Anyone else like these big mercedes from the mid 90's?

This one's for sale, I think it has 120k miles on it, which probably was about the price of it when new, now the guy that owns this wants 5k for it. I heard they were maintenance headaches but damn I've always liked these things.

plance1 wrote: This one's for sale, I think it has 120k miles on it, which probably was about the price of it when new, now the guy that owns this wants 5k for it. I heard they were maintenance headaches but damn I've always liked these things.

You're not alone, I love them too. Probably the last of the overbuilt S class. It also came in Diesel.

I would love one for that price, I know a great Mercedes tech that can run through it. I would love to be able to sit in the driver seat with Trevor behind me and NOT get kicked in the back for the entire ride (MKIV Jettas = poor daddy ride)

Yikes, a V12 S-class!!!

I think you misunderstand, the $5,000 is what you will spend for gas if you drive this regularly.

New, this car cost $130,000+ in 1997....and that doesn't include the $3,000 for a gas guzzler tax that the government slapped on these cars. Expect mpgs of between 13/19 on premium fuel. For the kinds of horsepower the 12 produced, there are (slightly) more economical cars with about the same power (389 horses).

I have the GLI for driving to work, the wife drives an 01 3.3l Grand Caravan... I can deal with the 19mpg ;) . Besides, these are built for pulling up to Lexus LS400 owners and pointing and laughing at them.

http://www.edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/s-class/1997/tmv-appraise.html?sub=sedan&style=227

Krikey! We need to start a new race class ... Spec Livery! Town Cars, S600s and the likes!

Gawd, they are fuel hogs. Premium ONLY. Just because it's old doesn't mean parts are cheap. Chrissakes, don't price one of those double layer door glasses. Or replacing an A/C evaporator core. The V12's hang together pretty well but when something does go wrong.... holy E36 M3. The diesels and 6 cylinder gas variants were unbearably slow because the car is HEAVY.

But then there's also the good stuff: the 140 chassis was probably one of the best and most solid feeling MB ever built. I have customers who just plain refuse to sell them because of the ride etc.

Base engine type: gas

Horsepower: 389 hp @ 5200 rpm

Torque: 420 ft-lbs. @ 2800 rpm

Turning circle: 41.0 ft.

I have visions of James May doing a (thirty)three point turn.

I do like the way they look, and some o them I think came stock with bulletproof windows. The S430 might be more economical to run, but still powerful enough to get out of its own way.

The w140 is nice, I prefer the w126 though(I have one) and with the diesel it actually gets reasonable mileage (the odometer is broken, but judging from what my last car got driving the same distance it gets at least 25 mpg).

If you are going to spend it on that, why not spend it on this:

I actually think the 4 door mercedes look nicer. Of the common ones, the w126, w116 and the w110 and w111 fintail models are my favorite.

John Brown wrote: Base engine type: gas Horsepower: 389 hp @ 5200 rpm Torque: 420 ft-lbs. @ 2800 rpm Turning circle: 41.0 ft. I have visions of James May doing a (thirty)three point turn.

with that kind of power you should be able to mash the skinny pedal and get a pretty short turning circle lol

I've got a good friend in Austin who has a 1992 500E. The Mercedes built by Porsche. LOL Pretty badass too, it actually belonged to a US AMG distributor and has all the AMG upgrades as far as ECU program, exhaust, etc.

My dad has the same year S500 and loves it. His looks pretty nice on 18" AMG Monoblocks. He did spring a leak in an A/C hose recently and MB wants $250 for the part. I told him to have a local shop make one up.

I love the 140s, but I love them in a similar fashion as if I had grandkids. They are great for some time together, but hand them back when things start to go wrong.

sanman wrote: If you are going to spend it on that, why not spend it on this:

Um. Yeah. Price a set of top cylinders sometime. There's a guy who fixes them, but they are repairable ONLY if the piston rod is in PERFECT condition.

Curmudgeon wrote: Um. Yeah. Price a set of top cylinders sometime. There's a guy who fixes them, but they are repairable ONLY if the piston rod is in PERFECT condition.

Haha, the first time I read this, I was REALLY confused about how you thought an engine was put together. Then I realized that's a vert.

Aren't these the Mercs with the magical composting wiring harnesses?

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Aren't these the Mercs with the magical composting wiring harnesses?

Yessir.

m4ff3w wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Aren't these the Mercs with the magical composting wiring harnesses?

Yessir.

Yeahhh... i'm good on all that. I remember one of the V12 variants popped up in discussion about a year ago on here. Had wiring problems, and the PARTS to fix were in the $5k+ range.

And parts to fix my Dodge Stratus were $3000.00... hence the "reliable" MKIV Jetta out front.

God my knuckles hurt from knocking on wood.

I keep thinking Duramax swap when I see one.

Conquest351 wrote: I've got a good friend in Austin who has a 1992 500E. The Mercedes built by Porsche. LOL Pretty badass too, it actually belonged to a US AMG distributor and has all the AMG upgrades as far as ECU program, exhaust, etc.

Yes, indeed, the 500E is one of my favorite mercs and I've seen only two locally here in Cincinnati, one guy thought I was crazy because I flagged him down while we were driving down the road, but I got his card and exchanged emails, his car was for sale but it was way out of my price range.

The 6.9 from the mid 70s is another of my favorites followed by the 6.3. I've also been a fan of the Mercedes grosser limos. Glad to see there are others who feel the same.

Big Mercedes + LSx = Big Car Cruising Nirvana