I owned this car in the 1986 SEC version .the 126 series was famous for it's what was called '' safe ''like feeling, which for me characterizes best the driving experience. By the way Doug SEC stands for Super Einspritzer ( injection ) Coupé and is obviously gas-powered, as you stated correctly. Nice content bringing up old memories, so thank you very much for showing this old school gem!
The warning triangle wasn’t required in USA but removing it was a bad idea because the trunk lid springs were designed for the weight of lid and triangle. Removing the triangle would upset the balance.
We had a 1988 560SEL when I was in high school, all black and tinted. We used to drive and hold down the horn while switching back and forth, and it sounded like a siren haha. Everyone moved out of the way because they thought some diplomat was coming through 😂
@@RealMakarov haha it wasn't an amg just a normal 560 SEL, which at the time was like a $5000 car. My first car ever was a 1986 Porsche 944, which we paid $3500 for, my dad and I split it. I washed dishes at Swiss Chalet to pay for half of it haha. You don't need money to enjoy the finer things ;)
"E" stands for "Einspritzung". German for fuel injection. Not all cars had that back then. Yes, the dirt/snow stays away from the inner part of the tail light ribs. It works. Shoujld be pretty obvious why.
That's right! In those days, the S-Class base model, the 6-cilynder 280, was offered in two versions, 280S (with carburator) and the 280SE (with fuel injection)
I had a 79 450 SEL, and it had a 4.5l engine that looked nearly identical. Fuel injection, overhead cams... it was the freaking bomb for it's time! I loved that car!
Hahaha same .. I was 14 and stole my dad's 450 sel and did my first ever burnout and oh boy did it smoke something stupid for a car made in 79. Best car ever so much room
@@mayoub2905 It was the only car that I could drive across the country without messing up my back! It started in any weather on the first touch of the key! It won lots of awards. I had mine for about ten years and it had 340,000 mikes on it, and had no problems other than a moron hitting me head on going 40! There was little left of his early 90's compact and well the SEL was fixable, but way beyond my budget at the time, and in a big city, with rare parking, garages converted to living spaces and way rare.. and over zealous cops and easily having a car towed to go through the racket trying to get it back costing a crap load too... I had no other choice but to sell the remains.😢
Maybe it's just me, but I would prefer one of these in nice condition over anything new. It's got all the "modern features" you need, and none of the crap you don't. Looks great, easy to work on and to understand. I absolutely love this era of Mercedes.
Booooyyyy tell me you've never owned a w126 vehicle without telling me...if I had the funds and garage space back when i owned one I would've yanked that junk m117 5.0 v8 out of my euro market 500 sec slapped in a ford 302 or 351 windsor or even an LS in it...I'm sorry but...despite having mechanical injection the wiring diagram is a mess not to mention the differences year to year and the super expensive parts...first thing I'm doing when I get one to keep for the rest of my life is simplifying the wiring, simplifying the AC system and last but not least getting rid of the mercedes drivetrain and slapping a 2004+ crown victoria frame under it, damn near same handling and ride quality if not better in the crown vic plus add tires with tall sidewall and you'll have similar if not same ride quality...idc if it takes a lot of work...I will do it just to have my dream car while making it reliable and bullet proof...however the good thing is, need a brand new hood? Mercedes will sell it to you, need a window regulator? The w123 one fits just need to move the tabs around to bolt it in...mercedes classic division is a God send for body and interior parts.
Also don't forget about the factory fuel system...lots of little tiny filters that will clog throughout the fuel system, don't forget about costly to rebuild fuel distributor for the K jet system...the cam oilers like to break...on top of that the cams are flat tappet, the valve stem seals LOVE to leak
@@monikhushalpuri I've owned several W126 and currently own one - they are dead simple, IMO. I've never had an issue with the fuel injection system ever. In fact, the fuel cell on gasoline models (rear right side) is easily accessible and removable/serviceable. Unlike new cars, the old injectors (gas or diesel) are serviceable. Do you do your own work? If you have a shop manual, it's a piece of cake. Sincerely: someone who has worked on W126 myself for 16 years
When I was about 10 years old living in Germany we driving home from the Frankfurt airport, when I saw this car (actually the 560SEC, which had a 5.5L V8 and I believe was available with a 5-speed manual transmission) for the first time; it was a very dark charcoal metallic (tho my dad said it was actually metallic black, but it was hard to be sure since it was very darkly overcast as was common there!), and just the sexiest, slickest car I’d ever seen at that point in my life! It went past us in the opposite directions, towards the airport, but a short while later as we were cruising down the autobahn (in our venerable W123 series 300 Turbodiesel) when my dad told me to look up; he was looking in his rear view mirror, so I looked back and about a km behind us I saw a dark car approaching in the fast lane… A few seconds later that 560, having apparently picked up it’s passenger from the airport, blew past us with a speed that actually frightened me! No speed limits on the autobahn, but still, as a kid, seeing a car going THAT FAST, all I could think was holy cow how COOL is that and OMG if it got into an accident it would disintegrate into it individual Benz molecules! But I never forgot that first sighting, and while I never owned one in Germany, I did own a 500SEC here in the US. Currently I have an old 230S, a classic, with actual tail fins, and another Turbodiesel like we had back then, this one a ‘82, with the 5-cylinder engine, and a VERY rare manual transmission swap! I hope to find a nice 500 or 560SEL at some point, as for me it just represents the pinnacle of Benz coolness and luxury! I’m glad they were built so well, and that a decent number still survive in great shape! Great upload as always by Doug, and a super-cool car! Also, sorry for the epic comment and all the parenthesis!
When I was 7 a car that made a permanent impression on me was a suicide door Lincoln, not fast but a cool American luxury car of its day. Now restored cars bring over 600k.
Hey Doug. The ridges in the taillights were so that when they'd be caked with snow and slush in winter, you'd be visible. Not so much for dirt and sand. And it worked!
@@xpusostomos i guess it would probably be very difficult to integrate the design to modern car taillights without making it look weird + leds are much more powerful and they can probably shine well enough even when covered in a thin layer of snow
It wasn't confusing to car enthusiasts and early watchers of a C126 video, but it was clearly confusing to the general public which is why Mercedes-Benz changed its entire naming scheme in 1994 to something that made a lot more sense :)
I agree. Fantastic body style. I far prefer it to what preceded and followed it. I think the AMG flash doesn't really serve the look, though I like the wheels, maybe not do chromed and the lowered look. I'd go for a tasteful resto-mod, though I'm sure many would consider that sacrilege.
A friend had one in the early 2000s. It was brought in Bulgaria by some mobster, probably stolen from Germany. He had abused it, crashed it slightly in the front and left it to rot in a street in my town. I was passing by the car for years and always thought its a cool mean machine. Much to my surprise - a close friend, a mechanic by trade was able to acquire it in some way. He brought it back to life, fixed it up mechanically and as best as he can visually, spare body panels were rare. This thing was a total blast and real mean, loud and awesome German muscle car. A little gas and it was sideways. He drove it like he stole it and I have fond memories of riding in this thing. After years of owning it, we finally were able to find a decent hood for it (the one on it was never fixed properly after the crash) and other panels it needed. Ended up selling it to a German who did a full restoration. So glad this machine made it through it's tuff times. It was and still is a banger of car.
@BlatantBurnerAccount That's where we got a hood from - UK eBay :D That RHD really hurts resale value of your cars. Can't really drive them comfortably anywhere else in Europe.
The W126 500 SEL/SEC WAS officially sold in the USA through dealers, but only in 1984 and 1985. The big UNLEADED FUEL ONLY badge isn't factory. It was presumably added by the importer that federalized the car. The factory badge was metal and right above the light switch.
