S320 vs S420 - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

deanyel · #16 01-09-2005, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inetd

But on a darker note, I just read that Di's car was an S320 - and that fool had it going about 130 or so before he hit the wall so we know it'll go that fast.

Princess Diana's car was an unbadged S280 - even more to the point.

Jason Beal · #17 01-09-2005, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I don't know W140's kind of scare me, an E430 might be a better choice.

I agree. I've read enough to stay away, no matter how sweet the ride. That's me though. I just don't have the money or want the hassle. I like to work on my cars, but not nightmare type scenerios with huge $$$ just for parts alone.

You already have one car named "money pit", you don't want your second car to have the same name do ya?

benzboy87 · #18 01-10-2005, 09:36 AM

The car that Di died in was an S280 - a '96 model.

I am seriously considering buying a 140 series and have looked at both the S320 and S420. I currently own a 420SEL and, IMHO, I would go for the S320, simply because of ease of maintenance. I have driven both and have to say that the S320 is more powerful than my current 420SEL.

Hatterasguy · #19 01-10-2005, 09:50 AM

No I don't want another money pit, thats why I am thinking newer. I was looking at Autotrader.com and a dealer is selling a 98 S320 with a three year unlimited mileage warranty. A warranty would be nice I would be picky as can be and get every penny I could out of it.

Your right the self leveling suspension probably is pretty trouble free, their are a lot of 560SEL's running around without any problems. But with the 5L I would be conserned about fuel mileage, I would like to get as close to 20mpg as possible. Also S320's seem to not hold their value as well, I can get more S320 for $16k. I am currently getting 23.5 with my SDL and given that diesel is more expensive by about .20 a gallon in the winter fuel costs could be a wash.

fahrgewehr2 · #20 01-10-2005, 10:17 AM

"But with the 5L I would be conserned about fuel mileage, I would like to get as close to 20mpg as possible. "

Let me get this straight- you want to buy an S class that has areputation for being the most expensive car to maintain in the history of S-classicism, and you are concerned with fuel economy?

My old man bought an S320 ('99) new and it has about 60k on it now. Needed a headgasket, door assist problems, CD changer crapped out a few times, radio amplifier, and much more. Repair bills over 6k at last count. Oroginal evap still hasn't failed...

Nice cars, but not worth the preium in repars over the older ones.

Seems you have some DIY talent, why not stick with a nice older diesel?

Brian Carlton · #21 01-10-2005, 10:26 AM

Hattie, as a first year college student, IMHO, you are crazy to consider dropping $16K on a '98 S class Mercedes. This is a vehicle that requires repair by a dealer and it will cost you far more than the SDL does, in the long run.

If WHunter would not touch one of these things with a ten foot pole, it should give you pause.

Please explain, if you would be so kind, why you want one of these, other than the fact that there is a three pointed star on the hood?

There are many good places that you could put $16K rather than in one of these things.

AlexTheSeal · #22 01-10-2005, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

This is a vehicle that requires repair by a dealer

You're probably right, Brian, but just to play devil's advocate, they did just release the FSM for the 140. So with that and an OBD scan tool you could theoretically do it all yourself.

Hatterasguy · #23 01-10-2005, 10:40 AM

Well I just really like the W140's they are big, comfortable, and the build quality is extremly high. I am not considering one to seriously, I guess I was just trying to rationalize one and convence myself that it would be somewhat reasonable to maintain. Your right though a W140 is probably a very bad idea.

I can snag a nice newer W210 in the $12k-$15k range, if I decide to get a newer car that is the way I will probably go. I am comfortable with the W210 I can fix them.
I just need to stop the "bleeding" of time and money into the SDL. At the rate I am going I will have $15k+ into it. Not to mention all of the time I am spending sorting the thing out. I want something that is new enough that it doesn't need much and I could just drive it, while tinkering with it a bit in the summer when I have time. My priorities are changing I would rather not spend my days off under an old car anymore. I would rather go skiing on a Saturday than pull my rear window and grind rust.

Brian Carlton · #24 01-10-2005, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I would rather go skiing on a Saturday than pull my rear window and grind rust.

We've all been there.

It's just the cost of maintaining a newer M/B, especially the W140, is not warranted unless you have tons of money to waste.

