1978 Mercedes-Benz 400-Series

Sedan

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

11603312080765

Gasoline

1978 Mercedes Benz 450 SEL Sedan VIN: 11603312080765 Here’s another increasingly rare, nice running & driving vintage Mercedes we’ve just acquired for our eBay customers. This 450 four-door represents the zenith (and one of the last years) of the hand-built sedans that Daimler Benz began producing in the mid-fifties and exporting to the USA. The quality and detail of these classic vehicles, combined with the rugged, powerful durability of the 4.5-liter dual overhead cam V-8 drive train make them among the best and most iconic models ever to come from the Fatherland. Several weeks ago it was turned over to us for sale to a lucky new owner. Please contact me directly at 206/914-1173 with questions or to make and offer before the auction ends. My name is Mark Thompson. You’re also welcome and encouraged to make an appointment during business hours to inspect and test-drive this fine car at our Auburn, WA warehouse. The Mercedes was represented to us as having less than 88,000 actual miles as shown on the six-digit odometer. I’ve since put on almost five hundred more traveling in-city and on the highway the past month and am very pleased with the way it runs out overall. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: Ever spent an afternoon driving a classy, vintage Mercedes Benz? What a treat! Smooth is the word for sure. Smooth powerful acceleration. Smooth handling in the curves or on the highway. Comfort, styling, and versatility all in one gorgeous ride. For my money, these 116 body style sedans are some of the best values for the overall driving experience that a classic Benz has to offer. Look over my photos and I’m sure you’ll agree what a find this is. You’re viewing the result of a wash and vacuum only! I know you’ll appreciate its overall provenance. The car has obviously been allowed to spend a majority of its life garaged because the overall exterior condition is superior to just about any other 33+ year old MB you can find. Climb over, under and throughout - I know you’ll come up smiling! Rust? Please, this 450 SEL hates rust and you won’t find anything to worry about here. I know this car hasn’t seen any salted winter roads during the past two decades! Having owned many dozens of Daimler vehicles over the years, I’ve developed a great appreciation for the Mercedes style, mechanical reliability and overall driving experience. I KNOW you’ll be proud to own and drive this wonderful car. In total, this is an ultra-clean, smoke-free Mercedes. I take great pride in the vehicles we sell and feel that you should know as much about them as possible. Accordingly here is a list of the good and also things needing attention: Hop in, pump the gas and fire up the 4.5-liter V-8. It starts up on the first few cranks – even when cold! The car has immediate, strong oil pressure, a strong battery and charging system, no overheating, and no brake pull or alignment issues! Our mechanic went over it and told me all that was needed (and done by them) was an adjustment to the automatic transmission exterior modulator (I still find the shifting is a bit sluggish to my liking, but very serviceable – I wouldn’t hesitate to drive this car cross-country and I’ve now put at least 300 miles on it the past two weeks). Just to be extra sure, a spare transmission and torque converter will be included with the car. They’ll be well wrapped and in the trunk when the Benz leaves here for a new home. Under the hood is a service sticker showing that the A/C system was upgraded to modern R-134 refrigerant and it blows cold, just as it should (the heater works great too). The medium brown metallic paint is in very good overall condition and holds quite a shine. You will NOT find rust bubbles in any of the usual spots under the surface. The chrome and exterior trim all around is in way, way above average condition. The entire undercarriage appears to be in great, solid shape as well. I’ve always been a fan of Mercedes factory non-chromed alloys as they are about the most rugged wheel made. These are straight and true. All four are wrapped with 205/70-R14 Michelin XV4 radials at least 70-75% remaining. Take another good look at the interior pictures. The front buckets are in fine condition. All the wood dash trim is exceptional. You’ve got to love the classic provenance the clean, brown real leather upholstery adds over the more common vinyl-tex material. It adds a very delightful, rich odor to the interior. There aren’t any rips, tears, fading or wear-through spots, but a good leather dressing is in order to keep them preserved. The rear bench does have the typical wobbly cushion breakdown as pictured. All the dash gauges and exterior lights are bright and true. An original factory Becker “Mexico” cassette stereo is still in place and belts out tunes superbly. Honestly, these vintage units are so much better and more dependable than the stereos in modern Mercedes. I’m always amazed that Daimler can’t deliver a new car today with a decent factory sound system that lasts more than a few years before going haywire! Please BID WITH CONFIDENCE and know that you are purchasing a nice car from a respected Ebay seller. I want you to be happy with your purchase (and with me) and that’s the main goal! Please don’t be upset if I miss other minor flaws or you are required to spend money on an unforeseen problem! No used car is perfect. Based on the amount of time and miles I’ve driven it, I have every confidence this vehicle could go cross-country tomorrow. We’re happy to work with any transporter you choose, however you’re welcome to do what many of our previous buyers from as far away as Alaska, Arizona, the Midwest, Florida and even the Mexican Baja have done – fly in here to Seattle (We’ll pick you up at Sea-Tac International a few miles away) and then begin a road trip the same day! C’mon, this car would be a blast to drive home just about anywhere! Please Note: We will NEVER, EVER “shill” or falsely "bump-up" an auction (a violation of eBay rules and also Federal Law) and we will NEVER solicit a “Second Chance Offer” from ANY Bidder! Because of the amount of money involved in buying a vehicle, we require that new eBay members with a feedback history of five or fewer transactions call or email before placing a bid. If I don’t have this initial contact, your bid may be cancelled. The phone number to talk directly to me, as outlined above, is 206/914-1173. Please feel free to call any time during the auction. My name is MARK THOMPSON. A Few Additional Terms and Conditions: Please check the photos over closely and call with any questions BEFORE you place a bid! You’re encouraged to inspect the vehicle at my storage warehouse, so send your representative early to be sure you don't miss this one. We reserve the right to cancel your bid if you have any negative feedback. DEALERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO BID AS WELL! Additionally I reserve the right to end the auction early if the Mercedes is no longer for sale or an acceptable offer has been agreed to. A nonrefundable $500 deposit is due within 48 hours of the auction’s end. Because of the high fees that PayPal charges, I accept PAYPAL for the deposit only. The balance is due by cash (if you’re picking the car up in person) or certified funds within seven days unless prior arrangements have been made. Please remember you are bidding to buy and I fully expect the winning bidder to fulfill their Ebay contract! You’re not bidding to hold, inspect or then come test-drive the vehicle later (as you’re more than welcome to do this before the auction ends). If the car is being transported home, there are numerous vehicle shipping companies to choose from. I’ve shipped hundreds of cars and trucks and suggest that you get transport bids from several carriers at the www.U-ship.com website. The zip code for pick-up would be 98006 (Bellevue, WA) to get an instant on-line quote. The shipping of the vehicle and company chosen are the responsibility of the BUYER, but call me as I am always willing to make suggestions based on your location. You’ll also need to be responsible for the licensing requirements in your state of residence. If you live here in Washington we’ll need to collect the 9.5% sales tax, title preparation and transfer fees. For out-of-state buyers - we WON’T collect any sales tax from you. The Mercedes can be stored free of charge at my location for up to two weeks after the auction ends assuming full payment has been received. After that I’ll charge $15 per day as I really don’t have space for long-term storage. The State of Washington shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all disputes. Venue shall be exclusively in King County. The final contract signed between both buyer and seller shall be binding. The final signed contract and terms thereof shall govern the sale. All disputes arising out of or relating to this auction, any negotiations, the signed agreement, or to the breach, enforcement or interpretation thereof, shall be resolved by binding arbitration in Washington, in accordance with the terms contained in the final sale agreement and under the laws of the State of Washington. Whew! Don’t you just love legalese?