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Comments
Why does this car scare me?
I went and took a look at this one today.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/4520440467.html
One owner last ten years, thick file of service records (maybe TOO thick)
Body and paint could not have been any nicer. Interior very nice except driver's seat wear.
149,000 miles. check engine light and air bag lights are on (typical BMW)
The high end BMW shop that does their work told them it was a sensor issue and recommended
they leave it alone. The Check Engine light stays off for weeks then returns.
He will take 3000.00. I know this is going to get snapped up but I just have this nagging feeling that "something" is going to go wrong. Any large expense would effectively total the car.
Should I?
Looks pretty sweet Isell. Enjoy it for the summer. If it breaks, sell it as a fixer-upper or a parts car. There's worse ways to spend your retirement money.
For some reason I lack the required skills to take a photo with my iPhone and get it posted. sometimes it works other times not.
I snapped a photo of the engine compartment of a Golden Hawk. Not sure what year but it had a supercharger. The guy had chromed nearly everything under the hood!
For what it's worth it had to be a '57 or '58. Before that they used the 352 ci Packard engine. Those must have plowed like a John Deere.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
nice looking 3 series. if it was by me, and a stick, I would buy it.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Does your state have a smog check? If so, you'll have to deal with the check engine light. Also if the air bag light is on, well, that means no air bag if you have an accident.
So just budget another $300 to $1000 to get all this squared away.
Oh yeah, we have smog inspections. Now, the light is out!
There is a ritzy local BMW shop here that only works on BMW/s and this lady was a LOYAL customer. I gagged when I went through those receipts! She approved everything and it's had a LOT of work done recently. Didn't bother her since she just upgraded to a 1 series 'vert.
This shop told her that the air bag light is related to some sensor and that the air bag will work. They said it was very common and on a car that old they wouldn't bother fixing it.
Anyway...2500.00 and it's parked in our garage.
You would think I would have learned better. It does drive extremely well!
It's an automatic so the wife can drive it not that she ever will.
well, for $2,500 with all those receipts, I would have bought it anyway, fixed the CEL issue, and dumped my 2 sedans and pocketed a lot of cash.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
@isellhondas, when you get tired of not being able to put the top down much, maybe we can meet halfway and you can sell it to me. It'd be a great ride in NM when the sun isn't beating down. That may be about as often that it's not gray there, lol.
Congrats!
The CEL light is no longer on. She said it comes and go's same thing with the air bag light. Typical European car!
Our last BMW flunked emissions because of a bad gas cap. Went to NAPA and bought one. Three days later CEL came on. Reason? it HAS to have a genuine BMW gas cap. They looked identical!
If you replace a taillight bulb with an aftermarket one, the light will work but you'll get a message saying you've got a bulb out.
That day could happen if it doesn't behave.
And if it makes it halfway to NM, there's the pre-purchase inspection right there, lol.
I kept a Miata overnight in Boise and the CEL came on. The seller lived in a non-IM county but Boise had emissions testing so I passed on it. Still have a few regrets, but it would have been idle way too many months in the UP anyway.
$2500? Nice Price. 328 was the highline model then, your car does look nice. If the light is intermittent, maybe getting license tags will be easy - there's a window when you can do it, just run over when the light isn't on. For that money, you could probably part it and make a lot of your money back. $2500 isn't much above bottom feeder money, and your car looks like more than a heap.
I took my project car on a long 200+ mile drive yesterday, across a 4000+ ft elevation mountain pass - maybe a good test for any car, drive it for a couple hours on winding roads and steep hills and see if anything fails. The car made me very happy, and didn't miss a beat - ran wonderfully both there and back. No odd noises or smells, temperature gauge didn't move much at all even on the steepest parts, and I think it averaged about 20mpg. I am very pleased with the car right now.
I traveled in a small convoy with a W123 240D and a late run W123 300D turbo. The newer car could actually really move along when pushed - 240D makes my car look fast - but all cars made it there and back without a problem.
Here it is up near the summit, parked at the entrance to a friend's ski cabin - I didn't want to drive down a rutted gravel path, so I stopped here:
Oh yeah, black 560 SEL ended at 15K, silver one is at 12K with about a day remaining, and the Universal went for...
41K. For a fintail in the USA. Maybe a record.
Quite a price. Congrats to the seller!
As for the 560SELs, the money spent is just beginning.
