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In reality, much of the equipment offered on the W126 series was up to today's expectations. In most markets you could even order a W126 with a fridge installed on the trunk, individual rear bucket seats (fully electrically operated, with lumbar support and heated), front coupe-styled sport seats, etc, etc, etc. The only thing I would say was a little out of date were the sound systems.
On the other hand, most of the new amenities offered on the W140 were clever and useful, but someone could really live without them (like self-closing doors, parktronic and double sided windows). Although, there is no contest on the ride and handling qualities between a W126 and a W140. The W140 definitely feels more tight and refined. |
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I really would like to have the ESP and headboard airbags that my car does not have because I think the safety feartures are very important In regard to driving the 140 over the 126....better ride and handling,no question Warren 1992 300SD 160K Columbus Ohio |
A. Rosich-
Let me ask you a question........If you had a w 140 and a W220 in a lot for sale and both were S 500's with the same equipment except the newer one comes with the navigation system and the price was the same........which one would you buy? |
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To clarify my post about W126's being a nice choice, I just want to point out that the W126 was a design that was acclaimed worldwide and that it's a stellar vehicle even today. In talking to my mechanic who is a MBZ specialist, he basically told me to run far away from any W140 older than a '96 and that he'd rather have my car than any W140 !! That's just his opinion but he says they're high maintanence and he would know. I'm sure they're nice, but I prefer the older lines of the W126. The W140s look too "boxey" to me and to own a W220 is moot point since I can't afford one. I don't need GPS, self closing doors, microwaves or refridgerators when I drive somewhere. I do like the dual airbags, ABS brakes that my car has. Comes in handy when you're doing triple digits on some deserted highway. :D You can toss a new stereo and a tasteful set of W140 style 8 hole wheels on a W126 and you get this.:) Take the $40K or so you save on new one and buy some stock or something. 122K miles. Midnight Blu/Blk leather Kenwood MPV 619 CD/CDR/MP3/Sirius SAT radio |
Tabasco, here's my two cents . . .
the question is not 'realistic'! But if you added one other modifier: ". . .if the two cars had the same milage", then I buy the W140!
BTW, my W140 has a navigation system! |
Dear Tabasco:
Based on all my views expressed throught this thread, you may think you are throwing me a "trick question" in which I should answer: "The W140" (based on your assumption that both, the W140 and W220 are both equipped with identical engines and features). This way, I will be truthful to my convictions and also "look stupid" for making such a choice (monetary wise). Well my friend, in such an scenario, my real answer would be: I will buy the W220, SELL IT inmediantly (making a nice profit). Then, I will COME BACK to the lot and BUY THE W140 and use the left over money to take a long vacation either in Nepal or Mozambique with a nice new set of Gucci luggage. I may even have some money left to fit an aftermarket GPS system to the W140 (or I could always ask for directions, no shame about that). This way, I will end up with the REAL GROSSER MERCEDES (not the CHEAP spin-off) and have the opportunity to take a vacation for free in one of the most exotic places on earth. |
S-Class Icon !!
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Here's the real deal S-class. This thing is to DIE for !!:)
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as for the 8 hole wheels, I personally don't like those on a 126 and the stereo mods will not match the the interior lights etc of the 126...as I like to have my car remain looking very stock Warren 1992 300SD 160K Columbus Ohio |
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as for the stereo I like to keep the factory look..which is one of the reasons I like MB so much anyway..the finish and look of the interior..I don't want to mar it with something that doesn't fit the look...as for the CD changer my 10 disc doesn't take up much room at all..its in the left area in its own compartment and franky I like CD quality music much more than MP3..while its takes more space to store..the sound quality and clarity make a HUGE difference to me Quote:
And as for repairs...franky the 124 could not be beat..much better than the 126 but you know I have driven the 220..great car..almost handles like a BMW with the ride of a MB just my .002 Warren 1992 300SD 160K Columbus Ohio |
......actually it's what the original owner "lost" in resale. I wouldn't buy a new car on a bet. It's one of the worst investments you can make. I make no apologies on having less than $10K total invested the '90 420SEL you see above. It's in very good condition and is mechanically sound. And yes, I'm crazy about it which means I think it's a great car ( semantics ).
