(CC reader Steve E. wants to share his new ride with us) I cannot afford to be an automotive polygamist, so I am a serial monogamist (with occasional spells of a bigamy). Right now my regular ride a 2000 VW Cabrio. Simple, great car that gets the daily bread as well as over 30 mpg on regular. But then craigslist got the better of me: a 1996 MB S600 Coupe for well less than 5% of its initial cost (its price new was $135,000!). A bargain or folly?
These cars have an amazing development history: over a billion dollars spent in development, the “most over engineered car ever built”, the first modern V12 muscle car, skid control, traction control, suspension control, incredible top speed and acceleration, etc. It’s interesting that this series is considered the apex of Mercedes Benz modern car engineering and is highly acclaimed, yet enthusiasts are frightened of buying them. Lots of sedans, but few coupes– a future classic?
I did some research– there were in total 221 imported into US and Canada in 1996. It’s got 114k miles, been sitting for a couple of years but still lookin’ very good. Reported to run and drive strong, but with some “small problems”. Hey, this is a car made to be driven, and the ‘bells and whistles’ aren’t that important to me!
So I bought it–and it drove home actually pretty well. Tires and wheels were awful, so found a set of excellent Mandrus wheels and studless snow tires also on cl, and spent a week cleaning up the exterior. Interior is now near perfect! I think the biggest stopper for previous owner(s) was the fact that the climate controls wouldn’t work and blew fuses. Opinions about climate control problems are terrifying– thousands of dollars to tear out the inside of the car. This is apparently correct for the a/c evaporator. But, the heater circulation fan is easily accessible and costs about $100 to restore. IF that’s the problem, and it looks like it may be. Received the motor/ resistor etc yesterday, and will install shortly. We will find out!
Update: Got the climate control blower motor installed today–easy task– and it works! Less than an hour and under $100.
In the meantime, have been driving the car ’round the west side of Portland without issues. Jeez, is that car fun to drive! Lots written about it– and the driving part is all true. It seems a shame that Mercedes engineers would build such a fantastic car that would demand so much attention that only the very rich could afford to own and keep them, and suffer such severe depreciation. Many of us enthusiasts are the ‘later’ owners, that keep the cars alive and buy parts and get them serviced etc, and keep them running.
So far I’m into it for less than $5,000. (That covers wheels and tires and tags and blower motor, etc.) Or about the same amount as the gas guzzler tax paid on it when bought new. I will keep you all posted– let’s see how the story develops…..
Lovely cars for sure… but maintenance and repairs on these are a major bugaboo.
Pay especially close attention to the electrohydraulically controlled power steering on these, as they seem to be a large trouble point.
Once in a great while, the V12 gods smile and let one of these through the gates with only minor issues. Congrats and enjoy!
I’ve come close many times to doing something like this. With this particular car too! But my rationality always (and luckily) gets the better for me.
As for the car itself, I’ve always been captivated by these. The sight of any S-Class coupe is always rare, so its always exciting any time I see one. This particular generation was very good looking. They didn’t look quite as large as the sedan, but still equally badass. The headlights were especially unique from the sedan.
I understand you want to keep costs put into it low, but I think it would look much better with some stock wheels off a newer Mercedes, maybe some 5-spoke design? Anyway, good luck on your journey with it!
I heartily agree– gotta find some 16″ classic style examples!
I took the first wheels I could find– it had 18″ badly corroded AMG, staggered 8-1/2″ and 9-1/2″ with +10yr old tires. One 9-1/2″ was even on the front…
I am also a proud third owner of an immaculate 97 s600 coupe. Black on black. The most amazing car I’ve ever driven. Paid 15k. The 2nd owner had it 15 years and I have every receipt from the lorrinser exhaust to amg 18” monobloc’s re chrimed and painted the car 3 times. He spent without cost of paint $92k in repairs. Everythings been replaced
Congratulations and enjoy it !
An S-class coupe (this W140 or a later one) with a V12….my guilty pleasure. Certainly in black.
$1 billion invested in the development of the W140? That’s surprising. It cost $2 billion to develop the W201, although that included an entirely new factory in Bremen. This furthers my suspicious that, beyond the 5-link rear suspension, the W140 shares a ton of engineering with the humble 190E/190D.
Congrats on your BARGAIN! I don’t think ~$8k is too much at all. You could buy a 1996 Civic with that mileage for $3,000 and it’d be a reasonable deal. The best part is, you got the only combination of the V12 and short wheelbase available in the US.
1 billion is an accurate figure, the W140 almost put Mercedes out of business because it was not well received, people thought it looked fat.
