Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

[katiejmid]

I have just put a hefty deposit down on a 280SL pagoda - I am hoping to look at the car over the weekend. I have driven about 5 pagodas so far, and only one seemed right, but it was the 250SL. If I do buy the car, which is highly likely, as it has done 23,000 miles from new, has all old MOTs to verify mileage, all handbooks, tools etc and looks immaculate. These original pagodas don't come along very often!

Is there any specialist in the South East London area who I could take it to for a service etc when it needs one. I have heard Roger Edwards in Wembley is the pagoda specialist, but people have different views and ideas about specialists. I live in Chislehurst nr. Bromley Kent.

Thanks for your help.

 

[television]

Wonderful cars the 113,,I used to do a lot of work on a 280.

Indeed Rodger Edwards is a good guy on these cars and not too far for you to go

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I have just put a hefty deposit down on a 280SL pagoda - I am hoping to look at the car over the weekend. I have driven about 5 pagodas so far, and only one seemed right, but it was the 250SL. If I do buy the car, which is highly likely, as it has done 23,000 miles from new, has all old MOTs to verify mileage, all handbooks, tools etc and looks immaculate. These original pagodas don't come along very often!

Is there any specialist in the South East London area who I could take it to for a service etc when it needs one. I have heard Roger Edwards in Wembley is the pagoda specialist, but people have different views and ideas about specialists. I live in Chislehurst nr. Bromley Kent.

Thanks for your help.

Good morning and welcome to the Forum. What a wonderful find. We all look forward to you posting pictures of the car ant to hearing your views on it in use.

You might also consider gracing one or more of our get togethers during the summer (separate category with a thread for each)?

 

[stats007]

Are you a Mercedes-Benz Owners Club member? I wouldn't even think about buying a car like this without having sought advice from the experts on there.

Roger Edwards was a legend - the garage still has a very good reputation.

 

[katiejmid]

Are you a Mercedes-Benz Owners Club member? I wouldn't even think about buying a car like this without having sought advice from the experts on there.

Roger Edwards was a legend - the garage still has a very good reputation.

I have had a long chat with them at Roger Edwards and they gave me some good advice, buy the best you can afford. It is down in Bristol at the moment, so we are going to see it on Saturday. It is supposedly concours condition (we'll have to wait and see).

I am about to join the Mercedes Benz owners club!

I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[stats007]

Concours low mileage W113 is likely to be about £45k - an independent specialist inspection would be a must IMO.

 

[katiejmid]

Concours low mileage W113 is likely to be about £45k - an independent specialist inspection would be a must IMO.

I am paying slightly more than that (aaargh)! Do you know of any specialists down in Bristol who would meet us and have a look at the car?

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I am paying slightly more than that (aaargh)! Do you know of any specialists down in Bristol who would meet us and have a look at the car?

Hi. You are clearly a real enthusiast and are prepared to invest in the best. The cautionary note that you have evoked would be emulated by any of us for any car purchase, but is very important here.

Given the sum involved, rather than doing this too informally, it might be worth spending a little more and asking an acknowledged specialist expert to accompany you. No reasonable vendor would resist such an approach.

http://www.silchestercars.co.uk/ I think are such specialists and might be worth a call. Clearly they are competitors with your vendor in everyday life, but as your agents that should not give them a conflict of interest.

 

[BillN_33]

IMHO

If you are not an expert, spending over £45K on any "old" vehicle is a foolish step to take without a report from an acknowledged expert, plus the usual HPI and insurance checks.

History, (Providence), is also very important in vehicles of that value

As I said, just my views

Also, remember that if it does not feel "right" there will always be another!

 

[television]

Hi. You are clearly a real enthusiast and are prepared to invest in the best. The cautionary note that you have evoked would be emulated by any of us for any car purchase, but is very important here.

Given the sum involved, rather than doing this too informally, it might be worth spending a little more and asking an acknowledged specialist expert to accompany you. No reasonable vendor would resist such an approach.

http://www.silchestercars.co.uk/ I think are such specialists and might be worth a call. Clearly they are competitors with your vendor in everyday life, but as your agents that should not give them a conflict of interest.

That is a useful link Alex, They do know their SLs well, and there should be no conflict with what they have to offer, not that far away either

 

[Pagoda45]

Katie,

its very important to have a car at this price checked by a specialist as many cars are not what they seem.

Look for original welds along front wing and in the boot floor.

Avoid 'Silchester' with a bargepoll as they have a BAD reputation with the 'Pagoda' community.

Also check out 'sl113.org' thats the Pagoda Forum to look at.

 

[garajeantiguo]

Altough is an old post and I´m new to the UK forum I would have bought the 250SL, they are rare and most wanted, mechanically talking is simple, cylinder heads on the 280 are 6 different ones and the power you get is similar to the 280, this later one improved the engine output torque.

I don´t know any specialist in UK, I´m a good one in Mercedes in Spain but I´ll try to get a good advice from a good friend in UK who has Mercedes classics.

 

[katiejmid]

I never bought the aforementioned Pagoda as I felt that I would not be able to use it as it had such little mileage on it, it should have been in a museum!!

It's been a long time since I posted on this forum, but am now on the search for a Pagoda, but am not able to spend as much money on one!

Does anyone know of one for sale? (Silver would be my prefered colour).

Would like to buy from an enthusiast and not a dealer, as they hike their prices up far too much!

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Thincat]

I think there's another classic car bubble developing - like there was back in the late eighties. Prices for anything collectable are sky high at the moment but it can't last.

 

[Alex Crow]

I think there's another classic car bubble developing - like there was back in the late eighties. Prices for anything collectable are sky high at the moment but it can't last.

true enough, with such poor interest rates people are looking round for other investments. if they look at classic cars and see the prices going up they may wish to join the party, but i am minded of the south sea bubble...

that said, the 113 is such a nice car, and can be genuinely used as a means of transoport if in sound condition.

 

[kth286]

but this time we have the talk of raising CGT, and there is nil capital gains tax on cars.

 

[jaymanek]

I have just bought one and loving it..

Just spent the weekend converting it from 4 to 5 speed manual!

obviously there is only one main thing to look for... rust.

mechanically they are simple cars and as long as you have some mechanical knowledge, im sure you will be fine to look over the car yourself.

any blue smoke when pulling away from idle will indicate hardened valve stem guides.. will almost certianly be an issue on a low mileage car.

 

[television]

Is that a 5 speed manual Jay or auto

 

[jaymanek]

Manual... It was a 4 speed manual...

Lovely now, i can drive at motorway speeds and have a conversation with the passenger

 

[stickandrudder]

95% of pagodas for sale are attempts at making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Anyone considering buying one should have an acknowledged expert look at it first.
Ask me how I know.....