I personally don't think the W140 is "alot" more car than the W126. I do think it's alot more money and will cost 5x to maintain. To say a Honda accord has all the features of a W126 is simply ludicrous. Your logic is skewed. However if you are in some way trying to denigrate the W126's due to their lower repair/maintanence requirements, you're actually helping me make my point. Here's a quote you made in an earlier post in this very thread.... "....my personal example has had over 20K in repairs in the last 3 years" Yikes !! :eek: You could prolly get a good Accord for that too ! You have your right to your own opinion. So we'll just have to agree to disagree. :) |
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Trust me I knew that repairs were going to cost more on the 140 when I bought it....everyone has to realize that..but yet they still sell..anything that complicated and expensive has to be expensive to repair...thats common sense Quote:
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A person who does not a car in warranty faces some different issues...but when the car is in warranty...who cares...as far as I was concered the MB dealer could have replaced every element in the car as long as it was not at my expense why?..do you say..because after the warranty I have a car chock full of MB parts that I will probably never have to worry about again...were they necessary... again who cares...they were newer than the parts that were taken off...hence should last through my ownership of the vehicle and be a selling point when the time comes and by the way Todd..you need to ask someone who has had a starmark warranty how many $$ in repairs they have had..no matter what model I am sure the figure will astound you...why is that?..because the dealers never repair,they replace and they constantly look for things that are "about to go" and replace them while you are there...heck evertime I took my car in they always replaced something that was "about to go"..usually to the tune of another 1500-2000 dollars Warren 1992 300SD 160K Columbus Ohio |
Both are excellent cars by any standard. The W140 has a nice comfortable ride. The W220 has a nice firm ride, if you compare it to the W140.
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I agree....I think anyone would say that anyMB was an excellent car especially in the period that it was built
I have driven the 220 and frankly I like it...it will handle circles around my car...almost BMW like...but I think my car car handles much better than the 126....so each generation bears many improvements Warren 1992 300SD 162K Columbus Ohio |
The "power headrests" in my 1994 S420 (assembled 9/93) had only the one-way power. The headrests had to be manually pulled up, but the touch of a button causes then to fall (quite literally). Also...look how long it to for them to put an automatic trunk release on the car. Amazing.
Having said all of that...I agree with all of you that it will be a long time before MB finds a suitable replacement for the 140. The 220 is not that replacement. I'm always amazed at how dignified and important the face of the 140 looks. Why its as if we have interupted an important meeting the car was having and it had to take the time to glance at you! What a car...the 140. |
I would consider buying a 220...but right now that is not in my price range...when the cars get to say 30K on the used market maybe I will start to look.
I can honestly say for a car that size it handles incredibly Warren 1992 300SD 162K Columbus Ohio |
Jim: what you have installed in the rear headrests of your 1994 W140 is a pneumatic realease (same system installed in the W124 sedans). This was the standard realese system for the rear headrests at all W140s (except the 600SE/SEL - S600).
To get the full power up and down rear headrests you had to specify the rear electrically adjustable seat bench (power recline) -which the 600SE/SEL / S600 had as standard equipment - OR the individually adjustable electric rear bucket seats (power recline + bottom seat distance). The automatic release took such a long time to be installed in the W140 because this feature is basically a liked by the U.S. market only. Even when this feature was installed, the rest of world W140s would not get a dash mounted trunk release. The only way to remote release the trunk was by using the infrared remote control. |
I think the remote release was not necessary
From the interior of the 140, unlock the doors and all you have to do is push in the key button on the trunk and it will open. Why was an interior release even neccesary.
