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

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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!

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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...

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).

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".

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.

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

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.