1986 Mercedes 560SEL - CLEAN, GREAT-DRIVING BOULAVARD CRUISER

1986

Mercedes Benz
560 SEL Sedan

VIN: WDBCA39D26A255611

144,295 Carfax Verified Original Miles

If you’ve followed my Ebay vehicle auctions the past eight or nine years you’ve likely noticed we get a fair number of great vintage Benz sedans on a regular basis. This classic boulevard cruiser belongs to a close family member and she’s asked me to offer it here on her behalf. Calling your sister-in-law a “little old lady” can lead to problems, but that’s really who’s owned the car the past half-decade and during that time she’s added less than 3,000 total miles (while managing to spend over $8,500 bringing it up to her standards). Driving the Mercedes the past few days has been a real treat and I’m sold on it as a daily driver or a nice road trip vehicle. Take a few minutes to look over my photos and the respect and care given over the years will be obvious.

James Nordstrom (yes, one of the 2nd generation owners of the Nordstrom Dept. stores) purchased the car new at Phil Smart Mercedes here in Downtown Seattle on October 10, 1986 and it was been in this area ever since. The original factory manuals and service/warranty records are included; even the small metal ID plate detailing Nordstrom Inc. as the initial owner. All will arrive locked in the glove compartment. Please feel free to email, text or call me with any questions. My direct phone number is 206/914-1173 and my name is Mark Thompson. You’re welcome and encouraged to stop by my Auburn, WA warehouse to inspect the car and take it out on the road.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Ever driven one of these S-Class Mercedes with the powerful, bullet-proof 5.6 liter V8 engine? What a treat! Smooth is the word for sure. Smooth, powerful acceleration. Smooth handling in the curves or on the highway, too. Comfort, style, and versatility all in one great ride. I’ve always considered these W126 cars constructed through the early 90’s as the last hand-built, truly high-quality Mercedes and have heard others say the same thing! Look over the photos and I’m sure you’ll agree with me. What you see is the result of a wash and vacuum only. It’s obviously been allowed to spend a majority of its life garaged because the overall condition is truly better than most any other 32-year-old daily driver you’re likely to encounter. Rust? Please, this Mercedes HATES rust and I’m confident you won’t find anything here to worry about. Climb over, under and around this sedan, I know you’ll come up smiling!!

CONDITION:

In brief, this is a clean, well-cared-for, smoke-free Mercedes. I take pride in the vehicles I offer here on Ebay, feeling that you should know as much about them as possible before bidding. Accordingly, here’s a list of the good and also small things possibly to be sorted out: Hop in, fire up the powerful V-8 engine and it starts immediately!The automatic transmission shifts crisply through all gears, just as it should. I feel the car idles, runs and drives as intended – immediate strong, steady oil pressure, a good battery and properly functioning charging system. When warm, the engine temperature is maintained at just under the 80 degree mark on the dash gauge, no matter whether it’s been idling in traffic or plying the freeway for hours. There is NO excessive tailpipe smoke or blow-by.

I have receipts for repairs & maintenance completed within the last 3 years/3,000 miles that will come with the car. These included:

· A new A/C compressor and conversion of the factory system to modern R134a refrigerant.

· A new Alternator and regulator

· Engine Mounts

· Camshaft, rocker arm and oiler tube replacement

· Valve cover gaskets

· New radiator, hoses and coolant flush

· Front brake calipers, disks and pads

· Front ball joints and wheel bearings

· Several window switches

· New Battery

· Tune-up

The factory gray metallic paint is in good condition (having had one re-spray to the original color) and holds quite a shine. I find NO fading clearcoat, rust spots, paint nicks, thin spots or any rock chips. The fenders, doors, rear quarters and floor pans are all solid. The original factory windshield is still in place with no cracks and only one small bulls-eye chip (out of the driver’s sight-line). All four factory wheels are straight and true. They’re wrapped with older 205/65R15 Touring Radials each with at least 70% remaining tread.

Take another good look at the interior photos. The tan leather upholstery and carpets are all-original with the pictures giving an accurate view of condition. Hop in and feel comfortable sitting on these seats for hours. No visible shrinkage or wear-through spots on any of the leather front or back. Beneath the driver’s sheepskin cover is a small puncture/tear on the backrest at left kidney level (never sit down with a screwdriver sticking out of your back pocket!). With that exception, the driver’s seat is about the same condition as the passenger’s side bucket pictured.

Because this is the longer wheelbase model (hence the "L" in "SEL") the car came with the power adjustable, heated rear bench seat (the front buckets are heated, too). All the dash gauges are bright and true. The push button heater and fan system work fine. It’s quite rare to find a vintage Benz with a still-working factory stereo. This one’s been replaced with a nice Sony AM-FM/CD. There are no visible leaks anywhere on the spotless headliner. You’ll find the jack, unused spare and factory tools in the trunk as pictured. Pop open the package shelf bin and there’s the original first-aid kit AND it’s never been opened. I’ll be sure the rare carpet matched rear passenger footrests are also in place when the Mercedes ships out to the next caretaker. About the only issues left to be sorted are: The clock doesn’t work and the power antennae has an aftermarket replacement. The sunroof isn’t opening and the vacuum lock system is finicky, although all locks are functional. That’s about it. Please don’t be upset if I’ve missed a minor flaw or a small amount ends up needing to be spent fixing a problem I’m unaware of. No used car is ever perfect! Having said that, I would not hesitate to drive this Mercedes long distance immediately.

I’m always very happy to work with any shipper you choose, but you’re also welcome to do what many of my previous buyers from as far away as Alaska, Arizona, the Midwest, Canada, Florida, New York and even the Mexican Baja have done – fly in here to Seattle (I’ll pick you up at Sea-Tac International just a few miles away) and then start a summer road trip home!

Please check the photos over closely and call me with any questions BEFORE you place a bid! Because of the amount of money involved with a vehicle purchase, we reserve the right to cancel your bid if you have any negative feedback. I also ask that potential bidders with a feedback rating of ten or fewer transactions on Ebay contact me before placing a bid. Finally, we reserve the right to end the auction early if the Mercedes is no longer for sale or an acceptable offer has been agreed to before the end of the auction period. Please feel free to contact me directly thru Ebay’s system or, as outlined above, call or text me at 206/914-1173 anytime. My name is MARK THOMPSON.

A Few Additional Terms and Conditions:

The entire purchase price is due by cash (in-person only), a wire transfer or other certified funds within seven days of the auction closing. I can accept credit/debit cards but will need to first send an invoice from our card processor and ask that the 3.5% fee charged by them be added. 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 or then come inspect and test-drive the vehicle later -- You’re more than welcome to do this before the auction ends.

If you do decide to have theBenz shipped home, there are numerous vehicle transportcompanies to choose from. We ship vehicles regularly and I'd suggest you get bids from the transporters listed here on the Ebay site by pressing the “Shipping” tab found above this description section. I do have a local company many of our buyers have used for delivery all over the country and I’d be happy to get a COD bid from them after the auction is completed. The zip code for pick-up is 98002 (Auburn, Washington). The shipping of the vehicle and company chosen are the responsibility of the BUYER.

TheMercedes can be stored free of charge for up to two weeks after the auction ends assuming full payment has been received. After that period storage is $20 per day. Though I have NO doubts about the vehicle’s road-worthiness or ability to easily manage a long-distance road trip, it is being sold “as-is, where-is”. All information described above is based on the observed condition when thelisting was placed. I've done my best to describe the car as honestly as possible and encourage bidders to contact me with questions.