My independent mechanic called me today and said that his old car was for sale from the person he sold it to, and he has continued to maintain it for the new owner. This owner decided to buy a new car and the trade in allowance offered was peanuts. So, he offers my mechanic the car for the trade in allowance. He says " I don't need another car, but I know someone that would be interested at that price". Mechanic calls me, tells me every detail about the car. I have the books and records for the first 105,000 miles, and after that I have his records up to the current 156,000. Rebuilt transmission at 130,000-there were no problems but had a leak. Owner opted for the rebuild. Everything on the car works. Runs great, no smoke.
This is the same independent mechanic that has saved me $1,000's with great maintenance and advice, and has urged me to walk away from other cars I had found and that he knew about.
Interior is in excellent condition for the age, needs cleaning only.
The bad - there is no rust, but the paint is faded on the front.
I am obviously excited, hope I haven't made a bonehead move. My son wants to drive it, I want him to drive the diesel. I bet we will share both!
John

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John Gillespie
1988 560sec - 192k miles
2006 CLK500 - 40K miles
1995 E300 - 202k miles

Sounds like quite a find, John! Hows about some pics to really turn up the envy level?

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Congrats, John. I haven't had mine long, but I'm loving it so far. Good luck with yours.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Sounds like a good deal.

I have had one for over a dozen years, some people here have seen it and ridden in it. I brought it back to new condition, and it has no issues worth mentioning now.

Well kept it, will run for hundreds of thousands of miles. I know of one with over 925,000 miles on it. Belonged to some shoe salesman who bought it new in flyover country, because he could not take shoe samples on the airplane. It was at some car show in Cleveland or somewhere a couple of years ago.

see the buyers guide at www.mbcoupes.com for maintenance tips.

Also, the BEST place for specific questions is the W126 section at www.benzworld.org

It is very busy and full of 560SEC owners that will help with ANY question.
I am a moderator there.

The 560SEC was the flagship car of the Mercedes Benz line when it was produced, the top of the line. Built to a cost no object price, they were expensive in the US when new (MSRP on the '91s was $84,500, a HELL of a lot of money then, and even now.)

But they are built to exacting standards, superb quality control, durable, safe, long lasting, parts easy to get, very easy to enjoy, and striking to look at.

Driving one is like dancing with a VERY, very fat woman who can dance, VERY, very well.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

The car is great to drive - I will try to get some photos up soon.
Thanks for all the input.
John

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John Gillespie
1988 560sec - 192k miles
2006 CLK500 - 40K miles
1995 E300 - 202k miles

Jim,

I don't dance with fatties.
Perhaps that's why the trimmer, more nimble 300CE is right up my alley!

edit: and, yeah, those fatties have big appetites to feed. More 'spensive with each passng day!

You are right that the fatty is expensive to feed, but at the price I paid I can afford to feed her for a while. And she is pretty good looking for a fat-girl at that.

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John Gillespie
1988 560sec - 192k miles
2006 CLK500 - 40K miles
1995 E300 - 202k miles