mercedes w126 560 sec
Discussion
I am getting slowly interested in those following my recent episode with a r107 300sl (see other thread).
One friend's father had one of them when I was at school in the late 1980's and I remember how cool they were back then.
A few questions:
If anyone has seen a superb blue or black one with low miles, can they point me in the right direction?
That is unless I find another mint r107 before...
One friend's father had one of them when I was at school in the late 1980's and I remember how cool they were back then.
A few questions:
- Is the 560 the best model to own nowadays? Or is it equaly good to get a 420 or 500?
- how are they on petrol?
- how much to spend to get a decent one?
- what annual budget for maintenance?
If anyone has seen a superb blue or black one with low miles, can they point me in the right direction?
That is unless I find another mint r107 before...
They are just lovely. My dad has had one since new and every time I buy a merc it feels like citroen in comparison to the 560. His tool 15 years to show any rust, compared to my previous S that needed bodywork after 5. The build is fantastic and in the 560 spec there's less danger of getting velour seats etc.
There is plenty of steel to rust and I recall a broken suspension spring, a new ecu about 10 years ago and a bit of a blow from the exhaust, but other than that just bits and bobs of maintenance. From memory it does 20-25 mpg on a cruise, substantially less pooling about, but then again it still feels rapid and the engine is fantastically smooth at just over 100k miles. Spares availability seems great and places like the sec shop are obviously useful.
I have had a couple of cars of a similar vintage and have to admit the sec felt 10 years ahead, even though the design was definitely of a similar period.
The trouble seems to be finding a good unmodified one. I looked a few times but was a bit put off by clear lense lights and modern wheels with little evidence of mechanical care... It also seemed like the r129s had generally lived a more pampered life so for the sort of money a good sec was (£8k+) but like an idiot I went back to a newer merc and have a comand system that thinks the car's left hand drive and the chugging diesel joy.
Hope that helps a bit..... C
There is plenty of steel to rust and I recall a broken suspension spring, a new ecu about 10 years ago and a bit of a blow from the exhaust, but other than that just bits and bobs of maintenance. From memory it does 20-25 mpg on a cruise, substantially less pooling about, but then again it still feels rapid and the engine is fantastically smooth at just over 100k miles. Spares availability seems great and places like the sec shop are obviously useful.
I have had a couple of cars of a similar vintage and have to admit the sec felt 10 years ahead, even though the design was definitely of a similar period.
The trouble seems to be finding a good unmodified one. I looked a few times but was a bit put off by clear lense lights and modern wheels with little evidence of mechanical care... It also seemed like the r129s had generally lived a more pampered life so for the sort of money a good sec was (£8k+) but like an idiot I went back to a newer merc and have a comand system that thinks the car's left hand drive and the chugging diesel joy.
Hope that helps a bit..... C
Great, lovely write up. I remember seeing 200kph as a passenger in one in a very narrow countryside lane in what was probably 1988. The car felt like it was gliding on the road. It was very exciting back then. It seems very silly right now.
I have spotted one which looks like a minter from a reputed place. The itch...
I have spotted one which looks like a minter from a reputed place. The itch...
chv01823 said:
They are just lovely. My dad has had one since new and every time I buy a merc it feels like citroen in comparison to the 560. His tool 15 years to show any rust, compared to my previous S that needed bodywork after 5. The build is fantastic and in the 560 spec there's less danger of getting velour seats etc.
There is plenty of steel to rust and I recall a broken suspension spring, a new ecu about 10 years ago and a bit of a blow from the exhaust, but other than that just bits and bobs of maintenance. From memory it does 20-25 mpg on a cruise, substantially less pooling about, but then again it still feels rapid and the engine is fantastically smooth at just over 100k miles. Spares availability seems great and places like the sec shop are obviously useful.
I have had a couple of cars of a similar vintage and have to admit the sec felt 10 years ahead, even though the design was definitely of a similar period.
The trouble seems to be finding a good unmodified one. I looked a few times but was a bit put off by clear lense lights and modern wheels with little evidence of mechanical care... It also seemed like the r129s had generally lived a more pampered life so for the sort of money a good sec was (£8k+) but like an idiot I went back to a newer merc and have a comand system that thinks the car's left hand drive and the chugging diesel joy.
Hope that helps a bit..... C
There is plenty of steel to rust and I recall a broken suspension spring, a new ecu about 10 years ago and a bit of a blow from the exhaust, but other than that just bits and bobs of maintenance. From memory it does 20-25 mpg on a cruise, substantially less pooling about, but then again it still feels rapid and the engine is fantastically smooth at just over 100k miles. Spares availability seems great and places like the sec shop are obviously useful.
