W140 S Class; am I mad?
Discussion
J4CKO said:
I love a barge but does anyone else not think these are just ungainly looking things, a similar age seven series just is so much better looking even if not as imperious.
7 series of that era is more elegant, S-class has significantly more presence. Depends what appeals I suppose.J4CKO said:
I love a barge but does anyone else not think these are just ungainly looking things, a similar age seven series just is so much better looking even if not as imperious.
I think the E32 and E38 are some of BMW's best looking cars. The W140 can not be described as beautiful but, to me, it has appeal for other reasons. The development cost, the V12, the "ambassador/diplomatic" image. It love the front grill and headlights, so typically Mercedes. Lovely old motors. J4CKO said:
I love a barge but does anyone else not think these are just ungainly looking things, a similar age seven series just is so much better looking even if not as imperious.
The W140 S Class is somewhat more subtle than the E38 7 series (especially in Sport spec) which probably doesn't sit so well with the modern eye, which is used to curves, acute angles and bling. The W140 in two tone grey and black with small wheels is just magnificent and looks very understated. The E38 is somewhat more visually dramatic. They were aimed at the same market but I would suspect attracted a different kind of customer, both privately and selling to business and political buyers. Of the two to drive, I suspect the E38 will be better for pressing on, and the W140 better for serene wafting. Certainly, the Mercedes is blessed with a much nicer cabin.
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Loom problems were more prevalent on the earlier cars, but could affect cars of any model year.
My 96 facelift died of either HGF or loom failure (causing a mis-fire). It wasnt worth investigation so sold it on for parts.
Interesting to hear that could affect all MYs... certainly worth keeping an eye on. My 96 facelift died of either HGF or loom failure (causing a mis-fire). It wasnt worth investigation so sold it on for parts.
Edited by kapiteinlangzaam on Wednesday 11th March 08:22
BigBen said:
The ECU on any car would cost loads to replace, but they don't tend to break so it is a non issue. Never heard of the SAM units going and I did a s
t ton of research before buying one and indeed during my tenure as an owner.
Must confess haven't heard of widespread SAM unit failure either...t ton of research before buying one and indeed during my tenure as an owner.SuperPav said:
Sorry, might not be air, might be hydraulic - basically the self-levelling rear suspension...
Incidentally, they're great cars, just so long as you don't go into it expecting to never have to replace anything other than brake pads. Comfy, and the V12 is sublime.
Wiring harnesses were always a problem I think, even after they realised the cock-up of the earlier cars. Ours had it done under warranty IIRC...
Ah right, yeah understand the ADS was a problem area, thankfully only top spec usually had it! Worth looking to see if the loom has been done then; were the replacement looms of the same quality though!>!> Incidentally, they're great cars, just so long as you don't go into it expecting to never have to replace anything other than brake pads. Comfy, and the V12 is sublime.
Wiring harnesses were always a problem I think, even after they realised the cock-up of the earlier cars. Ours had it done under warranty IIRC...
dbdb said:
My brother's W140 had loom problems. I can't remember the year of it, but it was a facelifted car.
It also had a persistent misfire, together with other rather esoteric problems which were never solved, but seemed linked. When the electrical maladies struck, the car's starter would not turn and the dash lights would gradually dim down to the point they were almost out - then everything in the car would be dead, except for the driver's side electric window which would twitch up and down a few millimetres very rapidly for as long as the ignition was on.
Turning off the ignition would sometimes repeat the performance - but more often than not the car would just start normally as if nothing had happened. It would happen in spells - when the electrics were misbehaving, the car would also go through periods of misfiring. The problem appeared sporadically at first; after a while though, it happened more often than not. When he sold the car it was a struggle to get the thing to drive to the lucky dealer who had taken it as a trade in.
It was an impressive car when it was running right. It was very smooth riding, refined and had a good turn of speed even though it was only the S320. It's vastness lent it an air of real importance - but was also its Achilles heel. They really are huge. I found it too big, to be honest.
