My girlfriend works as a tech at a specialty classic Mercedes shop. As a heads up, the transmissions will last forever, but ONLY if you do the fluid and filter every 20k with the proper Mercedes fluid. She loves the OM617 though. It's her favorite of the diesel ones. I have a 1990 300TE and she has a 1987 300SDL. We both agree the W126 is one of the best cars ever made.
Parents had a 87 300SDL as well. Near the end the motor was running a little rough so not sure what was going on with it but I loved that car. Always jealous of those with the 560SEL and the extra rear seat options 🙂
i have a 300SD bought from Canada but looking mint ,it´s very economic compared to others with a V8 engine ,gasoline, also confortable car , has if Mercedes weren´t all confortable from late 50´s that i know of, there´s the Proton which even today is an excelent car but mine was one of the last built.
@@bobbbobb4663 My parents had an '86 560 SEL and that thing was a beast. Just torque for days! I didn't know there were different rear seat options. One thing you don't have to worry about is the fuel economy! Oh and anyone with OM606/617 don't forget to check the air filter mounts! That can be a source of a lot of vibration.
Ha Tommy! Long time viewer you may remember…. I had a ‘84 300SD back in ‘01-‘06 at the height of the vegie-oil craze. I bought it off ebay, flew to Kansas City, MO and drove it straight back to Scottsdale in one 18 hour shot. 250k-ish on the clock. Same color combo as yours. I also put the euro headlights on to clean up the front. Loved that car, but we built a house 2.5 miles down a dirt road and I couldn’t stand to beat her up on washboards everyday and sold her. I’d still really like to have a 500SEC. Should have picked up a AMG SEC before they went krazy!!! Cheers and enjoy!!
@@jbullock1878 if one like french fries it´s perfect , but where i live people were buying all 5 liter oil for cooking and leaving none for the persons who needed to cook, it was much less expensive than diesel, the Mercedes were the best for bio-diesel
Stuck at Teneriffe airport waiting for a delayed flight, perfect timing for some Classic TFL videos to keep me from going mad here! Love old Mercs, your Classic channel is top tier, thanks for the content guys!
My Dad here in Germany had the same color 84, but a 280 SE. This was the first car I ever drove regularly after getting my license, also all over Europe on hollidays. It spoiled me of course, but it was so great 😁!
what about the better than those two W114/8 and W115, it gets better as forward one goes to the past(didn´t sound quite well , but...), i remenber when the 300 turbo-diesel came out they had a turbo problem but only the first units, not sure if it was in 81 or 83, but i went to Germany to buy one, new as they weren´t available in my country yet , had to wait 3 years so, full extras , cheaper only had to travel to Germany in a comercial flight and returned driving it, not a single problem after around 3.000 kms made. white and blue leather inside and had all extras like air conditioned, power windows , all that was an extra, and i knew a guy who had one without the turbo, but they took the turbo and the car behaved like a regular new 300D, no problem
@@computer_toucher i only bought diesels as diesl was almost ofered and gasoline was very expensive but had several or have a lot of gasoline mercedes, had a 230 CE the coupe ,also only available with a 300 turbo-diesel engine(in the american countries) with the beer bench to warm our backs in winter or the big bumpers but most of my mercedes are gasoline, my first car was a 280S from 1969 or 68 not sure now, in 71 i bought the 350SE as the 280S was ofered, but kept them all and later bought older gasoline mercedes being the older one a 220 S from 1961, in a certain point i had so many kept cars that in started to call it a colection, and bought them very cheap as no one at the time could afford a so powerfull car as most of the people couldn´t afford gasoline heavy drinkers ,the reason why they were sold cheap ,it was the reverse the less power it had the expensier it become. In Mercedes only diesel but at the time there was a 6 to 6 months tax that was what regular people earned in a month of work, so they call Mercedes a landlord car.
My friend's Dad had one of these & he was an Oil executive, rode in it a few times. Also, worked in a Music shop in college who's owner owned a late 60's similar model. Drove it a few times, very smooth!
Great car always loved them. This might be delivered at the factory in Stuttgart but it's a US Spec. The W126 Diesels have only been for three markets: the US, Canada and Japan. And you also can see it at the bigger bumpers. My father picked me up in the 80's with a 560 SE and we drove with 240 km/h on the Autobahn. That was great.
