Just bought a 1989 560 SEL with 79K on it, so far just a front end alignment. Anything I should be concerned about, be looking out for? Any advice would be appreciated, this is after all, my first Benz and a birthday present to myself.

 

Buying advice - type 126
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by Marc Westhofen, latest update: November 3, 2002
English translation by Gerben van Vlimmeren


Table of contents:


Introduction
Engine advice
Weak spots of the 126 - Where to look at?
Prices










Introduction

The 126 series S-class is in the transition phase between an old daily driver and a young timer on it's way to become a true old-timer. A phase many other known classic cars have already gone through. Whether the 126 can be seen as a daily driver or as a young timer depends on it's general condition. Right now, the moment has come to distinguish between the good and the bad. Not every 126 with excessive chrome and an impressive price tag can be considered to be a 'good buy'. To help you to decide what to buy and perhaps more importantly what not to buy we present you this document. The 126 was not only the flag ship of Mercedes-Benz, but also a forbearer of new technology, leading the world of old-timers into a new future. Pyrotechnically operated seatbelt tensioners and the drivers airbag were introduced to a production car for the first time in 1981, in a 126 S-class. Another new feature was the ABS antilock braking system, introduced in the latest 116 series. ASR and the passenger airbag, introduced in 1986, continued this chain of innovations. These features are nowadays well known and accepted in modern cars. Yet, there is no experience with these devices in cars that are 'coming of age'. How reliable will the pyrotechnical and electronic devices be in these new old-timers? Therefore, just as the 126 pioneered these devices many years ago, so will the 126 pioneer again: Old-timer experts everywhere in the world will benefit from experiences made with technology introduced first ever in the model 126.

Both because of this pioneering and the continuous flow of experiences provided by our club members this document will continuously be developed. Apart from this, the daily usability and the maintenance costs of this timeless Mercedes-Benz S-class design will be discussed.

Do not be fooled. The 126 is not a cheap car to run. It was an expensive car to make and it's an expensive car to maintain. Filling up a tank will cost you more than 90 EUR, depending on your location. It's not a fuel efficiency car either. Repairs can and usually will be expensive. Do not be put off by these warnings though, just remember that things can get expensive, so know what you get yourself into. Most 126 owners do not see their car as just a mean of transportation, but more as a hobby. If the 126 would just be considered to be a mean of transportation, the financials would quickly become a source of frustration.

If these issues are not a problem for you, we wish you lots of fun with your future 126.



Engine advice

6-cylinder:
The 300 series (starting fall 1985) is the best choice in the 6-cylinder range. They have the best running characteristics and they're the most common engines (therefore also most offered as used cars). The 260 series (fall 1985) are better suited for the more relaxed drivers. The 300 can handle the weight of the 126 quite well (180HP is not much for a 126), but the 260 balances on the verge of underpowerment and its running costs (maintenance and insurance) are not much less than those of the 300. Anyone who wants to take this difference in running costs seriously, is better not to get involved in the 126, because this difference can be neglected in practice. The 280 engines (until 1985) are amongst the most robust 6-cylinder engines ever produced by MB. Because they were fitted with quite tame overhead cams to provide fuel efficiency, they have a long life expectancy. In countries where cars without catalytic converters are heavily taxed it is advisable to look for a 280 with a cat fitted. Because of these tax issues, the 280S carbureted version can hardly be found anymore. Buying a 280 without cat cannot be recommended in these countries. Because the 280 was built until 1985, examples of this engine variant will usually have higher maintenance costs (older cars, higher mileage). Of course, there are many well conditioned examples of the first series and many abused 126 cars of the second series, but as a whole we can say it is safe to include a buffer for repair costs in the total budget.

8-cylinder:
The 8-cylinder engines are by far the best match for a heavy car like the 126. They offer great comfort and versatility, albeit at a price. Fuel consumption is high. Generally, the V8 engines perform better than their 6-cylinder counterparts. The 380 versions (until 1985) have a tendency to wear out their cam shafts quite quickly, therefore we advice against this engine. The 500 of the first series (until 1985) are very durable and have excellent running qualities. As with the 280, this version is hard to find with a catalytic converter, because only the 380 was available with this environment friendly aide. Because unleaded fuel was hard to get in the early days, Mercedes recommended their customers not to order a cat. Therefore, most of the first generation cars in Germany will have an aftermarket cat fitted. In the fall of 1985 the new V8 series was introduced in the 126 (420, 500, 560). All these engines have proved themselves to be reliable. We especially recommend the versions from after fall of 1987. These engines had increased performance to compensate for the loss of power that came with the catalytic converter. Until 1989 versions (also the 260 and 300) were sold as 'RÃœF' or 'Aftermarket version'. These cars had the increased performance, but not the cat, as they were only prepared to have a cat installed later (in the late 80s all new cars in Germany were legally required to have a cat fitted. Cars without cat were taxed higher). The 500 (second series) is especially recommendable, the rpm were lowered, providing a quieter and more durable engine. All V8s of the second series are generally long lived: More than several hundreds of thousands of kilometers are obtainable without problems. The 560 is interesting because of it's very high standard equipment level. Performance wise they're not much better than the 500 but they run smoother and thus quieter. The 560 revs a bit higher than the 500, supporting a more sporty driving style. Keep in mind that this feature means that some of the 560s were abused as Porsche hunters. Fuel economy of the 500 is just marginally better than that of the 560. The 420 is the smallest V8 engine available after 1985. The version before 1987 is not recommended because it hardly performs better than the 300. Better is the 420 that was offered after 1987. 20HP more helped to widen the gap between the 420 and the 300. Disadvantage of the 420 is that it doesn't have the acceleration stabilizer mounted on the rear axle like the M117 (500 and 560) series and therefore has the tendency to 'squat' on take-off (especially the more powerful post-1987 version).

Diesel:
The Diesel versions were only produced for the North American export market. Over here, they are quite rare, therefore we have only limited information about their performance. Even the best MB workshops generally do not know how to handle these cars when they require service. More often than that, spare parts for these cars are sought in 123 spare parts lists, not always the most reliable source. Most 126 diesels in Europe are privately converted gasoline engine versions. We have to advise against those: Quality of such projects is hard to describe! Those who are looking for an original diesel should look for the telltale US markings: Combined mileage/kilometer counter, fat bumpers front and rear, English text on switches, VIN plate visible through the front windshield and the characteristic sealed beam headlights an

 

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wow, that is a lot to read.