Values aside, how does the experience actually differ?   We have a short wheelbase six cylinder example of each.   A 1979 280SE and a 1986 300SE.   Both cars occupied the same place in the Mercedes-Benz line up, with the first generation W126 280SE coming in between.

Our W116 is a 1979 model, the last full year of production.   It is a highly optioned car, as run out models typically were.    Being a late car, it has the more desirable velour carpets and dash wood.   As an Australian delivered example, it suffers from the ADR27A pollution controls, which hampers performance a fair bit as compared to the standard model.    On the plus side, it has self-leveling rear suspension, which offers a great ride.

The W126 is a 1986 model – the first full year of production of the second generation W126.   In Australia, at least in 1986 and 1987, many features that would be standard were still optional.   The car has MB-Tex seats, no sunroof and was originally sold with plastic hubcaps.   Being an Australian deliverd car, it has self-leveling suspension, burl walnut trim, rear reading lights etc that were not commonly found on the standard 300SE.

Styling

While the W126 is a facelift of the W116, their styling looks quite different at first glance.    The W126 is a bit of a mix between modern and classic, with the plastic bumpers, side cladding and a more streamlined shape.   The W116 is pure classic with lashings of chrome.   Even though there is not much in it, the W116 looks long, low and mean.    It has nice touches like the fully chromed door handles.     The double bumper bars are polarizing to some, and date the design, but add to the classic look.      They are both extremely handsome cars, and look good in both the colours here. The W126 is timeless, but I do enjoy the classic look of the W116.

Both cars have attractive alloys, but when hubcaps are specified, the W116 wins hands down.   Those plastic hubcaps on the W126 are not nearly as classy as the painted W116 hubcaps.

Practicality

This is one where the W126 wins hands down.   It is a much more feasible proposition to run a W126 as a daily driver than it is for a W116.    The W126, especially the second generation is much better for rust than the W116.   Even W116s that have been garaged all their life still develop rust in various areas, and cars kept outside disintegrate before your eyes.      The W126 also has ABS as standard, and better A/C.     The W116 was available with ABS from mid 1978, but it was never offered by Mercedes-Benz Australia.

The interiors of both cars are equally hard wearing, given they are both MB-Tex.     Later 300SEs were standard leather and they can be hard to find with decent interiors as few owners conditioned the leather.    The W116 suffers from a lack of rear legroom, wheras the W126 short wheelbase is about the perfect size.      The W116 has a noticeably better turning circle than the W116.   The seats are also more comfortable on the W116.

The W126 is lighter, and has better aerodynamics so has far better fuel efficiency.   The second generation cars in particular, as KE-Jetronic is more efficient than K-Jetronic.

Parts availability is also better for the W126, although its a more complex car with more to go wrong.

Driving feel

The W116 is slightly better here.   It feels a bit more connected to the road and gives you more feedback.    The advantage of the W126 is that its far quieter on the motorway.   The extra aerodynamics really pay off here.     The wind and engine noise in particular are much less noticeable.    In some ways the W126 is too quiet, you can’t really hear the engine at all.    The W126 is also softer – you can feel the influence of the American market on how the car is set up.

The W126 is much lighter, the 300SE in particular.   An early car like this weighs in at around 1500kg, meaning you can toss it around roundabouts with abandon.   The W116 is about 200kg heavier.

Generally I prefer the W116 unless you’re doing mostly motorway driving.    The W116 is just more fun, but less refined.     They are both great cars to drive.

Performance

The W126 has the edge.   The M110 never coped well with emissions, whereas the M103 just shrugs them off.    150hp vs 180 is a pretty huge difference, especially with the W116 being the heavier car by a fair margin.   Having said that, the gearing is better in the W116, so the real world difference is not quite as great.

The same is the case with the v8 engines too, so not limited to the six.

Interior

Slight edge to the W116 here.     The W126 took the W116 concept and further refined it.    In some ways its nicer, but in other ways it lost some of the nice little touches, such as the chromed window switches.    The pinstripe Becker radios were some of the classiest of the era.       The W116 instrument cluster is also easier to read, and the seats are more comfortable.    I also prefer the fox eared headrests to the W126 units.     The velour carpet W116s are also nicer than the W116 in that the rears still have proper separate carpets.   On the W126 there is a modern style moulded carpet that doesn’t have the same luxury feel with the soft underlay.

The standard air conditioning controls are simpler than the climate control that was standard on the W126.       The W126 just feels a bit more refined, and has some newer touches in the cabin, such as electric passengers mirror.    It also has a rear passengers vent, outside temperature display and other modern conveniences.

Conclusion – W116 280SE vs W126 300SE

They are both excellent cars and there is not much to separate them.   The W116 has the classic look and a more engaging driving experience.    The W126 is more modern and refined, and bit less connected.     The W126 is far better suited to daily, or semi daily use.    The W116 is probably a better classic. If you can’t decide, have one of each. That is what I did.

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For the purposes of this test, I have assembled some contenders, based on data from www.automobile-catalog.com.   This comparison assumes the cars are in as-new condition.  Obviously a car with low compression and a bad transmission is going to be slower.

Here are the contenders:

280SEL for the Swiss market

The Swiss market had very similar emissions laws to Australia, Japan and the USA during the early 80s.   The result of this was that the injected M110 engine was reduced to 118KW.   The big difference is that unlike Australia where the 280SE was offered, in Switzerland the heavier 280SEL was made available.   Our test car is from 1983.    These emissions laws increased the fuel consumption at the same time as blunting the performance.

Speeds are very low in Switzerland and the cars were probably used for chauffeur duty, meaning the impact other than fuel consumption was probably irrelevant.

380SEL for North America

The USA emissions laws had a profound impact on the 380SEL.   So much so that it is incredible to see a V8 in this line up.   Mercedes also persisted with the 2.47 rear axle ratio, likely because of the CAFE fuel consumption regulations.   To add insult to injury, these early cars were equipped with a single row timing chain that could break without warning.     North American models also came fully equipped resulting in the lowest power to weight ratio of any petrol W126.