I loved the car so much that I only put 500 miles on it over a 3.5 year period. Color black, never rained on, and kept in my garage in a floor to roof zoo up cover. The offered a lifetime bumper to bumper unlimited mileage warranty for another 3,500. Its is a true lifetime ,no matter who owned it. Sticker 143,000, I paid 122,000, plus the 3500 for the warranty. It cover 100% of the entire vehicle, including tires, brakes, wiper blades, full maintenance forever. 3 gyros kept it riding on air. !!!. Sold it for 130,000. ?
Congratulations for finding a bargain example of a magnificent automobile, and repairing an apparently major fault by yourself. A V12 W140 is an exceptional and rarely seen car from the very end of Mercedes’ peak years, and you have found an inexpensive way to experience it.
The rarity of a V12 W140 makes your find especially impressive. The only place where I have seen them more than a few times a year was in Moscow in the 1990s, where I once counted six S600 sedans in three weeks, no doubt purchased by up and coming Russian oligarchs.
A lovely car but it was sold for less than $5,000 for reason. It sat for two years for a reason. The fan is not working for a reason and I doubt it is a fan itself.
German car+electrical problems=money pit. Any parts will cost a fortune.
Sorry to break the truth.
The a/c evaporator replacement is a 20-24 hr. job at a dealer cost of $4,000-$5,000. The remote mirrors are $395 each, used, on eBay. Yes, these costs would frighten almost anyone. Yet, the V12, the brakes, and the transmission etc have a great reputation. As long as the basic operating parts continue to function, the car will be a joy to me. This car had few equals– Ferrari 411 and 412 and BMW M1. These cars are also expensive to own and maintain– and cost way more than this car today!
Personally, I’d go out and lease a new one, because if I can’t afford a new one, I certainly cannot afford a used one.
You’re not breaking any truth, he admitted in the post this car is a huge long shot, and a potential basket case. I applaud him for being brave, and getting something interesting he knows he might only keep for a short while. Why even post this? Just to get the self satisfaction of pointing out a 20 year old V12 Mercedes might be unreliable? Congratulations, you got the point of the entire article, and turned it into your own negative observation…
I think the car is awesome, I spent my whole childhood craning my neck at every W140 I saw looking for that little V12 badge on the pillar. Thanks for keeping another on the road!
Sometimes a car is worth enough to a potential buyer that, “to hell with sense, frugality, and the bank account” is actually a rational decision. As long as the OP has enough sense to back out when the repairs get to the point where he will not be able to afford them, godspeed and enjoy yourself. You’ve only got one life, and there are better things to do with it than check one’s bank account daily.
Anyone who calls himself an auto enthusiast and who finds a cherished dream car at a price that he can afford . . . . . . and is not willing to take the chance to actually own (even if for a short time) that car, to risk the chance of a major malfunction just to live the enjoyment of having such a car . . . . . . that person is lying, both to himself and to everyone around him every time he uses those words, “auto enthusiast”.
That person is not an “auto enthusiast”. He’s a bookkeeper on four wheels, someone who should (and probably does) spend his time on Craigslist looking up eight year old Camrys and Corollas to drive into the ground, then repeat. I seriously question if that person understands the love of a car. For, where is the love if you’re not willing to take the risk?
What is that old saying? Better to have loved and lost . . . . . .
Very well put! A deathbed quote comes to mind, “I only regret my economies”.
I only wish I had the guts to live by what I am preaching. Lead on.
i agree i took the plunge on a 92 lexus sc400 that was in decent shape. i put about 800 more dollars into it for tires a windsheild and to fix a steering issue and put a used transmission in it (tranny grenaded a week after buying it) and i had a blast in it the 6 months i had it i wrecked it (long story it was a fender benfer tgat was not bad at all but insurance totalled it and sadly i did not have the 400 to buy it back but its better to have had the joys of owning a sporty car that was so darn comfertable and awesome for the little money i paid for it!
Hear Hear Skye!
May we all get to enjoy owning something like this at least once in our lives.
Very well said. Whatever may happen, this man has the guts, the pleasure and the privilege of driving his own V12 battlecruiser.
If you don’t understand that then better move over to the “Fort wheelbarrow owners and enthusiasts” forum. That’s Fort, not Ford.
Hey, I got one of those!
And a Fiat Ulysse, incidentally.
Me too ! My Fort is very practical, reliable, durable, fuel efficient, so far neither maintenance – nor repair costs and the depreciation is very low.
I never had such a winner in my garage !