If you want something that you drive and forget, think Toyota Camry. Sure, it doesn't have the three pointed star on the hood, but you would be hard pressed to pick it apart in terms of driveability, especially if you found one with a five speed.

BTW, Old Navy has sold the 240D in favor of a 2005 Dodge Magnum. Everyone is tempted by the brand new vehicle sooner or later.

Hatterasguy · #25 01-10-2005, 11:22 AM

Brian you are right about the Camry, they are very nice driving and high quality cars. I don't care what anyone says about Toyota, cents per mile wise they are hard to compete with. I see tons of old ones on the road with 200k+ on them and the owners never do anything.

But one thing is stopping me from getting a Camry, I like cars that are fun to drive and have character. I know myself, after over maintaining the Camry for a year, next year at this time I will want another MB.

I have been their and done that with Camry's, I drove my moms Olds for a week and couldn't wait to get back in my MB. I don't know the right way to go, I still have not decided. The SDL is hard to beat, thats the problem with driving a W126, everything else doesn't quite measure up. Now if I had a Kia everything on the market would look pretty good.

Brian Carlton · #26 01-10-2005, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

But one thing is stopping me from getting a Camry, I like cars that are fun to drive and have character.

I am in agreement with you regarding "character." However, "character" has as much to do with the three pointed star as anything else.

I think that you would agree that a Ford Taurus, or the new Ford 500 has no character (the Taurus more so than the 500), but, if I blindfolded you and had you drive

a brand new Taurus versus a 1999 W210, you might not be able to tell the difference.

I, too, like the character of the W126 and am willing to do the repairs on it. However, I would not spend $20K on a five year old W210 to get "character" when the same money would buy a far more reliable Camry, or, a slightly used (2005) Dodge Magnum (as OldNavy has done).

onesixthree · #27 01-10-2005, 11:42 AM

i dont know about that...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

but, if I blindfolded you and had you drive

a brand new Taurus versus a 1999 W210, you might not be able to tell the difference.

jcyuhn · #28 01-10-2005, 12:33 PM

We've had a '97 S320 in the family since pretty much new. My older brother has been driving it for the last few years. I've not spent much time in it - I live more than a thousand miles away - but my quick thoughts are these.

The S320 has adequate acceleration so long as you get one with the 722.6 5-speed automatic. The more responsive transmission gives it the necessary zip. Anything '97 onward should do.

Bro's commute is 25 miles of mostly urban freeway. He averages above 20MPG in the 140. I recall my dad saying the car would better 24MPG on road trips.

It's been pretty darn reliable. I recall the head gasket got changed, a noisy belt tensioner, and a failed front wheel bearing. My brother destroyed the blower motor by driving through a car wash in zero degree weather with the heater on max, then driving a half mile home and parking the car. The blower froze in place, then cooked itself when he next started the car. Oops. Starmark paid to fix that little boo-boo.

These cars aren't worth anything. Ours has been for sale for months, but based on what it will fetch brother has decided to keep driving it. I think he was having trouble getting high teens for a clean car, just off Starmark, with less than 60K miles. Of course, there's no good reason to get rid of a car like that either...

- JimY

A. Rosich · #29 01-10-2005, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inetd

To me, 5600 lbs is a lot of weight for a 6 cyl. But on a darker note, I just read that Di's car was an S320 - and that fool had it going about 130 or so before he hit the wall so we know it'll go that fast. .

The car where Lady Diana had her accident was not an S 320, nor an S 600 or an S 500 as mistankenly posted originally by many news organizations.

The car was an S 280.

The S 280 was a 2.8 liter, 6-cyl, short wheel base W140 which came standard with a five-speed MANUAL transmission, without A/C, had cloth covered seats, hubcaps instead of alloy wheels, no radio, no power seats and no sunroof.

The top speed of the W140 S 280 is listed on the M.B. brochure as 131 miles per hour.

People or companies who ordered the S 280 rarely specified ANY extras, as they just wanted the basic W140 as cheap as possible.

Hatterasguy · #30 01-11-2005, 09:00 AM

A base S280 would be pretty nice.

From the pics I have seen of hers I am pretty sure it had the standard 8 hole wheels, and leather. I have seen a few S280's for sale in European cars mags and they always seem stripped.