Newby 82 500 sel owner questions - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

scooter81 · #1 08-23-2002, 11:10 PM

I am replacing my 90 735i bmw with an 82 500sel (greymarket car) it has 290000 km on the odo previous owner for 10 yrs was a fastidious professional mechanic. The Benz runs well and drives quite nicely and appears in super condition body and interior wise. My questions to you Mercedes litterati are ;
1 any trouble spots to look or look out for
2 is this an ok car in the world of Benz-dom
3 tough without seeing but a ballpark value I`ll confess later what I paid ~S~
4 anyone interested in a 215000 mile 90 735i with a questionable head gasket ?
Thanks in advance Scooter

scooter81 · #2 08-26-2002, 10:40 PM

I thought I would at least receive some put downs or smart ass comments to my orig post.........guess not.

william rogers · #3 08-26-2002, 11:00 PM

I'm in process of changing timing chain top and bottom rails as well as front seal, tensenior, on 86 500 SE also doing oil pump chain and rail and all related gaskets . I think most would agree timing chains on V8 MB's need looking after as they are interference engines with long chains. bet you will love your SEL to me 126's are timeless autos......
William Rogers......

#4 08-26-2002, 11:29 PM

Try the search under 126. Should be lot's of posts addressing your questions. Maybe not as many responders because not too many out there with your exact car? I don't know but if so, that may make it worth more. Good luck! Please post a pic. I would like to see one.

old blue · #5 08-27-2002, 02:46 PM

Not sure about trouble spots.
My old mechanic had one and swore by it.
But then again he knew I really liked it and kept trying to sell it to me.
(Both he and his wife were driving 99 S500's at the time, and their daughter would not be caught dead in the '83?).

I think he wanted $3500, but probably would have settled for $3k, to get it out of his driveway. The only thing that kept me from buying it was the color, dark blue, with blue MB tex interior. I do not have the patience it takes to care for a dark colored car.

The one thing I can attest to is that you will enjoy the car ten-fold if you buck up for good tires and get new suspension parts. Good news is most of the work is DIY, and you can save some serious coin by shopping around (this site and others).

I thought my 85 500SEL rode nice, until I test drove the mechanic's 83. It was enough to convince me, and he helped me do much of the work myself (of course I also spent $600 + on other mechanical needs that his shop was set up for).

Good luck - Michael

gungfurob · #6 09-06-2006, 08:42 PM

i can't even find my car listed anywhere so i can't find head gaskets or anything and i saw one like it on ebay for $47,000 and it looked just like mine!
can you help me ?
thanks, robert

Hatterasguy · #7 09-06-2006, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gungfurob

i can't even find my car listed anywhere so i can't find head gaskets or anything and i saw one like it on ebay for $47,000 and it looked just like mine!
can you help me ?
thanks, robert

Talk to Snibble, if anyone knows he will.

Have you tried ordering them through say a MB dealer?

86560SEL · #8 09-06-2006, 09:32 PM

Its true, probably not alot of 82' 500SEL models out there.

My main concern would be the timing chain. Thats what concerns me with my car. I have no idea when mine was last changed, but with the high miles on my car, probably not worth changing on mine. I am just going to drive it here in town to and from work until she goes.

Also, check under your fuse box for leaves/debris and leaks from clogged drains, etc.

Benzadmiral · #9 09-07-2006, 10:02 AM

Probably one of the best models of car ever to roll off an assembly line.

Enjoy it!
.

Ben12345 · #10 09-07-2006, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86560SEL

I have no idea when mine was last changed, but with the high miles on my car, probably not worth changing on mine. I am just going to drive it here in town to and from work until she goes.

It really isnt that big of a deal to do the chain, or that expensive... Its just the guide on the far drivers (on a LHD car) side is a pain to do. The other guides were quite straightforward. I did it easily in an afternoon. The chain itself probably only took a half hour to change which included getting to it.
My car was getting to the point of rattling for a couple of seconds when started. I think all of the parts including a new tensioner came to around £60 ($100)

david s poole · #11 09-07-2006, 01:36 PM

ben,do you mean to tell us that the cost of chain,tensioner,valve cover gaskets,rails and oil tube kits is only the equiv of $100 in the uk?

Ben12345 · #12 09-07-2006, 03:10 PM

Sorry, I was a little optimistic... As of right now, my parts suppliers price for the rails, oil tube repair kits, chain, tensioner and gaskets is approx £80, so about $140
The Febi tensioner is £30 and the chain is the same, which is where I got my £60 ($100) from. The oil tube repair kits are only £2 a side, and the rails are about the same each, again for Febi.

david s poole · #13 09-07-2006, 06:35 PM

thats very interesting ben.can i assume that this is a retail parts supplier? because $140 is less than i have to pay wholesale to buy those parts [by same manuf] here in dallas tx.i think there is something funny going on between europe and the u.s.

Hatterasguy · #14 09-07-2006, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david s poole

thats very interesting ben.can i assume that this is a retail parts supplier? because $140 is less than i have to pay wholesale to buy those parts [by same manuf] here in dallas tx.i think there is something funny going on between europe and the u.s.

Strong Euro, plus I am sure there is another middle man, like World Pac.

david s poole · #15 09-08-2006, 10:40 AM

there are just as many middle men in europe as here.in fact they invented middle men.i'm getting the feeling that there is a huge margin being applied between europe and the u.s. and because the price of admission is high[necessary to buy container loads at a time]maybe walmart needs to get into the european car parts market?