Yup, they are all pretty sizeable... reckon that's part of the appeal! May be tricky in town though... misfire sometimes to do with coil packs on these? It also had a persistent misfire, together with other rather esoteric problems which were never solved, but seemed linked. When the electrical maladies struck, the car's starter would not turn and the dash lights would gradually dim down to the point they were almost out - then everything in the car would be dead, except for the driver's side electric window which would twitch up and down a few millimetres very rapidly for as long as the ignition was on.
Turning off the ignition would sometimes repeat the performance - but more often than not the car would just start normally as if nothing had happened. It would happen in spells - when the electrics were misbehaving, the car would also go through periods of misfiring. The problem appeared sporadically at first; after a while though, it happened more often than not. When he sold the car it was a struggle to get the thing to drive to the lucky dealer who had taken it as a trade in.
It was an impressive car when it was running right. It was very smooth riding, refined and had a good turn of speed even though it was only the S320. It's vastness lent it an air of real importance - but was also its Achilles heel. They really are huge. I found it too big, to be honest.
bmthnick1981 said:
There is an article in this months Classic Mercedes re: biodegradable loonms. Mainly a W124 issue but now showing signs of affecting other models including the W140 and to M120 V12 is specifically mentioned by the Specialist. Wouldn't put me off a nice W140 S600 if I could find a nice one for sensible money though.
Yeah, certainly one to watch; result of MB bowing to environmental pressure from the likes of Greenpeace at the time as I understand it!J4CKO said:
I love a barge but does anyone else not think these are just ungainly looking things, a similar age seven series just is so much better looking even if not as imperious.
They aren't naturally pretty cars; like an E38 (reckon the last great 7 series), but many of them have been 'customised' and therefore ruined by owners!SuperPav said:
7 series of that era is more elegant, S-class has significantly more presence. Depends what appeals I suppose.
Horses for courses IMO! bmthnick1981 said:
I think the E32 and E38 are some of BMW's best looking cars. The W140 can not be described as beautiful but, to me, it has appeal for other reasons. The development cost, the V12, the "ambassador/diplomatic" image. It love the front grill and headlights, so typically Mercedes. Lovely old motors.
Different appeal for E38 and one of these... W140 also has appeal in being one of the last true Sacco bricks!ajmcampbell said:
Good to hear an ownership experience, sounds a similar situation to mine when you owned it! Couple of qs if you don't mind: firstly, what kind of nick was it in, and secondly, did the eventual failure cost you dear? Also who did you go to for insurance? Cheers A 
When I bought it (for £995) it had typical MB spec wings, though not as bad as some! Mileage was just over 100k, I took it to about 120k IIRC. After the ECU disaster was diagnosed - which didn't cost anything, it was scrapped for £350 or so. I could have broken it for much more but I needed it away ASAP at the time. If I could have broken it I'm sure the buy/sell difference would have been much better!Other costs were a full service (£70 in parts at the time), a cam sensor, rear light cluster, rear tyres and a new star for the bonnet so actually it didn't cost much in parts, only fuel! There was a guy on eBay called Carl who broke 140s so lots of parts are readily available secondhand.
From memory my insurance was through eCar and around £500ish.
Other points to note, tyres need switched from front to rear and vice versa to have any chance of getting even wear (unless wider rear tyres obviously!), on Continental Premuimcontact tyres it was always getting stuck in snow which my E38 doesn't with even wider summer tyres. For some reason the batteries in the key fob wouldn't last longer than a few weeks with me for some reason which is annoying!
Lugy said:
When I bought it (for £995) it had typical MB spec wings, though not as bad as some! Mileage was just over 100k, I took it to about 120k IIRC. After the ECU disaster was diagnosed - which didn't cost anything, it was scrapped for £350 or so. I could have broken it for much more but I needed it away ASAP at the time. If I could have broken it I'm sure the buy/sell difference would have been much better!
