I thought long and hard about getting one ; I really like the looks and the style of the W140 : just like a bigger version of the W124 .
However , they seem to have quite a reputation for unreliability , due to being over complicated and gadget-laden with all sorts of electronic goodies that are prone to failure . I've also heard a number of people say NOT to get a 600 . Down at the petrol station the other week , there was a 600 at the pump next to me , the driver nodded as he got into his car and I smiled back - but when he started his engine it sounded like there was metal grinding on metal while it struggled into life , after which it sounded like a bag of bolts !
That was why I went for a W126 in the end . Cost wise there's not much in it , a couple of grand will buy you a decent example of either model .
I initially wondered about fuel economy on the V8's , but so many people told me not to worry . In the end I found a 500SEL in good condition , with a good spec for a reasonable price . I've had it a few months now and have put about seven thousand miles on it so far . I typically get 20 mpg in day to day driving and can see 25 on a run , sticking more or less to motorway speed limits . Everything works ( apart , I think , from the A/C ) and so far I haven't done anything other than fuel it and drive it - hasn't missed a beat . My two 3 litre W124s and my 2.6 litre W201 were not all that much better on fuel , and a friend who had a W126 300SE reported much the same . Besides that , the V8 being higher geared does a lot fewer revs over its lifetime , as well as being less stressed , and I think potentially will last longer . My car with over 150K on the clock still shows max oil pressure at all times , even when fully warmed up and stopped in drive at 500 or 600 rpm .
The build quality of the W126 is superb , the doors and bootlid shut with a solid 'thunk' , much more solid feeling than a W124 or W201 , more like a R107 or a W123 .
Since I just got a bit of overtime through ,and having established there are no serious problems with the car , I'm about to have my first bout of spending on it . Just bought filters , oil etc for a service , 4 new discs and pads all round , have ordered a towbar and will get a set of ride levellers shortly when they are available , may also fit uprated rear springs to compensate both for towing and the weight of equipment I carry in the boot . With a W126 , you are easily within the realms of DIY maintenance ; go for a W140 and it is really too complicated for most home mechanics , so beware of high workshop bills .
Parts for a W126 are no more expensive than those for a W201 or a W123 ( all the brake parts came to less than £140 for genuine ATE parts from ECP ) - in fact they use a lot of W123 parts - so you can run one on a shoestring if you are handy !
I likewise went for an SEL because I wanted SPACE with a new baby in the family , and I'm glad I went for it . I was also glad the other week when , attending the rail crash in Stewarton , I had to use the back of the car as an office , editing video and photographs on my laptop , with my mains inverter plugged into one of the two rear cigarette lighter sockets and my camcorder plugged into the other one , so that we could supply pictures and video to the media .
Come to parking , the only problem sometimes is finding spaces long enough . The car is no harder to park than any other, but sometimes in car parks you have to either overhang into a space behind or stick your nose out into the roadway .
Good luck , whatever you go for in the end .
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The standard 16" 6 or 8 hole alloys are not particularly difficult to keep clean. The 18" wheels look rather barry and out of proportion IMHO.
