you should not slam the doors on a 140...its has closing assist....so why would you need to?

In regard to substantial feeling...my opinion is that the 140 is a tank....lot more car than the 126(and the price reflected it)

Having owned both makes...there is a HUGE difference in the two

If you love all the attributes of the 140...you will feel short -changed in the 126....big technology difference....more interior room...a good stereo(finally!!!), much more sophisticated climate control system...etc..etc...etc...etc


Warren
1992 300SD 177K
Columbus Ohio

As a owner of a W140 and a W220, I have nothing but a few comments:

1) its not a cheap car to maintain. BUT than again, its not a car for "cheap" people to drive. If you want cheap, go get a W202, W203;

2) The early models with updated parts are the best; and

3) Its the only chance human can drive a car that is built this way. W220 is nothing compared to W140, except for speed and reponse.


FINALLY, ONCE YOU HAVE A W140, YOU WILL HAVE A VERY VERY VERY HARD TIME TO FIND ANOTHER CAR TO REPLACE IT!!

I am getting very scared as the car age since I cannot really find a replacement. Hows the new 7 series compares?

you know, i have a 1987 560sec. i love it.

i have a 1995 c124cab. i love it.

i have a 1997 c140. i like it.

though i haven't had any interest in its successors, i drove a e270cdi for a month in the alps in november 2002. loved it.

so though i need anothe benz like i need a hole in my head, i am seriously contemplating acquiring the e320cdi.

The price of the W140 in the later years was a laugh and a half compared to the prices of the W126 in the later years.

MB overpriced their techno-tanks with expensive equipment.

The reason the W140's were so expensive is because they WERE EXCESSIVE. The prices were justifiably high for the time, but that was not because of build quality and performance, it was because of gizmos.

And the W140 to me will always look like a bloated 300E. It is unoriginal in design.

I am getting so sick of this back and forth talk of W140, W220, W126, etc. My opinions stay firm throughout the years. I disliked the W140 since day one, I liked the W220 since day one. That's how I'll always feel. There is no WARMING UP to cars. Its either good or bad.

FYI, the W126 of '88 300SE(stripped USA version) would've been only $10K dollars less than a brand new model '92 300SE W140. Of course that introduced the SL engine with 230 hp and excellent fuel economy , and the debut of the new S-Class.

__________________
1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

I dont care what you guys think, I love the stately look that the W140 has. Its missing in the new S class which may be a fine automobile but in my option it blends in with the other cars.

I saw a 500SEL the otherday, a silver 1995 and I cant get it out of my head how stately it looked compared to alot of cars even 9 years later, to bad mercedes over engineered it. My friend has a 1997 and its been to the shop alot, good thing hes load with dough.

Every once in a while, I get to the movies. When a "Stately" or Luxo ride is needed, it's common that the W140 is used. This seems a pretty good indicator that many people view the W140 as the ultimate luxury ride.

There's a difference between over-engineered, and over-complex.

The W140 is both.(unfortunately from what I've heard, the W220 lacks the over-engineered concept).

IMHO, as to the W140's looks. It doesn't have enough chrome, and is TOO smoothly lined.

However, the C140 is not a bad looker. Just big!

__________________
1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

You need to make you compare apples to apples....the 1992 400SEL was much more car than the 1991 420SEL it replaced.
The 1991 420 SEL was more like the 1992 300SE...actually I think the SE had more HP(?)...and a lot more luxury

As I recall the sticker of the two cars was about the same

As for the 560SEL of 1991..I think sticker was about $78,000....that would have been about the sticker of the 400SEL of 1992...much more car...same money


One thing..to mention here is that I think there has been no mention of what the cars were actually selling for....I think the S class cars of the 90-91 vintage were heavilly discounted from sticker...I don't think 10-12K off was uncommon(LS400 effect?)

the same goes for the later 140's(but I think the buyers of the first couple of years overpaid)
No one paid anywhere close to sticker on the later models(97 forward)...especially on the S500 and S600 models
I guess that says something about what the public thought the car was worth


Warren
1992 300Sd 177K
Columbus Ohio

True enough, Warren. I agree with your post.

The W126 was old the W140 new. Everybody has their own opinions, and it is my taste that I don't like the W140. That's just the way I feel.

BTW, I miss the yellow fogs that the W126 and early W140's had, don't you(they looked classier)?

