Since this will be my first post here, I will start off with a bang.
My 140 is junk.
I have owned MB since 84 starting with a 123 (great car wish I still owned it). Then several 126 again great car. The 123 and 126 are cars that anyone can work on. So my wife wanted a newer car, along came a 1997 s320. Bought from a old lady who only drove it when in town. Now open up the check book. Car won't start, towed to dealer several times (allways started at dealer) finally replaced trasmission cable. Failed heater motor controller$$$. Besides numerous other small problems allong came the head gasket. Then the trasmission failed. My transmission was removed 9 times, 6 times by 2 different indys then 3 times by the dealer, who finally installed a used trans. The looks of the car? My 89 300se has less rust. So I just bought a 09 CLS550 and I can't wait untill the 140 is gone.
BTW 1996 S320 For Sale.

 

The grief you have experienced with your purchase from "a little old lady who only drove in town" serves all of us as a reminder that when a used car is purchased it is ALWAYS worth the cost of an inspection and report by a competent mechanic prior to transaction. The doesn't mean the mechanic will find everything but it does mean that your sense of the vehicle will get past appearance and apparent operation.

I am sorry you had this experience and hope your new car is a much more pleasurable vehicle for you.

 

alot of little old ladies are stingy and won't spend money on maint.

 

The money was spent and the car was well taken care of. When I bought the car there was only 30k miles on it and 4 years old.
I just feel the 140 is an over engineered car and expensive to repair.

 

I just brought a 1997 S500 coupe w140 really nice for4, 500 now I know I was going to have some problems with it but so far all I had to do is get a heater valve for now this part new cost about 6/7 hundred dollars thank god I found a use one for a hundred on ebay but my girl hate the car she said I spend more money on the car than her but is worth it an be sides if my girl leave I can still keep my car just kidding I love the car very very nice so far

 

Dear 97; be prepared soon to replace your flex disk,on the driveshaft.Just maint. done now will save money down the road.
I always spend between 500 and a 1000 on parts when I buy a Benz for maint. parts.It gives you years of trouble free driving.

 

I am new to this whole world of w140 ownership, a very well thought out vehicle, especially easy to work on, and lots of genuine entertainment to drive.
I recently got a w140 that was destined for a salvage yard, the problem it had was dirt under the distributor caps, a faulty blower fan, and the oil filter in a car 22 years old, was the same one installed at the factory when the car was assembled. Alitle bit of tinkering, a little cleaning, and just a few dollars at a salvage yard, the car runs fine, the air circulation and heating and cooling is okay, (cost 16 dollars for the blower motor), took twenty minutes to install, it is nothing short of amazing as to how easy the maintenance is on that bodystyle.

 

I will chime in here now. I am a bit disappointed as well, but I love my W140, lol. I wanted a W140 for years, researched, etc. I knew all of the big trouble areas and wanted one that had all of these issues addressed, so I went out and purchased a local 1-owner 1993 400SEL with service records stacked to the top of the trunk since day #1, including the $82K window sticker.

This car had already had the main engine wiring harness replaced, A/C evaporator, blower motor, heater core, valve cover gaskets (one is apparently already leaking again less than 2 years old on right rear of engine - can smell hot oil after driving), air pump, etc over the past 4 years. One repair (a/c evap) alone was $3400, which is $100 more than I gave for the car. I thought I was smooth sailing, I had a 1-owner W140 with all of the big items already addressed - I am good to go now right? Not really.

Well I drove the car a few weeks after purchase in September of 2012 and soon developed a rough hot starting issue... in March 2013 it had got so bad, there were times it would not start, or would and run rough, so I parked it. I finally sold another used car to have some money to spend on the MB. Turns out the check engine light never worked (wrong bulb in there apparently). Well I had the car to three different Mercedes mechanics and the car made a liar out of me, ran fine, ever stalled, or had any hard starting issues. Really never did know what the issue was, but it seems OK now. One said no clue - couldn't find no problems. One ran in Seafoam through the tank and car does run better. One said distributor caps/rotors had some corrosion, cleaned up, runs even better now - actually like a new car now- he also repaired the check engine light with new bulb (someone had put in wrong bulb??) - cleared all old codes - there were no new codes.

He said the clutch fan was getting weak - the car will run up to the line above 80°C in stop/go city traffic. This was not a problem when I last drove it in early 2013. Another mechanic said I had a temperature sensor (one of the temp sensors on the front top engine - it was the one in the center - he said it had something to do with the ignition and engine temperature and may have something to do with that fan) needed replaced, so took back to him today and he replaced it today for $45.00 (parts/labor). He said he thought my fan was ok - so I am confused, lol.

Well the car is running fine now, except the left turn signal does not even work 1/2 of the time and now when I use it, it turns off the radio and now the radio will not turn off when the key removed. Passenger side signal works, but it will also cause radio to turn off. No one knows what is wrong, not even MB mechanic. Trunk pull down has stopped working - sometimes the soft door closers work, sometimes they don't - no big deal, I don't need them, but there are times my left rear door will not open from the outside even when unlocked. I would like to have my trunk seal tight, but heard this was costly repair!!

Parts are high, very few people around here will even touch them and a lot of strange things happen to these cars.

I love how the car rides, drives and feels so solid and safe. I just wasn't expecting these other small issues that no one could figure out on it - mostly this current issue with the radio and turn signals.

Overall I love the car, but so many people tell me to sell... they say it is a rich mans used car... and that I am not... NOT RICH. lol.

I have a 2012 Honda that is paid for and of course it is reliable and I still have 31K miles left on the warranty, so no worries from this car for awhile. I just want to get my W140 working right and be able to enjoy it.

