Mercedes-Benz 300-Series (1951 – 1962) Review

Item: Mercedes-Benz 300-Series (1951 – 1962) Review 2024
Author: Administrator

Mercedes-Benz W111 280 SE Coupe

£53,131

View more cars for sale

Mercedes-Benz 300-Series (1951 – 1962) At A Glance

Elegant, imposing, beautifully-engineered

Expensive to restore

Despite the slow start after the War, Mercedes-Benz soon got back into its stride, with the introduction of the 300. Aimed directly at established competition such as the BMW 501, it became one of the most opulent prestige cars of the decade.

Featuring a smooth, alloy overhead camshaft straight-six engine, all-synchromesh four-speed gearbox and cosseting independent rear suspension, the car established Mercedes-Benz as a major force in the prestige market once more.

The facelifted 300B of 1954 received more power and servo-assisted brakes, while the 300C of 1955 gained an automatic transmission as an option. An elegant four-door Cabriolet was built between 1952 and 1956 and is has many admirers today. The fabulous two-door 300S of 1951 featured a shortened chassis and three body styles – a fixed head coupé, a convertible and a roadster. The SC version of 1955 had direct fuel injection and dry sump lubrication.

Completing the range, the 300D from 1957 had a longer wheelbase and a restyled body with a more upright stance, wraparound rear screen and fully wind-down windows making the sides completely pillarless. The car was made in limited numbers only (just 3008 were built) but even rarer were the cabriolets – only 65 of these were produced.

Ask Honest John

We have a garaged 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 that we want to sell - is it worth getting it running first?

"We've been given a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 that we now wish to sell. It's been garaged for the last eight years. It has 157,000 miles on the clock and is in very good condition, although some of the chrome work is tarnished. Would it be better to sell it as seen or have it serviced to get it running again before selling? What are the problems we could expect, and how much would it be worth as seen compared to as a runner with an MoT?"

The very best examples of these cars can be often be found on dealers' forecourts for around £5000, while projects can often be had for around the £500 mark. So you can see there's quite a big difference in price when it comes to condition. There's no doubt a car is easier to sell if it's up, running and roadworthy (i.e. has an MoT). But it's a catch 22 situation, because you won't really have an idea of what it needs to get running again until you try. You might find that the car will come to life with a fresh tank of petrol and a new battery - in which case you'll just need to give the car a full service with new coolant and fluids. On the other hand, you may discover that it requires significantly more work than you realised to get it through the MoT. Here's what I'd suggest, find a local garage that you want to work with (use our Good Garage Guide: https://good-garage-guide.honestjohn.co.uk to make a shortlist) and speak to them about doing an inspection. Not all garages offer this service, but if you can find a good Mercedes-Benz specialist they should be able to give you a list of all the cars faults - and an idea of which ones need fixing to make it roadworthy. Make sure you ask for this to be priced up with labour, parts and VAT. Remember, this is only a guide - fixing cars is always an adventure. Fixing one fault leads to another and jobs always take longer than expected and often require extra parts. But at least it'll give you an idea of how much you'll need to invest to upgrade your car from a £500 non-running project to something you can sell for £1500-£2000. You don't have to fix all the faults - but any potential buyer will appreciate an honest appraisal of any work that needs to be done. Remember these prices are only a guide - you'll need to have a look at some current models for sale to get an idea of where your car fits into the market and price it accordingly.

Answered by Keith Moody

I think that older cars can be much better value than newer cars.

"Concerning recent correspondence about Jaguar XFs, diesels are more economical but by a very small margin when you consider the cost of fuel and diesel maintenance costs. I get 35mpg on a long run and overall average 28.5mpg from a Jaguar XF 3.0V6 petrol using 95 octane. It is a very good car indeed. My only criticisms are loss of visibility due to thick windscreen pillars and mirrors combination (but this also applies to Mercedes and BMWs) and it could do with a wiper on the rear window (which my Rover SD1s hatchbacks had with a similar window angle). What annoyed me when I went to the main dealer to place an order, was that all the stock cars were diesel and had low profile tyres so I had to specially order a petrol engine, 17-inch wheels and a spare wheel. The tyre repair kit supplied cannot fix a shredded tyre. I find the cheapest and most comfortable motoring is with elderly quality cars that do not have any of the modern electronic and mechanical problems. Our 1996 XJ6 4-litre has just been handed over to one of my sons at 54,000 miles and runs as smoothly as new with no rust. It has the original disc brakes and most of the original exhaust system (we had to replace the rear section at 140,000 miles). The only replacements have been two rear shock absorbers and a water pump. Our 1991 Mercedes 300SE (from when Mercs were well made) has only done 84,000 miles and has had no parts replaced at all, although the garage tells me the discs will have to be changed next service. Paintwork is perfect and it has no rust, but it is not as well made as the Jags and the seats and interior are not comparable. It only does 23mpg average on 95 octane but as it cost only £6500 six years ago, depreciation is negligible. To replace the XJ6, which my wife drove, I bought a 1998 XJ8 3.2 V8 for £1900 from a local family via eBay, having covered only 51,000 miles and in perfect condition. What a bargain the larger cars are. My 1998 R129 SL280 (which you recommended to me two years ago) has been very good on long journeys and has had no faults. Again it is a pity the interior is not up to Jag standards."

Many thanks. Interesting to hear from a reader who actually has an XF 3.0V6. Wonderful engine, used in everything from Mondeos to Nobels. Your XJ6 must have pre-dated the removal of asbestos from brake pads, which is when pads gained metallic content and discs started to be made of a softer iron alloy. And you have a proper Mercedes. You might be interested in this: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/mercedes-benz/mercedes-benz-w123-230e-1986-road-test//. A friend of mine, Mike Stone, who writes for the Evening Standard, also has an R129 SL280 V6 like yours.

Answered by Honest John