When people are asking $60k for 50 year old Chrysler Valiants and Ford Falcons I think $30k for a well maintained S class isn’t too bad. Look after it for 20 years, keeping it under cover, maintained and driven on weekends. It would be such a beautiful car to drive on the open road.
I’ve had a Tesla Model 3 long range and Long Road Trips are Wonderful and Safe…! Like the S 320 easy to work on a straight 6 cyl. Inside a 8 cyl. Engine compartment! My S430 the smallest V8 got 30 mpg doing 70mph 18 around town. My Twin Turbo V8 550 CLS got 30 mpg at 70mph on the freeway and almost no mechanical issues as far as engine or transmission. No Fuel pump No Oil Pumps, No Radiator Problems No valve jobs on any of them! The longest one I owned was the S 430 at 180,000 miles Zero Problems!
They are the Best of the real Mercedes ( prewious ,more recent. The w226 ) w140 the Best of the Best & QUALITY ( I HAVE 2 DIESEL THE 350 & 300 ,. BOTH TURBO ,... AND THE QUWEEN S500 ,.. I LOVE THEM. !
I recently bought a w140 S320 in great condition for $8.5k in Sydney and road tripped it back to Adelaide. Honestly has been a great, trouble free experience. I personally bought a 1996 model which by then Mercedes had fixed most of the major issues with the wiring looms etc... I would recommend watching H&L Classics videos on the w140 on RUclips for a more in depth buyers guide. Overall, great car. Quiet, stupendously comfortable, and actually pretty quick for a 6 cylinder 2 ton barge. I could write a book on all of the the little quirks about this car that I like. Although, I have to disagree with the mechanic, as i am one too. They are seriously overengineered.
I Love the S 320 I’ve had one! The engine compartment is big enough to hold a V-8 engine, but what you have is a straight six cylinder and you can get to everything. I remember how easy it was to change the spark plugs and do oil changes on this wonderful design a friend of mine, a Mercedes, Mechanic told me the street six-cylinder was the best engine, Mercedes ever built, and they made it for a few years in the E class as a straight, six cylinder diesel the very best. The very best transmission Mercedes ever made was the five speed those two are bulletproof and that’s why Mercedes-Benz no longer makes them. Chairs from Thailand.
I bought a 1992 300SE/S320 3 years ago. I've driven it just about every day since (sometimes 300km a day) and it has been great for its age! I replaced the original engine harness last year which was a $180/30 minute job so no biggie. The earlier models are better built overall (mostly interior stuff, not mechanical though), but some of the items such as filters and intake/ignition parts are a bit harder to find. I'm currently off the road with an alternator failure though!
@@19jacobob93ignition parts are extremely easy to find. You are looking at the wrong places. Coils, coil boots, wire sets, fuel injectors, and F8DC4 spark plugs are readily available in the states on rockauto and fcp euro. It might be hard in some countries, especially in underdeveloped ones. But otherwise its very easy to find every part for the W140 in general.
@@danielstehura9657u must not be aware that this car came with V12 engine called M120, dual M104 straight sixes mated…403 hp (detuned to 389 after a year or so)
@@detonater1348 I would never waste my money on Gasoline! That’s why my first S Class was a inline 6 cyl. And my Second SClass was a S 430 a 4.3 liter V8 that got 28-30 mpg on the freeway! My last Benz was a CLS with a 4.2 liter twin turbo getting 30mpg on the highway! Now enjoying a Tesla model S with 405 miles of Range with a smooth as silk ride better than Sex on the Beach
I live in an affluent suburb of Chicago and I see several of these still in daily use and most in excellent condition. A mechanic at the local import garage says the people who own them lavish cost no object maintenance and repairs on them and can easily afford a new one. Most are long-term Mercedes Benz owners and don't care for the more recent models. They will keep their over-engineered overbuilt pride and joy until they can't drive anymore.
@20:32 Australia did get the V12s. Knock sensors, crank case breather and some wiring under the intake manifold requiring removal to service. Apart from that nothing in addition to the i6 & v8 issues. Really none of the engines have timing chain issues unless poorly serviced. Facelifted MY96+ revised the ignition system, very reliable. Facelift 5 speed 722.6 trans can have catastrophic failure, just like any early 722.6 trans can, also found in early E55 for example. Later 722.6 (1999+) were revised internally to fix this. Owned 8 of these things inc. all the engines and a coupe as well. Good job on the vid, quite accurate info.
I own a 1998 W140 which I bought as second owner in 2003, the mighty S Class is just a phenomenal ride and drive….. Actually MercedesBenz slogan back then was ‘Engineered Like No Other Car…” And it certainly was that, THE BEST CAR IN THE WORLD..!!💯
As far as I know, the W140 was the first car to offer soft close doors. And that specific wood trim is burl wood, the Zebrano is lighter and has horizontal lines.
That was in the time that Mercedes actually cared about the longevity of their products. Nowadays, they don't give a damn, just as long as it survives the warranty period.
@@SavedbyHim I had a 203 for a couple of years. Coming out of a W116 and a W 114, it was a pretty big step down. Admittedly, the car was reliable with the exception of a head gasket, but the overall build quality was a bit how's your mother. Mercedes lost me with that one.
His reference to safety with the tunnel in Paris was a bit unfair: Every passenger who wore a seatbelt in that car survived. All deceased were unbuckled.
I bought a 1990 w126 ((previous model) 420SEL 14 years ago with 140k genuine on the clock. This car has now done 246k and I have replaced the shockers, rear mufflers, one seat switch, that is it. We often joke that it is the cheapest car to run that we have. Parts for these are not expensive as many may think. Still in showroom condition. I owned one of these new back in the day, not really much different. It is not as complicated as the w140.
Owned a '93 500SEL for eight years after paying $8K for it in the U.S. Traded it off probably 6 years ago and still miss it. A driving experience like no other. Fast, comfortable and very stable on our open interstate highways. It was the long wheelbase version and I never felt it was big, but then again I drive a semi (lorry) for a living. Fuel economy wasn't all that bad, still managing to average 23 mpg combined, though I don't live anywhere near a city. As for the wiring harnesses, most were probably switched out years ago under warranty; I know mine was. I bought it with 110,000 miles on it and put another 120,000 miles on it and never had to do anything but scheduled maintenance and wear items like tires, brakes, etc. I would love to have another one, and would choose a W140 over ANY new Mercedes in a heartbeat. The last, great, true Panzer Benz, and when they really were Engineered Like No Other Car In The World.
Owned a W126 420 SEL (Super Extra Long!!) with a couple of Mates around 10 years ago (cost us 3k all up!) and did the big "Mates" road trip all around NSW, SA and Vic. Not everything worked on it, had many of the issues you and Jim spoke about, but my god, how good did we feel piloting the "Grand Old Lady" at speed through the wild west. Mighty Motoring. We miss her terribly.
I think anyone looking to buy a W140 would be an enthusiast who knows what they're getting into. Personally, I'd rather buy something I enjoy sitting in and driving, even if it does cost me an arm and a leg in maintenance every now and then, than some boring whitegood that never breaks down.
I bought a 1997 S600 with 122,000 miles on it and found it on Craiglist and paid $2,100 for it back in 2018. I have added about another $5K for all of the maintenance. I do all of the work on it. It currently it has143, 000 now and it drives great. Its my daily driver to and from work.
I owned an S320 of this generation. Beautiful car but it drank fuel and the cost of parts was horrific. I did most of the work on it myself any time it had to go to a mechanic you had to expect to get whacked with a big bill. Also it really was BIG, parking it was “interesting”. Despite the downsides I do still really miss that car.
