New W126 SEC owner
Discussion
Hi all,
I recently (thanks SOTW) got the bug for a Merc SEC, so after a few weeks searchign and finding some really bad ones I found one in my budget and in not too bad condition.
My budget is low, sickeningly low to many I would imagine! However, I have managed to put a deposit on a car that I like.
It's a 500 in that light blue colour they come in, with grey leather. It's on the original wheels with just over 200K on the clock and set me back just over £500
The MOT isn't due for six months or so and during this time I would like to sort out some of the niggles and ensure another years motoring and rescue this particular car from being too far gone. Talking of which I think a couple more years would have seen this one only worth scrapping so I may have some long arduous work ahead of me!
Now, to the point of my posting, I am looking for parts suppliers. Where do you guys get your service bits, I've looked at GSF and they have some, I was just wondering if anyone had any other suggestions. Also she needs new wings (don't they all at this age!) but I've seen that these are quite expensive from mercedes and I've looked for pattern but haven't found any yet, any ideas? I have seen some on a breaker car in better condition than the ones I've got so I could repair some slightly gone ones if I could get them.
Mechanicals wise, I have a welder and compressor so am pretty well set to get stuck into a nice project, just need some pointers and I'm away!
So, any advice, words of wisdom, offers of couselling appreciated!
I recently (thanks SOTW) got the bug for a Merc SEC, so after a few weeks searchign and finding some really bad ones I found one in my budget and in not too bad condition.
My budget is low, sickeningly low to many I would imagine! However, I have managed to put a deposit on a car that I like.
It's a 500 in that light blue colour they come in, with grey leather. It's on the original wheels with just over 200K on the clock and set me back just over £500
The MOT isn't due for six months or so and during this time I would like to sort out some of the niggles and ensure another years motoring and rescue this particular car from being too far gone. Talking of which I think a couple more years would have seen this one only worth scrapping so I may have some long arduous work ahead of me!
Now, to the point of my posting, I am looking for parts suppliers. Where do you guys get your service bits, I've looked at GSF and they have some, I was just wondering if anyone had any other suggestions. Also she needs new wings (don't they all at this age!) but I've seen that these are quite expensive from mercedes and I've looked for pattern but haven't found any yet, any ideas? I have seen some on a breaker car in better condition than the ones I've got so I could repair some slightly gone ones if I could get them.
Mechanicals wise, I have a welder and compressor so am pretty well set to get stuck into a nice project, just need some pointers and I'm away!
So, any advice, words of wisdom, offers of couselling appreciated!
I've got one, too. I paid £3,750 for mine three years ago. Then my wife took it when we divorced. Then I bought it back for a grand.
These cars can be a bottomless pit. Mine is. Next week sees a bodywork overhaul starting. My car was cherished by one owner until 2004, with a full Mercedes service history and some massive bills showing work done without any regard to cost. It then was neglected for a year. In 2005, the previous owner bought it and did some very good work but covered only 700miles in the time he had it. Then I got it. That one year of neglect and two years of minimal use have really hurt the car.
Service parts are cheap enough at the Mercedes dealer.
Almost everything else is really expensive at the Mercedes dealer and a lot of trim is not available. Some little things are reasonable enough.
Pattern wings are not available. New ones are £265 plus VAT each. Rust free used wings are about £150 each.
There are a number of specialists out there. For parts, Dronsfields, Mercman, Boss Parts, and a few one man bands in the Mercedes-Benz Club. Also try Ebay but be careful. A search on Mercedes SEC will turn up several being broken. The problem with these cars is that they are being broken: they and the parts they are comprised of are rubbish, otherwise they wouldn't be being broken in the first place.
The must do is to join the Mercedes-Benz Club at www.Mercedes-Benz-Club.co.uk. It only costs £30 a year. Several people have been very helpful to me when it comes to parts supply. You also get free online access to the Mercedes-Benz workshop information system and electronic parts catalogue. This is an incredible resource. WIS contains instructions on how to do everything to your car; the EPC contains clear parts data.
