420SEL Potential Purchase; talk me out of it - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TylerH860 · #1 11-09-2008, 10:09 PM

or encourage me/ agree with my conclusions

So, I've read the W126 Buyer's guide multiple times, and know very, very well that there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes-Benz, but I think I have a potential diamond in the rough here.

This is a 1989 420SEL with 149k on her. Excellent condition inside and out. Glossy paint, good interior surfaces, etc. I drove the car, which had been sitting for 4 weeks, and noticed two issues.

1: The climate control was completely unresponsive. He claims it was working last time he drove it and he used the AC for his daily commute. (He has since updated to a W210 E320)

2. I noticed a very slight shudder for the first second of acceleration. I had this issue with the SL, though much worse, the culprit being the fuel distributer. A thorough cleaning of the whole system took care of it.

I plan on returning tomorrow morning with a fuse tester to see if the CC problems can be solved easily. Any other areas to look for that may cause this problem? This issue will likely be the deal breaker for me. The car performed fantastically otherwise, turning, bumps, etc. I've driven many W126s (all 1985s or older) and this one seemed the most well sorted.

No air leaks at highway speeds, the interior and trunk seemed incredibly dry. All the rubber under the hood, and seals looks great.

...and of course, the most important thing on these old Benzes is the maintenance records, which it has... until 2000. The first owner was unbelievably fastidious caring for this car, repairing a litany of issues including the climate control. Every page of the book is dealer stamped until 75,000, with a few receipts following. NO MENTION OF THE TIMING CHAIN BEING SERVICED.

So, my friends, should I pay $2,000 for this car? At the very least it would need a $1,000 worth of work for the timing chain and a new base line to start over on the fluids. If I can get the CC working and it proves fully functional, I will probably pull the trigger on it, unless you guys talk me out of it.