I've got 233k miles on my 96' S500 here in the States. Some points are correct, but many do not apply to the later cars. The evaporator dissimilar metal issue is huge and if you need to replace it, you're looking at 24 hours of labor if you can find someone to do it. The consensus is that the later evaporators ended up in the 97' and later cars (I did have to replace mine). The biodegradable harness relates to the engine and 95' was the last year for that. If you have individual coil packs, you are good to go and this should not be an issue. On engine reliability, the M119 in the S420 & S500 is a stellar motor. The ONLY issue I have ever had is plastic cam oilers failing. This creates a ticking sound and is easily resolved with upgraded metal cam oilers. Swapping them out is not a big deal. Not mentioned is the SLS rear suspension on mostly LWB S500's. Some people have replaced this with a coil over setup and I don't understand as the SLS is very easy to maintain and gives a consistent luxury ride, regardless of load. SLS is not to be confused with the admittedly complex ABC suspension in other MB chassis. If you are looking to buy a 97' or later, make sure you get both key FOBS. The later cars used transponder keys (if it has a silver circle around the key receptacle, you have a transponder car). These keys are incredibly hard to replace and should be accounted for when purchasing. I could go on, but I love this chassis, feel safe driving it, can hustle around better than any large sedan before or since. The W140 with a long wheel base (technically a V140) and the bigger M119 engine (S500) is a fantastic automobile.
The M103 / M113 is actually bulletproof along with the 720.5 box. And the W140 didn't have expensive suspensions with the exception of a rare ADS model. My M104 E320 was the smoothest running car I've ever owned, and I've owned several V6 and V8 MBs and a couple of Audis.
As a teenager, the roof that curves down after where your head goes in the back, is just great. My parents Hyundai Sonata curves in a spot that looks good outside but you have to slouch down in the seat
Yeah plenty of merc drivers in oz at the time agreed with u. They were an enormous price jump over the 126 and u could park them and go bushwalking get back to the car and they were full of water either the back window would come down an inch or the boot would be ajar such that rain could ingress there as well.
I’ve had three big S class cars my first one in 1993 I changed the changed oil, did the brakes, change, spark plugs, and then I realized the incredible engineering under the skin of the body. The big S class Mercedes has a fantastic ride on the highway. I’ve never had serious mechanical problems with my 3S class cars. My second Mercedes S class a 2003 S430 had the small V-8 with 275 hp and if you drive it 70 you can get 30 miles per gallon on the freeway on level ground. For all that safety and smooth ride that is the real deal. I’ve had zero mechanical problems. Nothing was opened up nothing was touched, including water pump fuel pump transmission. No Valve jobs Only one part on the suspension was squeaking that I had to change the one part in 180,000 miles that makes all American cars including Toyotas and Lexus put to shame!
Having owned a used one I can say it's still the most amazing car I ever owned. Having said that, repairs are a nightmare. The temperature sensor for controlling the heating was broken, a tiny, cheap part, but as you mention for the HVAC, you'd have to take apart the entire dashboard to exchange it. I found a mechanic who did it once for his father in law and he said that no amount of money I could offer him would be enough for him to do it again and Mercedes estimated it at 24 billable work-hours. Oh and to open the front ashtray you need to push a little bit harder, it will then do a soft opening..
I'd take the W140 over a modern S class any day of the week but between it and the Century for me the Century is the one I'd personally go for. A lot of the older cars from around this era still had personality and charm to them compared to the vast majority of modren cars out there today. I like how Hullsy was contradicting himself at the end of his segment with the head shake lol 😂 Definitely not the car I was expecting today and as I was expecting one of the cars whos cheat sheets are on the website but haven't seen yet to be today's review car like the MG3. Will we get to see these cars in the future or not at the moment? Good work as always guys and like always have a good weekend and look forward to next week's batch of videos 👍.
The wiring harness issue spoken about in this video is only applicable to the 1992 - 1995 versions. The 1996 - 1999 models were not manufactured with those biodegradable wiring harnesses - at least here in the U.S. I own a 1999 Mercedes S500 that runs like a Swiss clock and is awesome to drive. An amazing driving experience.
Thats correct, mine is a 95 and came with biodegradable harness and 722.5 5 speed trans. Already replaced the harness and throttle body (its another harness issue) . The starter harness is still original and so far so good. I daily this big tank and being a pre 96 6 cylinder, brake assist is not added on those (only 8 and 12 cyl) i will never let go of my tank
When “The best or nothing” was very true…. Nowadays you pay 6 figures for your new benz and better pray it the interior doesn’t rattle and squeak like a 90s GM product. Build quality gone down hill.
The current GLE and GLS (or as I like to call them, the GLEE and GLOSS) are the worst ones yet. We have a couple of GLOSS' that can't stop visiting our workshop because something new and expensive has gone wrong with it. I mean they're in warranty but it's the inconvenience combined with parts that are on backorder, it's just a pain in the arse.
Awesome to see ReDriven almost hit 150k subscribers :) Even when it's a video of a car I'm not interested in I still enjoy it :) Wishing you continued success. You've earned it.
@@ReDriven I put a set on my daily driver and they lasted over two years. Before trying them out, most other wipers would be pushing to last 12 months before I had to replace them.
Man, I love the W140! I bought an S420 in average to below average condition about 12 years ago. Used it as a daily for a few years and then began bringing it back to good condition which as mentioned in the video can be expensive but I have never driven anything that feels as good as one of these and Ive owned various different S Class models and E and C class models along with Australian and Japanese cars. After falling in love with the W140 I went all in and have spent the past 8 years working on mine with a Mercedes mechanic. I won't go in to detail about everything we have done but the major part is the sourcing of a 5 litre version of the M119 engine that we turned in to a 6.0 litre. Currently we are in the process of having all the wiring redone which includes lots of custom stuff. After that a new exhaust and dyno tune and she will return to the road after several years in the shop. If you buy one of these you will become addicted they are a special car!!
Having owned a couple of older Mercedes, I think that if I was going down the luxury car route again, I'd have to give the Century a crack. But only the 12, of course!
@ Jim, can you move to Queensland? Need you as my mechanic, excellent knowledge, thorough and you seem like a decent honest bloke. Hard to find a mechanic like that.
One of favourite Mercedes's ever made & i was going to buy W140 as a Weekend car till i asked my Independent Mercedes's Specialist who service my 2015 ML W166 & they advised me against buying one due to the lack of parts available for W140 here in the UK , love the T-shirt, Great Video Adam
Don’t agree with that at all. There were loads of them sold in Uk and parts are easy to come by if you look. I have a ‘95 320 long wheel base and parts have never been an issue. Obviously a mechanic doesn’t want to do the leg work sourcing parts for you but if you do it yourself they’re easy to come by. Joining owners clubs and forums makes it even easier. Comes down to money really and how much you want to invest in one. I wouldn’t daily drive one but it’s one of a number of older Mercs and Volvos I own and they’re definitely worth the investment in time and money if you’re an enthusiast and interested in keeping these old cars alive and running
I've a 400SEL, bought for AUD$13,500.00 in 2013. The previous owner service history expenses amounted to over $100k. It has 280k's on the clock. have had lot of work done to it, predominately serviced by a mechanic that was trained on the W140 in the 90's. After having had to spend up to $15,000.000 since 2013 it now drives like I have never experienced. Incredible lift off on the highway, the cruise control is so easy to use and the car glides on a highway and really no other car for the same money is comparable no doubt. Its such a pleasure to drive on the highway a 45minute trip feels like 15minute trip. The sound system is tight and utter JOY. The aircon has had a special Wuft gas chemical to moisten the seals and stop leaks in the compressor. Have had it done twice and the leak seems to have STOPPED. But expecting to have to replace it down the track. Only use it for long trips and not suitable for city traffic congestion. Its a vehicle to really have it you do long highway trips and want to avoid back, neck issues and really enjoy the trip in safety. No modern car for its price is comparable in my book. If you do buy one expect to do regular repairs and only use a mechanic whom knows or has been trained on W140 or W124. Older the mechanic is advisable as the young mechanics make out to be knowledgeable and are really inexperienced, will over charge and likely to be inefficient from past experiences. Avoid Mercedes Benz Dealerships as most of the mechanics are only trained on modern cars and are computer savvy, Not old school mechanical minded. Which I appreciate, down to earth, know what they are talking and will try more than likely save you $$$$$. yeSKlasse my ride.