Couldn’t agree with you more. I recently purchased one of my dream cars. A 97 s600 coupe, with get this all you chicken shits out there 264.000 miles. But the last owner kept every single service record, even gas consumption. He spent 97,284.00 on this car in 15 years. And it is a beast. I’m a mechanic and auto parts salesman, so this was a no brainer. Not a dent not a scratch, all new leather int all new wood including the steering wheel. Yep I paid 15k for it gladly
Hey what’s the big deal…ever owned a Renault 5 and not needed therapy or heavy meds after? I did, and buying this Merc looks almost sane after that!
Sometimes the most crazy decision is the most rational, so keep the faith brother!
German car, elctrical issue? I think you need to look to the UK for that, not Germany.
I am both attracted to and frightened by a car like this for all the reasons that the guys said already. I had a fairly short and not so auspicious involvement with a ’98 740iL. It seduced me with it’s awesome quality and technology, but it was a complete and utter nightmare in terms of maintenance. It was well taken care of, reasonable miles, etc, but it just had one issue after another and they were seldom within the rhelm of a home mechanic (and I have no issues maintaining our e46 beemer).
I don’t think that MB or BMW ever planned for what would be done with these cars when they became more than 10 or 15 years old–electrical and computer controled components have a predictable lifespan in the environment that a car must endure. When you multiply the number of those parts by 10, you simply create 10 times the probability of a malfunction. Add to this the cost of the parts and the complexity of many of the diagnostics and replacement proceedures and you end up with us being hugely releived to be shut of the car.
It is beautiful though, and maybe you will be lucky and have many trouble free miles in your low budget Russian mob boss ride!
Lexuses and high end Infinitis may not have been as capable as the E38 or W140, but they did have nearly as many gadgets and were much cheaper, and their electric bits are a lot hardier.
The sad truth is that Mercedes charged a LOT for this car when it was new and that a lot of that price must have gone to pure profit.
Even this V12-powered W140 Mercedes makes my old 1986 Saab 900 look like a Model T Ford in terms of simplicity. (Now that was an easy car to fix, even though repairs were constant)
Not really that much, these things were $120K new in 1991-1992 and V12 Mercedes is like $130K new TODAY, which shows how much costs they have cut out of Mercedes today.
Enjoy your car and turn a deaf ear to the haters. When you are an old man you will talk about this car both good and bad. You will never have to wonder what it would have been like.
PS, I would have to keep it original like the Mercedes god intended.
I am 67 yrs old– and yes, THIS is fun for the old guy!
Like I said, “when” you are an old man you will talk about this car. In the meantime enjoy it.
Hey, Steve, a fellow Portlandian with a problem! There is no 12 step group for petrolyphylis. V12- must be a stubborn case. Good luck. I hear sometimes vancomycin works if you catch it soon enough. Said by another victim in his sixth decade.
Oh what the heck, you only live once. Have fun. 🙂
The idea of driving a vehicle that cost $135K at one time is kind of cool! I’d just have to know a little of its history — like who owned it, where they lived, etc… Just looking at what kinds of crap lurks under the rear seat ought to be interesting in itself.
Sounds like you found a fun project. In any German car (or electronics in general) of this era, you want to inspect wiring buses, printed circuit boards, relay boxes, etc…it’s tiny cracks (in solder, components, etc) you want to make sure you look at, both whe the car is hot and cold, if something fails. While I’ve not personally worked on this model, most of the most advanced designs of this era are still modular in build, with replaceable, fixable components. And on every German car I’ve owned, weather extremes in North America have rendered plastic and electronic components brittle after 100k (greying black plastic, anyone?), so just keep eyes on vulnerable bits. Good luck and invest in a good magnifying glass!
The V12 S/CL has been one of my dream cars ever since I was about six years old (around 1997), when my father took me to the local car show and there was a metallic black CL600 at the Mercedes booth. It was the first car with Xenon lights I ever remember seeing.
That said, an uncle currently owns a W140 sedan. It’s a 1996 S320 – yes, a six-cylinder – and the amount of money he has put into it is ridiculous. At least the W140 doesn’t rust like its successor!
A friend of mine who likes European cars had a good philosophy. Never pay more for a used German car than you could afford to blow in Vegas. The odds of coming out ahead are about the same, and if you’re only in it for fun you can’t lose. As long as you know when to cut your losses.
These big panzers are a heartbreak looking for a place to happen, so have fun but don’t get too invested. Good luck with it.
