W140 S320 - Pros & Cons?

[GTO Scott]

Looking at a 1997 S320 W140 at the moment - it's just into shed territory but I reckon it'd make a great smoker barge for a year or two.

Anything I need to be aware of with these? It'd be a 2nd/3rd car just for fun and comfortable 600-mile trips so fuel economy isn't really an issue. I guess being a post-1992 Mercedes rot will become a problem, but I would hope otherwise being an S it would be well nailed together.

Thanks in advance!

[BigBen]

Rot should not be a problem on the W140, they were developed before the real cost cutting that hit Merc a bit later in the 1990s.

The wiring looms on early W140s were made with biodegradable insulation which biodegraded a bit sooner than Mercedes intended so may have needed a new wiring loom at some point (fixed on later cars)

Air conditioning condenser can go which is £££ to fix so make sure the AC works. Plenty of more detailed posts on the smoker barge thread covering the W140

Ben

[r129sl]

The big problem with these is that they are very strong cars which now are getting old. They get neglected because they can take it. With the exception of a few nutcases, nobody maintains them properly. Most cars will be a disappointment with a huge list of backlog maintenance and repairs. As mentioned, the A/C may be broken. Any of the myriad systems may be broken (cruise control is a good example). The suspension at both ends will be very tired by now. The pipes on the bottom of the car will probably have had it. The engine mounts will be shot. The engine wiring loom and head gasket may be shot (although these likely will have been fixed by now). It will need a very comprehensive service. It should still go well enough but not with the astonishing refinement its maker intended.

[truck71]

Apologies to go slightly sideways but I keep getting drawn to this in the classifieds- seems a lot of car when comparing to the older (yet much more sylish) SEL Mercs.

I reckon £5k might buy it since it's been there a while, what could possibly go wrong...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3120222.htm

[BigBen]

truck71 said:

Apologies to go slightly sideways but I keep getting drawn to this in the classifieds- seems a lot of car when comparing to the older (yet much more sylish) SEL Mercs.

I reckon £5k might buy it since it's been there a while, what could possibly go wrong...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3120222.htm

Unless the points suggested by R129SL have been addressed that is very expensive for a pre facelift 600 IMO

[XB70]

r129sl said:

With the exception of a few nutcases...

• waves*

Hello!

:-)

I was ticking off each of the elements that you listed and recalled the heavy drain on the wallet that I experienced.

Still, went like absolute stink and sold pretty much immediately to the second person who saw it (the first person was a bit of an odd one!)

I berate my LS for not having the sheer grunt that the W140 had, to which it responds "Do I not defend thee from the forces of bork?". Well, yes...but you are well..not a V12.

XB70 is now talking to his car....need to check for exhaust leaks into the cabin...

[Pontoneer]

320 will be underpowered - 140 body needs at least a V8 to go decently .

[BigBen]

Pontoneer said:

320 will be underpowered - 140 body needs at least a V8 to go decently .

I have seen quite a few write ups that suggest otherwise, although I would say that if I had bought the slow one

[confused_buyer]

Aircon: does it work? If not probably evaporator and it never will work.

Suspension: Does it wobble under braking at 60ish? It shouldn't handle too badly for its size, if it feels all over the road the suspepension is shot. The steering is never that sharp, although it can be improved by a new £30 steering dampner - if it hasn't been replaced it will be shot.

Gearbox: It should be a 5-speed. Usual clonk/jolt checks.

Engine: check for oil leaks and any misfires.

Later W140's most certainly do rust and quite badly sometimes. Wiring looms should not be an issue at this age.