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  #31  
Old 03-08-2004, 08:11 PM
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Location: Rio Rancho, NM. USA
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wow....it's obvious by the number and intensity of posts to my original thread , that there is a true dicotomy when it comes to the 140. Strangely enough I embrace both sides of the issue: I believe it was a way over-engineered car with it's share of flaws, very expensive to own and maintain....but, by the same token I think it is a phenominal automobile with attributes beyond ANY other car made. It will never become a collectors car per se (particularly in the sedan incarnations), but it will always impress. Someone had mentioned in a previous post that the 600 was a virtual limo. The same can be said for the 500SEL but with a slightlly smaller engine...these are not your typical 4 door sedans!
BTW...when I first obtained my 500 I too thought that the power (inside) rear-view mirror was simply WAY over-indulgence and was totally unneccesary. But, there is reason behind the madness: It's the only way that mirror position could be retained in driver memory. As for the "antennae" defining the rear corners.....wouldn't it be a shame to bump a $100,000+ car into something backing up because you (or an occasional driver, such as a valet parker?) wasn't sure exactly where the corner was? As far as "just something else to go wrong"....if it goes bad and you didn't like it to begin with then don't fix it....it's not like it's a critical componant.
I had been considering selling my 500, and even had two inquiries when it was in the shop for rear suspension work, but I simply don't think I can part with it.....warts and all.

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1996 SL320 97K miles
1996 C220 130k miles
1992 500SEL 170k miles <---sold
1986 300E 216k miles <---sold
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  #32  
Old 03-08-2004, 08:17 PM
BlackE55
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Hmmm... didn't 140's become a more "reliable" (for lack of a better term) after a particular year. Was it '95? Seems to me there were some changes made, but I don't recall.
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  #33  
Old 03-08-2004, 08:48 PM
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post 96 ones were supposed to be better.

my 148,000 mile CL isn't perfect (re-spray identified by body shop, stone chips - badly fixed, squeeking door card / dash interface, parking sensors dodgy, extreme heat erratic idle after long journey / long trafic jam)
- but compared to my GF's vauxhall / opel / GM astra (2 litre 16V 4 cyl 200 bhp 750 kg iconic boy racer car) 1990 110,000 mile car with completely shot wings (8 hours of swearing and welding by me) it isn't in bad condition imho...
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  #34  
Old 03-08-2004, 08:54 PM
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Quote:
Hmmm... didn't 140's become a more "reliable" (for lack of a better term) after a particular year. Was it '95? Seems to me there were some changes made, but I don't recall.
Yeah, I got a better term for you; After 1994, they weren't quite as big of a heap, but they were still heaps.

Gilly
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  #35  
Old 03-08-2004, 08:55 PM
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Quote:
As for the "antennae" defining the rear corners.....wouldn't it be a shame to bump a $100,000+ car into something backing up because you (or an occasional driver, such as a valet parker?) wasn't sure exactly where the corner was?
I don't find that those are really that useful...better than nothing for such a large car...yes.....but not really that useful in a tight situation...

the newer park distance controls(..ie..parktronic) are much better at this ...maybe thats why they stopped with the antennas after 96(?) and some of the later models indeed have the new park distance control

As for realiability there is no doubt the latter ones were better...actually if you have an early one with updated parts, its a lot better and actually pretty realiable
The first couple of years of ownership of my car were a nightmare..the car spent a lot of time at the MB for repairs that were thankfully done under warranty and I think I got most of the updates that MB had done on the car and its related repair parts at the time
The last three years I have had only problems that you would associate with any benz that is 12 years old and has 175K miles


Warren
1992 300Sd 175K
Columbus Ohio
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  #36  
Old 03-08-2004, 08:57 PM
BlackE55
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Quote:
Originally posted by Gilly
Yeah, I got a better term for you; After 1994, they weren't quite as big of a heap, but they were still heaps.

Gilly
Hehe, I'll stick with the 126s for a while.
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  #37  
Old 03-08-2004, 08:59 PM
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Hehe, I'll stick with the 126s for a while.
I second that emotion......