All these new cars they want to impress you with their radical designs so next week you buy one. 1980s Mercedes' tried to impress you 40 years after its launch (succesfully: I need one).
@@ironmonkey1512who told you that? these junk heaps were broke down long before Sierra Cosworths were and got utterly humiliated performance wise by sierra cosworth😂 These were known as the Grosser mk2 in the UK because of how much of a drama they were. Maybe realise that these were 10 a penny elswwhere in the world and we know how badly made they are😂
The sierra is probably the ugliest car in history. That great Cosworth engine was absolutely wasted on that Ford piece of chunk. They were only a thing because of Cosworth, nothing else. The 500 and 560 sec are still around because of the outstanding quality all around. Everything on these cars is well thought out. I bet you never drove either.
@@bavarican01 500 and 560 are not around the mot records show they are not "still around" 500sec and 560 were known back garden rot boxes in the UK. Ten a penny mate i drove loads of them they were as embarrassing as the old bmw 8series. Utter junk and broke constantly
Then not a true leather leather shouldn't need such put in because would just weaken the real fibers and the coconut fibers are rougher so probably that gay hybrid crap leather
@Shawn-c2i Real leather mate, they use the coconut fibers on the backing to reinforce it. This is 80s, nobody cared for vegan leather. There's a reason you can find these cars with original interiors today...
Doug missed the nearly invisible defroster lines on the rear window, common with S-class Benzes of that period. My Dad used to own one and those cars were built like tanks.
This was an era when Mercedes cars would last hundreds of thousands of miles with just regular maintenance. New Mercedes cars barely last 2 years before becoming a dealer service bay magnet.
"Just regular maintenance" never has been cheap on a Mercedes though. Also, I think this one still uses plenty of vacuum lines and if those go bad, oh boy. It also has plenty of electronics that can and do go wrong eventually. This isn't a simple little Diesel. They were reliable cars for their time, but very costly to run back then and even more so today.
Those 80s mercedes were incredibly well thought and well made; very durable cars with few painel gaps and many design quirks rarely seen in today's automobiles. Engineers and designers seem to have been more important for a car brand than the sales department at that time...
The engineering sold itself. That was back when the engineers had a blank check to build the best car they could. In the 90s, Mercedes-Benz started chasing bling and gadgets like everyone else and the cars haven't been the same since.
@@bwofficial1776you say all that yet a Ford Sierra Cosworth d1cked on anything merc or any german manufacturer made throught the 80s and 90s. People dodged Amgs here in Scotland in the 80s because they didnt last.
@BlatantBurnerAccount You're coming at it from a very different perspective than how they were seen in the US at the time. American cars were mostly crap during this period and to see a car with this level of engineering start competing with what we were putting out is why cars like BMW, Mercedes, and Audi started blowing up here. There really was no competition at first from the big 3 automakers here and it took years for them to catch up.
The safety triangle is still mandatory equipment in Europe, everyone has it! Also a first aid kit, reflective vest, tow rope, spare light bulbs, spare wheel or repair kit and often a fire extinguisher.
@@robgriffin4801 My new (US-purchased) Mercedes lists the triangle delete and the first aid kit delete on the build sheet. We can get the first aid kit in the US easily (my other one has one), but I don't know about the triangle. 636 Omission of Warning Triangle
Here are most frequently required pieces of equipment in Europe according to the website: oponeo Warning triangle - 33 countries First-aid kit - 26 countries Fire extinguisher- 20 countries Reflective jacket - 19 countries Spare bulbs - 18 countries Spare fuse - 3 countries Towing cable - 3 countries Spare wheel + spanner - 2 countries
Finally another old AMG car, just one of the best AMG cars of its time, especially considering that the top model the 560SEC has an additional widebody to it. And the engine which is the M117 V8 was also used in the E Class of its time, the W124. That car uses that engine and gets its engine size up from 5.6 to 6.0 and creates the legendary AMG HAMMER. Those old AMG's really got up in value so much even today they could cost even 700k. And Doug, if you ever step upon a AMG HAMMER I'm begging you please review it
@@xpusostomos what do you mean come on? 😆 these were known in the UK as the grosser mk2 they were disposable cars even my dog owned one. They were diabolically unreliable and rotted out after 3 winters. I've no idea why Americans like these cars they were terrible.
@@xpusostomos just so you know that all the junk m and amg cars and the Land Rover cars that Doug and other Americans think are legendary are basically the cars that everyone here had and still do. Go have a look at what we pay here in uk for e46 m3 yet Americans think they are some god level drivers car🤣 e46 m3 to anyone in the uk was only slightly less junk made than e36 m3. Litteraly cars that were left in people's back gardens after 3yr use. Old Sierra and Escort cosworths were still humiliating E46 M3s here and if you want to talk about handling then lets talk about Lotus Elise then in comparison because loads of people had them at the time of "the sacred e46" and the Elise was 10x faster on any B-road. E46 M3 got out handled and beat on UK B-roads by RX8 hahahaha a 1.3 Mazda. Some "classic" ehh
I remember being in high school and my dad buying his first Benz, which was my introduction to German engineering. All the gauges and the way the car worked was so mysterious to me back then, only having ever been around American cars. I’ve had only German cars for the most part since then, so now this video is sooo familiar. Thanks for the trip to the past!
One of my all-time dream cars. The lower cladding on this one has been changed to the later 1986-91 style (smooth, no ribs). Also, the data card shows this car was delivered new in Guatemala!
My grandpa had a 1986 500sl with some amg modifications on it. Similar styling, just a little bit smaller. Beautiful car, I still drive it to this day.
I remember these cars coming out. It was considered particularly aerodynamic at the time, with certain quirky aerodynamic touches such as the door handles, and it was also the first car I remember having hidden windscreen wipers.
yeah then when they came out in UK the Sierra Cosworth embarrassed them too. These were known as bad mercs in the UK. Older AMGs are a disaster zone tbh
@BlatantBurnerAccount What on Earth does a high-end luxury car have to do with a working man's hot hatch? No idea why you're spouting this nonsense repeatedly in the comment section. The overlap between potential Cozzie and SEL customers was nil.
@no1DdC ehh? these amgs were bought in UK back then for performance clown boy. They were often raced against each other and furthermore they were both used as company cars and some people had the pick of either vehicle. A direct comparison luxury wise was jaguars and they were even worse made than the 500/560sec. Back then thats what people chose over these a jaguar or a cozzie its that simple. Either you werent alive to remember or you arent from the UK. Dont tell me what i can compare it to when i lived it son.
I always thought the E in the gasoline models stood for "Einspritzung" which meant it was a fuel-injected gasoline engine. So 500 SEL, for example, meant 5-litre V8, S-class, fuel-injected, long-wheelbase. Also, that "Economy" gauge is nothing more than a vacuum gauge. The harder you press on the accelerator pedal, the less vacuum the engine generates, and that lets the needle swing to the right.
I owned in the 1986 SEC version .the 126 series was famous for it's what was called '' safe ''like feeling, which for me characterizes best the driving experience. By the way Doug SEC stands foowned thr Super Einspritzer ( injection ) Coupé and is obviously gas-powered, as you stated correctly. Nice content bringing up old memories, so thank you very much for showing this old school gem!
