What was original price of these 280SL's

[Jim Donati]

How can I find out what my 1970 280SL sold for when it originally was sold in the US.

It has the dealer installed Frigiking air conditions and the following options listed on the Data Card:
VIN: 113044 12 018253
Engine: 130983-12-012027
Transmission: 006774
728- Exterior Paint, Bay Grey Metallic
138- Interior Trim, Dark Brown MB-Tex
401- Single seats
416- Hardtop mounted
426- Mercedes-Benz power steering and automatic transmission with floor shift
440- Bumpers with guards, front and rear
461- Instrument with mileage reading and English lettering
503- Outside rear view mirror on the Left
515- Becker radio
524- Paintcoat preservation
598- Heat-insulating glass
600- Trim strips on hardtop
641- White-wall tires
669- Mode of packing VE IV
746- Folding top fabric, Dark Brown

I would be interested in any estimates you might have.

Thanks for your help!
Jim

[dtuttle123]

Jim - they sold between $6900 and $7900 USD as a ball park number.  The other calculation, is what would this cost in today's dollars (1970 to 2010) and the answer is about $42-45K.

Is there a MB SL that you could buy today new for $42-$45K?  Remember, there is a lot of safety, and electronics in today's high end cars.

[Richard Madison]

To get you started:

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Buying/PriceCard

A price card for 1968 shows $6,897 for West Coast with hardtop, added options were additional.

1970 price was $7,478

Here is a card (1968?) for some options

Richard M, NYC

[Jim Donati]

Gentleman:

Thank you for educating me.  As always I knew I could rely on this group to supply a quick answer.

Jim

[douglas dees]

Gentleman:

Thank you for educating me.  As always I knew I could rely on this group to supply a quick answer.

Jim

JIM: To compare price increases , my 1969 US price list for the 280SL is as follows

East Coast $7,224
West Coast $7310
Automatic transmission $362
Power steering $205
Becker radio $238
Air conditioning $562
whitewall tires $47
Tinted glass $44

Doug Dees
 

[RobMarks]

Which translates into  almost the cost of an average house in its day!
 Anyone rember the cost of an average  2 bedroom bungalow in 1965

 rob

[dtuttle123]

Here's some cost of living prices for 1965 for the US:

Average Cost of new house $13,600.
Average Income per year $6,450.
Gas per Gallon 31 cents
Average Cost of a new car $2,650.

...and here it is for 1970:

Average Cost of new house $23,450
Average Income per year $9,400
Average Monthly Rent $140.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 36 cents

and then some US car prices in 1970:

Datsun 210 $3,869
Dodge Colt $4,785
AMC Gremlin $1879
Buick Le Sabre $3,337
Chrysler Barracuda $2,764
Dodge Dart Swinger $2,237
Plymouth Fury Sedan $3,303
Mustang Fastback - $2,771

MB280SL...about $7500

[mdsalemi]

Jim Luikens, a director at large of the MBCA is the author/editor of a book (with the late Mary Hedberg) called the Standard Catalog of Mercedes Benz.  All the pricing information, by year, and by model, is in this book.

http://www.krausebooks.com/product/standard-catalog-of-mercedes-benz/automotive

Along with a LOT more information as well.

[Jim Donati]

OK, just to be clear, can someone set me straight on the three main models listed on the price card? http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Buying/PriceCard

The 1971 price card lists 3 models,  Roadster, coupe, and coupe/roadster, but I am not 100% sure what the difference on each is.

My 1970 280SL was purchased with a soft top  and a hard top, so is that a coupe/roadster?

Jim

[Garry]

Roadster came with only soft top, Coupe came with only hard top but no soft top nor did it have the soft top bay but a small rear bench seat, and sometimes referred to as the californian coupe and the roadster/coupe has both hard and soft top