I bought this car in particular for its:
* Safety reputation. See for example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuWMoqa1FFg
* Reputation as one of the best S classes:
--- Here is a nice description of the W126: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyQXBeYwFUc
--- Pierre Hedary (Pierre Hedary and Company ), who also writes in The Star, thinks that the W126 is the best S-class, and the M103 6-cylinder its best engine.

I am selling it because, although I appreciate the engineering integrity and build quality of these classic MB "tanks" (in particular that "thunk" of the closing doors!) and their characteristic smooth, solid, stable, reassuring and soothing ride:
* I have acquired and been using a family-friendlier, and also very safe, Volvo XC90, so
* This car is no longer my daily driver, and
* It makes more sense for someone who can do at least some of the maintenance, which can be expensive otherwise, especially if done properly like I have.

The car has had no accidents. The issue reported by Carfax was in fact just a scratch on a parking lot… The repair was only about $350, I have the receipt.

I bought this car from a Mercedes-Benz dealer in 2002 with about 97.5k miles, and have meticulously maintained it since then, a rarity based on my searches for good used cars:

* As recommended by Mercedes-Benz:
--- @ 7.5k miles, replaced:
…... Engine oil & filter.
…... Clean & lubricate engine throttle linkage and control shafts.
--- Plus @ 15k miles, replaced:
…... Spark plugs if necessary.
--- Plus @ 30k miles, replaced:
…... Engine air filter.
…... Spark plugs.
…... Transmission fluid and filter.
--- Plus @ 60k miles, replaced:
…... Fuel filter.
--- Plus every 2 years, replaced:
…... Brake fluid.
--- Plus every 3 years, replaced:
…... Coolant.

* By MB dealers or specialists exclusively. It was never Jiffy-Lube’d!
Including most recently by the:
--- MB dealer = https://www.raycatenaedison.com
--- MB specialist = https://www.ditmire.com

* Using exclusively MB / OEM parts, lubricants and fluids. So that all parts are:
--- Either original (including the Becker radio cassette),
--- Or replaced with MB / OEM parts. (Even the battery and wipers are the genuine MB parts!)

* I have all the supporting maintenance records. As well as all the original:
--- Documentation. (User manual, service manual, etc.)
--- Tools.

* The all-weather tires are Michelin's. I also have Consumer Reports-recommended Dunlop winter tires.

So asking $13,000, which I think is deserved given the unusual level of attention which should save significant maintenance and repairs, and thus cost, going forward.

Specifically:

@ 210k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 30k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced head gasket, valve cover gasket, front cover seal and oil level sender seal.
--- Resealed power steering box.
--- Replaced power steering fluid and filter.
--- Replaced thermostat and EGR valve.
--- Replaced front & rear brake pads (with CERAMIC ones), disks and sensors.
--- Replaced parking brake cables.
--- Replaced center muffler.
--- Replaced A/C blower motor and regulator.
--- Replaced washer jets pump and nozzles.
--- Replaced antenna mast.
--- Replaced steering damper.
--- Replaced fuel filter. Already done at 180k miles as scheduled, bus was leaking.
--- Replaced front bumper (chrome) and front fenders.
Due to typical rust. There was however no rust under the fenders (I have pictures), which is not typical.

@ 202.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced engine’s EZL module. (Almost $2,000.)
--- Replaced battery.

@ 195k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 15k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced A/C condenser & receiver/drier.
--- Replaced water pump.
--- Replaced front & rear ABS sensors.
--- Replaced oil pump.

@ 187.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced EHA.
--- De-rusted rocker panels. Using new metal as needed. Due to typical rust.

@ 180k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 60k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced rear differential lubricant.
--- Upgraded the A/C to enable the use of R134A.
--- De-rusted front frame rails. Using new metal as needed. Due to typical rust.
--- Replaced head gasket, valve cover gasket, front cover seal and oil level sender seal.
--- In the process:
--- Performed “valve and carbon” job, including seals, guides and refacing.
--- Replaced lower timing chain rails.
--- Replaced fan clutch.

@ 172.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.

@ 165k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 15k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced front shocks.

@ 157.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.

@ 150k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 30k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced rear differential lubricant.
--- Replaced power steering fluid and filter.

@ 142.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.

@ 135k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 15k-mile service.

@ 127.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.

@ 120k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 60k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced differential.
--- Replaced rear differential lubricant.
--- Replaced power steering fluid and filter.
--- Replaces timing chain & tensioner.
--- Replaced front & rear shocks.
--- Overhauled transmission.
--- In the process:
--- Replaced rear crankshaft seal.

@ 112.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.
* Also:
--- Replaced radiator.

@ 105k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 15k-mile service.

@ 97.5k miles:
* FULL MB-scheduled 7.5k-mile service.

__________________
1991 W126 300SE (M103)
1995 W124 E320 Wagon (M104)

Any photos?

__________________
'80 300SD - '83 240D - '00 E55 AMG - '02 G500

Wanted to directly in the post but apparently the pictures cannot be bigger than 800KB or so, and mine are over 3MB... I uploaded them here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129649830@N05/sets/72157695651293221

Let me know if you can't access, in which case I can try to email them to you if you let me know your address (you should have access to mine in my profile).

__________________
1991 W126 300SE (M103)
1995 W124 E320 Wagon (M104)

why did the head gasket require replacement at 210k when it appears to have been done at 180k?
i, too, love the w126, but prefer the m104 to the m103.
GLWS

__________________
0o==o0

James 4:8

"...let us put aside the blindness of mind of those who can conceive of nothing higher than what is known through the senses"
-Saint Gregory Palamas, ---Discourse on the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ


Centrally located in North East Central Pa.