Manual driver side mirror, weight saving of course! And I remember family friends going to Sweden to buy a new Volvo, tooling around Scandinavia and then having it shipped to the states. And I remember the AMG all black Hammer version, so cool
Dear potential buyer: - Coolant expansion tank has been replaced - Ignition system (coil?) seems modified/out of place - Intake duct is missing - engine seemed to have gotten a complete overhaul (ignition system, charging whirler, AC,....) - new battery (obviously) more I cannot spot, check the replies to this comment maybe
I believe the intake duct is missing due to the addition of the smog pump to be US compliant. It looks like the pump is in the way of the normal routing.
Also dear potential buyer: A car that was reliable for its time 40 years ago isn't necessarily reliable today, especially not after 40 years on the road and especially not a complicated luxury car like this one. Only buy this one if you can absolutely afford it to spend a significant amount of time in the shop.
In 1984 a catalyst as partt of the exhaust wasn‘t mandatory in Europe. We were just in the tranistion phase to switch from leaded fuel to unleaded fuel for cars with catalytic converter. For a limited period of time, both types of gasoline engines could be officially ordered at the dealers (not only Merc). This car is equipped with a calalyst and leaded fuel would kill this device. Fun fact: Mercedes never offered the W126 as a Diesel Car in Germany
Eh Hot Shot, what’s wrong with Detroit cars?😆 The Lorinser D93 wheels he had on the Roadhouse Benz were the best Mercedes wheels ever. Swayze kept that car after the film was done too.
*80s Mercedes Corporate*: “The better the build, the happier our customers” *Modern day Mercedes Corporate*: “The more that breaks, the more money from our customers.” 😂
Although it had not yet merged with Mercedes-Benz, "pre-merger" AMG offered body kits for all W126 models, as well as a "wide body" kit for the coupé. The "wide body" cars were fitted with distinctive AMG-designed front and rear fenders and door panels that allowed much wider wheels and tires to be fitted. AMG also offered engine modifications with displacements of 5, 5.5, and 6 litres. The most famous and rarest was the DOHC 6-litre engine, based on the original 117.968 engine. Some of options offered were Gleason Torsen differential in various ratios, manual transmission (extremely rare), and various TV/radio consoles.
fun fact: back in the 70ies and 80ies the name "E-Class" didn't exist. So, when the W123 230 became 230E (because of the new injection) it paved the path for the naming of the E-Class.
Here's the real definition of the nomenclature of Mercedes' branding then: 1. The number represented the engine displacement in liters - 500 was a 5.0 liter, 280 was a 2.8 liter, etc. So the number didn't necessarily mean the how big the car was...... it was how big the ENGINE was 2. The Letter "E" was yes for gas but that's a bit vague, it's for the German word "Einspritzen" - the German word for Fuel Injection I hope they kept the original steering wheel - that's a silly looking steering wheel for this car. Also, in 1984 it's possible this car had a driver's airbag from the factory. Pretty sure it was optional. Mercedes had them standard by 1988 The ridges in the tail lamps are actually to keep snow from accumulating over the entire lamp - Mercedes (and most European car companies) engineered their cars back then for cold weather climates since much of Europe is in Alpine country. Same for headlamp washers. It's also why European-spec cars have the bright rear fog lamp indicators American cars do not have.
@@FebreGundamYeah but he said “top of the line models”…… you could get the gas inline 6 in a top of the line S Class. The letter designated what level the car was. There were many 320 SELs sold in this era which were, in fact, top of the line S Classes only with the 3.2 I6 instead of the 5.0 V8.
The S meant it was big, as I recall, the 300CE was the smaller one, why the C was before the E, I don't know. But then the 190E came out and there was nothing to say it was smaller than a 280E. The model numbers were silly really.
@@xpusostomosI guess the rule back then was that the first letter after the number stands for model series: S for S-class, SL for the “Sport leicht” class, G for the G-class, except for their main model the mid-size sedan. That didn’t get any letters unless it was subclass like the 280 CE or the 200T (station wagon).
For many years, this was my favourite car in the world. There was one university building that I sometimes had to walk to, it was about a 12 minute walk for everyone else, but for me, it was 20 minutes, because I had two take two detours on the way there; the first to gawk at a very clean BMW E34, and then the second for a 1986 Mercedes 560 SEC. I took this route at least 90% of the times I had to go there, only skipping it in absolutely terrible weather conditions.
21:00 The 500 SEC may not be fast by today's standards, but back in its day it was very respectable. It could manage a 0-60 run in a touch over 7 seconds which was half a second off the e30 M3, which was a dedicated performance car that came out 2 years after this car was made. The e28 M5 which also released after this car was about a second quicker, and that was renowned as being lightning quick in its time. Of course a few years after this car was made, Mercedes offered the 560SEC ECE that had 300 hp and was only a tenth of a second slower to 60 and over the quarter mile than the m5 while weighing almost 1000 pounds more.
Love Doug’s car taste. He’s a class act. I sat in a brand new one of these in 1982 or 1986-(I can’t remember which trip) in a Munich dealership. Nothing has ever matched its solidity. It was a bulletproof German tank and just the sound of the driver’s door shutting would put fear in a Japanese auto engineer. This thing was SOLID!
Back in the mid 80s I added an AMG kit and wheels to my 190E. I tried to later order the AMG badge, and I had to mail AMG a picture of the car for them to approve before they would sell me the badge. Pretty cool!
@BlatantBurnerAccount the 560 suffered long timing chains which when service intervals were lengthened failed catastrophic. Maybe the UK got sent garbage because all w126 were full submerge galvanised from the factory. Pinch welds under rear glass and firewalls are known to rust but nothing that can't be mended. Just curious do ford still supply OEM parts for your non galvanised Seria? Parts for w126 Mercedes Benz are easily available
That's right! US version of the 500SEC and 500SEL had a detuned version of the 5.0 liter V8, offering 184hp instead of the 240hp european models engine
Naming was super simple and logical, nothing strange about it.... numbers represented the displacement - 320 = 3.2L, 500 = 5.0L and the letters represented Class, Diesel or Petrol, and Coupe or Lang versions... saying that was something complicated... maybe to the US buyer...
I'm on my second (this one is a keeper) 560sel. Mine has the very rare limousine rear backseats. Needs mostly body work but it's so amazing! For sure best car I've owned. It cruised at 80mph like nothing, sound proofing is great, and it handles surprisingly well with removal of the sls system and installation of H&R springs and Bilsteins. I want a SEC passionately! As far as performance AMG made the 6.0 widebody for that.
You didn't mention the special SEC specific aero door handles which were different than all the other Mercedes door handles of the era with it's aero faring. We had an 84 500SEC that was a Euro gray market import, and they came with smaller bumpers than the US models and ours also had dual zone climate control, which this car doesn't have. I believe the rubber buttons to fold the seat backs forward for rear seat access used a vacuum instead of a mechanical release, but I could be wrong. I also think I remember the engine from the euro gray market cars had a bit more horsepower than the US model 500SECs that they brought in later.
14:10 pretty standard for Mercedes of this era, 2-door or 4-door. It’s got nothing to do with the rear passengers. You’re supposed to shut the door using the handle furthest away from the hinge for optimal ergonomics. More cars should have this. The other one is just a grab handle (and it’s the same on both sides independently of LHD or RHS for symmetry, cost, etc.). My W124 has this and it’s a 4-door.
I have owned a whole lot of cars in my life. I don't even remember them all. I had a Caddie from the late 70s and it had some digital displays. One of the displays was for fuel. It showed your current average/consumption. It also showed either your range or how many gallons of gasoline were left in the tank. It even had a digital display to adjust the temperature and was 'dual-zone'. I don't think I'm conflating vehicles. This one stands out as I actually sold it to a friend who rebuilt the engine and did some moderate restoration. It was in remarkably good shape on the outside. Considering I was in New England at the time, the lack of rust made it the exception to the rule.
