Buying a W140

[abecketts]

After Mrs aBecketts's accident in a fiesta last May she asked me to buy a tank and a W210 estate has fitted the bill, I fear I am to lose use of it and I think a W140 would fit the bill. I've searched the forum and picked up quite a lot of info, the S280 is not popular, the S320 being better but a S500 might be the better overall package. However it seems you can buy a whole lot of fun or a money pit and with that in mind I went to visit my first W140, against all the advice it was a silver 1999 S reg S280. I sensed immediately it was not for me when the trader said i'll jump start it so I opted for a visual inspection. What surprised me was the extent of the rust, i'd heard tell of W210's that rot (ours is an exception) but underneath each door, the sills and then usual wheel arches it was a sorry state. Are they also prone to similar levels of rust? Also the W140 does not have the same wiring loom issues as the W124 does it?

Thanks in advance

Paul

 

[stevieb15]

Really don't know about rust but I assume they are as prone to it as any other old car.
Both front wings have been replaced on my SL and SE, the CE is just a rust bucket.
Maintaining an older car is not cheap but less expensive than depreciation on a new(er) one...I think.

 

[V12]

Earlier cars are the ones with wiring loom issues like the W124. But Earlier cars don't seem to suffer rust as badly.

Find one that has been owned by the same owner for several years, they are usually quite decent as a massive generalisation.

 

[grober]

Bodywork standards slipped a bit in late 90's across the entire range with perhaps the exception of the R129 SL. Biodegradable wiring loom problems were over by 1996. That said any big source of underbonnet heat such as a V8 or V12 is going to "cook" its wiring eventually even the upgraded stuff.