I suspect those 126s will be relegated to sunny Sunday driver duties rather than be commuter boxes. The biggest expense will probably be gas.
Seems an odd choice for a hobby car (to me). Not distinctive enough to be noticed by anyone, not old enough to be quaint to drive, and about as fun to drive as a Lincoln town car, not sporty, not an open car---I seem to be missing the point. At least with your old car, you get a very nostalgic feel when driving it, and people notice you.
So my friend parks his Porsche Boxster on the street in San Francisco to go to a museum show.
Comes out, car is hit in left rear, wheel is bent almost flat to the ground.
Car is towed to my friend's Porsche shop--it's a total.
Just another pleasant day in Baghdad by the Bay.
I'm ticked off--I spent months finding just the right car for him!
I think maybe the relative passage of time impacts how people look at cars. A 126 is almost a vintage car to younger people today - they will get some attention if they look to be in brand new condition. Not that anyone would buy one just for that, but they are passing the everyday used car mark now. But really, 126s benefit from the mystique of being from what many consider to be the height of MB quality and style. There is also growing 80s nostalgia out there, and the cars were king of the road then. The really best examples will continue to get healthy money, IMO, as not many really mint low miles ones survive.
The silver one ended at 14K, not shabby. They'd sell for up to around 25K in Europe, so these prices paid were probably too steep to export with much profit - with shipping and duties, you'll be in for another 5K, and then you'll have to get it on the road there.
My old car gets amazing attention, seems each time I drive it I get compliments and waves, and often even people taking pics. When I bought it nearly 20 years ago, the attention wasn't as strong.
Too bad about that Porsche. One good suspension impact can ruin an older car. That happened to my grandma's 85 Olds in 1996 - mint 50K mile car, got mildly hit by a 300E that ran a stop sign, bending the wheel in - easy total. The MB drove away with a scratched bumper and broken headlight.
Depends where you get hit. A Fiat 500 could total a Ford Expedition if it hits it in just the right spot. (A T-bone right at the B pillar, to distort both door openings and the roof, is usually a lethal wound)
I never thought much of the W126--I think Mercedes was resting on its laurels by the late 1980s (and so did Toyota apparently). I mean, nice paint and wood trim and a classic grill are all very good, but the thing has to actually run reliably as well. These cars are full of demons, they aren't like your old fintail, which was a mechanical machine, not an electronic one.
I don't have any data about late run 126s being unreliable, at least not unless neglected. Old LS400s can attract demons as they age too - beware of failed LCD, air shocks, steering boxes, traction control issues, decomposing leather and steering wheel coatings, and so on. The original LS was a fantastic car, but not without quirks, and was really a reverse engineered 1980 W126 launched with technology from a decade later.
Mechanical machines are fun to drive, but they need constant adjustment. No way to win with electronic or mechanical, they all need work.
A Fiat 500 could bend the running board on an Expedition and maybe cause a flat rear tire as it was run over. That's about it.
One possible way a Fiat 500 could take out an Expedition would be if it managed to swipe the whole side of the car as it T-boned. That's how a '92 Tempo took out my '86 Monte Carlo. It initially hit at the front wheel on the passenger side, bending the rim and throwing it out of alignment. It also damaged the front fender. Then, as it continued to penetrate deeper as I moved along, much as the small Stockholm mortally wounded the much larger Andrea Doria one fateful night in 1956, it bent my A-pillar just enough to crack the windshield, smashed the door in pretty deep, and gouged out the quarter panel just below the opera window.
Oddly, the front door was still able to open, close, and lock. And the window would roll down, at least until the lift mechanism bumped where it was gouged out.
Maybe, if a Fiat 500 managed to get the fender, both doors, lower part of the A-pillar and B-pillar, rear quarter panel, and do some suspension damage, mess up one or both alloy wheels and tires on that side, plus blowing off a couple airbags, perhaps that could be enough to take out an Expedition? They usually total them out when the estimated cost to repair hits 60% of book value.
A couple weeks ago, I saw an accident where an '03-07 Corolla had T-boned one of those little Ford Escort ZX-2 coupes. The Corolla looked like it was put through a NHTSA crash test. The ZX-2 had a big dent in the rear quarter, ahead of the rear wheel opening, that looked like a really strong guy kicked it with a very heavy boot. I thought that was interesting, as usually the car getting T-boned is usually more vulnerable. But, to see the newer, heavier car being disabled, while the older, lighter, presumably more fragile car just getting a big dent, seemed kinda odd.