This car makes me considerably more excited than most recent models. It has a soul, you can feel the love for the craft. Can't say that very often these days.
7:35 - look at the automatic transmission's gear shift lever: if the driver wants a somewhat sportier driving mode/sensation in urban/city-driving please shift the gear lever into "3" instead of "D". Then later shift it back into "D" when cruising at higher speeds or on the highway. Its in the Owner's Manual. We had a 1984 MB 380 SEL V8 in London which most definitly drove more sportily and spritely in "3". I'm befuddled/bemused that Doug doesn't know or do that. I don't think he has the time to read these comments here, but his assistants surely do.
The bodykit makes It look cheap. Here in germany, where I live, only people of somehow suspicous profession used to drive these. The serious businessman kept his SEC original .
Agree that it looks tacky but the rarity of original AMG parts and cars makes up for it. Those optional extras would be worth massive money now and will only continue to increase in value.
The 81-85 S-class should have the ribbed "Sacco" panels, not the newer smooth ones as on the car. Also the wheels are not period correct, Aero wheels came later in the 80's. I have a very similar 500 SEC from 1985.
This! Is the most accurate video title ever. I was 5 in 1980 and already a full fledged car guy. Those cars ruled at the time, and should go down in history just as Doug says in the title
Check out THIS! King of 1980s Cool! crsnbds.com/500sec
@DougDeMuro
Doug I was around in the 80s I lived it
Do an old school Volvo next
If I was Doug & had my own Batcave the Dustrictive nature in me, would just hoot horns all f#ckin day be so fun!
😂
Hey Dough, American perspective about Russian Mirov2.
NO DOUG!!! NO!!!! the louder horn is for the busy noisier city!!! in the quiet country you dont need a loud horn!!!
I got a feeling Doug played with those horns quite a bit more off camera
Doug may have had too much Red Bull before going on camera!
Ineos definitely took notes from this car with the 2 horns on the grenadier!
I owned this car in the 1986 SEC version .the 126 series was famous for it's what was called '' safe ''like feeling, which for me characterizes best the driving experience.
By the way Doug SEC stands for Super Einspritzer ( injection ) Coupé and is obviously gas-powered, as you stated correctly.
Nice content bringing up old memories, so thank you very much for showing this old school gem!
Honestly this is why I’ve been subscribed since the Ferrari video.
8:48 Peak Doug content.
@JC_500 its a thing old school car makers both american and european did since prewar
Sonderklasse + Einspritzung + Coupe = SEC 😉
Somebody knows some German .
Sex
@@gregorygant4242 People living outside the us tend to be 600% more fluent in more languages other than ONLY english.
danka
it’s an overkill for someone, who can’t pronounce coupé correctly😂
About the ''Unleaded Fuel'' sign, I think that sign was there not for diesels but for the fact that leaded fuel was still available then.
Yes, and killing the catalyst converter. Very costly mistake to make.
I can't believe Doug doesn't know this
@@xpusostomos Doug wasn't around when leaded fuel was still available.
I don’t think it was that leaded fuel was around. I think it was an EPA or DOT regulation requirement to have sticker there and on gas flap.
The warning triangle wasn’t required in USA but removing it was a bad idea because the trunk lid springs were designed for the weight of lid and triangle. Removing the triangle would upset the balance.
We had a 1988 560SEL when I was in high school, all black and tinted. We used to drive and hold down the horn while switching back and forth, and it sounded like a siren haha. Everyone moved out of the way because they thought some diplomat was coming through 😂
@@VladoooThe my first car was a champagne 1989 560sel big azz boat. It made me a good driver for sure, that is what I learned to parallel park.
bro just called us poor in 3000 languages, like who gets an oldschool amg in highschool
@@RealMakarov haha it wasn't an amg just a normal 560 SEL, which at the time was like a $5000 car. My first car ever was a 1986 Porsche 944, which we paid $3500 for, my dad and I split it. I washed dishes at Swiss Chalet to pay for half of it haha. You don't need money to enjoy the finer things ;)
"E" stands for "Einspritzung". German for fuel injection. Not all cars had that back then.
Yes, the dirt/snow stays away from the inner part of the tail light ribs. It works. Shoujld be pretty obvious why.
Absolutely correct sir
pity no 4wd version 500SEX 😂
That's right!
In those days, the S-Class base model, the 6-cilynder 280, was offered in two versions, 280S (with carburator) and the 280SE (with fuel injection)
Oh I just posted that lol
No, e stands for electric... 😅please don't kill me
13:15 it's because for a period of time when that vehicle was new both leaded and unleaded fuels were available.
Precisely 👍
Finally, something old and German that's all about quality.
Good luck finding parts for it.
@@huntersmillie00 You mights struggle to find certain coupe-specific parts but there are a ton of W126 cars out there.
@@huntersmillie00 he didnt say he wants to buy any parts. braindead.
@@huntersmillie00 You can get every spare part from Mercedes Classic, even parts for a 1930s supercharged R8.
But don't forget to bring your wallet.
Mercedes themselves and third party brands still deliver if it comes to parts. I’ve got a c123 myself
I had a 79 450 SEL, and it had a 4.5l engine that looked nearly identical. Fuel injection, overhead cams... it was the freaking bomb for it's time! I loved that car!
Hahaha same .. I was 14 and stole my dad's 450 sel and did my first ever burnout and oh boy did it smoke something stupid for a car made in 79. Best car ever so much room
@@mayoub2905 It was the only car that I could drive across the country without messing up my back! It started in any weather on the first touch of the key! It won lots of awards. I had mine for about ten years and it had 340,000 mikes on it, and had no problems other than a moron hitting me head on going 40! There was little left of his early 90's compact and well the SEL was fixable, but way beyond my budget at the time, and in a big city, with rare parking, garages converted to living spaces and way rare.. and over zealous cops and easily having a car towed to go through the racket trying to get it back costing a crap load too... I had no other choice but to sell the remains.😢
Maybe it's just me, but I would prefer one of these in nice condition over anything new.
It's got all the "modern features" you need, and none of the crap you don't.
Looks great, easy to work on and to understand. I absolutely love this era of Mercedes.
(easy to work on) oooo boy are you wrong
Booooyyyy tell me you've never owned a w126 vehicle without telling me...if I had the funds and garage space back when i owned one I would've yanked that junk m117 5.0 v8 out of my euro market 500 sec slapped in a ford 302 or 351 windsor or even an LS in it...I'm sorry but...despite having mechanical injection the wiring diagram is a mess not to mention the differences year to year and the super expensive parts...first thing I'm doing when I get one to keep for the rest of my life is simplifying the wiring, simplifying the AC system and last but not least getting rid of the mercedes drivetrain and slapping a 2004+ crown victoria frame under it, damn near same handling and ride quality if not better in the crown vic plus add tires with tall sidewall and you'll have similar if not same ride quality...idc if it takes a lot of work...I will do it just to have my dream car while making it reliable and bullet proof...however the good thing is, need a brand new hood? Mercedes will sell it to you, need a window regulator? The w123 one fits just need to move the tabs around to bolt it in...mercedes classic division is a God send for body and interior parts.