Gilly
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  #38  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:00 PM
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Hehe, I'll stick with the 126s for a while.
Completely different cars...like night and day
Once you get accustomed to the 140....all the gadgets included its hard to go back
Having owned both 126 and 140 cars I can tell you there is a big difference



Warren
1992 300SD 175K
Columbus Ohio
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  #39  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:03 PM
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Having owned both 126 and 140 cars I can tell you there is a big difference
.......And having worked on both the 126 and 140 cars, I totally agree there is no comparison (keep the 126 Ted!)

Gilly
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  #40  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:06 PM
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Gilly....my, you have what appears to be a disproportionate distaste for this particular model....care to elaborate exactly why? My first guess is that you had one that cost you a small fortune....am I correct?
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  #41  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:10 PM
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.....And having worked on both the 126 and 140 cars, I totally agree there is no comparison (keep the 126 Ted!)
do you expect anything that expensive to be cheap to fix?

if financial outlay is the primary concern you would probably be looking at another make period...don't you think?

where is the line between what you are willing to deal with because you like it much more(and will pay more for it) and what you call just a utility piece where the least expensive article gets the nod...just because of price?

and btw the tech that has done 90% of the work on my car has never complained about working on the vehicle...seems to know the vehicle inside and out along with its faults and strengths..never heard him express any difficulty

Warren
1992 300SD 175K
Columbus Ohio
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  #42  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:13 PM
BlackE55
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Originally posted by turnne1
Completely different cars...like night and day
Once you get accustomed to the 140....all the gadgets included its hard to go back
Having owned both 126 and 140 cars I can tell you there is a big difference

Warren
1992 300SD 175K
Columbus Ohio
Agreed. My parents owned a Star-Marked '97 for a short time. Black/grey S500. When they moved into a house with a long, steep nasty driveway, it was time to sell. As a Minnesotan, the winter made it difficult to get into the dernded garage.

I picked it out for them, sent them pics and the purchase was made -- so I had a chance to drive it quite a bit. Fast, smooth, quiet, but perhaps too quiet. In the last 15 years, my daily drivers have all been old Detriot iron. So obviously I appreciate the "feel" of any 126 V8.
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  #43  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:20 PM
BlackE55
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Guys, please don't dump on Gilly.

This is a discussion about 2 Mercs that are at least 25 years apart in terms of technological development and electronic innovation. As mentioned before, there's no comparison.

BUT I do know that it's a much easier to wrench on a 126 than a 140. Then again, it's easier to work on a slant 6 Mopar than a Dodge Viper V-10.
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  #44  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:20 PM
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That 97 should have been a very nice car...Xenon lights and ESP I think were standard on that model beginning in '97

you are right about the quiet(although not Lexus quiet)...but my particular 140 is a diesel and is still much quieter(inside the car) than the Chevy company car that I have which is new

curiously I always wonder how people in snow climates have dealt with a car like the 126 that big ,rear wheel drive and had no traction control features.
I moved to the midwest the south and I am not evn in what si called the snow belt...but i'll tell you I refuse to look at any car that does not have traction control and preferably ESP


Warren
1992 300Sd 175K
Columbus Ohio
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  #45  
Old 03-08-2004, 09:28 PM
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I have coveted a W140 sedan more than any other car, and at the same time, I am scared to death to own me. Yet, despite (or in spite of ) my fears, I'm sure I'll own one some day.

I love reading threads like this that discuss the merits / faults of the W140's, how they compare to the W126's, and whether or not they represent the pinnacle of Mercedes quality.

It's amazing how many people post the opposite - that they are the biggest p.o.s. MB ever produced. How can they be the thought of as the best and the worst at the same time? Can anyone think of any other car that illicits similar extremely opposite responses?

What I don't get is the fact that other than a few parts that fail(ed) at too high of a rate (a/c evaporators, door closing assist pumps), they seem to be, dare I say, bulletproof? The M104 and M119 engines have great records of reliability.

Last, I know everyone dumps on the early models, but once they have been gone over and all the frequent failure items replaced, aren't they every bit as good "updated" later models?

I'm all ears........

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