suntubi

I just bought a 420 SEL with 175,000 miles on it from a NASA engineer -- a geat guy who kept great records!

I know you diesel guys think I'm kidding with high mileage at 175,000 ( I had a 300 D with 265,000, running well, when it was totalled while stopped at a red light ) but I'd like to keep this doll going over the next 20 years.

What should I be looking for? Besides keeping the routine maintenance going. It runs and sounds great right now.

dtkw

I always thought the W126 is the most beautiful modern classic. Congrat on your purchase.

nicky

I quite agree with this "modern classic" name; and like to add that it has the most majestic look of all. The older model are true classic while the newer model W140 is unnecessarily bulky and the W220 is slickly.

The W126 is a timeless design parallel to the R107 roadster design.

I love both!

My W126 now has only 86K on it but I like to keep it running forever.

dtkw

Mine just gone over 100,000 miles mark and now it is 100450 miles on. I watched it on the way to Chicago today and watched the last 9 went up and a lot of zeos came on.

I replaced the signal lens to clear lens. They look pretty cool.

suntubi

Hi guys,

thanks for the encouragement -- I was looking for a diesel and fell in love with the 420 SEL.

I'm driving from Houston to New York next week and will let you know how the old lady does.

dtkw

Good luck and enjoy the view. I am sure you are going to love the old lady. Quiet and smooth.

suntubi

The trip went very well. Houston to New York: about 1600 miles.

Averaged about 19.4 MPG with a high of 22.1 - after my highest cruise setting of about 79 MPH.

Generally drove about 8 MPH over the limit and saw little police activity.

Car ran beautifully, passed very well, no oil burn.

had the car up to about 110 mph and it drove like 55. Very tight, good lane changing good level driving. Not bad for a senior citizen.

I think I'll keep my old blond.

By the way, my wife had not seen the car before I brought it home. She immediately programmed her seat and wheel settings into the car's memory.

And she said my settings were like I was laying back and cruising -- small wonder

dtkw

congrat on your 'new' car and glad to hear you are home safe and sound. Make sure your wife isn't going to eat in your car LOL.

Adam C.

Typical W126 problems include:

Leaking transmission seals
Leaky and loose steering box and leaky power steering unit.
Make sure the load leveling resevoir isn't loosing fluid. The leveling shocks are expensive.
Leaky valve stem seals- on my car the plugs foul and the idle becomes rough. This could be rings but usualluy isn't.
Faulty cruise brain
Faulty ignition and/or fuel pump relay (both over $100USD)

Typical old car problems (typical of any car this old) include fuel pump problems, worn suspension components and teh like.

I've had and repaired all of these problems except the shocks, which work fine.

If someone reading this is interested in buying a W126 car, I recommend looking for repair records indicating these items have been repaired. Otherwise, I think its a given most or all of these things will need attention soon. That said, I'd make my decision to purchase based on the interior and exterior. Although its expensive, the greasy part is the easiest to repair and when its done its perfect. Interior work is outrageously expensive to repair and may never be right.

Or, at least this is all just my experience:

Adam

1987 560SEL
1991 300SE
1989 944S2
1986 VW JETTA

suntubi

Food in a car? Are you kidding? My wife's Suburban looks like a rolling restaurant - the kitchen!

I agree. No food in this car. I have a hard enough time keeping my 190e clean of candy wrappers.

I guess I'll have to keep this car locked. Thankfully, the kids are still paranoid of driving it for fear of having that first wreck ( which is why I bought the "training Benz" 190e for them to learn on.)

suntubi

I checked out the extensive records that came with this car and right on queue you named all the major work previously done:

Front end - extensive updating at about 165,000

Climate control - updated at about 150,00

Cruise and CD player replacement

But no serious repairs - mostly PM.

OH, one thing, the little headlamp wipers don't seem to work. I haven't trouble-shot them yet. Any experience with the miniwipes up front?

dtkw

LOL! My kids can only eat in their mother's car. If I am driving my car, they're hungry or thirsty, we stop and go get something to eat and not in the car. The only thing I have in my car is dog hair which I don't mind. Any carwash place can take care of that easily. What I hate most is spill drinks, and melted candies. On the headlight wipers, they only work with your headlights are on and you use the windshied washer. If you're doing that in the car, you can't see them working. The only way I knew was one of the wiper did not return to it's place, just partly.

Enjoy your new ride.

Adam C.

Headlight wipers on the W126 only work when the lights are on and you use the windshield washers. They really aren't rain wipers (that would be silly). Mercedes went to some lengths to ensure their lights functioned when the cars were filthy. That's why the tail light lenses look the way they do. Flat lenses can get encrusted, but their channeled design is supposed to prevent crud and uses rain water to self clean. Remember, these cars are driven all over the world in all sorts of conditions. Or at least, that's the folklore.


In general, I find their components pretty beefy and generally low tech. For a car made in the late 80's, its surprising they stuck with what is essentially mechanical fuel injection! But that, in my opinion, is the difference between the W126 cars and BMW and the brilliance of our cars!

suntubi

Yes, I agree with Adam, it would be silly to have headlamp wipers.

Now onto the cleaning system for the headlamps -- any experience with fluid system for this cleaning system?

dtkw

Evetytime I buy gas, I use the gas station window cleaner near the pump to clean the windshield and the headlights. Just to get rid of the bugs and what's not.

suntubi

Same here. I'm still getting used to the car; still learning what can and can't be done without a 2nd mortgage

izzodesh

welcome to the blazing 420 club 8)
check mine out..

www.cardomain.com/id/izzodesh

how did that road trip go?