1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupe - Jay Leno's Garage

[@AKOutback]

That's what I noticed about Leno, guy is obviously financially well off, but he hasn't lost the value of money, knows when things are expensive and isn't afraid to admit it.

[@Johnsormani]

He still makes the wrong choice by 3D printing a part

[@thesteelrodent1796]

@@Johnsormani only thing wrong with that is that the knobs all look different, which would drive me nuts

[@freedomworks3976]

German engineering can't be beat ❤

[@TheVagolfer]

For Jay to have worked at the Mercedes dealer when he was a kid and now to have the three nicest Mercedes they sold at the time must give him real sense of satisfaction and nostalgia.

[@UberLummox]

Because the Euro lights weren't sealed beam headlights as required in the US - since 1940 I believe..

[@brainfulify]

It's very enjoyable to just relax and listen to Jay tell us and show us all about the car without any obnoxious music or editing. It really makes me feel like I'm there. Thanks for sharing!

[@ht-js5qh]

Well said. Jay is at his best when waxing lyrical about a great car.

[@KingLich451]

well he'd probably put some good old classics if not for the "royalties" y'know, youtube's bullshit...

[@marcscordato4385]

matt w good point many you tube clips are obnoxious

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Not You Tube, the appropriate authority as well as the recording companies. The average pleb does it and it is ok, someone of Jays status has to pay!

[@JoJoJoker]

matt w just like the old days of 2007.

[@klauspohl1142]

My dad got his first 220 S in 1960 (the first in Hamburg) and it was fun to see him "showing off" in his new Mercedes! He was in 7th heaven and I had to clean the car every week to earn my keep. So I appreciate the sound when the doors shut and the wonderful smell of the leather seats. In Europe it had the "tear drop" lights, rather then double-stacked! What a great car it was!

[@moparedtn]

These "solo" Jay videos are like Zen to me. Just Jay and the car, with him telling us all sorts of little stories and giving us details of the restoration and of the cars' story. He's often said he doesn't buy cars as much as he buys their stories. I understand that completely and appreciate it.

[@montinaladine3264]

I agree.

[@danialk8387]

Stunningly beautiful car. Thing of beauty, joy forever. Yes nothing but the best.

[@JonBlondell]

Jay, it's nice to see you by yourself, talking about your car that you obviously love. I always dug these too!

[@aviduser1961]

I had the same thought while watching. It's been a while. Great car. Great episode. I too love that era of Mercedes. We had a 1970 250.

[@daviemaclean61]

I couldn't agree more. My favourite era for Mercedes, and quite a lot of other cars come to think of it!

[@adamlezama4311]

Jon Blondell ii

[@khunopie9159]

Jay's social media admin will surely pass on your comment Jon ...

[@kennethj1956]

You know; I have the 4 door version of this car......... 280sel 4.5 with only 29,000 miles on it. It's chocolate brown and in beautiful shape being garaged it's whole life. I'm going to sell it because sadly I don't drive it. Does this make me a bad motorhead?

[@JohnBarrow1961]

She's a beauty. Cars with classic lines like the 280SE never go out of style. I LOVE the fact that it's a coupe.

[@prof2yousmithe444]

Jay, as a pastor to a community of special needs individuals, I will never, ever, ever, own a car this exquisite. I was in the auto parts aftermarket for over thirty-two years and I know a few things about automobiles. Our company president owned many nice cars, one of them was a Mercedes. That was my dream car! The draw to me was the detail on the way the car was put together. The "fit and finish" of the car was beyond anything I had ever seen before. It totally blew me away. Thank you for going through your garage and showing us some of the world's finest automobiles. I do not believe people understand the love and detail you have put into these projects! It blows my mind going through these with you! You do not realize how much of a blessing you are to people! May God continue to truly bless you and please know you are in my prayers. Take care and thank you once again!

[@XL883CNick]

Nothing like a vintage Benz. It's a driving experience that modern cars cannot replicate.

[@jif.6821]

What a beautiful car from another era. Thank you Jay for sharing this awesome automobile. I grew up with my dad driving us around in his 1960 Mercedes Benz 190D diesel with 4 on the tree, leather interior, and amber fog lamps. He bought it a couple months before I was born so it was the first car I knew the first 11 years of my life. I remember him buying diesel fuel at the boat harbor for 10 cents a gallon. To this day I still LOVE the smell of diesel exhaust. If I ever win the lottery I'd buy and restore a 1960 MB 190D in honor of my dad.

[@Taugtaug]

You don't need to win the lottery. Old 190 d Mercedes are not that expensive. You can get a nice restored (!) vehicle for 20k. At least in Europe. I think that is an amount, everybody can save up to

[@jmbpinto73]

Those were sweet, very well built and economical to drive. Over here in Portugal, they started the trend of most taxis be Mercedes Benz diesel. Not fast cars, but you can drive them forever.