Good question Hogweed. https://www.ditmire.com advises that it happens. He did give me a 50% discount on the second repair though.

__________________
1991 W126 300SE (M103)
1995 W124 E320 Wagon (M104)

While I personally believe the 300SE/L are the most under appreciated and maligned gas W126 chassis cars, and yours certainly appears to be a very nice example, I'm trying to parse how you came up with the price.

I just passed on a one owner, dealer maintained 48,000 mile, adult owned (no small kids in the car) Florida example that sold for $8,000, which considering the provenance and condition I believe was a fair and reasonable price - it was just more than I wanted to pay for the car.

I don't think that would be that far out of range for your car, either. But $13,000?

I've attached a current Hagerty report for your consideration as well.

GLWS!

Attached Files

1991_Mercedes-Benz_300SE.pdf (605.3 KB, 118 views)

The MB classic / W126 expert Pierre Hedary and Company advises that the best W126’s can currently go up to $17,000. And although not perfect you will not find many W126’s maintained like this one has. And deferred maintenance can easily cost you thousands on these classics. As you may know.

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1991 W126 300SE (M103)
1995 W124 E320 Wagon (M104)

While The Mamas and the Papas song "California Dreamin" gained substantial reknown, the "B" side, until today, has remained in obscurity: "Navesink Delusion".

Very clever Frank, but not very constructive I am afraid.

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1991 W126 300SE (M103)
1995 W124 E320 Wagon (M104)

There are a few things that make a car worth a premium cost:
- Rarity (uncommon trim or performance package, very low production numbers, unavailability in a given area, etc)
- Low Mileage (The lower the better, getting over 100K miles automatically puts you in "high mileage" status in most buyers' eyes)
- Condition (Absolutely no rust, perfect mechanical condition, perfect cosmetic condition, etc)
- Market Demand (cars in high demand command higher prices)

While your 300SE is a nice example it is none of the above. 210K miles is a lot, the 300SE and SEL were not rare and are not hard to find in good condition either. Demand for old high mileage cars is down, especially for luxury cars. The diesels are given a slightly easier time for high mileage, but still - nobody wants a car with nearly a quarter of a million miles on it. Then of course there's the condition. The differential was replaced (why?), the head gasket replaced twice in a short period of time (again, why?!), and several pieces of the body have been replaced due to rust (and rust automatically bumps your price down, even if it was repaired competently).

Not trying to knock on your car, but I am knocking on your asking price. You need to be asking a realistic value for what you have. With the right buyer, you can probably clear $4500-5K, but when $13K will buy you an ultra low-miles "concours condition" car, you don't have a chance of getting anywhere close to that.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

That was constructive Diseasel300, thanks.

In that case I may just keep it: I don't need it, but do enjoy it tremendously. May also commute with it to save miles on my main car.

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1991 W126 300SE (M103)
1995 W124 E320 Wagon (M104)

I sold my ‘89 300SE not even a year ago with only 115k miles for exactly what I paid for it, $3,000. And that w126 was maybe the nicest cleanest w126 I have ever seen in person. So clean in fact that it was kind of weird. Seemed more like a 6 year old car and not a 28 year old car. Sold it however after finding out it had been in a significant side collision years back that wasn’t revealed during purchase and I just couldn’t get it out of my head. But as I said in an earlier post, there’s a metallic grey 1991 300SE for sale on Craigslist in Tucson at a dealer for less than 6k that only has about 100k miles on it, and it truly looks immaculate. Just saying.

If you're expecting that kind of money for your 300SE, you might be better served if you post it on BAT. Unfortunately for us, the unconditional love and amount of money we pour in those cars hardly ever pays back in cash.

There is a similar 300SE for sale in LA/LB, sure it has more miles (but over 200K who really cares) and it's listed for at least the last 2 years, ever since I started to look for one.

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/d/1990-mercedes-benz-300se-like/6588251068.html

https://bringatrailer.com/search/mercedes+300se/

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Thanks Jorn, I did post it on BAT: didn’t know about that site, yes they seem to be much more thorough than typical…

Mikebear79, my car has been in no collision. Lots of cars which “look immaculate”, for example on eBay, will prove money pits with major and prohibitively expensive deferred maintenance. Look at all the maintenance that has been done on my car, in addition to the scrupulous scheduled servicing: not cheap for me, but tremendous savings long-term...

Diseasel300:
* The differential was replaced because it was whining. Why was it whining I don’t know, as I don’t know the detailed history of the car before I bought it around 97.5k miles. I don’t know either if the differential needed to be replaced, it sounds like my current indie (ditmire.com) could just have replaced whatever was causing the whining. What I do know is that it was replaced with a new genuine MB differential, whose fluid has been replaced every 30k miles, yes even though MB does not specify any maintenance, but because some experts at The Star do.
* Yes I was also surprised and annoyed that the head gasket needed replacing again after just 30k miles or so, but my indie says that this is a weak point on the M103, since new, and that it does unfortunately happen on occasion…
* And yes the rust “was repaired competently”, also by my current indie: new metal as needed, MIG welding, waxoyl on outside but also inside surfaces, etc.

__________________
1991 W126 300SE (M103)
1995 W124 E320 Wagon (M104)

You say you "posted it on BAT". When is the auction going to be?

BAT being "Bring a Trailer", just to clarify.