W126 280SE Mercedes – Classified of the Week

There are few things in life as pleasing as looking down the bonnet of your car only to be greeted by a three-pointed star at the end of it. You look at that and you get a swell of pride, a moment of unabashed joy – you’ve made it, you’ve got a Mercedes-Benz, and you didn’t have to ask a higher power for it like Janice. You bought it, you earned it. 

But here’s the thing. The three-pointed star carries with it a hefty price tag, right? It’s a car only for the wealthy and fabulous, surely? Well, for some Mercedes models, yes, this is true. However, if you look hard enough, and if you’re willing to put a bit of work into the car, you can find a cheap Benz that’s just as cool as those with the eye-watering price tags. A case in point would be this utterly wonderful W126 280SE. Arguably one of the most handsome, but also most reliable Mercedes ever built. And this one, road ready, could be yours for a mere three grand. Now that is some serious bargain motoring.

This particular 280SE had just one owner until 2015, after which it was sold to another elderly gent who racked up 4,000 miles before selling it to the current vendor. It looks to have had an exceptionally easy and cared for life. We’ve had a look through the MOT history and bar a few wear and tear suspension bits, there have been no horrors. No corrosion, no damage, just regular upkeep. But then, when a car is built this well, it’s hardly surprising. There’s also the benefit of a new set of tyres and a new battery, which have just been fitted by the current vendor. The front bumper chrome has started to corrode (a common problem on the W126), but the vendor states the car comes with a new one.

Having owned a 280SE, we can tell you that this is a wonderful classic car. The build quality will make modern cars blush, the smoothness of the ride is off the charts, and you also don’t need to listen to the forum keyboard warriors – the 2.8 straight six is plenty of engine. You’re not going to be setting any land-speed records, granted, but you won’t be late, either. 

This timewarp (it still has the original radio) machine is so, so much car for three grand. Continue to look after it and it will run forever. If it ever does let you down, parts availability is excellent, and there is no shortage of specialists on these cars. But you more than likely won’t need them. Believe us, if we had the money lying around, we’d be picking up the phone and buying this. Classic car ownership doesn’t have to cost the earth, and this W126 is evidence of that.