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well, what an education the posts to this topic have been.
it was difficult for me to gain enlightenment. there seem to be a lot of "rants" within this thread. i was about ready to add a very immaculate, extremely low mileage 1997 w140c to my collection. a collection which tries to benchmark the design management of bruno sacco, whom i consider the premier auto design manager of the post ww2 era. but these posts have put me off a bit. perhaps some of you would be kind enough to help me out. here is my story... i have owned benzes since 1973. my first one was a 220. what a great car. i drove it to death. from houston to everywhere i could get to. in 1976 it had accumulated 140,000 miles and i replaced it with the first big car that i found to be as much fun to drive as my lotus. it was a 450sel. in 10 years, i put approx. 240,000 miles on it. i hated to retire it, but i supplemented it in 1985 with one of the first 300e's. a fun car, more tossable than the 116, but it had some weird deficiencies, that benz did not want to recognize. so in 1986, i abandoned it for another sonderklasse, a 560sel. there is no question that the 560sel was an improvement to the 116. more leg room. better seats. i quickly considered it the zenith of automotive design. i still own it. it has 248k. it has been excessively well-cared for. few could guess its age or its mileage. and i still love to run it on houston rentabahn at speeds higher than a century. in 1996, when i began to consider its replacement, family matters demanded a suburban. so i kept the 126 and added a gmc truck. i passed over the 140's and put in my future order for 2000 ML55 and S500. in the interim, i test drove cars by renting them in the home of the stars, b hills. i tried e320cabs, xj8's, ml's, ls430's, gs400's. the worst car i ever tried was the ml320[what a rattling piece of junk]. the second worst car i ever tried was the ls430 with the lcd dash. the lcd dash was so contradictory to safe driving. but at least lexus offered it as an option. which i took advantage of, i returned the lcd dash car back and exchanged it for the more analog one. my conclusion was that none of these cars surpassed my 560sel. in any way shape or fashion. so i awaited the 2000 benzes that i had ordered. the first one to appear was the ml55. as soon as i saw it after being advised that it had arrived, i refused to accept it. and then i was called to pick up my s500. when i saw its lcd display, i rejected it. i said to myself, what i want is the command and control simplicity of my 560sel. and from that, i began to acquire benzes that met my design and driving requirements. i had never purchased used cars before, but now schremmp had forced me to do so if it was to drive benzes similar to the excellence of my 560sel. my first acquisition was a very cherry 1979 450sel6.9. no miles. what a horse. unfortunately, the 126 sedan offered some things that the 6.9 didn't. more interior space, especially leg room. better brakes. less obnoxious bumpers. a more suitable tranny. my conclusion is that the 6.9 engine should have been fitted in the 126 sedan body. my next acquisition was a very cherry 1987 560sec. another great car. last year, i found a e320cab. no miles. perfect condition. after pulling the passenger airbag and fitting a glovebox and removing the center console, i now have a 124 with driver features that i like...a center console that can hold any style coffee cup, etc. anyway, studying on these cars, caused me to reflect upon the man responsible for their design - bruno sacco. now, i want to add some of his other works to my collection. i don't go out of my way to do this, but from time to time, the impulse overwhelms me. this time, it was prompted by a classified for a 140coupe in the star. in my colors. but it was a 1994, 3rd owner in a snow belt location. priced right but a potential caution. so, i concluded that i should check the mbna starmark site to see if any low mileage 140 coupes were out there. there were. and i have one 1997 on hold for the completion of my purchase. and then i tuned into this amalgam of ranting. and so i have paused in this acquisition. i have been provoked to doing a real due diligence. my mechanic. a really good one, counsels me that the post 1995 w140c's are good. he says that he has never had one that required the evap replacement. but he also says that he thinks that there are better evap units out there than the ones m-b originally fitted. he also thinks that benz has secretly replaced scores of evap units in a secret warranty program. that may be excessively paranoid, but it would not surprise me if he has got it right. on the subject of warranty, he tells me that i would not void the starmark if he/his shop does the fluid changes, routine maintenance. IS THIS CORRECT? he says that m-b dealer in houston only needs to get involved in the maintenance of this car when there is a real warranty issue under the coverage of starmark. IS THIS CORRECT? i want it to be...why? because today i learned another lesson about using a benz dealer for service work. understand, i was one of the original customers of intercontinental motors when pennel opened it in 1976. i knew everyone. it was a conscientious shop. and then the schnitzers and autonation badmintoned its ownership. i have no hatred for those who have migrated north of the rio bravo, but the shop at mbna north houston would not be of my choosing today. i tried it today with my 560sec, just to find out if they were capable of servicing a 1997 w140c. and if i was a capable of tolerating their nonsense. the answer to both is no. hell, no one there even knew what a 560sec was. i wonder what it would have been like had i driven in with the 6.9. so, one of the questions about acquiring then owning a w140c is that starmark warranty work would require it going into this ring of hell. what do any of you think about that dealer service prospect? LASTLY, I COULD ABANDON THE acqusition of the w140c and acquire another bullet developed by sacco and his team - a 500e. no starmarking option, but that would allow me to keep it in the hands of my freelance mechanic. my freelance mechanic says, "buy the s500c. i haven't found them to be that problemattical. if warranty probs arise, the benz dealer can address it. and remember, you won't be without a car to drive". as to the 500e, he says, "do that one too. but don't make it an either or proposition". any comments? |
In the next week or two I might get the chance to drive a W140. At this point, the W124 260E I have is essentially the nicest car I've ever driven.
