1973 280se 4.5 - Last Year Of The V-8 Powered Small Sport Sedan on 2040-cars

1973

 Mercedes Benz

280SE  4.5  Sedan

VIN: 10806712016746

By the summer’s end back in 1972 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 1973 280SEL had caught his eye.  For several weeks it sat highlighted there on the point and he felt it would not be for sale much longer.  Having driven Detroit steel most of his life, Dr. Giesen knew any replacement for his beloved Caddy must possess a single, most important criteria: a powerful V-8 engine.  The year before Stuttgart had gifted the short-wheelbase, four-door W108 Mercedes with V-8 power - a 230-hp, 4.5-liter unit derived from the 3.5-liter engine first seen in the 1970 280SE coupe and convertible. This combination, sold stateside for only the 1972-73 model years, offered the best of both worlds, pairing the nimble chassis of the short-wheelbase model with some of the thrust of the 300-hp, $18,000 300SEL 6.3. What once was a plodding, low-powered autobahn cruiser had morphed into a torque-packed sport sedan with all-day-long, 125-mph legs and the good doctor wanted one!  In early September the deal was consummated and he had his new car.  The Mercedes would reside in the Giesen garage for the rest of his life, always receiving regular attention. 

A short time ago the late Doctor’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 at that time no one other than the adults drove it, hence the very decent overall condition

On modern roads, surrounded by modern cars, a 4.5-liter 280SE is something of an enigma. It's that rarest of beasts - a big, old sedan that simply doesn't feel that old. The light, stiff doors shut with an endlessly solid, safe like whong that echoes a little through the interior.  Switches and latches feel heavy and substantial; the dash-mounted, key-shaped headlight switch chunks into position like a household circuit breaker. The stark interior is an exercise in restraint, a sparse combination of short-loop carpet, thin pillars, and unapologetically simple, well-trimmed surfaces.  It's an odd reminder that the word "luxury" once meant something very different to Europeans - it was more of a mind-set about build quality than an endless supply of deep-pile carpet and butt-massaging seats.

My un-retouched photos really do tell this boulevard cruiser’s story.  The exterior is in remarkably nice condition.  The smooth, blemish-free baby blue paint holds quite a shine and is free of scratches and dings.  It appears to be a quality re-spray done to the original factory color and is as perfect under the hood and in the door jambs as on the exterior.

The fuel-injected V-8 lights off after a moment of cranking and then settles down to a smooth idle after warming.  The automatic transmission shifts fine 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 corrosion on vehicles here in western Washington State.  While the Puget Sound area is famous for rain, our winter roads are never salted.  Occasionally we’ll only have a day or two of light snow; 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 very good to excellent condition.  The original headliner is intact and in great shape as well.  I’m quite impressed with the condition of the dash gauges, too.  They seem as nice as the day this rig left the plant more than four decades ago!  The odometer reads 31,639 but I have no way to really know if these are actual miles as it is a five-digit counter.  The original Becker “Europa” AM-FM is still in place.  Same goes for the under-dash A/C system (I’ve not had it looked over).  Power window lifts were still uncommon on most European vehicles of this period, but they’re here and all four work properly, though slowly on the uptake. The interior wood dash trim is still very presentable with a great vintage patina!   The trunk area is very solid as pictured.  I’ll be sure the spare tire, jack and even the original tool kit are safely stowed when the shipping company arrives for transport.

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 accurately as possible and encourage bidders to contact me with questions.