[@mikekaatman3194]

Try to do it ship one from Europe ..you will not regret it.

[@bcuz2975]

Mercedes built it's reputation from These cars. I got to drive one like this in late 70s. Ride quality and sound buffers was class leading. Thanks for sharing.

[@jackmaddox4960]

I found one of my dream cars in Tucson, a 1966 230 'Heckflosse', one of the very few Benz chassis with real, proper tail fins... Twin Solex carbs, a 4-speed manual transmission, and an authentic dealer-installed 'Kuhlmeister' AC unit..! Gotta love the name, and one of the coolest looking AC's you'll ever see. It was my daily driver for about 5 years, and now it's undergoing a slow as-I-have-time-&-money restoration, to bring it back to 100% of it's original glory, even though when I parked it, in well-worn but original condition, the damn thing just ran and ran and ran. Probably the best, most reliable car I've ever owned...

[@ashleygordon3467]

Nice review. My brother and I bought almost the exact same car 5 years ago, only ours is right hand drive (RHD) as we are in Australia. We bought it in Sydney then flew down and drive it home to Brisbane- a distance of around 670 miles. Ours is the same colour as yours, but with navy blue interior. They only made 245 of these in RHD of which 58 came to Australia- ours was the 27th of those. Very fortunately ours has all the options - sunroof, BEHR a/c, 4 electric windows, floor mounted chrome plate auto shifter, Becker radio - all of these were optional extras in Australia. The drive back from Sydney was wonderful - no problems and even at the end of the trip you just want to keep driving. Survival rate at least herein Australia is epic, but the stock here has been diminishing over the past decade as English and Japanese collectors in particular buy them and take them home. This happens because due to climate our examples tend to have far less rust and are more solid so buyers come from other RHD markets. It has also been a fantastic investment, more than doubling in value since we purchased it, as evidenced by the regular offers. It’s not for sale and has a special place in our small collection which also includes a ‘65 220 SE cabriolet, a ‘69 280 SE sedan and an ‘81 107 SL. All wonderful cars. Keep up the great work and I enjoy the ‘pandemic editions’!

[@gregorywills2231]

When I think of Mercedes, that is the type of car I think of. Beautiful car!

[@edwardcallender7296]

Jay Leno is so on point when it comes too Classic cars . I have owned two W-108 Mercedes Benz sedans my first was a great model 250 S , with the rare 4 spd transmission and Ivory Steering wheel she was a great highway cruiser and loved driving it on the open road , Straight Six with Twin Zenith Carbs and it had AC . The Coupe , pillarless not easy too find these days . especially the 3.5 Small block V-8 , the 250 S, SE ; and 280 S, SE were bullet proof engines that would easily go 250,000 and up before ever needing too be rebuilt and very reliable . I drove mine daily for years in the 1990's , it was so much fun to drive and people were always curious and asking me questions about the car . Today I drive a CL 500 Pillarless Coupe but I tell you what ..if I can find a deal out there I would definitely buy one of those Classic Mercedes from 1966 -71 . Thanks for this article Jay ...really Nice ! Ed Callender, Mercedes enthusiast

[@mudemmeonick]

These episodes are much more enjoyable than having some guest showing some one of a kind car that no one will ever drive and hardly even see. On a side note, Mr. Leno, those paint dots on the tires serve a purpose. Those, depending on brand mark the heaviest or lightest point on the tire and when assembling should be put near the valve or 180.º opposite. With so much attention to detail, that shouldn't be overlooked too as it may help a wheel require much less weights to balance which in turn, if the driver as a fine feeling, leads to a much more supple driving experience.

[@kangy3213]

"$450 for a knob from Germany, well we're not gonna do that" I love it.

[@robertamoyaw1979]

Jay, is very reasonable n logical. Just because your A/C is not from Germany, doesn't mean you can't enjoy your Mercedes😁

[@rnash999]

@@robertamoyaw1979 He's worth $400 million and still has the right attitude.

[@realityshotgun]

That really stood out to me, too. He could easily afford that type of gaudy crap. But he knows that's outrageous, doesn't matter if he's rich enough, he'd never want to tell people he paid it. Great guy.

[@303nitzubishi4]

Understanding the law of diminishing returns is part of the reason he became a multimillionaire

[@PaulZink]

These coupés are also among my favorite cars, and like Jay, for personal reasons also. When I was in high school in the 1960s, my father ordered, via a Daimler-Benz connection of his, a customized 1967 250SE coupe (the 6-cylinder predecessor to this car, but otherwise identical, except for more Zebra-wood trim, such as the entire instrument nacelle). Picked it up at the factory in Europe with his business partner and drove it around Europe for a bit before having it shipped home to New England. This Mercedes was equipped, as specified, with a 4-speed manual (on the floor), was finished in ivory-white lacquer-which made my dad me made me wash with a bucket of warm water and kerosene! Most impressive of all, the coupé had a natural tan pigskin interior‚ including not only the full seats, door panels, kick panels, dash top, etc, but the entire headliner. When you got inside, it smelled like you were in a Crouch & Fitzgerald attaché case: the car defined "Posh".

