Hi,

1st time visitor, 1st time poster. I've been a fan of the W126 body style for years and love the SL's, too.

I've been considering a 1987 560 SEL with 110k, one owner
rust free in a dry southern state. Service records are available
as well as original manuals, window sticker, etc. I can get it for
between $5-6k but I'll have two states over to check it out.

I'm not a mechanic and I live in a small town between Austin and
San Antonio, Texas. I've got an honest mechanic here in town that
doesn't mind me bringing in my own parts if I can find a better deal. He's worked on MB but isn't an expert.

In reading forums for the past hour or so, I'm wondering if this is the right move for me. I've seen a mix of good and bad stories which seem to have a lot to do with how well the car has been taken care of.

I was attracted to the idea of a classy older sedan that's quick and will last a long time. I work at home so I don't have a daily commute but I like to take road trips. If I buy this particular car, I'd be driving it from Arizona to Texas.

Any advice here? Is an older car like this best left to DIYers?

Also can anyone recommend a good MB shop in either the Austin or San Antonio areas?

Thanks,

Bill

It's not quite this simple, but it's almost this simple - if you are a DIYer, and you enjoy working on your own cars, owning a used Mercedes is a great thing - you get to work on it, you buy parts mail order for reasonable prices, and you get solid, safe reliable transportation at a reasonable cost. But if on the other hand, you are not a DIYer and you simple take your car into the shop and say "fix it", owning an out-of-warrenty Mercedes can be an anguished nightmare. I'm convinced there are not too many exceptions to this rule.

But this sounds like a nice car, you like the body style, you've got an honest mechanic, and it sounds like he'll work with you on it. I wouldn't rule it out. It really helps if you just want to get involved in maintaining it. You can make up for a lack of skill with a certain amount of enthusiam. There's actually a lot of information sources out there, including the archives herein, to make it easier.

I appreciate that. Can you recommend a shop in your area that does a good pre-sale inspection? If I get this particular car, it's in your area.

Btw, are there any hassles bringing in parts from Germany? I've got friends there that won't mind sending things but is it worth the effort?

Again, appreciate your advice.

~Bill

That price seems a little high for one that old.

Mike

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

sponsors this forum, and a number of other Mercedes parts specialists online should do just as well for you. Although you contemplate purchase of a somewhat complex vehicle, I believe an '87 will be largely pre-computer, thus eliminating the built-in problems with electronics that come with all "newer" cars.

I recommend that anyone contemplating a Mercedes purchase find a copy of "The Mercedes-Benz Buyers Guide" by Frank Barrett...now out of print, but copies can still be found for well under $20...TONS of info on what to look for AND look out for.

You may also want to wait and find out more about the cars in general...maybe get together with some people near you who post on this board...I'd also urge you to consider a diesel, but that's my prejudice.

Best of luck

I agree with Deanyel's post. Even with your mechanic, you will need to learn everything you can and do what you can , work with him, etc.

At the same time, the car's description sounds good.

Check to make sure basic major maintenance items have been done like the timing chain, very important.

These cars are excellent drivers for 3 to 4000 miles per year. I rode my car for nearly 10 years like that (bought it at 100,000) before I really had to roll-up my sleeves with it. the fact that you are putting low mileage on the car makes owning an old Mercedes a much better propostion in my subjective opinion.

As it turns out, I've found a metallic beige `88 with 98k within 25 miles of my house for $5k (it was $6k but the owner's replacement car arrived so they reduced it). It's a 2nd owner, they bought it from the original owner with 46k miles and have all service records since. They've given me the name of the MB specialist in Austin that's serviced it and the VIN for doing a Carfax. I've only seen photos, paint looks clean, lots of tread on the tires.

One thing I noticed in the photos is it looks like the chrome has worn away on the rims. (See the attached photo). Is this unusual or a cause for concern?

I'm not in a huge rush. I've got a 2002 Toyota RAV4 but my wife finally started driving so I'm looking for a 2nd car for myself.

I appreciate all the advice. It's good to know this forum is here. I'm in the Internet marketing biz and use forums on a daily basis so I googled Mercedes forums and found this site last night. Excellent.

