The W126 560SEL is a great car. Perfect size. The W140, to me, is like a boat. I can't 'feel' the road like I can the W126. It is too boring in the W140 S500. Will put you to sleep.

The W126 doesn't have all the electronic crap that the W140 has. It doesn't need an evaporator job requiring 40 hours labor(you have to get in through the dash in these cars. A pain in the #$%^!).

Unlike the W140, the W126 electronics will easily last 300K miles, plus. Maybe it's because there's so little to go wrong with it.

The W126 is built just like the first S-Class, the W116. Tank-like build, excellent dependability, and simplicity in everything you work on.

The W140 was about gadgets, gadgets, GADGETS. That's why the W140's are really cheap to buy right now. Too much of an expense.

Plus the W126 looks a lot better to me.. A formidable beast with the foglights gleaming on the highway.

The W140 is not a better handler than the W126. It is too much of a bulk. The W220 S is a different story, though.

Regardless of what we say, the choice is not up to us. These cars must be driven, looked at, and researched properly before final considerations are set.

Good luck,

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)