Our test car is also from 1983.

280S

The 280S was the entry level model of the W126 range.   I understand it was largely sold in countries with poor fuel and where it may be hard to find people who could service a fuel injection system.     It it has the lowest power and worst fuel consumption of any of the cars tested.   However, it is lighter than some of our other contenders and has a shorter rear end ratio.   Our test car is from 1985.

I used to see a few of these during the 90s as private imports in Australia.   It has been years since I have seen one.

1985 300SD North America

The 300SD is a very popular car because of the incredible longevity of the engine and its great fuel consumption.    It is almost unfair to compare it to the other cars for this reason.   However, it is the slowest W126 by a fair margin.   It is just that it has so many other redeeming features that still make it a great choice if you live in North America.    The photo below is of a car that I saw in a junkyard while living in America.  I still have the owners manual.    Our test car is from 1985, as this year had the tallest rear end ratio.

260SE Catalyst

The 260SE replaced the 280S in the line up.   It is most popular in countries with high taxes on engines with larger displacement.    Despite its smaller displacement it is the fastest W126 in our line up.    Our test car is from 1991 and is fitted with a catalytic converter, as many from the series 2 range were.

1987 300SDL (USA)

The second generation diesel engines were far smoother and more powerful than the venerable OM617.   They also had much better fuel economy.   The only downside is that they are not quite as robust.   They can still go big mileages, but the heads have been known to crack.

These are still an excellent car and in my mind the most desirable on the list.   There is a great video by Pierre Hedary that is worth watching.

Conclusion

While technically the winner of this challenge is the 300SD, the real winner is the 380SEL (USA).   The diesels are a trade off between performance and fuel consumption/longevity.   It is incredible that the performance of the 380 suffered so much due to emissions.    It is probably why these cars are now rare in the USA – once the second generation models came out there was really no comparison.    The only first generation model that is still common in the USA is the diesel, as a result of its cult following.

None of these cars are bad, in some ways this is a particularly silly test.   But it is interesting to compare the different models and work out who should be crowned the slowest W126.

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The model range is quite complex and the car had the longest production run of any S-Class meaning there is a whole range of cars to choose from.    There are three basic body styles:  the standard wheelbase saloon, long Wheelbase saloon and the coupe.   Generally the mechanical specification was much the same between the three body styles in any given year.    This W126 buyers guide attempts to outline some of the key considerations in choosing a W126.    The picture above shows all three body styles – a 1987 560SEC, a 1986 300SE and a 1987 560SEL.

The W126 also had two main series.   The first series was produced for model years 1980-1985.   The second from 1986-1991.    In addition, there was an interior refresh for the 1989 model year.    The difference between the series 1 and series 2 car is more lots of small improvements rather than a major overhaul.   The only big change was the phase out of the venerable M110 DOHC six for the new M103 SOHC six.   The M103 was easier to make pass emissions.

This W126 buyers guide is not specific to any one country, although it does focus more on models available in Australia and ignores the diesel models found only in North America.  For specific details about the models sold in the Australian market, see this article.  This buyers guide does not focus much on price which is covered in this price guide.

Which is the best W126 to buy?

The condition of the car is far more important than the model.    A 280SE in well maintained condition is a far better car than a tatty 560SEC.    The tatty car will cost you more to run and will never be as good as nice one no matter what you spend on it, unless you do a full restoration.   It will also dive like a truck and constantly annoy you with all its problems.

The first thing to look at is rust.   The W126 does not have the propensity to rust that the 70s model do, but there are a few areas to look out for.   The first is under the rear window.    When you open the boot, look under the rear screen.   I’ve seen cars that on the outside look great, but they are so rusty here that you don’t even need to put your head into the boot to see the major rust holes around the boot opening.   This is here in Australia, where rust is not the problem that it is in Europe or north America.

If there is no obvious rust, look up underneath through the openings in the sheet metal.   A small amount of rust is fixable, but if there is major rust here, walk away from the car.    The window seal gets old and lets water in.   If the car has not been parked in a garage or carport, it will probably have rust here by now.   The picture below shows minor rust breaking out in this section on my 560SEC.  The coupe is more susceptible, due to the angle of the rear screen.

You’ll also want to look under the car, especially in the wheel wells.  In the front you can get rust where the guide rod bushings are, and both front and rear where the wheels flick up dirty water.   The front guards can rust near where they touch the bumpers on either side, just in front of the wheels, as can the wheel arches.  This is illustrated below.

There are still enough good W126’s out there that there is no point messing with a rusty car.

Next is overall mechanical condition.   These cars are reliable when properly maintained, but a tired car with a smokey engine can be an expensive proposition to put right.    You’re also going to have to budget a fair amount for deferred maintenance on a car that has no service history.   You will want to see evidence of proper care of the car, at least over the last couple of years.

Do not neglect the interior as well.   Many interior parts are NLA, so you’ll need to resort to used parts if you want to properly sort it out.

Are there any models to avoid?

As outlined before, condition is the most important factor, but that being equal there are a few models I would avoid.    The first is 1981-1983 380SE/SEL/SEC originally sold in North America or Japan.   These cars had a single row timing chain when new and were so detuned they could hardly pull the skin of a rice pudding.    Despite what you read on the internet, the models sold in other countries did not have this problem.

I would also avoid cars equipped with ASD/ASR/ASR II, which was Mercedes first attempt at traction control.    This was available as option during series 2 production, but much more common on 1990 and 1991 cars.   If this system fails, the car is not drivable and it can be very expensive to set right.   The W126 does not need traction control with its tall gearing and second gear start.   ASR cars also can’t have a limited slip diff, which is otherwise standard on the 560.  It is easy to tell if a car has ASR as there is a little indicator in the middle of the speedometer which lights up if the wheels spin.   It looks like a small black square when not lit up.

Finally I would not bother with the 280S or 260SE.   Unless the car is a time warp, or has sentimental value they are underpowered.   They are also rarely seen these days.

