I just found the following buyer's guide. It is for 560SEC coupes but much of it is relevant for your needs. Have a look.
http://www.mbcoupes.com/Buyer's%20Guide/buyersguide.htm
Good luck with your decision.
Cheers!

Hi 86560SEL,
you should spend the $ 100 on an inspection. You need to get the car on a lift. You won't feel a leaky transmission or leaky shocks in a drive around town nor will you feel worn flex discs. An exhaust is not cheap either. If you cannot perform maintenance like changing shocks, brake pads, vacuum hoses etc. yourself, this will become an expensive car. I don't know whether your model has the air suspension, which is even more expensive to maintain.
You can spend $1000 easily on the suspension alone if MB services the car. An MB rebuilt transmission is $1700 plus labor to install.
I spent $3000 within 2 months on a car that I thought was perfect when I bought it.
There is a reason why the trade-in is so low.
Don't get me wrong, they are fine cars when maintained, but that comes at a price.
Good luck
Reinhard Kreutzer

That is discouraging to hear, but true I guess. I guess I will need to take into consideration that the car may need expensive repairs after I buy it, even if it seems OK, as was the case with your car. I was also considering a 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser, so I may reconsider that car as well and choose the better car. Thanks again for all of the very, very helpful replies.

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

I did see today another Mercedes I also may interested in at a different local car lot. They have a 1995 Mercedes C220 sedan in excellent shape for $8900. Can anyone report on these cars? Do they have to have a timing chain or belt changed too? Are these cars better than the older 560s, if well maintained? I am guessing much better fuel mileage. It may also have less miles. I may check on it tomorrow, if I have time. I guess I would have to have it inspected too.

They also have the following Mercedes for sale-
1993 MERCEDES 190E, white, 4 dr, auto, air, pw, pl, cass, cruise, alloys, 1 owner $6995.
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 300E, blue, loaded, extra clean, $3,995.
1989 MERCEDES 190E, 4dr, pwr sunroof, auto, loaded, air, alloy wheels, $4,995.

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

Mercedes has only used timing chains. They have never used belts.

The C220 is a nice car, but underpowered, with a slightly cramped rear seat. My mother had a 95 C220, and she drove it for 150,000 miles with no problems.

The six cylinder and four cylinder engines rarely, if ever, need a timing chain to be replaced because the chains are very short and don't stretch.

The M116 and M117 V8, like the engine in the 560 SEL, do require a timing chain replacement.

While it may seem an unnecessary expense to replace the timing chain, the V8's, like the 560 SEL, are extremely durable engines that will probably last longer than you'll ever want to own the car.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

[QUOTE]Originally posted by suginami
[B]Mercedes has only used timing chains. They have never used belts.

The C220 is a nice car, but underpowered, with a slightly cramped rear seat. My mother had a 95 C220, and she drove it for 150,000 miles with no problems.


Thanks for the reply on the C220. I have always liked these C220s, since they first appeared in 1994, replacing the 190s. I was reconsidering however, if it would be wise to just pay $4000 more and get a Mercedes 8 years newer. Since your mother had one with 150K, with no problems, it sounds like they are reliable cars. I am not too concerned about the room or the power. I like the size of the C220s. I am guessing they are much more maneuverable than the 560SEL. I may consider the C220, or keep looking for another C220. Actually, I even like the 84-85 190E's. I think instead of making a hasty decision to purchase the 560, I may just keep searching for another Mercedes.

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

I like the C-class a lot.

I'd suggest looking at the C230 instead of the C220. The engine was bumped out in displacement and it made a noticeable difference, particularly in torque.

The C220 became the C230 in 1997.

One of the moderators on this site, Gillybenztech (a dealer tech), has posted that in his opinion the C230 is the most reliable Mercedes to own.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Go for the 560!! Of course I'm partial to big V8s.

Can't beat the old-world build quality, powerful/smooth V8 and the classic lines of the 126.

My 560 has been inexpensive to own -- I do some of the work myself which keeps costs down of course. Lots of room to wrench and everything is pretty straight-forward. With all the brain power on this board and the shop manual, many jobs are "doable".

The hydro suspension doesn't worry me -- rear spheres aren't that pricey and it's a DIY job (I'll prob tackle it this summer).

Yeah, there's the timing chain/rails issue -- but I won't worry about mine for another year or so as we only put on about 9,000 miles/year.

I like the 560 too, but wondering if the 95 C220, for $8900 is the better deal.

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

Thanks for the info. I would like the larger engine, but I am guessing a 94-95 C220, would be much more affordable than a 97-newer C230. Believe it or not- I kinda like the plainer looks of the C220s, rather than the C230s.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by suginami
[B]I like the C-class a lot.

I'd suggest looking at the C230 instead of the C220. The engine was bumped out in displacement and it made a noticeable difference, particularly in torque.

The C220 became the C230 in 1997.

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

Just thought I would post an update. I have not had time to look at the 86 560SEL, but I did take a closer look at the 95 C220 this afternoon. I must say, I dislike the material on the seats. It looks like vinyl, rather than leather. I think it is very cheap looking. Is it possible that this is vinyl, or was leather standard on the C220 for 95 and this is just how it looks? I also noticed that the headliner lining was starting to fall away from the interior "C" pillar panel, which I thought was rather unusual for a Mercedes. They also have a 89 190, for $4995, but I think that price is a little steep. Thanks.

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

That has to be MB-Tex, a vinyl product.

I kinda like it because it doesn't wear out. Twenty years from now it will look exactly the same.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

That sounds interesting. Is this the same type interior material that is found in some of the 80s Mercedes? Thanks.

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

Yes


IMO, the 2 cars you are considering here are very different. If you want a large luxury saloon, the 560SEL is very hard to beat - BUT, it is(was) a super-expensive German saloon, and while superbly engineered and unlikely to keep breaking down and being generally problematic, it will require expensive maintenance from time to time.

The C-class is totally different - a much more mass market car, less expensive to run and fairly problem free. But it's not a special car in any way like the 560.

Ask yourself what type of car you actually want.

If you want a cross between the two - find a W124-model ('86 thru '96) 300E or E300. All the good qualities of the 560SEL (except for the V8) but less expensive to maintain and generally much less of a worry to buy used.

Don't quite see how a Toyota landcruiser could come into this though...

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

MB seems to have always offered "MB Tex". I don't know if they've changed the formula or not, but it always seems to look the same and never wears out.

Frankly, if I had my choice, I'd actually choose MB Tex, because it always looks good.

With leather, it's not if it'll wear out, but when. And when leather cracks, it's all over. And it's just about prohibitively expensive to replace.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".