But be prepared to pay big $$$$$ for anything from mercedes classic division when you need certain parts
Also don't forget about the factory fuel system...lots of little tiny filters that will clog throughout the fuel system, don't forget about costly to rebuild fuel distributor for the K jet system...the cam oilers like to break...on top of that the cams are flat tappet, the valve stem seals LOVE to leak
@@monikhushalpuri I've owned several W126 and currently own one - they are dead simple, IMO. I've never had an issue with the fuel injection system ever. In fact, the fuel cell on gasoline models (rear right side) is easily accessible and removable/serviceable. Unlike new cars, the old injectors (gas or diesel) are serviceable. Do you do your own work? If you have a shop manual, it's a piece of cake. Sincerely: someone who has worked on W126 myself for 16 years
8:45 Doug the type of guy to spam two different horns on a car to simulate traffic jams when advertising the car he's selling online
@@Kxvito Dude is a complete clown.... No idea why people watch him. 🤣 I don't for more than a couple minutes.
An 80s Benz makes you feel like a boss
That body kit is ugly as f though
@@johnkrull7323 there are right and wrong opinions
@@johnkrull7323 I agree. My 90 560 SEC was prettier.
@@johnkrull7323 they definitely did some poor caulking on that front
I love the simple '80s styling
When I was about 10 years old living in Germany we driving home from the Frankfurt airport, when I saw this car (actually the 560SEC, which had a 5.5L V8 and I believe was available with a 5-speed manual transmission) for the first time; it was a very dark charcoal metallic (tho my dad said it was actually metallic black, but it was hard to be sure since it was very darkly overcast as was common there!), and just the sexiest, slickest car I’d ever seen at that point in my life! It went past us in the opposite directions, towards the airport, but a short while later as we were cruising down the autobahn (in our venerable W123 series 300 Turbodiesel) when my dad told me to look up; he was looking in his rear view mirror, so I looked back and about a km behind us I saw a dark car approaching in the fast lane… A few seconds later that 560, having apparently picked up it’s passenger from the airport, blew past us with a speed that actually frightened me! No speed limits on the autobahn, but still, as a kid, seeing a car going THAT FAST, all I could think was holy cow how COOL is that and OMG if it got into an accident it would disintegrate into it individual Benz molecules! But I never forgot that first sighting, and while I never owned one in Germany, I did own a 500SEC here in the US. Currently I have an old 230S, a classic, with actual tail fins, and another Turbodiesel like we had back then, this one a ‘82, with the 5-cylinder engine, and a VERY rare manual transmission swap! I hope to find a nice 500 or 560SEL at some point, as for me it just represents the pinnacle of Benz coolness and luxury! I’m glad they were built so well, and that a decent number still survive in great shape! Great upload as always by Doug, and a super-cool car! Also, sorry for the epic comment and all the parenthesis!
When I was 7 a car that made a permanent impression on me was a suicide door Lincoln, not fast but a cool American luxury car of its day. Now restored cars bring over 600k.
Hey Doug.
The ridges in the taillights were so that when they'd be caked with snow and slush in winter, you'd be visible. Not so much for dirt and sand. And it worked!
That's a really neat fact. I would have never guessed that but it makes sense.
If it works why don't they still do it?
@@xpusostomosbecause it’s not sexy.
@@xpusostomos i guess it would probably be very difficult to integrate the design to modern car taillights without making it look weird + leds are much more powerful and they can probably shine well enough even when covered in a thin layer of snow
...This may shock you, but snow, slush, dirt, and sand live on the same place... the ground. Stop being pedantic.
4:21 not confusing at all. In fact, it was so straightforward that Lexus probably took inspiration from them on how to name their own models.
But if Doug doesn't pretend that its "quirky", then he's not left with much to say
It wasn't confusing to car enthusiasts and early watchers of a C126 video, but it was clearly confusing to the general public which is why Mercedes-Benz changed its entire naming scheme in 1994 to something that made a lot more sense :)
@@DougDeMurothey rearranged the numbers and letters. And got rid of sel or sdl models. They didnt really change anything
@@DougDeMuro...and in the end, succeeded in confusing us even more. 😉 Been resigned to calling them all "S-Class Coupes" for years now.😆
@@GordonBecklesI prefer s class coupe
Simple
The 500/560SEC were with out a doubt my favorite Mercedes ever made within the past 50 years
That was the car I had a picture of on my wall.
I agree. Fantastic body style. I far prefer it to what preceded and followed it. I think the AMG flash doesn't really serve the look, though I like the wheels, maybe not do chromed and the lowered look. I'd go for a tasteful resto-mod, though I'm sure many would consider that sacrilege.
A friend had one in the early 2000s. It was brought in Bulgaria by some mobster, probably stolen from Germany. He had abused it, crashed it slightly in the front and left it to rot in a street in my town. I was passing by the car for years and always thought its a cool mean machine. Much to my surprise - a close friend, a mechanic by trade was able to acquire it in some way. He brought it back to life, fixed it up mechanically and as best as he can visually, spare body panels were rare.
This thing was a total blast and real mean, loud and awesome German muscle car. A little gas and it was sideways. He drove it like he stole it and I have fond memories of riding in this thing.
After years of owning it, we finally were able to find a decent hood for it (the one on it was never fixed properly after the crash) and other panels it needed. Ended up selling it to a German who did a full restoration. So glad this machine made it through it's tuff times. It was and still is a banger of car.
Cool story dude
faziarnia
They 10 a penny in the UK 😂 Litterally laying rotted out since they were 5yr old.
These cars are still recommended to ride.
@purwantiallan5089 you are known as a nonsense poster. Do one
@BlatantBurnerAccount That's where we got a hood from - UK eBay :D
That RHD really hurts resale value of your cars. Can't really drive them comfortably anywhere else in Europe.
The W126 500 SEL/SEC WAS officially sold in the USA through dealers, but only in 1984 and 1985.
The big UNLEADED FUEL ONLY badge isn't factory. It was presumably added by the importer that federalized the car. The factory badge was metal and right above the light switch.
All these new cars they want to impress you with their radical designs so next week you buy one.
1980s Mercedes' tried to impress you 40 years after its launch (succesfully: I need one).
built like a tank
@@ironmonkey1512who told you that? these junk heaps were broke down long before Sierra Cosworths were and got utterly humiliated performance wise by sierra cosworth😂 These were known as the Grosser mk2 in the UK because of how much of a drama they were. Maybe realise that these were 10 a penny elswwhere in the world and we know how badly made they are😂
The sierra is probably the ugliest car in history. That great Cosworth engine was absolutely wasted on that Ford piece of chunk. They were only a thing because of Cosworth, nothing else. The 500 and 560 sec are still around because of the outstanding quality all around. Everything on these cars is well thought out. I bet you never drove either.
@@bavarican01 the "great cosworth engine" was a Ford Pinto block with cosworth head you melt 🤣
@@bavarican01 500 and 560 are not around the mot records show they are not "still around" 500sec and 560 were known back garden rot boxes in the UK. Ten a penny mate i drove loads of them they were as embarrassing as the old bmw 8series. Utter junk and broke constantly
Fun fact: The leather seats in these cars have coconut fibers in them as reinforcement
@@danny-FL plus real metal seat springs.
I remember seeing them poking out in old rundown Mercedes taxis. 🤣
I don’t believe you
Then not a true leather leather shouldn't need such put in because would just weaken the real fibers and the coconut fibers are rougher so probably that gay hybrid crap leather
@Shawn-c2i Real leather mate, they use the coconut fibers on the backing to reinforce it. This is 80s, nobody cared for vegan leather. There's a reason you can find these cars with original interiors today...
Mercedes should have never stopped making BIG COUPES WITH BIG ENGINES.
Doug missed the nearly invisible defroster lines on the rear window, common with S-class Benzes of that period. My Dad used to own one and those cars were built like tanks.
don't all cars have these?
@ no. In the back they are usually thick defroster lines. On the Benz there are about 60 to a 100 really thin almost invisible lines.
