1984 280CE Advise please?

[Deleted member 11979]

I agree with the above, not only will it cost you far more to turn a rough car into a minter than buying one, an 80s Mercedes in that condition wouldn't be an ideal everyday car, and would not deserve to be left out in all weathers

I know each to their own , but you'd at least need another car for when there's salt on the road

I love old Mercedes and have 3 from the 90's, but they cost more than you imagine to keep in good order,

Having said all that, I've wasted more money than I care to think about on my old cars, but every time I drive them I have a stupid grin on my face, and then it doesn't seem like a waste

 

[brucemillar]

My perspective - once you've spent the money restoring this you will not want to drive it daily. Forums are full of people who like to give encouragement, which is a good thing from my experience as restorations like mine can kill enthusiasm badly - but they are not spending the money or suffering the other pains. However, specialists, those who work with these cars daily, see the issues and tend to be realists. As they have no financial incentive to be negative (turning down work) the fact that three have said don't is to me very compelling. I would not dream of leaving a Benz of this era un-garaged. They have too many spots through which water can penetrate. Since doing my W114 I have, to my amazement, joined the dry days only brigade (and that with a huge amount of cavity wax and underseal).

Print this. Frame it. Hand to anybody thinking about restoring an older car.

Sent from my iPhone using sausage fingers.

 

[AndrewMcD]

Right so, this is going to be back to plan B then. Retrieve the car to Scotland find somewhere to store it and work on it over time, with a very long term view. I totally understand the arguments to avoid it, but as the car is costing me nothing in the first place and it has an intrinsic cash value even as parts. It seems silly not to give it a go. The irritating thing is that I do have a single garage but it's already full with the Boxster. Like the cars above it was bought as a daily driver and is now almost a dry day only car. It has also had far more than it's value thrown at it.

It would be lovely to get it so the point that it could be driven for 6 months and then be put away for the winter.

After not being overly fussed on the car when first offered it 2 years ago, it's now got under my skin a bit. And with the Boxster finished... ;-)