This 1972 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 4.5 was sold new in Tennessee and remained a Southern owned car until undergoing an extensive refurbishment in 2017 while in the care of Dean Laumbach. The refurbishment included a top-end engine service, air suspension overhaul, and refinishing of the wheels and interior trim. Addition work included a new air-conditioning compressor, tires, and brake lines, along with the steering box, exhaust system, fueling and cooling components, and much more. The current owner acquired the car from Dean Laumbach in December 2017 and has performed additional work over the years as outlined below. Finished in Silver Gray Metallic (180) over Black leather upholstery, the car is powered by a 4.5-liter V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. The most recent service in March 2026 included an AC R12 recharge and an engine oil service. Equipment includes 14″ steel wheels, refinished interior wood trim, self-leveling suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, front bucket seats, a Becker AM/FM stereo, power windows, and central locking. This W109 is offered by the seller on behalf of its owner with service records and a clean California title.
Factory finished in Silver Grey Metallic (180), the car was was fully repainted in 2017 and the process included the removal of all bumpers, trim, and moldings. All anodized aluminum trim was polished prior to reassembly and new body and grill molding strips were installed in place of the originals. Rust repair was not required at the time of the repaint and the original sheet metal and weld points remain present in the areas typically known for rusting. More recently, the paint was professionally corrected in 2022 to maintain the shine and quality. Additionally, H4 headlights and a spare windshield were also installed along with city and country horns. Other exterior features include a driver's side mirror, front vent windows, an electric antenna and butterfly wipers. Paint meter readings have been provided in the gallery below.
The factory 14″ steel wheels were refinished and wear bright-finished covers with body-color centers. Vredestein Sprint Classic tires measuring 205/70 were mounted under current ownership. The factory-optioned self-leveling suspension features front and rear air-spring bellows and torsion-bar stabilizers. Braking is provided by power-assisted four-wheel discs. Service performed since 2020 includes refurbishing of the air suspension and replacing its compressor and level-control valve, along with a new steering box, bump stops, sway-bar bushings, and brake hoses.
The seats, headliner, and carpeting were all replaced during the 2017 refurbishment, along with all wood trim fully redone by Madera Concepts. The seating surfaces are finished in Black leather and additional features include power windows, central locking, a Becker Europa II AM/FM stereo, Coco-style floor mats, and air conditioning. Most recently, the R12 air-conditioning refrigerant was recharged in March 2026. Additional work performed under the current owner’s tenure includes the following:
The refurbished two-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and frames VDO instrumentation including a 160-mph speedometer, a rebuilt analog clock, and a combination gauge for coolant temperature, fuel level, and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 31k miles and is believed to have rolled over, with approximately 1k miles added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown due to the five-digit limiter.
The 4.5-liter M117 V8 features Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection and was rated at 198 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque when new. The refurbishment in 2017 included all new fluids, filters, belts and inspect and replace hoses as needed, new distributer, cap, rotor, wires and plugs, new engine and transmission mounts, new muffler, new Behr fan clutch, and a transmission service among other items. Service after 2020 has included extracting broken manifold bolts, adjusting the valves, and flushing the fueling system. Additionally, the car received new cam oilers, various gaskets and hoses, a new thermostat, engine mounts, injector seals and fuel lines. The most recent engine oil change was carried out in March 2026.
A binder of service records will be included in the sale. This W109 is located in San Rafael, California and is offered by the seller on behalf of the current owner with a clean California title.
A walk around, cold start, and driving video have been provided below.
Open Transit:
Enclosed Transit:
The winning bidder will receive an email with the quote and option to proceed with shipping.
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14 Comments
Thank you again to the MB Market for listing the 300 SEL for us. Special thanks to all you who participated in this auction, especially our underbidders. This one did not quite make reserve, perhaps we can work something out post hammer....reserve not met?...darn$42,000 bid placed by @Mapleleaf
$40,000 bid placed by @Emad405
$38,000 bid placed by @Mapleleaf
$37,000 bid placed by @Emad405
$36,500 bid placed by @Oldcarlife
$36,000 bid placed by @Mapleleaf
$35,500 bid placed by @Emad405
$35,000 bid placed by @Mapleleaf
$34,000 bid placed by @Oldcarlife
$33,500 bid placed by @Emad405
$33,000 bid placed by @Mapleleaf
$32,000 bid placed by @Oldcarlife
$30,000 bid placed by @Emad405
$28,000 bid placed by @GTBdrvr
Oh how I wish I wanted a 2nd 108. This is beautiful.$25,000 bid placed by @Emad405
$23,250 bid placed by @Plushauto
As the auction for this stunning 300 SEL 4.5 winds down here today, I want to thank the MB Market for listing us on the platform. This is an extraordinary example of an unusually rare car; Mercedes ultimately imported way more 6.3's than 4.5's and thus a higher percentage of 6.3's have been refurbished or restored and remain on the road today. This car has great provenance with Mr Dean Laumbach having done the majority of this car's refurbishment himself prior to selling to the car's current owner in 2017. Today the car presents in "as new" condition with every single feature working like it did the day it was sold in 1972! How many 6.3 owners can say the same?! Please don't let an opportunity like this pass you by as it is highly unlikely that anyone will ever put this much effort and resources into a 4.5 ever again.$23,000 bid placed by @Oldcarlife
$21,000 bid placed by @Randall
$20,250 bid placed by @1Panzer
$20,000 bid placed by @Oldcarlife
$13,750 bid placed by @1Panzer
$13,500 bid placed by @texdot88
$13,250 bid placed by @1Panzer
$13,000 bid placed by @Langeautomobile
$12,750 bid placed by @1Panzer