[@briannumme9337]

I’ll take this generation of Mercedes than anything that’s in the showroom today!

[@malcolmjcullen]

My Dad had one of these in the late 70's. Sold it when my little brother was born, which may explain my lifelong antipathy towards him.

[@johnsmith1474]

Makes sense. My little brother got my holster and six gun on my birthday when I was six because he was sick. I never liked him afterward. Boys are evil.

[@electron2601]

I know how you feel. My dad also had one and sold it when I was in high school. It had a temperature sensor problem. I was hoping he would try to get it fixed, but I think my neat-nick step mom talked him out of it. :(

[@rodrigogarcia971]

Hahaha it's funny because it's true

[@parentsbasement7734]

My brother and sister still say Christmas was ruined because of me, cause mom and dad had to buy for 3 kids so they didn't get as much.

[@happycat3399]

This car made me fall in love with Mercedes Benz. Our Greek neighbor when I was a kid had this model and year. I thought it was THE most luxurious car ever. It took me 45 years, but I finally got my Mercedes! 💕❤️every time I drive her it is pure joy 🤩 relaxing, solid, responsive, comfortable. I could go on and on😃it just makes me so happy. I’m with you Jay!

[@clevelandaeromotive]

I grew up summering in southern Germany traveling around in the 4 door versions of these cars. Seeing that steering wheel brings back so much nostalgia for me. Thanks Jay!

[@MrMustangrick]

My parents had a 280 SE 4.5 sedan. As a kid I thought it was so cool, learned to drive in it.

[@landrover4444]

At Foreign Motors we bought a 1966 Mercedes 250S, a 1970 a Mercedes 220D and in 1972 a 280 SEL 4.5, black with blue roof and blue leather interior. My dad remembers you prepping the cars.

[@hoppysport2872]

Was with my uncle in 1971 when he went to Foreign Motors to buy his 1971 Mercedes-Benz 250s. He later had it serviced at Digioia Mercedes-Benz Repair in Worcester, Massachusetts. He always said that he put generations of Digioia's through college. However, when we were at Foreign Motors, they had a 1957 Gullwing for sale for $7,900. Yikes! I still cringe.

[@dickramyan3053]

Jay Leno. Thank you for sharing your cars and passion for them, with us. Your relaxed and detailed presentations, with your personal back stories makes your presentations truly enjoyable. You have a massive collection of beautiful vehicles that you could easily hide from the world but you don't. To us car and motorbike enthusists, your are golden....and to me personally, more entertaining than any guests you had on your TV shows,. Thank you for your efforts.

[@charlesbutler4646]

Jay, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this segment. I think it is one of your best. My dad had an earlier model, a six cylinder sedan, and it was very smooth. Two Solex single barrel carbs, and four on the tree. It looked similar to yours, not quite as well appointed. The Bosch AC worked for us because we lived in the Carolina mountains, but outside of that region it was an embarrassment. It just gasped moist lukewarm air. I always prefer Continental tires to Michelin. They are so well made. I've had Michelins, Firestones, and Pirelli tires spontaneous delaminate, and I don't trust them. You are so right about the build quality of MB. It was superb. Today, I don't know... The solid wood panels are an elegant touch, and a way for MB to snub almost every other car builder. Again, thanks for the truly wonderful segment, I love these kinds of projects. Please do more.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

Charles Butler The Continental's on my 1976 Moto Guzzi 1000 seem to be good for at least twice the miles of any other motorcycle tire I have ever had on any bike and I've had a few.

[@matthewcoldicutt5951]

I think there are more than a few of us on here whose dads had one, Charles. In my case it was a best friend's dad . In those days I was car mad , and even at the sge of about 11 the 280 SE felt a very different beast to most of the other cars that my chums dads were driving in the UK. The Rover 3.5 P5 coupe fitted with the old Buick 3.5 V8 was in some ways a very good comparison, beautifully coachbuilt and smooth and luxurious as you like, but based on an older design, so wouldn't have the all round handling of the Merc. Even the Jaguar 4.2 XJ6, Mk 1 would have struggled on luxury and performance, I feel, as it didn't have anything like the room inside . Fuel injection was quite rare in the UK then. In every way the 280 SE set a fresh standard and its price made sure it was never too numerous. A purist's car.

[@kentlarsen5834]

What a beauty, as the camera moves in and out and around, it glistens at every angle, it just makes you love the style and design.

[@deanbarnes1252]

Cars of this era has so much soul. It’s like they were alive.