Should I drive it? It's 500 class. Will it make me dislike my aging little Benz? It's nice driving the nicest car I've ever driven all the time :-) |
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as for the evap in a 1995 model..I assure you some 1995 models have had problems..that evap core pice for the 140 has been modified many times(per my tech at the MB dealer)..my personal car has had the job done twice..one in 1997 (shortly before I owned it) and once in 2000....BUT the good news is I hear if you pay to replace it at a dealer then MB will give you a goodwill 10 year warranty as long as you own the car As for the dealer service and starmark...why not take it to a dealer..I have learned my lesson if you ever have a beef with MB over a goodwill fix or something that was done correctly the Zone rep listens to you when you have work done at the dealer....if you have fixes done elsewhere the burden of proof lies on you to convince that the repair was done correctly Warren 1992 300SD 162K Columbus Ohio |
let me put it this way, when the ml series was first promoted by benz, it was a spectacular design. i put in an order based on those early design proposals. as you should know, what appeared bore no resemblance to the initial design[show car]. before my ordered car arrived at the dealer's, i rented one that was virtually brand new[less than 100 miles]in beverly hills. less than 24 hours i was returning it. it had rattles out the wazoo and the remote central locking system was not functioning and the windows once down would not go up].
returning to houston, and discussing the problems with my long term friend and service manager, he admitted that the ml's were having these problems. he suggested that i change my order for the forthcoming v8. he felt that it would have the problems resolved. in the interim, i began to evaluate lexus products. in beverly hills one can long term test almost anything by renting from the budget agency. i tried a gs400 - wonderful rocket but no back seat space. i tried a ls400. the first one had their lcd dash - absolutely horrible to use[and at night a disaster]. i exchanged it for another one that had a more conventional dash. a lovely car. but owning a lexus where i live made no sense, the nearest dealer was 65 miles away and i found lexus to be a marque that has some other foibles. oh, and when a lexus dealer opened that got closer, closer than the benz dealer, i tried the lexus suv, a lx470. what a horrible car. horrible seats. and the service dept was just a disaster. but at least the dealer had some honor, after 1100 miles of torture he repurchased the vehicle from me for what i had paid him for it. but lexus had at least one good idea, you had a choice of a conventional dash or the lcd display. benz unfortunately decided to force the lcd display on all - there was no other option. i found this an intolerable mistake. and my long-term service personnel friends at the benz dealer do not disagree with me. as to the grand ml, benz went chrysler when it put the full size spare upright within the car. sort of like the jeep products. what a bit of stupidity. an SUV with no room in the storage area. encountering these bad ideas[imv], i determined that older benzes were the answer. and my outlook has been rewarded. i am pretty certain that current and future benzes as chryslerized will not be on my shopping list. at least not as long as i can acquire low mileage older models. as i think i said at the get go, my feeling had been that successor vehicles would be improvements. i do not feel that way now. i shall close with this pov. within the last several months, i drove a very cherry 500e with less than 30k miles. beats any of the new stuff hands down. so it goes |
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In fact when the car is not started the faces are completely blank. I too have driven the LS several times before I bought then last two MB's..but decided the car was too soft for my desires As for a Lexus delaer in Houston I could have sworn that there was a dealer on I-10 near Town and Country Mall that opened very early(Sterling Mc call I believe) ..although I am not sure what area of Houston you are in..you hinted that you were near the MB Houston north..??...last time I checked that was only about 15 miles from the Town and Country area..?? Good luck with the 500E..if that is what your tastes are...I personally like the new E class...as well as the new s class...some of the safety features(which are very important to me) are not available on the older models by the way what are you driving right now? Warren 1992 300SD 162K Columbus Ohio |
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but yes the SD is fine..it was rough there for a while a couple of years ago...thanks goodness for warranty..:-) Warren 1992 300SD 162K Columbus Ohio |
what am i driving as we speak? a mac ibook.