These cars can be a bottomless pit. Mine is. Next week sees a bodywork overhaul starting. My car was cherished by one owner until 2004, with a full Mercedes service history and some massive bills showing work done without any regard to cost. It then was neglected for a year. In 2005, the previous owner bought it and did some very good work but covered only 700miles in the time he had it. Then I got it. That one year of neglect and two years of minimal use have really hurt the car.
Service parts are cheap enough at the Mercedes dealer.
Almost everything else is really expensive at the Mercedes dealer and a lot of trim is not available. Some little things are reasonable enough.
Pattern wings are not available. New ones are £265 plus VAT each. Rust free used wings are about £150 each.
There are a number of specialists out there. For parts, Dronsfields, Mercman, Boss Parts, and a few one man bands in the Mercedes-Benz Club. Also try Ebay but be careful. A search on Mercedes SEC will turn up several being broken. The problem with these cars is that they are being broken: they and the parts they are comprised of are rubbish, otherwise they wouldn't be being broken in the first place.
The must do is to join the Mercedes-Benz Club at www.Mercedes-Benz-Club.co.uk. It only costs £30 a year. Several people have been very helpful to me when it comes to parts supply. You also get free online access to the Mercedes-Benz workshop information system and electronic parts catalogue. This is an incredible resource. WIS contains instructions on how to do everything to your car; the EPC contains clear parts data.
Thanks for that.
I am definitely joining the mercedes club as I would need the technical info and insurance discounts! I'm looking forward to picking it up shortly, just want to get it up in the air and start renewing the running gear at each corner. I'm also going to have to find someone with an old broken seatbelt butler as I need a new arm on mine, the motor is fine, the end is just broken!
I'll do some pics when I get it and post them up!
I am definitely joining the mercedes club as I would need the technical info and insurance discounts! I'm looking forward to picking it up shortly, just want to get it up in the air and start renewing the running gear at each corner. I'm also going to have to find someone with an old broken seatbelt butler as I need a new arm on mine, the motor is fine, the end is just broken!
I'll do some pics when I get it and post them up!
I should have said: these are great cars, among the best cars ever built.
Bushes are cheap enough at the dealer. The suspension system is relatively simple, especially at the rear. A giant subframe mounted on three bushes holds semi-trailing arms. I wish I was competent to do this kind of work!
Seat belt presenter arms are often available on Ebay. One of the online breakers will sort you out. I expect new price will be about £40 for the plastic triangle.
Bushes are cheap enough at the dealer. The suspension system is relatively simple, especially at the rear. A giant subframe mounted on three bushes holds semi-trailing arms. I wish I was competent to do this kind of work!
Seat belt presenter arms are often available on Ebay. One of the online breakers will sort you out. I expect new price will be about £40 for the plastic triangle.
Also try www.benzworld.org lots of W126 information on there.
And this place is good for second hand parts http://www.threepointedparts.co.uk/
Good luck with the project. Got any pics??
And this place is good for second hand parts http://www.threepointedparts.co.uk/
Good luck with the project. Got any pics??
R129sl, thanks again for the owners club info, I think it really helped my insurance quotes!
I phoned around for insurance today and got it dsown to £239 fully comp with only a £250 excess and £70 on glass so I am pretty pleased, especially considering that I don't have a daily insured in my name!
I will be picking it up on friday and will be taking some pics some time later, so expect a pic heavy update soon!
I phoned around for insurance today and got it dsown to £239 fully comp with only a £250 excess and £70 on glass so I am pretty pleased, especially considering that I don't have a daily insured in my name!
I will be picking it up on friday and will be taking some pics some time later, so expect a pic heavy update soon!
I'm looking forward to it.