There’s got to be a reason why Lexus of the same era were mostly trouble free while their counterparts from Germany are maintenance nightmares. Even more intriguing, the German maintenance nightmares out sell the Lexus.
Could it be that big spenders mostly lease their cars? Although the German cars cost more to lease due to lower residue value, but its irrelevant to the lessors as either few hundred $ per month were just dinner money, or company lease, or tax writeoffs.
For some reason, the look of 90’s and early 2000’s luxury cars says “Luxury” to me better than any current luxury car.
Good luck with your car! A friend once bought a 2006 CL with the V8 and loved it. Black on black, it was very sharp. He only sold it when a pristine 2007 W12 A8L appeared on ebay. That one was only recently replaced with a ’14 diesel A8L.
He may live dangerously, but Joe loves his cars!
A beaut. To hell with the begrudgers. Drive it, learn about it.
Seconded! Have fun!
These cars were sort of like the Dusenbergs of their era, even better than a Rolls Royce, which was still selling the circa 1981 style aged and awful Rolls/Bentley. The only other large car that came close was the Turbo R Bentley, which still was the same bad old Rolls, but with a turbocharger curing some of the ills.
I have looked at cheap S600’s every once in while, they are tempting, but I think I want to get my V12 fix from a Jaguar.
Its impressive how cheap you can get what were once lust worthy cars from the early 1990’s.
You are comparing apples to oranges. You cannot compare a handmade car to a mass produced car. Rolls was a low production handmade item never meant to compare nor compete with a Mercedes; might as well compare it with a Toyota. A true Rolls-Royce enthusiast knew it was more of an adoption than an ownership. Today’s Rolls-Royce is more of a mass produced car and of little interests to me.
Handmade = Doors fall off
-Jeremy Clarkson.
So your knowledge of these cars comes from a television program you once saw?
Uh excuse me you might want to research that a bit. W140 was the last of the hand built Mercedes……
And it’s even more amazing for the depreciation of a Rolls-Royce and Bentley. This past summer, the house mouse and I were coming back thru Falls Church, VA when we rolled past an independent Rolls-Royce and Bentley shop with a lot full of the marque. Something like 35-40 of them there.
I fell in love immediately with a cream 1998 Bentley Mulsienne looking for it’s third owner (original owner: Billy Joel) offered at $32,000. Which at the time was three quarters of my bank account (my reserve in case of layoff), plus I didn’t have the garage space at home with sports car in one bay and motorcycles in the other.
Jeremy Clarkson be damned, handmade is beautiful. And talking to a few vintage owners at Classics on the Green this past fall, the current RR and Bentley’s are being leased with very little resale interest in the ones coming off-lease. Little matter that the older generation stuff is a lot easier to work on.
Good luck with your car and keep us posted on any future developments be they good or bad. Some years ago I was looking at a W140 V12 that had an ignition problem, After researching the subject on various MB websites I was told that there were two ignition boxes and they cost $1,500. each. At that point I stopped looking at W140s. Last year I purchased a 2004 W215 CL500 with 80K miles and a damaged front end – front bumper assembly, and grille. It took me a year to find a used front bumper assembly. I guess that had I lived in SoCal my search would not have taken so long. BTW the cost of the used bumper was $850.
Yes, please give us updates on your good times, heartbreaks and costs to come.
I think you’re doing it exactly right: One good, reliable car you can drive every day, and one potential basket case that’s either going to be a dream or a nightmare on any given day.
What do you really have to lose? Even if things go south, I’ll bet you can sell it for close to what you bought it for.
don’t know much about these, but from the discussion of how much used parts go for, sounds like in a worst case scenario you could part it out and make all your money back… or put a 350 in it..(ducks and runs) 🙂
!
Congrats and continue to live well! For most of my adult life I have always had a “play car” of some sort…..Triumph TR6, Fiat X1/9, Audi 5000, Saab 9-3 convertible are among the more interesting ones. When I bought the Saab I was really hankering for a ’96 E320 convertible but couldn’t seem to find one to my liking. Still miss that idea…
Congrats on your purchase. There seems to be a myth about the unreliability of older Benzes and that it is a money pit. That is not necessarily so. It becomes a money pit if you have to take it to Hans Mercedes Benz repair emporium for everything. But if you know basic car repair skills, know how to trouble shoot, have a good selection of common tools every tool box should have, electrical circuit knowledge, a $30 digital multimeter, factory MB shop manual and some patience then you can keep it running. The trans on this car and the motor are known to be reliable, most of the issues are electrics. Case in point my brother just got a 1986 Benz 560SL convertible with some issues such as the fuel gauge did not work and the car would not charge or stay running long. The fuel gauge issue was the in tank sending unit (which was $60 for the part and 1 hour for the repair(tank does not need to be dropped) )The charging issue was a bad battery($100 at autozone) and a bad regulator($20 online but spent another $60 to get a rebuild kit and rebuilt it myself) The local MB repair specialist wanted $1200 for this. It only cost us a shade over $280 for all of that including some small stuff and shipping costs and about 4 hours of trouble shooting
The internet has made owing an old Benz easier and cheaper.
