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Buying a used Mercedes W126
Many poeple believe the 126 was the last of the great Mercedes; the newer ones may have more gadgets but overall worse quality of materials, fit and finish. Here's what to look for on a 126: Shiny paint. Costs a fortune to do properly.
Engine compression: if its not good, simply pass on the car, it'll cost thousands if not ten thousands to fix.
Suspension: in a year or three it'll need a whole front end rebuilt, subframe mounts, trans/diff mounts etc. If this hasn't been done yet figure $1200. It may have loose suspension parts already. Subframe mounts tie rod ends and balljoints are the first to go, next, control arms, steering bushings etc.
Brakes. You replace rotors fairly often on these cars. They're designed that way and not expensive unless you buy them from MB - and you can buy netter ones aftermarket. Brakes should be smooth. If not subtract $500.
Clunks in the driveline of any kind mean transmission or differential. Not cheap to fix. Maybe it's only transmission and/it differential rubber mounts but get it checked.
The seat switches/wiring sees to crap out around this time. Make sure they work. Not too bad to fix.
Make sure the vacuum door locks all work ok, couple of hundred to fix.
Make sure the A/C works. If should freeze you right out if it's still R12; they can be converted to R134a easily but don't work as wel. AC systems are good for 15 years, figure $2000 - $3500 for a new one.
oil changes should have been made every 3000 miles. If it was longer than that 5000 or so, they aren't fanatical and who knows what else was scrimped on. If they were 10,000 - 15,000 between changes the car has been abused and probably has a lot of hidden problems.
Most importantly, get the car examined by a mechanic that *knows these cars* and will do a hot compression test.
If the test fails he should do a leak down test to see if it's valves or rings. If it's rings, forget it, if it's valves, gat a price on a valve job, offer the vendor that much less.
I think the 126 chassis Mercedes is the best all around car the 20th century ever produced. You can't really appreciate it until you're in your second hour of doing 70-90 mph on the highway; then you'll know what it's all about.
Richard Sexton
A neglected 126 is only good for parts ! These cars are great and reliable but if you let them go to hell you will never be able to get them back into shape for less then twice retail market value !
Look at the cost of even little things like used pieces of wood or recovering seats even if you do these things yourself they are not cheap and if your car is a 500 with burled walnut the pieces start getting hard to find.
Or what about the cost of a common failure like a CAM ? if you do it yourself it is about $500 for a blue box cam (after market cam don't seem to idle very well and regrinds never last or idle well) plus $12 (x8 if you are cheap x16 if you do it right) a piece for the rockers and you will need the tool to compress the springs and measure the preload on the lifters ($250 to $350 for the 2 tools or at least $100 to rent them). This is not counting the miscellaneous stuff of the hassle of trying to get your dealer to order the shims you need to set the valves. If you pull a head bolt the call that a $800 mistake (if someone else does it or close to $500 if you do it yourself)
On top of these little repairs that I get to do all to often for others you have the repairs that we all know and love like A/C, cruise control, a rebuilt transmission because the P.O. never serviced that either.
Barry Wolff
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