[@jcollins1305]

Man those 70’s Mercedes are my dream car. I’m not a rich man but maybe just maybe I’ll own one one day. Thanks for sharing Jay.

[@Gambantein]

My grandmother had a red one with black leather. Loved that car! It broke down on the autbahn, they checked in at a hotell and the next morning Mercedes had fixed the car (changed the gear box).

[@goranjankovic5925]

How do you break the gearbox on the best car ever???

[@ralf-peterberg1083]

@@goranjankovic5925drop it at full speed in “R”: some say it stands for “Rally” … Seriously, at the time, stick shifts were standard in Europe. Automatic was widely unknown. Could have been anything that killed the shift box: mechanical failure, driver’s error or even using engine oil instead of ATF (worked a while, but not too long).

[@markyoung01maccom]

What a piece of art. It’s timeless, this is quality.

[@wjjnjr]

Jay, thank you for sharing your beloved collection of cars with all of us. A real and rare treat for us to experience an almost first hand feel of riding along with you as you cruise down the boulevard or rev it up on the highways. You bring out the wanna be vintage car collector in all of us. You are well loved and respected by all!!!

[@flyingsquirrel9996]

I've never really given older Mercedes much attention until I saw you talk about the ones you have on the show. They are truly beautiful cars and I really want one now.

[@jimmyblues59m76]

Love these old S Class Mercedes. My parents have owned one for the past thirty years and really enjoy it. The car has a solid feel on the road that is truly impressive and the doors have that bank vault feel when you close them. Truly, a quality product!

[@samastaneh8998]

Jay I just want to tell you I love you man, you're a real guy, solid man, never got lost in your money stayed true and humble, never bragging or silly behavior, what a fantastic example of a man you are.

[@stevenswm9844]

Absolutely love those old Benz's. And the over and under style headlights are awesome...just like my over and under style shotgun I prefer! lol

[@VintageTexas59]

This bring back memories driving a old quality Mercedes, I had a 1974 350 SE with V-8 and huge sunroof, plush inside, and what a great car on the road. One time while visiting Germany I drove down autobahn cruising along on the far right lane as the much faster (free speed) can swish by in a second in the other lanes, but the Mercedes were quiet with enough power to keep up and enjoy the scenery. No issues at all, not cheap on gas but enough power for easy acceleration when needed. Just a great car & outstanding build quality. Only major repair I did was the timing chain at 100.000 miles + regular tune-up. Nice during summers with the sun-roof and good heater in the winter time. Michelin tires take the road noise away from other cheaper tires while driving on freeway or crappy roads. Thanks for sharing Jay.

[@sitandfish]

My favorite period of M/B styling.

[@Anatoli50]

Thanks Jay for so eloquently expressing the special nature of this era of MB automobiles. I have been fortunate to own many cars, but the S Class Mercedes products from the mid 1960’s to 1972 are my favorites. The 6 cylinder cars were equally delightful to drive, trading a bit of torque for a livelier chassis. The driving experience compared to contemporary American sedans was stark: the Benz felt orders of magnitude higher quality. Remember, American cars were almost entirely solid rear axle equipped. I remember racing up and over the Santa Cruz Mountains on Old Page Mill Road in my 1971 280 SE 4.5 and leaving pure sports cars behind. That rough historic wagon road made the solid axle cars bounce all over: the Benz just hooked up and allowed me to apply full power. Crossing the Bay on the Dumbarton Bridge at 130 mph is another fond memory. That one owner car cost me $5000 in 1990, but remains an all time favorite.

[@tharealgaming5802]

What happened to ur 280se

[@ThatManitobaGuy]

I can understand why people keep and look after those Merc's they're beautiful cars by any standard and the quality is as I understand it superb.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

People that bought that era Mercedes, kept it garaged when not in use and lovingly cared for it always struck me as very wise and raised right. Say, a doctor who keeps his well looked after example for decades seems a very smart guy with no concern for keeping up with the status quo by trading in Detroit's finest every 3 years? Yeah, the Mercedes owner looks way smarter. By the time his kids inherent it it's likely a $100,000 classic Benz.

[@mrABOZI]

As a Benz person myself, I share Jays nostalgia towards these era models. Such a chilled out vid.

[@jgpwlcs36]

My dad has a 280sl with the pagoda roof that has less miles on it than my 2013 Vw. It isn't sporty at all but is just such a unique car to drive in an indescribable way. Everything from the bank vault doors to the cruise ship steering makes it such a cool experience.

