New to Forum - Just picked up my 500 SEC

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If going for the AMG style wheels be very certain about width and offset [ front and back] if buying second hand---this definitely not a one size fits all scenario--- altho unscrupulous sellers may claim that wheels sourced from other models may fit.
 
Awesome! That looks great. I really like the wheels, the whole combo of wheel diameter/width, tyre sidewall, offset and ride height is spot on IMHO. Sure it would look equally good in a different way with the AMG wheels mentioned, as long as the above are kept in balance. Very cool.
 
Wow, real Miami Vice 🤩

I like the BBS but agree with one of the previous posts, they are more E21 or E28 than big Merc. I think it’s crying out OZ’s.
 
Lovely car. The wheels are totally personal preference but for me they shout "BMW" :D and I would want a set of 3-piece AMGs on there to go with the body kit :)

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I have those wheels on my R107. They look great but don't ride great on that chassis. I have Lorenser LO's on my C126 which are a bit of a twist on the original.
 

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I have those wheels on my R107. They look great but don't ride great on that chassis. I have Lorenser LO's on my C126 which are a bit of a twist on the original.
One of the ex-pats in Skiathos has a crappy old F plate 107 with those Lorinsor alloys.
 
My 107 would be a crappy old A reg if it lived in the UK
My 107 would be a crappy old A reg if it lived in the UK
Ha ha!! The one out in Greece is a real piece of junk. It’s illegally out there with no insurance or tax and hasn’t had an MOT since it left the U.K. which was most likely about 20 years ago.
 
Wow, real Miami Vice 🤩

I like the BBS but agree with one of the previous posts, they are more E21 or E28 than big Merc. I think it’s crying out OZ’s.
Thats what I feel too, especially as I only just sold my E24 last year and that actually had split BBS wheels on it.
 
I have those wheels on my R107. They look great but don't ride great on that chassis. I have Lorenser LO's on my C126 which are a bit of a twist on the original.
Those polished wheels on the SL look amazing!
 
Looks like a nice car, now pull the cam covers and make sure the chain guides are in good shape. They should be white/cream. If they're coffee brown, it's time to replace them as they're old and brittle and will likely break and cause the chain to jump time.
I dig the BBS RA's
I think they are the BBS Mahle's but yes very different.
 
Lovely car! Out of curiosity, are they difficult/ expensive to own? Ever come with a manual transmission?
 
These are the exact wheels I’m thinking of actually getting !
Stunning wheels and beautiful car! Been after a set of these for some time now, but around £3k a set of used ones, I have managed to restrain myself!
 
I really like these and the SELs, that’s a great looking car.
 
I had a 380SEC and it had real motorway presence. Cars would move out from in front of me as did the sea for Moses.

My Honda Fireblade 954cc had the same effect - my 211 does quite have it, almost does, but not to the same extent.

I’ve had more modern bikes but one of my favourites I’ve owned was a red and black 954, brilliant bikes.
Currently got an R1M but it’s tucked away for the winter now!.
 
Lovely car! Out of curiosity, are they difficult/ expensive to own? Ever come with a manual transmission?

W126's are simple cars and mechanically, they're very close to a W123 (almost identical front and rear end suspension requiring the same tools etc). An engine from a 560SEL will drop right into a W123 engine bay, and if you want extra cooling in your 280E, a 560SEC radiator will fit right in place. There are some complexities with vacuum pods that can fail behind the dash, self leveling rear suspension on some models and head gaskets seem to rot after about 25 years or 250k miles meaning that the heads will have to come off.

They drive like no other car however and will make a W123 feel 'light'. The kid that does side work for me is putting an OM606 / 722.6 into a 1991 350SDL which is a car that was not available in the UK, but has an OM603 3.5 diesel engine. The 606 transforms the car with that gearbox. I'm pretty sure that it will smoke a 560SEL and still get MPGs in the high 30's. Like the W123's, these cars can keep going if neglected and sometimes feel unimpressive. But a well sorted one is an absolute delight. I ran a 560SEL as a daily driver about 10 years ago. It was relatively cheap to run aside from the horrendous fuel mileage. I was lucky to get 10mpg from it in mixed driving.
 
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Just wondering if anyone may know the cause for a few electrical issues Im trying to fix on the SEC, not had it long and have noticed that certain things work one day and then not the next. Not sure if there is something I need to check for example:

1. Cruise control was not working when I bought the car and then yesterday it started working randomly but then went all dead again today

2. The front passenger electric windows initially would work at times and stop again however now does not open at all, I've checked the actual switch which has power to it and the switch is also fine as I have swapped it with another window to check.

3. The front fog lights at the bottom of the bumper seems to very dull, I ordered new bulbs and are still extremely dull, is there something in the wiring that can be causing this?

4. Seems like the vacuum lines to the front passenger door are also damaged or the actuator is faulty as that particular door does not work with the central locking, the main drivers door, petrol cap and boot all work however.

5. The heater is either hot or cold no matter what temp I have it on.


Would really appreciate if anyone else has encountered these problems or could recommend any one who I could go to for the fix.
 
I'll take a stab

Just wondering if anyone may know the cause for a few electrical issues Im trying to fix on the SEC, not had it long and have noticed that certain things work one day and then not the next. Not sure if there is something I need to check for example:

1. Cruise control was not working when I bought the car and then yesterday it started working randomly but then went all dead again today
Cruise control actuator is a common fail item, it's electronic. You can try taking it apart and reordering any cracked joins or finding a good used one
2. The front passenger electric windows initially would work at times and stop again however now does not open at all, I've checked the actual switch which has power to it and the switch is also fine as I have swapped it with another window to check.
Did you swap the other switch over to the passenger window? They get dirty and can become sticky. Aftermarket ones are cheap but replace all four because the new ones will look brighter than the old ones when the lights are turned on
3. The front fog lights at the bottom of the bumper seems to very dull, I ordered new bulbs and are still extremely dull, is there something in the wiring that can be causing this?
What kind of shape are the reflectors?
4. Seems like the vacuum lines to the front passenger door are also damaged or the actuator is faulty as that particular door does not work with the central locking, the main drivers door, petrol cap and boot all work however.
Take the door apart and check, the line is probably disconnected on one side or another. A smoke test is the best way to find the break
5. The heater is either hot or cold no matter what temp I have it on.
There's a monovalve (or duovalve if manual climate control) between the firewall and the fake firewall on the passenger side. The diaphragm can fail which can cause all kinds of problems with the hvac system. You can get a repair kit but the quality is usually bad aftermarket and does not last. Some people have had success making a new diaphragm from an inner tube which I suspect will last forever.
 
I'll take a stab


Cruise control actuator is a common fail item, it's electronic. You can try taking it apart and reordering any cracked joins or finding a good used one

Did you swap the other switch over to the passenger window? They get dirty and can become sticky. Aftermarket ones are cheap but replace all four because the new ones will look brighter than the old ones when the lights are turned on

What kind of shape are the reflectors?

Take the door apart and check, the line is probably disconnected on one side or another. A smoke test is the best way to find the break


There's a monovalve (or duovalve if manual climate control) between the firewall and the fake firewall on the passenger side. The diaphragm can fail which can cause all kinds of problems with the hvac system. You can get a repair kit but the quality is usually bad aftermarket and does not last. Some people have had success making a new diaphragm from an inner tube which I suspect will last forever.

Thats a lot of knowledge right there! Really appreciate it, I don't mind trying a few things myself but wouldn't mind if there was someone local to West London who could have a look, maybe let us know if you can recommend anyone. The car currently has like the stepped style fog lights.
 

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