1970 Mercedes Benz 280S - VINTAGE ORIGINAL DAILY DRIVER WITH NO RESERVE

1970

Mercedes Benz

280S Sedan

VIN: 10801612044483

By early spring back in 1970 Janice Jones knew it was time for an upgrade. She’d owned her still-pristine 1960 Buick for many years and replacing it with a newer four-door was starting to make sense.

Driving past the local Mercedes Dealer every day on the way to and from work in downtown Los Angeles, this gorgeous 1970 280S had caught her eye. For several weeks it sat highlighted there in the showroom and she knew it wouldn’t be for sale much longer. As a practical young lady, Ms. Jones felt any replacement for her beloved Riviera 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 steadfastly refused to learn! By April 1st the deal was consummated and Janice had her new car. She promptly christened it “Gustav” and then fussed over the Mercedes, always giving it regular attention. She would own the 280S for the next 34 years.

In March, 2004 “Gustav” was sold to his second owners, a young couple also living in Los Angeles. These folks brought the car north with them when moving here to the western Washington city of Bremerton a decade ago. They’ve kept solid maintenance and repair records (totaling over $11,000) during their 17 years caring for the car. These include rebuilding the engine and brake systems, carb work and balancing, replacing wheel bearings, shocks, tires, the fuel & power steering pumps and general tune-ups. We refreshed the fuel, air and oil filters (and changed the oil) after the car arrived at my warehouse a few months ago. Because we’re now in the middle of winter, I’ve driven the Benz sparingly, adding fewer than 90 miles.

It’s now time for “Gustav” to move on to his next caretaker. What you see here in my pics is a remarkably nice, virtually original gasoline-powered six-cylinder sedan. If you have questions or would like to inspect the Mercedes before the auction ends, please call me at (206) 914-1173 to set a meeting time at my Auburn, WA warehouse. My name is Mark.

CONDITION:

Little has changed since Miss Jones bought the car all those years ago and my un-retouched photos really do tell the story. The exterior is in nice, original condition. I’m not quite sure if the pale Oxford White paint is factory original, but there’s no evidence of overspray on the body rubber parts or trim. It still holds quite a shine. Small scratches and chips have been touched up. A quick glance and you’ll see all the glass is good. No attempt’s been made 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 a dusting of light snow for a day or two. Everyone panics and stays home. Climb over, under and throughout this boulevard cruiser – I’m convinced you’ll come up smiling.A solid, silver dollar-sizedhole's been filled near the bottom of the driver’s side rear quarter, below the bumper; likely caused when water leaked into the trunk and puddled in the left side trunk well. We replaced the entire trunk seal to keep future leaks out. Additionally, all four door seals were also redone with a new, hard-to-find rubber kit.

Please look again at the interior pictures. You’ll find the medium blue Mercedes Vinyl-Tex upholstery in excellent condition on both front buckets. No wear-through spots or cracks on the seat bases or bolsters. No sagging, broken springs either. The factory rear seat vinyl is generally good with a few minor flaws as pictured. The original headliner is intact but has come loose near the top of the rear window. I’m quite impressed with the dash gauges. They seem as clear and bright as the day this rig left Stuttgart five decades ago! The odometer reads 06,293 (I have no way to know what the actual miles are as it is a five-digit counter). Fresh custom-fitted, factory-color floormats have been installed front and back. I’ll be sure to include the repair records, past registration forms and the original Mercedes manual you see pictured when the Benz leaves our warehouse.

In addition to the positives, I always point out any issues I’ve encountered: While it’s quite unusual to find a working vintage Becker Europa stereo in the dash, this one lights-up but there’s no sound from the package shelf speakers. Also, the heater system is complete, but the blower fan doesn’t come on. Though it’s been replaced, there’s some power steering pump squealing at idle. The A/C compressor’s bearings are shot so the unit will need rebuilding. I always recommend having a vintage Benz mechanic look over a purchase before taking an extended trip. We did a complete tune-up including new sparkplugs, plug wires, distributor cap & rotor, motor oil and filter.

PLEASE BID WITH CONFIDENCE and know that you’re 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, I 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. You’re welcome and encouraged to come by my Auburn, WA warehouse to inspect & drive the Mercedes. I encourage offers as many of my Ebay 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:

The entire purchase price is due by cash (in-person only), a wire transfer or other certified funds within seven days of the auction closing. I can accept credit/debit cards but will first need to send an invoice from our card processor (SQUARE) and will add the 3.25% fee charged by them. 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 Mercedes shipped to you, I can post a transport offer on the national Central Dispatch System for delivery after checking recent fees to your area. We usually then have a shipper lined up within a few days. The buyer pays the transporter COD when they arrive with the vehicle. No upfront deposit or other hassles.

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 best to accurately describe the vehicle and encourage bidders to contact me with questions before bidding.Sorry, the personal license plates are not included in the sale.