did I come to that conclusion? Well, take a look at basically any German vehicle that is offered in both sedan and wagon and you’ll see that the wagon transacts at a higher price tag on the used market. This is especially true when it comes to high performance models like an Audi RS or AMG. A lot of that has to do with having your cake and eating it too, along with the exclusivity, as high performance wagons are made in extremely small numbers. However, even in standard base models, the wagons are still bringing premiums over sedans. Today’s car, a 2006 E500 Estate up for sale in California, follows that trend. Who says wagons are uncool?
