I used to have a W126 300SE when I lived in Europe. Perfect car, super reliable and comfortable. Literally indestructible, it survived a hail storm with hail stones as big as oranges; didn't even crack the front window.
Glad to hear it! I imagine finding these in Europe is a lot easier than it is here. It’s rare to spot one, there’s a rough example in my area parked at a shop but that’s about it.
I think this is the only car channel where I don't fast forward to the interesting part. This channel makes the whole video with well detailed information which makes it very interesting.
We really appreciate hearing that, thanks! We try our best to balance real content with something worth watching. We're hoping we can feature more classic cars like this one!
This video brought me tons of memories of when a few of my uncle's owned a bunch of these cars... 1988 was an amazing year.. THANKS FOR REVIEWING THESE OLD SCHOOL MACHINES!
1988 is the year I graduated high school. My dad had this car before he passed and left it to me. I have it now and am fixing it up. I didn’t sell it cause of the year and cause it was my dads.
I personally own the 1989. After all of these years it is still the car you will find yourself getting into even after the fact you own many newer cars. Nothing compares to the luxury, slow raw power, and safety that comes with this car. Rough or clean best Mercedes to come out of the 80’s
Well said! We don't see these often, maybe a half a dozen throughout the year, but each time we notice them. It's a serious treat being able to feature cars like this.
Had a 1980 500SEL I bought from attorney from Beverly Hills in 2006 paid $700. After putting in another $300 for detaining and some fuses to get the sunroof and doors windows, the car was like new. Got compliments alll the time from new S class owners. What a beautiful and fun car it was. I’m looking for another.
These transmissions almost never go. If they go, they have done over 400.000+ Km or have been abused. I would diagnose the box on this car and check if the kickdown cable is properly adjusted, if the vacuum system is intact and the modulator shows the right pressure and if the 4GTronic 722.3/722.4 valve body has received the updated parts. Like another reply stated, these cars are equipped with 2 flex discs instead of 1 + joint coupling. The discs should absorb these shocks. The combination of proper gearbox maintenance and flex discs that are in top shape, should fix any shift issue. These cars do not shift electronically on torque but on mechanical and hydraulic work.
This S-Class ended up going into the shop after we drove it, we let the owner know about the issues we had and there were things to fix. We wish we could have driven it in it's top mechanical condition.
Misfires on two of the cylinders, and there was some maintenance that was needed to be done with the transmission. That's the problem when filming any of these classic cars for us, we hope the owners are up to date on their maintenance and provide a car that's running at 100%, but the reality is that it's hard to ensure this when finding the cars in the first place is next to impossible. While we'd love to do a third episode on this car, I feel if we do another W126 episode it will be with a different car to show something new.
These cars have fantastic presence. The other day, out here in western Canada, I saw a charcoal 560 SEL, slightly lowered. Stylistically, it's the automotive equivalent of a 1980s double-breasted Hugo Boss suit - it's definitely dated, but it still exudes $ and quality.
These W126's are such great cars -- out of all old Mercedes, this is the model I see the most often on the road, hands down. And also, I bet the ride quality would be even better with the original style 15" rims with the thicker sidewall!
Bro i'm looking for a car to buy rn, and every time i'm on youtube trynna find a review video for one of my candidates, your channel pops up, you pick the right cars to review, that's one thing i can tell you for sure 😂🔥, keep up the good work
Sounds like you've got excellent taste! The whole reason I shifted to car videos was because I was looking for content on older German cars I was considering to buy, and luckily I've had the chance to feature a lot of the ones I've had on my personal to-buy list.
Thank you for the information on the W126 S-Class. Im in the market of buying on. Same year actually, and this was great information that i needed before i buy one. Great vid.
Glad it helped you out! That's always been the intention of our videos, to help those looking at buying these cars. Good luck, and let us know if you end up getting a W126!
The ones from the 80's were beautiful 500,000 mile mechanical wonders, the new ones are made of plastic and become too expensive to run after about 5 years.
Thanks! We aren't always this lucky when it comes to the condition of the older cars we feature, but we definitely found some excellent models to feature this time!
Not really, but they both appreciate the vehicles. The 560SEL is owned by another automotive journalist, and the 300SE has been in that owner's family since new.
Demuro hosted a "What car should you buy" series for a bit. I think if you and a couple other enthusiasts did a "What Used Germancar should you buy", and discussed the different costs pros/cons it would be a really cool thing
We're really hoping with our new studio to be able to do something like this. We've got a few ideas brewing and it all comes down to finding regular contributors in this area. We might have been able to make it happen back in Niagara, Ontario, but things are going to have to start from scratch almost now that we're in Québec! We really want to do something like this, so hopefully we can get the ball rolling soon.
Terrific video. I had to sell my SEC since I'm moving overseas. That was painful. It was a really nice mid-level example. An 87 with 140k miles. No rust or accidents. Paint had some minor issues but here on the east coast it was almost as good as it gets. Ice cold ac, which helped in the Carolina heat! Interior was very nice. All power options worked perfectly. Car was lowered with larger wheels and a razor sharp alignment with perfect breaking. When my 3 yr gig is over I plan on going to southern California for a two month sabbatical, the sole purpose of which will be finding a near perfect sub 100k miles SEC! I'm hooked. Especially since I feel modern cars are ridiculously complicated with too many electronic distractions, all of which are very expensive to fix when they break. By the way, maybe your automatic climate control is not working correctly. With mine if you lower the dial the fan will slow down accordingly. It works perfectly. The key is to get the car nice and cool and then go to auto. The fan will slow right down to whatever you want depending on where you move the dial.