my benz collection, with which i try to rotate the driving is as follows... 1. 1979 450sel6.9. silver, blue leather. ortho seats. 50k 2. 1986 560sel. diamond blue metallic, blue leather. ortho seats. 248k 3. 1987 560sec. arctic white. blue leather. 78k 4. 1995 e320cab. polar white. blue leather. blue top. 9.8k benzes no longer with me, but the providers of great memories... 5. 1973 220. dark green, tan mb tex. 140k when traded for... 6. 1976 450sel. baby blue. black leather. 200k when traded for... 7. 1985-6 300e. diamond blue metallic, grey leather. traded for 560sel. and today, i added a w140c to the fleet. 8. 1997 s500c. ruby. black leather. 20k. in fact, i have just returned from making a 250 mile drive in the car back from san antonio. so, those are the benzes that am driving when i am on the road, behind the wheel. and i am still thinking of adding a 500e to the fleet. so they go..... |
Good good good. You got the W140C!
In another thread, you wrote, "just down the road from houston is a reportedly immaculate 1997 s500c with only 20k miles. the colors aren't my favorites, but i telephoned this morning to hold it until i can make the drive on sunday to see it. good thing i did. within an hour of my phone call and deposit, someone else saw it and wanted to buy it. car was on the lot for less than 24 hours. m-b dealer has starmarked it." So, this is the car you bought? Most of your cars are white with blue leather. What color combination is this car? What did you pay? It did come with the warranty? I think you made the right decision. With the exception of the original evaporators being faulty, the other items that may need repairing fall within the normal list of items that any Benz would require. My local MB shop says they replace evaporators on W140's for $2,200, parts and labor, and do it one day. One looooooong day. The W140's, especially the coupes, are one of my favorite cars, and albeit expensive to own, they are probably the best car Mercedes ever built. |
well, thnx for your kind thoughts.
i agonized over this acquisition, but after a chat with a long-time automotive counselor[the shop foreman at the local benz dealer], i elected to complete the transaction. as i think i said in my last post, the exterior color is ruby. the interior is black nappa leather. i would have preferred white or silver, but there were aspects to this car that compelled me to ignore my preferences. it was a one-owner car. purchased in december 1996[as a 1997 model] by an 87 year old plutocrat and his 69 year old wife. it spent all of its life in the relatively benign[no snow, no saltwater] climate of san antonio, texas. with its first owner, it amassed a grand total of 20, 330 miles. the interior appeared as if uninhabited. it has one minor ding that you have to illuminate just so so as to reveal it. the dealer starmarked it and priced it at 37,900. on the advice of my m-b dealer shop foreman, who told me that i would be an idiot not to acquire it, i have acquired it. my shop foreman friend relates that after 1995, evap core problems became less of a feature of operating one of these cars...he says that benz finally improved the quality of the evap unit. the last thing that i have to say about the w140c is that it is such an overkill when compared to my 560sec. surely this series was the product of a teutonic response to the lexus. in many respects, i would have preferred that benz had improved the w126c, i.e., more soundproofing, more torque and hp rather than inject such steroids and come up with the w140c. having said that, the w140's in their improved, bullet-proofed years, as a matter of automotive history, will be considered the zenith of automotive design and construction. their like may never be seen again. i think of this car as the psychic descendant of the m100's. i am an old lotus aficionado. what i liked about the w126's is how they captured what i liked about my lotus'es in vehicles that did not have to be rebuilt upon every outing. unfortunately for benz, toyota discerned that the us market preferred cadillacs to lotuses. the w140 series was the benz effort to erase their previous mentality so as to get back into the us luxury game that lexus had stolen away. funny thing, though. after having driven this 140 for 250 miles, i can say that benz still didn't get it. the lexus product that was its target was quieter, traversed road irregularities with more silent aplomb. and did it all with less mass. based on my collection, this may sound heretical, but benz has forced me to conclude that the japanese have defeated them. i remain confused as to why it is that lexus product goes over road irregularities more quietly than do benz products. especially s class benz products. oh, excuse me, my e320cab is quieter over road irregularities than any other benz i own. why would that be do you think? |
