W126 500SE - 28,000 miles!!

[crammy69]

Not ebay, but this looks lovely, but shame its £14,750!, knock 10 grand off it and Id be genuinley tempted.

http://www.graemehunt.com/motor-cars/for-sale/mercedes-benz-500se

 

[Will]

What a lovely old girl she is!

Very, very few left like that. No idea on the price, but as anyone selling such a car can say - 'go and find me a better/lower mileage/more original one for less'

If you really, really want the best of a certain car, you sometimes have to pay for it.

Will

 

[buccal]

stunning...................

 

[94mattda]

Wow......beautiful car......

 

[w124nut]

Not ebay, but this looks lovely, but shame its £14,750!, knock 10 grand off it and Id be genuinley tempted./QUOTE]

Look at it this way..........

An S class Mercedes with the equivalent mileage of 2 years use

If it's as good as it looks then price ono could be justified.

 

[tlzeebub]

Nice car shame about the stereo

 

[mercboiuk]

Wasn't that for sale at Classic Benz a few months ago, with 26,000 miles? I can't remember how much they wanted for it, though.

Darren

 

[Swiss Toni]

Nice.

I used to have a CSK like the one he has in stock (except mine was an auto and in better condition... )

http://www.graemehunt.com/motor-cars/for-sale/1990-range-rover-csk-manual-3-door

 

[MD5]

Wasn't that for sale at Classic Benz a few months ago, with 26,000 miles? I can't remember how much they wanted for it, though.

Darren

There is an article in this month's ME, saying how low mileage cars like this often change hands in a short space of time, as owners realise they can't really use the car without destroying its original desirability, value and character. A stunning car, but ironically you could do little more than talk about it.

My E320 Cabriolet had done 40k miles when I bought it three years ago, and I'm getting wound up at the thought of it reaching 50k (forgive me for discussing it here, but for reasons just mentioned !).

 

[crammy69]

There is an article in this month's ME, saying how low mileage cars like this often change hands in a short space of time, as owners realise they can't really use the car without destroying its original desirability, value and character. A stunning car, but ironically you could do little more than talk about it.

My E320 Cabriolet had done 40k miles when I bought it three years ago, and I'm getting wound up at the thought of it reaching 50k (forgive me for discussing it here, but for reasons just mentioned !).

I read the same article, its a good point, I guess the very low mileage premium would suit an owner who is happy to just use it for a few hundred miles a year for the odd show / Sunday morning spin to the local.

As for your car, clearly it would be a shame for it to be used as a daily driver, but if the condition is commensurate with the mileage rather than the age then its still going to be special.

 

[MD5]

As for your car, clearly it would be a shame for it to be used as a daily driver, but if the condition is commensurate with the mileage rather than the age then its still going to be special.

I bought it from the second owner, Crammy, who used it as a third car, and had owned it nine years. The cab was the only 2nd hand car he had ever bought since his business took off, and included in the paperwork was the original bill of sale for a brand new 320CE he had bought prior to the cab. Incredibly, the reg details aren't included, otherwise I would pass it on to its current owner, should it be around. I must admit, I have become guilty of nurturing a bit of a garage queen, but she is a bit special.

I do wonder what you would do with the S class at that money though?

 

[crammy69]

I do wonder what you would do with the S class at that money though?

I could imagine a Merc Owners club grandee buying it and nurturing it in his 6 car garage alongside the 1 year old S calss daily driver . I feel that at £14,750 its just that bit too much to be an impulse purchase, but maybe its future is to be continually passed around new owners, which would be a shame.

 

[MPG]

I'm a firm believer that cars were built to be used. I've put over 9k on my W126 since buying it last Summer & my XJS now has over 160k on the clock. Sure, bits wear out & need replacing (I'm fitting a new oil cooler on the XJS this week) and if you use the car daily come rain or shine you will inevitably need to attend to the bodywork at some point (XJS is getting new scuttle panels for just this reason!!). What I'm saying is that I don't see the point in owning a garage queen. If you don't want to drive it don't buy it! You want to look back on the fun you've had as you've racked up the miles rather than worrying about what it's done to the resale.