I bought a W126 back in 2004 (my second car), modded to run on WVO, sold it after ten years, two years later I bought it back. Spent four years restoring it and now she's a prime example! You should host a meetup. I'd love to meet other 126 owners on the front range
Calculate from °C to °F in around room temps in your head: you double the °C number and add 25 to get ~°F. Ex. 25°C --> °F. 25 x 2 + 25 = 75 (so close ;) )
My high school classmate got his Dad’s ‘83 300SD. Drove that car all through college. He got rid of it when he graduated with over 300,000 miles on it. This is when Mercedes made the most reliable cars in the world. I guess it helped that Dad financed all the maintenance 😅.
I’ve owned over a hundred cars from Pintos to Ferrari’s and one of my top five favorite cars was my 1982 M/B 240D. The old joke about the 240D was the 0 to 60 time was two and half weeks! Love the old oil burner M/B! Thank for the memories!
There are reasons why you see so very few of those still on the road, at least here in the northeast US. But a friend of mine had one back in the day. As I recall, and I might be completely wrong, but there was a vent on the block back by the last cylinder that has to be opened to purge air when the coolant is changed. I wouldn't feel too comfortable using the sunroof. When the cable slips out of the pulley, repairing it is a big undertaking.
Beautiful car! I've always loved the '80s S-class. Finding one that is clean with such low mileage is quite a nice find. Now you must share more videos of this car, please!
My father in law owned a MB 560 SEC. He kept it at our house because we had a 3-car garage. He forbade us from driving it but wife and I would take it to the pinks races in Scottsdale on Friday nights. Not to race, but to show off. Beautiful car.
I brought two of these from California to Romania. At 220k miles, they still run as daily drivers. They are also envrionmentaly friendly ran on Sunflower oil :)))
good for you....I had a '82 300SD there in Colorado as well....turbo is absolute must at 5000 feet...It would pull up I-70 from Denver without downshifting
I commend your choice of Mercedes. I have owned a 1990 420SEL for 15 years now and I have no intention of ever selling it. It is the Goldilocks of the Series 2 w126s. Long wheelbase. 4.2 V8. almost a 50/50 weight balance. 23 mpg on the freeway. Built like a brick s-house and you can feel every pound of the 2.5 tons. Leather. Zebrano wood. ABS. Dual airbags. A magnificent automobile in every respect.
Love it. Really brings back a lot of childhood memories. My parents had several of these 126 cars throughout the 80s both gas and diesel, they even did a couple trips to Germany for the Germany delivery experience. That is an amazing example. $12k I think was a great price too. Congrats.
As a child of the 1980s living in Beverly Hills, the SD was very popular. I can still spot a few a year driven by mature folks (must be the original owners).
I owned a 1984 300SD for 20 years and 287000 miles before the frame rusted out. It is a keeper if you have the first aid kit and the diesel fuel stations directory for America.
I hope you hang onto this one for a long time. It could be a forever car in your stable. I daily drive a 1979 300SD (W116) in Los Angeles. The drivetrain and ride quality is amazing. I hope to see more videos with your W126.
My grandfather had an 85 Merc 300SD and I currently own a modern Volvo. Very luxurious, lots of power and all that. But I'd sell that and grab a 300SD from that year but it'd have to be PERFECT.
The W123 is still my #1 favorite Mercedes sedan. And the W126, I think is my 2nd. Between the 2 of those the W126 is a bit more costly to own as far as maintenance than the W123. With that said, I'd have no regrets about owning an '84 300D over an '84 300SD. I do own an '83 240D with a stick which has even less to have to worry about than an '83 300D, no regrets over except for that it won't fit in nearly as well as a 300D Turbodiesel anywhere with speed limits higher than 70 mph. But I still have to keep telling myself not to covet the '86-7 300SDLs or '90-1 350s with more powerful engines with deeper & throatier sounds providing more reason for those engines being put into the longer wheelbase versions. And there's also the gutsy 560SEL and the 1968-72 300SEL 6.3. I totally agree that the W126s are built like tanks.
Dad had one of the few 1991 350 SDL Mercedes. It was his dream car but he didn't do much in the way of research into potential issues. The interior of the car was comfortable and spacious even at bit over 15 years old at the time but the engine was hell. I started looking into it and I suspect that like most of the 6 cylinder diesel models the rods were slowly bending and ovaling out the bores leading to fuel loss and a lot of oil burning. The only reason why I think Mercedes dodged issuing a recall was they stopped selling that model after only two years.