Had a 116 and a 126 and adored them but couldn't warm to the 140... But you're exactly right that it's a magnificent thing and better than what came after it.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 they were magic, I have Australian Fords now. Like I say I couldn't come at a 140 and all the new stuff is garbage. I kept a diesel 123 for a long time tho - sold it running well with 830000km on the clock
@@mahcooharper9577 I always fancied a diesel 123, I just never made it happen. They were a pretty good facsimile to the earlier 116, in my opinion, but a lot, lot cheaper to run. 830k is amazing! I'm driving and old ('98) Civic now, which I love, by the way, and I've got a newish Mazda ute. Not much love for the ute, but it does a job. I wont be surprised if you laugh at me, plenty have when I've said the same thing, but the Civic reminds me of my old Mercs. Yes, it's small, it's a four, not a six. The paint isn't Mercedes Benz by any stretch, and neither is the upholstery. But gee, it drives well. The suspension, the steering, the brake calibration, the transmission... it feels like a Benz. 25 years old, with 90 k on the clock and the thing drives like new. The only thing that I hate is the NEW rear suspension bushes squeak when it's cold. Before I had those installed, there wasn't a rattle, vibration or noise of any nature.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 never really liked the 116, they always struck me as a bit prosaic and lacking something - but the 123s were magnificent. At one point my wife and I had one each! No, I wouldn't laugh at your Honda comment - I can see that, the build and personality of a generation of Hondas was quite similar to Benz. I feel like I've even heard Honda referred to as the Mercedes of the East... I certainly have boundless respect for Hondas about that age but personally they never really appealed to me for some reason. I do like big, lazy, rear wheel drive cars tho so perhaps that's why I like my Aussie Fords. The build quality is atrocious compared to a 116 or 126 but they do have that same feeling where you could just drive it forever. I'm fastidious with maintenance but I could get in any of mine and happily drive it around Australia and be confident I'd get back. The first cars I've had since the 123s where I've had that confidence. Much like your Honda, very different to a classic Benz but pushes one or two of the same buttons. :)
Another great video. The S Class is too large for most and the C Class is a bit small but it would be great to see a video on the E Class from that era.
The W124 e class, I concur😊 I have a 93 E280 saloon (sedan). Recently bought it from the guy who bought it new 30 years ago. Besides some clear coat fading on the bonnet, it’s absolutely mint. Not sure whether to get the paint done or to let her age naturally. There’s no rust, just clear coat fading. I think it was early issues Merc had when they changed from solvent to acrylic based paints. Great cars and not full of electronics and electrics like the S Class. Much cheaper to keep on the road.
I had a 1996 E320 fully specced, ortho seats, full airbag setup, power curtains etc. Loved the car. But at 300 000km the body became so rusty that I had to part with it. Still mechanicallly smooth as ever.
My old man on of these (S 420, 1993). I ended up using it a lot when I came of age due it a) it being big enough to survive a head on collision with a train, and b) I could fit all of my friends. It also taught me the value having a car, maintenance, and the cost of fuel. It took me years to recover financially. But nothing in the "luxury" vein of cars has ever come close for me since. Being a dodgy student, and driving this car into dodgy parts of town for cheap drinks and parties, I also ended up replacing those double glazed windows more often than I would like to admit - and those things cost a juniors salary back then. By the time the car was sold, it had done over 400 000kms. It had some major work done by then, like the gearbox was replaced, most of the electronics went faulty and had to be replaced, and the lovely soft close doors gave up the ghost. But the engine itself ran like the day it was born.
The mechanic quite wrong - saying that the V12s are twice as unreliable as the V6s is simply untrue. Harry Metcalfe (ex-owner of a R129 SL600) had asked MB in the mid-90s what was their most reliable engine - they replied that it was, in fact, the V12 engine (based on the number of claims per units built). And their smoothness and refinement is just other-worldly. I highly recommend you take a look at his video on RUclips. Also, "over-engineered" does not relate just to the build quality (and they were built very well), but also to the sophistication - how they tuned the ride and handling, the smoothness and refinement, convenience features like the soft-closing doors and boot-lid handle and reversing aerials, and just the overall attention to detail. Sure, they're not infallible, but then there's more things to go wrong than, say, a Lexus which simply wasn't as sophisticated. You pay a price either way...and again, the Mercs of the time were (and still are) very dependable machines. I say this as the owner of a 190 (W201) - it does have its niggles every now and then (mostly due to age or neglect from my end because I don't use it very often), but even after being in my possession for 10 years I still appreciate its attention to detail; it's not the first time that I get in much newer vehicles and feel unimpressed - for instance, I was utterly disappointed by a second-gen Nissan Qashqai whose ride was simply inferior to the Merc and even something as simple as the door handles didn't feel right (when it was still new).
the W140 is an amazing car and in the hand of a competent driver performs not how you explained. yes you feel the weight but if you have talent this car does exactly what the savvy driver wants it to do in high speed and even on narrow roads. During super bowl i was transported by a friend in his S500 in no time over the GW bridge down to South Ferry to not miss the ferry and the car did the high speed dash ride without AMG noise and always super paced so I made it on time. As said the car is for the confident driver and returns amplified confidence when you know what you want and what you do. Second: The wiper ad misses the point about the unique wiper geometry where one issues the mono-wiper of the R129, W124 etc...
As a 20 yeat owner of w140 s300 i never ever EVER had any expensige issues as a daily driver with almost 800.000 km on my ride. I guess the most expensive thing i ever had was repairing the starter. I think it cost me about 25-35$
I had a W126 300SE and yet the prices of parts was no different to a Commodore. Mind you that was with a Mercedes specialist mechanic that the Mercedes club use so he was keeping his large market satisfied. But those parts were all from the original parts suppliers so were of factory standard. For example the fuel pump was $120, the fan clutch $100, front Bilsteins $95 each etc etc etc.
I have to agree with you Adam on that headlight wipers are just as cool as pop up's. The top spec models of the VB and VC commodore (perhaps the VH) had them as well.
This one is about as base spec as you can get an S-Class of this generation and it still looks like a top end product inside. The top glove box is where the carphone goes and a high spec one would have 8 or 9 buttons around the hazard lights where this one has two.
Not sure what to think of the mechanic who isn’t aware the V12 was available in Australia… V8 in particular is regarded as Mercedes’ most reliable and durable petrol engine.
Yep, I'm quite familiar with the W140 in particular, having owned and worked on them, and I agree he wasn't too in depth about them... I actually nearly bought a 600SE last year, which ended up selling for $4k on Lloyds! The M104 6 cylinder in these are absolute tanks. Other than loving to leak oil externally, they have no internal flaws (unless you count the head gasket design, which is the cause of the external oil leak) but the M104 IS generally regarded as MB's most robust petrol engine. The V8s were also tanks, but they did have a few internals that needed to be addressed. I always advised to replace the plastic oil feeds on the cam covers with the metal replacements. This along with regular oil changes prevents any timing issues overall!
He didn't say it wasn't available, he said it wasn't worth getting. That's kind of a weird statement seeing as it was the least problematic engine Merc made at the time.
I owned one of these years ago....1 992 bought in 1998 with 80K miles. It literally introduced me to just how expensive things could be to repair and how much the Mercedes dealer can milk your wallet. Great car when sorted...but common issues like A/V evap core leaks that had a dealership shop time of 28 hours ..where the complete dash had to be disassembled...were a bear.
I have an 88 560 SEL with 320k km (grey import from Canada to California) and it's an amazing piece of technology. The rear seat area is cavernous, however, and I have little foot rests!
