I was just thinking last night that I can't even recall one post asking for help on a W116, '73-'80 450 SEL. It seems most questions are for 124's and 126's.

Have these cars all disappeared?

Are they so undesireable that no one drives them anymore?

Are they relics of the 70's like most '70's era American cars that were killed by smog regulations and high gasoline prices, where horsepower was squashed and mpg was around 10 mpg?

When people debate about which S-class is the best of all time, the 116's get completely ignored. It's always between the 126 and 140, and sometimes the 108/109's are included.

The only posts I run across are from that guy Carlos who has the blue 450 SEL in the Classified sections for $3,500 that no one wants to buy. There's a handful of posts in the hot rod section with a 6.9, but that's different.

I like the cars, wondering what it would be like to own one some day, considering they're so cheap, but are they worth avoiding all together?

__________________
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".

I wouldn't say that they are forgotten about, just not the favorites. In my opinion, they look old. People love their W126s for their old style MB quality, yet classy, modern looks. "Normal" people are amazed when I tell them that my car is 16 years old. They think it is a 2000 something. People love their W140s because of its presence and stately looks and very modern engineering. Am I right people?

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'86 420SE Euro
904 Midnight Blue, Gray Velour
Dad bought it new, now I own it.

"A Mercedes-Benz is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age."

I thought Mercedes never really look "old".

They look like a "Mercedes".

We usually comment on how timeless Mercedes styling is.

Did MB mess this one up?

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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".

I wouldn't say that they messed it up, but some designs are just more timeless or memorable than others.

__________________
'86 420SE Euro
904 Midnight Blue, Gray Velour
Dad bought it new, now I own it.

"A Mercedes-Benz is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age."

I can proudly say it has been over a year since I have worked on a 116 . It is the car I least like from mercedes , I do still work on some 113 and 115's . Like most things they are fading away . The 123 will be fading away in another year or two from what it looks like around here. The 124 and126 will be around for a while yet though.

__________________
euro 287
Mercedes Technician 7 Years (retired to Hyundai)
2000 Dodge Durango
98 Mazda truck

What are the 113's and 115's?

What do you think about the 108's? These are the 68-72 280 SEL's right? (like Mike Tangas' car). Do you ever see these in your shop?

His 72 280 SE 4.5 was beautiful when he gave me a ride in it.

__________________
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".

Perhaps the W116 owners are merely enjoying their reliable cars.
Though some may find a 450 SEL a pedestrian-looking car,
the heart and soul of these cars is undeniably all that is best
about Mercedes. It is the most tossable large car I have driven, and it has a communicative chassis all with bank vault solidity.
This kind of quality is sadly lacking in the modern Daimler products.
The modern economy has forced Daimler to scrimp on suppliers and execution of their designs. Too, the rest of the market has advanced considerably so Mercedes has less to distinguish itself.
This W116 was a tour-de-force in 1978, and its road manners
*still* exceed the experience of my recently-departed
Lexus LS400 automotive appliance.
That said, the sound system bites.
Colin

Thank you Colin.

I was waiting for a reply like this.

I think they're too solid of a car to be ignored.

Can anyone remembeer any one person who owns a 116 that regularly participates in this site?

It's just weird that they're so forgotten and ignored?

I wonder if they'll come back (sort of) like those who own the 108's. I think the 108's day is really yet to come.

__________________
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".

Aaron Greenburg, Rick Jordan, Charlie Porter and plenty of others all run 116's. Now I'll grant you a large portion are 300SD's, but there are a bunch of 450SEL's and a handful are 6.9's.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

I have one with 90K on it. It has a strong engine but trashed interior. This is the second one I bought just to be a heart donor for a SL. These cars drive wonderful, but putting serious money in them is financial suicide.

__________________
Happy Benzing
Darryl, Hill
2005 SL55 AMG Kleemanized
1984 500 SEC
1967 W113 California Coupe
[SIGPIC]
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos

ME ME ME!!!! I'm pretty active around here, and I have a 116, and completely agree with Colin...it's right up there with the 123 as the most durable and best all-around examples of 4-door cars MB has ever offered, in my opinion.

Mine's a '79 300SD, and Colin is correct in his assumption: I don't ask for help here very often, because I rarely ever need it! Not because I'm an automotive guru or anything, it's just that the SD is so damn reliable and easy to maintain and work on, very few of my posts are concerning problems with my own car, most of them are concerning other things, or offering some advice, an opinion, etc.

The 126 may be considered more "refined", but is not as solidly built in some ways, especially the ones after '85 with the aluminum head. I actually prefer the "older" look of the chrome and all. Some will call me old-fashioned, and I know it's heavy and all, but I love chrome. Cars should have chrome. I don't like all the plastic/rubber stuff and the monotone paintjobs. Lacks personality, and looks cheap, IMO. No offense to any of you 126 owners!

Even with it being 24 years old, my car handles better than many of the much newer and far more expensive cars I have driven. My girlfriend's Toyota cannot even be compared. And it has cost her far more money in the past year than my SD has ever cost me!