It is also worth looking very suspiciously at modified cars.    There are few modifications that improve a W126.  The w126 wasn’t a clean sheet design, it was an evolution of the W116, further refining the concept.  Especially by the series 2, these were highly refined cars with a good balance between comfort, performance, handling etc.

It is surprising how many cars out there have been fitted with big wheels and/or lowered.   I’ve driven a few of these and it does not make the car ‘sporty’, it just means dead handling, tramlining and more unsprung weight.    Often these wheels have the wrong offset impacting the steering and suspension geometry.   I’ve bought two cars that were unmodified besides big wheels and the difference in the driving experience when they were removed was amazing.   The W126 should have a comfortable and supple suspension.  These modifications also increase suspension wear.

You can sharpen the W126 handling with 16″ wheels in the right offset and HD shocks, but too much and the ride is ruined.   The W126 is a big comfy car, not a sports car.    They are surprisingly tossable when set up right.  I also think the stock 15″ wheels on the series 2 cars work really well on a series 1.

Modifications to avoid also include LPG conversions.     Many of these were poorly done and don’t work well with the fuel injection these cars came with.     I’ve seen some shocking conversions over the years.

Series 1 or Series 2?

The series 2 cars have a number of nice improvements over the series 1.   These are priced into the values of the car and a series 2 is often worth double that of a series 1.   This price difference can make a nice series 1 car a better buy overall.   The Series 1 also has the M110 engine which is probably the most robust.  This and the other engines will be covered later in this W126 buyers guide.    It is far better to buy a nice series 1 car than a tatty series 2.

The main differences on the series 2 cars (outside the engines) are as follows:

• Bigger brakes.  These do make a difference in the stopping power of the cars.
• 15″ wheels.   I find the ‘manhole cover’ wheels go particularly well with these cars.
• Tilting function on the sunroof.    This is a nice improvement, but adds maintenance as the tilting arms break.   Button is now near the exterior light.
• Smooth body cladding vs ribbed.    This is just a visual change.
• Improved window switches.     The older ones show wear very quickly.
• Paint Colours.   Generally the series 2 colours were more conservative and buyers eschewed the more interesting ones.
• Improved climate control.    Minor improvements, which also add complexity.  There is now a control unit for the compressor for example.
• Interior update from late 1988.

The late series 2 cars (89-91) have a different interior.   Most people prefer it although I don’t like the design of the update door cards.  The updated interior is known as the ‘soft’ leather.  Having owned both, I didn’t notice it being any softer but the seats and door cards are of a different design.  The seat design is far more modern – no long pleated sections.   There is also a provision for more speakers in the doors if the right options are selected.     In my view this interior change is a matter of personal preference.   These cars do have a small price premium over the earlier interior.

There are a lot of minor changes that are not material to the enjoyment of the cars that I will not list out here.     In particularly the electrics changed quite a lot.

The series 2 cars are also more likely to have more options fitted.   For example, Airbags were available in series 1, but not common until late in series 2 production.     This means the series 2 cars are generally more complex than the series 1 cars, especially in the later years.     You’re more likely to find a car with MB Tex, no sunroof, manual seats etc on a series 1 car than a series 2.  It was during W126 production where Mercedes-Benz started to go from more spartan, well engineered cars to fitting luxuries.      Even inside series 2 this was the case with a 1991 300SE probably having more gadgets than a 1986 560SEL.

Which body style?

The W126 was offered in three body styles.   Coupe (SEC), standard wheelbase (SE) and long wheelbase (SEL).  The diesel models are known as SD and SDL.  The SEC is a four seat car and the rear seats are suitable for occasional use by adults.    It has the shortest wheelbase and the sportiest feel of all the cars.    It also has a different grille treatment with the front looking more like an SL.   The coupe is generally valued at 3x that of a comparable saloon and was only offered with v8 engines.     There are a lot of coupe specific interior pieces which are much harder to find.  The headlining in the coupe also starts to sag, a problem not shared with the saloons.

The two saloons differ in that the long wheelbase cars have 140mm of extra legroom for the rear passengers.    The size of the S class has generally grown over the years, so a standard W126 is actually longer than the long wheelbase W108 or W109.    The SE has enough room for adults to be comfortable in the rear.    The long wheelbase cars mean they can really stretch out and will be comfortable on long road trips.  The picture below shows the legroom in a LWB car with the drivers seat set for a very tall driver.   In this case the power reclining seat is in recline mode.

The extra length of the LWB cars is quite noticeable when parking but not apparent during normal driving.   It is quite a long car at 5160mm and may not fit in some garages.   It is generally easier to find the bigger engine cars with a long wheel base and the smaller engines with a short wheel base.  I prefer the short wheelbase cars, but I prefer the bigger engines more.

What about the engines?

Outside the north america only diesels, there were four main engines offered in the W126.   The M110 and M103 straight sixes and the M116 and M117 V8s.

The sixes

The M110 was offered as the 280S, 280SE and 280SEL from 1980-1985.    The 280S was equipped with a carburetor and is now rarely seen.    The 280SE however, was the most popular W126 sold.   The M110 is the most robust engine of the line up.   Assuming proper maintenance the head will probably have to come off at around 350,000km, but the bottom end is extremely robust.    The earlier cars had a York A/C compressor which is power hungry, but rebuildable.   1984-1985 went to a rotary which was more efficient.     This engine is probably going to be the most cost effective even if it is a little thirsty as all things being equal maintenance is likely to be lower.

The m110 did not fare well in markets with strict emissions laws the power losses were considerable.    This includes Australia, where I live.   Locally delivered cars can be a little slow but private imports are quite lively.

The M110 was replaced by the M103 for the 1986 model year.     It’s major improvement was that the emissions version hardly lost any power.    It was offered as the 260SE, 300SE and 300SEL.    The 260SE was sold in countries with punitive taxes based on engine displacement.    I have only seen one example.   Most of these cars were the 300SE or SEL.