Would I drive the original poster’s car or my brother’s 560SL as a daily? Nope as the gas fill ups would kill me but I would get one as a weekend/nice day or off of work during the week car.
Enjoy your car
you really made me laugh ! Hanz Benz Imporium !
Is n’t that the place where ze autodoctors wear ze white coats and speak softly to you ?
And let you know in a hundred little ways that that the car is too good for you.
One can definitely keep a nice, older european car going at home–I keep our E46 325i going for nearly all repairs and maintenance. I disagree that your experience with a relatively straightforward car of that era like a 560SL is going to be similar in effort level to keeping a W140 on the road with all systems functioning. I sincerely hope that its a good car, but there is far more going on behind the scenes electronically in his car than in the vehicle you are referencing.
I shot a Merc 500 sedan with faked supercharger badging belonging to a builder he was given the car because it was unsaleable and didnt run, he said he fixed it and had enjoyed 30k trouble free Kms so far its on the cohort so some of these old panzer wagens can be ok. not all though enjoy it while it lasts.
Leon, you have hit it on the head. A car like this can only be owned by a knowledgeable, determined, enthusiast or a rich man. I agree that any hobbyist that can work on his old Cadillac or muscle car could do most of the maintenance and repair on these cars. It seems that it is not the hard parts that fail. It’s the little stuff and there is a lot of little stuff on a car of this type. I was doing a little research on the 450 models of MBZ and found that parts on a site like Rock Auto were not excessive. I just sent away for the Eckler MBZ parts catalog to do some more perusing. Lately my skills have increased as I gained experience with fuel injected Datsun Z cars, replaced the intake manifold on my 4.6 Mustang GT. and repaired the botched wiring in my 70 Mustang. As long as you have another car available to drive to work on Monday you can take your time on repairs. These cars are at the bottom of their depreciation curve. Many will not survive- they will be scrapped, reducing the supply and eventually raising their interest and hopefully value. I remember back in 1974 when you could buy a running Jag XKE roadster for a grand. At that time I was only spending around five hundred bucks for a car or motorcycle for transportation, but I was broke and just out of high school. Those Jags languished at those low prices for a surprisingly long time. I suppose that a lot of people don’t want to be “underwater” on a car. Having more invested in than it is worth monetarily.Think about it this way, a hobby car is about recreation, not just transportation. How about your other hobbys and recreational pursuits, are you expecting a return on the dollar after attending a concert, sporting event, or good meal? . It’s especially scary thinking about it getting wrecked. The insurance company would surely total it. So many late model cars sustain minor front end damage that deploys the air bags and it’s not considered economically feasible to repair them. Then the cars end up with an undesirable salvage title. I don’t know the situation in other states but on my hobby cars I just carry liability insurance, This way if one of my cars sustains damage it’s my decision whether or not to fix it. At the cost of repair today a banged up fender or even having your car “keyed” would total out my junk.
I also live on the Portland West Side so I will keep both eyes peeled for your Merc. Have fun with it.
Are we talking Portland, Oregon? If so, if you ever come down to Eugene let me know; I’ll buy a few rounds and check out the lovely car.
Best wishes and congratulations – I agree with all who say drive it and enjoy it. I’m also AARP eligible and in my younger years had the opportunity to buy a very nice V-12 XJS for little dollars – didn’t do it and have regretted it since…….
Best wishes and congrats with your new Panzer !
Forget the terryfying parts messages, the world is a global village today and parts for these can be sourced in Europe (especially the UK oddly enough) for quite fair prices.
Drive and enjoy, btw have you given it an oil change yet?
And it is always most satisfying that the effort of cleaning gives such a nice result to a car.
Great story, great find, and please continue to take those of us who could only dream about owning one of these along for the ride. I look forward to the next installment…
Who cares if its expensive to fix. Keep the car, buy a cheap second hand, keep the merc in great condition, refurbish the old rims and keep the car close to stock as possible. That car will be worth megabucks in 15 years time. So enjoy it drive it on weekends and if sommething breaks… Fix it at tax time. This car can be a part of your 401k…
I say congrats and enjoy. Although I have oft repeated the advice given to me as a young fellow (“Never buy an old luxury car”), this advice only applies when you are buying a car. You are not buying a car, but some combination of a hobby, an adventure and a relationship.