Im loving this old cars reviews. This the miata and the toyota truck. Keep it coming doug
YES!!!
Modern supercars are boring.
Me too
This was an era when Mercedes cars would last hundreds of thousands of miles with just regular maintenance. New Mercedes cars barely last 2 years before becoming a dealer service bay magnet.
Back then, they were engineered like no other car
"Just regular maintenance" never has been cheap on a Mercedes though. Also, I think this one still uses plenty of vacuum lines and if those go bad, oh boy. It also has plenty of electronics that can and do go wrong eventually. This isn't a simple little Diesel. They were reliable cars for their time, but very costly to run back then and even more so today.
@@no1DdC it isn't a diesel at all
@ Yeah, that's what I meant.
Those 80s mercedes were incredibly well thought and well made; very durable cars with few painel gaps and many design quirks rarely seen in today's automobiles. Engineers and designers seem to have been more important for a car brand than the sales department at that time...
The engineering sold itself. That was back when the engineers had a blank check to build the best car they could. In the 90s, Mercedes-Benz started chasing bling and gadgets like everyone else and the cars haven't been the same since.
no they werent they were a reliability disaster in the UK they were known as grosser mk2 😂
@@bwofficial1776you say all that yet a Ford Sierra Cosworth d1cked on anything merc or any german manufacturer made throught the 80s and 90s. People dodged Amgs here in Scotland in the 80s because they didnt last.
@BlatantBurnerAccount You're coming at it from a very different perspective than how they were seen in the US at the time. American cars were mostly crap during this period and to see a car with this level of engineering start competing with what we were putting out is why cars like BMW, Mercedes, and Audi started blowing up here. There really was no competition at first from the big 3 automakers here and it took years for them to catch up.
For what this cost back then they better have been well made. Think of spending this much money for a car thats fairly basic.
The safety triangle is still mandatory equipment in Europe, everyone has it! Also a first aid kit, reflective vest, tow rope, spare light bulbs, spare wheel or repair kit and often a fire extinguisher.
1st aid kit is not mandatory anymore.
Ahh, explains the fire extinguisher which he strangely didn't mention
@@robgriffin4801 My new (US-purchased) Mercedes lists the triangle delete and the first aid kit delete on the build sheet. We can get the first aid kit in the US easily (my other one has one), but I don't know about the triangle.
636 Omission of Warning Triangle
Here are most frequently required pieces of equipment in Europe according to the website: oponeo
Warning triangle - 33 countries
First-aid kit - 26 countries
Fire extinguisher- 20 countries
Reflective jacket - 19 countries
Spare bulbs - 18 countries
Spare fuse - 3 countries
Towing cable - 3 countries
Spare wheel + spanner - 2 countries
Finally another old AMG car, just one of the best AMG cars of its time, especially considering that the top model the 560SEC has an additional widebody to it. And the engine which is the M117 V8 was also used in the E Class of its time, the W124. That car uses that engine and gets its engine size up from 5.6 to 6.0 and creates the legendary AMG HAMMER. Those old AMG's really got up in value so much even today they could cost even 700k. And Doug, if you ever step upon a AMG HAMMER I'm begging you please review it
in the UK these are considered junk😂 they are crap cars they were 10 a penny here
@BlatantBurnerAccountoh come on
@@xpusostomos what do you mean come on? 😆 these were known in the UK as the grosser mk2 they were disposable cars even my dog owned one. They were diabolically unreliable and rotted out after 3 winters. I've no idea why Americans like these cars they were terrible.
@@xpusostomos just so you know that all the junk m and amg cars and the Land Rover cars that Doug and other Americans think are legendary are basically the cars that everyone here had and still do. Go have a look at what we pay here in uk for e46 m3 yet Americans think they are some god level drivers car🤣 e46 m3 to anyone in the uk was only slightly less junk made than e36 m3. Litteraly cars that were left in people's back gardens after 3yr use. Old Sierra and Escort cosworths were still humiliating E46 M3s here and if you want to talk about handling then lets talk about Lotus Elise then in comparison because loads of people had them at the time of "the sacred e46" and the Elise was 10x faster on any B-road. E46 M3 got out handled and beat on UK B-roads by RX8 hahahaha a 1.3 Mazda. Some "classic" ehh
@BlatantBurnerAccount are you seriously claiming the 500SEC was "junk made"?
I remember being in high school and my dad buying his first Benz, which was my introduction to German engineering. All the gauges and the way the car worked was so mysterious to me back then, only having ever been around American cars. I’ve had only German cars for the most part since then, so now this video is sooo familiar. Thanks for the trip to the past!
AMG, Koenig Specials, Lorinser, Carat by Duchatelet and many others did great job in crazy 80's tuning. Recaro Idealsitz was the top of the line seats
A man of culture and excellence
Don't forget about Gemballa ABC Exclusive and SGS
One of my all-time dream cars. The lower cladding on this one has been changed to the later 1986-91 style (smooth, no ribs). Also, the data card shows this car was delivered new in Guatemala!
This year, with less than 11,000 miles? This should be at MECUM or Barrett-Jackson auction houses, cause this is incredible!!!!
Supposed to be over 11.000 miles.😅
The first car with both an air bag & ABS!!!!!
Yes, but not his one🙂
You are probably correct about both, but the previous S class, the 116 had ABS as an option.
@@raysstuffzThe W 126 1980 S-Class was the first car to have both .
no it wasnt
The first car with both was the W126 1980 S-Class.
My grandpa had a 1986 500sl with some amg modifications on it. Similar styling, just a little bit smaller. Beautiful car, I still drive it to this day.
I remember these cars coming out. It was considered particularly aerodynamic at the time, with certain quirky aerodynamic touches such as the door handles, and it was also the first car I remember having hidden windscreen wipers.
yeah then when they came out in UK the Sierra Cosworth embarrassed them too. These were known as bad mercs in the UK. Older AMGs are a disaster zone tbh
@BlatantBurnerAccount What on Earth does a high-end luxury car have to do with a working man's hot hatch? No idea why you're spouting this nonsense repeatedly in the comment section. The overlap between potential Cozzie and SEL customers was nil.
@no1DdC ehh? these amgs were bought in UK back then for performance clown boy. They were often raced against each other and furthermore they were both used as company cars and some people had the pick of either vehicle. A direct comparison luxury wise was jaguars and they were even worse made than the 500/560sec. Back then thats what people chose over these a jaguar or a cozzie its that simple. Either you werent alive to remember or you arent from the UK. Dont tell me what i can compare it to when i lived it son.
@@no1DdC and dont +1 your own comment again. Its embarrassing and desperate
@ I'm not doing that and never have. Never knew it was even possible. Please don't accuse people without evidence.
Did the math, this car was on exactly 96.5 percent of 80's rap album covers.
Your comment wasnt funny
🤔What math was done to get that percentage? (Not saying you're wrong just curious lol)
I always thought the E in the gasoline models stood for "Einspritzung" which meant it was a fuel-injected gasoline engine. So 500 SEL, for example, meant 5-litre V8, S-class, fuel-injected, long-wheelbase.
Also, that "Economy" gauge is nothing more than a vacuum gauge. The harder you press on the accelerator pedal, the less vacuum the engine generates, and that lets the needle swing to the right.
The in between sun visor is really useful, all cars should have them.
I owned in the 1986 SEC version .the 126 series was famous for it's what was called '' safe ''like feeling, which for me characterizes best the driving experience.
By the way Doug SEC stands foowned thr Super Einspritzer ( injection ) Coupé and is obviously gas-powered, as you stated correctly.
