$7,500
El Cerrito, California
Category
-
Mileage
149200
Posted Over 1 Month
Calling all collectors! For those of you that have been waiting for the emergence onto the market of that rarest of automotive beasts, the car that seems to have been locked in a time capsule for most of it's life, look no further! It has arrived! This 1980 Mercedes Benz 300SD is just such a car. A splendid combination of faithful maintenance and careful preservation has yielded this example that is about as close as you can get to going back to 1980 and buying one of these from the dealer. Personally, I just cannot get over the condition of this car as I have not seen one this clean and nice since the 80's! Let us begin with the exterior, which admittedly comes the closest to showing the cars age, although nowhere near it's actual 35 years but closer to 5! This always in California car is, as you would expect, totally rust free. The majority of the car is wearing it's factory original paint although I was told that the hood and the front fender were painted at some point afterwards. The color in itself is a rare find. Finished in Mercedes Benz color DB479 (Walnut Brown) which apparently was available only on the 300SD in the model year of 1980, it appears that not many of these were finished in that color and today even fewer have survived. The paint truly looks remarkable from even 5 feet away, but upon super close inspection, there are a number of rock chips, blemishes and scrapes with the worst being what appears to have been a side swipe with a pole done to the driver's side rear wheel well. Still, this paint has held up remarkably well for being as old as it is and it still has a mirror finish, thanks to a recent coat of wax that was applied. The factory original bundt wheels look new. I see no curb rash, no loss of clear coat. The chrome is bright and has no pitting and/or other damage other than a few light scratches to the rear. Now, on to the interior, which is possibly my favorite aspect of this car short of the incredible driving experience to be had. This interior is very, very close to flawless. 98 points on a 100 scorecard all day long in the originality category. The high degree of preservedness first hits you when you open the car door and you catch a whiff of that smell well known to vintage Mercedes collectors: the genuine leather aroma! Yes, this survivor could not be better as it was delivered with ALL factory options including full leather seating in bamboo leather. In those days, they didn't just skimp on the leather and only put it directly on the seat and where your back touches, but generously all the way around the seat frame is this wonderfully patinaed Mercedes leather. With the exception of two minor creases on the driver seat, these seats will make you think IT IS 1980 again. Just perfect. Strong, supple and comfy, they are superb! And the same goes for virtually the entire interior with the headliner, door panels, wood and even the rear package shelf being WAY above average. Very untypical of these models with this type of age, this car's wood is shiny, not faded and without cracks. The dark brown dash is almost perfect, with the exception of a hairline crack alongside the bulge of the top of the instrument cluster. Carpets still have lots of wear left. Now, as mentioned before, this car has all of the very few options that were available in 1980 as this was an "S" class sedan and was given most of the upgrades made available to buyer's at the time as standard equipment. Of the 3 options available, this one has them all: The full leather seating upgrade from the MB Tex, the Becker Mexico cassette radio/tuner with wonderbar feature and perhaps the most sought after option, a full power sunroof. Everything in this car works, including the clock. The Becker Mexico was taken out and sent to the Becker factory in New Jersey for a rebuild and now functions exactly as is should. To give the new buyer the full time capsule experience, I am including a cassette of Abba's greatest hits, which sounds remarkably well played through the Becker Mexico system and the 4 speakers int he car. And as you drive along listening to Abba, you will have no trouble maintaining just the prime temperature in your 300SD as the often troublesome servo unit has also been removed and rebuilt so that the often tricky climate control is a welcome feature to your everyday motoring, functioning properly on all selections as it should. ICE COLD A/C! The main oil cooler hose and other smaller hoses have recently been replaced. Finally, the drive itself. With 149,200 documented miles on a working odometer, this car drives and handles exactly as you would expect and want. There really is not much to say. It starts right up every time, has adequate power even before the turbo kicks in and when it does, you're off! I live in hilly California, and I zoom up the hills to get home 2, 3 or 4 times a day. I can easily keep up with the sea of Priuses that surround me. I purposely over-accelerated past a so called "Smart" car to let her know that elegance and beauty always take precedence over youth! I had no trouble watching her shrink in my rear view mirror. Good riddance!Lastly, I welcome one and all to come , inspect and drive this beautiful machine in person for only then can the true love affair with it begin. Disclaimers! This car is sold as-is where- is. It is 35 years old and does not have a warranty of any kind. By placing a bid to become the next owner of this car, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these terms. Finally, I reserve the right to end this auction early and/or cancel all bids on sale day as this car is advertised on other venues. May the best person win!
Trim 300SD
