An Entry Level S Class? W116 280SE

Even Mercedes S Class models can come basic. This one is just that. But...still an S Class. From an era when no expense was spared. Even if it's Elfenbein and Germans would yell TAXI at it! Ride along with me.

[@ShervinsGarage]

This color is Maple Yellow (606), and the interior is Parchment MB-Tex (105). The "German taxi beige" you're referring to is actually Light Ivory (623), the most common color for Mercedes-Benz cars in the late '70s. Most of the taxis were actually W123 models.

[@bjornaltmann8184]

I love the W116, have so nice childhood memories with the 350 SE my father had. As I saw his car the first time in 1980 when I was 12 years old I felt in love with it and that has never changed. Last year I pulled finally the trigger and after a long investigation I found a first hand W116 6.9, German delivery, 100.000 miles, in anthracite grey and tan leather, manual AC, sunroof and with the very rare ABS and electrical rear seat! Cannot be more happier! Thanks for that well done review!

[@DougsCars]

Oh wow, I’d love a 6.9!! Great color combo too.

[@ciaran_socal]

The manual a/c may actually be semi-automatic: what they call “regulated” or temperature controlled. If so, it will probably have temperature readings on the dial, rather than just blue and red. Although it cannot control fan speed, what that does is turn the compressor on and off, or the heat source, to maintain a constant temperature. It’s more efficient than manual a/c, and more comfortable to use (no fiddling with the temperature controls necessary).

[@bjornaltmann8184]

@@ciaran_socal The automatic temperature controlled air conditioning is of course more comfortable than the manual. But I am pretty happy nor having the automatic, because it is more complex and you have more often problems with it. As far as I know Mercedes was purchasing that system from Chrysler at that time. Mainly for the US Market. In Europe the manual air conditioning was installed more often than the automatic.

[@ciaran_socal]

@@bjornaltmann8184 Yup! I’ve use the “regulated” manual in a W124 in Europe, and it was very effective! 😉

[@jeffg4093]

Happy belated birthday Doug! They say if you want to know what cars will have on them in a decade, just look what is on an S-Class today

[@DougsCars]

Haha, thanks!! Ahead of their time.

[@GregTardif]

love the hazard button

[@DougsCars]

It works!

[@Romiman1]

The entry model was the 280S with carburetor instead fuel injection. I have had a '78 280SE, golden ext. /green interior. Rusty, thirsty, but rides fantasticly!

[@franknew9001]

Wishing you a very happy belated 46th birthday!!! 😊😊 Congratulations on reaching 3,000 subscribers.

[@DougsCars]

Thanks so much!

[@pstreetgarage7304]

Beautiful car. I owned a 124 wagon that I imported from Europe years ago. It had the regular small bumpers.

[@DougsCars]

Wish you still had it!

[@pstreetgarage7304]

@@DougsCars Yes. Me too

[@oliverlondon5246]

Love that colour and the wheel covers

[@petercollingwood522]

I owned the actual "base" model 116. A 280S with the Solex4A1 carb in South Africa. It was dark blue but had leather seats instead of Tex, manual windows instead of power and no sunroof. Though it did have A/C, but the Euro version not the Chrysler Autotemp monstrosity that this car has. Of course it had none of the smog stuff that chocked these cars in the US so it was actually rather quick off the mark and fantastic at high speeds. Still the most comfortable car I've ever owned. I'm hoping to have another 116 some day. I'd like a gas one but here in the US I'll likely have to take a diesel as they sold a lot more of them here than the gassers.

[@Bamsebrakar2011]

The 280S was only sold in the US between 1975-77.

[@petercollingwood522]

@@Bamsebrakar2011 Yes, but they sold the 280SE as well. Also of course the 4.5 liter V8 which was the most common apart from the 3 liter turbo diesel. I'll take a V8 if thats the best option. It will have a better performance than the US spec 280 anyway.

[@Marklin15]

If you have to have a gas one buy a Euro spec one. There were many imported via they grey market back in the day.

[@rudolfpianos]

I have one euro car w this color exact. I would say, this is the pinnacle of the mercedes SClass line

[@Bizmyurt]

Those were the best rear lights, wished new models would have had it! Last model having them was w123 unitil 1985.

[@prakashnarismulu3332]

Those rain channels over the doors prevent the passengers from get wet when exiting the cars

[@MrOpope]

the windscreen wipers were like this so as not to interfere with the vision of the road, since they are in front of the passenger. Also, there was a rear defroster, but the wires are so thin that you have to look very closely to see them. I own a euro 1978 280 se ( i'm in France ), when you use kickdown, the car accelerates very quickly

[@Bamsebrakar2011]

MB Tex seats are incredible. They look like new after 50 years.

[@Barcetta1]

9:25: this car indeet has heated rear window (the switch is located beside the power sunroof switch - above the AC). you only cannot see the wires as they are special thin.

[@googpix540]

Mercedes are amazing vehicles i font think Doug understands or appreciates them. BTW the seats are called horsehair but its really stuffed with coconut.

[@ciaran_socal]

Love the wipers. Wonder what the design objective was? I’m sure there was one!

[@ciaran_socal]

P.S. There’s no such thing as a “base model” S-Class. It was the lower powered engine, but not base otherwise. 😉 P.P.S. I believe the chrome strip covered channels you mentioned on either side of the windshield were to direct rain away from the side windows. On cars without this, you'll frequently get a constant flow of water across the front door windows during rain, interfering with vision. My W211 E-Class and W203 C-Class have them too, although they're less obvious. Also, if the driver's door is open, the automatic wipers are paused. That gives some insight into the the in-depth thinking at Mercedes-Benz. Not sure if they still have that today, though. 🤷‍♂️

[@DougsCars]

Ve are makings ze best vipers ever!

[@Bamsebrakar2011]

The interior styling issues around the side windows are a safety padding as well as looking rather plush.

[@bigboss-oz2vi]

classy mercedes

[@ajdahun]

wow, so many fallacies. I'll correct only one. The tail light design. During the development of this model, MB CEO was driving home one winter night and rear-ended a car in traffic because snow n slush had accumulated on the tail lights and they were not visible. The next day he challenged the engineers/designers to find a remedy. This is the result. It channels the air stream created while driving down the side of the lense and around the corner to the rear of the light to keep it clean. It works.

[@Bizmyurt]

w123 did not have soft suspension and felt like new cars! The one you are driving is probably not in top shape!

[@T0bh]

It is soft compared to today's cars. But that's not a bad thing

[@ahmedkadiri1127]

It's an insult and total lack of taste to refer to this car as an "entry level s-class" and to refer to its bumper as a bench ? My God, what a crass joke.

[@Marklin15]

I agree with you about the entry level comment but you have to admit these cars look much better with the Euro bumpers and lights the engineers intended them to have.

[@Cuddlebear074]

The lack of automotive knowledge in this video is mind-boggling.

[@noudidnt43]

Happy belated birthday Doug! They say if you want to know what cars will have on them in a decade, just look what is on an S-Class today