$12,500 bid placed by @rickinla
Thank you @OlyOop for helping us to clarify that the car is still owned by the same person since their 2017 acquisition and is being represented by the same person that ran it on BaT a few months ago; me! The photos and videos make a compelling statement about the caliber of this car. Thank you to @Luz_do_sol for generously sharing your thoughts and expertise with our audience here on the MB Market; you my friend, are a class act! Good luck with your bids!Hello there, During a week long California HWY 1 tour from Ontario through Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo ,Carmel then to San Francisco I was able to view this stunning machine in person. This is an exceptional example with some fantastic pedigree and it shows amazingly well. Good Luck to all Bidders. No regrets to the winner. All the Best!@StuttgartClassix Note that the May 13 auction on BaT didn't meet reserve, and so the car is apparently under the same ownership.Delighted to see this outstanding example now listed here! Below are my comments when previously listed on BaT (05/13/2026): This W109 is unquestionably top tier — The Silver Gray Metallic (180) exterior presents beautifully while it’s important to note that the repaint was properly completed which included: – removal of bumpers, all trim, and molding – all anodized aluminum trim was polished – new body and grill molding strips were installed – no rust repair required at the time of the repaint – original sheet metal and weld points remain present These important details noted from the prior listing (ended on BaT 12/18/2017) for historical purposes. The interior is equally impressive: beautiful Black leather seats previously reupholstered, along with the replaced headliner and carpeting also sets this one apart. Receipts show door actuators replaced and vacuum system repaired among maintenance performed. The photos reveal gorgeous wood work throughout also previously refinished. Be sure to watch the Bid Nerds podcast coverage of this motorcar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaUjPxNRh_Y (From 43:57 – 53:00) As important as the cosmetics are, which can be quite costly if not maintained as this one has been, prospective owners should give close attention to the mechanicals: Engine Fully documented top end service totaling some $10k with photos provided. (Review photos 295-296) There is comprehensive paperwork which gives confidence on the reliability of this engine. Air Suspension The air suspension has been completely rebuilt with documentation and photos provided. Totaling some $13.3k this included main valves, the three leveling valves, compressor and everything else. Undercarriage The detailed suspension and entire undercarriage components are beautifully revealed in the photo gallery and worth much study in themselves. No rust, everything very tidy and in proper order. Bid Nerds best quote “aristocracy on wheels” says it all. If you’re sitting on the sidelines, you’ll miss an exceptional W109 with the rare 4.5 engine, not often seen and certainly not in this stellar condition — The W109 is an outstanding automobile, not one to suffer neglect without much expense involved. My compliments @deebspec on this highly maintained example, a top-tier motorcar that stands out among the best of the best!This is a very nice example of this model, but leave '6.3' out of it. 6.3s are very reliable with brutal power. It is accurate to say that the 4.5 is a better balanced vehicle, as the 6.3 is really a bit too much for this chassis. You don't need to compare anyway, as the 4.5 has plenty of grunt. I have roasted the tires in a few 4.5s. Gorgeous car and good luck with the auction!$10,000 bid placed by @CGentry
I have owned a w108 4.5 and now own a fully sorted Euro high compression 6.3. The statement that a 4.5 "can keep pace with any 6.3" could not be further from the truth. Maybe with a tired low compression US version of the 6.3, but a sorted Euro high compression 6.3 is an absolute beast, compared to a 4.5 or a 3.5 for that matter.https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-mercedes-benz-300sel-4-5-23/ wow not even two months from Bat and its here. lets see how it goesThank you @Esplanade for your comments below. This 300 SEL was purchased by my client almost ten years ago. While not used very often, he did enjoy picking it up and refurbishing it to a very high and uncommon standard. His time with this Mercedes has come to a close and it is now presented for sale in as close to as-new condition that one could imagine on a car that is now 54 years old. Everything from the Air Suspension to the fade-to-dark interior dome light works as intended. (The fuel filler by the way, is located behind the license plate like a lot of American cars of that same period) Let me leave you with this, if this example, in this condition were optioned with the 6.3L V8 rather than the lovely 4.5L V8, it would be worth well in excess of six figures.Welcome everyone to the auction of this stunning Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 4.5. This vehicle is as mechanically sound as it is beautiful. Following its purchase back East in 2017, the car was transported to the West Coast and entrusted to Workshop 337 in Menlo Park. There, it has been meticulously sorted and refined to a level rarely seen on a 4.5. Every feature on this SEL is fully functional, including the dome light delay! This particular example, finished in Silver Metallic paint paired with a black leather interior that is complemented by an exquisitely refinished wooden dash and set off by a set of Coco mats transports you back to an iconic era for Mercedes Benz. This SEL starts easily, shifts smoothly, and delivers the world-class driving experience expected of a Mercedes-Benz. A lot of credit goes to the functional air-suspension. On the road, the steering is a delight, the motor has a lot of response, and the braking is excellent. Its overall condition is remarkable with a level of preserved detail that feels like you are stepping back in time. This W109 Mercedes Benz is an enduring design that has aged wonderfully and still exudes class. We welcome all of your questions and comments while this 300 SEL is live. This Mercedes can be inspected or test driven here in San Rafael by appointment. A third party inspection can be arranged anywhere within a reasonable distance to Marin County CA. Good luck with your bids!I watched the videos and everything on the car appears to be working as designed. This is an amazing "new" old car. I looked at the repair invoices and you spent a very large amount of money restoring this car. Why are you selling it after making new again? Second, were is gasoline fill located?