PRN I sure hope I can. They're getting harder and harder to find in tiptop condition and prices are rising. I could possibly be priced out of the game when I get back LOL! That would suck. If that should happen I will likely try and locate a pristine 129 convertible. Those cars are bulletproof if well cared for.
Oh, and one more thing, here in L.A, you'll find tons of W126's still on the roads (I guess having no rust helps contribute to that). But the state they're in is really varied, go to a ghetto area, and you'll find them in rough shape, but still running. Go to the wealthy areas, and old money still drive mint examples. The range these cars sell for is $1k-10k. Coupes sell for significantly more than the sedans.
Very nice! We've seen a couple on the road over the past few months, but not many. We didn't live in a very large population centre before and now less so. We're hoping to get out to some car shows with the hopes of finding more like these!
Yes, one of the good things about living in Southern California is that there are so many classic cars in pretty good shape up for sale. Plus, we don't have to deal with any rust issues. 80s and 90s Benzes are extremely plentiful, old school Bimmer's are also quite abundant, although a little less prevalent than the Mercedes'.
a few weeks ago I bought a white 1990 560sel with 210,000 miles with a smashed front headlight and a lifter tick, the rear shocks are a little low and they hiss because there is no hydraulic fluid but it runs fine shifts well, the body is straight except for the headlight area the clear coat isn't peeling, the tan interior looks like its 5 years old and all the power features function. I bought it for 500 with 360 owed clean title in north hollywood LA is the place for depreciated bahnbarges!!!
That sounds like a good price, but that's what I meant when I said you can find these cars for $1k or even a little less in the ghetto parts of L.A. I actually bought my 560 from the original owners for over 10 times what you paid for yours, but they sorted out pretty much everything on the car, including all new suspension components front and rear which are really expensive on these vehicles, especially with the hydraulic system in the rear suspension. So I knew I was getting a completely sorted car that I wouldn't need to sink any big bucks in the immediate future. Plus the body and paint were nearly perfect, and the interior had only a little bit of wear on the front seats.
Great video, straight to the point en honest!I think lots of w126 owners will like this!As a 560sel owner I can confirm, ones you drove that car, your sold! So smooth is the ride.
Glad to hear it! We really do work on making sure these videos cater to the enthusiasts but also paint an accurate picture of what could be expected from them.
I love those old Becker radios (all the "Mercedes" branded radios back then were made by Becker). They had crazy good FM reception for the time, probably still better than many high end car stereos even today and they were high quality throughout otherwise, too. Heck, the radio you showed in this video had Dolby B and C for the tape deck - how many other car stereos with Dolby C do you know? No wonder they go for crazy prices on eBay these days (depending on condition, about 500-1000 Euros for the one you showed).
I think the radio was one of the main reasons the owner of this car was so excited to buy it. Like us, he appreciates the original parts and wants to keep it that way. There's something about these older models that have a level of quality we just do see anymore.
Great video enjoyed the beginning. Like the black but love the gold 300se. I also love the newer steering wheel in the 300se never thought of doing that it totally transforms it.
Agreed! Both cars had their wheels replaced with those from W124s, the only thing to note is the wiring though. Neither car's horns worked anymore, nor the airbags.
PRN I like the wood wheel it makes the interior look great, that said the horn may be a bit of an issue though with some of the dangerous drivers on the road.
Great stuff as always, keep it up. Is it possible to request a video on the W140 600 SEL? Im in the marked for one but im afraid that it might break the bank, seeing as I have an Olds 442 aswell...
It's the #1 car on our list to feature, we're just trying to find them. We did find a 94/95 S600 Coupé back in the town we used to live in but couldn't find the owner. We're still working on finding some W140s to feature though!
No. Pre-facelift w140 are the best in reliability because of wiring harness. Facelift looks better but it's also made cheaper and they have that eco-junk wiring harness everywhere! All in all if you are looking for w140 6.0 v12 model you should know that they are very expensive and hard to repair, don't expect for a easy-to-maintain car. They are not crap, that's not what i'm saying, but they are +20 years old flagship-models with a lot of electronics and that is never a good combo.
We found a 93 420SEL for sale about 2 hours away, we're hoping the dealership that's selling it is interested in having us do a video on it, but we're hoping to find a 98-99 S420/S500 to do a proper Showdown with.
Glad you liked it, thanks! It was one of the rare opportunities anyone has to re-visit the exact same car twice so I wanted to make sure I covered everything I missed on my first episode.
Great video, I think it's interesting that you guys reviewed two cars that are in my current garage, however, in the reverse. I have a 1991 560SEL, and a 1988 300SE, so the exact opposite of this vid, lol. My 91 is the crown jewel of my current garage, got it from the original owner earlier this year, and it's one of the last W126's to roll off the assembly line (actually was first sold in 92 here in the U.S). It's 100% original, and provides, in my opinion, the pinnacle of what a luxury automobile should be. Not over-saturated with a bunch of gizmos and unnecessary electronics, just refined class and comfort. I feel the interior is a huge step up from my 88, much more comfortable and supportive seats, but I still needed to add some lumbar support as it's lacking in that regard. The 88 I use as my daily driver, with the inline-6 M103 engine, that thing is really bulletproof and has given me no problems. It's a little low on power, yes, but once you get it up to speed, it's able to maintain it quite nicely. Keep up the good work, and long live the W126!