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You know, you promised us in the other thread that you would share pictures of your cars with us. Make sure you include a picture of this car. I wonder, too, how Lexus makes quieter cars, especially since the W140's have double paned glass. I also agree with your statement about the W140 the Zenith of automotive design and construction. Happy motoring. |
again, thnx for thinking i know something. i shall try to learn to use the company digital cam and shoot these cars for you.
it is not the wind noise. benz silenced that, albeit lexus did it without double paned windows. no, it is the noise of the tires and and wheels running over lane boundary buttons and other road irregularities. i can't understand why it is that benz has failed to attenuate the noise radiated from these suspension impacts. when visiting LA, i rent xj8's. now there is a car that has less shock travel than any s class benz. and definitely less mass. but it traverses road irregularities and lane boundary buttons with significantly less impact noise. why is it that benz has failed to equal this level of acoustical attenuation? for me, it is one of the great mysteries of automotive design. and i found the post-2000 sonderklasse benzes to be no better in this regard. as i said, most mysteriously to me, my 1995 e320cab traverses these road irregularities more silently than any other benz that i own or have driven. i cannot wait to find out how the car sounds once i have attenuated the wind noise by fitting the removeable hard top that i have learned might be acquirable. so they go |
I am not sure why this is the case, but I have seen it on benzes from the 70s right up until today. It seems absolutely nothing has been done about it. The most blatant example is probably the 126's in this regard. My guess would be bushings in suspension but I am not sure why really
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Well folks, time to update this long thread:
About a month ago I traded up to a 1998 S 500 L (V140). If my opinion on how great the W140 series is was based on with my experience on an S 320, now my new S 500 L has up shifted my views to the extreme: there are difinitely very few cars on the road today that can equal the comfort, safety, power and driver satisfaction that the W/V140 provides (and usually they all cost within six figures). The new addition to the family came with only 22,000 original miles on it, carefully mantained by the local M.B. dealer and as a plus had already the evaporator exchanged (as a 100% warranty job) about a year and half ago. It has almost ALL the extras you could ask for, including the original factory installed fridge on the truck that can hold 4 botles of wine or 12 cans of your preferred soft-drink/beer. And I say "almost", because sadly the original owner only ommited to order the rear electric sport bucket seats. A neighbor just received his 2003 S 350 L (facelifted V220)a few days ago. When his car and my car are parked together, the 140 looks imposing and certainly like a Benz. The S 350 looks like a Benz, sometimes like a Lexus, other times like a medium sized B.M.W., and if the light just hits it right, it really looks like a Huyndai Sonata with an expensive and very well done paint job. Going back to the fact that DaimlerChrysler based the Mayback on the W140 instead of the W220 leaves few doors open for discussion on wich model is superior... |
I concur with your comments on the looks of the new W220 S class.
It looks like Benz, but not like an S class should. I can't tell you how many times I notice a "C" class behind me or near me on the freeway, and then realize when it gets close to me that it is actually an "S" class. The two models have such similar styling that it's too easy to confuse them. Plus, the styling of the W220 makes it look smaller than it actually is. I believe it was intentional on the designer's part. They somehow (mistakenly) believed consumers wanted a less imposing car. |
What happens if somebody slams into the back of the W140 or W220 at a good clip when you are sitting at a toll gate? Frame damage, right? The older MB's had massive steel bumpers to protect them from damage. The newer ones have fragile plastic that breaks at the slightest impact.
