Should I buy a 280SE

[bpsorrel]

Don't like the wheels or the spoiler - don't add to the car at all. Condition looks good though...

 

[MPG]

I agree with the rest - the wheels & spoiler are quite simply atrocious. Fuel economy would also be poor which would be acceptable if it had a decent turn of speed - but it won't.
My advice would always be to go for a late Gen 2 car with a V8, 15 hole flat face alloys & leather.

 

[219]

The Gen 2 cars definitely have nicer interiors .

However , I looked at numerous cars before buying mine , including some Gen 2's : the one I ended up buying happened to be a Gen 1 , but it was the first one with sound bodywork as many cars out there are rustbuckets . Fortunately it is also spot on mechanically with only worn front seats letting the interior down .

I may end up buying a rusty Gen 2 car for the interior ( if I find one with a good mushroom leather interior at the right price ) and then moving it on or scrapping it once I have removed any parts needed for mine .

 

[MPG]

I agree that condition is paramount Pontoneer. It's sad how many W126's have been allowed to quietly rust away. In the past 12 months I've seen just 3 others on the road.

 

[219]

About the same here : one gentleman in a Diamond Blue one did give me a wave - I'm ashamed to say I was so stunned at this nice gesture that he was past going the other way before I responded , too late .

 

[Roger Jones]

"Don't think so.......are we looking at the same wheels?"

Ah, I was looking at the original link rather than the "THIS" one. Yes, ghastly wheels, reinforcing my perception that MB usually got it right first time and are rarely improved on.

In the original one, they are identical to those illustrated in reviews/tests in:

Motor, 15/09/79
Autocar, 11/10/80
Road & Track, 01/81
Motor Trend, 02/81
etc.

Also, here they are as a similar set for a W123:

http://tinyurl.com/MBMexicanHatWheels

 

[Benzowner]

I owned a W126 280SE a few years ago, standard had steel wheels with hub caps. I managed to obtain a set of alloys from a 300SE what a difference. Made the car look really good. Fuel consumption was about 22mpg, not the quickest, but extremely comfortable to drive, especially on motorways. I still thinks the W126 was the last decent big saloon MB made.