Your adventure reminds me of something I read years ago. Mike Lamm, the first editor at Special Interest Autos magazine back in the early 70s, related that his car in rural Texas in the early 1950s was an early 30s Cadillac V-16. Completely impractical, but an experience that could not be duplicated with anything else.
So, enjoy. I am not in a place in life where this sort of thing is doable, so I will live vicariously through you if you will be good enough to keep us all updated on the soaring highs and crashing lows that are sure to come your way in this awesome endeavor.
Found some old ad copy today for Lorinser Mercedes that’s amusing:
You don’t simply decide to buy an S-Class: it comes to you when fate has ordained that your life should take that course.
LOL!
Very nice. I wish I had the guts to make such a potentially risky purchase! However, if I came across a certain 1964 Impala convertible…
If the poster can live with the possibility of massive repair bills and/or let the car go when they are too large for ownership to be sustainable, then I say enjoy your W140 for as long as it lasts. That said, I can see this becoming a CC that eventually transitions into a Murilee Martin Junkyard Find! 😉
(But then, they all might eventually be Junkyard Finds, right? Sic transit gloria…)
Wishing you the very best of luck with the new ride! They are absolutely perfection when everything is right and an utter nightmare when the slightest trivial thing goes wrong which then launches a chain of failures. Many of the electrical problems go back to the main wiring harness that Benz used a biodegradable coating on and over the years it deteriorates causing all types of interesting reactions and chain reaction faults. A series of 140s finally convinced me to stay away from M-B for good. The purchase price is merely a down payment, but who couldn’t love a V-12 coupe that hands you your seat belt as if saying “here, you’re going to need this” ? Love to hear the updates!
As one who has had his own old Mercedes playtoy in the past (in my case, a clapped-out 230SL), I say “Rock on!”
…and if you wish, let us know how it goes.
Got the radio code from the local dealer–Thank you Beaverton Mercedes. Put in the cd of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff– now THAT’S driving music! A bit of volume and a bit of speed and away we go…!
The engineer who rebuilt a harmonic balancer for me had one of those coupes he was unimpressed with all the things that didnt work on it, I quite liked it to look at though.
When this thing finally tanks, yank the engine and build a bodacious street rod around it. Then use the body for a Saturday night roundy-rounder or demo derby special.
That is amazing.
Do you know how many owners it had? I always wonder where all the value went on older luxury cars that are worth less than a tenth of what they were new. Who took the biggest hit on depreciation – was it the original buyer or a leasing dealer that took it on the chin? Or maybe a dealer that took it on trade? The 2nd, 3rd, 4th owner? Was $130,000 of value lost evenly among owners as it traded hands or did some sucker buy it closer to the original price thinking they were getting a deal on a slightly used cream puff only to unload but a few years later closer to your purchase price when they found there is no market for outdated signifier of status? It’s interesting to see how fast and how far luxury cars can fall as they age.
Since you’re out for your own enjoyment instead of to impress your neighbors then the way I see it, if you can make it a year without any more major expenses then you’ve come out ahead – you’ve gotten to enjoy a world-class luxury super-coupe for basically what a year of a decent new car’s monthly payments would have cost you.
This kind of CCs always makes me look for the same model for sale here. This one really stood out…and so does its price….
A 1996 CL600 with just 49,375 miles on the clock. Fully original and with completely documented maintenance records.
Source and more pictures, after scrolling down to the bottom (click on “Meer info”):
http://500e.nl/voorraad/
BTW, there’s also another Mercedes V12 on the list.
So let’s see
A man buys a “Classic car” at auction.
Pays $30-50-80k—Maybe even 200k
Then “restores it” for thousands upon thousands yet no one ridicules him?
He is a wise man. Right?
1997 S320 Mercedes Sedan
I just looked up rear view mirrors online -used and repaint able $99
I looked up used transmissions $2800
I looked up used door handles $10
I looked up vacuum control modules rebuilt $199 rebuilt.
Let’s compare and destroy the myth of “it costs billions to own and repair a Mercedes Benz.”
My wife’s Denali GMC truck 1999
Rear view mirrors used 79-109
Used transmission 1800-3200
Used door handles $20
Climate control module $766 new -380 used
Oh wait! Here’s the one I love to read online….
