Has anyone noticed the prices of the 140 vehicles on the used market lately.
Did something happen and they have become undesirable?
Seems you can get late model (97-98) S500's that are clean and with records for 17-18K( or less with 100K miles or so)...I even saw a 97 S320 for sale near my house the other day for $9999.00.
If they fall much further in the next year the car will then become what I call a boat anchor...as the price to repair them over the course of a period of time will be more than the purchase price...I mean ,how many people are going to replace an evap core and closing assist pump on a 5-6K car?

on the other hand I guess if you like the body style...they are an incredible deal right now


Warren
1992 300SD(sold)
2000 BMW 740i
Columbus Ohio

surprise me. they are big heavy and complicated. all negatives on a used car. some folks seem to be able to keep them on the road themselves, but they clearly arent as mechanic friendly as their predecessor the 126, which is a lot more to maintain than the 123 but still basically the same car with more stuff added (mechanically).

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The real problem lies on the fact that most W140s on the used car market today are third or fourth hand vehicles that had been highly neglected by their owners due to their incredible high mantaince costs.

Now these owners want to get rid of their W140s because their cars are getting to a point that they refuse to run anymore.

Prospecting buyers would have to at least equal or maybe even double the cost of purchase to get the vehicle to an acceptable performance.

The few first hand W140s available are difficult to find, and most prospective buyers are just plainly scared of what they would have to put up front to keep the car running.

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A. Rosich
CL 500, 1998
S 500 L, 1998
E 320 T, 1995 [Sadly sold ]

Sounds like the perverbial boat anchor to me.

and unless you live in a larger metro area the only person that can work on these in your local MB dealer...which probably further complicates the value of the car to certain people


Warren
1992 300SD(sold)
2000 BMW 740I
Columbus Ohio

A good deal only if you do your own maintenance, not viable for those that don't. That why they're cheap. It seems to me that they have been falling like a rock for several years now - they had a long ways to go. They need to be put into use where they don't have to be driven, perhaps small but opulent homeless shelters.

[QUOTE=deanyel]A good deal only if you do your own maintenance, not viable for those that don't. That why they're cheap. It seems to me that they have been falling like a rock for several years now - they had a long ways to go. They need to be put into use where they don't have to be driven, perhaps small but opulent homeless shelters.[/QUOTE]

I don't think the 140 was ever meant to be a car where you did you own maintenance ,for the most part...an absolute marvel of engineering...however some of those marvels didn't have all the bugs worked out.

I had seen a few 220's with what I thought were unrealisticly low prices(like mid 20's)...which made me look at the 140's and get the same outlook...which makes me wonder what can you buy a late model (90-91) 126 for ....$3500.00?

It amazes me how much money these cars lose...it seems to me that it also makes sense to buy it when it is 3-4 years and get rid of it after 2-3 years...as it seems that the first 3 years it takes a a beating..then after about year 7 it takes another massive beating on value...which at that point it would have to be at the bottom I assume.
And I would imagine that after year 7 the car is no longer warrantable...which effects the value negatively


Warren
1992 300SD(sold)
2000 BMW 740I

Well... People probably said the same things for the 124 series...although they are probably much easier to maintain and repair.

The two I own, I bought for about 9 cents on the original dollar value of the cars.

I think the price I paid is probably typical of the depreciation after 15 years or so. I think it's a good deal if you do your own work and buy parts wholesale.

Terrible deal if you have to go to the stealership.

My 1972 108 I paid 50 cents on the original dollar when it was 14 years old. I sold it 12 years later for about 44 cents on the original dollar.

Don't know if that says or means anything. I am just pointing out my experiences.

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1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Its really sad to see such a magnificent piece of automobile go to shame...but its hard to stop that due to its maintenance/unreliability.

Its almost tempting to buy as this is my favourite MB of all time!

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99 C43
98 S420
99 C230K
01 C240

" Cents on the dollar "!
Hmmmmm......must be in the bankruptcy business.

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2007 C 230 Sport.

[QUOTE=lee polowczuk]Well... People probably said the same things for the 124 series...although they are probably much easier to maintain and repair.
QUOTE]


actually the 210's have fallen quite a bit also...a mid to late 90's model is quite reasonable
...is the whole MB line worsening in resale value?

But as I heard years ago...something is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay...so these values reflect what the market thinks the product is worth ...I guess

seems like certain cars... the 3 series BMW, the New Mini, Honda Accords, 5 series BMW's of the V8 variety and several Lexus models all are holding value well.....comparatively that is

Warren
1992 300Sd(sold)
2000 BMW 740I
Columbus Ohio

MB's just seem to be losing their value more, at least late 90's models are. You can pick up a very nice E320 in my area for $10k-$13k. My friend just bought a 1997 S320 for $11,500 that is pretty decent. The po hid a MAF problem that he got nailed for to the tune of $600. So now it is a $12,100 car but at 72k miles thats not bad. The body has a lot of dents though and it will cost $2,500 to get it looking like new again.

