W140 S-Class - pending purchase

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Setanta

Active Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
945
Hi all

Have seen a 1996 W140 S500 that is most likely going to reside at Chataeux James by this time next week.

However, I thought I would just throw it up here in case there was anyone who was going to say "Oh no, if only I had known, I was thinking of getting rid of mine"

So.....anyone looking to offload a W140? Just thought I would try and help out a forum member if I could.

Cheers

James
 
Setanta said:
Hi all

Have seen a 1996 W140 S500 that is most likely going to reside at Chataeux James by this time next week.

However, I thought I would just throw it up here in case there was anyone who was going to say "Oh no, if only I had known, I was thinking of getting rid of mine"

So.....anyone looking to offload a W140? Just thought I would try and help out a forum member if I could.

Cheers

James
Click to expand...

I dont have one, but just wanted to say excellent choice of car!! I love these large barges. A late W140 with all the toys would be one special car.

Good luck with your purchase!!
 
Check very carefully for wiring insulation problems in the engine wiring loom and electronic throttle actuator- idle should be rock solid. Things can get pretty warm when you are sharing an engine compartment with a V8. ;)
 
Thanks - had the coupe version (1996) and miss it terribly - I should NEVER have sold that car.

I have a shopping list of the usual faults/issues/gremlins so crossing fingers I won't be down at Olly's asking how much a new gearbox will be!!
 
great choice of car.

did you purchase it in the end?
 
I had the W126 560 SEL for five years from new and was going to buy the W140 when it came out. Compared to the 126 BARGE TANK and lots of other appropriate names where banded about and as i would have to look at it every day, i bought the new BMW 740iL much in the lines of the 126.

Then BMW did the same thing when they bought out the new model, thank goodness for the W220.

Each to his own.
 
SETANTA, We do have a W140 S320 for sale. It has all the usuals,75k on the clock,the first and 2nd owners are father and son and we are the 3rd owners. The past year of owning the car ,it hasn't really been driven much,its very well looked after, Silver with black leather,sunroof,climate control etc,no rust. Realistically we are looking for £3250ono.

If you are interested you can send me an email on [email protected],cheers. I can send you pictures and more info.
 
Hi The Boss

Thanks for your note. Unfortunately, did not go ahead with it since when I got there to pick the car up, there were a number of things that we different to what was described. Pity since otherwise would have been good but "everything working" should mean "everything working".

The hunt for W140 or C140 continues!

Liiive-o, I dropped you a PM
 
Have u seen this one?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THE-FINEST-MERCEDES-W140-S500-WITHIN-THE-UNITED-KINGDOM_W0QQitemZ280291735175QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item280291735175&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

The guy is a bit 'flowery' in his descriptions, but he has an excellent ebay reputation..
 
It's certainly a nice enough looking car, although I've never been the biggest fan of silver (just my personal opinion) - I'd also have to loose that awful aftermarket sat-nav.....
 
Ive no idea price wise, but thats a lot of car for £3500. or £3250 if you offer?

Its huge and if you have no garage then silver cars always look smart.


Nice tank for the money.
 
This guy wants reporting to e-bay.
He has described the car "as new". With 145k miles, mismatched panels on the nearside and a service history that stops at 81k (9 times 9k) but deliberately worded to make it look like it has a full service history.....how can it be as new. How can he have a 100% feedback with exagerated claims like this?
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280291735175&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

I said:

"Dear bygone_mercedes,

Am I reading your lengthy decrtiption correctly - there is no service history since 91,000 miles?

The NS front door looks a different colour. Why is this? Has the car been in an accident & had a new door, doorskin or paint work?"