Nice content bringing up old memories, so thank you very much for showing this old school gem!
Manual driver side mirror, weight saving of course! And I remember family friends going to Sweden to buy a new Volvo, tooling around Scandinavia and then having it shipped to the states. And I remember the AMG all black Hammer version, so cool
Mercedes own explanation was precision, the very unAmerican concept of your hands being better than something electric.
The car screems MAFIA!!!
It sure does. Miami Vice and Paid IN Full 😂😂
Hard to believe this car is 40 years old
Dear potential buyer:
- Coolant expansion tank has been replaced
- Ignition system (coil?) seems modified/out of place
- Intake duct is missing
- engine seemed to have gotten a complete overhaul (ignition system, charging whirler, AC,....)
- new battery (obviously)
more I cannot spot, check the replies to this comment maybe
mph speedometer in euro spec car
I believe the intake duct is missing due to the addition of the smog pump to be US compliant. It looks like the pump is in the way of the normal routing.
Also dear potential buyer: A car that was reliable for its time 40 years ago isn't necessarily reliable today, especially not after 40 years on the road and especially not a complicated luxury car like this one. Only buy this one if you can absolutely afford it to spend a significant amount of time in the shop.
@@sarppo Order Location GUATEMALA
coolant reservoir is on passenger side, this is SLS oil reservoir
Doug the type of guy to stright pipe an EV.
Hahaha
Why is everyone bashing Doug? He’s incredible. If I had accomplished what he has at his age? I’d be?? Elon musk’s level today.
Doug is a type of a guy to walk in a bar and order one alcohol
EVs are naturally aspirated after all...
@@Bmwguy2011 it's just jokes
I don't know that I've ever seen an 80s car with an interior this clean since the actual 80s. It's spectacular.
In 1984 a catalyst as partt of the exhaust wasn‘t mandatory in Europe. We were just in the tranistion phase to switch from leaded fuel to unleaded fuel for cars with catalytic converter. For a limited period of time, both types of gasoline engines could be officially ordered at the dealers (not only Merc). This car is equipped with a calalyst and leaded fuel would kill this device.
Fun fact: Mercedes never offered the W126 as a Diesel Car in Germany
Now this was ahead of its time.
That was the car Dalton drove in Roadhouse!
And wrecked it on Brad Wesley's lawn. What a waste!
Dalton, huh, I thought you'd be bigger!
Eh Hot Shot, what’s wrong with Detroit cars?😆
The Lorinser D93 wheels he had on the Roadhouse Benz were the best Mercedes wheels ever.
Swayze kept that car after the film was done too.
@@eddiethetruheadGreat wheels fantastic looking !
He had a 560 SEC not 500 SEC !
This in all black is beautiful. Always loved the silhouette
*80s Mercedes Corporate*: “The better the build, the happier our customers”
*Modern day Mercedes Corporate*:
“The more that breaks, the more money from our customers.” 😂
Although it had not yet merged with Mercedes-Benz, "pre-merger" AMG offered body kits for all W126 models, as well as a "wide body" kit for the coupé. The "wide body" cars were fitted with distinctive AMG-designed front and rear fenders and door panels that allowed much wider wheels and tires to be fitted. AMG also offered engine modifications with displacements of 5, 5.5, and 6 litres. The most famous and rarest was the DOHC 6-litre engine, based on the original 117.968 engine. Some of options offered were Gleason Torsen differential in various ratios, manual transmission (extremely rare), and various TV/radio consoles.
The "E" in "SEC" stands for Einspritzer (injection)
The 's' is for sonderklasse, the class above all. The'C' is for clitorus obviously.
it stands for Excellent *Mr burns voice*
fun fact: back in the 70ies and 80ies the name "E-Class" didn't exist. So, when the W123 230 became 230E (because of the new injection) it paved the path for the naming of the E-Class.
24:09 Look at the shine and reflection on those wheels! If you had/have this car, you were/are one of the coolest cats on the block. Nuf' said. 😎
So "cool" that mothers would hide their daughters if you were nearby.
Here's the real definition of the nomenclature of Mercedes' branding then:
1. The number represented the engine displacement in liters - 500 was a 5.0 liter, 280 was a 2.8 liter, etc. So the number didn't necessarily mean the how big the car was...... it was how big the ENGINE was
2. The Letter "E" was yes for gas but that's a bit vague, it's for the German word "Einspritzen" - the German word for Fuel Injection
I hope they kept the original steering wheel - that's a silly looking steering wheel for this car. Also, in 1984 it's possible this car had a driver's airbag from the factory. Pretty sure it was optional. Mercedes had them standard by 1988
The ridges in the tail lamps are actually to keep snow from accumulating over the entire lamp - Mercedes (and most European car companies) engineered their cars back then for cold weather climates since much of Europe is in Alpine country. Same for headlamp washers. It's also why European-spec cars have the bright rear fog lamp indicators American cars do not have.
And some of today's drivers attempt to put gas in a Tesla. 🤣🤣🤣
Oh, look, we found the "Errr... Ackchyually" guy. Doug said the number represented "engine size" not how big the car was.
@@FebreGundamYeah but he said “top of the line models”…… you could get the gas inline 6 in a top of the line S Class. The letter designated what level the car was. There were many 320 SELs sold in this era which were, in fact, top of the line S Classes only with the 3.2 I6 instead of the 5.0 V8.
The S meant it was big, as I recall, the 300CE was the smaller one, why the C was before the E, I don't know. But then the 190E came out and there was nothing to say it was smaller than a 280E. The model numbers were silly really.
@@xpusostomosI guess the rule back then was that the first letter after the number stands for model series: S for S-class, SL for the “Sport leicht” class, G for the G-class, except for their main model the mid-size sedan. That didn’t get any letters unless it was subclass like the 280 CE or the 200T (station wagon).
I owned a 1989 300E for a few years and it also had that middle sun visor above the rear view mirror. used it all the time, such a good lil feature.
the king of german red light districts, especially in the ruhrgebiet. hence the hillarious bodykits of that era.
For many years, this was my favourite car in the world. There was one university building that I sometimes had to walk to, it was about a 12 minute walk for everyone else, but for me, it was 20 minutes, because I had two take two detours on the way there; the first to gawk at a very clean BMW E34, and then the second for a 1986 Mercedes 560 SEC. I took this route at least 90% of the times I had to go there, only skipping it in absolutely terrible weather conditions.
10:32 that's an authentic AMG spec of dirt probably from Stuttgart and PRICELESS
the volume fader is in that spot so rear passengers can reach it too, they do on all models of that era!
Digging more of these retro reviews! Keep it up!
I’ve always thought that if Matthew McConaughey was a car he’d be one of these it just makes sense
I hasten is peak Kennan.
A design masterpiece by Italian Bruno Sacco.
In Germany this was the ultimate pimp ride
21:00 The 500 SEC may not be fast by today's standards, but back in its day it was very respectable. It could manage a 0-60 run in a touch over 7 seconds which was half a second off the e30 M3, which was a dedicated performance car that came out 2 years after this car was made. The e28 M5 which also released after this car was about a second quicker, and that was renowned as being lightning quick in its time. Of course a few years after this car was made, Mercedes offered the 560SEC ECE that had 300 hp and was only a tenth of a second slower to 60 and over the quarter mile than the m5 while weighing almost 1000 pounds more.
Love Doug’s car taste. He’s a class act. I sat in a brand new one of these in 1982 or 1986-(I can’t remember which trip) in a Munich dealership. Nothing has ever matched its solidity. It was a bulletproof German tank and just the sound of the driver’s door shutting would put fear in a Japanese auto engineer. This thing was SOLID!