[@KimballHansen]

Great video, Jay. When I was a teenager back in the late 60s/early 70s, my Dad bought two wrecked Mercedes Benz 220Ds, cut them in half and welded the two good halves back together using baling wire. It turned out surprisingly good. You couldn't tell just by looking at it that it was two car halves welded together. Before taking on the Mercedes project, he did the same thing on a couple of VW beetles so he kind of knew what he was doing. We drove the Mercedes 220D for tens of thousands of miles without a problem. I attended a relatively small high school in Globe, Arizona, and I remember that me and the doctor's son were the only two guys who took their prom dates to the dance in a Mercedes Benz. Great memories. Thank you for sharing with us your experience, knowledge and wisdom on everything automotive.

[@TheERICABROWN]

Best coupe I've EVEEERRR seen!

[@bradsmith9189]

Two comments: 1) I really enjoy and appreciate Jays honestly (On many levels) in these videos. 2) I just noticed, with the quality his guys offer and my large LCD TV screen, you really do get a sense of being there. When they did the close up of the engine bay I realized it was actually life size. Held my hand over the air cleaner and it was in perfect proportion. I was there!:)

[@WillieJu]

Wow! My ALLTIME favorite Benz ! If you have one of these, you know you have class !!

[@junkorbust9498]

Hi Jay. A few years ago I sold an old pickup and bought a 1965 220SE for even money. These are wonderful cars. My car is a project. It has some things going for it. The engine and drivetrain have been recently rebuilt. The wood, leather and headliner are in good shape. All the trim is on the car and is driver quality. The floors are rusted but the structure is still mostly sound. I believe we can have the car in driver form for around $10,000 all in. There are too many stories of these cars being of ridiculous value now a days. It is just an old Mercedes, but a very beautiful one no doubt. We will not try to go for show quality, it would cost more than the car is worth and surely take the fun out of it for us. We will make it a driver to be enjoyed. I just wanted to share my story with your viewers to bring home the fact that there are still good worthwhile projects out there at reasonable prices. You have to study up and be ready to deal on very short notice. The story of how we got to own a nice Mercedes like this is almost worth the amount of money I have in it. Thank you for all your work in the hobby.

[@scottipippen6554]

"It`s Germany, you know, the summer lasts for like..two thursdays"- made my day, lol! Greets from Munich, Jay! Keep up the good work with your videos..

[@antoniocarlosmadeira8590]

It's so much better when Jay is showing a car of his own.

[@davidk8184]

Thank you Jay for keeping such a beautiful car for posterity.

[@benjamingp7442]

What I love about Jay, is he is humble. It's about him. It's about his cars, his knowledge. Not look at me I have lots of cool cars. Him just sharing his experience. Wow. Inspiring.

[@aaronlitchfield1268]

Hey Jay, great video, as usual. I've been watching religiously since 2008. Just for kicks, turn the radio on once, maybe the fans can chip in and help pay the royalty lol. Seriously though, this may sound a bit sentimental, but sometimes I feel like I got nothing going and I might be pretty bummed, but then I get a notification from youtube that you released a new video. Thanks for coming through every single week. It's really nice. When I have the dough to fix up an old car, I'll always picture you over my shoulder, keeping the restoration process honest. I love your work ethic.

[@maxsmodels]

It is kind of sad that so many young kids today have so little interest in cars, especially vintage ones. You can feel the history. Wonderful.

[@carldeithloff9412]

Story time with “Uncle Jay”. What an enjoyable and interesting appreciation for craftsmanship.

[@antivanti]

Wow. Seeing the perforated headliner gave me a strong sense of nostalgia. We had a Mercedes when I was a kid and always when going somewhere I would look up and "look beyond" the roof so the dots would line up differently and it was pretty trippy.

[@michel94485]

Fantastic car, I too love the 60's and early 70's M-B's !!!

[@johndeere1951a]

That 3.5 v-8 was a quick reving engine👍 My career began as an apprentice at a Greenwich Conn. dealer, (1971-90) lasted for 20 years before my 27 years with BMW, Rolls, SAAB, Delorean. Loved the MB quality, my training, the German philosophy with engineering. I earned Star Technician award 1980 and 1982. Becker was exclusive official radio. If you see a Blaupunkt it was added later. " Engineered Like No Other Car - Mercedes-Benz" Please replace that generic radiator cap with a correct Behr 1.0 bar cap 👍

[@BGNRich]

I love that model Mercedes, it's more like art than a car.

[@mikekaatman3194]

It just exudes engineering ...use of top rate materials..built to last and overall best quality available.

[@mikekaatman3194]

Deutsche gründlichkeit....look it up ..it explains it all.

[@detonator2112]

Is it nostalgia? I don't know but how could ANY car fan NOT like these cars? They're just so amazingly beautiful and stylish cars. Modern Mercedes look great too but this era was something special as Jay said.

[@rubioo93]

"Let me cut infront of this lesser Mercedes!" The same model I own 😭😭😭

[@bullieboi]

Jay, you are the coolest. Thanks for going alone and being so clam and loving with this car. It is so beautiful.

