Choices, choices - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

smharr4 · #1 12-02-2005, 11:16 PM

I've been looking at perhaps getting another car for some time, and I'd like it to be a Mercedes. There's two locally that I like the look of and I'd like some advice on them.

The first is a 1992 300SD, tan interior, burgundy exterior with 127,000 miles. The seller says that it's recently had a new timing belt (I presume he means timing chain, and not the accessory belt), new brakes and two new tyres. Asking price is $12K.

The second is a 1993 500E - yes, the one with the Porsche engine. Black interior, grey exterior with 103,000 miles, asking price is $16K.

I know that the early W140's have evaporator issues, but the diesel engine should be solid and reliable in the 300SD. However, the W124-bodied 500E should have a lot of features common to the W124 I already have, but I've heard horror stories about timing chains and starter motors on those engines (M119).

Thoughts and opionions on either are welcome.

t walgamuth · #2 12-02-2005, 11:44 PM

since i have a 90 sdl with the same engine. i will be interested in what is said cause i have thoughts of a 500e myself.

the sd has a 3.5 liter 603 diesel. while the 3.0 liter version of this has a generally good rep. the 3.5 has the rep of being a rod bender. it seems that about half of them bend rods. it seems that driving them around town corresponds with the rod prob more than hiway driving. mine was an urban car and had a bad head gasket when i bought it. i paid a low price for it and replaced the gasket and did a thourough valve job replacing exh valves seals and springs. and guides. it is running well now and has not exhibited signs of the dreaded bent rod. i would not pay a big price for a car with one of these engines. but if you can get it cheaply you may be ok. i would try to determine if it has been driven a lot in town or not. the drill it seems is to block off the egr valve, use appropriately weighted synthetic oil, keep the oil changed and clean the crossover pipe from time to time. and i am keeping my eyes open for a good core 3.0 liter block to have on hand if mine should bend a rod as i will put a 3.0 liter block under my newly done head.

that said, the car is a dream todrive. quiet for a diesel, smooth, torquey, reasonable fuel economy and a silky ride, good handling and a real feel of quality of construction. the leather interior is the best i have had in a benz yet. (i have owned 29 over the last 32 years). the 140 cars have a rep for being expensive to maintain in all the complicated gadgets.

good luck in your search.

tom w

smharr4 · #3 12-03-2005, 12:27 AM

I've thought a bit more, and have some more questions.

I'm not looking to have the car for a daily driver - I work from home, so the only commuting I do is in my fluffy pink bunny slippers. I'm expecting to do significantly less miles in a year than average. The miles I do put on it will be a mixture of short trips around town and long highway cruises (at least 100 mile round trips on the interstate).

Seeing as how these cars are both in the dreaded biodegradable wiring harness years, should I expect to replace the main wiring harness on either car as soon as I get them if they've not already been done?

I really need to start changing my own brake pads and oil - are there many differences between my 300E2.8 and either of these two for small jobs like that?

I've changed out parts such as the fan, fan clutch, bearing and blower motor on my 300E, and believe that I could do bigger jobs like water pumps, belt tensioner and alternators- how are either of these cars to work on for jobs like that?

For the bigger jobs like head gaskets, timing chains and so on, which car would be most economical for me to take to the dealer to do?

Update:

I keep on forgetting questions: Would the 300SD be a possible candidate for conversion to SVO/WVO? How does the engine run on biodiesel? Has this been done before (I can only find references to the W126 300SD's, not W140), and is there any evidence for a reduction in the engine's lifespan?

t walgamuth · #4 12-03-2005, 01:29 AM

that you mention are prob about the same to do as on the 300e. no problem. the prob on the 140s are the electronic stuff. i hear it can drive you nuts. but then i am weak on electronics. others say it is fun to fix. for me fixing electrical stuff more complicated than changing plug wires or battery cables will never be fun. glad there are folks like that out there so i can hire them to fix those things on my stuff.

tom w

Impala · #5 12-03-2005, 03:15 AM

Quote:

The second is a 1993 500E - yes, the one with the Porsche engine

IMHO the 500E/E500 has a Mercedes engine, the mighty M119 5-litre V8, the same engine used in other models such as W140 S class and R129 SL class.

Mercedes & Porsche collaborated on the 500E/E500 in this way...

http://www.peachparts.com/500e.htm

t walgamuth · #6 12-03-2005, 07:42 AM

it is a benz motor. it was hopped up. the chassis has extra sheet metal stiffeners from what i've read and a widened engine cradle, bigger tires and wheels brakes etc. and larger flairs on the fenders to clear it all. also sits lower. porsche assembled it all at their factory for benz. special seats too. i am looking forward to driving one.

tom w

engatwork · #7 12-03-2005, 07:44 AM

I don't for the life of my understand why a '92 300SD would need a timing chain at that low a mileage and the engine in the 500 is a Benz engine.

smharr4 · #8 12-03-2005, 03:59 PM

I agree - 127Kmi is a very low mileage for a timing chain replacement, which is why I think he may have meant accessory belt (he did say 'timing belt'), but surely a car dealer would know the difference between the two.

And I'll amend my initial comments - the Porsche-built, Mercedes 500E - how's that?

When was the door close assist feature available on the W140's? this one didn't seem to have it.

t walgamuth · #9 12-03-2005, 05:30 PM

a car dealer wouldnt necessarily know the diff.

i thought all the 140s have the door assist but i dont know.

tom w

Hatterasguy · #10 12-03-2005, 06:28 PM

Do a search on "rod bender" before buying one of those. If a potential engine rebuild is something you can live with then go ahead it will be a fine car. Personally I don't think the 603 is a good match for the W140. They don't really have the needed power to move along a big car like that and mileage suffers as a result. In my opion an S320 is far better.

The 500E is a great car.

These are two very different animals you are comparing.

deanyel · #11 12-03-2005, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smharr4

And I'll amend my initial comments - the Porsche-built, Mercedes 500E - how's that?

The car was assembled by Porsche, not the engine.

chowpit · #12 12-04-2005, 10:17 PM

Not all W140s came with closing assist, though a 92 should have it. In the mid 90's to cut sticker prices on 140s, MB made closing assist an option on the 300SE

benzboy87 · #13 12-05-2005, 09:19 AM

Are you sure about that? To the best of my knowledge, all 140 body cars came with the closing assist as standard. I have yet to come across an S320's without closing assist. Yes, I have seen them at a local dealership that had the feature disconnected because it was inop. and they tried to say it did not come with that feature. However, when I showed them the closing assist pump in the trunk they retracted their statement.

Hatterasguy · #14 12-05-2005, 10:26 AM

Afaik all W140's in this country came with closing assist. I have seen a few where its broken, and the dealer claimed the car didn't have it.

smharr4 · #15 12-05-2005, 04:12 PM

I think that's the case with this W140 - the dealer didn't know what 'close assist' was (he thought I meant 'central locking'), and when I left a door and the trunk almost-but-not-quite-closed, neither closed by itself.

For the E500/500E, what about big items like timing chains, head gaskets and so on?

And what's the difference between a 1994 E500 and the E500 Limited?