1:08 in Europe (i’m from the Netherlands) the 3.5 diesel was a very popular choice. 3:38 another external quirk were the parking ‘sensors’. The first series had some sort of metal pegs coming out of the rear corners. Which was hilarious! 9:47 nvm… 😂
That one of the reason why I love this channel. Not only do I agree with you, I had a former co-worker who shared the exact same views as Adam with smoking and went on about it just like Adam does
The princess situation is not a stain on its safety. The survivor of the crash was the only one that wore their seatbelt, everyone else in the vehicle didnt and they paid for it.
@ 1:58, when you say "this last update released in mid-'96"...I know some updates were different by a year or so in other countries, then not everywhere got the same....but in the U.S., the car here is the 1st update for '95...key is the lower cladding had the belt line around it, but it's still grey...US '95 & '96 only, '97 got the last update of additional to this one. The front and rear turn signals were clear, the lower cladding no longer grey and mono-tone of the same as the upper body color, SO NO MORE GREY LOWER PANELS IN '97 (and '98/'99), and got aggressive 6-hole alum wheels that had a 1 or 2" depth and not flush to the surface edge. I think the 5-spd came in '96, but '97 also had rain sensing wipers and Xenons.
Buying these for actually driving made sense 10-15 years ago, but not today. Technology has come far along in the past 20-30 years. The perceived safety of the 140 is just that: Perceived. You are missing out on safety features that have become standard or optional in low and mid class cars since a decade ago. In terms of interior quality, passenger insulation: Most mid class cars offer close enough insulation. You can a 5 year old Opel Insignia and will get a nice ride, nicer looking interior imho (never liked the default 80-90s interior) for about the same price as a well maintained 140, and if you need to get things fixed, it wont make you bleed. Not even mentioning mpg of the 140 and gas prices.
Speaking as a Merc parts interpreter, aftermarket parts for these are a godsend because Jesus Christ, genuine parts for older Mercedes in 2023 are an absolute rip-off.
20:15 The Lexus was of course not "better engineered". Lexus never won any tests whatsoever against the S regarding performance or anything else against this. Lexus used simpler solutions though.. that didnt quite reach the same level of performance in different regards.. but is of course cheaper to fix and maintain. But I wouldnt call that better engineered... Depends on what you prefer. I dont think MB wanted to put in a simpler solutions with less performance to save costs for later owners on this model.
Aah the W140, father had one of these. Loved the V8 engine sound in the S500. Wiper motors would get stuck becuase of the windscreen cracking thanks to the rust at the top roofline. Front 2 fenders rusted out. Ours was the face lift model with transparent indicator lights. Seats were the best to sit on and doing 100mph you coudnt here a thing thanks to the double glazed windows all around.
The facelifted models rusted because Mercedes switched from oil based to water based paints! They didn't learn for the W220 either as that had much worse rust issues!
I love my W140. I have a 1999 S500 grand edition in mint condition. It shares the driveway with its younger brother a 2013 S550. I will say I love both cars but when you want to drive just pure excellence in every way, you drive a W140. There’s is something about it that just brings out a regal presence in the person driving it. Also interesting fact. The first Maybach was build on this dame chassis and same assembly line long offer the w140s retirement. Hence the maybach chassis was named W240 also, tail lights are no longer made my the oem supplier which is ULO. And Mercedes has stopped production on the remote flip key fobs. They also no longer make the headlight wiper blades.
4:50 about merc you need to understand it was like a constructor so you might have from 100 of buttons no 5 it all depends which options owner ordered and paid for. check Japan version you will see difference straight away
Getting spare parts for older Mercedes-Benz is actually quite easy, Mercedes-Benz still make them in-house. However, the price for parts... Let's not talk about it here.
Not many of them. There's the Classic Center in Germany but as mentioned they're eye-wateringly expensive, most parts for the older cars are simply no longer made. So many times I get the dreaded C49 or C01 - Part can no longer be delivered. Contrast that with Porsche who still make parts for even the 356 and the rare AF one-offs they had.
20:10 lol. No other car came close in engineering to the w140 when it came out. It also had about the same failure rate as the LS400 in the yearly inspeciton stats here in Sweden despite being a much more complex car. It was a higher perfoming car in virtually every regard. Read any car review from that time.
All of the problems that might happen to this 30 year old S class ALL COME ON NEW GM AND FORD PRODUCTS But hey you have a Warranty and 40 - $60,000 in payments which the Mercedes would never do! I’ve had 3 S Class and Love the build Quality and longevity! Now let’s hear the trolls that never owned one talk bad about them! Trolls are Butt Wipe!
These Mercedes Benz w140 are truly the last real Mercedes Benzes. Every thing after this car from MB are junk. Depending on the engine model, for example the OM603 were very fuel efficient, and had nice power.
When people are asking $60k for 50 year old Chrysler Valiants and Ford Falcons I think $30k for a well maintained S class isn’t too bad. Look after it for 20 years, keeping it under cover, maintained and driven on weekends. It would be such a beautiful car to drive on the open road.
I’ve had a Tesla Model 3 long range and Long Road Trips are Wonderful and Safe…! Like the S 320 easy to work on a straight 6 cyl. Inside a 8 cyl. Engine compartment! My S430 the smallest V8 got 30 mpg doing 70mph 18 around town. My Twin Turbo V8 550 CLS got 30 mpg at 70mph on the freeway and almost no mechanical issues as far as engine or transmission. No Fuel pump No Oil Pumps, No Radiator Problems No valve jobs on any of them! The longest one I owned was the S 430 at 180,000 miles Zero Problems!
They are. The drive is sublime, and they put a smile on my dial every time I sit in that beautifully comfortable seats!
They are the Best of the real Mercedes ( prewious ,more recent. The w226 ) w140 the Best of the Best & QUALITY ( I HAVE 2 DIESEL THE 350 & 300 ,. BOTH TURBO ,... AND THE QUWEEN S500 ,.. I LOVE THEM. !
I w our like a more comprehensive tech eventual problems if they. Have OBD1 ,..
So far I'm very very happy with them ,.. I can do it ( maintenance My self ,.. Not to complicate ,...
I recently bought a w140 S320 in great condition for $8.5k in Sydney and road tripped it back to Adelaide. Honestly has been a great, trouble free experience. I personally bought a 1996 model which by then Mercedes had fixed most of the major issues with the wiring looms etc... I would recommend watching H&L Classics videos on the w140 on RUclips for a more in depth buyers guide. Overall, great car. Quiet, stupendously comfortable, and actually pretty quick for a 6 cylinder 2 ton barge. I could write a book on all of the the little quirks about this car that I like. Although, I have to disagree with the mechanic, as i am one too. They are seriously overengineered.
I Love the S 320 I’ve had one! The engine compartment is big enough to hold a V-8 engine, but what you have is a straight six cylinder and you can get to everything. I remember how easy it was to change the spark plugs and do oil changes on this wonderful design a friend of mine, a Mercedes, Mechanic told me the street six-cylinder was the best engine, Mercedes ever built, and they made it for a few years in the E class as a straight, six cylinder diesel the very best. The very best transmission Mercedes ever made was the five speed those two are bulletproof and that’s why Mercedes-Benz no longer makes them. Chairs from Thailand.
I bought a 1992 300SE/S320 3 years ago. I've driven it just about every day since (sometimes 300km a day) and it has been great for its age! I replaced the original engine harness last year which was a $180/30 minute job so no biggie. The earlier models are better built overall (mostly interior stuff, not mechanical though), but some of the items such as filters and intake/ignition parts are a bit harder to find. I'm currently off the road with an alternator failure though!
@@19jacobob93ignition parts are extremely easy to find. You are looking at the wrong places. Coils, coil boots, wire sets, fuel injectors, and F8DC4 spark plugs are readily available in the states on rockauto and fcp euro. It might be hard in some countries, especially in underdeveloped ones. But otherwise its very easy to find every part for the W140 in general.
