[W126 Coupe] Looking for a 560SEC

[Dawid Loubser]

Hi Malcolm,

I also live in Jhb, South Africa, and I recently purchased a 560SEC  
(white, 1990 model with 95,000km). What constitutes a "good price"
is highly subjective on these cars, based on condition, and  
mechanical soundness. Also, the major recent increases in fuel prices
seems to have pushed the selling prices down as well.

Consider what is currently available listed in the Auto Trader:
http://search.autotrader.co.za/www/cars_search? 
country=ZA&currency=ZAR&modelexact=1&make=Mercedes-Benz&model=560
(they range between R75k to R90k) Note, also, that good, late model  
560SECs are quite rare in South Africa - i.e. there are more
TVRs for sale in the Auto trader, than there are 560s at any given time!

I paid R135,000 for mine (see attached). I did a lot of research  
though, and I believe I got a bargain, because of the
impossible-to-find low kilometres (South Africans drive, on average,  
way more than Europeans or Americans - especially people
who bought these cars) as well as the original cosmetic condition.  
Also having the original 6-speaker-unit Becker stereo,
a brand new set of tyres, and so forth, helped to convince me.

I do think the most important thing you can do, if you're not  
personally inclined as such, is to have an expert look at a car you're
interested in. Before I bought my car I looked at another (metallic  
blue) car - a 500SEC, which was advertised as being in
"Concorse condition" (sic). The salesman was still trying to tell me  
how this was probably the "best I'd find anywhere" and how
the "rear seats were probably never sat in" - the car had done  
220,000km, and was completely resprayed, and starting to rust
below the indicator lights, etc. What a joke! But I can imagine how  
the liar sold it for the R85,000 they wanted, to some
unsuspecting person.

If you find a car, and want an absolute expert to have a look at it  
(verify accident damage, do a mechanical check, etc) I can
recommend (my now regular mechanic) Attie from SDA Motors in Brakpan.  
I take my car(s) [I have a 1963 220 also] all they way
from Sandton to Brakpan, he's that good (and well-priced, and, most  
of all, has honesty and integrity). The man can take a 560
apart in his sleep (and his rustic little workshop belies the fact  
that he services all kinds of exotic Mercedes', like 600s, 6.3s, 300SL
gullwings, you name it.). Mail me if you want his details.

Anyway, so the same old advice everybody will give you, is:

* Buy the most expensive one, in the best condition - and not the  
cheapest one. And as long as it's been properly serviced, don't
    worry too much about high km's - they *do* last forever.
* For the best experience, make sure the car is absolutely accident- 
free, which means it was never taken apart, so no rattles,
    broken fittings/clips, etc.  99.9% of repair shops are incapable  
of assembling even basic things properly.
* Make sure all the electronics work properly, e.g. the automatic  
climate control, the ABS, the Traction Control, the automatic seatbelt
   extenders - the works. This stuff is *seriously* expensive to fix,  
because there are almost no second-hand parts around, and M-B
   knows this - they charge what they want.
* If the car lived at the coast, careful for small patches of rust  
(especially below rear window sill) - but if it lived in Gauteng, our  
air
   is so dry, we never have rust problems.
* And lastly... go ahead and do it! There are very, very few cars in  
the world which give you the ownership experience these cars do.
   You *will* become a snob, and scuff at all other "inferious"  
cars :-) But, you only get that from a sound, maintained car. A bad one
    will give you all kinds of hell.

I "upgraded" from a brand new MINI Cooper S to my 560, so this was a  
whole new experience to me. Mail me if you need any
further info or amateur advice...

regards,
Dawid




On 16 Jun 2006, at 7:59 PM, Janet McNicholas wrote:

> Hi All Club members,
>
> Thank you for allowing me to join your club.
>
> My name is Malcolm, I live in Johannesburg South Africa. I work as  
> a salesman and I drive a small company vehicle.
>
> I want to purchase for my private use a big powerful safe coupe, so  
> I have decided on a 560 SEC a 1988 to 1990 Model.
>
> I saw a beautiful one last week a 1988 model, 180,000 Klm on the  
> clock for R85,000,  a second one I looked at was R60,000
>
> Kilometers unknown, do you think the first car was too expensive?  
> exchange rate approx $6.7 to the Rand.
>
> I would appreciate your input.
>
> Regards
>
> Malcolm
>
>
> The MB Coupes Website!
> W126 SEC Mailing List
> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

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