“It costs $300 for an oil change on a Mercedes Benz.”
Then how do I get my FULLY SYNTHETIC OIL change at Jiffy Lube for $129 or less with a coupon?
My brother has owned six Fords while I have owned two used Mercedes Benz.
Each ran an average of 300,000 to 436,000 miles before selling them.
His barely made it to 50k on each Ford without replacing trannies, electronics,valves, pistons and the usual assorted breakdowns and engine lights.
So don’t play games with the numbers by quoting dealer prices for all the replacement Mercedes parts while quoting non dealer source prices for how cheap it is to maintain other brands. Once they pass out of warranty most parts are available as aftermarket made, rebuilt or used for 75% less than dealers charge. Many websites cater to us aftermarket parts buyers and most of those come with three or even four year warranties.
First remember the US Goverment charges import tax on every car and part coming into the US. Then there’s distributor markup and finally dealer markup.
My company car is a Nissan Maxima. Guess what the every 10k service costs?
$169
Guess what the 10k service costs at my local MB dealer A Service ?
$199 on special ………wait for it…….$169!!!!!!
I agree with many posters here– stop terrifying people about their decision to enjoy one of these technologically advanced, monuments of luxury…..and like the Classic car owner…..allow him to drive it, enjoy it and maybe when he hits 250,000 miles …..pass it onto his kids for another 200,000 miles.
Everybody thinks it’s so expensive, but they’re not dealing with facts.
I bought a 97 600 sedan for $25,000 in 2004, all of my receipts total approximately $20,000 for maintenance and repairs from 2004 until 2016. That gives me $45,000 into a car that originally cost 140,000 and flies down the road but nothing else.
That gives me a monthly cost excluding interest of about $312 per month over the 12 years I’ve had the car.
By comparison, my Ford excursion diesel, were the most reliable and practical vehicles ever made, cost me 58,000 new, plus about 10000 in maintenance from 2001 until 2016, $377 a month.
My Ford excursion is the best vehicle I’ve ever owned and the wisest purchase decision, but it’s still more expensive than the Mercedes used.
The best part of the story is that excursion is still worth between 25 and 30,000 because it’s all original and the Mercedes had an electrical problem, insurance company declared the vehicle salvage and paid me $15,000 for it in 2015 and I bought it back for $750 from the insurance company and have already fixed it and getting ready for reinspection to put it back on the road.
I’d say this car worked out pretty well!
I know this thread is old, but I just stumbled across it and needed to share. Almost two years ago the gods of craigslist pointed me in the direction of this 97 S600 sitting in an Aamco station with a smoked trans. The lady wanted 6k for it. $1500 bucks later it was on a tow truck to my house. The Merc 722.6 trans has became so prolific in the automotive world that the rebuild kit cost $122 shipped to my door. A few evenings and a case of overpriced trans fluid later, it’s been my daily driver ever since. I thought I would fix and flip this car, but it is quite simply the most exquisite car I’ve ever owned, I now plan on being buried in it. My wife’s 2012 Lexus has almost all the gadgets of the 600 and about half the horsepower. The biggest expense in two years has been a few sets of rear tires from turning off the traction control and embarrassing emo brats in their fatty piped Hondas in a cloud of very expensive Michelin tire smoke. Haters hate away, I’m going for a drive.
Very cool find for not a lot of money (both the original article and the car above)! If Steve E is still hanging around–any updates?
Very cool, the original article and Chris’s Bargain. This is one of the best cars I have ever owned. I imported mine (a 1996 Euro CL600) used in 2001. In 2003, some drunk lady decided to scratch my entire left side by trying to drive her Mustang through my W140. While I was quite heartbroken, this gave me the opportunity to change the color of the car to a silver that I was crazy about and add a more aggressive bumper (see Pic.). Unfortunately, I had some water damage in 2008 in the trunk and in the passenger side foot area. At about the same time, I had a new job that took me away from home for the most time. Therefore I committed the “crime” of letting my W140 sit in my driveway under the Florida sun for almost 6 years. I was never home long enough to get into it but on the otherside did not want to let go of it either. I am soooo glad I didn’t. Since Jan. I am now back in Florida all the time and am very excited to tune this W140 back into shape. I am almost there…. =) Here are the main problems it had after all this time: Air intake rubber elbows before throttle bodies corroded and allowed for air leaks (easy fix). Tires needed replacement ($400 deal on tirerack). Battery ($150). Fuel hose corroded – tank to pump (easy fix). Interior Wood trim (Problem not fixed – needs replacing as they are cracked. AC Blower motor does not turn on (Problem being currently addressed).
