280 SL......Good choice????????

I've been looking for an alternative to the low fuel economy that my 80 450 SL delivers. I know my 450 SL is it's out of tune and do plan to do what is needed to get better performance and fuel economy in the spring! Based on what I've heard, the 450 SL's get only 15 + or - mpg. Mine currently may be as low as 10 mpg, or less!

I would like to know more about the 280 SL 107's with six cylinder engines?

What is the avg. mpg? Do they deliver adequate power? How reliable are these engines, what pit falls if any? Best year? What to look out for, etc?

Standard tranny, or auto?

I have planned for a cross country road trip in a couple of years and was going to use my 300 D, but the 107's have my attention now, just not at 15 MPG!!

BB

[1984 280SL]

I currently own 2 107 SLs with the six cylinder engine and both with manual tranny. The 1980 280 SL I have had for 19 years and 120k miles or so. They are wonderful autos which is why I have two - love em. They are very reliable and in my opinion inexpensive to own. I have had very little go wrong or break over the years. Worst failure has been the fuel pump relay - it has been the only thing that left me dead on the road and needing a tow. I now carry a spare with me in the trunk. I get around 20+ mpg in both of them. I find the 1980 to be more powerful for some reason over the 1984 280 with the only difference I know of is the Cat coverter, the 1980 does not have one and yes it has always passed the emission test. Regarding taking one on a trip a way from your home mechanic - I would be sure everything is in great working order and recent service - and take a fuel relay with you just in case. Not too many mechanics on the road travelled that know how to work on these and most US mercedes service palces wont talk to you if it is a grey market car. Good Luck! and yes buy one with a manual tranny if you want fun -- the auto sucks. 5 speed in the 1982 and later is great.

[KirkVining]

I own an 83 280 SL with the 4-spd automatic, just turn 101k. I love my auto tranny, probably because I am fat and old. These cars were not sold in the US, and are specifically designed for the European consumer driving in a $5 a gallon gas environment. They are built for the Autobahn - they are not real quick off the line, but they have this fabulous power band between 60-110 that is the best part about the car. Once you get into that range, you can give a lot cars a good race. This works out great for me, because I live in Texas and I see a lot more freeway driving than I do city driving. The last time I tracked mileage in a trip between El Paso and Houston, I got about 24 mpg, driving easy at about 75 mph avg speed.

The high-redline DOHC hemi engine puts out about 30 more horse than the 380 V8. It is my third 280 series Merc. They are incredibly reliable, very important for Western US driving - so the series is popular in the West, I have no trouble finding parts, used parts or mechanics to work on it. I sold my prior 280s in running condition w/250,000 miles on them approx, as noted in the post above with very few major repairs. On the negatives, the engine is noisier than other Merc engines and needs tuneups a little more often. I would love to get my hands on one made in the 70's with a 5 speed manual - a cheap one that I could restore would be fun. The 280, 350, and 500 SLs Euros really are a different driving experience than the US cars which tend to have a more "stately feel" - the Euros are much more in line with traditional European sports cars.

[ctaylor738]

Amen.

I also have a pair of 1984 280SL's, both 5-speeds. They are at different stages, one with 13K and one with 182, but both are an absolute blast to drive. The 185-or-so (depending on how it was federalized) horsepower of the M110 is a nice boost over the dumbed-down 3.8. And it starts to come on about 4K rpm and keeps coming up to the rpm cut-off at 6600 or so. Which IMHO is how a sporty car ought to be. Very different than the V8's which (except for the 3.5's) are tuned 'way more for mid-range.

I also like the chrome bumpers, manual heat and optional AC. Easy to work on and tune. No idle relay, no on-off ratio, no chain problems, no HLC's to adjust with hockey pucks.

So far, no problems with parts, emissions, or insurance. Haven't checked the mileage, but does not seem to be a wallet-buster.

All very enlightening! It's the kind of feedback I wanted to hear!

Aside from the poor fuel economy of my 4.5 V-8, worrying about timing chain failure is also another issue I have, and working from down below the engine is very tight quarters! Amongst many other things I must do for my 450 SL, also on the list are motor mounts and after having inspected the scene under there, it's one job I don't look forward to!

I see there was available three 6 cyl engines, a 2.7L 185hp, and two 3 liters, 12 and 24 valve, 188hp and 217hp, respectively.

I see my present 107 as a learning curve! I've owned MGs, driven XKEs, almost got killed in a Midget back in 88, and never wanted a sports car again, again that is, until this car, which was given to me by my brother!

If all considerations meet expectations with my current 107, I will consider the purchase of a 280 SL in the near future. Based on a recent look at the current market for these cars, prices range between $5K and $7K in reasonably good shape.

I've got a couple of years to ponder these thoughts, but for now I'll keep plugin away on my 450 SL and having fun doing it, except for the motor mounts of course! BB

[KirkVining]

Don't wait too long. Interest in these cars and the price of them having been going up with the cost of gas.