The M103 works best in an earlier model with few options and light weight.   My 86 model is such a car and feels more lively around town than a 420SEL.   The M103 needs to rev and the 300SE is geared with this in mind.      The M103 is not as robust as the M110 and is likely going to need a head gaskets and valve guide at around 150,000km.    The m103 cars work well as a city car especially if you’re willing to rev the engine.  The picture below shows an M103 in a 300SE.   The M103 cars are a lot lighter than the M110 cars.

Overall the sixes cost far less to own than the V8s, but that saving is not in petrol consumption.  Unless you drive like you have an egg under the accelerator, there is not much difference in consumption between the six and the eight.  In some cases, the eight can actually be more efficient than the six because it does not have to work very hard.  In any case, petrol bills are generally a small part of W126 ownership unless it is used for big mileages.

The V8s

The v8’s were the M116 and M117 engines.   The M116 and M117 are basically identical except the M117 has a taller block, giving a longer stroke and hence more displacement.    In the W126 only the alloy versions of these engines are offered, the 3.8 and 5.0 in the first series and the 4.2, 5.0 and 5.5 in the second series.

In both cases these engines cost significantly more than the sixes to own.   The difference is not in fuel but maintenance.    Every 100-150,000km the V8s require the timing chain, chain guides and camshaft oilers to be replaced.   The chain guides are made from plastic and once the chain starts to stretch, it can break a guide.  The broken guide can cause the chain to jump a tooth causing valves to hit pistons.    Many v8 w126’s have been scrapped due to this failure as the cost to rectify is more than the value of the car, unless the owner does the work.

Doing the preventative maintenance costs a couple of thousand dollars and if you buy a car without evidence of this job being done, it needs to be ASAP.     This failure can happen without warning.     In addition, at around 350,000km the heads are likely going to need to come off to do valve guides.   The cost to remove and machine both heads is significant.   The alloy block also means extra care re-fitting the heads.  This job can sometimes be delayed if the engine is well maintained by just fitting valve stem seals, but the guides do wear and will have to be done eventually.

If this maintenance is carried out then these engines can run forever.  There is no difference in maintenance cost between the M116 and M117 and many parts are shared.    If you’re buying a V8 at around these mileages and no evidence of the jobs done, it should be factored into the purchase price.

The picture below shows an M117 560 having the timing chain and guides done.

The engines of the second series are improved from the first.    More detail can be found here on my article on the 560 engine.  The EZL (ignition module) on the later engines is a bit more problematic and can fail.   It can be difficult and expensive to find another one.    They can be rebuilt.

The all alloy V8s as found in the W126 are significantly more fuel efficient than the iron block V8s as found in models like the 107 and 116.

Other considerations

The W126 climate control works really well when it works.   When it doesn’t it can be very expensive to fix.   The parts are expensive and the system is complex.    If the system is not working, then it will likely cost thousands of dollars to put it right.    There are a number of articles on this site of my work to get the system reliable in both my 300SE and 560SEC.  By now most cars will need new vacuum pods to control the air flaps.   There is a lot of labour required to change these.   It is easy to tell if they are needed as the air will not come out of the vents that it should.   Compressors and climate control units are not cheap either.

Many W126 were fitted with self-leveling rear suspension.   This system is very reliable, but if the ride should become harsh,  the accumulators are likely dead and should be replaced ASAP.   The accumulators are not very expensive, but the struts are now NLA.   Driving around with bad accumulators puts a lot of stress on the struts.    Here in Australia, it looks like all W126 models were equipped with self-leveling.   Do not take the car to a regular suspension place or mechanic that does not know the system.   They will want to rip it out, at a far higher cost than simply fixing the very reliable system that is already there.

The odometers in these cars are known to fail.   It is a very easy fix, but neglected cars are left with broken odometers for years.   A broken odometer generally means that the car is not serviced properly as the service intervals are not tracked.   An owner who is on the ball will fix this quickly.   It also means that the number on a W126 odometer is completely meaningless unless backed up by service history.   Not only do they fail but it is laughably easy to wind them back.

The plastic radiators used in the W126 have a weakness where the neck can snap off.   There is an upgraded version now available with metal reinforcement in the neck, but some cheaper versions do not have it.   These engines do not take kindly to being overheated.   The driveshaft flex discs can also wear – particularly in the V8s.   If they look in any way cracked or perishing, they must be replaced.

The transmissions (The 722.3) offered in these cars is robust and shifts well.   They all start in second gear unless you manually select 1st in the shift gate.   You should be able to feel the shifts and the car will move to top gear quickly.   The fluid should not be too dark or have a burnt smell.   These transmissions are sensitive to fluid level and as they age leaks can mean they are run below the minimum fluid level eventually causing damage.   If they are maintained well they will eventually need a rebuild – the sixes first as they have to shift more.    For the 1989 model year the transmission on the V8’s received some internal improvements.

Many cars were fitted with after market ‘chrome’ wheel arch trims.   These were not fitted by the factory.   They can trap moisture behind them casing rust in the wheel arches.   Where a car is fitted with these, it is important to check in behind the wheel arches for rust.

At least here in Australia there is a stigma against privately imported cars.    Now even the newest W126’s are approaching 30 years old, this makes little sense.     How the car is looked after is much more of a determinant of condition than where it was originally sold.    I’ve seen rust free privately imported cars with full service history and terminally rusty Australian cars with no history.    It is more important to inspect the car correctly than worry about its origins.     Nobody services a w126 at the dealer anymore, so dealers turning their nose at the car is of no consequence.      This was also the case when I lived in the USA.    There is also just as much chance as a local car having a wound back odometer as an import.

In both cases (Australia and the USA), the privately imported cars generally offered stronger performance and a more interesting set of options.  The same care needs to be taken to check the condition given the age of the car.   The website www.datamb.com is a good resource for checking the origins and options on any W126 after 1983.

The 5 most common models

There was more than 20 W126 models offered for sale.   This W126 buyers guide reviews some of the most popular.  The advice for the coupes is pretty similar to the saloon with the same engine.

