Price range for 1991 560SEL

[braverichard]

Hey folks,

I've been out of the game of keeping track of W126s for sale, asking prices and transaction prices for a while so I decided to seek your assistance for this car that I saw today. It is a 1991 560SEL, I didn't take a detailed look at it because I was in a hurry but I will do so on Monday. It has a black exterior and tan interior, both in excellent shape, 145K miles. I didn't even start it but judging by the appearance of the car I'm guessing it must have been well cared for, but I will verify all this of course. The dealer actually sold the car 2 years ago and now the owner ran into financial issues and sold it back to the dealer.

The car dealer is asking for $6910. What kind of prices are these going for these days? All help will be greatly appreciated.

[Oracle12345]

Check the Kelly blue book value and look at the car closey to see what catergory it fits under

[braverichard]

Wow, I didn't mean KBB values, those are official values are with these cars they don't sync with real world values. I meant to hear figures from actual transactions. Thanks!

[Oracle12345]

Someone may pay $1 million dollars for a ferrari but another person with alot of money wouldnt want even touch a ferrari, so it all depends on the buyer.

But seeing how w126s were mass produced the value of them wont be as high early 1940 and 50s mercedes.

Many people use kelly blue book as aguideline or another car review site when deciding to buy a car.

Just my .02

[deanyel]

Valuation guides tend to be all over the place and largely worthless. I'd say it's a reasonable asking price, if it's a nice car, but with that mileage it's not likely to fly off the lot. $5-$6k is probably more like it - but again it's got to be sound.

[Oracle12345]

They may appear "worthless" to some but they do affect whether someone buys a car or not just by what people have to say about them and their experiences.

[braverichard]

Originally Posted by deanyel

Valuation guides tend to be all over the place and largely worthless. I'd say it's a reasonable asking price, if it's a nice car, but with that mileage it's not likely to fly off the lot. $5-$6k is probably more like it - but again it's got to be sound.

Thanks, that's more like what I was expecting. About 2 years ago a car like this one would fetch $4,500 to $6,000 on the market. I guess that hasn't changed.

[Hit Man X]

I paid less for mine... less miles and clean as can be. Demand for gas hogs is very low, 9-12 city is all I receive. Which is fine, I bought it as I wanted one not for being a gas-miser.



Assume the worst on a purchase, just because it's clean doesn't mean jack.

[braverichard]

Of course you always have to assume worst on a purchase but you can reduce the degree of horrors you'll experience by going after the cleanest, best maintained example you can get.

Tell me, how much did you pay for yours and how many miles did it have at the time, if you're ok with disclosing it? Thanks.

[Hit Man X]

Originally Posted by braverichard

Of course you always have to assume worst on a purchase but you can reduce the degree of horrors you'll experience by going after the cleanest, best maintained example you can get.

Tell me, how much did you pay for yours and how many miles did it have at the time, if you're ok with disclosing it? Thanks.

Oh I agree, the more records the better... but you still just NEVER know as finding a competent mechanic on vintage Euro iron is difficult as short cuts could have been taken or how lazy the person working on the vehicle is/was. Take my 750iL, came with near $25k in receipts ($6500 within the past year before my purchase at a DEALER)... the M70 V12s always need intake manifold gaskets with age (mine only has about 122k now). Well why would the shop just replace those and not the valve cover gaskets? They were obviously leaking.

Take my 560, found out it has a new chain rolled in... but still was on an original radiator and the AC system was near empty when I picked it up. Who would go through all that hassle and not replace a radiator. I've never priced out a chain install, but I work slow and takes me 3-5 hours plus the cost of the chain... sounds like a $500 job at minimum. The CIS system has been adjusted also, again... not free.

