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[Nick W]

Older Mercs were superbly built. But that was forty years and several skint owners ago. Now, most of them are no more reliable than a Jag(or any other low volume, low use car), and are just as big a money pit. Plus, they drive like a truck, and usually have interiors that would make a 70's taxi driver complain to his union.

[78bex]

I filmed this one sometime ago  the proud owner still brings her out on sunny days

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhtHeJbNrTY

[05omegav6]

Wouldn't say no to an Xjs convertible... At least it has no buttresses to rot out

If I ever buy a 'classic' it will be either a Mercedes w116, preferably the 6.9, or a 600SEL of '93 vintage

[Kevin Wood]

If I ever buy a 'classic' it will be either a Mercedes w116, preferably the 6.9, or a 600SEL of '93 vintage

I used to know a guy who imported gliders from Germany. He recalled a tale of when he was running "a little late" for his ferry one night, in his 450SEL 6.9 with a loaded glider trailer on the back. 130 MPH on the autobahn and not a hint of instability once he'd pushed through a "rather choppy region" around 80MPH apparently.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

If I ever buy a 'classic' it will be either a Mercedes w116, preferably the 6.9, or a 600SEL of '93 vintage

I used to know a guy who imported gliders from Germany. He recalled a tale of when he was running "a little late" for his ferry one night, in his 450SEL 6.9 with a loaded glider trailer on the back. 130 MPH on the autobahn and not a hint of instability once he'd pushed through a "rather choppy region" around 80MPH apparently.

The late James Hunt owned one of these.

[tooleater]

If I ever buy a 'classic' it will be either a Mercedes w116, preferably the 6.9, or a 600SEL of '93 vintage

I used to know a guy who imported gliders from Germany. He recalled a tale of when he was running "a little late" for his ferry one night, in his 450SEL 6.9 with a loaded glider trailer on the back. 130 MPH on the autobahn and not a hint of instability once he'd pushed through a "rather choppy region" around 80MPH apparently.

The late James Hunt owned one of these.
[----]

[05omegav6]

The steel sprung 116s, and 126s for that matter, adopt a nose up/tail down attitude at cruise not dissimilar to an aircrafts natural cruise attitude. The instability on the 6.9 through 80 was probably a combination of trailer attitude shifting and the hydropnuematic suspension levelling the car as the speed increased.

Vmax on those is about 140mph, so 130 with a trailer is pretty impressive and at that speed, in part due to the suspension, it becomes a rock steady missile... and although 140 doesn't sound like much, it's basically a two ton brick, which produces 400lb/ft of torque

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_450SEL_6.9

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Properly good XJS are now going for £6-£11,000......

A few years ago people couldn't give them away.

[2boxerdogs]

As I said earlier it will be a Merc  again for me, they are utterly reliable & the earlier ones are superbly engineered, have had a couple of 190e 's, the last one I sold about 4 years ago & regret it to this day, as for being a "money pit " not if you do your homework & know what to look for & you really do feel that you are driving something special. As for being "truck like" I totally disagree.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

The steel sprung 116s, and 126s for that matter, adopt a nose up/tail down attitude at cruise not dissimilar to an aircrafts natural cruise attitude. The instability on the 6.9 through 80 was probably a combination of trailer attitude shifting and the hydropnuematic suspension levelling the car as the speed increased.

Vmax on those is about 140mph, so 130 with a trailer is pretty impressive and at that speed, in part due to the suspension, it becomes a rock steady missile... and although 140 doesn't sound like much, it's basically a two ton brick, which produces 400lb/ft of torque

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_450SEL_6.9

Nice.....but the 300SEL 6.3 from the late sixties and early seventies was more of an animal.

[05omegav6]

Same basic engine, but less power and a lighter/shorter body... they look quite imposing, but not a fan of the dash personally a bit too classic imho

I mean, what's not to love...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/121284981747?clk_rvr_id=658577423268

The only distraction being one of theses...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1995-Mercedes-Benz-S600-/221462713227?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item339034d38b

As you can probably tell, I am nothing if not indecisive 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

As I said earlier it will be a Merc  again for me, they are utterly reliable & the earlier ones are superbly engineered, have had a couple of 190e 's, the last one I sold about 4 years ago & regret it to this day, as for being a "money pit " not if you do your homework & know what to look for & you really do feel that you are driving something special. As for being "truck like" I totally disagree.

I tend to agree with this statement. Early Mercs had that 'honed from granite' feel.

Later cars like the 2006 CLS 500 that I owned are no better screwed together than your average Vauxhall or Ford.....and no more reliable either. Cost cutting is a fact of life even at Mercedes Benz.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Same basic engine, but less power and a lighter/shorter body... they look quite imposing, but not a fan of the dash personally a bit too classic imho

They look great in any film to do with the Cold War.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Same basic engine, but less power and a lighter/shorter body... they look quite imposing, but not a fan of the dash personally a bit too classic imho

I mean, what's not to love...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/121284981747?clk_rvr_id=658577423268

The only distraction being one of theses...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1995-Mercedes-Benz-S600-/221462713227?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item339034d38b

As you can probably tell, I am nothing if not indecisive 

Place the words 'pit' and 'money' in the correct order, Mr Al. .......It's no looker either.

[05omegav6]

True, there are nicer ones on the Bay, mostly for significantly more money...

You can appreciate the dilema though