IMPORTANT WARNING: The part that broke and was the culprit for my water damage inside the cabin, was the AC condensation drain pipe from the Center of the dash to the transmission tunnel. Do yourself the favor and make sure that this part is in the right place and shape. The part is simple and cheap but the consequences can be quite frustrating.
Just stumbled on this again. Does the OP have any updates? Love to hear if it’s still on the road!
Steve are there any updates? So far I have bought two Jaguars, one I’m working on and another XJ6 that is a strong runner. Just picked up a used tranny for my XJS, came out of a car with 53,000 on the clock. Yeah it’s a gamble, but I’m rolling the dice. Keep the faith.
Well, here is the update that many have asked about. We enjoyed over 2-1/2 yrs and about 20k miles of pure V12 happiness. Never fixed the a/c. Put in a set of spark plugs and replaced one rear brake caliper myself. Late this summer, the transmission started leaking badly. Analysis was too costly for my wallet– so posted it on cl. Sold for $1,300 less than I bought it for. Did put stock wheels and stock tires (very good used set). For all of the hellabaloo, that was worth every dang cent we spent on it!! RIP Mercedes– that was one damn good ride. Oh, yeah: bought a neat little one family owner 1977 Mercedes 230 while we shop for another Mercedes (or other) monster car. Right now is an enthusiasts shopping dream.
Thanks for the update. I’m glad that you enjoyed your experience. I’ve put 10k on my XI6 since I bought it in March. The XJS is going into may garage for that tranny soon. It’s been a bigger job clearing out the garage than working on the car! Keep hope alive!
if anybody’s interested, I got a 1997 at 600 sedan in blue with a salvage title. I’ve owned the car since 2004, have impeccable maintenance records, but unfortunately I got a little water intrusion through the passenger rear window seal. after two years of negotiating with the insurance company, proving the value of the vehicle prior to the damage, they paid me a premium to current market value and allowed me to keep the car.
The engine and transmission are perfect, paint is excellent except for the rear trunk, needs a windshield, some interior components, and a good home. Title is re-buildable, car is running perfectly, I just don’t have room for the card my house any longer.
Anybody’s interested, the car is in Miami and ready to go into inspection as soon as I replaced the windshield.
$3000 or best offer
Hi Jason!
What is the mileage on your car? Do you have pictures available?
Very interested in finding one of these beautiful cars in good shape.
Let me know please.
Regards
Ruben
Looking to sell a set of new taillights that’s the left & right in the factory box! Make your Benz classic. $175.00 for the set.
Love the rims on your Benz! Are those lorinser rims? ❤
If so..then i’d like to see moar pics of them.
And of the car as well. ?
I am the proud new owner of this fine example of German engineering. UPDATE: I have spent the better half of this winter repairing, servicing most every system on-board. NOW EVERYTHING WORKS!!! I mean everything, even the original Cell phone. What an amazing car. Very easy to work on, ample room. FWI- DO NOT BE AFRAID OF V-12′ Mercedes. Yes it is for sale!!!
Jeff,
what have you done as far as servicing?
Thx
Deep breath, folks. I did this to my 124. Did all this to my S500. Did all this to my S600 coupe. Step one: remove entire drivetrain, rear end is optional. Takes anywhere from 20 to 30 hours. Seal off everything. Take all pieces to high pressure car wash, spend about 40 dollars in high pressure water. Back at the garage, separate transmission from engine. Disassemble engine down to short block status. Redo the heads. Replace all gaskets, I mean all, and use high temp black silicone where needed, and that is, lots of places. Clean all disassembled parts with lacquer thinner, back to car wash as needed. Rebuild transmission — fear not, not nearly as bad as late model Ford, G.M. or Aisin. Diassemble front end, replacing all balljoints, hoses, etc. Steam clean and detail all underhood. Reinstall drivetrain, with new driveshaft joints if needed, etc. Let’s see, probably 140 hours in the 124, about 200 hours in the S500, S600 about 100 hours and still going. Money wise it is amazingly reasonable. Thanks Rock Auto, Pelican Parts, Parts Geek, etc.
The payoff? Easily the nicest 124 in the states, probably the nicest S500. I love an engine that is spotless, top and bottom, purrs, and will easily outlast me. Something to be said about repairing, cleaning, polishing, etc., the best quality cars ever created. Sure, this would cost Joe Average $50K per car, and makes no sense financially. But somehow, and for some reason, the valet always parks these two in the front row, before I even tip him or her.
Chuck