He said:

"Dear xxxxxxxxxxx!
As you have such an impeccable feedback record I will answer your somewhat curt email, otherwise to be honest I would not have bothered. I have stated the service history has 9 stamps covering half the recorded mileage. The previous owner is dying from a degenerative disease and has lost all documentation to support it's continued service history which was completed. Due to data protection it is impossible for me to find out any further, hence why I only stipulate as accurate, what I can prove. If you had read further and actually absorbed the description, you would have noted that I have stated that I welcome anyone to carry out their own inspection and that the cost of such will be reimbursed by ourselves should any problem be found with the vehicle, or the need for any work to be carried out to the vehicle. Search ebay and see how many sellers offer this to buyers - I think you will find that there are none that do. My integrity and reputation are paramount and I will never compromise them for gain. In answer to all your other questions please see our feedback or view our web site which is clearly shown on this listing. Do we sound the type of company to mislead or promote the type of Mercedes you have described? I go to enormous lengths to list all our Mercedes correctly, honestly and accurately in order that the potential buyer knows exactly what they are buying. Trust me there are few on this medium or elsewhere that do. This vehicle is exactly as described, we have spent in excess of £1000.00 (documented) to ensure it reaches it's new owner without fault or compromise. However as you sound unsure, please freely bid on all the other Mercedes that are out there, I am sure you will not be disappointed. Kindest Regards
Bygone Mercedes"

This guy must be getting paid by the word. A fair bit of bristling indignation & guff but he doesn't actually address my second question on the two tone NS at all.
 
I had a W/V140 chassis S500 LWB before my current S500 and enjoyed every minute of driving it. They belie their external size and are brilliant cars, provided they are in excellent condition.

And that is often where it goes wrong with older cars. The W140 is a complex car and stuffed with electronics. Any buyer should make sure that in this respect the car is in excellent condition and that everything (and I mean everything) is working absolutely correctly. If not, they'll quickly become frustrating and a money pit.

They have to be mechanically well maintained as well, obviously, and that does come at a cost. Make no mistake, these are not cheap cars to drive - what looks like a bargain at purchasing time might start to bite you more than you would have thought when it comes to keeping it on the road in safe and workable condition. A lot of people let themselves be tempted by the comfort and wonderful driving experience of the V8 powered flagships, but can't or won't put in the money needed to maintain them. So, they end up time and again on ebay or some other place for flogging stuff, and each time in slightly less good condition.

This one comes with lots of warning signs as others have already pointed out - so great care is advised.

Oh, and it's a SWB version for the riff raff. If you get an s-class, get a LWB and be wafted around in supreme comfort ;) :D.
 
C43AMG said:
I had the W126 560 SEL for five years from new and was going to buy the W140 when it came out. Compared to the 126 BARGE TANK and lots of other appropriate names where banded about and as i would have to look at it every day, i bought the new BMW 740iL much in the lines of the 126.

Then BMW did the same thing when they bought out the new model, thank goodness for the W220.

Each to his own.
Click to expand...

Same lines as me, went to buy a W140 thought it was too bulky so bought a BMW E38 740, new E65/66 was not my style, (to much in your face) so bought a W220.

Alan
 
Unfortunately, sellers like by-gone mercedes are everywhere. You start asking detailed questions about the W140/C140 and they get defensive and angry.

Is everything working?
Yes
Including the aircon
Needs a regas
Then it's not working?
No just needs a regas

B/S buddy.

A regas is £70 quid tops. A condenser is a whole lot more and an evaporator...well, Olly could plate the workshop in gold plate at the work that is needed to replace that little item!

That is the thing people forget - the cars are a fortune to run if you want to maintain them. If you have a door pump, evaporator and heater regulator/blower unit go, you may as well scrap the car...unless you want to try and mislead buyers.

*shakes head*
 
I said:

"Dear bygone_mercedes,

Thanks for your reply. Could you answer the second of the two questions I asked?

Regards."

He said:

"Dear xxxxxxxxx,

The vehicle has never been involved in any accidents (documentation to prove as listed)or had any panels changed. Full professional respray with the exception of roof, please see our web site for further details as to why we carry out such detail. Regards to your question of colour difference near side i can only put this down to light. The vehicle is immaculate. Kind regards

- bygone_mercede"

Can you get documentation to prove a car's never been in any accidents?

TBH I haven't the time to read the whole description. Does he allude to the reasons for a full respray?
 
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