That's awesome! I think getting a 1991 560SEL would be perfect, that or the SEC. We didn't have a chance to drive the 300SE but we sat in the back of it to get the rolling shots, those seats were significantly nicer than that on the older model. We'd love to add one to our garage!
I love the W126 and the sedans more than the coupes. I fellin love with them the 1st time I saw the body style in 1981. While I love the style of the coupe, I just like 4 doors. I don't agree the trans fail often or that it is lacking for power and that is in light of just replacing the one on my 89, but I do not know how it was maintained prior to my ownership. Incidentally, the hard shifts indicate that the Germans felt that to attain a soft shift, you have to design in slip which will ultimately fail the transmission. I have an 82 500SE that runs like a a banshee with 200,000 miles, an '86 560SEL, and another 560SEL (forgotten by others), I plan to bring home shortly to re-introduce it to the highways and my black 89 which I drive often. I love these cars!
When these cars are kept up to date on maintenance they run flawlessly. Unfortunately there were some mechanical issues with this one, we noted them during our drive, and the owner ended up getting it fixed after we published this episode.
Hope it works out for you! These are awesome cars, they ride like a new S-Class. One thing I've noted as I've driven 4 different S-Class generations, and 7 different models over the years, they all have the same road mannerisms despite their age differences.
I don't have the exact maintenance costs on this one, we've been fortunate with the few cars I've owned and featured on this show to be able to go into detail on the cost.
Got an 87’ 560SEL, euro Version with 300hp. Its truly fast compared to this! Does 70 km/ to 140 in maybe 5 seconds. Flooring it from a standstill leaves a Nice cloud and 2 black streaks :D Something is also off with the shifting on the one in the video, it should shift silkysmooth Even at max rpm.
We had a blast making this one, especially after we re-watched the original video we did on this exact car, we knew we needed to do something way better.
It seems the W126 has been a popular topic for a lot of folks recently too! We've had a lot of traction on the video we filmed of this car from last year leading up to today.
I watched this video a long time ago when you first released it, Nile, but I dunno why I never commented just how much I love that cinematic intro. I particularly enjoyed the flashbulb visual and sound effects. Or, were there actual paparazzi at the filming location? :-)~
That bump is most likely the flex disc which is common issue on these cars. Also the trans do not go often on this car like you stated. What happens is the vacuum lines rot and shops lie and say you need a new trans.
The 560 SEL is a classic ....even the 300 SE is close ... both ride like armered tanks...but no good in the snow...The air controlled rear shocks seem to always be a problem in the 560's ... getting VERY hard to find someone to fix mine that really knows the W 126 on Long Island...unless someone can recommend ? My car will outlive me...
Wish we had someone we could recommend! We're looking for our own trusted mechanics up here in Québec right now. We didn't find anything about the suspension being overly problematic on the W126s but it's good to know!
Oh definitely, the monoblocks fit the style of the 80s and 90s Benz perfectly. Anything later than the 2002s wouldn't look right. The round dished mono's are a good contrast to the square design of those older Benz
That's awesome, glad to hear you have yours still! We really love these cars, very rarely see them on the road. We're really happy there are other enthusiasts out there who are passionate about these older luxury cars.
The seats are, but the final changes with the seats are the best, as we showed with the 1991 300SE. They feel modern compared with the springy seats on the 88s we featured.
One special request bro. If you ever have a chance, please do a video of the w201 190e sport line. I'm pretty sure you will be able to find some especially from where you live. Regards
The NA Spec 560SELs had much less power due to emission restrictions if I remember vs the Euro-Spec. My father purchased a Euro-Spec import here in Canada a few years back and it has much more power plus better gearing for acceleration vs an NA spec.
The "Flame Thrower" option was real and popular in South Africa markets. The little hesitation you described means you need to clean the carburator and replace more of the exhaust system incl the 02 sensors etc , the jerk while shifting means another 10K to look for a different transmission... Finally, why didn't you open that sun roof? GL.
We don't touch the sunroofs on these older Mercs, our insurance doesn't cover the cost to replace it! This car ended up getting a tune up this past week and there were two misfires detected on different cylinders, it's something we noticed during the drive.
I love these older Mercedes. I really want to buy one but I don’t have any mechanic skills to do the work myself to keep it up to date. I may buy one anyways I wish I had help from someone who’s an expert on them while I am shopping! That would definitely help!!
These are really the last of the 'easy' S-Classes to work on, the engines are a little complicated with all the wiring/vacuums but the limited electronics makes things a lot easier.
I drive 2 126 benz models ( 85 500sel in black and 84 300SD silver). I love this cars because of classic real money looks. Not a lot of them in New Orleans all the better.
LOVE the w126! my father bought his first mercedes-benz in 1984; it was a dark blue 380sel. he absolutely loved the car's brilliant combination of excellent handling, for a car of its size, and superior ride comfort. unfortunately, the merc's puny 3.8L v8 became very problematic within the car's first 60k miles. i guess he should'a forked over the extra $$$ for a 500sel instead of the new 380....
There are some out there to be had! Some are rough though, there's one for sale in Montreal that looks like its mostly rust, but clean examples will continue to appreciate in value as people look towards these classics more and more.
In the past I never really liked the W126, but have become very fond of them as I've aged. Compared to what Mercedes-Benz builds these days it's a beauty. Has your SEL been worked on, none of those side skirts seem to line up?
Both are in great exterior shape! The newer 300 SE's interior felt better to be honest, but it also helped that it was the facelift so the interior was newer design/material, might have helped to keep it in better shape over the years.
