1982 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 280SE 2.8L petrol from Singapore

Summary:

Queen of the expressways - at 40 years, only middle aged

Faults:

Alternator replaced (and 20 year old pulleys & belts).

Rust above glovebox fixed (rainwater no longer comes in).

2015 manufactured tyres replaced with July 2022 tyres.

Starts every time.

General Comments:

Queen of the expressway.

Still running smooth at 41 years old.

Needs 97 octane.

Seats are still original. Getting slightly worn. Today put extra foam beneath the 40 year old MB Tex seat covers.

Longer than my Landcruiser. Installed a dashcam - it still needs reversing sensors!

Amazing road presence.

The choice was a 280SE or a 500SEL of 1982/3 vintage. At this point I went for the simplicity of the smaller engine car.

When I get the courage - will upgrade to a 560SEL or 560SEC.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd February, 2023

23rd Feb 2023, 14:54

Good review. These are fantastic cars - classy, solid built, and nice to travel in. 280 is more than adequate for most, and is less complicated than bigger engines models, plus the 560 just costs more to run.

1982 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 300SD 3.0 turbo diesel from North America

Summary:

Drive for free - forever

Faults:

Automatic transmission rebuilt at 210,000.

General Comments:

Turbo is a bit noisy at highway speeds, but the car is extremely comfortable, and handles like a sports car on windy mountain roads.

It has been modified with a vegetable fuel system from greasecar.com, enabling 90% plus of driving on free waste cooking oil widely available from restaurants, so operating costs are negligible.

The diesel engine never needs service or tune-ups, and it is exempt from SMOG regulations.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th February, 2011

1982 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Automatic from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

One overrated barge that is for status only, not what I would consider a luxury car

Faults:

Window regulator on driver's side broke.

Seat springs broke.

Power steering box worn and leaky.

Exhaust rusted out.

Climate control failed.

Air conditioning evaporator failed.

Radiator failed.

Engine tappets worn.

CIS fuel injection worn out.

Idle control module failed.

Indicator switch failed.

Sunroof motor failed.

Seat switches failed.

Dash cracked.

Leather gone hard.

Ignition control module burnt out.

General Comments:

One big agricultural barge. Reminds me of a Valiant.

Unreliable unless you do preventative maintenance; change things when they haven't broken yet.

Seats very uncomfortable.

Underpowered for a 3.8 litre V8. Only positive to making it take off is the low down first gear.

Squeaky interior.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd October, 2009

4th Oct 2009, 10:44

So you bought one that was only good enough for the scrapyard and now you declare the S-Class W126 is an overrated barge?

9th Oct 2009, 08:51

Bearing in mind the car is an '82, that's nearly three decades on the road; things are definitely going to break. These cars are not for the faint of heart; they do need preventative maintenance and a keen ear for the car's mechanical fitness. My '84 380SE, although not perfect, is appreciated for being a well-built vehicle from a different automotive era that can still compare favourably with much newer cars. In driving a vehicle twenty years older than anyone's average vehicle, you must expect that you will be on the side of the road at least once a year with some type of breakdown.

30th Oct 2009, 09:21

I hope you realise that your car IS 27 years old!!

31st Oct 2009, 06:34

I hope you do realise that you bought a 27-year old car... In fact you bought a 27-year old car in bad shape.

14th Jun 2010, 18:45

You bought a piece of crap that should've been junked before you bought it. Mercedes manufactures a marquee auto but even a Benz can be neglected.

This is where the used auto buyer makes sure to buy something with a service history, know the previous owner or are, "well, a know it all".

I love my 30yr old diesel, but wouldn't touch one that's been dogged and neglected for 30 years. Get it?! Some folks don't know enough to know they don't know it all!

Next time buy a new Kia with a warranty if you can't turn a wrench. Likely can't appreciate the engineering laid into an old diesel Benz bucket anyway.

23rd Jul 2023, 18:07

Very true about cheap seats in these older cars. Even the S class from the 90s had very average seats, similar to a Toyota from same era. Mercedes just never got the idea about what truly comfortable seats means. In the 70s-80s, the American luxury cars and even some French brands such as Citroen set the standard for seat comfort. If there was something in the Mercedes S Class from the 70-90 that was caricatural compared to the rest of the car, it was the quality of the seats.