But, sometimes you never know....car crashes can really be a crap shoot.
Weird stuff does happen sometimes. Years back an early 90's Corolla from out of state made a wrong turn from the Toyota dealer onto a multi-lane one way. There was a hill and a traffic light, but a similar mid 80's Monte Carlo was coming up the hill and because of that terrain they didn't see each other until the last moment. They both were going in the 40's and appeared to smash head on but slightly offset. The Monte Carlo driver was killed and the Corolla driver had only minor injuries. Who would have guessed that outcome?
Just thought of another odd one that happened just a year or two ago. A Lincoln Town car was hit by a drunk driver in I think something like a Cobalt near here. Again the Town Car driver was killed and that car looked way worse than the Cobalt did afterwards. OK, let's not start the booze saved him jokes!
well, in the MC/Corolla incident, I would love to know which driver if any was wearing a seatbelt.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
That's sure a valid question and I don't know. Something I've noticed, although certainly not proved it statistically, is that body on frame vehicles seem to often take the worst of it with uni-bodies. I've seen a lot of really smacked up pick up trucks over the years.
I think the biggest drawback to a W126 is the punishing repair and maintenance costs. This is essentially what gave Lexus the inside corner in 1990. Owners were very discouraged at what it cost to maintain their S class cars. First time Benz buyers came usually from domestics and they weren't used to the dealer costs. I remember when Benz pretty much apologized for this publicly, especially after Lexus got out of the gate so fast. And to Benz's credit, they did make a real effort to stem the bleeding.
I have a vague memory of hearing about a crash involving a Lincoln Mark IV and a Geo Prizm, sometime in the mid 90s. The Lincoln appeared to have almost no damage while the Georolla was crumpled - but apparently, the large car also suffered a bent frame and was written off. For those other crashes, the age of the casualty driver and if they were belted would mean a lot, too.
For maintenance costs, they go down a lot once one stops patronizing a dealer. I can't imagine taking a 25-30 year old MB to the dealer - it'll cost as much to fix as a new one. New ones are probably still more maintenance intensive than a Lexus, but most seem to believe they drive better in exchange for that.
Well the point is moot in California, where independent garages charge $135 an hour now. So if you lose a transmission or the HVAC system in a W126, you are going to hemorrhage financially. It costs just as much per hour to fix a Benz as a Honda--it just takes twice as long.
Luckily, most of us don't live in California
Lose a transmission or HVAC in any old luxobarge, and you're in for it. Even a Lexus.
Oh I feel lucky to be here---but then California is a BIG state--depends where you are! But yeah, everything is expensive. You wanna play you gotta pay.
If I"m going to shell out big bucks for repairs and maintenance, I want a car that is REALLY fun.
Except for Barstow and Victorville.
You haven't been out there lately. Victorville has grown tremendously over the last 10 years or so. Only place where affordable housing exists and can still commute to some of the suburbs of LA.
Barstow is still, well, Barstow. Intersection of I-15 and I-40 is all it's got going for it.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2014 MINI Countryman S ALL4
Just out of curiosity, how would a 1980 BMW 7-series have compared to a Benz W126? At the time, a 7-series is the only thing I can think of that would be directly comparable to an S-class. I don't see Audi as being anywhere near that league, in those days. And domestic luxury cars were a whole different thing, with an emphasis on fluff, comfort, isolation, and glitter, but not necessarily handling, road feel, performance, and engineering. Although maybe you can give Cadillac some credit for offering fuel injection, and I think Lincoln was an early adopter of 4-wheel disc brakes? And Imperial, earlier in the 70's, had experimented with a crude sort of ABS as I recall.
As I (vaguely) remember the CandD comparison reviews around then, they'd have the 735i vs the 450SEL vs. the XJ6, with the expected comments of BMW handling and (relative) fuel economy vs. Benz solidity, power, and quality vs. Jag 'Britishness' (leather, wood, styling, etc). I think the 7 might have won...
I had completely forgotten, I have a bunch of old C&D, MT, and R&Ts from the 1970's and early 80's packed away somewhere. I'll have to dig them out and see if I have that comparison test.
