Mornin', Styria.
Hi OBH, that appears to be a cracking good car looks wise - I know that photos can 'lie', but it does look nice and straight. Whatsmore, 280SELs are obviously quite rare.
It is in excellent condition, bodily and mechanically.
The owner has been meticulous with by-the-book servicing by a proper Benz specialist (not a stealership), and has gone considerably farther. He even had the engine completely rebuilt at 200K km (now up to 275K km) because he "thought it might be getting tired" - though it displayed no symptoms of fatigue other than valve-guide seals smoking a little on engine overrun (he was just used to his earlier, non-Benz, cars wearing out at around that mileage)!
The a/c works well (has been converted and recently regassed), the Hirschmann works (the other aerial is for an old style two-way radio), there are no screen-seal leaks, no rust ... .
Tell me, how much is the owner likely to look for ?
He wants me to make an offer. As soon as I've accepted (or declined) the chance to acquire that car, I'll let you know. I've told the owner that if I choose not to buy it, I'll advertise it here for him.
Also, upholstery - leather or MB Tex ? [...]
Parchment Tex.
Surprised at Boris' fate - any reason for the delay ? You know, Jerry, Michel's man, would fix the hail damage in the twinkling of an eye lid. That's too nice a car to let languish in a shed, or leave in damaged condition. Regards Styria
My first choice of repairer had his quote refused by Shannons (who tried to knock $1400 off it - a $6K job). The Shannons (outsourced / subcontracted) assessor (who spoke like a real gentleman but proved to be a complete anal sphincter, calling me, behind my back, a liar, and denying about a third of the damage, despite having taken photos of it, and despite my having time-stamped photos from the day of the hailstorm and from the day before (sheer happy coincidence).
That prick then suggested I try another repairer that he named. Incidentally, I had chosen that repairer the first time, but after their not getting back to me for a quote session for more than six months, I went elsewhere. I've been back to the recommended mob every month for over a year (it's now 19 months since the hailstorm), and each time they have another excuse - usually some piece of excrement that's been in a bingle - and tell me "next month".
I have now started negotiations with Shannons for my previous choice of repairer to be accepted. After all, the one they recommended quoted only a few hundred less than my choice, so there's no saving involved for the insurer.
Meanwhile, wherever Boris has a hail-pock, he is now rusting, and will require more extensive repairs - probably twice as much than if he had been repaired promptly. (Another casualty of that hailstorm was Boris's carport, so he now lives unprotected. Not good, but the replacement carport is also a long time coming.)
There are quite a few other locals who are still awaiting repairs from the same storm (mostly, I gather, NRMA clients). More than 8,000 cars were damaged in that storm.
In a town of fewer than 50,000 people and about 30 panel shops, one might hope for a better outcome - though at least 25 of those panel shops are not worth approaching because of their crap attitudes and/or substandard workmanship.
Had I known all this beforehand, I'd have simply taken Boris to Brisbane (only two hours away) and had him fixed there, pronto. Too late now, so I'm just sitting it out. I wonder what hope there is of having Shannons cover the extra repairs required that are resultant upon the slackness / lack of enthusiam of their preferred repairer. Probably none at all, in which case I shall change insurer when my policy is due for renewal.
If you get the impression that I'm mightily pissed off, you'd be half right.
Happy Easter.