[@k5azebud988]

No matter how much money you have, sometimes it's just the principle. 450 dollars for a knob is shameful...

[@missionDan]

K5AZE Bud supply and demand dictates the cost of rare parts, they often broke and as a result are not plentiful

[@MrPaige222]

Mission Dan It probably cost him 10 bucks to exactly replicate it on a 3d printer. Sometimes parts ARE simply overpriced. The parts companies just like to see how much they can get. That particular knob probably cost less than 5 bucks in 1965.

[@missionDan]

paige hunt no doubt thats true... but do you have one i can buy for 10 dollars? Nope.

[@MrPaige222]

Mission Dan you're missing the point. The cost for one knob being 450 dollars is absolute robbery....and I have a ton of respect for Jay not to get taken to the cleaners and find another, better solution.

[@SeamHead33]

they only need 1 guy to pay $450 to make as much as getting 45 guys to pay $10

[@gregshamieh6339]

This is one of the very few 'Jay Cars' that I actually have some time driving to compare notes ;-) The 280 SE 3.5 Special is perhaps the nicest car I've ever driven -- the roadholding, cornering and braking behavior of the car was light years ahead of any American car of the same vintage. Some of that may have been a result of the car essentially having two chassis -- the engine and transmission were mounted on a separate subframe that was mounted on flexible mounts to the main frame -- this kept any kind of vibration or torque reactions from being passed through to the main frame and hence, the passengers. With the fact that the car has no pillars, rolling down the front and rear windows meant that the car was open from the windshield to the rear window with no breaks -- roll open the big sunroof and it was like driving the most comfortable convertible in the world. The SOHC V-8 was also high compression -- with the car opened up the exhaust note sounded like machine gun fire - a motorhead's dream. Changing the oil on this car was also an education -- the 3.5 had a T-shaped oil sump pulled from MB's competition cars -- with a 12 liter oil capacity -- it took a case of oil to do a change. A very lucky/monied pal of mine owned this car and used to leave it with me when he went on extended business travel so the car wouldn't sit idle. I miss that car. :-(

[@stevenagy88]

Wonderful car, true passion from Jay. What a great start of my week. Thank you for sharing, Jay.

[@themonk1327]

One of the best JL videos I've watched, it's so much better when he's by himself, it feels as though he's actually talking to you, not the person that he's with. I have '87 560 SEL so I know exactly what he's talking about as far as build quality, the way it drives, the "thud" the door makes when you close it, even in my '79 450 SL there's a "thud" upon closing the door. You can't beat the build quality of an older Mercedes Benz. Good work Jay!

[@digitalkov]

This will outlast crap Mercedes is producing these days

[@danpan001]

I thought they start improving in the last couple years. One indication is Taxi drivers in Germany start buying the E class again after boycotting MB for many years. Now 80% of the Taxi in Germany are MB E Class. I am thinking about buying a 1991 300 E. that is W124 supposedly before the quality went down hill.

[@hayax]

The reason is they wanted more profit. These Mercedes were expensive to make. Newer Mercedes are less expensive to make because of their choice of materials and therefore gain a larger profit.

[@wilsmith6551]

MB needs to stop financing football stadiums and go back to R and D for their cars

[@Cachicochip]

Where I'm from, pretentious middle-class snobs pour money into the small A Class hatchback or even CLAs or GLAs but then end up driving around with a CLA160/A160/GLA180 motors which in reality have a 1.5 Renault diesel engine lol

[@sgtthilo9716]

Daniel Pan i got an w124 200E from 1992. It’s owned by my Grandfather who sold it to my dad in 2012 with just 75k Kilometers(46603 miles) on it. Now I got 108k Kilometers on it. No rust everything’s perfect. But I built in a new Radio with Bluetooth which fits perfectly.

[@klwthe3rd]

I love how you can see Jay's love for his cars in his videos. I prefer the videos when he is by himself since more of his passion comes through to the viewers. This is one of my favorite mercedes benz that he owns. Like he says, its just such a timeless look and thats when the build quality at the company was at its highest. Everything was over engineered to last forever and I really miss that about todays cars. Everything is about profit and high quality standards are a thing of the past. These cars could be bought today and used as a daily driver for 15 plus years and more. They arent throw away cars but rather like expensive time pieces that you pass down within your family from generation to generation. Thank you again Jay for sharing your collection with us as you are truly the pinnacle of a gentleman and scholar. I admire and look up to you in so many ways. You are a great human being and I enjoy watching your show so much.

[@dmitrim123]

Спасибо Джей ты лучший каликционер! Спаибо что делишься с нами этим прекрасном ! Будь здоров!

[@roadwarrior144]

I am a thirty year-old horsepower nut who loves rock n' roll and the like, but I would get the same thrill driving this car slowly listening to "Moonlight Serenade", as I would get throttling an SLS around, rocking out to Skillet! Thank you, Jay, for sharing your passion for these wonderful automobiles with us in your own way!