My mom's '95 E320 wagon was a good example. She backed up into my sister's old 260E and broke a hole in the impact strip, and the bumper itself. $$$$'s of dollars to replace! A few weeks ago, on the Mass Pike, I got hit by a Ford E350 van in my 350SD. It felt like the whole rear-end was wiped out! I was shocked that there was no damage to my car. Not even a scratch from his license plate! He never even stepped on the brakes! |
As far as the S-Class wars. I knew the W220 was going to be successful the first time I saw it. I fell in love with the exterior styling. The interior looked good in the brochure, but in person I didn't care for it (not enough wood in the backseat). The rear seat headroom and legroom was accomplished only by having a much thinner benchseat. The way the W220 handled was much like my E-Class, but with a better ride.
The view from the driver's seat is very similar to my W126's. Not too bulky, but still wide and flat with the three-pointed star at the end of the hood. I definitely like the W220, and may get one in the future. Probably an S400CDI! If it's a proven product! But I will always keep my W126's. |
Maybe MB was betting that the multitude of airbags in the newer cars was going to take the place on the thinner sheetmetal and seats
Warren 1992 300SD 168K Columbus Ohio |
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Bang on the doors and fenders on the W220 to see how solid it is. They must have crush zones that span the whole car! I read once that these cars were designed to absorb the damage, not only to protect the driver, but also the person they hit, or are hit by. This translates into some embarassing situations where an older MB (especially S-Class)involved will win everytime. Usually with no damage. But all car manufacturers are going this way. Not just MB. Have you seen the 2005 - 06 S-Class that has been previewed before. 22 inch wheels? Who the @#ll needs that? Oh yeah 16-airbags with PRE-SAFE II. Did I mention it's the ugliest car to ever see the light of day? This is what happens when Bruno Sacco leaves the group. |
Anyone wan't to buy a garaged 95 S420 with 7990 miles? That is seven thousand. PERFECT belongs in Mercedes Museum. Please reply if you are intrested. CLEANEST W140 in the USA!
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The other I day I ran accross this article written on the british magazine CAR about the W140.
The words summarize what the W140 is really all about: "Mercedes-Benz is the car maker that has striven more than any other to construct the world’s best car. Time and time again in its 100-year history, these efforts have been met with resounding success. Its current champion, the S-Class (1991-1998 / S280-S600), is the definitive expression of automotive perfection, and not merely for its unrivalled on-road presence. It is this car’s unstinting commitment to thoroughness, the completeness of its conception and the sheer scope of its competence that justify its reputation as the most sophisticated car the world has ever seen. Yet the most astonishing thing about this Mercedes is that for all its formality, for all its size, it is as deft and as nimble as a competition-bred sports car. It plays the entertainer as well as it plays the faithful retainer – an ability that never fails to amaze the unwary. Equally astonishing is its detailing: the double glazing, the electrically assisted closure of the doors and boot, the modest flap that emerges from the boot-lid to aid your opening it. But all this is merely the outward evidence of the completeness of the car’s inner being. It is engineered for almost every conceivable circumstance, whether it be cornering, cruising, or even crashing. It is also quick, and dead quiet. It will pacify its driver and cradle its passengers in luxury the lap of which they will never have experienced before. Effortless high-speed cruising is – in this car more than any other – conducted in the sepulchral space of the most opulent drawing room. The S-Class reeks of quality –quality of every kind, a quality that runs to the very core of its soul." [Taken literally from an article printed on CAR magazine, July 1994, page No. 139] |
'98 W140 Evaporator Problem???
Honorable Rosich,
I see in your post above that you have bought a '98 S-500, but I was shocked to read that the evaporator had needed replacing :eek: ! I haven't seen this problem on '96 and later W140s, and am wondering if I missed something important. I thought they sorted this problem out in the mid-'95 model year, but now I am not sure. Can you shed any light? |
The infamous evaporator issue persisted through out the ENTIRE production cycle of the W140, up to 1999 U.S. models which were the last to be built before production ended.