280SE (1980-1985)

The 280SE is the cheapest way of getting into W126 ownership and assuming a good example probably has the lowest ownership costs.    The M110 engine is bullet proof.   Many of these cars will be equipped with MB-Tex interiors and fewer options than later models.  Simpler can be better!   The Australian versions can be a little sluggish off the line, but go well once revved.      The value of these cars has been low for years, so avoid neglected or tired examples.

380SEL (1980-1985)

The 380 offered significantly more power and the LWB version was quite common with this engine.   Avoid LWB versions that did hire car duty.  Many of these cars were white.   The Australian versions had a 3.27 rear end so they are surprisingly quick off the line.   Likely to have far more options than a 280, for example a power rear seat in a 380SEL.      Very early 380s had a different engine that was more powerful, but these cars are now very rare.  Can take a while to find nice cars, but they are worth a look when they come up.

It is still common to find 380SELs with a basic spec like manual seats, plastic hubcaps and so on.   These can be much simpler cars than the later ones.    the 380SE was also sold but is not as common.

Ignore information on the internet about USA models unless you live there.   The engine with only 115KW and a single row timing chain was unique to North America and Japan.

300SE (1986-1991)

The 300 is probably the best city car of the line up with lower ownership costs than an V8 and good performance in the city.    The engine needs to rev to get the best out of it.    The cars from the first couple of years tend to be quite spartan – in contrast with the later cars that are often optioned right up.   Can be a good buy as they are less valuable than the V8 cars.     The picture below shows an early 300SE with MB-Tex, manual seats and no sunroof.    The power difference between emissions versions as sold in Australia, USA etc and private imports is quite small.

420SEL (1986-1991)

The 420 is the efficient highway cruiser of the bunch.   It has a very tall rear end ratio which makes for very relaxed cruising and surprisingly frugal petrol consumption.    This leads to the inexplicable situation where the emissions 420 (as sold in Australia, Switzerland, Japan and the USA) feels slower than the 300 around town, but is much more fuel efficient.  It is also smooth and quiet whereas the six likes to rev.   On the highway the torque of the v8 comes into its own.    These cars have survived well and there are normally nice ones to choose from.   If you’re looking to find a W126 in pristine condition, it will probably be easiest to find one in the 420SEL.

Here in Australia, these cars came standard with many options ticked, so there is little difference between a 420 and a 560 other than the engine.  Things like automatic climate control, power seats, self-leveling, alloy wheels, sunroof, leather steering wheel and more were all standard.   In other markets that was not the case, so privately imported cars are less likely to have automatic climate control, self-leveling and other things that were standard for Australia.   Non-emissions cars also got a useful power boost in 1988 due to a higher compression motor.

560SEL (1986-1991)

The flagship of the series.   Effortless torque both in town and on the open road.   There is a penalty at the bowser, but the engine moves the car around so effortlessly that it is not as much as you would think.  In Australia, the main difference over the 420 other than the engine was the reclining rear seat, fanfare horn, dual snorkel air cleaner and limited slip diff.  Not nearly as common as the 300 or 420 as the AUD$50k price difference when new was hard to justify.  In today’s market there is only a small premium over the 420 which in my view is worth paying.   It will just take longer to find one.

Generally when doing a VIN search the options list on a 560 will look really small.    That is because most of the options were standard from the factory.   On the other models this was not the case.  You could even order a 420 or 500 with next to no options if you wanted in Germany.   The local distributors like MBUSA and MB Australia ordered their models with many options to justify the prices in the market.

The emissions version with 180KW was sold in Australia, the USA and Japan but other markets got more powerful versions.    The picture below is my 1987 560SEL.

The ultimate daily driver

While these cars are super rare in Australia, and I have not driven them, I contend that the ultimate daily driver in the W126 range would be a late (1988+) 420SE or 500SE with the high compression engine.   These cars were not sold new in Australia and only a very small number have been privately imported.

The 500 in particular has 195KW in this specification.   It is coupled with a 2.24 rear end so I would fit a first gear start relay.

Conclusion

The W126 may be one of the most usable classic Mercedes available.    They offer a comfortable smooth ride, classic looks and a car from a time when comfort and quality was more important than gadgets and lap times.

The W126 was a very expensive car when new and is not a cheap car to maintain today.   They are simple enough to work on yourself, and the factory manuals are well worth the investment.   There will be no depreciation, so you will end up with a car that will last forever if properly maintained and drive better than many new cars on the road.     I drive a lot of modern rentals and am always happy to come back to my W126.   I also find myself moving my wife’s 2007 Mercedes out of the way to drive the W126.

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Below is a Mercedes-Benz Australia price list from July 1991.     There are a couple of interesting things that can be seen from this list.    Firstly, the 190E 1.8 which is still quite expensive.  It was replaced by the Australia only 180E that slotted in below a luxury car tax threshold making it an attractive proposition.

The second is how expensive the high end models were at the time.    I was driving my 560SEL the other day and trying to work out what the extra $50,000 got you on top of a 420SEL.    In the end I came up with the following for 1987:

• A more powerful engine (180 vs 150KW)
• Power reclining rear seat as standard.
• Limited slip diff as standard.
• Fanfare horn.
• Cigar lighters in the rear.
• Becker CD player (vs Becker Cassette player).
• Memory electric seats for driver and passenger as standard,
• 260km/h speedometer.
• Dual snorkel air cleaner.
• Anti-squat/Anti-dive suspension.

The 420SEL as sold in Australia had most things as standard including self leveling rear suspension, sunroof, leather, alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, power seats and so on.  A fair number of the features above could also be optioned on a 420.   While in today’s used market the small extra premium to own the 560SEL makes a lot of sense, that $50,000 would have bought you an apartment in Sydney.      One can only presume that most of that $50,000 was pure profit for Mercedes-Benz.

In 1991, you could buy a new large (1100+m2) block of land in Western Sydney (Penrith) for $60,000 or a house and land package for $99,950.   The same house and land would now cost around $1m.