 

order your parts online,I buy thru ebay good parts,learn to do some maint. yourself really saves money.expect to buy parts after a 160,000 miles and water pump around 200k.I'm lucky I do all my work,with exception of interior trim.Good luck fellow tennessean

 

Yeah that is the cheapest way. I just cant do major mechanical or major electrical... like the screwy issue I have with my turn signals and radio right now. Even the MB mechanics I have spoke to said they do not know. The turn signals when used will turn off the radio and the left one only works when it wants to and will make a clicking sound in the dash.

I am very close to trading this once $82,000 Mercedes for a 1993 GM car that once cost $26,000 - at least someone could work on it or can steer you in the direction to repair once you know what it is. lol.

 

Just bought a 1999 S500 with only 80K on the clock. The dealer in question (out of state, Private Collection Motors) lied about the driver's seat, it is stuck in the highest position possible. You would have to be 5ft tall to drive this car and not notice the seat in this position. Pure bull****. A $2500 repair at the dealer, it needs a whole new seat motor. 2 local shops wouldn't touch it because of the labor involved. Not happy, but I expected something to need attention, but I didn't expect it to be delivered in such a condition. This is why I HATE dealing with anyone on a used car in another state.

Haven't even got the drive the car really yet. I expect to have the car back this wed and then the AMG wheels arrive which I'll have installed this Friday or Saturday. Not happy so far.

If this car becomes a money pit I will sell it and most likely get a late model/facelifted (1999-2002) R129 SL500 that I think is more worthy of the expensive upkeep than the W140.

M

 

The R129 SL's are actually more costly than a W140 car. Same power plants, same crazy pneumatic locking system plus all of the convertible top motor-hydraulic repairs. It is around $3k to go those top repairs.


I had a great independent mechanic in Jacksonville and got a pretty good education on Mercedes from him. They had a early 90s R129 for sale and he talked me out of it.


The key to any of these cars is NOT to buy sight unseen and get a ppi before purchase. I learned that one the hard way as well!

 

And I did that and they still didn't catch the seat or they simply lied about it. Really frustrating.

The R129 I think would be more worth it, IMO. I hope I don't regret buying this W140 S500. If I can't get it "right" within the budget I have in my mind, it is outta here.

I only want to get about 2 years or so out of it, just so I can have the experience. I don't intend to keep it forever.

M

 

As the title states, I love my car...I hate my car. When this old German lady runs she's like nobody else. When I need to repair her, she is like nobody else! She's picky when it come to OEM parts, she hates aftermarket anythings, and rejects it within a short period of time. When it come to her beverage of choice, she likes the expensive stuff. When a problem arises, and it will, she will act like the problem is "HERE" and its always somewhere else. She just loves to keep you guessing, I think in her mind she's "playing had to fix"! She always wants me to prove my devoted love to her by emptying out my wallet, especially at the most inconvenient times. She wants my leisure time too as she sits in the driveway waiting to be pampered and bathed! She's a very heavy set lady, and she's murder on her brake shoes and tires. Any my insurance company must be related to her because they treat me the same way! I love my car...I hate my car!

 

I bought a 97 S500 coupe last year 164k miles, had a PPI, flushed all fluids and changed one engine coil. Got a great deal on the price and have placed the car on several road trips (over 700 miles) and it drives like a dream. The speed and power and the balance is exceptional even in winter weather(surprise storm) the car has exceeded my expectations. It is a 17 year old car so it's not unusual for small things to start to break and this will happen to any vehicle regardless of original msrp. These issues aren't a major concern as this isn't my primary transportation but I have an expectation of $800 for annual maintenance as an average, and expect at least one major issue $2500k, outside of that range may consider retiring the car. As the owner of few older cars (1990 Honda Accord and a 2000 RX300) that I bought new, and both are experienced issues. RX needed a tranny and having issues with power door locks, the Accord rear wing lights and power window. The cars are like me as I age little things don't operate as well as when new, but with proper maintenance and repairs for the cars, and exercise for me, this old soldier plans to be around to enjoy the cars!!!

 

I just put a newer engine,in my w140.I plan to keep it till I die.

 

Update: I am so satisfied with my 1999 S500. I have driven it for days on end now and it is just satisfying to drive. The ride is great and on certain types of pavement, like fresh black top (like the North Dallas Tollway) it just glides like it is on air. Love this car. Plan on keeping it forever also. She does need attention though. Drivers side door auto close stopped working.

M

 

I too enjoy my 1997 S420 and am convinced that I will never sell it. Of course, at age 70 never isn't all that long.

It is a wonderful automobile, is exceedingly safe to operate, "floats like a butterfly", and gives me no trouble at all after 256,000 + miles. Everything is original except for user service parts like tires, filters, fluids, and so on.

 

Over the years I have had three w140's the latest being s280 a gorgeous carfrom new.It was supposed to be the last car I ever bought. I found that every time I serviced it at the main dealers, the car was always returned to me damaged. It was very frustrating.it seemed that the r people, who should know everything about the car, knew nothing about it.If they fixedsomething,they always broke the next part go here they worked.it got to the point that I had to content. Myself to the damage to prevent. Worse. Finally, after 8years and 90,000 miles the car was still like new but the edge of the exhaust under the bumper fell off setting fire to my car on holiday and I lost the whole car.I approached Mercedes telling them,and they told me that I messed about with the exhaust,something that I did not do,and it was my own fault.which it clearly was not.to be fare to the car,it was never running better than the day it went up in smoke.the incident almost completely ruined my life.people I was to have visited and we're very old,I was not able,etc to go to them,a division now they too are gone.

 

Checking out a 1998 one-owner S420 tmrw...wish me luck!
PL

 

check if oilers,have been changed,and heater tee.