1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?

[keesing]

The economic situation has forced me to look into selling my beloved Red '67 250 SL... She is close to perfect (driver), needs transmission! Question is should I try to sell her as is, or attempt to get tranny repaired? Obviously $$$ is a problem,
 

[Garry]

It will be difficult to sell a car when the proposed buyer cannot drive it. I wouldn't buy one unless it was really cheap, how do I know how it performs for engine,suspension, steering etc etc.  You will lose lots of dollars that way especially when you say it is close to perfect, and oh by the way the gearbox is stu&&eD

[keesing]

  great point Garry... Appreciated!

[pj]

This is something I've always wondered about. We seem to take it for granted that a buyer and seller will be strangers and come to the "trading table" as adversaries, not trusting each other. A system designed to get traders together when they don't have a reason to trust each other works fine for the stock market or maybe even the fish market, but I hope it isn't the only way to approach this. And you seem to have a perfect example. You want the buyer to realize that the car is terrific except for the transmission, so instead of being forced to knock the price down to "really cheap," why not encourage the buyer to come around, get to know you, check out the car in every reasonable way, maybe join this forum and get familiar -- as we hope they would eventually -- and then you can sit down and negotiate a price that's fair to both parties.

[mdsalemi]

Fix the transmission and present the car in its best light.  Garry's points are spot-on.  If you can't run the car, it isn't a car but a jumble of parts and is to be priced as such.  If it costs $1,500 to fix the transmission, and you only expect a $1,500 reduction in your price, why would you pass this on to someone else?  Most buyers will be wise to this.

[scoot]

I agree with Mike.  If you can put the $1500ish into the transmission, you will get a better price.

[stickandrudderman]

I bought a 560SEC last year. It was a very tidy car with brand new and expensive new tyres on the AMG rims. The guy was asking £3000. The transmission was failed. I paid £500 for the car.

[Cees Klumper]

I bought a 560SEC last year. It was a very tidy car with brand new and expensive new tyres on the AMG rims. The guy was asking £3000. The transmission was failed. I paid £500 for the car.

Have you no heart?!

;-)

[JPMOSE]

Where are you guys obtaining a $1,500 figure for transmission replacement?  I would think it's more like $3,000 to 3,500?   SURPRISE ME....tell me $1,500 is true!  lol

[twistedtree]

If you can get the transmission fixed for $1500 then I think it's a no-brainer to do it before selling.  My fear would be that the $1500 estimate would blossom into $3000 - $5000.  I just have no basis to judge it since I've never had one of these repaired.  And if the owner's goal is to raise money, dishing out $1500, or maybe $3000 or $5000 could create a real cash-flow problem.  It's a tough position to be in.

[IXLR8]

Perhaps the owner could post some details about the car--and some photos--on the site here, along with asking price.  What is wrong with the transmission?

One of our members might have an interest in the car.


the other Joe

[JPMOSE]

I am sorry you have to sell that beautiful car!  I remember you purchased it around the same time I obtained my Pagoda.  I remember it was red and Tweedy Bird was a custom yellow.

[Oisin]

Replacement of the box rather than fixing the existing one would be the way - the money you save by not buying a refurbished box (say £300-400) would be exceeded in identifying/fixing the problem with the existing one.  I had mine replaced for £!000 all in (plus it took care of that annoying flickering tachometer needle).  

[dtuttle123]

Hey TristedTree - don't you have a bunch of transmissions in your barn in Vermont??

[twistedtree]

I do, but I don't know if any of them (I have 2) work.  The tags on them suggest not.  I couldn't sell either with a clear conscience.

[JamesL]

Am I the only one thinking......250 with a nice new ZF 5 speed in it....

[JPMOSE]

Aren't the 5 speed ZF's very hard to find?

[pj]

Hi J.P. (cool initials, by the way   )
I think Tosh was making a joke precisely on the rarity of the ZF-5. But in truth, we keep hearing that the company is conjuring up a new batch of these magical creatures. So a 250SL with a busted transmission could indeed end up with a ZF-5!

[t walgamuth]

There is or was a fellow offering a conversion kit to a newer getrag five speed I noticed here.  Is he still doing that?  Are pedal clusters and flywheels relatively available?

[Garry]

The conversion kit was for a 4 speed manual to a 5 speed manual not from AUto. The member was Mark Bull.

[W113SL]

Post some pictures and an asking price.  I am not afraid to buy a non driving car.  But more importantly, how does the engine run?  Has it been started regularly?

Pete Lesler

[RonB]

I purchazed my 280 with a broken tranny. Drove the car about two blocks, stop at traffic light, hit the gas and no go.
Owner was in the passanger seat, was he shocked The price dropped buy 1/3.

Replaced the tranny with Lake Country Clssics. Ordered a rebuilt one from Euor Tranmissions. Fround them  in the Star Mag. I think they are in Newark. They just due euro wor. (BMW-MB-VW). Order it in the afternoon and was shipped the next day.
Returned the broke one in their crate. I do not know what the cost is to day. My total cost was $1800.00 with install by Bruce at Lake Country.

Give them a call.

Good luck Ron 

PS  Bruce drove my 280 before and the car check out ok.