Looking at the tax alone on a 560SEC – it is almost enough to buy a 190E 1.8 pre-tax!    The combined original price of my three W126 cars was over half a million dollars back then and 30 years later they were worth pennies on the dollar.

The other big change since 1991 is that nobody leases a luxury car at 16% anymore.

Comparing to today, the price for a 2020 500SL is $292,500.     An S560L is $309,900.    An E300 is $129,600.    These examples show how much cheaper in real terms the cars are today.    The Mercedes-Benz Australia price list from 1991 is certainly an eye-opener.

The models sold in Australia were all highly optioned, as evidenced in the original spec sheets (pictured below).   This was one way Mercedes-Benz Australia justified the high prices as compared to other countries.   Local rules also meant Australian models could be quite different to those sold in the rest of the world.

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At about 3pm on friday afternoon I set out on my 560SEC roadtrip.   As I mentioned in the last meeting, I chose the southerly route to avoid some bad weather.    A 560SEC is a great roadtrip car, especially for 35 hours of driving over a weekend.   The car is smooth, fast and comfortable.   On the open road it is efficient enough to not require constant fueling.    I found that the range of the fuel tank was pretty aligned to my need to stop for bathroom breaks!

The W126 is superior to many modern cars for a long roadtrip.  Modern cars with their big wheels, low profile tyres and hard sports seats are not nearly as optimised for long distance cruising as the SEC with more comfortable seats, regular tyres and the ability to smooth out some of the bumps on the road.    While I didn’t need it on this trip, it also has a full size spare tyre instead of a space saver or repair kit.

The map above shows the route I planned to take.   The plan for day 1 was to get to Arizona before stopping for the night.   I managed to get to Holbrook AZ, which is about 550 miles.   Getting a good mileage under my belt on the first afternoon was important to make the trip viable in a single weekend.    Other than getting out of LA, I did not have any major delays on the first night.

I stayed in a fairly standard roadsize motel – the “Economy Inn”.    It was late at night and I chose something that looked halfway decent off the interstate.    Turns out I made a mistake as the next morning I noticed 100m up the road there was a “Wigwam Motel”   The Wigwam models were built in the 30s and 40s along route 66 and you get to sleep in an individual cabin that is shaped like a Tipi.   It would have been cool to stay in this piece of American history.

Day two is when I really broke the back of my 560SEC roadtrip, covering over 1,000 miles in the day.   I stopped for lunch in Amarillo Texas after passing the pink highways in Albuquerque.   I was expecting Amarillo to have more of a Texas/Frontier town feel about it, but it felt like any other mid-size american city other than the portion sizes at my lunch stop!

Being disciplined with what I ate and drank was how I was able to cover these distances safely.  No caffeine and no sugary foods.   I drank bottled water and snacked on things like nuts along the way.   Caffeine might keep you awake to a point but the crash will come later.

Along the way, I had a slight problem in the Texas Panhandle.  There was a wreck or breakdown on the interstate that stopped traffic for a while.   It was really hot and I was stuck in the red light of the fuel tank at this time.   In the end a few of us had to drive down a grassy embankment onto a service road to get off the highway and get around the problem.   The 560SEC was able to do this just as easily as the F150s it was surrounded by.

I made good time through Oklahoma, the traffic moved quickly and the roads were good.   I ended up staying somewhere in central Missouri after covering around 1,100 miles.     Again, I stayed in a budget motel along the way.    The 560SEC continued to perform well – no burning of oil or any problems to report.    The car was getting pretty dirty, but holding up well.  The drug dealer wheels were still terrible.

To be concluded in part 3.

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My plan was to buy a nicer car to drive in the summer and then use the crashed, rusty 560SEC as a winter car until it died.   Little did I know that it would still be soldiering on 2.5 years later when I eventually left Michigan and returned to Australia.   The advantage of another 560SEC was that the original car could also serve as a rolling parts car.

I used to travel a lot back in those days.  About a week before a week long trip to Southern California, I noticed a nice eBay 560SEC.   The car was a 1988 model in 040 Black and a Tan interior.   It was high mileage (182,000 miles / 293,000 km) but looked in excellent condition.   I can’t remember if I spoke to the seller before bidding, but I ended up owning the car for $3,750.  I got the car that cheap because of the high miles but also because it had gaudy drug dealer wheels and gold badges.    These are both easy things to fix.   The car was originally from Palm Desert so most of those miles were highway.

The seller was a dealer out of Orange County who agreed to pick me up from the airport Sunday night.     I had pre-ordered a GPS and a radar detector to be sent to my hotel.    Instead of the company paid for rental car, my plan was to use the eBay 560SEC to get around to all my meetings which would give me a feel of the cars ability to tackle a 2400 mile road trip.    Part of my agenda that week was a drive down to San Diego.  The mix of city and highway driving would be a proper test run.    Even better the car had 3-4 weeks of registration left.    Easily enough to get back to Michigan.

The car performed really well during the week in Southern California.   The A/C compressor was a bit noisy but otherwise OK.    One of the wheels was slightly out of balance and the car tramlined with the horrible aftermarket wheels.   The rear Cigarette lighter also melted my phone charger.  A quick stop at Walmart for a double adaptor for the front and a new one sorted that out.  While I was there I picked up a cassette deck adaptor for the Alpine cassette player!

The car was fitted with the original US headlights which are so dim to be almost unsafe.  Luckily the 1989 car had a set of European units – one of the first swaps I did when I got back.

As I won the car in March of 2009, there was still snow and ice on the northern routes back to Michigan.   The fastest way would have been to go up to through Utah and Colorado on I80.   I didn’t want to risk that route with these wheels and tyres, so I went for the slightly longer southern route.

This route required 35 hours of driving over the weekend.  It was going to take my eBay 560SEC through Northern Arizona, New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and finally Michigan.     It would have been much better to take 3-4 days to do this trip.   Unfortunately I had work commitments on the Monday back in Michigan.  I left Friday afternoon about 3pm for my mad dash across the country.