[@TheBandit7613]

Gorgeous classy machine built by craftsman. New Mercedes have nothing on this machine.

[@robertamoyaw1979]

Newer Mercedes had to go lighter for gas mileage n safer , using lots of plastic n aluminum but now with the electric motors, Benz can build beautiful heavy cars with tons of chrome 😊

[@HeyhitmeBAM]

@@robertamoyaw1979 electric motors to power an entire car are heavier..no space to add unnecessary weight

[@robertamoyaw1979]

@@HeyhitmeBAM yep , you are right🙂

[@watsontcbc]

“I love this car.” Frankly, I love the fact you love every car you bought and share in this channel. I mean, why else would you buy a car? Investment? Perhaps, but with you, you always seem to buy it because you love it first. Nice to see someone like you who does not seem to be about the money. Like, how you suggest that you are taking care of your people through this pandemic. Not overt, not bragging, just doing it. A real mensch.

[@Duececoupe]

From when Mercedes made beautiful and beautifully built cars!

[@spat726]

my understanding was the 111 series was the last of the handbuilt cars

[@abdoucherti3369]

best cars show for me. the way you talk easy and every word is right for a car guy, you're the best

[@paulstanley561]

Love your videos! This is an amazing beautiful Benz! Greetings from Germany!

[@klauspohl1142]

My dad had one of the first 220 S fin tails, basically the 4-door version of this car. I was 16 and had to maintain and clean his black car 2x per week and I never forget the smells, texture and vault like feeling in this car. One week we had to drive from Hamburg to Sicily for business reasons and we made this trip in four days, mostly on country roads. The only serious competitors were the Ferraris, Lancias and Maseratis, but they were in a more expensive league! Whereas the Alfas were nipping at his heels...I have never seen my dad so happy!

[@captaccordion]

That's a lovely car Jay - thank you. You commented a couple of times on the stacked quad headlights. This is the American only look for these cars. They designed the cars and sold them to the rest of the world with a single glass on each side covering the headlights and parking lights. However this did not suit American legislation and necessitated a redesign for the American market. They look good either way, but those who have never seen the original look may choose to google it. I saw again in the background the 2 door Dodge wagon, about which I remain curious!

[@northhankspin]

I wonder why covered headlights were banned from American legislation.

[@Wuffenberg]

​@@northhankspin Because the US "sealed beam" headlights were only available for the stacked unit.

[@JimBales]

I loved this episode Jay. I picked up a 1985 190E back in the 90s and drove it for 10 years. It had over 600,000 miles when I just couldn't afford to keep it in top notch condition anymore. One time at a gas station, a customer nearby said to me, " You have a Mercedes from back when they were still building real Mercedes. Such quality, even in the "Baby Benz" class. A cashier in the gas station who was obviously from the Middle East, said, "Where I come from these were taxi cabs." I would love to have another, but just so late in life for me.

[@dsruddell]

its nice to hear Jay not screaming at the top of his lungs while driving

[@denofrobbers8845]

I understand exactly what Jay is talking about. In 1973, my parents drove a '65 Belair sedan and a '71 Belair sedan, so that's what I grew up riding in. The (rich) people that bought the house next door to us had a 70-ish 280SE sedan. I remember riding in that car one time with their family, and even as a 10 year old, I was totally aware of the fact that I could feel every bump in the road, but it was like I was supposed to. Again, even as a child, I could tell that this car was engineered in a completely different way than my parents Chevys. To this day, I still poke around from time to time on the net hoping that I could score one. It made an incredible impression on me.

[@jaydee2420]

Love it which I wish my cl500 looked as pristine as that. Hoping 1 day you can also feature an Original Bmw 3.0 CS 4 speed e9/e3 Bavaria. Enjoyed watching another one of your videos on a classic original vehicle which its a beautiful W111

[@diarmuidmarsden7752]

Jay Dee You have good taste. I believe 20 or so years people will appreciate how nice the cl was.

[@johnjmeister]

Love it. Thanks Jay. I still have my Mom's '73 280. They took Euro delivery and drove it all through Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Have pics of the car in the Alps. My dad worked for Sealand in Elizabeth, so he got the car shipped back for free in '72. Will never sell it. I have many fond memories of wrenching on it with my dad. I was born in '74, so this was my childhood car. Much of what you said about your Benzes hits home. John, Mendham NJ

[@filipborin555]

Paul Bracq the chief designer of the Mercedes at that time is frenchman from Bordeaux in fact.

[@peterbrown8797]

My uncle was mechanic and navigator for his friend in Targa Tasmania (Australia) in the 90s in one of these. He also owns and has raced a 600 (the only car in Targa with curtains). They then found, purchased and raced a 300SEL 6.3 the following year, which was more of a handful! I feel privileged to have ridden in, and been involved with these wonderful cars.