You should try to do a test drive and review on a c55 AMG w203. I own one and love it but can't find many videos on them due to the low amounts of them made
We had the opportunity to film a heavily modified one however we seem to get a lot of pushback online when we feature anything that isn't bone stock. We've got a 2004 C32 AMG being published next Monday, and hoping to get the C55 done at some point too!
The most beautiful timeless masterpieces that Mercedes Benz ever made!
Can't go wrong with it!
30 years old, still beautiful.
We think so too! Wish we saw these on the road, maybe once every few months here.
Nice video
I used to have a W126 300SE when I lived in Europe. Perfect car, super reliable and comfortable. Literally indestructible, it survived a hail storm with hail stones as big as oranges; didn't even crack the front window.
Glad to hear it! I imagine finding these in Europe is a lot easier than it is here. It’s rare to spot one, there’s a rough example in my area parked at a shop but that’s about it.
1991 560SEL was the car that made me fall in love with Mercedes as a kid. I still have the 1991 full line brochure I got at a car show. Great review!
Very nice! Those old marketing pieces were really awesome, it's great to have them still.
Upon seeing the intro I instantly subscribed as I knew I will not be disappointed.
Cheers!
Glad to have you on board, thanks!
I think this is the only car channel where I don't fast forward to the interesting part. This channel makes the whole video with well detailed information which makes it very interesting.
We really appreciate hearing that, thanks! We try our best to balance real content with something worth watching. We're hoping we can feature more classic cars like this one!
This video brought me tons of memories of when a few of my uncle's owned a bunch of these cars... 1988 was an amazing year.. THANKS FOR REVIEWING THESE OLD SCHOOL MACHINES!
We're hoping to be able to do more episodes on these classic luxury cars!
1988 is the year I graduated high school. My dad had this car before he passed and left it to me. I have it now and am fixing it up. I didn’t sell it cause of the year and cause it was my dads.
I personally own the 1989. After all of these years it is still the car you will find yourself getting into even after the fact you own many newer cars. Nothing compares to the luxury, slow raw power, and safety that comes with this car. Rough or clean best Mercedes to come out of the 80’s
Well said! We don't see these often, maybe a half a dozen throughout the year, but each time we notice them. It's a serious treat being able to feature cars like this.
Thanks so much for spotlighting this classic German tank. She's so beautiful!
We enjoyed making it possible!
I have a 1988 560 SEC ...I love it, the pillar less windows are a classic look.
Very nice! We'd love to feature one of those one day, we always liked the look of that coupe. Watched tonnes of videos on TH-cam about them too!
these were the best cars in mercedes history
Can't argue with that. This was a great vehicle to film and I loved being able to feature two models at the same time.
Had a 1980 500SEL I bought from attorney from Beverly Hills in 2006 paid $700. After putting in another $300 for detaining and some fuses to get the sunroof and doors windows, the car was like new. Got compliments alll the time from new S class owners. What a beautiful and fun car it was. I’m looking for another.
Very nice! Definitely hold on to it, especially considering you got it for a steal!
I have a 1989 Mercedes 420SEL, I didn't drive it very often, it still parks on the street in front of my house.
Mercedes Benz W126 S class are just amazing cars. Its a masterpiece in every sense of the word
They certainly are! They're fantastic cars to own and really stand out when you see one on the road today.
These transmissions almost never go. If they go, they have done over 400.000+ Km or have been abused. I would diagnose the box on this car and check if the kickdown cable is properly adjusted, if the vacuum system is intact and the modulator shows the right pressure and if the 4GTronic 722.3/722.4 valve body has received the updated parts.
Like another reply stated, these cars are equipped with 2 flex discs instead of 1 + joint coupling. The discs should absorb these shocks.
The combination of proper gearbox maintenance and flex discs that are in top shape, should fix any shift issue. These cars do not shift electronically on torque but on mechanical and hydraulic work.
This S-Class ended up going into the shop after we drove it, we let the owner know about the issues we had and there were things to fix. We wish we could have driven it in it's top mechanical condition.
What was the issue with this Merc when it went into the shop? Can you retest it?
Misfires on two of the cylinders, and there was some maintenance that was needed to be done with the transmission. That's the problem when filming any of these classic cars for us, we hope the owners are up to date on their maintenance and provide a car that's running at 100%, but the reality is that it's hard to ensure this when finding the cars in the first place is next to impossible. While we'd love to do a third episode on this car, I feel if we do another W126 episode it will be with a different car to show something new.
People like to just let go of the gas you have to let go slow its way better for the car
Your channel is progressing very well!!! Keep working hard!
Thanks! We've got a few more videos lined up already and hoping to film a lot more this Fall!
These cars have fantastic presence. The other day, out here in western Canada, I saw a charcoal 560 SEL, slightly lowered. Stylistically, it's the automotive equivalent of a 1980s double-breasted Hugo Boss suit - it's definitely dated, but it still exudes $ and quality.
I hear there's a lot of nice examples out that way!
These W126's are such great cars -- out of all old Mercedes, this is the model I see the most often on the road, hands down. And also, I bet the ride quality would be even better with the original style 15" rims with the thicker sidewall!
We'd be pretty happy if we saw more of these on the roads. We're lucky to see any german cars from pre-95 out here!
Bro i'm looking for a car to buy rn, and every time i'm on youtube trynna find a review video for one of my candidates, your channel pops up, you pick the right cars to review, that's one thing i can tell you for sure 😂🔥, keep up the good work
Sounds like you've got excellent taste! The whole reason I shifted to car videos was because I was looking for content on older German cars I was considering to buy, and luckily I've had the chance to feature a lot of the ones I've had on my personal to-buy list.