The story continues in part 2.

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I’m really not sure how that extends to the late 60s models such as the W108/W109.  So far I have not had issues with my W111.   This may be because that car was subject to an extensive restoration in the late 90s.  My other cars are survivors with more parts needs.

I understand minor trim pieces and the like being NLA.  The issue has now extended into core parts that effect either the working of critical systems of the car or even the ability to use it at all.   In this case I am referring to the W126 climate control pods and self-leveling rear suspension parts.    In some cases, these parts can never come back as the tooling has been destroyed.   This is apparently the case with the self-leveling struts – A senseless act of vandalism.  From what I understand it is also the case for some ignition lock tumblers.

I am going to start maintaining a list on this site of parts I discover as NLA and ideally people who have found an alternative source can comment.  I will update this article with the link once done.  From what I have read, The Mercedes-Benz club of the UK were able to pressure Daimler AG to re-instate the production of a part that would prevent owners from using their cars.   I seem to recall it was for the R129.

As Mercedes used to do a good job of this in the past, the aftermarket parts supply is not as good as it is on some other vehicles.   This situation seems odd as there is increasing interest in these classic vehicles and the profit margins on these parts would appear to be pretty good – the R&D was all paid for decades ago.

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These engines evolved over time with the final iteration coming between late 1985 and 1991.  The 560 was the largest M117 engine offered, although to be pedantic it is actually 5.5 litres.  The M117.968 was offered in in the second generation W126 and and is the subject of this article.   The M117.967 was offered in the R107 for USA, Japan and Australia with emissions controls.  It had less power than the contemporary 500 engine.

The story goes that Mercedes-Benz were concerned that the introduction of the BMW E32 7 series with its 220KW V12 placed the W126 at a competitive disadvantage.    The W140 was apparently delayed to respond with a V12 and the 560 was a short term competitive response.  The 560 is a longer stroke version of the 500.   At the same time larger valves were also specified.  The 560 offers more power than the 500, although the 500 has the reputation of being the smoother engine.

To meet the E32’s specs a high output version of the 560 engine was offered with 220kW.  This engine had a raised 10:1 compression ratio, different cams, ignition timing and an improved exhaust system.  It was coupled with a 2.65:1 rear end, allowing it to deliver similar performance to the E32.   The 2.65 contrasts with the 2.24 ratio used on the 500, and the 2.47 used on the 420.   At first, the high output version was an option, code 822.   It was offered from 10/1985-9/1987 and known as the ECE version.   My 1987 560SEC is the code 822/ECE version.

The ECE version was a start, but more and more markets in Europe required a catalytic converter.   Mercedes offered two versions for this case.   The KAT version had 180kW and had the Catalyst fitted as standard.  The RUF version was set up to allow the catalyst to be retrofitted later and had 200KW.   Both of these versions ran the standard 9:1 compression.

Mercedes still faced a challenge against the E32.   Many European markets required the RUF or KAT version.   Therefore, from 9/87 the RUF and KAT versions were revised.   Compression was raised to 10:1 and other changes introduced, such as knock sensors to retard the timing when necessary.    This made the ECE version redundant, as the RUF version now made 220KW.  The RUF version could still be retrofitted with a catalyst.    The revised KAT version now made 205KW, a useful improvement.  While not the subject of this article, the compression ratio changes were also applied to the 420 and 500 engines, providing a useful power boost.  The 10:1 engines either have HV or E10.0 after their engine numbers.   These improvements were not made to the engines for very strict markets such as Australia, the USA and Japan.

At the same time, code 822 was withdrawn.  This makes it harder to work out what version of the motor is installed in a given car.    You have to know what version was offered in each country and then check which country the car is from.   The main source of high compression cars in RHD countries is the UK and Hong Kong for example.  Increasingly, EU countries required a catalytic converter.

The 560 engine also offered an opportunity to provide more performance in markets with strict emissions laws.   The larger motor still allowed good performance even when de-tuned for idle emissions.    This was particularly important in the all important US market.    The 1984-85 500SEL in US spec only managed 137kW.   The move to the 560 allowed power to be raised to 178-180kW depending on market.   My 1988 and 1989 560SECs were both this version.  The primary destination of this 560 was the USA, but it also formed the basis of the Australian and Japanese versions, with minor changes.

One particularly restrictive element of the US and Japanese M117 is the exhaust system.   There is a crossover pipe that joins the output of both banks of cylinders into a single catalyst.  Upgrading this part of the exhaust system is the simplest way of gaining more power of this motor.  The Australian version did not get this exhaust.

This version of the 560 was equipped with a 2.47:1 rear end instead of the 2.65 used in other 560s.  This was probably due to the US Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations.   The CAFE regulations imposed fines on manufacturers based on the average fuel consumption of their entire range.

Unlike the other 560 engines, the emissions version never had the compression ratio revisions.   It was the same story with the M116 420.  The rest of world 420 had the compression rise but the emissions version did not.

It was this emissions engine that was the only 560 available in the R107 as the M117.967.   The 560SL was only offered in Australia, USA and Japan.   It is slightly lower in power than the W126 version as the exhaust was even more restricted.  This 560 is referred to as the 117.967.   The use of this engine version is why it is less powerful than the contemporary 500SL.   The big advantage of the emissions engine is that it can run lower octane (91) petrol.

There is some confusion over the exact power ratings of these emissions engines.   The USA workshop manual lists the Swiss and Australian version at 178kW and the USA and Japan version at 180kW.   However, the official spec sheet that was included for the Australian versions lists it as 182kW and with 400Nm of torque, as does the 1987 technical data book.  I am inclined to trust the technical data book and spec sheet.   The exhaust is less restrictive for one in the Australian version.  There is also no EGR.

