Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Mercedes may be a future classic that’s simply under-appreciated now. Let’s see if this stately sedan is priced for that possibility, or just for the here and now.
In Michael Crichton’s 1973 film, “Westworld,” rich people pay big bucks to stay at an amusement park where they wear uncomfortable clothes, sleep in uncomfortable beds, and drink warm booze. This is all so they can get rowdy with the robot cast. Naturally, things go pear-shaped in quick order when the robots get fed up and decide to “eat the rich.”
The 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 we looked at yesterday offered a similar throw-back thrill to a simpler time. However, it’s highly unlikely that the Toyota—being a Toyota—would ever endanger its occupants. At $26,000, our candidate was admittedly more for the elite than the egalitarian, a factor that didn’t sit well with the 68% of you who voted it down in a ‘No Dice’ loss. A new owner apparently disagreed, however, as the Land Cruiser ad was pulled before we could finish our voting.
Bric-a Bracq
While Toyota has long held a reputation for quality and durability, it’s not alone on that pedestal. Well, at least at one time it wasn’t. Daimler-Benz was once also revered for its engineering and solid build quality. Today, not so much, but looking at this 1972 Mercedes-Benz 250 2.8, it’s easy to see what once was.
This is an example of Mercedes’ mid-sized saloons of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today, a comparable model would be the E 450, though market position and an inline-six-cylinder engine under the hood are where the similarities start and end.
Launched in 1968, the W115/114 models replaced the earlier baroque-styled ‘Fintail W110 with impeccably clean Paul Bracq-penned lines in both four-door and pillarless coupe body styles. Available power plants included a series of four and six-cylinder gas engines, as well as four-cylinder, and the world’s first production five-cylinder diesel motors. Transmission choices were all four-speeds, in either manual or automatic formats.
Smaller means bigger
Interestingly, Mercedes’ internal coding for the models seems intuitively backwards as the higher-number models (W115) indicate the four-cylinder-powered editions, while the lower-numbered (W114) one denotes the six-pot cars. You keep being crazy, Mercedes!
This car’s 2.8 six-cylinder makes it a W114, and the top-of-the-line edition for this model year. The M130 SOHC straight six traces its roots back to the 1951 220, and in this model year was shared across the Mercedes lineup, most notably, under the hood of the Pagoda-roof 280 SL
Here, with (new) dual Solex carbs, the mill makes 130 horsepower and 160 pound-feet of torque, good enough for zero to sixty sprints in about 11 seconds. That’s matched to a standard Mercedes four-speed automatic, and comes with (non-working) A/C, power steering and brakes, and independent suspension all around. According to the seller, that’s only pushed this 250 to a total of 113,000 miles. Since one of these models is on record for a remarkable 2.9 million miles, this one’s only getting started.
Drive it anywhere
The seller also claims the car is reliable enough to drive across state lines. It will look fairly fetching when doing so, too. While painted in a somewhat institutional “Classicweiss”, the model’s timeless design still impresses today. There are some signs of age, including denting in the brightwork along the sides and a bubble of rust just above it on the left rear corner. Also, the sidemarker lamp lenses in the back have gone from red to sickly pink. On the plus side, it has wonderful color-matched full wheel covers and still appears to have all its trim intact.
In the cabin, things are just as nice. The real wood on the dashboard shows some crazing in its glossy topcoat, adding some additional character. The MBTex upholstery has held up wonderfully, as one would expect. Other pleasant surprises here include opening vent windows (perhaps making up for the dead R12 AC) and the car’s original Becker Europa MU AM/FM stereo. Per the seller, the car’s maintenance book, with service records dating back to the 1970s, will be included in the sale. The title is clean, and as it’s a pre-1975 car, it is unshackled from smog testing in states that follow California’s lead on emissions.
In it for the long haul
The reason given for the car being up for grabs is the seller’s claim that they simply have no time to enjoy it. No rest for the wicked, as they say. For a new owner to enjoy this tidy and stately old Mercedes classic, the only thing needed is to come up with the $8,500 asked for its purchase. That exchange lightens the bank account, but, in return, gets a car that will most likely be enjoyable (except on really hot days) for years, if not decades, to come.
But is that a fair deal? What do you say? Is $8,500 a reasonable price for this Mercedes as it is presented in its ad? The seller warns that the price is firm. You will have to determine how firm your resolve is in either supporting or denying that demand.
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Fresno, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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