RE: Shed Of The Week: Mercedes S500

RE: Shed Of The Week: Mercedes S500

Friday 3rd July 2015

Shed Of The Week: Mercedes S500

Yes the wheels look iffy and the ad is very shouty, but it's a V8 S-Class for £985!



Few cars of the modern era have been surrounded by as much folklore as the W140 Mercedes.

Despite the hyperbole, it's hard to overstate the impact it had when it was launched at Geneva in 1991. The spec was as big as the car and included stuff nobody had really seen in the mainstream before like double-glazed windows, self-closing doors and bootlid and a heating system that kept on heating even if you had to sit outside the Ritz for a bit with the engine turned off while your security men cleared the foyer of paparazzi.

Them rims is pimpin. Or something
Them rims is pimpin. Or something
Boy was it big, though. Bruno Sacco's design cleverly disguised the 140's vastness. See a picture of one with no reference points in the shot and you wouldn't think it especially large. That's an impression you'll soon forget when you park one in your garage and find you can't open the doors. Getting on for 17 feet long and six foot two wide, it crunched the scales at over two tonnes.

Despite all that it could be made to scamper along like a puppy. Airmatic air suspension wasn't deemed sufficiently developed to feature in the W140, but that didn't matter: conventional suspension (hydro-pneumatic at the rear) allied to the car's sheer bulk was more than up to the job of smashing the poxiest of roads into whimpering submission. You might have thought you saw holes in the Tarmac but the rest of your senses would convince you otherwise. British Library-spec soundproofing and thick slabs of metal ushered in a whole new era of refinement that you'll have to look long and hard to better in modern cars.

Of course it's a gamble - isn't that the point?
Of course it's a gamble - isn't that the point?
The car was built to beat everything, including as it turned out Daimler-Benz's chief engineer Wolfgang Peter who lost his job when the directors saw how much it was all costing. Customers were happy to pay 25 per cent on top of the old W126 price though. They knew what they were getting: the world's best luxury car.

Official production stopped in 1999, but not in India, where it continued to be built for another two years. Astonishingly, Mercedes built over 430,000 W140s. Hardly anyone bought them in the last couple of years of the run, but their loss could be your gain if this specimen doesn't come with a hidden sting.

The ad is a bit too frantic and even manages to talk itself down from £995 to £985 by the end, but in amongst all the yelling you'll see cheering phrases like 'two owners' and 'service history'. The pics show a car that's been slightly Stathamed by the addition of wrong 19in alloys (standard size was 16) and too-small tyres. In one way the gangsta look is understandable because the W140 has filled many a starring role in angry man gets revenge type movies like The Peacemaker and Enemy Of The State, not to mention The Transporter. We said not to mention The Transporter.

LIGHT GREY UNMARKED LEATHER TRIM
LIGHT GREY UNMARKED LEATHER TRIM
These cars run surprisingly well even with a 190hp 280 six cowering under the mighty bonnet, but the 315hp 5.0-litre V8 is by common consent the best all-round engine. It's pokier than the S420 and hardly any less fuel efficient. When new it took the car from 0-60 in 6.9sec and went on to a ridiculously relaxed (and limited) 155mph, handling far more securely than a car this humongous had any right to. Even the 15-22mpg fuel consumption wasn't too bad considering the primo limo luxury you were enjoying.

This car's newish tyres will keep your costs down between now and the January MOT. So will the functioning air-con, which we are told about on several occasions.

A machine polish on this one should bring out the quality of the paintwork but won't cover up the multiplicity of things that could go wrong underneath it. 1997 cars like this one suffered from leaky brake fluid hoses but that was covered in a recall. For once we're not going to go on with a great long list of possible problems. We're just going to say that this is one of those cars everyone should have a go in, and let the devil take the hindmost.

Obviously you really don't want those alloys, but for this money you can forgive a lot. If that big V8 is running right, and why would it not be, this is without question the most car (in every sense) you can get for your thousand.

Here's the ad. Put your ear plugs in.