 

[Will]

I'm a firm believer that cars were built to be used. I've put over 9k on my W126 since buying it last Summer & my XJS now has over 160k on the clock. Sure, bits wear out & need replacing (I'm fitting a new oil cooler on the XJS this week) and if you use the car daily come rain or shine you will inevitably need to attend to the bodywork at some point (XJS is getting new scuttle panels for just this reason!!). What I'm saying is that I don't see the point in owning a garage queen. If you don't want to drive it don't buy it! You want to look back on the fun you've had as you've racked up the miles rather than worrying about what it's done to the resale.

To be fair though, for some people with numerous cars (ie collectors), they'd never be able to use them all anyway. There's a certain pride from owning a rare/older car in mint condition - just like we're all looking at this 28k mile W126 with admiration at it's condition and mileage. Certainly nice to have a few great 'museum piece' examples of each model for the future

I agree that it would be silly to buy a car that you love to drive, then not use it. But at the same time, if you are in a position where you don't need to use a certain car all that much, and have other vehicles to drive, there's nothing wrong with pampering it, keeping it garaged, low mileage etc

I think I've only done about 3/4k miles in my 190E 2.5-16 over the last three years. Not because I'm limiting myself with how much I use it, but purely because that's all I need/want to use it for. Ie, every week or two on a fair weather day etc. And it's hardly an ultra-low mileage car either!

Horses for courses I guess

Will

 

[IanA2]

Is it just me or is that steering wheel a bit shiny?

 

[MD5]

I could imagine a Merc Owners club grandee buying it and nurturing it in his 6 car garage alongside the 1 year old S calss daily driver .

I can make some enquiries if you like?

I'm with you, Will. My first MB was an 88 300CE, which I bought about 10 years ago, and still own. It inspired me to buy my E320 cab, having bought a 129 SL500 in the meantime.

At that point, I thought it was stupid to have three, but the 129 is an exhilarating drive, but a financial compromise. I also realised the CE was (then) 18 years old. What ever I would get for it wouldn't have changed my life, so I started to view it as an old friend, who was worth looking after (your dilemma, Crammy?!). It's great (but anorakish, and a bit of luxury!) to have post and pre-facelift 124s, but the cab does make summer days extra special, especially with four on board, with admiring glances thrown in.

I have now fallen in love with the 124 estate, and bought a ropey, but mechanically good E280T last year. It's probably the most comfortable of the lot, and a great drive, but I'd like a better example (don't buy off ebay unseen and with a hangover).

Anyway, sorry to ramble, and probably in an inappropriate place, but although I now have a motley collection, I never set out to be a collector (until the cabrio, that is!). I guess we are all here because of our passion, but this 126 is for serious collectors only (and not necessarily MBOC members!).

 

[Bill_33]

Only for a collector and may never get used????

I know the feeling - I am into "older" BMW Bikes and have a few

I have a R90S which has done less than 3,000 since new, (mid 1970's)

It is a great Bike but I hardly use it......because it is so nice.....even when i do I spent two hours cleaning it after a 2 hour "ride"

But I have no problem with the "old" W124 E280 Estate, with 156,000 miles, that I bought a few months ago - I now jump in it all the time and really enjoy it......I have just spent all day cleaning the underneath, wheel arches, etc., etc........then an hours drive to "get rid of the moisture"

Cheers

 

[Ade B]

Is it just me or is that steering wheel a bit shiny?

Possibly age related, it looks identical to mine which I picked up with 51k. If you sit in the car you should be able to tell if the mileage is genuine.

Re garage queens, my CE is certainly not one - its done 27k in my ownership and is generally running better then when I picked it up. I get the occasional pang of guilt that I am 'wearing' it out - just cleaned the interior after a trip out with the family + dog and found a number of new dings and scratches to the walnut courtesy of westie claws and matchbox cars...

Mrs B also added to the paint patina earlier today by providing a nice handbag feet scratch on the boot - we're just about still talking..

My bike on the other hand has not been washed this year and has now happily attained Vespa status. ie. you can park it anywhere and forget about it..

Collections are dangerous things, I'm sure for many, the thrill is in the research and hunting down rather than the driving. One for someone's retirement?

Ade