PRN_TestDrive lol what are the odds, i guess we both have prestige running through our veins 🔥😌
Thank you for the information on the W126 S-Class. Im in the market of buying on. Same year actually, and this was great information that i needed before i buy one. Great vid.
Glad it helped you out! That's always been the intention of our videos, to help those looking at buying these cars. Good luck, and let us know if you end up getting a W126!
They accidently made the W126 too well.
No kidding! They're unstoppable.
@@PRNTestDrive uuj
The W140 is much better
Different cars altogether. W140 got a lot of cheap plastics inside that break unlike 126 @@mikeschweizer2113
@@BenzoDopamine The W126 also have plastic. Both the W126 & W140 are great. In my opinion the W140 is a better s class
Mercedes is like AK 47 it has no expiry date
That’s certainly a unique way of putting it, I like it!
The ones from the 80's were beautiful 500,000 mile mechanical wonders, the new ones are made of plastic and become too expensive to run after about 5 years.
that's until about 1990-95. After that they were mostly junk.
Say what you will about Saddam Hussein, but the man knew quality when he saw it.
lol, any mercedes built after year 2000 expires quicker than any other vehicle on the road (except jaguar maybe)
Wow the w126 is absolutely stunning! And the units you have for review are immaculate!
Thanks! We aren't always this lucky when it comes to the condition of the older cars we feature, but we definitely found some excellent models to feature this time!
were the owners of these w126s collectors? im sure they dont daily drive these pristine looking beautied right?
Not really, but they both appreciate the vehicles. The 560SEL is owned by another automotive journalist, and the 300SE has been in that owner's family since new.
Wow it is really rare to see a car of this age and stature, still being with the first owner.
Thanks for taking your time to reply to me! :-)
Very professional review…no BS present, many thanks
Glad you liked it, thanks!
Demuro hosted a "What car should you buy" series for a bit. I think if you and a couple other enthusiasts did a "What Used Germancar should you buy", and discussed the different costs pros/cons it would be a really cool thing
We're really hoping with our new studio to be able to do something like this. We've got a few ideas brewing and it all comes down to finding regular contributors in this area. We might have been able to make it happen back in Niagara, Ontario, but things are going to have to start from scratch almost now that we're in Québec! We really want to do something like this, so hopefully we can get the ball rolling soon.
Hey bud! Like your videos, simple, easy to watch, well made and informative reviews. Cheers!
Thanks for that, we appreciate it! We think we've got a good flow with the videos now.
Terrific video. I had to sell my SEC since I'm moving overseas. That was painful. It was a really nice mid-level example. An 87 with 140k miles. No rust or accidents. Paint had some minor issues but here on the east coast it was almost as good as it gets. Ice cold ac, which helped in the Carolina heat! Interior was very nice. All power options worked perfectly. Car was lowered with larger wheels and a razor sharp alignment with perfect breaking.
When my 3 yr gig is over I plan on going to southern California for a two month sabbatical, the sole purpose of which will be finding a near perfect sub 100k miles SEC!
I'm hooked. Especially since I feel modern cars are ridiculously complicated with too many electronic distractions, all of which are very expensive to fix when they break.
By the way, maybe your automatic climate control is not working correctly. With mine if you lower the dial the fan will slow down accordingly. It works perfectly. The key is to get the car nice and cool and then go to auto. The fan will slow right down to whatever you want depending on where you move the dial.
Sorry to hear you had to sell the coupé! We'd really love to feature one on the show, those are incredible cars. Hopefully you can find another!
PRN I sure hope I can. They're getting harder and harder to find in tiptop condition and prices are rising. I could possibly be priced out of the game when I get back LOL! That would suck. If that should happen I will likely try and locate a pristine 129 convertible. Those cars are bulletproof if well cared for.
Definitely are! We've seen the asking prices for these older Mercedes S-Classes rise here in Canada over the past year.
Matt Stevens ,the truth finally told,thank you!!!!
I just bought a 1985 280 SEL and in love with it
Awesome car to own, enjoy it!
Really Enjoyed This Video. Thanks PRN
Glad to hear it, thanks for watching!
I owned a 85 500SEL. Great car!
This Chanel needs more subscriber
We'd love to grow to at least 100,000 subscribers.
this is the real Mc Coy!👍
hands down the most elegant S class Mercedes ever. a timeless classic
We agree! And it looks even better with that fresh black paint.
Oh, and one more thing, here in L.A, you'll find tons of W126's still on the roads (I guess having no rust helps contribute to that). But the state they're in is really varied, go to a ghetto area, and you'll find them in rough shape, but still running. Go to the wealthy areas, and old money still drive mint examples. The range these cars sell for is $1k-10k. Coupes sell for significantly more than the sedans.
Very nice! We've seen a couple on the road over the past few months, but not many. We didn't live in a very large population centre before and now less so. We're hoping to get out to some car shows with the hopes of finding more like these!
Yes, one of the good things about living in Southern California is that there are so many classic cars in pretty good shape up for sale. Plus, we don't have to deal with any rust issues.
80s and 90s Benzes are extremely plentiful, old school Bimmer's are also quite abundant, although a little less prevalent than the Mercedes'.
a few weeks ago I bought a white 1990 560sel with 210,000 miles with a smashed front headlight and a lifter tick, the rear shocks are a little low and they hiss because there is no hydraulic fluid but it runs fine shifts well, the body is straight except for the headlight area the clear coat isn't peeling, the tan interior looks like its 5 years old and all the power features function. I bought it for 500 with 360 owed clean title in north hollywood LA is the place for depreciated bahnbarges!!!