One test I remember that was a bit interesting...from 1973, they tested a Cutlass Salon and pitted it against a Benz, but I forget which one. Back then, "Salon" actually meant something to the Cutlass, as it had a beefed up suspension, better steering/tires, etc, in an attempt to give a more "European" experience. Sort of like a Grand Am, I think, although the Grand Am also gave you a stronger standard engine as I recall.
Anyway, naturally, the Benz out-handled it. But strangely, they mentioned that neither car handled or performed as well as its 1972 counterpart. While they hadn't pitted a Cutlass and a Benz against each other in '72, they did test them separately, so they had the results. Now, I don't know much about a '72 Benz versus '73, but with the Cutlass at least, I would have figured that the '73 would have handled better than '72. I would expect it to be slower, as it was heavier and, engine for engine, less powerful than '72, but I was always under the impression that the '73+ GM intermediates had improved their handling over '68-72?
Yeah, that doesn't make sense to me either. The '72 and earlier A-body chassis was an OK handler at best, while the '73-up version had a number of improvements that could really make it stick.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
The BMW 735i is a really nice car and IMHO the best BMW ever made, if you factor in everything. It's not 'tank-like" as is the Benz 560SEL, more agile and tossable, and of course the reliability just walks away from the mechanically mercurial XJ6. But you know, each of these cars has its charms. Sometimes that "uber alles" feel of the Benz as you gaze at the bomb sight on the hood does make you feel like your shoes are shined and your hair artfully coifed and fingernails manicured; the BMW gives you that "autobahn express" feeling of an ambitious man on the go, who is younger and more aggressive than his Benz counterpart; the Jaguar has a really nice ride and is very comfy in the cockpit, as long as you can push back the anxiety of possibly never getting to your destination. They are three very distinct personalities---much more so than they are now I think.
Try living in Needles or Bakersfield.
California has every terrain and every climate. Safe, quiet neighborhoods and places like Compton or East Oakland.
Whatever you are looking for, California has a place to please everyone.
I had friends living in Barstow in the 1990's, and visited a few times. I actually kinda liked the remoteness of it.
Even Texas governor Perry plans to move there after his political career. It's true, California is not only Car Heaven (they don't rust here for the most part), but it is very diverse. We even have world-class rednecks, cowboys, surfers, grouchy old men, and white middle class shaman priestesses. As one writer put it: "California is god's most interesting experiment".
Also I might add, some of the world's best talent in automotive restoration and customization.
Who knows what automotive gems are still lying out there in the desert, or in barns up in the wild north of the state?
Or, as Archie Bunker once put it, "California is the land of fruits and nuts. Where every nut's a little fruity, and every fruit's a little nutty!"
Hey, I've got family in Bakersfield.
Not that I've ever visited them there, of course.
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All I know about Bakersfield is that the cropduster scene in "North By Northwest" was filmed not far from it. In the establishing shot, they had to matte out the town on the horizon.
Regarding 7-series vs S (and others), I don't know if they were really ever meant to compete, directly. 7 was traditionally a little smaller, and a lot sportier. As BMW has bloated and become mainstream, the line is blurred, but it is still a slightly smaller and maybe sharper handling car. The S has always been about quality and high speed handling competence, but not necessarily something you'd want to take on a track. It almost seems to be designed to look and feel heavier than it is. Audi didn't enter the price range until the A8, which we didn't get until 1997. It competes on style/design more than anything else, I think. The new S is miles above either in terms of poshness, to the point where BMW is rumored to be considering a 9-series to compete. LS is in the area now too, of course, but on a global level isn't very competitive, and right now is an elderly design that must be competing mainly on isolation and price. Jag hasn't really been there until the current XJ - I don't know if previous (smaller) ones really went up against S and 7, rather were in a world of their own.
From what I understand, that inland empire part of CA is great if you like meth and lifted bro trucks.
The W126 would have been more tank-like, at least as large, more expensive. I see it as luxury first, sport second, where the BMW was reversed. Audi didn't compete until much later - Audi 5000 would have competed with MB W123 (E forerunner), 5-series. I am not sure of the exact time when US cars gained the features, but I know Euro W126 were built in large numbers with airbag and ABS from initial production.
Interesting. I'd want to see what MB was tested - if it was the then-equivalent to an S-class, it would have been an all new car for 1973, a much more modern car, but larger, heavier, and maybe not as nimble. If it was a smaller car, I don't think there were any substantial changes.