@@danielstehura9657u must not be aware that this car came with V12 engine called M120, dual M104 straight sixes mated…403 hp (detuned to 389 after a year or so)
@@detonater1348 I would never waste my money on Gasoline! That’s why my first S Class was a inline 6 cyl. And my Second SClass was a S 430 a 4.3 liter V8 that got 28-30 mpg on the freeway! My last Benz was a CLS with a 4.2 liter twin turbo getting 30mpg on the highway! Now enjoying a Tesla model S with 405 miles of Range with a smooth as silk ride better than Sex on the Beach
I live in an affluent suburb of Chicago and I see several of these still in daily use and most in excellent condition.
A mechanic at the local import garage says the people who own them lavish cost no object maintenance and repairs on them and can easily afford a new one.
Most are long-term Mercedes Benz owners and don't care for the more recent models.
They will keep their over-engineered overbuilt pride and joy until they can't drive anymore.
Interesting...thanks
@20:32 Australia did get the V12s. Knock sensors, crank case breather and some wiring under the intake manifold requiring removal to service. Apart from that nothing in addition to the i6 & v8 issues. Really none of the engines have timing chain issues unless poorly serviced. Facelifted MY96+ revised the ignition system, very reliable. Facelift 5 speed 722.6 trans can have catastrophic failure, just like any early 722.6 trans can, also found in early E55 for example. Later 722.6 (1999+) were revised internally to fix this. Owned 8 of these things inc. all the engines and a coupe as well. Good job on the vid, quite accurate info.
I own a 1998 W140 which I bought as second owner in 2003, the mighty S Class is just a phenomenal ride and drive…..
Actually MercedesBenz slogan back then was
‘Engineered Like No Other Car…”
And it certainly was that, THE BEST CAR IN THE WORLD..!!💯
As far as I know, the W140 was the first car to offer soft close doors. And that specific wood trim is burl wood, the Zebrano is lighter and has horizontal lines.
In terms of bullet proof reliability yes. These things will run for ever.
They were built in a time where Mercedes was engineered like no other car.
That was in the time that Mercedes actually cared about the longevity of their products. Nowadays, they don't give a damn, just as long as it survives the warranty period.
The W167 disagrees with the "lasting the warranty period" bit
My dad is still driving his W203 from 2006. No issues, no problems. Lovely car. Im driving a 2009 ML320. Dont be a drama queen
@@SavedbyHim The bad reputation of both of those vehicles is still well deserved regardless of your anecdotal evidence 👍
@@SavedbyHim I had a 203 for a couple of years. Coming out of a W116 and a W 114, it was a pretty big step down. Admittedly, the car was reliable with the exception of a head gasket, but the overall build quality was a bit how's your mother. Mercedes lost me with that one.
Longevity and biodegradable wiring are probably words that I wouldn’t use in the same sentence? 😂
This is the greatest sedan of all time. The combination of quality and technology were ahead of its time.
His reference to safety with the tunnel in Paris was a bit unfair: Every passenger who wore a seatbelt in that car survived. All deceased were unbuckled.
@@dingdong2103 That car was also registered as a previous write off, and shoddy body work was blamed at the time
I bought a 1990 w126 ((previous model) 420SEL 14 years ago with 140k genuine on the clock.
This car has now done 246k and I have replaced the shockers, rear mufflers, one seat switch, that is it. We often joke that it is the cheapest car to run that we have. Parts for these are not expensive as many may think.
Still in showroom condition.
I owned one of these new back in the day, not really much different.
It is not as complicated as the w140.
So true, dare I say that the w126 is even better looking too! (IMO)
Owned a '93 500SEL for eight years after paying $8K for it in the U.S. Traded it off probably 6 years ago and still miss it. A driving experience like no other. Fast, comfortable and very stable on our open interstate highways. It was the long wheelbase version and I never felt it was big, but then again I drive a semi (lorry) for a living. Fuel economy wasn't all that bad, still managing to average 23 mpg combined, though I don't live anywhere near a city. As for the wiring harnesses, most were probably switched out years ago under warranty; I know mine was. I bought it with 110,000 miles on it and put another 120,000 miles on it and never had to do anything but scheduled maintenance and wear items like tires, brakes, etc. I would love to have another one, and would choose a W140 over ANY new Mercedes in a heartbeat. The last, great, true Panzer Benz, and when they really were Engineered Like No Other Car In The World.
Owned a W126 420 SEL (Super Extra Long!!) with a couple of Mates around 10 years ago (cost us 3k all up!) and did the big "Mates" road trip all around NSW, SA and Vic. Not everything worked on it, had many of the issues you and Jim spoke about, but my god, how good did we feel piloting the "Grand Old Lady" at speed through the wild west. Mighty Motoring. We miss her terribly.
sonder einspritzer lang SEL, special injection long
Exactly 💯 💯
My grandfather designed and helped engineering these.
Jim: "Yeah all in all a pretty good car" *shakes head and blinks 'RUN!' in morse code*
Hahahahaha I caught that too!
I think anyone looking to buy a W140 would be an enthusiast who knows what they're getting into. Personally, I'd rather buy something I enjoy sitting in and driving, even if it does cost me an arm and a leg in maintenance every now and then, than some boring whitegood that never breaks down.
@@BomberFletch31 I actually agree with you. Life is too short. I own a V12 Century, though it has just needed routine maintenance.
@@BomberFletch31 Even if it breaks down and leaves you stranded hundreds of miles from home, like my Mercedes did multiple times?
@@danmccarthy4700 Mercedes had the least break downs on Autobahn of all brands for many years.
I bought a 1997 S600 with 122,000 miles on it and found it on Craiglist and paid $2,100 for it back in 2018. I have added about another $5K for all of the maintenance. I do all of the work on it. It currently it has143, 000 now and it drives great. Its my daily driver to and from work.
I owned an S320 of this generation. Beautiful car but it drank fuel and the cost of parts was horrific. I did most of the work on it myself any time it had to go to a mechanic you had to expect to get whacked with a big bill. Also it really was BIG, parking it was “interesting”. Despite the downsides I do still really miss that car.
It’s an S class , the top of the line Mercedes, if you’re worried about fuel consumption or parts , you should buy Kia …
Cost of parts is not expensive unless its an OEM body / cosmetic part.
Check the PCV
I've got 233k miles on my 96' S500 here in the States. Some points are correct, but many do not apply to the later cars. The evaporator dissimilar metal issue is huge and if you need to replace it, you're looking at 24 hours of labor if you can find someone to do it. The consensus is that the later evaporators ended up in the 97' and later cars (I did have to replace mine).
The biodegradable harness relates to the engine and 95' was the last year for that. If you have individual coil packs, you are good to go and this should not be an issue. On engine reliability, the M119 in the S420 & S500 is a stellar motor. The ONLY issue I have ever had is plastic cam oilers failing. This creates a ticking sound and is easily resolved with upgraded metal cam oilers. Swapping them out is not a big deal.
Not mentioned is the SLS rear suspension on mostly LWB S500's. Some people have replaced this with a coil over setup and I don't understand as the SLS is very easy to maintain and gives a consistent luxury ride, regardless of load. SLS is not to be confused with the admittedly complex ABC suspension in other MB chassis.
If you are looking to buy a 97' or later, make sure you get both key FOBS. The later cars used transponder keys (if it has a silver circle around the key receptacle, you have a transponder car). These keys are incredibly hard to replace and should be accounted for when purchasing. I could go on, but I love this chassis, feel safe driving it, can hustle around better than any large sedan before or since. The W140 with a long wheel base (technically a V140) and the bigger M119 engine (S500) is a fantastic automobile.
I bought a 1994 S320 from the auctions and drove it sight unseen from Townsville to Orange, 2000k's. Never missed a beat.
I love's Jim's interpretation of the reliability of these, gold😅.
