1972 Mercedes 280sel 4.5 - Vintage Benz Collector Sedan; A Great Driver !!! on 2040-cars

1972

 Mercedes Benz

280SEL 4.5

VIN: 10806812007195

By the summer’s end back in 1971 Dr. Andrew Giesen knew it was time for an upgrade.  He’d owned his Cadillac DeVille for almost a decade, but now a newer four-door was starting to make sense.  Driving daily past the dealership on North Beal Parkway going to and from the hospital in Fort Walton Beach, this gorgeous 1972 280SEL had caught his eye.  For several weeks it sat highlighted there on the point and he knew it would not be for sale much longer.  Having driven Detroit steel most of his life, Dr. Gieson knew any replacement for his beloved Caddy must possess a single, most important criteria: a powerful V-8 engine.  Most sensible (yet fun!) W108 Mercedes sedans of that period came with an economical inline six-cylinder and he knew this rare 280, with a larger 4.5 liter, wouldn’t stay on the lot for long.  In early September the deal was consummated and the good doctor had his new car!  He would own it for the rest of his life, always giving it regular attention. 

Several weeks ago the late Dr. Giesen’s Mercedes came to us ready for a lucky new caretaker.  What you see here in my un-retouched photos is a remarkably nice, original Euro-cruiser.  If you have questions or would like to inspect the Mercedes before the auction ends, please call me to set a meeting time at our Auburn, WA warehouse.  My name is Mark Thompson and my direct number is (206)914-1173.

CONDITION:

Little has been changed since Dr. Giesen bought the car forty-two years ago.  Being in his late forties when he purchased the Mercedes no one other than the adults drove it, hence the very decent overall condition.  The odometer now reads 88,436.  I have no way to really know if these are actual miles as it is a five-digit counter, but wouldn’t be surprised based on the lack of wear and tear.    

My un-retouched photos really do tell this boulevard cruiser’s story.  The exterior is in remarkably nice, original condition.  The pearl white paint holds quite a shine and is free of scratches and dings.  I can usually tell if a vehicle has been repainted and I’m not quite sure on this one because I don’t find overspray in the places you’d expect.  Rest assured, the paint is in excellent condition!  A quick glance and you’ll see all the window glass is good although there are two bulls-eye chips and a crack on the windscreen (out of the drivers line-of-sight).  Turn the key; allow a few seconds for turn-over and the bullet-proof 4.5 liter V-8 starts immediately, even when cold.  The automatic transmission shifts just as it should and the rear differential appears strong.  I’ve made no attempt to update the remarkably decent stock engine compartment and trunk.  Rust?  Please !!  This Mercedes hates body rust and you’ll be hard pressed to find anything here to worry about (look at my shots of the underside & doors).  It’s unusual to find body rot on any western Washington state cars or trucks.  While the Puget Sound area is famous for rain, our winter roads are rarely ever salted.  At most we’ll only have one or two days of light snow each year and then everyone panics and just stays home.  Climb over, under and throughout this Benz - you’ll come up smiling as factory undercoating has kept it quite solid.  I doubt it ever saw many winter roads anyway.

Please look again at the interior pictures.  You’ll find original blue Mercedes Vinyl-Tex upholstery here in excellent condition.  The headliner is intact and in very good shape as well.  I’m quite impressed with the condition of the dash gauges, too.  They seem as clear and bright as the day this rig left the plant more than four decades ago!  The original Becker “Europa” AM-FM is long gone and was replaced by a later model Becker “Grand Prix” but it doesn’t come on.  Same goes for the under-dash A/C system (I’ve not had either looked over).  Power window lifts were still uncommon on most European vehicles of this period, but they’re here and all four work properly. The interior wood dash trim has lacquer checking, but is still very presentable with a great vintage patina! 

PLEASE BID WITH CONFIDENCE and know that you are purchasing a very nice car from a respected Ebay seller.  I want you to be happy with your purchase (and with me) and that’s the main goal!   Please don’t be upset by a missed flaw or some unforeseen problem!  No vintage used vehicle is ever perfect.

Because of the amount of money involved in buying a vehicle, we require that new Ebay members with a feedback history of five or fewer transactions call or email before placing a bid.  If I don’t have this initial contact, your bid may be cancelled.   As I’ve outlined above, the phone number to talk directly to me is 206/914-1173.  Please feel free to call any time during the auction.  My name is MARK THOMPSON.  You’re welcome and encouraged to come by my Auburn, WA warehouse to inspect & drive the Mercedes.  You might also make an offer as many of my vehicles sell to smart “early birds” that call and work out a deal prior to the auction’s end.  I always reserve the right to sell during this period.

A Few Additional Terms and Conditions:

A nonrefundable $500 deposit is due within 48 hours of the auction’s conclusion.  The balance is due by cash or certified funds within seven business days unless prior arrangements have been made with me.  I can accept PAYPAL, but if you plan to pay any more than the deposit through them I’ll first need to invoice you and ask that you cover the 3.5% fee PayPal charges.  Please remember you are bidding to buy and I fully expect the winning bidder to fulfill their Ebay contract!  You’re not bidding to hold or then come inspect and test-drive the vehicle later -- You’re more than welcome to do this before the auction ends.

If you decide to have the car transported home, there are scores of companies to choose from.  I ship vehicles regularly and suggest that you get a transport bid from Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS).  They're EBay’s preferred transporter and will give you a fair quote.  Call my designated rep, Janice, directly at (469)587-5096.  Give her my affiliate number (2362642) and she can pull up all our information for station-to-station or even door-to-door quotes. 

As an alternative, you might also get bids from the U-Ship.com website.  You’ll be able to choose a transport broker from multiple offers.  The zip code for pick-up would be 98002 (Auburn, Washington).  The shipping of the vehicle and company chosen are the responsibility of the BUYER.  

The car can be stored free of charge at my location for up to two weeks after the auction ends assuming full payment has been received.  After that period storage is $20 per day.  The Mercedes is being sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied.  All information described above is based on the observed condition when the listing was placed.  I've done my very best to describe the vehicle as honestly as possible and encourage bidders to contact me with questions.