Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: keesing on February 02, 2012, 17:08:09

Title: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: keesing on February 02, 2012, 17:08:09
The economic situation has forced me to look into selling my beloved Red '67 250 SL... She is close to perfect (driver), needs transmission! Question is should I try to sell her as is, or attempt to get tranny repaired? Obviously $$$ is a problem,
 ???
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL
Post by: Garry on February 02, 2012, 20:31:06


It will be difficult to sell a car when the proposed buyer cannot drive it. I wouldn't buy one unless it was really cheap, how do I know how it performs for engine,suspension, steering etc etc.  You will lose lots of dollars that way especially when you say it is close to perfect, and oh by the way the gearbox is stu&&eD
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL
Post by: keesing on February 02, 2012, 23:56:55
 ::) great point Garry... Appreciated!
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: pj on February 03, 2012, 02:58:33
This is something I've always wondered about. We seem to take it for granted that a buyer and seller will be strangers and come to the "trading table" as adversaries, not trusting each other. A system designed to get traders together when they don't have a reason to trust each other works fine for the stock market or maybe even the fish market, but I hope it isn't the only way to approach this. And you seem to have a perfect example. You want the buyer to realize that the car is terrific except for the transmission, so instead of being forced to knock the price down to "really cheap," why not encourage the buyer to come around, get to know you, check out the car in every reasonable way, maybe join this forum and get familiar -- as we hope they would eventually -- and then you can sit down and negotiate a price that's fair to both parties.
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: mdsalemi on February 03, 2012, 13:45:30
Fix the transmission and present the car in its best light.  Garry's points are spot-on.  If you can't run the car, it isn't a car but a jumble of parts and is to be priced as such.  If it costs $1,500 to fix the transmission, and you only expect a $1,500 reduction in your price, why would you pass this on to someone else?  Most buyers will be wise to this.
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: scoot on February 03, 2012, 15:28:13
I agree with Mike.  If you can put the $1500ish into the transmission, you will get a better price.
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: stickandrudderman on February 04, 2012, 09:53:49
I bought a 560SEC last year. It was a very tidy car with brand new and expensive new tyres on the AMG rims. The guy was asking £3000. The transmission was failed. I paid £500 for the car.
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: Cees Klumper on February 04, 2012, 11:52:10
I bought a 560SEC last year. It was a very tidy car with brand new and expensive new tyres on the AMG rims. The guy was asking £3000. The transmission was failed. I paid £500 for the car.

Have you no heart?!

;-)
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: JPMOSE on February 04, 2012, 12:34:21
Where are you guys obtaining a $1,500 figure for transmission replacement?  I would think it's more like $3,000 to 3,500?   SURPRISE ME....tell me $1,500 is true!  lol
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: twistedtree on February 04, 2012, 12:41:25
If you can get the transmission fixed for $1500 then I think it's a no-brainer to do it before selling.  My fear would be that the $1500 estimate would blossom into $3000 - $5000.  I just have no basis to judge it since I've never had one of these repaired.  And if the owner's goal is to raise money, dishing out $1500, or maybe $3000 or $5000 could create a real cash-flow problem.  It's a tough position to be in.
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: IXLR8 on February 04, 2012, 15:56:58


Perhaps the owner could post some details about the car--and some photos--on the site here, along with asking price.  What is wrong with the transmission?

One of our members might have an interest in the car.


the other Joe
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: JPMOSE on February 04, 2012, 17:43:51
I am sorry you have to sell that beautiful car!  I remember you purchased it around the same time I obtained my Pagoda.  I remember it was red and Tweedy Bird was a custom yellow.
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: Oisin on February 04, 2012, 17:51:10
Replacement of the box rather than fixing the existing one would be the way - the money you save by not buying a refurbished box (say £300-400) would be exceeded in identifying/fixing the problem with the existing one.  I had mine replaced for £!000 all in (plus it took care of that annoying flickering tachometer needle).  
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: dtuttle123 on February 04, 2012, 21:53:25
Hey TristedTree - don't you have a bunch of transmissions in your barn in Vermont?? 8)
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: twistedtree on February 04, 2012, 22:12:12
I do, but I don't know if any of them (I have 2) work.  The tags on them suggest not.  I couldn't sell either with a clear conscience.
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: JamesL on February 05, 2012, 09:28:06
Am I the only one thinking......250 with a nice new ZF 5 speed in it.... :o
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: JPMOSE on February 06, 2012, 19:02:05
Aren't the 5 speed ZF's very hard to find?
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: pj on February 07, 2012, 01:06:05
Hi J.P. (cool initials, by the way  ;) )
I think Tosh was making a joke precisely on the rarity of the ZF-5. But in truth, we keep hearing that the company is conjuring up a new batch of these magical creatures. So a 250SL with a busted transmission could indeed end up with a ZF-5!
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: t walgamuth on February 07, 2012, 11:14:59
There is or was a fellow offering a conversion kit to a newer getrag five speed I noticed here.  Is he still doing that?  Are pedal clusters and flywheels relatively available?
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: Garry on February 07, 2012, 11:24:09
The conversion kit was for a 4 speed manual to a 5 speed manual not from AUto. The member was Mark Bull.

Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: W113SL on February 20, 2012, 15:34:36
Post some pictures and an asking price.  I am not afraid to buy a non driving car.  But more importantly, how does the engine run?  Has it been started regularly?

Pete Lesler
Title: Re: 1967 250 SL About to Sell - Fix Tranny?
Post by: RonB on February 20, 2012, 16:37:16
I purchazed my 280 with a broken tranny. Drove the car about two blocks, stop at traffic light, hit the gas and no go.
Owner was in the passanger seat, was he shocked The price dropped buy 1/3.

Replaced the tranny with Lake Country Clssics. Ordered a rebuilt one from Euor Tranmissions. Fround them  in the Star Mag. I think they are in Newark. They just due euro wor. (BMW-MB-VW). Order it in the afternoon and was shipped the next day.
Returned the broke one in their crate. I do not know what the cost is to day. My total cost was $1800.00 with install by Bruce at Lake Country.

Give them a call.

Good luck Ron 

PS  Bruce drove my 280 before and the car check out ok.