I have had a couple of cars of a similar vintage and have to admit the sec felt 10 years ahead, even though the design was definitely of a similar period.
The trouble seems to be finding a good unmodified one. I looked a few times but was a bit put off by clear lense lights and modern wheels with little evidence of mechanical care... It also seemed like the r129s had generally lived a more pampered life so for the sort of money a good sec was (£8k+) but like an idiot I went back to a newer merc and have a comand system that thinks the car's left hand drive and the chugging diesel joy.
Hope that helps a bit..... C
I have a 1986 500 SEC which I love. It makes a good town car, because it is smooth and solid and safe and surprisingly manoevurable . And it makes a great touring car because it is fast and precise and full of confidence. It is not a back road sports car. My 500 will do 140mph at a push. It will do 100 effortlessly all day long. On motorways and trunk roads it is brilliant: it has high speed stability better than anything I have driven, great damping, high levels of refinement, and communicative but not fussy controls. It has an huge boot. It has a 20gallon tank for long range. It is spacious. It is quite quiet. It gets a lot of very positive attention from other road users and pedestrians. All good.
It gives 18mpg worst, 24mpg best. It needs servicing every 6,000miles. It is reliable and simple.
For goodness sake, buy the best. I didn't. I wish I had. Mine is a good one but it is not the best. To improve it is to spend three times as much again. Trim is hard to come by and expensive. Disfunctional electrical gadgets are usually easy to fix but require expensive ECUs. I would have thought that for a really good car that requires maintenance not improvement, you should set aside £1,000 a year for running costs (including tyres), given a mileage of 10,000 a year, and have access to another £1,000 just in case. They're not expensive to run.
My 500 is adequate, performance wise. It still blows off a few pretenders. I wish it had a 560 motor. I reckon the 420 might be a bit wanting, unless speed is not your thing. 560s are about twice the price of 500s.
Late models--post August 1989--have more toys, a more sophisticated electrical system and a nicer interior.
The most expensive are about £15k at a specialist. That buys a top notch, low miles 560. I would say that is good value. Very few blinders come on the market. There is a smoke silver 560 which Ironside has had three times now: one day I will buy it. And Cheshire Classic have just sold a nautic blue one, although it hung around for about six months.
It gives 18mpg worst, 24mpg best. It needs servicing every 6,000miles. It is reliable and simple.
For goodness sake, buy the best. I didn't. I wish I had. Mine is a good one but it is not the best. To improve it is to spend three times as much again. Trim is hard to come by and expensive. Disfunctional electrical gadgets are usually easy to fix but require expensive ECUs. I would have thought that for a really good car that requires maintenance not improvement, you should set aside £1,000 a year for running costs (including tyres), given a mileage of 10,000 a year, and have access to another £1,000 just in case. They're not expensive to run.
My 500 is adequate, performance wise. It still blows off a few pretenders. I wish it had a 560 motor. I reckon the 420 might be a bit wanting, unless speed is not your thing. 560s are about twice the price of 500s.
Late models--post August 1989--have more toys, a more sophisticated electrical system and a nicer interior.
The most expensive are about £15k at a specialist. That buys a top notch, low miles 560. I would say that is good value. Very few blinders come on the market. There is a smoke silver 560 which Ironside has had three times now: one day I will buy it. And Cheshire Classic have just sold a nautic blue one, although it hung around for about six months.
Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 7th September 05:37
I have toyed with the idea of getting an SEC - I already have a 280SE and a 500SEL , as well as a few other Mercs and many more through my hands over the years .
The 560's tend to have higher spec ( velour was actually more expensive than leather , and considered more upmarket ) , but some reckon the 500 is more 'driveable' with wider torque band .
My 500SEL returns between 20 and 25 normally - saw a best of 29 on a long run recently , calculated by brimming the tank .
No major issues with mine - just routine maintenance . My 500 currently nudging 200K , the 280 at about 135K ; have had a W124 300TE-24 up to 430K ( original engine to 380K ) .
The 560's tend to have higher spec ( velour was actually more expensive than leather , and considered more upmarket ) , but some reckon the 500 is more 'driveable' with wider torque band .
My 500SEL returns between 20 and 25 normally - saw a best of 29 on a long run recently , calculated by brimming the tank .
No major issues with mine - just routine maintenance . My 500 currently nudging 200K , the 280 at about 135K ; have had a W124 300TE-24 up to 430K ( original engine to 380K ) .
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