Is the w140 really better than the w220?
06-24-2013, 11:19 AM
#1
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Is the w140 really better than the w220?
I like both the w220 and w140, but ive been thinking about this lately....everyone argues about how the w140 is so much better than the 220 because Mercedes put much more money and effort into the development and design of the 140, but isnt it fair to say that when building the 220 mercedes would of started out with all the amazing engineering of the 140 and built on that? In other words the 220 has all the amazing engineering of the w140, but it just wasnt as big a step as the 140 was from the 126 and therefore the car is always knocked.
If the w220 was built with all the engineering of the 140, the 140 cannot possibly be a better car. However , i totally get if someone prefers the 140 as its a personal choice. In fact i may prefer it myself.
Get what im saying?
If the w220 was built with all the engineering of the 140, the 140 cannot possibly be a better car. However , i totally get if someone prefers the 140 as its a personal choice. In fact i may prefer it myself.
Get what im saying?
06-24-2013, 09:04 PM
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Here we go again...
Only if I had $1.00 every time a thread like this came up...
I love both. I would take a say 99 W140 over a 00-02 W220. However. I would take a 05/06 w220 over any not 600 coupe 140. All depends what models we are talking about. I love the late 220's and the late 140's. Both 140 and 220 that were early models were issues. The 140 does show its age because of the boxy look but I like that too.
Only if I had $1.00 every time a thread like this came up...
I love both. I would take a say 99 W140 over a 00-02 W220. However. I would take a 05/06 w220 over any not 600 coupe 140. All depends what models we are talking about. I love the late 220's and the late 140's. Both 140 and 220 that were early models were issues. The 140 does show its age because of the boxy look but I like that too.
06-25-2013, 01:50 PM
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2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
I like both the w220 and w140, but ive been thinking about this lately....everyone argues about how the w140 is so much better than the 220 because Mercedes put much more money and effort into the development and design of the 140, but isnt it fair to say that when building the 220 mercedes would of started out with all the amazing engineering of the 140 and built on that? In other words the 220 has all the amazing engineering of the w140, but it just wasnt as big a step as the 140 was from the 126 and therefore the car is always knocked.
If the w220 was built with all the engineering of the 140, the 140 cannot possibly be a better car. However , i totally get if someone prefers the 140 as its a personal choice. In fact i may prefer it myself.
Get what im saying?
If the w220 was built with all the engineering of the 140, the 140 cannot possibly be a better car. However , i totally get if someone prefers the 140 as its a personal choice. In fact i may prefer it myself.
Get what im saying?
That isn't case though. They were 2 different cars built in 2 different eras.
Rarely has Mercedes changed direction as much as they did from W140 to W220. The 2 cars didn't share anything, not engines, nothing. The engineering brief was completely different and it shows.
M
07-02-2013, 07:29 AM
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1999 S500 Grand Edition
My understanding is that new model MB's introduced in the early 2000's suffered numerous quality issues. My service advisor advised me against W220 cars because of the electrical issues that those cars experienced. The W221 was suppose to have corrected those deficiencies . I was told by a Mercedes rep that the "C" Class W203 was the first attempt by MB to effect a return to the previous quality expected from a MB. Any model after 2007 is supposed to have benefited from that effort.
Having said that, I am still sorting out a 1999 low mileage S500 Grand Edition that I bought last year from a dealer in NJ (North Jersey Auto Mall)that was woefully misrepresented. So either one of them can be pretty expensive to own and operate. I like the W140 better from a style perspective and troubleshooting electrical problems to me is the worst thing one can do on an automobile.
Having said that, I am still sorting out a 1999 low mileage S500 Grand Edition that I bought last year from a dealer in NJ (North Jersey Auto Mall)that was woefully misrepresented. So either one of them can be pretty expensive to own and operate. I like the W140 better from a style perspective and troubleshooting electrical problems to me is the worst thing one can do on an automobile.