Back in the mid 80s I added an AMG kit and wheels to my 190E. I tried to later order the AMG badge, and I had to mail AMG a picture of the car for them to approve before they would sell me the badge. Pretty cool!
This car was crazy fast at the time. Average people today still consider mid 6sec 0-60 fast enough.
This reminded me of Bobby brown flexing about a 560 SEC in his song lol
@@bharathnaveen8870 yeah on don't be cruel the little rap verse had that line and it appeared in the video
Solid cars, a feel that costs so much more to attain today
solid? they were known in the UK as the grosser mk2 they were as unreliable as it gets. They were 10 a penny here so its not even up for dispute
@BlatantBurnerAccount Ur just stupid there is no car better screwed together for its time
@BlatantBurnerAccount the 560 suffered long timing chains which when service intervals were lengthened failed catastrophic.
Maybe the UK got sent garbage because all w126 were full submerge galvanised from the factory. Pinch welds under rear glass and firewalls are known to rust but nothing that can't be mended.
Just curious do ford still supply OEM parts for your non galvanised Seria? Parts for w126 Mercedes Benz are easily available
@@AlienLivesMatter no idea to argue with that guy he thinks the w126 is about being fast and sporty
@@AlienLivesMatter Mercedes is good for having parts for older models. Can't say that about American vehicles as I've learned.
According to Sir-Mix-A-Lot, in the song "Posse On Broadway," The AMG kit keeps you closer to the ground.
Aaaaand, the improved traction from the 50 series tires. .😂
SEC...Hog of Hogs
@@dan82500the Alpine's bumping but I need the volume higher
I have one of these, their is not a single day in a week where I'll pause for s second and appreciate the lines on this car, a true beauty.
Doug, the 500SEC was offered in the US in 1984 and 1985. The 380 was offered before that, and the 560 was offered 1986 on.
That's right!
US version of the 500SEC and 500SEL had a detuned version of the 5.0 liter V8, offering 184hp instead of the 240hp european models engine
Naming was super simple and logical, nothing strange about it.... numbers represented the displacement - 320 = 3.2L, 500 = 5.0L and the letters represented Class, Diesel or Petrol, and Coupe or Lang versions... saying that was something complicated... maybe to the US buyer...
I can smell this interior.
I'm on my second (this one is a keeper) 560sel. Mine has the very rare limousine rear backseats. Needs mostly body work but it's so amazing! For sure best car I've owned. It cruised at 80mph like nothing, sound proofing is great, and it handles surprisingly well with removal of the sls system and installation of H&R springs and Bilsteins. I want a SEC passionately!
As far as performance AMG made the 6.0 widebody for that.
You didn't mention the special SEC specific aero door handles which were different than all the other Mercedes door handles of the era with it's aero faring. We had an 84 500SEC that was a Euro gray market import, and they came with smaller bumpers than the US models and ours also had dual zone climate control, which this car doesn't have. I believe the rubber buttons to fold the seat backs forward for rear seat access used a vacuum instead of a mechanical release, but I could be wrong. I also think I remember the engine from the euro gray market cars had a bit more horsepower than the US model 500SECs that they brought in later.
1984 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC, the official car that you're the Big Man on Campus 40 years ago. Love it!
Mine! 84 was the best year. Lucky new owner
How was/is it?
@thadynakat not good otherwise he'd have kept it
@@demonstructie It can still be good but maybe it was time for something else. Not all cars have to be forever cars. Variety can be fun too.
@@bwofficial1776 My thoughts exactly.
@thadynakat No complaints.
10902 miles?? This has definitely been clocked 😂😂😂😂
14:10 pretty standard for Mercedes of this era, 2-door or 4-door. It’s got nothing to do with the rear passengers. You’re supposed to shut the door using the handle furthest away from the hinge for optimal ergonomics. More cars should have this. The other one is just a grab handle (and it’s the same on both sides independently of LHD or RHS for symmetry, cost, etc.). My W124 has this and it’s a 4-door.
I have owned a whole lot of cars in my life. I don't even remember them all.
I had a Caddie from the late 70s and it had some digital displays. One of the displays was for fuel. It showed your current average/consumption. It also showed either your range or how many gallons of gasoline were left in the tank. It even had a digital display to adjust the temperature and was 'dual-zone'.
I don't think I'm conflating vehicles. This one stands out as I actually sold it to a friend who rebuilt the engine and did some moderate restoration. It was in remarkably good shape on the outside. Considering I was in New England at the time, the lack of rust made it the exception to the rule.
When Mercedes built Panzers . Those days are long gone.
This car makes me considerably more excited than most recent models. It has a soul, you can feel the love for the craft. Can't say that very often these days.
7:35 - look at the automatic transmission's gear shift lever: if the driver wants a somewhat sportier driving mode/sensation in urban/city-driving please shift the gear lever into "3" instead of "D". Then later shift it back into "D" when cruising at higher speeds or on the highway. Its in the Owner's Manual. We had a 1984 MB 380 SEL V8 in London which most definitly drove more sportily and spritely in "3". I'm befuddled/bemused that Doug doesn't know or do that. I don't think he has the time to read these comments here, but his assistants surely do.
This might be one of the most well preserved "drivers cars" that I have seen. Its in fantastic shap!
The bodykit makes It look cheap. Here in germany, where I live, only people of somehow suspicous profession used to drive these. The serious businessman kept his SEC original .
@@ulrichr.487 yup, looks tacky.
the business man had a sierra cosworth mate. 😂
Agree that it looks tacky but the rarity of original AMG parts and cars makes up for it. Those optional extras would be worth massive money now and will only continue to increase in value.
rocker panels not period correct, not AMG
front and back lips are OK
The 81-85 S-class should have the ribbed "Sacco" panels, not the newer smooth ones as on the car. Also the wheels are not period correct, Aero wheels came later in the 80's. I have a very similar 500 SEC from 1985.
Doug said big body benz 😭😭such a real one
In Europe in the 80s nobody except for a pimp would have had chrome wheels! 😂😂
cars of the 80’s to the 2000’s were just so damn cool
Best looking car Mercedes ever made and one of the best period.
A few wks ago I saw 1 of these for the 1st time in person, blacked out! It was beautiful. This one is in pristine condition!
ICE T APPROVED
Doug was having a little too much fun simulating a traffic jam with those horns lol. Must have been a slow day at the office. 😂
Doug doing the car overview in a dungeon doesn't feel the same as him being outside.
I really miss the old Doug.
If I had spent the last ten years filming cars outside and finally had an office where I could film inside, that’s what I’d do…
i miss the old doug, straight from the go doug, chop up the soul doug
@@clardrives9301 But he's in Southern California. Us folks from the Northeast would never go indoors during the winter if we lived we Doug does.
I understand why he does them inside now but yeah I definitely miss the outside reviews. The lighting was so much better
@@John_Locke_108 good point and I can relate since I’m in MD (not northeast Ik) but he can also sit on a chair when he films if he’s inside
Crazy honest Doug's 2nd hand cars! Buy buy buy!!! (i miss the old days before cnbs)
Looks like the materials in this look better than the newer materials in some of the current Mercedes.
Indeed! Look at the manner in which the trunk carpet has been groomed… it's simply masterful!
Like so many cars from the 80’s, this Mercedes has such great style! Beautiful machine!
This! Is the most accurate video title ever. I was 5 in 1980 and already a full fledged car guy. Those cars ruled at the time, and should go down in history just as Doug says in the title
16:30 the 'blow' storage section
Great looking car