The M103 / M113 is actually bulletproof along with the 720.5 box. And the W140 didn't have expensive suspensions with the exception of a rare ADS model. My M104 E320 was the smoothest running car I've ever owned, and I've owned several V6 and V8 MBs and a couple of Audis.
As a teenager, the roof that curves down after where your head goes in the back, is just great. My parents Hyundai Sonata curves in a spot that looks good outside but you have to slouch down in the seat
Jim's like "overall, pretty good car" while emphatically shaking his head hahaha.
I had one of the best versions of this car: an LS400.
That said, the big Merc still looks absolutely wonderful.
Yeah plenty of merc drivers in oz at the time agreed with u. They were an enormous price jump over the 126 and u could park them and go bushwalking get back to the car and they were full of water either the back window would come down an inch or the boot would be ajar such that rain could ingress there as well.
I’ve had three big S class cars my first one in 1993 I changed the changed oil, did the brakes, change, spark plugs, and then I realized the incredible engineering under the skin of the body. The big
S class Mercedes has a fantastic ride on the highway. I’ve never had serious mechanical problems with my 3S class cars. My second Mercedes S class a 2003 S430 had the small V-8 with 275 hp and if you drive it 70 you can get 30 miles per gallon on the freeway on level ground. For all that safety and smooth ride that is the real deal. I’ve had zero mechanical problems. Nothing was opened up nothing was touched, including water pump fuel pump transmission. No Valve jobs Only one part on the suspension was squeaking that I had to change the one part in 180,000 miles that makes all American cars including Toyotas and Lexus put to shame!
Cheaper maybe but not better. Never close to winning any car reviews against the S.
Brokie
@@SayMyNaamee Who You? Since you know the word!
Love that you're starting to do older cars. How about the Holden Monaro / HSV GTO next?
Yes please 🙏
Having owned a used one I can say it's still the most amazing car I ever owned. Having said that, repairs are a nightmare. The temperature sensor for controlling the heating was broken, a tiny, cheap part, but as you mention for the HVAC, you'd have to take apart the entire dashboard to exchange it. I found a mechanic who did it once for his father in law and he said that no amount of money I could offer him would be enough for him to do it again and Mercedes estimated it at 24 billable work-hours.
Oh and to open the front ashtray you need to push a little bit harder, it will then do a soft opening..
I'd take the W140 over a modern S class any day of the week but between it and the Century for me the Century is the one I'd personally go for.
A lot of the older cars from around this era still had personality and charm to them compared to the vast majority of modren cars out there today.
I like how Hullsy was contradicting himself at the end of his segment with the head shake lol 😂
Definitely not the car I was expecting today and as I was expecting one of the cars whos cheat sheets are on the website but haven't seen yet to be today's review car like the MG3. Will we get to see these cars in the future or not at the moment?
Good work as always guys and like always have a good weekend and look forward to next week's batch of videos 👍.
It's getting hard to find a good one of these nowadays. I'm getting my EQC delivered tomorrow. Joy! :D
I’m currently putting one back on the road that has been sat for 8 years.
I’ve never come across the gauge of metal that the w140 was made of.
The wiring harness issue spoken about in this video is only applicable to the 1992 - 1995 versions. The 1996 - 1999 models were not manufactured with those biodegradable wiring harnesses - at least here in the U.S. I own a 1999 Mercedes S500 that runs like a Swiss clock and is awesome to drive. An amazing driving experience.
Thats correct, mine is a 95 and came with biodegradable harness and 722.5 5 speed trans. Already replaced the harness and throttle body (its another harness issue) . The starter harness is still original and so far so good. I daily this big tank and being a pre 96 6 cylinder, brake assist is not added on those (only 8 and 12 cyl) i will never let go of my tank
@@detonater1348 how much did it cost to replace the wiring harness? I might pick up a pre-facelift S320 soon so I'm trying to be careful
I have to say, one of the best chanel's ever. Keep up the great work
Such amazingly kind words. Thanks so much!
@@ReDrivenI will eat you
When “The best or nothing” was very true….
Nowadays you pay 6 figures for your new benz and better pray it the interior doesn’t rattle and squeak like a 90s GM product.
Build quality gone down hill.
The current GLE and GLS (or as I like to call them, the GLEE and GLOSS) are the worst ones yet. We have a couple of GLOSS' that can't stop visiting our workshop because something new and expensive has gone wrong with it. I mean they're in warranty but it's the inconvenience combined with parts that are on backorder, it's just a pain in the arse.
Awesome to see ReDriven almost hit 150k subscribers :) Even when it's a video of a car I'm not interested in I still enjoy it :) Wishing you continued success. You've earned it.
Thanks so much for the kind words! Really appreciate it
It has ash trays because it was built for rich people who smoke big expensive cigars , not for broke kids in denim shirts 😂
First learned how good these were from Bill, at Curious Cars
I also like the one before it, as gloriously thrashed in Ronin
Jim so funny with this one😅
Amongst the best car reviews on RUclips!
and I was going wiper shopping tomorrow! Saved me a trip
Excellent! Would love to hear your feedback
@@ReDriven I put a set on my daily driver and they lasted over two years. Before trying them out, most other wipers would be pushing to last 12 months before I had to replace them.
Man, I love the W140!
I bought an S420 in average to below average condition about 12 years ago.
Used it as a daily for a few years and then began bringing it back to good condition which as mentioned in the video can be expensive but I have never driven anything that feels as good as one of these and Ive owned various different S Class models and E and C class models along with Australian and Japanese cars.
After falling in love with the W140 I went all in and have spent the past 8 years working on mine with a Mercedes mechanic.
I won't go in to detail about everything we have done but the major part is the sourcing of a 5 litre version of the M119 engine that we turned in to a 6.0 litre.
Currently we are in the process of having all the wiring redone which includes lots of custom stuff.
After that a new exhaust and dyno tune and she will return to the road after several years in the shop.
If you buy one of these you will become addicted they are a special car!!
Having owned a couple of older Mercedes, I think that if I was going down the luxury car route again, I'd have to give the Century a crack. But only the 12, of course!
@ Jim, can you move to Queensland? Need you as my mechanic, excellent knowledge, thorough and you seem like a decent honest bloke. Hard to find a mechanic like that.
One of favourite Mercedes's ever made & i was going to buy W140 as a Weekend car till i asked my Independent Mercedes's Specialist who service my 2015 ML W166 & they advised me against buying one due to the lack of parts available for W140 here in the UK , love the T-shirt, Great Video Adam
Don’t agree with that at all. There were loads of them sold in Uk and parts are easy to come by if you look. I have a ‘95 320 long wheel base and parts have never been an issue. Obviously a mechanic doesn’t want to do the leg work sourcing parts for you but if you do it yourself they’re easy to come by.
Joining owners clubs and forums makes it even easier.
Comes down to money really and how much you want to invest in one.
I wouldn’t daily drive one but it’s one of a number of older Mercs and Volvos I own and they’re definitely worth the investment in time and money if you’re an enthusiast and interested in keeping these old cars alive and running
I've a 400SEL, bought for AUD$13,500.00 in 2013. The previous owner service history expenses amounted to over $100k. It has 280k's on the clock. have had lot of work done to it, predominately serviced by a mechanic that was trained on the W140 in the 90's. After having had to spend up to $15,000.000 since 2013 it now drives like I have never experienced. Incredible lift off on the highway, the cruise control is so easy to use and the car glides on a highway and really no other car for the same money is comparable no doubt. Its such a pleasure to drive on the highway a 45minute trip feels like 15minute trip. The sound system is tight and utter JOY. The aircon has had a special Wuft gas chemical to moisten the seals and stop leaks in the compressor. Have had it done twice and the leak seems to have STOPPED. But expecting to have to replace it down the track. Only use it for long trips and not suitable for city traffic congestion. Its a vehicle to really have it you do long highway trips and want to avoid back, neck issues and really enjoy the trip in safety. No modern car for its price is comparable in my book. If you do buy one expect to do regular repairs and only use a mechanic whom knows or has been trained on W140 or W124. Older the mechanic is advisable as the young mechanics make out to be knowledgeable and are really inexperienced, will over charge and likely to be inefficient from past experiences. Avoid Mercedes Benz Dealerships as most of the mechanics are only trained on modern cars and are computer savvy, Not old school mechanical minded. Which I appreciate, down to earth, know what they are talking and will try more than likely save you $$$$$. yeSKlasse my ride.