GREAT VALUE S500 V8 / 2 OWNERS, PART EX TO CLEAR, HUGE S500 V8 SPEC, DRIVES WELL, LONG MOT , BLACK WITH FULL LIGHT GREY UNMARKED LEATHER TRIM., Upgrades - MET BLACK WITH UNMARKED LIGHT GREY LEATHER INTERIOR, 19 INCH AMG 5 SPOKE ALLOYS, MOT UNTIL JAN 2016, DRIVES WELL, LOADS OF BILLS AND RECIEPTS, JUST 2 OWNERS, MET BLACK, SERVICE HISTORY WITH ALL OLD MOT DATA TO PROVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE, MARCH 1997 MODEL, GOOD SERVICE HISTORY WITH LOADS OF BILLS AND INVOICES, ICE COLD AIR CONDITIONING, ALL HPI CLEAR, PART EX TO CLEAR SOLD AS SEEN DRIVEN AND TESTED, JUST HAD 4 NEW TYRES COSTING £700, AMG Alloy Wheels with Blue Black Multi-piece inset, ELECTRIC SUNROOF, GOOD S500 SPEC, A BARGAIN AT £995, NO OFFERS HERE READY TO DRIVE AWAY, FULLY LOADED WITH HUGE SPEC, AUTOMATIC 5 SPEED, JUST TAKEN IN PART EX, Electric Glass Sunroof, PICS TO FOLLOW TONIGHT WHEN IT ARRIVES IN, FREEZING COLD AIR CON, CD Changer in Boot - Six Disc, Electric Tilt Glass Sunroof, CD Changer in Boot (6 Disc), ELECTRIC GLASS SUNROOF, GOOD LEATHER INTERIOR, ELECTRIC SEATS, CLIMATE AIR CON, DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS, SOFT DOOR AND BOOT CLOSURE, CD CHANGER, ESP TRACTION CONTROL, POWER FOLD MIRRORS, REAR VANITY MIRRORS, REAR PRIVACY GLASS, GREAT S500 SPEC, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), ICE COLD AIR CON,, 2 owners, Service history, Good bodywork, Grey Full leather interior - Excellent Condition, Tyre condition Good, Standard Features - Airbags, CD Player, Central locking, Electric door mirrors, Electric windows, Leather seats, Alloy wheels, Air conditioning, Height adjustable drivers seat, Remote central locking, Power steering, Cruise control, Traction control, Sunroof. SOLD AS SEEN DRIVEN AND TESTED, PART EX TO CLEAR. !!!!!!! FULLY LOADED , DRIVES WELL AND LONG MOT , HUGE S500 SPEC !!!!!!!!!!! ICE COLD WORKING AIR CON,, FULL DEALER FACILITIES, AA WARRANTY, FINANCE, PART EXCHANGE , DEBIT CREDIT CARD DEPOSITS EXCEPTED, £985 p/x to clear



 


Author
Discussion

EdHall697

Original Poster:

65 posts

115 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
I wonder how many bodys you can fit in the boot?

Fetchez la vache

5,568 posts

213 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
EdHall697 said:
I wonder how many bodys you can fit in the boot?
Lol my thoughts exactly biggrin

Axionknight

8,505 posts

134 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Not my cup of tea, but could you really go wrong for the money?

RichwiththeS2000

443 posts

133 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Depends how much you chop them up first.

daveco

4,122 posts

206 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Great shed!

I remember the autocar group review which pitted it against the BMW 750 and Jag XJ. I think it battered them into submission. Not a patch on the W126 design wise imo, but a better car in every other way.

only1ian

684 posts

193 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Best barge in a while cracking find shed!

truck71

2,328 posts

171 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Best shed ever, worst ad ever.

only1ian

684 posts

193 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Best barge in a while cracking find shed!

Rob.043

62 posts

180 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Very nice. I'll be well up for that if the A.C. is cold.

dragging ass

30 posts

105 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
I've a huge soft spot for these. A very shouty ad and paint looks in need of a bit of attention but inside looks immaculate. Bargain

andyps

7,817 posts

281 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Good job this wasn't featured a month ago - it would have been too tempting as transport for Le Mans!

BigBen

11,610 posts

229 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
I ran a 1988 S 500 L for a couple of years, a seriously good car which I really miss.

Martin_Hx

3,951 posts

197 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
A little TLC and new wheels and this would be an awesome wafter

XB70

2,482 posts

195 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
About time the W140 showed up in the Shed!

I think the reference to India may be in connection with the W124 series E class - AFAIK know, the W140's were only built in Germany.

paralla

3,528 posts

134 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
I wonder if it Drives well?

monzaxjr

549 posts

145 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Seller needs a whack in the danglers for that advert.

AC43

11,435 posts

207 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
I know the rims are wrong but these do look very under-wheeled normally, especially at the back. Not as good as the period staggered monoblocs but a major improvement.

Great shed.


fatboy69

9,371 posts

186 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
What an outstanding find.

I quite like those wheels - they give the car an air of invincibility.

Suggested to SWMBO that she gets rid of her awful Saab thing & moves into this beast. She just gave one of 'those' looks that we all know so well!!!

I wonder how much the car when it left the showroom...


J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Wow, if it lived for six months and you weighed it in its a bargain

pSyCoSiS

3,581 posts

204 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Probably the best SOTW this year. I love the W140, and apart from the iconic 600 Grosser, it is my all-time favourite Benz.

Apart from the S280 / 300 TurboDiesel (which I still feel would be underpowered in this body), I have had almost every iteration of the W140. S320 is surprisingly brisk, the 600 is something else. 408bhp in the earlier engines - alot supercars at the time didn't have that sort of power!

Huge in size and nothing touches it for presence. The 'M119' in the 500 is a good engine and reliable if maintained correctly. Quick enough, especially given the girth of the thing!

I need to get the suspension sorted on my 600 SEL, but that should be back on the road this summer with a set of genuine and period 18" 3-spoke Brabus Monoblock wheels.

Edited by pSyCoSiS on Friday 3rd July 10:18