Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Another week, another case of “I would pay to know the story behind this one“!
What we are checking out today is a 1978 Mercedes-Benz 350SE up for sale in Italy with a four-speed manual transmission. That alone is good enough. However, this one also has armored body panels, bulletproof glass, anti-burglary tire valves (?), a PA system, and a fire suppression system! I try really hard not to stereotype, but my goodness this was the owner of this car doing that required all of this?
Last week I checked out a 1982 240D with a mere 1,356 miles and explained that at $18,000, it’s probably going to be snatched up…
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Update 1/24/2018 – nearly a year and a half later, this car is still for sale at a slightly reduced price of $6,999 – getting closer to our valuation.
Another week, another diesel Mercedes-Benz. This one has a little more rarity thanks to fewer features than what we normally see. Manual transmission, manual windows, non-turbo diesel engine, cloth seat inserts but what you do get is European lights and bumpers finished over the wonderfully period-correct Thistle Green. So if you are looking for a bare-bones W123 diesel with a little bit of European flare, then this 300D north of Philadelphia might fit the bill.
While for a few generations it’s been fairly predictable that newer used Mercedes-Benz models are cheaper than the older, well kept models, there’s been an interesting turn in the market over the past 6 months. We are witnessing a trend of ever increasing prices on all the 1980s iron, but really specifically in the Mercedes-Benz world the R107 is on the rise fastest of all. In a 5 month period, Hagerty has re-assessed its evaluation of the model’s worth, with most models doubling or tripling in value seemingly overnight. What was, in 2014, a $10,000 – $15,000 example will be on the market for double that today, or more. Is the R107 the next E30, or is this simply a demand spike that recognizes some of the best built and engineered Benz models produced? Well, it certainly does beg the question – if you were going to spend $30,000 on a R107, what other classic Mercedes-Benz models would fall into that range. For comparison, I lined up a lovely W111 coupe to consider – nearly the same miles, condition and asking price, and both are Euro-spec manuals. Which would be your choice?
After failing to sell in 2014, the Euro-spec manual 280SE with some AMG bits that appeared here twice last year is back up for sale with a lower price but from the same seller. This car appears to be really unique and well presented and would certainly turn heads at any show. I especially love the over the top AMG-spec wheels and Euro-goodies that slim down and beef up the S-Class just a bit. At $9,999, this seems like a good deal for a great vintage Benz:
