So I bought myself a classic car, and a little trouble strikes

In early 2020 I wrote about my personal experience of buying a classic car after taking delivery of a white 35-year old Mercedes-Benz 380 SEC. It is the two-door version of the Benz W126  produced from 1979 to 1991 as the predecessor to today’s S-class luxury car.

The idea was to periodically report back about the costs of owning a golden oldie, which I expected to pummel my budget to a greater extent than it has. But clearly they built cars strong in those days, as here we are in 2024 and it’s only recently that “Waftmobile”, now aged 38, had to go into the workshop for the first time in nearly four years.

First, a quick rewind. When I bought the large two-door coupé it needed a R2,200 brake repair as the car was pulling to one side, and the tired-looking blue leather seats were restored for R5,200. A few other odds and ends, including a switch for the front passenger’s electrically adjustable seat and a used pair of side mirrors, brought the total for repairing and beautifying the old gal to about R10,000.

Since then all I’ve paid for is petrol and an oil change. The 3.8l V8 engine is relatively thirsty at about 12l/100km but doesn’t quaff oil and I haven’t had to top it up. The battery is perfect and the car starts every time, even when left standing for weeks at a time.

I’ve done a fair amount of mileage, including some commuting plus exhibiting at occasional classic car shows, and I kept waiting for the strange noises or clunks that inevitably afflict old cars. But the high-mileage Merc ran without a hiccup until recently.

A humming noise from the rear grew louder the faster the car was driven, and I feared it might be the differential, an expensive repair. It was a relief when a visit to A&K Motors in Wynberg revealed it was the right-rear wheel bearing that needed replacement at a cost of about R3,400 — five times cheaper than a differential would have cost. It was fixed quickly, the hum is gone and she’s running quietly again. The oil and filter were also changed and mechanically things are peachy.

One thing about this 38-year old Benz is that parts are easy to come by. You can buy new service parts like oil and air filters off the shelf, while second-hand body and trim parts are readily available.

The Mercedes SEC was a top luxury chariot in its day and most of the electronic goodies on my car still work, including the windows, sunroof, air conditioning, central locking and cruise control. The front passenger’s electric seat belt feeder still operates but the driver’s side hasn’t worked since I bought the car. I’ve left it as is. It doesn’t bug me to stretch back for the seat belt.

Of more concern is that small cracks on top of the dashboard have grown larger in the past few years, a cosmetic blot on what is otherwise a reasonably well-groomed interior. It would be an expensive job to repair or replace the dashboard, so I’ve left it for now, but it may be something to consider when the time comes to sell the car.

I reached out to old-car guru Stuart Grant, who runs the Classic Car Africa website, for advice on the cost benefit analysis of upgrades in terms of resale value. He said it would cost about R7,000 to R9,000 to have the dashboard cracks properly repaired, a worthwhile expense if I was looking to sell to a classic car collector, as they place great importance on a car’s originality.

Grant said I’d also need to change the non-original wheels fitted to the car, and a used set of original “Mexican hat” wheels would set me back about R10,000.

“Paying money on the wheels moves the car more into collector realms, as they’re willing to pay more,” said Grant.

“The proper collectors will pay top money when you have the original wheels, the dash is done and it has a service history.”

But leaving the car as is may still attract a good price, even from more casual buyers.

“There’s an Instagram hotness about two-door classic Mercs, and people love SECs,” he said.

I asked whether I should consider selling now or hanging on. I bought the SEC for R125,000, partly as an investment, and was hoping its value would increase.

“There’s a lot less cash floating around. It’s tighter than it was a few years ago. You may need to be patient if you put it on sale,” he said.

“The people buying classics for R3m haven’t noticed much but at this cheaper segment of the market, budgets are much more sensitive.”

With cars older than 1970 it is tighter, but cars from the 1980s and 1990s are doing well in the classic scene, said Grant. People are looking for cars that are drivable and can be used.