The differences between the engine types are extensive:

Exhaust

The high output versions had ‘tri-y’ exhaust headers.   Essentially the tri-y setup consisted of four piece manifolds that joined under the car into a dual exhaust system next to the transmission.   The mid output versions had ‘euro log’ exhaust headers which was a single manifold for each side, each with a pipe under the car to the exhaust system. When catalysts were fitted, there were two.   The final option was the restrictive system where a crossover pipe behind the engine linked the two manifolds together to enter the single catalytic converter.    The KAT/RUF cars have an oxygen sensor.

The engine photo clearly shows the exhaust manifold from the ‘tri-y’ setup.

The photo below shows the setup used in the North American version and most likely emissions controlled Japanese version. The crossover pipe and single catalyst can clearly be seen.

The regular catalyst version was a bit of a hybrid of the two, with a less restrictive manifold setup.   This was also the exhaust used for the Australian version.

Ignition

All models used EZL based ignition, but the map was different.   The mid and high output models had a switch to allow the engine to be de-tuned for poor fuel.    The emissions controlled models were not switchable.    The high output motors have a more advanced ignition, and the later (post 9/87) cars have knock sensors.   As the early ECE versions do not, they require 98 octane fuel.

The ECE (Code 822) versions carried the following sticker on the radiator support:

Camshafts

High output engines have different camshafts with ECE, RUF and KAT camshafts all having different part numbers.

The ECE Camshafts have code 16/17 (Left/Right).   RUF are 24/25 and USA is 26/27.    The ECE and RUF cams have the same profile.

Other

• The strict emissions version has an air pump for some markets such as USA.
• The high output motors also have a different fuel distributor, same as the the early R129 500SL.
• All 10:1 compression engines have high compression pistons.
• The high output models have a separate oil cooler and pump.   This is located at the front left of the car.  The image below shows the extra oil cooler marked as B.
• High output models have a different (black) transmission modulator
• Transmissions were the same on all models.   Starting with the 722.323 and then later the 722.350.   The .350 transmission was improved over the 323.  I have read that the high output engines had a reinforced transmission, but have not seen any factory evidence so far.

Unlike other Mercedes engines, all versions of the 560 are good.   Even the emissions versions have plenty of power and are a delight to drive.   The M117 has an almost bullet proof bottom end, but an Achilles heel in some plastic parts in the engine.  If these parts fail, it is not economically viable to fix the engine.

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It is possible I have missed a few more country specific ratios.   Please indicate in the comments below if I have.  The data comes from the official technical data books.

If this table is being referred to for swaps, the first and second generations diffs are not interchangeable.   Neither is an ASR diff.   LSD was standard on 560s but optional on other cars.    The exception is cars equipped with ASR that have a different differential.  ASR cars do not have LSD.

In addition, the 8 cylinder cars used a larger case (1.3l) than the smaller engined cars.

My personal view is that with first gear start, the standard ratio could be made taller.   This would improve acceleration and make the mostly useless first gear usable.   This is certainly the case on my 300SE.   I would have preferred the ratio provided for France, but with first gear start.

It is also interesting to see the 560 used a shorter ratio than the 500 or the 420.   It seems clear Mercedes saw it as more of a hot rod whereas the 500 was the autobahn cruiser with its tall 2.24 diff ratio.   In selecting the W126 differential ratios, I’m also not sure why Mercedes Benz went to the effort of producing 2.82 and 2.88 gear sets when they are so close together.

Mercedes-Benz went on a fuel efficiency drive during 1981 which is why the V8 cars got revised ratios.   The project was called the “Energy Program” and included other changes such as the revised Bore/Stroke of the 380 engine.  This project also affected the 107 models.   The 500 received and especially tall ratio (2.24) based on this project.

The other factor that must be taken into consideration is that nearly all W126s were equipped with automatic transmissions.  The Mercedes automatic transmissions of that era did not feature a lock-up torque converter.   This means that actual RPM will be slightly higher than the table indicates due to slip in the torque converter.

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Bracq was responsible for one of Mercedes-Benz most elegant designs of the post war period, the W111 Coupe/Cabriolet.  He was also integral to the W108/W109, W114/W115 and the W113 Pagoda.     Later in his career he also styled the E24 6 Series, another favourite of mine.

This article got me thinking about the car stylists behind the cars in my garage.   The visual appeal of all the cars I have ever owned are the work of the six individuals below.   It is particularly impressive to think that during the 60s, Mercedes Benz had Geiger, Bracq and Sacco all working in their styling department.

From what I have read, Malcolm Sayer never considered himself a stylist.  He always considered himself an Aerodynamicist.  This is rather ironic as the Jaguar E-type is not especially aerodynamic.  It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

Stylist		Design	Current Cars	Previous Cars	Other Notable Designs
	David Bache (1925-1994)	Rover P5/P5B	-	1965 Rover P5 MKII Coupe	Rover P6, Range Rover, Rover SD1
	Flamino Bertoni (1903-1964)	Citroen DS Traction Avant	1970 Citroen DS21	1954 Citroen Traction Avant Light 15	Citroen H Van
	Paul Bracq (1933- )	Mercedes-Benz W111 Coupe/Cabriolet	1965 Mercedes-Benz 250SE Cabriolet	1967 250SE Coupe	Mercedes W108, W114/115, BMW E21, BMW Turbo
	Frederich Geiger (1907-1996)	Mercedes-Benz R/C107	1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC	1982 280CE*, 1985 230E* (* with Sacco)	Mercedes 500/540K Roadster, 300SL Gullwing, 600, W110/111 Sedans
	Malcolm Sayer (1916-1970)	Jaguar E-Type	1965 Jaguar E-Type S1	-	Jaguar XJS, Jaguar C & D Types
	Bruno Sacco (1933- )	Mercedes-Benz W126	1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SE, 1987 560SEC, 1987 560SEL	1988 & 1989 Mercedes 560SEC, 1982 280CE*, 1985 230E* (* with Geiger)	Mercedes W124, W201, C111 Concept

All these men belong on a broader list of the great stylists of the 20th Century.   This is not that list.   There are many others that would need to be considered.   It does highlight how prolific some of these stylists were.  It also shows how so many cars I like were the work of a few individuals.

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