Last edited by 1999 S500; 07-02-2013 at 07:33 AM.
08-07-2013, 05:14 PM
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2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
My understanding is that new model MB's introduced in the early 2000's suffered numerous quality issues. My service advisor advised me against W220 cars because of the electrical issues that those cars experienced. The W221 was suppose to have corrected those deficiencies . I was told by a Mercedes rep that the "C" Class W203 was the first attempt by MB to effect a return to the previous quality expected from a MB. Any model after 2007 is supposed to have benefited from that effort.
Having said that, I am still sorting out a 1999 low mileage S500 Grand Edition that I bought last year from a dealer in NJ (North Jersey Auto Mall)that was woefully misrepresented. So either one of them can be pretty expensive to own and operate. I like the W140 better from a style perspective and troubleshooting electrical problems to me is the worst thing one can do on an automobile.
Having said that, I am still sorting out a 1999 low mileage S500 Grand Edition that I bought last year from a dealer in NJ (North Jersey Auto Mall)that was woefully misrepresented. So either one of them can be pretty expensive to own and operate. I like the W140 better from a style perspective and troubleshooting electrical problems to me is the worst thing one can do on an automobile.
Any pics? I've been looking for one for years. What exactly is wrong with yours?
M
08-08-2013, 07:47 AM
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1999 S500 Grand Edition
I bought the car sight unseen and got ripped off pretty good by what was North Jersey Auto Mall. Now, it appears, that they have changed their name again.
The worst thing about mine is that I was told that it is a non smoker car. Well, the previous owner did not smoke cigarettes. I could not figure out that odor until my wife took me to the airport one day. It was cigars.
The only mechanical issue I have now after around $9k in fixes from neglect, on a 67k mile car I might add, is that when I engage the left turn signal it double clicks. The background lighting for all of the insruments dims and brightens with each click as well. It is not the bulb. I thought that it was the turn signal relay but Orange Park Mercedes thinks that it is the instrument cluster. That is a $3300 fix at Mercedes. You can get a used one for around $200 and I have a buddy who can do the work.
Cosmetically, the body has the normal dings. The front seats are a bit worn for such low mileage. There are 2 pieces of wood that were replaced by bad fiberglass. I never got the carpets from the crooked dealer as promissed. They cannot be had so far from Merceds or on ebay.
I love the W140 cars and I wanted a Grand Edition from the day I saw them new on the floor in 1999. My lust for those cars blinded me to all of the advice I had given to others about buying cars and now I am trying to figure out if I want to sell it or keep restoring/maintaining it.
The worst thing about mine is that I was told that it is a non smoker car. Well, the previous owner did not smoke cigarettes. I could not figure out that odor until my wife took me to the airport one day. It was cigars.
The only mechanical issue I have now after around $9k in fixes from neglect, on a 67k mile car I might add, is that when I engage the left turn signal it double clicks. The background lighting for all of the insruments dims and brightens with each click as well. It is not the bulb. I thought that it was the turn signal relay but Orange Park Mercedes thinks that it is the instrument cluster. That is a $3300 fix at Mercedes. You can get a used one for around $200 and I have a buddy who can do the work.
Cosmetically, the body has the normal dings. The front seats are a bit worn for such low mileage. There are 2 pieces of wood that were replaced by bad fiberglass. I never got the carpets from the crooked dealer as promissed. They cannot be had so far from Merceds or on ebay.
I love the W140 cars and I wanted a Grand Edition from the day I saw them new on the floor in 1999. My lust for those cars blinded me to all of the advice I had given to others about buying cars and now I am trying to figure out if I want to sell it or keep restoring/maintaining it.
08-08-2013, 05:03 PM
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2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
Man that sucks, so you're in it for the long haul huh? I have given up on finding one of these in good shape, but I have found a 1998 S600 that seems in really great shape:
S600
M
S600
M
Last edited by Germancar1; 08-08-2013 at 05:05 PM.