The Mercedes-Benz Club is really good. For £30 a year you get a monthly glossy magazine which has plenty of interest, a fantastic quarterly magazine form the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre in Germany (called, imaginatively enough, Mercedes-Benz Classic), free access to the Electronic Parts Catalogue and Workshop Information System (if you were a garage, you'd have to pay thousands for this), various discounts (which you could probably get easily enough with a bit of bargaining, but hey, they are all here for you) and membership of a really positive group of people.
The membership is really diverse. But the unifying factor is that everyone is passionate about Mercedes-Benz. So there are some people you might think are a bit fuddy-duddy or beardy-wierdy, and there are others who you might think are just loaded with cash, and there are still others who old, others young, fat, thin and so on. But all are very positive. On the forum I have had a lot of help with my cars' problems. The extent to which you participate is entirely up to you.
It is whole-heartedly recommended.
The Mercedes-Benz Club is really good. For £30 a year you get a monthly glossy magazine which has plenty of interest, a fantastic quarterly magazine form the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre in Germany (called, imaginatively enough, Mercedes-Benz Classic), free access to the Electronic Parts Catalogue and Workshop Information System (if you were a garage, you'd have to pay thousands for this), various discounts (which you could probably get easily enough with a bit of bargaining, but hey, they are all here for you) and membership of a really positive group of people.
The membership is really diverse. But the unifying factor is that everyone is passionate about Mercedes-Benz. So there are some people you might think are a bit fuddy-duddy or beardy-wierdy, and there are others who you might think are just loaded with cash, and there are still others who old, others young, fat, thin and so on. But all are very positive. On the forum I have had a lot of help with my cars' problems. The extent to which you participate is entirely up to you.
It is whole-heartedly recommended.
OK just got back but no pics yet (needs a wash before I do) just got one word to say
DEATHTRAP!!!!!!
And I love it!!
The front brakes are shot as are pretty much every bush up front! It feels like I'm riding the rumble strip by the side of the motorway when I'm doing above 60!!
Still, I had to get it 75 miles, which I did, I wasn't overly concerned as I had my Dad playing tailgunner for 60 miles or so, so he was a buffer between me and other cars!
The car has MOT and tax and as of this afternoon insurance and breakdown service but it's got to sit on my drive while I replace loads of parts!
Still, I can forgive it it's foibles as it has a good engine and box and the feeling when you prod the throttle to overtake a slower moving vehicle is addictive, I felt the kickdown once and I very much liked it!
Anyway, I thought I'd share my excitement as my adrenaline wears off from the nerve wracking drive home!
Edit, I've just given her a wash and cleaned the interior, she looks a lot better for it. The seats came up quite well and I think there is still improvement to be had there!
Anyhow, the jobs I have spotted now...
Rot;
Both wings
Drivers door
Drivers rear arch
Around the boot (I know! A repair panel is available I think so I should be able to do it!)
Above the numberplate
needs new;
Front discs and pads
Some form of bushes up front I'm sure
New tyres, three of them have little cuts in the sidewall so I'll need them changed before the next MOT
Radio head unit
Engine belts
Needs fixing;
Rev counter intermittent
Electric headrest button on drivers side needs sticking back on
Electric mirror switch needs replacing
Air conditioning! (no belts on at all right now, preparing myself for a big bill!)
But I still love it!
DEATHTRAP!!!!!!
And I love it!!
The front brakes are shot as are pretty much every bush up front! It feels like I'm riding the rumble strip by the side of the motorway when I'm doing above 60!!
Still, I had to get it 75 miles, which I did, I wasn't overly concerned as I had my Dad playing tailgunner for 60 miles or so, so he was a buffer between me and other cars!
The car has MOT and tax and as of this afternoon insurance and breakdown service but it's got to sit on my drive while I replace loads of parts!
Still, I can forgive it it's foibles as it has a good engine and box and the feeling when you prod the throttle to overtake a slower moving vehicle is addictive, I felt the kickdown once and I very much liked it!
Anyway, I thought I'd share my excitement as my adrenaline wears off from the nerve wracking drive home!
Edit, I've just given her a wash and cleaned the interior, she looks a lot better for it. The seats came up quite well and I think there is still improvement to be had there!
