Areas for improvement: Suspension / Air Con / Radiator
This is my first car and for me it was a dream come true, when I saw this baby on sale. At first I was looking for w124 coupe, but my friend who owns a 560 SEC (probably the one in best condition in Wales) managed to change my mind. It was the first car we went to see and as the body was in superb order (no rust at all, which in our climate and road conditions for so old car is extremely rare), I decided to buy it.
So what did I get for my money?:
Black leather interior, (heated) electric seats (with memory functions), cruise control, ASR, Air Con, Self-leveling hydraulic suspension, electric sunroof, 4X electric windows, heated rear window etc.
Comments:
- "There is no replacement for Displacement" V8 165kw is superb, compared to the Golf we have in family. 200 km/h is no problem.
- Everyone wonders how silent it is. Absolutely incomparable to mid-class cars.
- It has the looks! New S-classes are too common nowadays here. But this baby is rare and turns heads. Germans say that this one of the last Mercs made, where engineers and designers (not accountants) were in charge and one can see and feel it. both interior and exterior has high quality and style in every detail.
- It could be said that it is over-engineered, as every minor mechanism can be fully disintegrated (and fixed), if needed. Therefore it is relatively cheaper to repair (compared to newer cars). I do minor repairs by myself and I'm an office rat, not a mechanic :)
- Not the cheapest car to maintain. Mine was built 17 years ago and it starts to show. But taken into consideration the age, build quality is truly superb. These cars are built to last.
- All in all: anyone who plans to get one, it is expensive to maintain and it doesn't pay off if you need a car to get you from A to B. If you need something that can do that in style and comfort, it is PERFECT!
Some minor issues:
Suspension needed serious repairs, (around 1500€ spent on it).
The Curtain on back window is not working.
Rear left window (electrical), is not working.
Radiator is slightly leaking (has not been replaced yet).
Air Con need refilling.
The running costs for Mercedes S Class 420 V8 Automatic are normal
Other Mercedes S Class
Related car reviews
Review Bmw 7 Series 4.4L V8 Semi-Automatic 2004
This car was a beauty to own, but I traded it in for a 2006 BMW X5 4.8is (you might find my review in that section). this car accelerated with gobs of...
Submitted by yangeroo
Review Mercedes S Class 3.2 6 cilinder Automatic Automatic 2003
The 2002 S class I have is the 2003 facelift model with the bi-xenon headlights, chrome wood line and COMAND APS. It is a very good looking car, peopl...
Submitted by hottentot
Review Rolls-royce Silver Shadow 6.75 litre V8 Automatic 1972
I bought this as a fun summer car, and it's turned into a really fun daily driver! I really dread putting it away for the winter. Even though it is...
Submitted by greg222
Review Ford Mondeo 1.8 petrol Manual 2000
Overall excellent - reliable, and drives very well. Relaxed and cruises beautifully on motorway, plus the steering is very 'precise' and the chassis ...
Submitted by yangeroo
