[Strider-g3]

Hi all, I am new to owning a Mercedes older than 1986. My oldest car was a 1986 500se which was imported from Europe.
I also have never owned a manual Mercedes and I'm hoping that all changes with this car.
The owner bought it a year ago and its a German import. The only thing he's done is an oil change.
He says he doesn't think it needs much. The interior looks to be in amazing shape given the age and the mileage (260,000km)
According to him, there's no rust either. The car is located in British Columbia (Canada).
I'm on the other side of the country and would be buying it sight unseen. I have asked a friend who works for a vintage dealership to have a look at it for me.
Is there anything specific on these cars that I should look for or ask the owner about or ask my friend to look at (other than signs of rust)?
They are fairly complex for their age and I have had my fair share of surprises when buying a car sight unseen..

From what the pictures show, paint is in good shape overall.
The rear of the car is definitely sagging. The wood trim has cracked and so has dash.
He says everything works though.

The VIN is 11602410121526 - I can't really find a decoder that lets me see the options etc. Does anyone know of one? LASTVIN didn't work.

Thank you for your feedback in advance!

 

[khomer2]

You can contact Mercedes-Benz Classic Center at [email protected] for more details, if required.

 

[Fonzi]

Any data card report seems to not work on any cars a Carfax wouldn’t work on, 1982 or earlier I think. Since it’s a euro, you will most likely have to buy the data card from MB if you want to know more about the car or order a key. If keeping it, you might want to get the data card. Then again, you might find one in the glove box or trunk.

It’s cool that it’s going to be rare in the US. Euro w116 aren’t too common, let alone a stick shift. And if it’s truly rust free, that’s fantastic.

 

[Dikdaan]

Looks pretty clean if pics are recent of course. Check for rust spots like rocker panels, wheel wells, trunk and floors. Compression test would also be a good idea methinks. Manual trans 116 quite a rare beast.

 

[Donf]

Hi all, I am new to owning a Mercedes older than 1986. My oldest car was a 1986 500se which was imported from Europe.
I also have never owned a manual Mercedes and I'm hoping that all changes with this car.
The owner bought it a year ago and its a German import. The only thing he's done is an oil change.
He says he doesn't think it needs much. The interior looks to be in amazing shape given the age and the mileage (260,000km)
According to him, there's no rust either. The car is located in British Columbia (Canada).
I'm on the other side of the country and would be buying it sight unseen. I have asked a friend who works for a vintage dealership to have a look at it for me.
Is there anything specific on these cars that I should look for or ask the owner about or ask my friend to look at (other than signs of rust)?
They are fairly complex for their age and I have had my fair share of surprises when buying a car sight unseen..

From what the pictures show, paint is in good shape overall.
The rear of the car is definitely sagging. The wood trim has cracked and so has dash.
He says everything works though.

The VIN is 11602410121526 - I can't really find a decoder that lets me see the options etc. Does anyone know of one? LASTVIN didn't work.

Thank you for your feedback in advance!
View attachment 2662106 View attachment 2662107 View attachment 2662108 View attachment 2662109 View attachment 2662110

That engine bay is disgraceful. Only kidding, if its been maintained like that and not prepped for sale it bodes well for the rest of the car. Those engines are marvellous. I've seen examples do over 700k easy.

 

[ianrandom]

Looks really gorgeous from here. Good advice about rust though. Mercedes can look so nice in pictures, so it's good you're being cautious.
This one is the twin of my first MB, although mine was automatic. These are very nice cars, I would love one again.

 

[rumb]

The car may have rear hydraulic suspension. Look for hydro pump on front of engine. Sometimes people foolishly remove it.

 

[Dikdaan]

That Haynes manual on the back seat is nice touch

 

[Fonzi]

The car may have rear hydraulic suspension. Look for hydro pump on front of engine. Sometimes people foolishly remove it.

I’m not seeing the pump up front that the 280se you picked up for me has. So I think it’s unlikely. Gets me thinking about restoring that function in that car.

 

[rumb]

I’m not seeing the pump up front that the 280se you picked up for me has. So I think it’s unlikely. Gets me thinking about restoring that function in that car.

Your car had the system removed. There were tell tale signs it was there originally.

 

[Fonzi]

Your car had the system removed. There were tell tale signs it was there originally.

Pump ant reservoir in the engine bay and lines still to the rear. Surely shocks and springs were replaced, but I can’t recall and it’s pegged into a corner of the barn right now covered in blue body panels I’ve collected to bolt to it, and full of matching interior parts from the 1983 380se euro I parted. I think it’s going to come back from near dead.

Anyway, I’d certainly trade it for this cool w116. I have always said, “I’m a sucker for an S class sedan in full euro dress.” The OP’s w116 is way-cool, and fits the bill without being an insanely priced gas-guzzling 6.9 or 4.5. @rwd4evr recently picked up a euro 350se I spotted, and once I saw it on the lift, my appreciation of the w116 grew even more. It didn’t hurt that the car I found for him ended up having a 3.46 LSD rear end in it. That was one I should have grabbed for myself!

 

[Strider-g3]

Pump ant reservoir in the engine bay and lines still to the rear. Surely shocks and springs were replaced, but I can’t recall and it’s pegged into a corner of the barn right now covered in blue body panels I’ve collected to bolt to it, and full of matching interior parts from the 1983 380se euro I parted. I think it’s going to come back from near dead.

Anyway, I’d certainly trade it for this cool w116. I have always said, “I’m a sucker for an S class sedan in full euro dress.” The OP’s w116 is way-cool, and fits the bill without being an insanely priced gas-guzzling 6.9 or 4.5. @rwd4evr recently picked up a euro 350se I spotted, and once I saw it on the lift, my appreciation of the w116 grew even more. It didn’t hurt that the car I found for him ended up having a 3.46 LSD rear end in it. That was one I should have grabbed for myself!

So from the responses I got, I'm guessing the hyraulic system on these is just as complex to fix as it is on the w126? My 560SEC had it and there was fluid in the reservoir but when going over bumps, it felt like the rear suspension was horrible.

What would the cost of repairing the system be, roughly? Or should it just be converted to regular suspension instead as most do?
What areas of the car are most prone to rust?
Any electrical gremlins on these?
Any issues with rubber seals (water leakage)? My 126 560SEC had this issue on the rear windsheild and sunroof..
Just wondering what key things to look for before making an offer and buying it and spending $1800 to ship it here without ever seeing or driving it...

 

[Fonzi]

I don’t know w116, but the one my friend bought seems to have rusty rockers I think.

I don’t think there is any SLS on the car you are considering. So I think you can put that concern to rest. A 6 cylinder having SLS is pretty rare IMO, and there’s nothing I see in the engine bay that would make me think the car has it. I think the entire conversation about it with respect to this 1978 can be ignored.

Nothing much simpler than a 1978 k-jet manual trans, manual window car with manual climate controls.

 

[Strider-g3]

I don’t know w116, but the one my friend bought seems to have rusty rockers I think.

I don’t think there is any SLS on the car you are considering. So I think you can put that concern to rest. A 6 cylinder having SLS is pretty rare IMO, and there’s nothing I see in the engine bay that would make me think the car has it. I think the entire conversation about it with respect to this 1978 can be ignored.

Nothing much simpler than a 1978 k-jet manual trans, manual window car with manual climate controls.

ok so if it has no rust, subframe is solid and no issues with motor/trans - i shall buy it