Anyhow, the jobs I have spotted now...
Rot;
Both wings
Drivers door
Drivers rear arch
Around the boot (I know! A repair panel is available I think so I should be able to do it!)
Above the numberplate
needs new;
Front discs and pads
Some form of bushes up front I'm sure
New tyres, three of them have little cuts in the sidewall so I'll need them changed before the next MOT
Radio head unit
Engine belts
Needs fixing;
Rev counter intermittent
Electric headrest button on drivers side needs sticking back on
Electric mirror switch needs replacing
Air conditioning! (no belts on at all right now, preparing myself for a big bill!)
But I still love it!
Edited by freecar on Friday 25th June 23:18
I would get the mechanical stuff fixed up first because it is cheap and fundamental and then decide how far you want to go with it. Discs and pads are cheap from Eurocarparts or the main dealer for that matter. Bushes up front are cheap from the main dealer. Even top brand tyres aren't bad: I put Continental Premium Contact 2s on mine because Michelin do not make a suitable tyre in that size anymore; works out about £300 for 4 fitted.
The bodywork can get expensive as nobody makes pattern panels so far as I am aware. However, there are plenty of people selling used ones. New genuine panels are superb quality and good value but still pricey. A new wing is £265; a new rear quarter (big job) is £600. Door skins are £300 from memory. You might be better of removing and treating rust rather than repairing panels.
Headrest switch costs about 50p!! Buy many as they always pop off. Don't know about the other stuff.
The bodywork can get expensive as nobody makes pattern panels so far as I am aware. However, there are plenty of people selling used ones. New genuine panels are superb quality and good value but still pricey. A new wing is £265; a new rear quarter (big job) is £600. Door skins are £300 from memory. You might be better of removing and treating rust rather than repairing panels.
Headrest switch costs about 50p!! Buy many as they always pop off. Don't know about the other stuff.
r129sl said:
I would get the mechanical stuff fixed up first because it is cheap and fundamental and then decide how far you want to go with it. Discs and pads are cheap from Eurocarparts or the main dealer for that matter. Bushes up front are cheap from the main dealer. Even top brand tyres aren't bad: I put Continental Premium Contact 2s on mine because Michelin do not make a suitable tyre in that size anymore; works out about £300 for 4 fitted.
The bodywork can get expensive as nobody makes pattern panels so far as I am aware. However, there are plenty of people selling used ones. New genuine panels are superb quality and good value but still pricey. A new wing is £265; a new rear quarter (big job) is £600. Door skins are £300 from memory. You might be better of removing and treating rust rather than repairing panels.
Headrest switch costs about 50p!! Buy many as they always pop off. Don't know about the other stuff.
Yeah I was planning on sorting the mechanicals first then fabricating up a load of repair panels as I am far too cheap to pay for proper ones! I'm pretty handy with a hammer so should be ok!The bodywork can get expensive as nobody makes pattern panels so far as I am aware. However, there are plenty of people selling used ones. New genuine panels are superb quality and good value but still pricey. A new wing is £265; a new rear quarter (big job) is £600. Door skins are £300 from memory. You might be better of removing and treating rust rather than repairing panels.
Headrest switch costs about 50p!! Buy many as they always pop off. Don't know about the other stuff.
andytop25 said:
Just become happy 560 sec owner.Car-good insurance-fairly cheap.
Paid 600 for mine ,it's1987 and 96 k on the clock.Some rust and of course not everything works.
I've got some alarm issue-how to deactivate bloody thing?
Would be very grateful for any guidance.
You're a lucky man, the 560 is the most desirable! I have no ideas about the alarm though, mine is in a box on the garage floor! Sadly repair budget has taken a pounding recently so not sure when mine will be rolling again!Paid 600 for mine ,it's1987 and 96 k on the clock.Some rust and of course not everything works.
I've got some alarm issue-how to deactivate bloody thing?
Would be very grateful for any guidance.
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