The 600SEL of '92 must've been close to the best car in the world.

The 420SEL vs 400SEL? Well since the 420 was 1K lbs lighter, it was just as quick. But it certainly wasn't as fast. 230 lb/ft and 201 bhp vs 300 + lb/ft and 282 bhp.

Rode in a 420SEL the other day, and my dad encountered an emergency situation which required kickdown. I really think the 420 engine isn't enough to pull the W126 quick enough down the road. Darned embarrassing if you ask me. Not enough power at all!

Peace and goodwill. An S-Class is an S. All S's have been groundbreaking until the W220, apparently.

__________________
1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

A 420SEL could only dream...:p



'92 400SEL

__________________
1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

Love the speedo pic!!!

My S 500 L can do 250 kph all day long without any complaints, it is just a shame that the roads in this country would not allow it.

Although, when I am traveling at a modest 150 kph in the few highways we have, it feels like the V140 its doing 60 kph.

I agree with a previous post on what is really the sensible choice for a W140 owner to trade up to??? There is just NOTHING on the road that compares to it. Only exemption, of course, is the Mayback, which is really (and everyone knows it) a bloated and overweight W140 with a high tech V12.

I guess I'll have to wait for the Mayback to lower its really overpriced value on the used market.

__________________
A. Rosich
CL 500, 1998
S 500 L, 1998
E 320 T, 1995 [Sadly sold ]

I agree with that to a certain degree...but since I am used to driving a diesel..power is not a huge issue

My mother bought a 86 420SEL back in 1991..that I used to drive all the time.....car was definitely a cruiser...not something to speed in...I actually like the handling of the short wheelbase cars(126 or 140_ better than the long wheel base....especially in the 126..it feels like its a block long around turns


Warren
1992 300SD 177K
Columbus Ohio

without my $.02!

My C140 has been and continues to be, the best and most reliable MB that I've ever owned. And it's also the cheapest in terms of repairs. If it got 30mpg, I'd recommend it for saint-hood!

The car's got lots of bells and whistles and they all work, even the backup 'feeler' antennas!

So I'm one of those 'love-it' guys and hope to drive it a long time. As A. R. says, once you drive one, it hard to drive anything else.

__________________
Regards . . . . JimF
-------------------
'94 S500 Cpe

Visit my Mercedes Web Page

Don't you think the new S class is Grandeous?? When the car was offered for sale itr had 47 patent on it. Talk about a complicated system.


Do I think the W140 will be a collectors item?, not really.

Do I think any car produced in the last 5 years will be a collectors item. Only the very special and rare. We had this discussion once before. With all the computers and plastic. How do you restore one of these cars 30-40 years form now. they are not like the restoration that are going on now with the 40's, 50's and 60's cars. Very little plastic and computers. To have a supply of good parts the car must be popular and everyone want one. Like the mustang and chevies. A 140 Mercedes. I don't see the availabilty of parts.

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

As the originator of this thread over 1900 views ago I must say it went way beyond what I had anticipated! It seems there is a lot of opinion one way or another on this subject, but it was never meant to be a 140 vs 126 kind of discussion. The 140 replaced the 126....and both are great examples of Mercedes Benz engineered automobiles, nothing more, nothing less. One just encompasses more technology than the other, as the 220s have more tech than the 140....time marches on.

The following quote is from L.A. Times writer Paul Dean back in 1991 regarding the premier of the W140: "....the big Mercedes Benz, built like a brick omnibus, is one of the finest cars in the world. It has almost the luxury with much less the length and bulk of a Bentley. Curb weight is measured in tons but performance figures will split hairs with most sport cars. The 1992 S class...six years in the creation and the first redesign of the super sedan series in 12 years...is typically arrogant. Engineering systems are virtually hand-built by world craftsmen working with few restraints on componant costs. Mercedes allowed similar splurging on the very best in wheels, tires, leathers, woods, every accessory and all materials. To cut corners is to reduce quality, to lessen one car is to lower the image of the entire line. The end result is a very expensive motorcar. The broad-sholdered, flat-bellied Mercedes with its promise of whispering performance and elegant travel...survives.

That last sentence sums it up. I think it is safe to say that 99.5% of the driving public has never owned or driven a W140. I for one am glad that I do.

__________________
1996 SL320 97K miles
1996 C220 130k miles
1992 500SEL 170k miles <---sold
1986 300E 216k miles <---sold