Repairable, Salvage and Damaged Mercedes-benz 450 for Sale

This "450" bucket in Mercedes-Benz's auction pool covers two shapes that don't share a market: the two-seat 450SL roadster from the R107 line, and the long-wheelbase 450SEL sedan from the W116, Mercedes' first car to carry the SEL flagship badge. Some 450SL lots list under their own dedicated page rather than this generic number, so what lands here is a mix — check the body style in the listing before you assume which car you're looking at. Volume is thin either way, too little for a real price average, so treat this as project and enthusiast stock. Most stay in the US with restorers, picked up on a trailer or shipped in-country.

Both cars run the same basic 4.5-liter V8, detuned for US emissions and never a big performer new, so judge either one on body condition rather than horsepower. On the 450SL, check the rear wheel arches, floor pans and the area under the battery tray for rust, and confirm both the folding soft top and optional hardtop are present, since a missing one is expensive and slow to replace. On the 450SEL, the W116 rusts in similar spots plus the trunk floor and windshield frame, and its wiring insulation can turn brittle and crack behind the dash with age. Both cars used the same vacuum-operated central locking common to this era, so weak or non-functioning locks aren't unusual and aren't a reason to walk on their own. MB-Tex vinyl upholstery, offered on both, tends to have aged better than leather, so factor in which trim you're looking at before you price the interior. A shell too far gone on either still carries value in its V8 and trim.

Buying is quick: register free — no dealer license — set a maximum bid and the system bids for you up to that cap, or take a lot at its Buy Now price. Win it, pay the invoice plus fees, then pick up, ship or export.

Note: ACV and damage data come from the original auction listing. Always check the condition and title yourself before you bid.