Had a 116 and a 126 and adored them but couldn't warm to the 140... But you're exactly right that it's a magnificent thing and better than what came after it.
What do you buy after you've owned a 116 and a 126? Stunning cars.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 they were magic, I have Australian Fords now. Like I say I couldn't come at a 140 and all the new stuff is garbage. I kept a diesel 123 for a long time tho - sold it running well with 830000km on the clock
@@mahcooharper9577 I always fancied a diesel 123, I just never made it happen. They were a pretty good facsimile to the earlier 116, in my opinion, but a lot, lot cheaper to run.
830k is amazing! I'm driving and old ('98) Civic now, which I love, by the way, and I've got a newish Mazda ute. Not much love for the ute, but it does a job.
I wont be surprised if you laugh at me, plenty have when I've said the same thing, but the Civic reminds me of my old Mercs. Yes, it's small, it's a four, not a six. The paint isn't Mercedes Benz by any stretch, and neither is the upholstery. But gee, it drives well. The suspension, the steering, the brake calibration, the transmission... it feels like a Benz.
25 years old, with 90 k on the clock and the thing drives like new. The only thing that I hate is the NEW rear suspension bushes squeak when it's cold. Before I had those installed, there wasn't a rattle, vibration or noise of any nature.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 never really liked the 116, they always struck me as a bit prosaic and lacking something - but the 123s were magnificent. At one point my wife and I had one each!
No, I wouldn't laugh at your Honda comment - I can see that, the build and personality of a generation of Hondas was quite similar to Benz. I feel like I've even heard Honda referred to as the Mercedes of the East... I certainly have boundless respect for Hondas about that age but personally they never really appealed to me for some reason.
I do like big, lazy, rear wheel drive cars tho so perhaps that's why I like my Aussie Fords. The build quality is atrocious compared to a 116 or 126 but they do have that same feeling where you could just drive it forever. I'm fastidious with maintenance but I could get in any of mine and happily drive it around Australia and be confident I'd get back. The first cars I've had since the 123s where I've had that confidence.
Much like your Honda, very different to a classic Benz but pushes one or two of the same buttons. :)
I guess it depends on which 116 ur dad had, some were absolute weapons. I’ll never forget that red dashboard carpet seats door moulds.
Another great video. The S Class is too large for most and the C Class is a bit small but it would be great to see a video on the E Class from that era.
The W124 e class, I concur😊
I have a 93 E280 saloon (sedan). Recently bought it from the guy who bought it new 30 years ago. Besides some clear coat fading on the bonnet, it’s absolutely mint.
Not sure whether to get the paint done or to let her age naturally. There’s no rust, just clear coat fading. I think it was early issues Merc had when they changed from solvent to acrylic based paints.
Great cars and not full of electronics and electrics like the S Class. Much cheaper to keep on the road.
I had a 1996 E320 fully specced, ortho seats, full airbag setup, power curtains etc. Loved the car. But at 300 000km the body became so rusty that I had to part with it. Still mechanicallly smooth as ever.
Benz is the greatest....greetings from Jamaica 🇯🇲
My old man on of these (S 420, 1993). I ended up using it a lot when I came of age due it a) it being big enough to survive a head on collision with a train, and b) I could fit all of my friends.
It also taught me the value having a car, maintenance, and the cost of fuel. It took me years to recover financially. But nothing in the "luxury" vein of cars has ever come close for me since.
Being a dodgy student, and driving this car into dodgy parts of town for cheap drinks and parties, I also ended up replacing those double glazed windows more often than I would like to admit - and those things cost a juniors salary back then.
By the time the car was sold, it had done over 400 000kms. It had some major work done by then, like the gearbox was replaced, most of the electronics went faulty and had to be replaced, and the lovely soft close doors gave up the ghost. But the engine itself ran like the day it was born.
Starting watching a video on a Mercedes, Nek minute I have a set of wipers coming my way...
Hope you like them!
The mechanic quite wrong - saying that the V12s are twice as unreliable as the V6s is simply untrue. Harry Metcalfe (ex-owner of a R129 SL600) had asked MB in the mid-90s what was their most reliable engine - they replied that it was, in fact, the V12 engine (based on the number of claims per units built). And their smoothness and refinement is just other-worldly. I highly recommend you take a look at his video on RUclips.
Also, "over-engineered" does not relate just to the build quality (and they were built very well), but also to the sophistication - how they tuned the ride and handling, the smoothness and refinement, convenience features like the soft-closing doors and boot-lid handle and reversing aerials, and just the overall attention to detail.
Sure, they're not infallible, but then there's more things to go wrong than, say, a Lexus which simply wasn't as sophisticated. You pay a price either way...and again, the Mercs of the time were (and still are) very dependable machines.
I say this as the owner of a 190 (W201) - it does have its niggles every now and then (mostly due to age or neglect from my end because I don't use it very often), but even after being in my possession for 10 years I still appreciate its attention to detail; it's not the first time that I get in much newer vehicles and feel unimpressed - for instance, I was utterly disappointed by a second-gen Nissan Qashqai whose ride was simply inferior to the Merc and even something as simple as the door handles didn't feel right (when it was still new).
the W140 is an amazing car and in the hand of a competent driver performs not how you explained. yes you feel the weight but if you have talent this car does exactly what the savvy driver wants it to do in high speed and even on narrow roads. During super bowl i was transported by a friend in his S500 in no time over the GW bridge down to South Ferry to not miss the ferry and the car did the high speed dash ride without AMG noise and always super paced so I made it on time. As said the car is for the confident driver and returns amplified confidence when you know what you want and what you do. Second: The wiper ad misses the point about the unique wiper geometry where one issues the mono-wiper of the R129, W124 etc...
Jim literally made me laugh my drink out my nose 😂
As a 20 yeat owner of w140 s300 i never ever EVER had any expensige issues as a daily driver with almost 800.000 km on my ride. I guess the most expensive thing i ever had was repairing the starter. I think it cost me about 25-35$
I had a W126 300SE and yet the prices of parts was no different to a Commodore. Mind you that was with a Mercedes specialist mechanic that the Mercedes club use so he was keeping his large market satisfied. But those parts were all from the original parts suppliers so were of factory standard. For example the fuel pump was $120, the fan clutch $100, front Bilsteins $95 each etc etc etc.
I have to agree with you Adam on that headlight wipers are just as cool as pop up's. The top spec models of the VB and VC commodore (perhaps the VH) had them as well.
This one is about as base spec as you can get an S-Class of this generation and it still looks like a top end product inside.
The top glove box is where the carphone goes and a high spec one would have 8 or 9 buttons around the hazard lights where this one has two.
Not sure what to think of the mechanic who isn’t aware the V12 was available in Australia… V8 in particular is regarded as Mercedes’ most reliable and durable petrol engine.
Yep, I'm quite familiar with the W140 in particular, having owned and worked on them, and I agree he wasn't too in depth about them... I actually nearly bought a 600SE last year, which ended up selling for $4k on Lloyds!
The M104 6 cylinder in these are absolute tanks. Other than loving to leak oil externally, they have no internal flaws (unless you count the head gasket design, which is the cause of the external oil leak) but the M104 IS generally regarded as MB's most robust petrol engine.
The V8s were also tanks, but they did have a few internals that needed to be addressed. I always advised to replace the plastic oil feeds on the cam covers with the metal replacements. This along with regular oil changes prevents any timing issues overall!
He didn't say it wasn't available, he said it wasn't worth getting.