That sounds like a good price, but that's what I meant when I said you can find these cars for $1k or even a little less in the ghetto parts of L.A. I actually bought my 560 from the original owners for over 10 times what you paid for yours, but they sorted out pretty much everything on the car, including all new suspension components front and rear which are really expensive on these vehicles, especially with the hydraulic system in the rear suspension. So I knew I was getting a completely sorted car that I wouldn't need to sink any big bucks in the immediate future. Plus the body and paint were nearly perfect, and the interior had only a little bit of wear on the front seats.
Great video, straight to the point en honest!I think lots of w126 owners will like this!As a 560sel owner I can confirm, ones you drove that car, your sold! So smooth is the ride.
Glad to hear it! We really do work on making sure these videos cater to the enthusiasts but also paint an accurate picture of what could be expected from them.
W126 560 SEL King of the road.
Felt like it while we were driving it!
I love those old Becker radios (all the "Mercedes" branded radios back then were made by Becker). They had crazy good FM reception for the time, probably still better than many high end car stereos even today and they were high quality throughout otherwise, too. Heck, the radio you showed in this video had Dolby B and C for the tape deck - how many other car stereos with Dolby C do you know? No wonder they go for crazy prices on eBay these days (depending on condition, about 500-1000 Euros for the one you showed).
I think the radio was one of the main reasons the owner of this car was so excited to buy it. Like us, he appreciates the original parts and wants to keep it that way. There's something about these older models that have a level of quality we just do see anymore.
Great video enjoyed the beginning. Like the black but love the gold 300se. I also love the newer steering wheel in the 300se never thought of doing that it totally transforms it.
Agreed! Both cars had their wheels replaced with those from W124s, the only thing to note is the wiring though. Neither car's horns worked anymore, nor the airbags.
PRN I like the wood wheel it makes the interior look great, that said the horn may be a bit of an issue though with some of the dangerous drivers on the road.
Great stuff as always, keep it up.
Is it possible to request a video on the W140 600 SEL? Im in the marked for one but im afraid that it might break the bank, seeing as I have an Olds 442 aswell...
It's the #1 car on our list to feature, we're just trying to find them. We did find a 94/95 S600 Coupé back in the town we used to live in but couldn't find the owner. We're still working on finding some W140s to feature though!
the armoured one.......
s600's are ebtter. facelift ones are more reliable and updated. they also look better.
No. Pre-facelift w140 are the best in reliability because of wiring harness. Facelift looks better but it's also made cheaper and they have that eco-junk wiring harness everywhere! All in all if you are looking for w140 6.0 v12 model you should know that they are very expensive and hard to repair, don't expect for a easy-to-maintain car. They are not crap, that's not what i'm saying, but they are +20 years old flagship-models with a lot of electronics and that is never a good combo.
We found a 93 420SEL for sale about 2 hours away, we're hoping the dealership that's selling it is interested in having us do a video on it, but we're hoping to find a 98-99 S420/S500 to do a proper Showdown with.
PRN,very good job!!Thank you !
Thanks! Glad you liked it, we felt we did the car justice compared with the first video we did on this W126.
Excellent, your video shared much information which is helpful. Greatful to you for sharing it.
Glad you liked it, thanks! It was one of the rare opportunities anyone has to re-visit the exact same car twice so I wanted to make sure I covered everything I missed on my first episode.
Even now still looking 👌 Elegant
Agreed!
Good vid. I'm doing summer cleaning on my 560 right now. Got it at 32K, now it has ~82K.
Nice! That's pretty low mileage still, glad to hear there are some out there under 100k.
Thank you for selecting the model year in which I was born.('88) I feel special. 😊 Lol
We did it just for you!
Aged perfectly. Like old oak stairway. Timeless.
Well put!
Great video, I think it's interesting that you guys reviewed two cars that are in my current garage, however, in the reverse. I have a 1991 560SEL, and a 1988 300SE, so the exact opposite of this vid, lol. My 91 is the crown jewel of my current garage, got it from the original owner earlier this year, and it's one of the last W126's to roll off the assembly line (actually was first sold in 92 here in the U.S). It's 100% original, and provides, in my opinion, the pinnacle of what a luxury automobile should be. Not over-saturated with a bunch of gizmos and unnecessary electronics, just refined class and comfort. I feel the interior is a huge step up from my 88, much more comfortable and supportive seats, but I still needed to add some lumbar support as it's lacking in that regard.
The 88 I use as my daily driver, with the inline-6 M103 engine, that thing is really bulletproof and has given me no problems. It's a little low on power, yes, but once you get it up to speed, it's able to maintain it quite nicely.
Keep up the good work, and long live the W126!
That's awesome! I think getting a 1991 560SEL would be perfect, that or the SEC. We didn't have a chance to drive the 300SE but we sat in the back of it to get the rolling shots, those seats were significantly nicer than that on the older model. We'd love to add one to our garage!
I'm considering getting my first Mercedes: a '90 560 SEL with 123,000 miles, 1-owner; how has yours been? Any major issues?
Another great video guys! Love your work
Thanks! We had a lot of fun making this one.
Keep the videos coming mate.
Great video
Cheers
Thanks!
That is the greatest car of the all time.
Definitely felt like it! Makes us wonder how great the SEC is, we're going to have to find one to review.
