Mercedes-Benz 500-Series (1988)
for sale
Price: US $22,999.00
Price: US $22,999.00
1988 Mercedes 560SEC – Show-winner
with Euro and Lorinser Add-ons
OVERVIEW AND HISTORY
It is with some regret
that I am selling my fully-documented, award-winning, low-mileage 1988 560 SEC. Sold new by Palmer Import Motors in Long
Beach, CA, this beautiful 904 Midnight Blue on 274 Java coupe has never left
the state of California.
I purchased the car in
2009 with 66, 000 miles on it and have put a little over 10, 000 miles on it
since. I drive it regularly for business
and pleasure and when not driven it is stored in a climate-controlled underground
garage. I have the complete set of documents, books and records since new, down to the original salesman’s business
card.
The car runs, drives and
looks beautiful. When I bought the car, it was equipped with stock U.S. spec equipment, which has since been upgraded
with hard-to-find OEM Euro-Spec performance and cosmetic upgrades.
For
performance, I added OEM MB Tri-Y Headers and a custom exhaust system, while
keeping the stock catalytic converter and all CA-mandated equipment. (These headers are reported to increase output
by about 25HP.)For appearance, I ditched the giant U.S. spec bumpers for the correct and much sleeker gen2 OEM
European bumpers. (Some of you know how
hard, if not impossible, these are to find). I also added OEM Euro headlights and blinkers and deleted the wipersAdditional modifications
from stock are all from well-known Mercedes tuner Lorinser. I added staggered 16x8/9, 3 piece BBS-RT for
Lorinser wheels with color-matched centers, a leather Lorinser steering wheel
and a Lorinser burlwood shift knobI showed the
car with these modifications at the Legends of The Autobahn in Monterey and it
took 1st prize in its class
I have spared no expense on this coupe. Below is a complete rundown on its condition and some additional
information –
MECHANICAL
The stock-US-spec M117 5.6L V8 with upgraded exhaust provides plenty of
torque and HP and just a subtle note of performance. Road manners are top notch, as are handling
and braking, and the car is comfortable whether tooling through L.A. traffic or
cruising on the open highway.
Under my ownership, maintenance
has been performed at only the top local Independent Mechanics, using only the
best or OE parts. I have a 3–ring binder FULL of receipts for parts and services -- this is a complete service history since new.
The car
is mechanically excellent, the engine starts without hesitation, idles smoothly
as it should at 550RPM and pulls strongly through the gears. Speaking of gears, the timing chain, guides
and rails were done at approximately 70, 000 miles.
The car performs and handles very well -- as would be expected since the
entire front end was also rebuilt less than 7, 500 miles ago. The car rides on performance BF Goodrich G-Force
Sport tires, which like the front end have less than 7, 500 miles on them. The front and rear shocks and springs are
also new, and are OEM replacements (with the lowest spring pads to give a
slightly aggressive stance… One additional note on the suspension – the prior
owner removed the SLS.)
All electrical, lights and gauges function as they should, including the
power sunroof which functions flawlessly. In addition, both the seat belt presenters work every time. In addition the heat blows hot and the A/C
blows ice cold. The original Becker
radio was removed by the prior owner in favor of a new Alpine AM/FM/CD unit
which works well and includes Sirius XM functionality. The only issues I’m aware of are the idiot
light for the SRS and light bulb stay on. That’s it.
If you look closely at the photos of the immaculate engine bay, you’ll
notice a number of new / recently replaced parts including the nice white
expansion tank, but more importantly the new battery, new power steering lines
and new fuel lines. Also new are the
power steering pump, drive shaft, flex disc, hood pad, valve cover gaskets, and
other small / misc items
EXTERIOR
The exterior of this car is in excellent condition.
The 904 Midnight Blue paint, which is a very
high-quality respray, is marred only by very minor imperfections (none of which
are significant enough to detract from the car’s overall appeal or even appear
in the pictures)The body is in great condition, entirely straight
and retaining factory consistent gaps and panel fitsAll of the glass, rubber and chrome is in fantastic
shape, as are the bumpers and lower body trim. (The rear glass still retains the factory radio anti-theft stickers!)The 3 piece BBS-RT / Lorinser wheels are near
flawless, with ZERO curbing.
INTERIOR
The 274 Java interior of this car is in great shape, was never smoked
in, and shows none of the issues that can plague these w126 coupes.
All of the wood was professionally refinished by
Madera Concepts in 2011 and still looks like newThe dash pad is perfect and free of cracks. It has never seen any Armor-all or siliconeThe restored instrument cluster is mint, with
bright orange needles that show zero fadingThe headliner was replaced and does not droop or
sag. C-pillars are excellent and do not droop or rattleThe door panels are clean, with nice carpet and
minimal wearThe driver seat shows slight wear (see pic), the
rest of the seats are very nice. Carpets
are similar, with driver showing minimal wearParcel shelf was recovered and is excellent
Those who really know these cars will notice that the seats and door
cards are from a late Gen2 (‘89-91) model. I replaced the ’88 stuff with the later edition equipment, well, because
it is just nicer and better quality.
ABOUT ME
I am a collector and an enthusiast and not a dealer. I am a long-time eBayer with 100%
feedback. I’ve bought and sold cars happily
and successfully here on eBay (including the sale of a 1983 500SEC AMG). Please check my feedback and bid with
confidence.
I have tried to describe this car as accurately as possible, and I've included as many pictures as I can. I've posted photos in different types of light so you can see how the 904 Midnight Blue changes color from shade to sun. If you
have questions please don’t hesitate to ask. The car is for sale locally and on enthusiast forums so I reserve the right to end the auction early. In case you want to know, the only reason I am selling the car is to fund a 1989 AMG SEC Widebody project.
You can message me here or call/text 818-749-7764
update: 2016-06-07
Condition: | Used | Year: | 1988 |
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): | wdbca45d7ja389968 | Mileage: | 76,838 |
Number of Cylinders: | 8 | Make: | Mercedes-Benz |
Transmission: | Automatic | Model: | 500-Series |
Body Type: | Coupe | Trim: | 560SEC |
Warranty: | Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty | Engine: | 5.6L M117 |
Vehicle Title: | Clear | Drive Type: | RWD |
Options: | CD Player, Leather Seats, Sunroof | Power Options: | Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Windows, Power Seats |
Exterior Color: | Blue | Fuel Type: | Gasoline |
Interior Color: | Tan | For Sale By: | Private Seller |