I have a W126 500SEL and get an average of 19 to 20 mpg with it on a mixture of motorway , A road and town driving . I also have bought a 280SE ( with the M110 ) but don't yet have it on the road ; however I have previously had the same engine in W114 and W123 vehicles and got a similar overall consumption to the 500 .
I know that with the W140 you will have an M104 rather than M110 ; I have also had a couple of W124's with M103/104 and whilst they are a bit more economical to run than the M110 , there was no more than 5 mpg in it - so not a huge difference . Likewise , I know the W140 has the M119 rather than the M117 that I have ( 32 valve rather than 16 valve ) but I doubt there will be a huge difference .
While there won't be a huge difference in economy , there is a big difference in performance and refinement : power always on tap and the v8's waft along in silence compared to the sixes (which are still smooth enough) .
As far as servicing costs are concerned - you have eight plugs to change rather than six ; the M117 demands EIGHT LITRES of oil at a change , but hey-ho mine runs on GTX 'high mileage' and needs no top-ups between changes so no great expense there ; an 8 cyl dizzy cap will cost more than a sixer - but maybe you have lots of coil packs and no dizzy ? Swings and roundabouts . Brake pads , tyres , exhausts etc etc not much difference .
I've done 20K over 18 months in my 500 with no major expenses , apart from a visit to my local indy to diagnose an ABS fault ( wheel sensors ) for the MOT : I have replaced tyres , brake pads , 2 rear springs which were sagging after 23 years , and oil + filters a few times . Nothing untoward .
The 280 was an 'offer I couldn't refuse' at the price of a tankful of petrol - it needs two small bits of welding and one brake pipe for the MOT .
These cars are something of a bargain right now - snap them up while you can . Prices are sure to start climbing in the not too distant future , much as they have with the W123 .
I know that with the W140 you will have an M104 rather than M110 ; I have also had a couple of W124's with M103/104 and whilst they are a bit more economical to run than the M110 , there was no more than 5 mpg in it - so not a huge difference . Likewise , I know the W140 has the M119 rather than the M117 that I have ( 32 valve rather than 16 valve ) but I doubt there will be a huge difference .
While there won't be a huge difference in economy , there is a big difference in performance and refinement : power always on tap and the v8's waft along in silence compared to the sixes (which are still smooth enough) .
As far as servicing costs are concerned - you have eight plugs to change rather than six ; the M117 demands EIGHT LITRES of oil at a change , but hey-ho mine runs on GTX 'high mileage' and needs no top-ups between changes so no great expense there ; an 8 cyl dizzy cap will cost more than a sixer - but maybe you have lots of coil packs and no dizzy ? Swings and roundabouts . Brake pads , tyres , exhausts etc etc not much difference .
I've done 20K over 18 months in my 500 with no major expenses , apart from a visit to my local indy to diagnose an ABS fault ( wheel sensors ) for the MOT : I have replaced tyres , brake pads , 2 rear springs which were sagging after 23 years , and oil + filters a few times . Nothing untoward .
The 280 was an 'offer I couldn't refuse' at the price of a tankful of petrol - it needs two small bits of welding and one brake pipe for the MOT .
These cars are something of a bargain right now - snap them up while you can . Prices are sure to start climbing in the not too distant future , much as they have with the W123 .
) that aside, looks superb and would be a nice change from what iv been used too for so long.