PRN I've got a nice one in California, 1991 model 560 SEC
The 300 SE has the perfect stance. That 560 SEL would look so good lowered.
Can't go wrong with either one!
My W124 300E was like this 560SEL, it took a good bit of time to get it up and going but it was a wonderful car
Good to know! We found the feel to be similar with the 88 300E we drove a couple months ago.
I love the W126 and the sedans more than the coupes. I fellin love with them the 1st time I saw the body style in 1981. While I love the style of the coupe, I just like 4 doors. I don't agree the trans fail often or that it is lacking for power and that is in light of just replacing the one on my 89, but I do not know how it was maintained prior to my ownership. Incidentally, the hard shifts indicate that the Germans felt that to attain a soft shift, you have to design in slip which will ultimately fail the transmission.
I have an 82 500SE that runs like a a banshee with 200,000 miles, an '86 560SEL, and another 560SEL (forgotten by others), I plan to bring home shortly to re-introduce it to the highways and my black 89 which I drive often. I love these cars!
When these cars are kept up to date on maintenance they run flawlessly. Unfortunately there were some mechanical issues with this one, we noted them during our drive, and the owner ended up getting it fixed after we published this episode.
Great work!
Thanks!
Black W126 my dream limousine!
It definitely looks the part in black! Wouldn't have it in any other colour.
very nice. I plan to get one of these classic vehicles
Hope it works out for you! These are awesome cars, they ride like a new S-Class. One thing I've noted as I've driven 4 different S-Class generations, and 7 different models over the years, they all have the same road mannerisms despite their age differences.
i really love the car you test drive!
Thanks! We try our best to find ones to feature that people will find interesting.
very nice fellas...just earned a sub!
Glad to hear it, thanks!
more about style than speed, have 1 in Dublin Ireland great cars, good video
Definitely are, enjoy yours!
Wow the final tally on maintenance needed!!! I'm actually glad I have a w220
I don't have the exact maintenance costs on this one, we've been fortunate with the few cars I've owned and featured on this show to be able to go into detail on the cost.
These were land yachts! Beautiful cars. SO expensive at the time. What a classic design, though.
Crazy expensive! I believe it was one of the most expensive sedans you could buy at the time, next to the Bentleys and Rolls Royces.
Comparing w126 and w140 is totally impossible ❤ both are unique in their own.
Very true! We were lucky to finally get the chance to drive the W140.
Got an 87’ 560SEL, euro Version with 300hp. Its truly fast compared to this! Does 70 km/ to 140 in maybe 5 seconds. Flooring it from a standstill leaves a Nice cloud and 2 black streaks :D
Something is also off with the shifting on the one in the video, it should shift silkysmooth Even at max rpm.
Very nice! The euro-spec cars definitely sound like they're more fun to drive.
Loved this, thanks for doing it.
We had a blast making this one, especially after we re-watched the original video we did on this exact car, we knew we needed to do something way better.
nice video, coincidence I just talked today to a W126 owner about his great unit!
It seems the W126 has been a popular topic for a lot of folks recently too! We've had a lot of traction on the video we filmed of this car from last year leading up to today.
These are gorgeous. STILL.
Agreed! I really enjoyed my time with this car, I don't see them on the road here unfortunately.
I watched this video a long time ago when you first released it, Nile, but I dunno why I never commented just how much I love that cinematic intro. I particularly enjoyed the flashbulb visual and sound effects. Or, were there actual paparazzi at the filming location? :-)~
Haha! I miss being able to do these intros, I'm always thinking of new ones for whatever we're filming.
I own one and yes, They turn heads......ive done a little work to mine, so I'm pushing upper 350hp. It's much more comfortable then my old R32
What did you do to yours to get 350hp? I also have a 560sel 89
Hope you still have it today!
Another great video !! Great job !
Glad you liked it, thanks!
That bump is most likely the flex disc which is common issue on these cars. Also the trans do not go often on this car like you stated. What happens is the vacuum lines rot and shops lie and say you need a new trans.
Good to know!
The 560 SEL is a classic ....even the 300 SE is close ... both ride like armered tanks...but no good in the snow...The air controlled rear shocks seem to always be a problem in the 560's ... getting VERY hard to find someone to fix mine that really knows the W 126 on Long Island...unless someone can recommend ? My car will outlive me...
Wish we had someone we could recommend! We're looking for our own trusted mechanics up here in Québec right now. We didn't find anything about the suspension being overly problematic on the W126s but it's good to know!
I’ve had two w126. Both 300 se. A 1989 and a 90 both excellent cars. And the 300 is the best compromise in my opinion
That 300 SE we featured in some shots was very nice, I ended up hanging out of the back of it to film the rolling shots of the 560 SEL.
Great content guys.
Thanks!
Another awesome vid, and here I am again admiring those beautiful monoblocks. I need to get me that C43 to fulfill this itch
Thanks! We really like the monoblocks on a car like this, I think any 80s & 90s Mercedes looks good with them.
Oh definitely, the monoblocks fit the style of the 80s and 90s Benz perfectly. Anything later than the 2002s wouldn't look right. The round dished mono's are a good contrast to the square design of those older Benz
w126 I bought mines when I was 17 and still have and going to restore it
That's awesome, glad to hear you have yours still! We really love these cars, very rarely see them on the road. We're really happy there are other enthusiasts out there who are passionate about these older luxury cars.
Great video truly classic MB, I remember JR Ewing had one !!!