Jim, I've got the Frank Barrett book, bought it five years ago when I first considered this. It's been a big help even though it's ten years old.

~Bill

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Get into the engine and transmission. New timing chain? How does it shift? Idle? Exhaust-- have it run through an emissions analyzer in test mode at a gas station during inspection, get CO, HC, NOX ratings-- even if you don't have to pass emissions (I don't know your state) it will give you insight into the running of the engine. You have to dig into this to own one of these cars in the long haul. A timing chain breaking on these cars is a huge event. If it needs a new timing chain and tensioners, that's OK just factor in about $1500 and get it done right away (some people do it cheaper, but in my area that's what they charge). that would be a tougher first DIY job.

Have a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) done by a technician experienced in servicing MB vehicles. Take whatever service records are available and let the tehnician review them all. If you get the thumbs up then go ahead and buy the car, if not wait until a keeper comes along. You'll find that white is the easiest paint color to maintain and that a gray leather interior is the most durable. It's best to determine if the car has been in a wreck or has had any paint work done.

The wheels on the 1988 560SEL that you are considering look like they need bead blasting and repainting ... budget $500 for that item. Although it's a drive I'd check out the one owner 1987 560SEL by first asking the owner some pertinent question. Don't be afraid to drive a few miles for a well maintained car. Additional miles is not necessarily a bad thing especially if they are highway miles.

__________________
Fred Hoelzle

In one word....NO.
Parts ( at least what you can buy them for in Germany ) are not much cheaper.
By the time you add freight, it is simply not worth it.
Also, what if you got the wrong or a defective part?

__________________
2007 C 230 Sport.

Thanks, Ferdman. I'm going to look at the 88 on Saturday. There's also another 88 in Austin for $500 with higher miles (132k versus 98k) but it has new timing chain and valve guides. I haven't talked to the owner yet to get other details.

I like the way one of these drives, I'll do the PPI in Austin. As you suggested.

Anyone familiar with the German Auto Center in Austin, TX?

The 87 is in Scottsdale, AZ at a dealership. I'd have to fly from Austin to get it and drive back. The dealer had it on ebay but bidding topped at $3500 and didn't meet their $5995 reserve. They haven't relisted it and are willing to deal since they didn't get their asking price and won't have to pay a commission to ebay.

~Bill

Thanks, Eric. I'm in Texas. Houston has emissions testing but Austin is just now addiing it. I'm not sure if the stations have emissions testing or not yet. That's a good idea, though.

I've emailed the owner to ask about the timing chain. With him selling it at 98k, I'm guessing they probably haven't replaced it yet or he would have mentioned it initially. The recommendation is to replace it at 100k, right?

~Bill

The timing chain is an absolute MUST DO at 100,000 miles. Don't even THINK about putting that job off, it must be done immediately. New timing chain with NEW TENSIONERS. If the timing chain slips off (old tensioners, broken chain), then you are looking at between $3500 and $6000 worth of work on the car. All hell breaks loose in the engine if the timing chain brakes. So if it hasn't been done, budget the $1500 to get it done and do that right away. Don't wait and do NOT let a mechanic tell you it's OK to wait. That mechanic would be hoping you'll come in there with the blown-up mess and throw him the larger job. I had a guy do that to me. Did I mention that timing chain replacement is a must do?!

I hear ya loud and clear, Eric.

Thanks,

Bill

W126's are great cars and very simple to work on, just buy the best one you can find! Money spent up front on a car with a complete service history, a few owners, no accidents and stories is money very well spent. Also the 560's have the self leveling rear suspension get that checked. Take any car your thinking about buying to a dealer or a shop that knows these cars for a ppi. They cost about $200 and worth every penny. Also mileage at this age isn't very important service history is!

MB's are fun cars but ask yourself this; in the first year will you be willing to put $2k-$3k into if need be? Figure $1,500 for the timing chain $500 to change all of the filters and fluids and deal with the usual old car problems.

__________________
1999 SL500
2016 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200