1972 MERCEDES 280 SE 4.5

• THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS

• IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR AN ORIGINAL 280 SE,  YOU WON’T FIND A NICER ONE ANYWHERE!

• Always Garaged

• Incredible Original Condition

• Looks Like New—See the incredible pictures

• Ice Cold A/C and Original Becker Radio

• Best Preserved Mercedes 280 SE 4.5 You Will Ever Find

• Eight Cylinder 4.5 Liter Engine

• CALL IRWIN @ 786-517-7002

• OR EMAIL Irwin47@aol.com

                                                        WITH QUESTIONS OR OFFERS

This car is far and away one of the nicest original Mercedes 280 SE 4.5’s  in existence. Most of these cars made it only to the junk heap, but this car was lovingly cared for all of its life. I purchased this car from the agent acting for the second owner. It spent most of its life in a climate controlled garage in California and was kept in impeccable mechanical and cosmetic condition.

I can make you a promise: you’ll never pass another 280 Mercedes on the road that is in better condition than this one. I’ve seen and owned a lot of 280 SE 4.5’s and have never seen a better one.

This car is a stunning specimen. It is one the nicest 42 year old cars of any kind that you will ever see. The paint on the car is a beautiful cream color, is mostly original, and still has a high sheen. It even feels ‘silky’ to the touch.  The interior (which is hard to tell from new) is a spectacular saddle color. The color combination causes oohs and ahs everywhere it goes.  This car has drawn incredible attention at local shows in the time I have owned it. Just last weekend a film crew for the TV show “The Garage” filmed a segment on this Mercedes (which was picked out of 100 cars at a local car show) because of its condition and originality. It could easily win a preservation award at a national show.  

The interior of the car is completely original. It is a 42 year old interior that is as close to new as I have ever seen. People are always commenting on how unusual and striking the color combination looks. The door panels and arm rests are original and are exquisite. They are the best original door panels that I have seen on a car of this vintage. There is not a mark on any of the 4 door panels. The seats are near perfect. The headliner and sun visors are original and are absolutely beautiful. This car has one of the most unusual and beautiful dashboards ever made, and it is in excellent condition. I HAVE NEVER SEEN BETTER DASHBOARD WOOD ON A MERCEDES 280 SE 4.5: NO cracks, NO fading, NO discoloration. What may look like flaws in the photos are simply reflections. The chrome parts of the dash look close to new. It just doesn’t get any nicer in a car of this vintage. Carpeting is also like brand new. There are no stains. What you may see In some photos are simply shadows, that's all.

The car runs superbly. The car is equipped with an extremely powerful 4.5 liter, 230 horsepower engine. The engine is extremely quiet and purrs as it travels down the road at 70 mph. This is one of the best engines ever made by Mercedes and still has most of its life still in front of it. The 6.3 Mercedes was the fastest production car made in 1972, and the 4.5 was not far behind in speed. This is a wide car and could really seat 6 people comfortably and could hold another 3 lying side by side in the trunk for those of you that still try to sneak extra people into the Drive-in. Note, there is a groaning noise in the power steering, but I believe that it is just air in the lines.

Please check out all the close-up photos and look particularly down the sides of this car. It is as straight as an arrow. This is an original, absolutely straight, no-rust car. It has a completely original trunk with beautiful original floors and the nicest original trunk mat that you will ever find in a 42 year old car. The engine compartment is excellent and up to show standards. This Mercedes was maintained so well you can't believe that it is 42 years old. The chrome on the car shines bright and it looks great. However, it is not perfect because it is original and is 42 years old. The overall bright work on the car is very, very good, with no pitting on the chrome or pot metal.  This car would score well at a local show or a National Show. It’s that nice. The brakes have been completely redone and the radial tires are like new. The wheel covers are perfect. Odometer reads 06,100 - true mileage unknown.

                                                                                                                   HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:

There are no production figures broken out for 280 SE 4.5’s that were sold in the US. The car weighed 3649 pounds, and sold for a whopping $10,076, which was a lot of money in 1972. 1972-73 was the last year that Mercedes hand built their car before moving to a production line.

                                                                                                                         ABOUT THE SELLER:
In real life I am a retired school principal. I have been collecting cars for over 40 years and collect only original cars that have been extremely well kept by previous owners. Collecting cars is a personal passion. The thrill of finding a well-preserved 42 year old car is unbeatable. THIS IS THAT KIND OF CAR. The car belongs to me. I am not an agent acting to sell someone else’s car. The car is resting wonderfully in my garage. The above description is mine, not a third party's. If you have any questions, please contact me at

                                                    786-517-7002

                                                                                                                   IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
This vehicle is being sold without a warranty; it is sold AS IS and WHERE IS. The description above is for informational and narrative purposes only. Bidders and prospective purchasers are cautioned to conduct their own due diligence, including a physical inspection in person or through a qualified third party inspector or appraiser, before contemplating a purchase or making a bid on this vehicle. In fact, we would welcome such an inspection, and will make every effort to make the above described vehicle available at a time convenient to the perspective purchaser or their agents.

Please be sure you have the ability to send a 20% deposit within 48 hours if you are the winning bidder and be able to pay the balance within 7 days thereafter. Wire transfer preferred, but cashier’s check is fine. However, neither the car nor the title will be released until the check (or wire transfer) clears my account.