1990 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 300SEL GAS M103 from North America
Summary:
The ultimate long distance cruiser
Faults:
AC needed to be serviced. Very expensive to get it recharged. But once recharged it is frigidly cold.
Chronic oil leak. Seems to be standard issue on these engines. Not a big deal I add a quart every tank and a half.
Rear window lift mechanism has broken twice already. Seems to be a common issue with these cars.
General Comments:
The W126 chassis cars are the last of the engineered to out live you Benz's. I did a lot of research prior to purchasing this car and it paid off for me. Remember its cheaper to pay more for a well taken car than to restore an abused car. My car is absolutely luxurious. The ride is quiet and extremely smooth. A common complaint and I have it too is that the wood creaks. This car is rock solid and gives you a feeling of safety and security. The handsome looks still bring me many compliments. Now I have to admit that the car is under powered. It's a huge car for a 3 ltr engine so merging and on ramps are difficult. Once you get all that steel rolling it's a sweet highway cruiser. I typically cruise at about 75 to 80 mph 3600-4000 rpms. This car just eats up miles and still feels new. One of the main reasons I purchased it was that I live in Virginia Beach and my son lives in Vermont. I make the 12 hour ride and come out of the car feeling fresh with no aches or stiffness. Plus any back seat passengers have an enormous amount of leg room plus their own ac/heater vents. All in all this is a wonderful car that I will keep for many years to come. I am told by my indy that the short blocks simply do not wear out and that the heads only need some attention after 200-250k miles.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 4th May, 2005
30th Aug 2005, 00:22
Good feedback on the 1990 300SEL. I also live in the Tidewater, Va area and am interested in the early 90's 420SEL models. My brother in law used to work for the local mercedes dealership and said both the 300 and 400 series were well made and reliable. looking through the cars for sale I'm torn between a 300SE/SEL or 420 SE/SEl models. I like the size of the 400 models. Since I'm looking at late 80's/early 90's models, the mileage varies from low 100K to 200K or more. What models from the two does everyone prefer and why. Its hard to find a good site that gives easy to find reliability data on these cars. Please email feedback to me at gevanglobalservices@cox.net Thanks.