Paid around $3600 all said and done I think it was for that 560 (My SD and 300SEL are the best purchases I have made... about $1500 and $1000). Around 138k. Base model 560 (no four place, no rear sunscreen, no CD, etc). SLS pump was leaking, needed a brake job front to rear, typical oil level sender oil leak, AC was near empty, some dead vac pods for HVAC, cracked rotor/old cap/wrong plugs, etc. If the car was like new like it is almost now, I'd have expected it to fetch $3-5k more probably depending on buyer/market, I have attached a pic for idea of interior. Driver side is just as clean also. Paint isn't perfect, but I'd say a good 7.5-8, clear is great and car waxes up well.

Most of the issues it had I find are common across the board for the W126 so fix them once and forget about it for ten years, you will find this MUCH more user friendly to operate on over the W140. Figure I have put $1-1.2k into it, which I'd consider necessary for just about any old vehicle (all fluids, belts, hoses, ign system, etc, etc) plus the required bits I had to have done like brakes, shocks, etc. I do my own labor and enjoy it, so it doesn't bother me saving a good sum of cash up front... I can put that extra play money into another car.

This is a buyers market for everything, show up with cash and be prepared to walk (I'm sure you know, buy for paint, then interior, then mechanical). Euro cars have that stigma which is good for you to purchase and bad for the seller.

I'm looking for a nice 500sel (ECE prefer or US) or 420sel for the condo, just depends what I find at the time.

Sorry to ramble on, feel free to contact me if you need.

[alabbasi]

Originally Posted by Hit Man X

This is a buyers market for everything, show up with cash and be prepared to walk (I'm sure you know, buy for paint, then interior, then mechanical).

This is a very true point, I don't think these cars can get cheaper. Search through the craigslist for 560SEL, find the oldest ad and ask them if it's for sale.

I bet more often then not, it will be. I know a fellow who just picked one up for $280 and it runs pretty well. It has had a rough life but he has a lot of spare cash to fix it.

The benefit of the W126 is that compared to other cars of the era (lexus LS 400, BMW 750il) it's actually quite simple and can be worked on by the hobby mechanic.

[Hit Man X]

Originally Posted by alabbasi

This is a very true point, I don't think these cars can get cheaper. Search through the craigslist for 560SEL, find the oldest ad and ask them if it's for sale.

I bet more often then not, it will be. I know a fellow who just picked one up for $280 and it runs pretty well. It has had a rough life but he has a lot of spare cash to fix it.

The benefit of the W126 is that compared to other cars of the era (lexus LS 400, BMW 750il) it's actually quite simple and can be worked on by the hobby mechanic.

Yes! The only reason I have the E32 V12 is due to the history, I paid right around $4k for it... twice what they "typically" go for... but had MASSIVE records. That is not something I'd want without history, or even consider.

My old lady had a '96 LS400 for around a decade, total pain to work on... I mean even the most trivial was irritating like the oil change. Who had the idea to put the oil filter ABOVE the AC lines? Air filter assembly was a terrible design. PS pump above alt... Mechanically the motor/trans held up great, but not user friendly in the least bit. Interior felt cheap to me and didn't hold up how it should have.

[braverichard]

I appreciate your "rant", haha, the more details the better, so please keep "ranting" I'll take a look at that low mileage 560SEL this weekend in broad daylight, if I don't like what I see I'll walk. If I like the colors I'll bargain hard, yes indeed, these are hard times and gas prices are high so I'll use those factors to my advantage. I can tell the guy wants to sell, he even called me yesterday to see when I wanted to check out the car during daylight hours. Just might be an opening for me.

[deanyel]

One of the things that comes with a "simple" 126 is no diagnostic system, or virtually no diagnostic system. I find the next generation "complexity", which is not really all that complex and is in many ways improved, to be a good trade-off in light of the nice diagnostic systems that comes with it.

[83126]

If the seller has no proof that the chain, tensioner and rails were replaced, offer AT LEAST 2000. less than he is asking. It does not matter that the oil was changed often, this is a required maintenance item.

Often these cars are sold because they need maintenance or repair. Thats the buyers ace in the hole.