New Member....Confused!

[n/a]

Hello all.
I just joined this group and it's wonderful. Plenty of nice people and useful information.
I am currently considering two cars. I would like your opinion.

First Car:
1969 280 SL. One original owner. 32k original miles. The owner is a 75-yr old MB mechanic who took care of the car himself. Car was painted once due to sunfade. No Rust, MB Tex interior. Original radio & wheels. Factory A/C. Automatic. All original panels. Price $23k. I am sending an inspector to examine the car thoroughly.

Second Car:
1970 280 SL. Classic car dealer. Black on Black. Beautiful. Restored. 56K original miles. looks delicious. Original radio, Factory A/C. Price $26.5 K.
The problem is that the car has no records whatsoever. I am in love with it but I was suprised that the car has no restoration records at all. The dealer lists several of these cars on E-bay regularly and has good ratings.

I am confused. Any advice/tips would be appreciated.
Many Thanks
Mohannad Khatib
Dubai, The United Arab Emirates

[Tom]

Mo,

I would be more interested in the documented one owner car.  It will likely hold its value better, it was likely better cared for during the single ownership given the fact it was owned by an MB Mechanic.  It may need more cosmetic work to get it to the "restored" condition, but restored means a lot of things to many people.  Generally a "restore" by a dealer is a "fluff & buff", which is a cosmetic restoration with mechanicals still needing to be addressed.  Also, it takes effort and care to put these cars back together right, and you may end up with annoying rattles, etc. on the "restored" car.  Just my 2 cents...

Tom

[rwmastel]

I agree with Tom, documentation is required.  People can tell you what ever they want, but documentation is proof of what's been done to the car.  It shows the level of care the owner gave it.

If the car does not have its Data Card, make the current owner acquire a copy of it from Mercedes.  This will let you know if the car has original colors, original engine/transmission, and more.  That also gives you a clue as to the treatment a car received.

Rodd
1966 230SL Euro
1994 E420

[bayleif]

Hello Mohannad,
Welcome to the group. I think that knowing the history of the car, who maintained it and what he did, is incredibly valuable. My own car, a 1969 280 4 speed, was beautifully restored. But in the year and a half that I've owned it I've discovered that the restorer did not always know exactly what he was doing. Minor things really, but it has taken me this long to get it running well. I would also be inclined to the 1969 because I believe it has less anti pollution stuff (I'm making an assumption that these are USA spec cars) then the 70.
It will be interesting to hear other opinions.

Chuck Bartlett
1969 280SL Signal Red/ Black MBTex FridgKing A/C 4 Speed

Chuck Bartlett
1969 Signal Red 4 Speed

[n/a]

Sounds like the car you want is the black one. I've never seen a black SL, was that an original color? I agree with everyone about going with the 69. There is nothing more valuable than a real MB mechanic doing work on these cars. They were built to be serviced, but one needs to know the old school way of doing things. I bet you could make a better deal with the private owner than the dealer. I'm sure the dealer has all sorts of mark-up on the car. All that being said, it comes down to what you want. If you're looking for a known quantity with all documentation and history, go with the 69. If you're looking for the car of your dreams, go with what your gut tells you as long as the car is solid and mechanically sound. Owning one of these is a passion thing. They eat time and money and can be frustrating. If you don't LOVE the car, you'll just be disapointed with your choice. Just another thought, black on black will be pretty hot where you live. You didn't mention the color of the other car.

[Albert-230SL]

Hi Mohannad, and welcome to the group!

I also prefer the story of the 1969 car. It sounds much better and it's really unusual: original owner and mechanic since new in one person... it's a fantastic way to know the real history of the car. If it only has 32k miles, no rust, and all original panels (= no accidents), the car should be in very good condition -unless it had been stored during too much time-

About the 1970 car of the dealer: how can they prove that it has only 56k miles, without any record? And about the level of the restoration?

But, after all, the important question is the real state of the car (whatever owners or miles it shows), so maybe your inspector could also check that '70 car. A driving test with both cars could be very interesting for you... and in the end, if you prefer the black color, you could paint the '69 car with the difference ($3.5k)!  

Regards,

Albert de la Torre Chavalera
Barcelona (Catalunya/Spain)
Feb.'64 230 SL Euro 113042-10-002432

[Longtooth]

Go for the '69 QUICK!!! If it's got records, orig body parts with low milage, was really maintained, and has no rust underbody or in panels, it's a good price (IMHO).  I wouldn't buy a car from a dealer even if I had to walk, so I'm heavily biased.... and with no records you don't know what you've really got at all.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500