It used to be a less frequent problem on 97-99 models, but I think it was because, at the time, they were more recent models. By now, all 97-99 should be rolling over as the 92-96 did. The main problem with the evaporator was the combination of metal alloys used to manufactured them (alluminun and copper). These two materias did not mix very happily, hence deteriorating very rapidly creating leaks. Aftermarket companies manufactured a full copper evaporator which is warrantied from leaks for LIFE! Many costumers who substituded the original M.B. unit with this aftermarket unit did O.K. Owners who fitted again the original M.B. should find themselves with trouble in a few years. With luck, the original unit should last up to five or six years. But some customers began to find trouble as early as six months. |
500 SEL Questions
Greetings,
This is my first post. I have read this forum for years and wanted to commend all of you for such a great community. I currently have a 1985 300SD with 138,000 miles on it which I keep in great shape. However, Today I saw a 500SEL for sale for 11,000 and I was curious if the W140 has any major issues I should be concerned about? I have never driven a gas powered benz, but this model seems interesting. I heard some had tire wear problems? I was considering purchasing it, but before I procede I wanted your advice. - CubanDiesel |
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A fellow member recently posted this picture of what the new W221 S-class will look like.
I think this thread is the appropiate to place a comment on some of the issues regarding the new W221: According to all european car magazines, the W221 is very close in exterior dimensions and interior proportions and quality to the W140. Making clear once more what a big mistake the W220 was. Design wise the W221 is much prettier than the W220, although, it clearly has two big flaws: it looks to much like the new Hyundai Sonata (especially the front light fixtures) -who copied who?- and the front side fenders look to much like the design done on the current Mitsubishi Montero. Now: will have to see if the interior is really up to old M-B standars again and if the electronics are at least 50% more reliable than on current production models. Only time will tell if the W221 can recapture the legacy of the W140 and previous S-classes. |
Why do BMW and Mercedes feel the need to be plain or conform?
More and more of their designs seem to attempt conformity. These makers always had distinct looks and lines.. now they are just one of the bunch.. what a pity!!!
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Maybe they didn't they could keep going in the long run like they were.
If they had kept going ,pricewise, as they were can you imagine how much the cars would cost now? and it seems that over half of their business is lease business where they drive the car then turn it in..maybe they thought it was the way to go they do after all sell many more cars than they did back in the old days...I think 2004 was a record year for sales as a matter of fact turnne 1992 300SD(sold) 2000 BMW 740i w/full sports package Columbus ohio |
They can "work' towards reducing their prices as you mentioned. without departing for the identity of their cars... In past, you woud never hear a comparison in looks between a Hyundai and a Merk.. or a Bimmer and a Toyota Solara... and even worse.. in the case it was not Hyundai or Toyota that copied the lines... All I am saying I guess. is that these makers are losing their 'cliche'.. their pedigree.
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You have to sat at some point who is your target buyer and what do they want..what will they pay.......think about the prices of the old 140 cars when they were new.....what would have happened if they had come out with a new version that was 20-30K more than the outgoing 140?....is there a mass market buyer for the car? I think they have sold more 220's than they did 140's....remember its about making a corporate profit Warren 1992 300SD(sold) 2000 BMW 740I Columbus Ohio |
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De que parte de Cuba eres? :D |
Good place to find Euro 126 headlights
Greetings,
Thank you for your feedback in regards to my previous message. I did not get the W140. By the way, where is there a good place to buy 126 Euro headlights? I am looking to do this by August. By the way, my family is from Banes, Cuba. My ancestors are pre-1959. I was born in California. - Buenas Noches from CubanDiesel. |
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Maybe you can Google "Euro parts" + "simi Velly" or something like that and see what it comes up with. There was also a place in Florida (Miami?) but people here had bad results with them. If you are in the L.A. area, check with Enrique, at MR. M.B. MOTORS. He may know of a source. It is good to see a fellow Cuban here. :sun_smile |
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