[@TheSlipperyBrick]

Amazing car!

[@boblacks945]

These 1960's coupes and convertibles were my favorite cars growing up. I purchased three of them over the years and used them as daily drivers! The problem is that, in recent years, they have become very popular among car collectors. I have seen an ad for the 3.5 convertible with an asking price of $500,000!!! Sadly, I will never be able to drive these cars again.

[@cheddyrod]

This era of Mercedes had a great looking face. :)

[@neilgibbons2532]

here we go whit the german cars again their all are bucket of junk in 3world country there seen as the car of the oppressor many a good men die in those cars lets not pretend like ita all good

[@christiansanden8005]

cheddyrod Agree! Awesome styling!

[@christiansanden8005]

Neil Gibbons Bucket of junk?? Most stupid comment ever

[@nagaportugal4267]

drive an old mercedes for 10 years, my father for 25, and it works like a swiss clock everyday, old mercedes are best machines ever built, if you love them they will last forever

[@Hiluxtaco]

Beautiful Mercedes, Jay! PS - I wouldn't pay $450 for a knob either. That 3D Printed one looks just fine in there..

[@gregorytimmons4777]

There are probably wrecking yards in L.A. that have that knob. There is so much in L.A. If not there are guys with parts from dismantled cars.

[@e.c.listening326]

Why wind up about those knobs... name any other brand you can get the original parts even of not so relevant items after all those years in genuine, not replica. Your choice really, want a new original one ? Pay 450 bucks and be happy, find and harvest one from a boneyard or build one in 3d. You have the choice.

[@davidclarke6658]

Those are a beautiful car, Interior and exterior. I had the 280S and the 350SE (3.5 litre V8). For a small V8 it performed well. I found the 350SE was more tuned for higher speed performance and fast highway overtaking than off the line wheel spinning take offs.

[@hpwan2]

All W108s are beautiful!

[@hbombThaman]

Correction, this is a W111. W108 is the S-Class sedan.

[@hpwan2]

oops, didn't notice it has fin tail..:P

[@hbombThaman]

No, this is a W111 coupe. The "fin tail", a.k.a. Heckflosse, is a W110. The W111 came as either a two door S-Class coupe/cabriolet or a four door sedan. However, the W111 sedan was a luxury variant of the W110 that came with fin tails.

[@gotham61]

The W110 W111 and W112 are all referred to as Heckflosse, both the sedan and the coupe/convertible. The W112 was the top of the line.

[@hbomb2579]

Correct!

[@TheHelado36]

As a kid it was one of my favorite car! The hood cut away ending at the grill is a beautiful touch !

[@54kustomline]

great vid Jay! enjoy the ride

[@datsoon9236]

I just bought a 72' 250 W114. Sat in my neighbors yard for 7 years, and I got it running the first day of purchase. Been enjoying it ever since. What a superb car

[@martinrpke5388]

A car from a time, where you from a km away, could tell what car brand it was. In genneral cars is better made, in our days, but they almost look the same from a distance and dont have a personality, up close they are just cars. Cudos to jay for restoring this beautiful car

[@shananagans5]

Amazing car. When I was a kid my aunt had one of these. I didn't like it because it was brown but when I was 10 or 11 we drove from Tulsa to Albuquerque in it & that's when I realized it was an exceptional car fell in love with it. In the mid 80's I had a parts business while I was in college. I had access to some specialty salvage yards that sold parts for 60's & 70's Mercedes. I had a bunch of customers rebuilding or maintaining what was then just older Mercedes. I had kinda forgotten how solid that era of Mercedes was. The memory of my aunt's car was fading. Then, one of my favorite customers, an older gentleman came in, thanked me for my many hours of scouring the country looking for parts for min, announced he was done (are we ever really done?) with his rebuild & asked if I wanted to drive it. I didn't want to drive it but he was so proud I couldn't say no so we went for a ride. His was a 6 but it still had that solid, feel of oozing quality. I suddenly recalled the trip with my aunt & I realized exactly why all my "old Mercedes guys" were diligently maintaining their cars. Your V8 is the creme of the crop but that era was a very special time for Mercedes. They really were that much better than other cars of the day.

[@joro8604]

So quiet inside. Took me a second that it was a '71. I was a kid then.

[@electron2601]

Actually it's pretty loud but fun.

[@jameshutchins3396]

Sweet! Its nice to see quality that does not require a ground up restoration. That is true craftsmanship

[@mercedesclassicswithpierre1753]

nice 3.5 coupe! If you tell me where to send it, i will put a correct radiator cap in the mail for you ;)

[@bernardwarr4187]

Pierre that’s a classic

[@MA-yt8jz]

I saw this coupe Mercedes from near and I can tell you it's more more beautiful than see it in picture