There's a long list of high-profile owners of the W126. A 500SEC was famously used in the classic Roadhouse!
I also remember Victor Maitland having one. (Beverly Hills Cop)
Love dem w126. My fave is the 420sel. I love the short wheel bases.
We were offered to feature a 420SEL but couldn't line up a date to do it. Hopefully we can feature a few more W126s over the course of the show!
when a black W126 pulls up behind you, you better start running
Especially if the rear windows start coming down.
Looks super comfortable
The seats are, but the final changes with the seats are the best, as we showed with the 1991 300SE. They feel modern compared with the springy seats on the 88s we featured.
My dream car all time, the best in the world
Can't go wrong with it!
One special request bro. If you ever have a chance, please do a video of the w201 190e sport line. I'm pretty sure you will be able to find some especially from where you live. Regards
We might have one available! We're working on coordinating with the owner to see if we can make it happen.
PRN
Love these old Mercedes models far more interesting than the new ones.
Any chance to see a review of a Jaguar XJ40 in the future.
2.5-16?? hahahaha
We'd definitely love to get some Jags on this channel. We're working to find some!
PRN please do the 08-09 jag portfolio, would love to see that, thanks
The NA Spec 560SELs had much less power due to emission restrictions if I remember vs the Euro-Spec. My father purchased a Euro-Spec import here in Canada a few years back and it has much more power plus better gearing for acceleration vs an NA spec.
I'm glad we're mostly past that period with German luxury cars. Sometimes we still get the odd de-tuned vehicle though.
The "Flame Thrower" option was real and popular in South Africa markets. The little hesitation you described means you need to clean the carburator and replace more of the exhaust system incl the 02 sensors etc , the jerk while shifting means another 10K to look for a different transmission... Finally, why didn't you open that sun roof? GL.
We don't touch the sunroofs on these older Mercs, our insurance doesn't cover the cost to replace it! This car ended up getting a tune up this past week and there were two misfires detected on different cylinders, it's something we noticed during the drive.
Old school mercedes are truely gangster
Agreed! It's unfortunate that we don't see any of them out here.
The original steering wheel suits this car much more than the w124/w140 steering wheels do
Fair enough
Love, pure and simple, love
Definitely, once you drive one you’ll fall in love with it!
I own an 1989 560 Sel and I just can't part ways w it. Great car hands down.
Hold onto it for as long as you can!
Had a Euro spec '91 560SEL until recently.Had the ECE engine and output 300 bhp.
Nice! I'm sure it helped a bit with getting that heavy beast up to speed.
great vid :)
Thanks!
Black car - old school Mafia Boss, silver car - drug dealer.
Good to know!
And both of them opt an AMG...
But it was aftermarket modification back then.
Lol
Damn I'm about to buy a silver one...
Have they got a door pocket for the MP40 submachine gun?!
Only on some models!
Only the police models
great content!!
Thanks!
Those Bemz's were built like Bank vaults
They definitely feel that way!
I love these older Mercedes. I really want to buy one but I don’t have any mechanic skills to do the work myself to keep it up to date. I may buy one anyways I wish I had help from someone who’s an expert on them while I am shopping! That would definitely help!!
These are really the last of the 'easy' S-Classes to work on, the engines are a little complicated with all the wiring/vacuums but the limited electronics makes things a lot easier.
I drive 2 126 benz models ( 85 500sel in black and 84 300SD silver). I love this cars because of classic real money looks. Not a lot of them in New Orleans all the better.
Not a lot of them period! I spotted one out here last week, I always love seeing a classic Mercedes on the road. Enjoy yours!
LOVE the w126! my father bought his first mercedes-benz in 1984; it was a dark blue 380sel. he absolutely loved the car's brilliant combination of excellent handling, for a car of its size, and superior ride comfort. unfortunately, the merc's puny 3.8L v8 became very problematic within the car's first 60k miles. i guess he should'a forked over the extra $$$ for a 500sel instead of the new 380....
That happens sometimes for sure. Mercedes is usually pretty good when it comes to the engines but things to happen.
old Mercedes are the best
We agree!
This car is from my birth year, and I’m normally a Volvo guy but if I can smash a beautiful powerful Benz from 89 for a decent price I’m down.
There are some out there to be had! Some are rough though, there's one for sale in Montreal that looks like its mostly rust, but clean examples will continue to appreciate in value as people look towards these classics more and more.
Do you know if spare parts are still available, or if some are dis continued...?
I believe the Mercedes Classic Center in California would stock parts for this, but outside of that you'd likely have to go aftermarket for anything.
beautiful car
It sure is!
In the past I never really liked the W126, but have become very fond of them as I've aged. Compared to what Mercedes-Benz builds these days it's a beauty. Has your SEL been worked on, none of those side skirts seem to line up?
The car does have 326,000km so it's possible that the skirts are a bit off.
Oyes,look to that great condition!looks fresh from Factory!mama,great shape👍✌😘(meant the golden/champagne colored one)
Both are in great exterior shape! The newer 300 SE's interior felt better to be honest, but it also helped that it was the facelift so the interior was newer design/material, might have helped to keep it in better shape over the years.
You should try to do a test drive and review on a c55 AMG w203. I own one and love it but can't find many videos on them due to the low amounts of them made
We had the opportunity to film a heavily modified one however we seem to get a lot of pushback online when we feature anything that isn't bone stock. We've got a 2004 C32 AMG being published next Monday, and hoping to get the C55 done at some point too!
PRN oh nice!!!! I've got a bone stock mars red one. I wish you were closer so you could review mine