Don't let those low prices fool you their are a lot of beat pos W140's out their. We looked at at least 20 cars before finding one that was decent. The nice ones are still worth a few bucks. I know a guy who owns an import car lot and he sold a mint S500 for $21,500. Late 90's flawless full service records, one owner, just had the 65k major service done, dealer maintained since day 1. It was a stunning example one of the nicest ones I have seen.

The scary part is nice W126's will be worth more then W140's in a few years. A cherry 91 560SEL will still comand $10k. Price out a cherry low mileage 350SDL, the prices on those is off the charts.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

[QUOTE=Hatterasguy]
The scary part is nice W126's will be worth more then W140's in a few years. A cherry 91 560SEL will still comand $10k. Price out a cherry low mileage 350SDL, the prices on those is off the charts.[/QUOTE]

I am not sure a 126 will bring more than a 140( all things being even)...I agree about the diesel cars...they seem to have a value of their own...especially the 210 turbo models...commading thousands more than their gasoline counterparts that were, in cases, more expensive new

I have seen late 140's(s500's) in the low to mid twnties...usually very low mileage,under 50K, and unbeliveably clean..there is one for sale at the local Lexus dealer...one owner ,45K miles..$24,900...however they have had the car about 2.5 months...so I don't think that is a realistic market price

however...the first time I have ever seen this type of advertising..one of the loacl MB dealers was advertising 10,000 off the sticker of all 2005 e class cars and 15,000 off all S-class cars in stock.
That reminds of GM/ford type of advertising...not that MB didn't have a huge discount from the new car sticker before( espeaially 126,124 and 140 cars)...however never seen a half page ad in the paper like that


Warren
1992 300SD(sold)
2000 BMW 740I
Columbus Ohio

I was at the dealer friday, sticker on a decently equiped E320CDI was $51,225. I didn't get the impression that they would budge much, not that I was going to buy it(I wish) but the don't hang around the lot thats for sure.

MB always runs a sale in December, they have been doing this for a few years.


I bet a 1991 560SEL with 50k miles on it is worth more then a 1992 500SEL with the same mileage. Old W140's are not worth much. My friend that owns the car lot offered me a 1993 300SE over the summer for $7,500. 130k two owner car, it was pretty nice. The body and interior were 7-8 out of 10. The evap core was done 3-4 years ago, and the head was just done after the head gasket blew. (po worked at a MB dealer, big bill for the head!) I should have sold my SDL for $8k and used the difference towards wheels.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I am not sure if the dealer here a CDI on their lot( for the 10K off the sticker)..new that is...they did have a used certified one with a few throusand miles that they listed for $42,900 with the 100K warranty...but I think the diesel cars, in general, are a different market.

I am not sure that a 1991 560SEL with 50K miles is worth more than a 1992 500SEL...I think the market for either one is small...now if it was a 560SEC..or a 350SDL with those type of miles then I would say either of those cars would be worth much more than a 91 560 SEL of 92 500SEL.

I have seen 420SEL's from the 88-89 era's in fair to good condition for about 3,000 to 4,000 dollars with say 125k to 150K miles..I am sure the diesel of 86-87 with bring more than that

and look at the early 210 cars..96-97..you can buy a clean one all day long for 12-13k...when I know personally that those sold for sticker...the CLK seems to be holding value..as I know those sold pretty much for sticker also when they came out

as for the December discounting..I am sure that holds true to a certain extent...however find some one that bought a 126(or 124) model back in the early 90's and you will find the discounts( even non december sales) were 8-12K off the sticker

I always like to look at resale on a car as an incentive(or vice versa) for a partular model. The three particular MB's that I persoannly owned were all diesels and bought somewhere between 3-6 years old...so I fared pretty well when I got rid of them...and I was thinking about getting back into an MB the next time...however these latest figures I am seeing have me soemwhat concerned. Since a car, in itself , is something that loses value every day..I like to at least cut my losses at to what I can expect


Warren
1992 300SD(sold)
2000 BMW 740I

Unfortunately the MBZ 'reputation' is their early 90's to 2004 were/are POS's.

The 140 deservedly are permanently devalued by reoccurring costly failures (door assist pumps, wiring, eta's, etc.) Have you checked the prices of these 'common' repair parts in the last 6 months? Prices have trippled in the last 18 months on many parts for 90's cars.

People DO read consumer reports ratings and other trade mags--and see LOTS of solid black circles for MBZ vehicles. Who ,in their right mind, would want to buy a 'black hole' to throw good money into. They are real nice cars--when they run, but keeping them operating is just about impossible. Lease rates are climbing quickly because resale is plumeting.