Other costs were a full service (£70 in parts at the time), a cam sensor, rear light cluster, rear tyres and a new star for the bonnet so actually it didn't cost much in parts, only fuel! There was a guy on eBay called Carl who broke 140s so lots of parts are readily available secondhand.
From memory my insurance was through eCar and around £500ish.
Other points to note, tyres need switched from front to rear and vice versa to have any chance of getting even wear (unless wider rear tyres obviously!), on Continental Premuimcontact tyres it was always getting stuck in snow which my E38 doesn't with even wider summer tyres. For some reason the batteries in the key fob wouldn't last longer than a few weeks with me for some reason which is annoying!
Ah the dreaded MB wings! At least I suppose they are easy to swap out if you felt the need: basic toolkit stuff! Other costs were a full service (£70 in parts at the time), a cam sensor, rear light cluster, rear tyres and a new star for the bonnet so actually it didn't cost much in parts, only fuel! There was a guy on eBay called Carl who broke 140s so lots of parts are readily available secondhand.
From memory my insurance was through eCar and around £500ish.
Other points to note, tyres need switched from front to rear and vice versa to have any chance of getting even wear (unless wider rear tyres obviously!), on Continental Premuimcontact tyres it was always getting stuck in snow which my E38 doesn't with even wider summer tyres. For some reason the batteries in the key fob wouldn't last longer than a few weeks with me for some reason which is annoying!
Sounds like the car was fairly solid over 20k miles, bar the eventual big failure!
Reckon had you broken it you could have actually turned a profit at that money!
Interesting about the tyres; is that the same for all W140s? Imagine they are hopeless in snow: LWB and RWD on skinny tyres ain't a great combo for traction!
Weird about the keyfob, that would irritate me!
Cheers, A
ajmcampbell said:
Ah the dreaded MB wings! At least I suppose they are easy to swap out if you felt the need: basic toolkit stuff!
Sounds like the car was fairly solid over 20k miles, bar the eventual big failure!
Reckon had you broken it you could have actually turned a profit at that money!
Interesting about the tyres; is that the same for all W140s? Imagine they are hopeless in snow: LWB and RWD on skinny tyres ain't a great combo for traction!
Weird about the keyfob, that would irritate me!
Cheers, A
I don't remember why but the front tyres wear heavily on the edge of the tread, the rears wear in the centre, swapping them gets the most life out of them. The key issue might not be common, it wasn't something I looked into.Sounds like the car was fairly solid over 20k miles, bar the eventual big failure!
Reckon had you broken it you could have actually turned a profit at that money!
Interesting about the tyres; is that the same for all W140s? Imagine they are hopeless in snow: LWB and RWD on skinny tyres ain't a great combo for traction!
Weird about the keyfob, that would irritate me!
Cheers, A
Lugy said:
I don't remember why but the front tyres wear heavily on the edge of the tread, the rears wear in the centre, swapping them gets the most life out of them. The key issue might not be common, it wasn't something I looked into.
Good to know! Hear these are pretty heavy on tires in general too... will research the key thing too cheers A 
ajmcampbell said:
Lugy said:
I don't remember why but the front tyres wear heavily on the edge of the tread, the rears wear in the centre, swapping them gets the most life out of them. The key issue might not be common, it wasn't something I looked into.
Good to know! Hear these are pretty heavy on tires in general too... will research the key thing too cheers A BigBen said:
My keys were fine but had a weird feature where you had to hold the button down for like 10S to remotely open the boot, thus rendering the feature useless.
That's bizarre; did the same thing happen when using the cabin button? If so vacuum pump could have been on the way out. ajmcampbell said:
BigBen said:
My keys were fine but had a weird feature where you had to hold the button down for like 10S to remotely open the boot, thus rendering the feature useless.
That's bizarre; did the same thing happen when using the cabin button? If so vacuum pump could have been on the way out. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff