500sec

[pj67coll]

Curious as to what a mint example of an early 500SEC with 85000 on the clock should be worth? Saw one today on a dealers lot. Likely don't have the money but really would love the car.

- Peter.

[Jim B.]

Perhaps $5,000 to $6,000 if it's a nice one. Just my WAG

[POS]

You're not far off on that guess. In the SEC world, the 560SEC is first, the 500SEC a distant second, and the 380SEC at dead last. Very hard to sell a 500SEC because most people who will pony up the money will just spend it on a 560SEC; I would too.

However, that just means that a 500SEC can be a great deal for someone. The 500SEC is an excellent car, slap some Euro lights on it and it'll run for a long, long time (not that the lights have anything to do with it, I just like the smooth front-end look).

Value? $6000 on the low, $8000 on the high. What are they asking? What's the car's condition?

[t walgamuth]

i have not looked at any books but if it is in very good condition i would have said with those miles it would be worth more like 7 to 9K.

i just sold my 84 500sec with 134K for $4K. it was a very nice car but not a 10 cosmetically. but it was an 8 or 9 mechanically and a 7 ,maybe on cosmetics.

and i drove it for abotut 80K miles and found it to be less expensive to maintain than a diesel.

very nice very sporty cars.

tom w

[pj67coll]

Less expensive than an diesel? How is that possible? Unless my guess is correct that most of these were bought by the country club set who used them sparingly and maintained them better than the regular "daily driver" diesel set.

- Peter.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Less expensive than an diesel? How is that possible? Unless my guess is correct that most of these were bought by the country club set who used them sparingly and maintained them better than the regular "daily driver" diesel set.

- Peter.

The incredible surge in the biodiesel/WVP/SVO alternative fuels, along with the rising price of gas, (even though diesel fuel has risen too) has pushed up the price of all the older Mercedes diesels far higher and faster than on any of the older Mercedes gas powered vehicles.

The "country club set" were usually the first owners who kept up the cars well and drove them sparingly, that is true, though some were leased and accrued very high mileage quickly.

The problem arises from the third and fourth tier owners who neglected these cars or did not have the money to maintain them.

That's where due diligence by the buyer comes in, and having the service books and maintenance receipts is so helpful.

[t walgamuth]

there is not much to go wrong on an 84. really very simple cars overall. the most trouble i had was with the pass side electric seat and the seat belt presenter on that side. lack of use makes the electrodes corrode.

the engines are really bulletproof. they have a tendency to cause hot start difficulties but if you always hold the gas down 1/4 of the way on start up this is mostly alleviated. when i first got the car i spend about 400 chasing this problem and never solved it until an old benz mechanic clued me in on holding the gas down while cranking.

about all i did was change the spark plugs and one fuel injector plugged once and i had it cleaned. the fuel injection system has no computers. it is completely mechanical in operation. just buy good fuel and use some injection cleaner from time to time and drive it.

mine was owned by a wealthy man before me who put on 80K in 18 years. i put on 55K in four years. i think it ran better and better the more i drove it.

also i did some front end rubber bushings (not gas specific) and changed shocks and tires.

very very trouble free. regular gas. 18 highway and 13 around town. not bad.

and last summer i autocrossed it at least 8 times and never did any damage to the ultra rugged benz chassis. and i had hoosier slicks on it.

great rugged and simple cars.

the later cars had a lot more stuff on them like anti lock brakes, lsd, and other more complicated systems.

tom w

[pj67coll]

It's an 84. 85K miles. Appears to be a 10 cosmetically both exterior and interior but they want 11 for it so I'm afraid it's a bit out of my range.

- Peter.

[alabbasi]

Originally Posted by pj67coll

It's an 84. 85K miles. Appears to be a 10 cosmetically both exterior and interior but they want 11 for it so I'm afraid it's a bit out of my range.

- Peter.

Is it a Euro or US spec car? The Euro's have a lot more power.

[kalpol]

Originally Posted by alabbasi

Is it a Euro or US spec car? The Euro's have a lot more power.

500 euro = 560 US = 240HP, or so I was told, I never bothered looking it up. My Euro '84 500SEL was pretty damn fast, of course then the other car I had was an 85 300D. I wish I had kept both those cars The 500SEL had the reclining rear seat, that was a real crowd pleaser.

[pj67coll]

It's a US spec but I really don't care. My current car's are a 240D and a Kia Rio, which is almost as powerless as the 240D.

- Peter.

[t walgamuth]

well that is a stiff price.

perhaps if you wait he will become a motivated seller.

tom w

[pj67coll]

Does the 500SEC have SLS suspension at the rear or regular coil springs?

- Peter.

[t walgamuth]

mine had springs.

very very competant with springs. it also has the aluminum rear suspension arms like an SL.

and the floating caliper front discs like the SL.

they are pretty nice cars. very very rugged, simple and classy.

i always got compliments when i drove that car.

when i sold it and was driving it home from the shop after having a minor repair done, i almost cried to think i was selling it off.

tom w

[sjefke]

Here is an '84 for $4000 buy it now and $810 bid. Go get it Tom!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Benz-500-Series-500-SEC-Mercedes-Benz-500-SEC-1984-Sport-Coupe_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6332QQihZ020QQitemZ300101552464QQrdZ1

Bert