That's kind of a weird statement seeing as it was the least problematic engine Merc made at the time.
I haven’t driven one in 21 years. Drove 3 of them back in 2002.
I owned one of these years ago....1 992 bought in 1998 with 80K miles. It literally introduced me to just how expensive things could be to repair and how much the Mercedes dealer can milk your wallet. Great car when sorted...but common issues like A/V evap core leaks that had a dealership shop time of 28 hours ..where the complete dash had to be disassembled...were a bear.
I have an 88 560 SEL with 320k km (grey import from Canada to California) and it's an amazing piece of technology. The rear seat area is cavernous, however, and I have little foot rests!
1:08 in Europe (i’m from the Netherlands) the 3.5 diesel was a very popular choice.
3:38 another external quirk were the parking ‘sensors’. The first series had some sort of metal pegs coming out of the rear corners. Which was hilarious!
9:47 nvm… 😂
Had a s420 1996 model. Best car i have ever owned hands down.
I just love how much you bag smoking! So gorss smoking, worse smoking in cars!
That one of the reason why I love this channel. Not only do I agree with you, I had a former co-worker who shared the exact same views as Adam with smoking and went on about it just like Adam does
Please do a vr/vs 215i senator/gts while you’re going retro 🙏🙏🙏
The princess situation is not a stain on its safety. The survivor of the crash was the only one that wore their seatbelt, everyone else in the vehicle didnt and they paid for it.
@ 1:58, when you say "this last update released in mid-'96"...I know some updates were different by a year or so in other countries, then not everywhere got the same....but in the U.S., the car here is the 1st update for '95...key is the lower cladding had the belt line around it, but it's still grey...US '95 & '96 only, '97 got the last update of additional to this one. The front and rear turn signals were clear, the lower cladding no longer grey and mono-tone of the same as the upper body color, SO NO MORE GREY LOWER PANELS IN '97 (and '98/'99), and got aggressive 6-hole alum wheels that had a 1 or 2" depth and not flush to the surface edge. I think the 5-spd came in '96, but '97 also had rain sensing wipers and Xenons.
Please do a review of a used Lexus LS.
Ive two white cars; 1999 S500 (52K miles) and 2024 GT3RS. Usually take the merc.
Buying these for actually driving made sense 10-15 years ago, but not today. Technology has come far along in the past 20-30 years. The perceived safety of the 140 is just that: Perceived. You are missing out on safety features that have become standard or optional in low and mid class cars since a decade ago. In terms of interior quality, passenger insulation: Most mid class cars offer close enough insulation. You can a 5 year old Opel Insignia and will get a nice ride, nicer looking interior imho (never liked the default 80-90s interior) for about the same price as a well maintained 140, and if you need to get things fixed, it wont make you bleed. Not even mentioning mpg of the 140 and gas prices.
Another awesome review mate..😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
great video!, still love my 1997 s420, it outlasted my 2006 S430
very nice car and review, but some mistakes like that wood is not zebrano.
i have mine S320 since 1993 with only seven thousand kms only.
some say some w140 that went through tunnel in paris are crashed before and badly rebuild so w140 are quite safe for modern standard
You missed a few features.There was a option for two back up sticks that would pop up when backing. Also a joy stick for review mirror.
Speaking as a Merc parts interpreter, aftermarket parts for these are a godsend because Jesus Christ, genuine parts for older Mercedes in 2023 are an absolute rip-off.
When are you going to do a Lexus LS400 (Gen1) review??
As soon as we can find one in the right condition located near us with an owner willing to lend it to us. - AK
20:15 The Lexus was of course not "better engineered". Lexus never won any tests whatsoever against the S regarding performance or anything else against this. Lexus used simpler solutions though.. that didnt quite reach the same level of performance in different regards.. but is of course cheaper to fix and maintain. But I wouldnt call that better engineered...
Depends on what you prefer. I dont think MB wanted to put in a simpler solutions with less performance to save costs for later owners on this model.
I reckon the previous model S Class is the pinnacle of Mercedes Benz.
Aah the W140, father had one of these. Loved the V8 engine sound in the S500. Wiper motors would get stuck becuase of the windscreen cracking thanks to the rust at the top roofline. Front 2 fenders rusted out. Ours was the face lift model with transparent indicator lights. Seats were the best to sit on and doing 100mph you coudnt here a thing thanks to the double glazed windows all around.
The facelifted models rusted because Mercedes switched from oil based to water based paints! They didn't learn for the W220 either as that had much worse rust issues!
I love my W140. I have a 1999 S500 grand edition in mint condition. It shares the driveway with its younger brother a 2013 S550. I will say I love both cars but when you want to drive just pure excellence in every way, you drive a W140. There’s is something about it that just brings out a regal presence in the person driving it.
Also interesting fact. The first Maybach was build on this dame chassis and same assembly line long offer the w140s retirement. Hence the maybach chassis was named W240 also, tail lights are no longer made my the oem supplier which is ULO. And Mercedes has stopped production on the remote flip key fobs. They also no longer make the headlight wiper blades.
Thanks, Jenson Button
If you can, review and go over a BMW e39 5 Series. I’m looking at investing in one in the coming months!
Look into the B10 V8s. Likely a better investment with a lesser chance of a blown engine
quality right there
4:50 about merc you need to understand it was like a constructor so you might have from 100 of buttons no 5 it all depends which options owner ordered and paid for. check Japan version you will see difference straight away
This car should have clear front indicators. It’s the 94 update.
No classic Benz owner:
"This is the last great Mercedes".
Absolutely and classically beautiful inside and out. Always.
Couldn’t agree more!
Sorry, but the wood trim here is "Wurzelholz" root wood. Zebrano looks different, even like a brwon zebra. 😉
Great review! Since you're taking the nostalgic route, how about a review on the P38 Range Rover??
the best buy ist the one with the om 606 diesel engine or the one with the 6 cyl petrol engine.
You lot should make a new channel where you test out new vehicles too, maybe name it 'Undriven'.
Getting spare parts for older Mercedes-Benz is actually quite easy, Mercedes-Benz still make them in-house. However, the price for parts... Let's not talk about it here.
Not many of them. There's the Classic Center in Germany but as mentioned they're eye-wateringly expensive, most parts for the older cars are simply no longer made. So many times I get the dreaded C49 or C01 - Part can no longer be delivered.
Contrast that with Porsche who still make parts for even the 356 and the rare AF one-offs they had.
Forums and owners clubs help. Never had an issue sourcing parts
20:10 lol. No other car came close in engineering to the w140 when it came out. It also had about the same failure rate as the LS400 in the yearly inspeciton stats here in Sweden despite being a much more complex car. It was a higher perfoming car in virtually every regard. Read any car review from that time.
2:25 from the front and side ONLY
Hi Jim
Please do a review on the F20 M140i.😊
*I WAS IN A S650 MAYBACH* last week - nothing on a W140.
All of the problems that might happen to this 30 year old S class ALL COME ON NEW GM AND FORD PRODUCTS But hey you have a Warranty and 40 - $60,000 in payments which the Mercedes would never do! I’ve had 3 S Class and Love the build Quality and longevity! Now let’s hear the trolls that never owned one talk bad about them! Trolls are Butt Wipe!
Have been seriously considering one of these but that head shake from the mechanic has sealed it. It's a no.
Seatbelts are there for a reason, don't wear them at your peril, these things are built like a tank
I just love these cars! My god!
If that’s a Mercedes Vito in the workshop behind Jim could you review it? I have to drive one for work and it’s such a shitter
Bonjour monsieur quand on parle d'une w 140 faut parler doucement c'est un bijou.
Agréable journée
The voice over 🤌🏻😂 I’d prefer a Century though.
These Mercedes Benz w140 are truly the last real Mercedes Benzes. Every thing after this car from MB are junk. Depending on the engine model, for example the OM603 were very fuel efficient, and had nice power.