1982 Mercedes Benz 380 SEL (89,600 Miles) Runs and Drives Perfect

1982 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series SEL Additional Info:

You are bidding on a very nice 1982 Mercedes Benz 380 SEL with 89,696 miles. The car may be driven a few miles to show it to a local buyer, but the mileage won't change significantly. This is a NO RESERVE auction, so don't bid unless you mean it. I'm out of space -- someone else will own this car in five days! If you are the winning bidder, you must submit a $2,000 deposit within 48 hours or I will cancel your bid and relist the car.

This vehicle is in good or better condition overall, finished in black paint over a black interior with wood touches all around. The underside is surprisingly clean. I have not found any rust anywhere. According to my paint thickness gauge, the lower half of the car was re-sprayed at some time. I believe that the paint above the door lines is all original. The hood and deck lid are aluminum.

I have all carpet floor mats as well as a set of rubber floor mats I used this winter to preserve the carpet ones. This vehicle includes the original OEM First - Aid kit. There are only a few aftermarket touches to this vehicle, most notably the LED headlights that were professionally installed and aimed, the aftermarket stereo and the 80's era cell phone! The O.E.M. headlights have been preserved however, and will be included.

I purchased this Mercedes at the beginning of this summer from a collector in South Dakota who had owned this vehicle as well as many others and kept them in great shape. The vehicle had been sitting in his collection without being driven, hence the low miles for a 35 year old car (check the Carfax, I believe this to be true mileage). Due to it sitting for so long without being driven much, I had a master mechanic in the vintage Mercedes sector (Golz in Deerfield, IL -- if you are a local and own a Mercedes, you should know the Golz brothers) go through the entire vehicle and correct ALL discrepancies. I spent about $9,656 (I'm happy to email copies of the receipts to a bona fide prospective buyer) going over the entire car and making ALL necessary repairs. Now, the car runs and drives great.

FULL DISCLOSURE -- Everything works except one item. This car has an electrically reclining rear seat. The actuating cable on one side is broken. It is an easy fix if you can find a replacement cable or repair the existing one. I never used the rear seat, so it was not a priority. I also did not monkey with the timing belt. My mechanic looked and listened, and advised me not to change it. The sunroof and vacuum actuated door locks all work as they should. This car starts and runs perfectly in all weather -- hot or cold.

Here is a brief, non-exclusive summary of what was fixed/flushed/repaired or replaced:

• New warmup regulator
• New rheostat(s) for console and dash lights
• All new ignition components (plugs, wires, distributor cap/rotor)
• New air filter
• All switches (windows, seats, mirrors) were cleaned or replaced
• New horn (two)
• Air conditioner converted to modern refrigerant and leak tested
• All fluids Flushed (transmission, engine, rear end,brakes)
• 8 new fuel injectors
• New alternator
• New rotor and distributor cap
• New Belts
• New Battery
• New front lower ball joints
• Replaced transmission inductive pickup harness (including 90 day parts warranty)
• New fuel line from the tank to the front of the vehicle
• Seats refinished and dyed to show their true deep black finish
• New power antenna
• New JW Speaker LED Headlights (originals included to return to factory look) such a huge upgrade in drivability