Huge quality of build differences? Reliability?
I ask because the W126's seem to be built like everlasting tanks with rebuildable everything while the W140's I've heard were the beginning of the end in those two areas.
Truth or Internet lore? Could a '92 be THAT much worse than a '91 say 500SEL?
I used to work at a Mercedes dealership years ago and the W126's would run forever. However, those were almost all diesels. I don't seem to remember a big difference in the complexity of the fuel injection between the late V8 126's and early 140s; the step change is in the complexity of all the other systems. More stuff was computer controlled in the interior, and access was made worse. I had help do a heater core in a W140 once....once.
That being said, the W140 is a much nicer car to drive in.
I've driven but not owned both. The W126 really is from the "designed by engineers" era of Mercedes whereas the W140 is more from the "designed to appease the beancounters" era. Also, the W140 is more complex and simply has more things that can potentially go wrong.
So since a '91 goes for the same price as a similar '92, should I look at the '91 for DD duty?
(There are better DD's out there I know but I really like these cars)
A 91 would be easier to find used parts for, and shouldn't have wiring harness issues like the later cars do. I have a w126 and its very well made and easy to work on, I think the biggest problem with the w140 is just that its far more complicated. I still see both all the time though, so I would include driving one in making a decision. I picked the w126 because I wanted a diesel and I liked how they looked better than the w123, and the extra years of production means at least some parts are a lot easier to find used.
Go look at some in the junkyard, the 140s usually look about 3 times as tired. The W140s wear and tear like a Cadillac of the era, the W126 is probably the best built mass produced car ever.
Most have probably been fixed by now, but W140s also had the infamous biodegradable wiring harness. If it were my own car that I regularly had to work on, the W126 is a no-brainer.
I get on auto parts sites and try to compare prices on common replacement parts with a very common car and whatever fantasy car I'm looking into.
I use Crown Vic's as my baseline. I just don't see a big difference in prices when I look at stuff that I've had to replace in my many years of working on cars.
Am I just missing the huge gap in expense on repair parts?
I have owned both and my vote is: neither! i have never lost more money on a car than on my 1987 (126) 560 SEC, but my 1995 S600 (140) was a close second.
Nein, danke!
ebonyandivory wrote: I get on auto parts sites and try to compare prices on common replacement parts with a very common car and whatever fantasy car I'm looking into. I use Crown Vic's as my baseline. I just don't see a big difference in prices when I look at stuff that I've had to replace in my many years of working on cars. Am I just missing the huge gap in expense on repair parts?
The thing with European cars and Germans in particular is that there is usually a HUGE quality difference between OEM and aftermarket parts. For example, non-OEM BMW driveshaft flex discs are known for exploding in less than 20k while OEM ones go 100k+.
YMMV, FWIW, IMHO, etc.
M030 wrote: I have owned both and my vote is: neither! i have never lost more money on a car than on my 1987 (126) 560 SEC, but my 1995 S600 (140) was a close second. Nein, danke!
What was so bad about the w126? I am well aware that different people can have a much different experience with the same car (I am not a very big fan of turbo dodges for similar reasons), but my 300SD has actually been very cheap and reliable, especially considering its a 30 year old car with 400k+ miles on it.
I've whored pics of my AMG enough; so here I will just say W126. They are bulletproof once maintenance is caught up; parts are readily available and they are pretty much fully depreciated( they may even be appreciating now for good cars).
M030 wrote: I have owned both and my vote is: neither! i have never lost more money on a car than on my 1987 (126) 560 SEC, but my 1995 S600 (140) was a close second. Nein, danke!
This. Nu uh, no way. Having said that, the 140's are definitely worse than the 126's. The 126's biggest Achilles heel is the gasoline engine CIS fuel injection, chrissakes stuff is EXPENSIVE and getting rare. Right behind that is A/C control parts.
The 140's have some just stupid expensive stuff and are not particularly well designed or built. OE wiper blades can hit $75 for the pair, the electronic throttle bodies can easily hit a grand, the wiring harnesses are definitely prone to an early death, man you do NOT want to know what it costs to put an evaporator in one. The cowl drains plug easily and when this happens the interior floods like crazy right through the blower motor inlet. As a side benefit this will cause the blower motor to corrode and seize. Price one of those bad boys.
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