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Mercedes-Benz 280S

Buying advice + depreciation curve + variant breakdown for every generation on sale.

Model strength

Tap any for details

Focus

Weighs every axis evenly. Changes the weighting, not the numbers.

▲ 2 axes vary by variant (price, running cost) — see variant pages.

Positioning vs segment

Where does Mercedes Benz 280s sit?

10 scoreable luxury sedans · 24 more in segment lack enough listings to score

SAFE BETS — Strong brand + strong resale. Lowest-anxiety pick.HIDDEN GEMS — Market values these higher than the brand reputation suggests — buyers know something the composite doesn't.BARGAIN BUYS — Well-built but depreciates fast — buy cheap, don't resell soon.HIGH RISK — Soft on both axes — proceed with care.SAFE BETSHIDDEN GEMSBARGAIN BUYSHIGH RISKC-ClassE-ClassCla-Class5 series3 seriesA37 seriesEs4 seriesM3brand reliability →holds value →5095090

Tap any dot on the chart to see its scores.

Brand reliability
Consumer-survey composite — JD Power · WhatCar · Consumer Reports. Same score for every variant of a given make.
Resale strength
100 − 3× annualised tangible-decay (COE-stripped). Fitted from each variant's asking-price-by-age regression then averaged at model level.
Peer set
Every same-segment model with ≥5 active PARF listings whose variants fit a depreciation curve. Practicality isn't plotted — it's a body-shape constant within the segment, so it would be the same for every dot.
Quadrants
The crosshair marks the segment median on each axis. Top-right (Safe Bets) is strong on both; top-left (Hidden Gems) holds value above what the brand reputation suggests; bottom-right (Bargain Buys) is well-built but depreciates fast — buy cheap; bottom-left (High Risk) is soft on both.

Generation

280 S W116 (1972-1980) · Reg 1972–1980

Tap to expand
Asking
S$48k–48k
Median
S$48k
Decay
—
No widely-documented gen-defining issue at the level we curate for. Let condition + service book decide; the disclosure below has the deeper advice.

Trims in this generation

Pick a trim to see its score, deal target, and pre-purchase checklist.

Generation

Generation unknown · Reg 1969–1970

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Asking
S$39k–39k
Median
S$39k
Decay
—

These cars don't carry a manufacture year, or we haven't mapped this model's generations yet. The buying advice below treats them as one mixed group — take it with a pinch of salt.

No widely-documented gen-defining issue at the level we curate for. Let condition + service book decide; the disclosure below has the deeper advice.

Trims in this generation

Pick a trim to see its score, deal target, and pre-purchase checklist.

Common questions about the Mercedes-Benz 280S

Is the Mercedes-Benz 280S reliable?
In our read, the Mercedes-Benz 280S scores 60 out of 100 on brand reliability. That still varies by generation and how the individual car was looked after, so always check the service history before you commit.
Where do these Mercedes-Benz 280S figures come from?
They're worked out from current used-Mercedes-Benz 280S listings in Singapore — asking prices, mileage and registration years — not past transaction prices. We refresh them regularly, and we flag thin data rather than guess.