1967 Mercedes 250S - CLEAN & CLASSIC BENZ; LAST YEARS OF THE HAND-BUILT SEDAN

1967

Mercedes Benz

250S Sedan

VIN: 10801212051696

By late spring back in 1967 Jane Jones knew it was time for an upgrade. She’d owned her still-pristine 1960 Mercedes Heckflosse for several years and replacing it with a newer four-door was starting to make sense. Driving past iconic Phil Smart Mercedes every day on the way to and from work in downtown Seattle, this gorgeous 1967 250S had caught her eye. For several weeks it sat highlighted there in the Pike Street showroom and she knew it wouldn’t be for sale much longer. As a practical young lady, Miss Jones felt any replacement for her beloved 190 Fintail must possess a single, most important criteria: an automatic transmission. Though she loved the sportiness of a manual floor shift, she could not drive any vehicle with a clutch and had steadfastly refused to learn! On June 16th, the deal was consummated and Jane had her new car. She promptly christened it “Gustav” and then fussed over the Mercedes, always giving it regular attention. She would own it for the next 22 years, all the while driving very sparingly. As late as 1984, records we received with the vehicle indicate it had traveled less than 27,500 total miles.

In the spring of 1989 “Gustav” was sold to his second owner, another young woman, living north of Seattle in Arlington, WA. His history for the next 14 years is a bit hazy. We do know in 2003 the car arrived in the small western Washington town of Longbranch and remained there for 13 years with a caring couple until coming to ourcollection a few months ago. Because we’re in the middle of winter, I’ve driven the Benz sparingly, adding only about 200 miles since November.

It’s now time for “Gustav” to move on to his next caretaker. What you see here in my pics is a remarkably nice, original (except for paint & carpets) gasoline-powered six-cylinder sedan. 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 and my direct number is (206) 914-1173.

CONDITION:

Little has been changed since Miss Jones bought the car all those years ago. The odometer currently reads 37,130 (I have no way to know what the actual miles are, as it is a five-digit counter).

My un-retouched photos really do tell the story. The exterior is in remarkably nice, original condition. Because a good-quality respray has been applied, the pale Oxford White paint holds quite a shine and is free of scratches and dings. A quick glance and you’ll see all the glass is good, although there are two bulls-eye chips on the windscreen (I think they could be filled and made to disappear). Turn the key; allow a few seconds for turn-over and the bullet-proof dual carbureted inline six cylinder starts every time, even when cold. The automatic transmission shifts great 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. Yes, the Puget Sound region is famous for rain, but our winter roads are rarely salted. At most we’ll only have one or two days of light snow a year. Everyone panics and just stays home. Climb over, under and throughout this car – I’m convinced you’ll come up smiling. A good quality, solid repair has been done to the driver’s side floor panel and the spare tire well.

Please look again at the interior pictures. You’ll find the original light blue Mercedes Vinyl-Tex upholstery here in excellent condition on all surfaces. No wear-through spots or cracks on the seat bases or bolsters. No sagging, broken springs either. The original headliner is intact, but has a few small holes. I’m quite impressed with the condition of the dash gauges. They seem almost as clear and bright as the day this rig left Stuttgart five decades ago! Like most European vehicles of the day, it arrived from the Fatherland with manual crank windows. Fresh custom fitted, factory-color carpets have recently been installed throughout the interior. I will be sure to include the factory books, the original metal owner data plate and the past registration forms you see pictured stowed in their plastic folio away in the glove compartment when the Benz leaves our warehouse.

In addition to the positives, I always point to any issues I’ve encountered: While it’s quite unusual to still find a vintage Becker Europa stereo in the dash, this one doesn’t appear to be connected and there are no speakers installed in the package self. Also. the heater system is complete, but the blower fan doesn’t come on. Finally, my tech isn’t sure the dual carbs are properly balanced and set. I recommend having a vintage Benz mechanic look over the rig before taking an extended trip. We did do a complete tune-up including new sparkplugs, plug wires, distributor cap & rotor, oil and filter.

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 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. You are 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 bird” collectors 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 do not accept PAYPAL, but if you would like to pay using a credit or debit card I can send an invoice that will allow you to do so (for any amount above the deposit I will ask that the 3% fee our processor charges be added). 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 Mercedes later -- You’re more than welcome to do this before the auction ends.

If you decide to have thecar shipped home, there are scores of transportcompanies to choose from. I send off vehicles regularly and suggest that you get a bid from Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS). They're EBay’s preferred transporter and will give you a fair quote. Call them directly at (888) 817-6203. Give the rep. my affiliate number (2362642) and they 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). For Oregon and California buyers, I have a great transporter that regularly delivers for us up and down the I-5 Corridor. The shipping of the vehicle and company chosen are the responsibility of the BUYER.

TheMercedes 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 car is being sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All information described above is based on the observed condition when thelisting was placed. I've done my very best to describe the vehicle as honestly as possible and encourage bidders to contact me with questions before bidding.