1984 Mercedes-Benz 280SE

With just three former keepers this Lapis Blue over blue velour Mercedes-Benz S-Class was supplied by Bradshaw Webb of Chelsea in April 1984. The first keeper owned it for 23 years before selling it a private collector in 2007.

Still showing just 30,000 miles on the odometer—the MoT record has a gap between 2007 and 2017, during which time we surmise it was on display and not being actively used—‘A680 TYV’ is in a fabulous condition and would be as effective as a daily driver as it would taking pride of place in another collection.

And, it’s being offered with no reserve so will sell from the very first bid, no matter how derisory that might be.

No one rivalled Mercedes-Benz for build quality, back in the day and that build quality is on full display here; after almost forty years on the planet, its shutlines, panel alignment, and overall fit ‘n’ finish is pretty much as good now as it was when it left the factory. Even the wheelarches, which are prone to rust, are clean and solid.

The Lapis Blue paintwork is in fine fettle with a beautiful finish and shine, and it is beautifully set off by very good, albeit somewhat limited, chromework.

The lamp lenses and badges are also all good, as is the plastic trim that shrouds the lower section of the car. 

The Webasto sunroof fits well in its aperture, and it opens and closes as it should. And, isn’t it lovely to see brand names like this being used instead of no-name in-house stuff?)

As for the wheels, they’re covered with very good hubcaps and fitted with matching Dunlop Street Response 2 tyres, all of which are in great shape and still have good tread.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

It also looks like someone in the 280’s history has been a member of the Mercedes-Benz Club, which is more good news.

Of course, none of us survive forty years without picking up the odd scar and the 280 is no exception: the bonnet, the offside half of the front bumper, the offside rear wing, nearside door mirror, offside rear quarter, and offside corner of the rear bumper all have marks. 

The rear screen is also starting to delaminate.

None are serious or especially disfiguring and all could be easily chalked up to the car’s developing patina and ignored.

More pressing is the windscreen, which has a crack in the top nearside corner and the nearside rear door, which has a tiny area of rust developing on the window frame.

The velour interior is nothing short of magnificent. Grippier and warmer than the leather the uninformed choose these days, it’s a riot of blue and polished walnut veneer and couldn’t be more eighties if Margaret Thatcher herself was sitting in the back listening to Duran Duran on her Walkman.

And, hasn’t it survived the years well? With a vibrancy and crispness that speaks of fastidious owners, it looks very nearly as good now as it would have done four decades ago.

The seats are still firm and supportive. The lettering on the controls is white and untarnished. The door cards are still spotless and undamaged. The headlining is clean and taut. The factory first aid kit is in place in the parcel shelf. The warning triangle is on display in the boot.

Even the door shuts are clean and polished. 

We are told that everything works, including the electric windows so please ignore the comment in the notes in the photo album that says they aren’t!

It’s probably as close to a time-warp example as you’ll see this year. Or the next.

True, the veneer is a little worn on the far left-hand side near the door shut, and the stereo isn’t the original, but both could be sorted out easily enough if originality is your thing. (To make it even easier, there is a period Pioneer radio-cassette player in the very clean boot along with a matching Dunlop tyre on the spare wheel.)

If, like the seller, you’re happy to modestly upgrade it to better meet modern needs you’ll be pleased to discover the Kenwood CD player has a hands-free set up including a microphone, so you can use it to make and take calls (when if it’s safe to do so, obviously).

Last serviced in March 2023, the Mercedes also benefits from fresh oil and a new filter in the gearbox, new sparkplugs as part of a wider service of the ignition system, a recent part-exhaust, and brake pads. 

All-in-all, the owner’s spent almost two and a half thousand pounds in the past eighteen months getting it into the condition you see here.

Mind you, this level of curation is nothing new, as you can see from its service history:

• 15.11.2023 and 30,451 miles – ignition service by Simms Garage including new sparkplugs, HT leads, distributor cap, and rotor arm
• 15.03.2023 and 27,755 miles – service by Newtons, an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist
• 09.11.2022 and 26,272 miles – gearbox service by Newtons, an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist
• 24.05.2022 and 24,166 miles – service by Prestige Autotech, an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist
• 01.12.2004 and 17,968 miles – Mike Grainger Autos, an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist
• 13.05.1991 and 11,982 miles – service by (unreadable)
• 18.12.1987 and (unreadable) miles – service by Bradshaw Webb of Chelsea
• 10.05.1984 and 6,337 miles – service by Bradshaw Webb of Chelsea

As you’d expect, no MoT tester has ever had cause to mention structural rot or corrosion and the underside looks great; the jacking points even still have the rubber on them.

And the engine bay is a delight. Clean and well presented, it’s not overly fussy, just in the sort of condition you’d expect given its provenance. 

As you can see in the accompanying video, the 2.8-litre engine fires straight up and idles well with good oil pressure. It revs nicely too, and has a nice exhaust note.

The 280’s MoT certificate is valid until March 2024 and it was issued with just one advisory, for “Front Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated.” That’s pretty darned good, isn’t it?

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and the history file contains the original and stamped service history booklet, a selection of expired MoT certificates from 1989 onwards, a couple of old tax discs, two keys, and the owner's manual and original dealer wallet.

The seller has also provided a useful summary of the money he’s spent on the car since buying it in April 2022. You can read the details for yourself but the headline is that he’s spent the right money with the right people, including arranging for them to sort out the niggles most people would have ignored. 

Every hard-nosed car enthusiast has an Achilles’ heel, and for us this is it. A wonderfully original, beautifully preserved slice of Germanic heavy metal offered in what is a suitably regal and subtle colour.

And yet, for all its considerable charms this delectable slice of mid-eighties’ gold isn’t going to be expensive; while the price of some of its (lesser) contemporaries has soared, that of the W126 Mercedes range has been more of a slow burn. 

This one, for example, has a guide price of anywhere between £12,000 and £17,000, which is a staggeringly small sum for such a beautifully maintained machine.

Even better, the seller has enough faith in the magic of Christmas to offer it with no reserve. So, who’s going to play Santa, then?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.