Hi and welcome to the Forum. Test drive the ones you might be interested in and go from there. Fuel economy isn't the best in a 560 SL but the ride is very sweet. The SLKs are good with fuel efficiency and have a lot of get up and go so you might want to consider one of those.

As another longtime Lincoln owner, I'd suggest you stay with the S class, especially the W126. Best of them are the 560SEL and 560SEC from 89-91.

As Al just chimed in, the E class W124 cars with the V-8 are also great rides and get much better mileage. Lot's of power, but a 2.24 axle doesn't give a dragster like start.... Great mileage though, my 93 400E would get 26 on the highway, much better than my inline sixes in the same bodyshell.

I've owned a 64 Lincoln convertible for 36 years, and my 90 560SEL is the closest MB to that car that I've owned. The quality of 90's Lincoln is nowhere near the quality of a W126 I've found. Or near the quality of the 60's suicide door Lincolns.

Unless you get an S class diesel (300SD, 300SDL), the smaller diesels will feel more utilitarian, not a bad thing, but something to note.

Again, as suggested, pay top price for a very nice one. Buying cheap will inevitably cost more, if you chose to bring the car up to it's original standards. If you like driving a beat car, and you value your labor at zero, then definitely buy low.

Jim

Question on diesel. How well do they start in sub zero temperatures? It not uncommon for temps here to reach -10 during winter. And while it will be kept in a heated garage it will not always be the case when out and about.

The SEC has the big grille tristar and the SE/SEL sedans get the hood star.

No they were not available as a V8 diesel...

The W126 diesels that were sold in the USA are the 1981-1985
300SD short wheelbase sedans, (the cast iron ones that are the longest lasting and most durable, and much sought after) but the most expensive, and many are really beaten down, the gems cost a *LOT*...

1986-1987 yielded the 300SDL models, the second most desirable ones, bcause some parts were aluminum, other parts steel.


1900-1991 was the 350SD/SDL (short and long wheelbase sedans) but they were known as the "rod benders" ...about half were bad ones. Too bad, as all had the latest updates to their interiors and bodies, being among the last of the W126s built...



Get an engine block heater, and ALWAYS garage the car.

Also. If I find a particular model I like, say a 500, how can I tell its not a re-badge. Say they took a 300 and made it a 500. With a Mark VIII I can look at one and tell you they year of production. But I REALLY am clueless on the Benz!

As to rebadging them. And a special benefit to used MB buyers.
 

Simple. Piece of cake. (Very few W126 cars were ever rebadged by their owners. )


In fact in europe, the OPPOSITE was true: ... the Factory could de badge them, from new. It was known as the anti terrorist/anti kidnapping option, because back then the bad guys would go after the costliest ones, like the 500 and 560, because mostly only the bankers and millionaires could afford to drive fuel and insure them, and in Germany the cars were taxed on the engine displacement size)



Get the VMI (vehicle master inquiry, also called the "MB NET") from a parts/sales person at your friendly Merceds Benz dealer. It's proprietary information, buteven so, often times it can be coaxed out of them, and a printout too, it also shows by internal MB codes, the options, build dates, and also, it is like the Ford "Oasis" printouts, that shows when, where and what, new car warranty claims made.

Helpful, because if ONE or TWO warranty claims with the same code was made 32 times, the car was a a lemon.

If you already BOUGHT the car, call 1-800-FORMERCEDES and they can help you get the actual window sticker (an accounting copy) if you can prove ownership of the car.

As a new owner, IF you have title to the car, and it ever breaks down, you can call that number and
have a flat tire changed, a battery jump (or even a new battery brought and installed at a good price) or a couple of gallons of gas brought. Sometimes even a monir repair done to get you back on the road.

It's a GREAT, free service available to the owner of ANY Mercedes Benz no matter how old, even if you are the car's 20th owner.

I have used it a few times, and it works great!

Many first time Mercedes Benz owners don't know about it. Works great, anywhere, no matter how far away you are from a Mercedes Benz dealer. Often times they sub contract it to a local shop of towing company if it is real far away from a dealer.

A great benefit!


Piece of cake. Very few W126 cars were ever rebadged.

More good info! And the lifeline number is really good to know! I am glad I made up my mind on a Mercedes instead of another Lincoln or Porsche.

Really? I think i'm going to have to look into this myself :cool:

You can also write to the Mercedes Benz historical archive in Stuttgart, enclosing a copy of your title and a polite cover letter, and get a copy of the actual factory build sheet for the car.

I did.

But of course, be sure to ask for it to be in ENGLISH !!!

Interesting document to have: Usually it is about 3-4 pages long.

You would be better to stick with your Mk Vlll. The engine in that is a 4.6 double over head cam and the block can stand up to 1500 hp without any major modifications. At 30 mpg you won't find an old MB that will do that and esp. one that has the acceleration of your MK Vlll. The only drawback to your car is the suspension system. They are touchy and expensive to repair. I know of one in Austin that is squatted down like a chicken on her nest because of suspension failure. The car is too good to scrap and too costly to repair.

my 84 500 took regular, too.

Diesels--at least mine--start just fine in cold weather. Remember, it gets cold in Germany, too. Make sure your fuel has a cold weather additive to prevent waxing, and it should be fine.

How much do you have to spend?

As a former longtime Lincoln owner. ('80 Lincoln Town Car 351 c.i./14 years/269K miles) I would have to recommend he only buy the diesel-versions of the W126. If, he is budget-minded on maintenance/operating expenses. Actually, the W123 diesel-versions would be the cost-savings choice here to recommend to a total-MB-diesel-newbie.

To it's credit, I enjoyed driving my '80 Lincoln TC - especially during the first 4-years of ownership - overall it was a good car for an American brand. The best of the three American cars I've owned as my daily-driver. It just cost a fortune to get it to 269K miles versus any MB diesel. I don't hold that against it - I just won't be owning another one.

Because the 300 would be a straight 6 and the 500 a V8.

The numbers correspond to the engine displacement. IE a 560SEL has a 5.6L V8, the 420SEL has a 4.2L V8, etc etc.

The SEL breaks down as follows:
S=S class
E= Fuel injection
L= Long wheel base