The 300SD was the cutting edge of diesel passenger car technology when it was introduced. It was the first production passenger car with a turbocharged diesel, and remained the fastest diesel car for many years after that. Also, it had better mileage numbers than the non-turbo cars. And the durability of the design speaks for itself. There are many 116 and 123 diesels still on the road and looking great with 200,000 or 350,000 or 500,000+ miles on them!!!

I'm sure the 450 SE/SEL is an equally impressive car, but I have not owned or driven one, so I can't speak from experience. Obviously the engine is less likely to have the impressive lifespan of the diesel but the much greater performance is probably lots of fun! It was considered by many reviewers and experts to be the best sedan in the world at the time it was introduced. I see quite a few of them running around here in Atlanta, but not as many of them as diesel models, both 116 and 123. Once again, durability of the engine probably accounts for that.


Mike

__________________
_____
1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
_____
1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
_____
1985 300TD
270,000 miles
_____
1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

Well I think it is only natural for people to have a bias in favor of their own car. I don't doubt a bit that the 116 diesel (or gas motor) is a solid, reliable and good quality car. However, most people buy a Mercedes at least in part for the style or "flash". I think a lot of us will agree that the 126 has solid build quality, yet has that degree of class and style too. As reliable and solid as the 116 is, I don't think it looks that slick. As I said in an earlier post, people that know nothing about cars are absolutely amazed when I tell them that mine is 16 years old. And what do you mean there is no chrome on 126s??? There is chrome on top of both bumpers, a strip that runs on top of the moulding around the bottom, a strip around both the windshield and back window, and all the way around all the windows on both sides, as well as the grille. A very tasteful application I must say What more chrome does the 116 have? I'm not sure where you could put any more!

Bottom line: 126 does one of the best jobs of blending quality with style.

__________________
'86 420SE Euro
904 Midnight Blue, Gray Velour
Dad bought it new, now I own it.

"A Mercedes-Benz is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age."

mbtjc,

I'm not biased because I own a 116....I own a 116 because I am biased!

mike

PS Compare some photos...the older models have WAY more chrome... Just my preference.

__________________
_____
1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
_____
1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
_____
1985 300TD
270,000 miles
_____
1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

It goes without saying that there are quite a few 116 diesels still on road. I see them occasionally on the freeways out here. But my question is about 116 450 SEL's, not 116 300 SD's.

I've seen a few of the 6.9 owners on this site, but with the exception of the two owners responding above, I'm still shocked thay there aren't more rabid 450 SEL owners participating regularly, or even showing up from time to time as newbies, like "... I just bought a used 76 450 SEL, and it clunks when I put it in drive", or "....I turn on the a/c and it only blows hot air", or "....I love the power of the 4.5 liter V8, but I'm only getting 10 mpg, what can I do?".

I also rarely, if ever, see them for sale on E-bay.

I occasionlly see the ubiquitous 450 SL on the road at least several times per week, and probably see a 68-72 280 SEL 4.5 maybe once per month or so, but I can't honestly remember the last time I came across a 116 450 SEL.

Have they all gone to the wrecking yards?

Are they all garage queens, with the owners waiting for the day when they'll start appreciating?

Have they all be sold off to foreign countries, like Canada, Mexico, or any of the Central and South American countries?

__________________
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".

I live in upstate New York. The 450SELs I have seen are either severely rusted out, or they have been transmorphed into these pathetic urban gangsta cars replete with gold emblems, chrome wheel well skirts, and evidence of alleyway body work.
They are tough enough to take on new lives in diminished neighborhoods and will continue to serve with missing cylinders, horrendous oil consumption, blown transmissions, home-welded exhaust parts from Advance Auto Parts.
The W126, historians will note, was greeted with some dismay.
The plastic body cladding and that big plasticky nose prompted the nickname of Whale Class. I owned a 420SEL for exactly
three weeks and five days back in 1984, and found it to have the beginnings of major cheap-down coupled with more gizmo-complexity, it had a more unsettled chassis than the 116,
its reflexes just were not on the same plane as the earlier car, and whatever technical progress was apparent in its sound-deadening and chassis stiffness did not translate into soul.
I missed the concert of timing chains alternator and unapologetic exhaust timpany and gearbox/differential singing in the older car.
The classic autobahn burner looks of the W116 wasn't just the presence of chrome, it was the menace of those Porsche type overlapping wipers, high beams properly flashed, and,
chrome over-riders over the bumpers bearing down on your Citroen 2CV's rear-view mirror like a bat-out-of-hell,
that was the quintessential Mercedes greeting.
What was that John Frankenheimer movie? Rodin? I can't remember the name of it, but the star was that 450SEL being wrung out in a car chase like you have not seen one driven.
They did not need a "double." That car took all of the abuse.
My 117 engine has never been touched save for maintenance and a $14.95 alternator brush/regulator. You look inside of the
oil cap and you see a light caramel colored aluminum head with a perfect cam lobe sitting there. 137,000 miles. That transmission bangs out shifts with alacrity, and the car makes me think that Mercedes was lying its ass off about horsepower figures.
For a big pig, it moves. Chrome and all.

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