The Merc (Battleship)

Finny · Post by **Finny** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:45 pm

OK. I wanted something that was still a classic but that had a little more luxury. And this is what I ended up with, and at a bargain price.

The model was launched in 1974, and remained until 1991, with minor upgrades and technology additions. At $145,000 new (still has the original warranty slip) it was the same price as a house.

It has just about everything you could want, apart from a V8 (didn't want to go that far on something I might need to drive a fair bit)

Anyhow this is a short list of what she has.......

Cutting edge technology for it's day.

Mercedes Benz - 300SEL (Stretched version) 3litre (6 cylinder)

Nautical Blue with Slate Grey interior.
Australian delivered. (Not import)
Built Dec 88 (Germany). First registered Jan 1990.
Last of the W126 series. The Battleship. Over engineered quality.
4 speed automatic
Power Steering
Climate control Air conditioning
Electric windows
Leather interior with woodgrain trim.
Alloy Wheels
Electronic automatic rear suspension height adjustment
Electric Sunroof.
Central locking (including boot and fuel filler)
Cruise Control.
ABS brakes
SRS drivers airbag
4 wheel disc brakes.
Tinted windows
Full electric seats
Electric head rests
Remote side mirrors
Vanity mirrors with lights
Electric steering column adjustment
Electronic headlight beam height adjustment
AM/FM CD tuner with remote control
External temperature gauge.
Carpet everywhere
No rust, Paint good.
Interior good. Little wear.

Original 240,000 klm
Full Service history (Mercedes dealerships)
Fire extinguisher
4 x new tyres, plus 2 x near new spare tyres.
Mercedes plush pile floor mats

Everything works like new, it's just a little slow to get moving (almost 2 tonne and a 3litre 6 cylinder). But once it's moving it's very nice. It's actually designed to take off in 2nd gear. If you wnat 1st gear, you have to floor it.

A couple of minor things to be done. Just need some sheepskin seat covers, and then I can get back to focusing on the EK.

I also need a name for the Merc ????

matchew · Post by **matchew** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:51 pm

i hope just for your sake nothin breaks

Finny · Post by **Finny** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:31 pm

Matchew, that was my concern also.

However I joined the Merc Forum (similar to our FBEK forum) and they are a very well informed group, with lots of free flowing information and ideas/feedback/resources.

Can still cost money, but generally the forum members are against the Merc service centres and spending money. Instead of "Dealerships" they call them "Stealerships".

The bigest risks are with cars that haven't been maintained, and no service history. Mine has both, so I should be a bit better.

Properly serviced this model Merc normally runs for 500,000k to 800,000k or more without any mechanical issues, I'm not even hallf way yet...............

Cal · Post by **Cal** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:30 pm

Nice car

You're right about joining certain forums. There's an EH I have been looking at which looked pretty good.

I joined an EH forum and let the guys there sus it out from the photos.........man, they found things I wouldn't have noticed in a million years

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:53 pm

tell us the price son
$145,000 new

i thought my $2,500 '92 statesman was a bargain with an original new price of over $30,000

my mate had a silver one of those with a big block chev in it

WHAT A SLEEPER

want a name sebastian

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:16 pm

Finny it looks sweet

Getting out of that into the EK will be an interesting contrast

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:51 pm

Craig wrote: Getting out of that into the EK will be an interesting contrast

i think getting out of that into anything will feel like a let down

Finny · Post by **Finny** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 11:42 pm

Cal, your spot on. Forums are amazing things.
I got my seat covers today, but hit a snag with getting the arm rest off the passenger seat. (Won't go over) Could see any way to get it off.
Ask on the forum, and within 2 hours I had the answer. Two screws at the bottom of the seat back (couldn't see them), but can feel them when you know where to look. Slide the seat back down, and undo the big nut on the inside, DONE...

Ratbox, the price of a driveable FB/EK - finally got it down to $4,500. Not bad seeing he has an invoice for over $2k spent 3 months earlier (told the Merc dealership to do whatever to bring it back to new), plus got the 4 new tyres on top of that. (He was a finance broker, the Ferrari was one of his other cars)

Sunnytim, your amazing what you pick up.
Previous owner had personalise plates on it "NEW TOY" I argued to have them included, because he never said they weren't included. But he said they were worth $5k to $10K, so he swaped them for new ones.
Saw a few at the $3k to $4k mark. All dogs, imports, no service history, weird noises, poor condition (inside and out) rust, lots of things not working, no RWC's, "Money pit's just waiting to happen".
BMW sounded like a bargain too.....

Hope he didnlt go too far, Polished dipsticks only only done on Kingswoods - TED.

Could have gone for a later model, but the feedback all said that the later models were designed with a 10 year life span. Then the replacements and money starts. I went looking for the last of the "engineered forever" cars (if serviced properly) and also a classic style (Although it probably still doesn't look that old- 20 years)

You know how sometimes photo's make things look better than what they really are. Not the case with this. It actually looks just as good in real life as it does in the photos. Really minor stuff only.

The EK is a different beast (Real Classic). They both have there place, and they will both get their time.

strogger · Post by **strogger** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:31 am

Nice one Finny..

Good looking car.. Hope you get lots of enjoyment out of it.

Now get back into that wagon.

Finny · Post by **Finny** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:41 pm

A link to a very interesting video on speeding, and what happens when you hit parked cars at 70 mph (115km/h)

Little cars vs big Merc (same as mine)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSEl2ueC ... re=related

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:31 pm

it's usually good buying cars off financial people they either have no idea when it comes to money

or which is most likely the case they have a way of writing the loss off

the crash is f#%king scarey........ and i've seriously got to get one of those life size remote controll cars

DNA · Post by **DNA** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:16 am

ditch the motor and put an LS1 in it..............

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:26 pm

DNA wrote:ditch the motor and put an LS1 in it..............

Ditch the body and put an EK one on

, Trev

.

ben · Post by **ben** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:31 pm

Ditch the body and the motor

and build the EK

cameradoctor · Post by **cameradoctor** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:03 am

Mate of mine has a Wagon version, done 350 000 ish.

Spends some time at the mechanics! But then I guesss a Corolla with those K's would too - although the Corolla would have rusted out!

I think these cars were Galvanised, so no rust - really thick paint too!

He has a book on the history, and if you can believe it, it says all bodies were checked after priming, and if any panels were slightly out of spec, they were scrapped!

Finny - try leaving the battery disconnected overnight, mates one performed better after flat battery - possibly ECU reset??

Cool cruiser