W140 Benz?

[greglepore]

Looking at an S420, 89k, service records. Always admired these vehicles, a bit austere but beautiful engineering. Anyone with experience/advice?

[RANDY P]

Run if it has AC problems. Weak evaporators and requires serious dash removal. Massively built, quiet cars.

rjp

[Z-man]

My friend at work had one he purchased used in 2012. Like you said - great engineering that is overly done. Built like a tank.

Unfortunately, he was involved in a front-end collision with it just yesterday. Car is probably totalled, but it saved his life - he walked away. Which is what those W140's are designed to do - keep their occupants alive.

-Z

[onewhippedpuppy]

One of the last Mercedes products built to a standard, not a price. I would own a W140, but am terrified of a W220.

[javadog]

Owned one for a long time. Parts are super expensive. Built like a tank but things do go bad. Look for bad insualtion on the engine wiring harnesses. Make sure the plastic lines and pump for the self-closing doors are all good. Make sure you get a very thorough PPI.

JR

[Max Von]

I worked as a parts manager for the largest independent MB shop in Boston. The 140 chassis was without a doubt, one of MB's finest. Word has it they spent 1 billion dollars cash in developing that vehicle. They are fabulous and without compare for a sedan of that vintage. When something goes wrong with any of the complex engine or ABS modules or other systems, it gets stupid expensive and parts are unavailable. Like any MB product there is no such thing as a cheap MB. I'd love to own one, but when it goes bad, it goes real bad...

[Chocaholic]

There's a reason they're so cheap. Cost of even minor component failures can quickly overtake the value of the entire vehicle. Well built and vault-like durability. But these are getting old and over designed/engineered bits will fail. AC mentioned above that requires agonizing dash R&R is only one example. Suspension is ensconced in rubber that has long since dried, hardened and cracked if not replaced. No small task.

[Scuba Steve]

Hopefully they changed hardware supplier between building the R107 and W140. I've never owned a car before where anywhere near this amount of bolts and studs broke off.

[sc_rufctr]

For me these are the last of the real Mercedes. Somehow Benz lost their specialness after this.
Maybe it's the traditional MB look?

If you looked hard enough you should be able to find one that's been cherished.
I would not buy one that's been passed around to a few "can't quite afford it" owners.
You really can't skimp on servicing with these cars. Do you plan on DIYing it?

The one your looking at sounds good. What's the paint and interior like? At 89k it should be almost perfect.

[slow&rusty]

I like the W140 a lot. Beautifully built, old enough that its affordable to drive and insure but yet modern enough with all the creature comforts, safe and relatively quick to drive daily. My preference is to update the look of the W140 with a more modern wheel and lowered a bit.

I have heard lots of stories of this and that being expensive, but the junk yards are littered with them and that has to make ownership very affordable (especially if you are a decent wrench at home).

I own the generation before (W126) and it also well built and in my opinion well styled, my car has 156k on it and drives beautifully. Personally I find parts quite inexpensive for example I just finished replacing the timing chain, all the timing chain guides, both cam sprockets, associated gaskets, hydraulic chain tensioner and all the valve seals and it cost me $1100 and that was buying genuine OEM MB parts, I did all the work at home

[greglepore]

Well. The car is beautiful. Brilliant silver, black, walnut burl. Interior almost perfect, minor wear on bolster, not nearly as bad as some I've seen. Runs and drives well, no lifter tick no lights on currently

BUT...

The car sat from 2008 until the present. It was serviced and has been driven only 300 miles since. Its at a dealer that sells lots of high end cars but they don't know anything about the reason it sat.

The car is priced fairly, and somewhat low for miles/condition. However, is the lengthy period of inactivity a "run Forest run" situation in and of itself? I'm willing to do tires, belts and other stuff that normally would age, but am I looking at a greater likelihood of engine seal issues or trans problems?

I have a sorted 124 but I'm hankering for something a little more luxurious.

[Nostril Cheese]

Listen to all the guys in here. They are correct.

Last well built MBZ, but they are getting old.

[greglepore]

Oh, I'm aware that the cars require regular and expensive service. No problem there, any good Benz does. They're not cheap cars to own. I'm more or less willing to take that risk, I have other cars to drive if/when it needs service.

My question is, does the period of inactivity disqualify this car, assuming I'm going to buy some 140 regardless, considering that otherwise the car is very nice.

I'm going to try to negotiate a PPI, have a very very good indy shop, but does the inactivity create risks that a PPI won't disclose?

[onewhippedpuppy]

I'd be a little concerned. Most of the stuff that's sat for an extended period of time probably won't break until it starts getting exercised, i.e. when you start driving it. Fatigue, cracks, brittle, they all need motion to break. I would drive it as much as possible before buying. Though if the price is right and its a nice car, might be worth the gamble anyway.

[greglepore]

Ok, despite some sage wisdom warning me away, I went ahead and bought the thing. Initial impression is wow, this thing is SILENT like nothing else I've ever driven. Feels super heavy, but even on twisty bits the float isn't really float, it just goes where you point it so long as you throttle steer a bit. Without a doubt, the most refined car I've had. Not sporty feeling at all, getting in the family A8 is a different world, but I don't think the 140 (s420) is any less quick a to b, just more isolated, and not in a bad way, just different. In mellow cruise mode, it is total magic carpet.

I'm eyes open about the cost. car was 5k, and if d even if I spend 3-4k in maintenance I'm ahead of leasing something new, ie a c class. I can bail on this if it needs something ridiculous. This car is a once in a lifetime thing, there aren't any more of them, and they're aging, so it was now or never.

Hey Dennis, now that you're back, I'd appreciate any input, even though the deed is done. So sorry about your dad, my pop is 98 and just had a major scare, but bounced back. Its never easy.
Keeping the w124 in the family for now just in case I need it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Congrats!

[nota]

having owned a 83 w-126 300sd
I found most parts eazy to find in miami pick and pull yards
as all the w-140 S class share most parts just like the w-126 did
and are getting to the age to be common in the P&P yards soon
if you donot mind used parts

[speeder]

Sorry that I'm late to this party but sounds like a nice car! All of the above posts offer good advice for the most part, IMO. I owned an S500 w140 for a little while with low miles that had sat quite a while. I'd say that as long as coolant looks really good and all heat/defrost/HVAC functions work properly, you're probably ok. On any older used car, I'm looking for evidence of good maintnance, specifically clean oil and coolant throughout its life.

All functions of the car need to work exactly as intended or the price has to reflect the cost of repair but sounds like you bought it right. That last sentence really applies to any vehicle, especially over-engineered luxury cars. What year is it? The 1996 and newer w140 would be the V2.0 of those, there are actually advantages to each version and condition trumps all else. Generally, the newer ones are better, though.

They are built amazingly well and drive like a dream if all is tight. The double pane windows give you an idea of what you're dealing with here. That was a "one and done" deal for Mercedes, you won't find those on a new $180k S600. My ex-GF had a '99 S420 that I drove a lot when it was new and holy sheiss what a car. Best of luck with it.

[greglepore]

Denis-its a v2-97, thus the harness issue at least was solved. It has been maintained, my only fear is that evap failure sounds like its a very common issue, but not universal. I know that the newer trans can be a weak spot.

Everything works on this one, even the flipout handle on the trunk. Vac pump seems strong still and doesn't reset. Leather perfect except for a minor bolster scuff.

I know it'll eat bushings etc due to its mass, expect that, A8's, 740's etc all are prone so not unique to this car.

[enzo1]

How's it going? any pics?