A while back I was looking for a great and practical daily, but I needed to have some performance as an enthusiast. I went with a 2000, 210 E55, also due to it’s over engineering and robustness. I’ve had many cars, and it is my favorite car I’ve ever owned. It’s corvette fast, comfortable, room for 4 adults, adequate trunk space, and a strong and reliable engine and transmission. It’s also now considered collectible so I have collector car insurance which easily saves me $1500 a year.
I can confirm that the W126 was not offered with Diesel engines by Mercedes in Germany, though a few crept in later on with parallel imports. I'd be wary of the fake aluminium deco around the wheelarches. Unlike the old Mercedes 600 or pagoda SLs, they are cheap plastic add-ons mostly used to cover scratches and usually cover rust growing in secret. Other than that - great car!
In America they were a very common aftermarket "accessory". Along with the pin stripes. Both of which look awfull in my opinion. But you're right, the wheel arch thing is disasterous for rust.
Finished my project last year, a 1988 420SEL repowered with 2009 E550 and 7sp auto….but 100% standard in appearance inside and out. Now a gentle old man tourer but with a turn of speed and something resembling economy. They have been a tank in the day but by todays standards they are surprisingly light
The fact it shakes a lot means it doesn't run buttery smooth, and it rattling is probably the fact that the valves need to be adjusted. Our '84 300SD does run buttery smooth. btw, the temperature indicator does use fahrenheit, as it should for a US spec model. yours maybe got replaced by a celsius one?
The W126 Diesel is absolutely on my bucket list. I had a 1988 560SEL, wonderful ride, great car, but not the best for daily efficiency. I also had (and still really miss) a 1971 220 Diesel, Wonderful cars. The 220 did finally have an issue at 692,000 miles LOL. There is just something about the 126 that is absolutely timeless! Looking forward to more with this big bodied beauty!
I nearly got a 300SD as my first car, I was so excited to try it out but my mother was persistent she test drove it with me sitting next to her. When we did check it out, some switches and electrical functions in the car didn't work, you could see expanding foam inside used to hold trim together... and as a cherry on top we felt the body flex whenever it went over any uneven road surface. It was super fun but mom didn't improve... I'll still would be 100% willing to get one when I get the chance next time
Love the 126, it’s easily the best car in the world. A clarification on the Euro headlights, there is no way that a US-spec car would have Euro headlights because it was delivered at the factory, that’s not how factories build cars. Then Euro headlights were definitely retro-fitted during the car’s life and can be verified with the date markings on the lights themselves. I live in Europe, I purchased a W124 in 1986, factory delivered, Us-spec as I liked the US appearance. The car was delivered with US headlights.
I see your 300SD and raise you my 350SD, same era. Ice blue. Acceleration left something to be desired, but really miss that car. Drove from Trinidad, CO to Fort Worth on one tank of fuel.
A number of years ago I bought a 1979 300 SD. I drove it for a couple of years and it was a great car. Very very few problems with it except mine did not have a very strong (effective) air conditioner. But the mpg was good for such a large heavy car, looked good in a classic way, and cruised down the freeway very comfortably. Over the years I owned one of these, plus a 1985 mid size turbo diesel MB, and a 1990 300 E. I liked the 1979 300 SD the best. The 1985 mid size turbo diesel was by far the worst.
Some Mercedes have oil filled engine mounts, I always loved seeing an older gentleman or lady that would keep driving them because they were garage kept. The shot of the engine was great, practically moving in a circle lol
My parents had a w123 when I was a kid and I have wanted one of these era S-class equivalents forever ..they were great for the 80s and early 90s...I just can't afford the differed maintenance most of these have now
Tommy went out and bought a 1980s movie star. The W126 Mercedes S-Class was almost in every 1980s and 1990s movies driven by a villain or a rich character.
My first car was a ‘83 380SEL but had over 190,000 rough miles on it. They are right about the interior my seats looked brand new but all the real wood was cracking. It also would not pass emissions here in Georgia back in 2002 when I got it at 15 so my parents got me a 01 Kia Sephia which was extremely reliable even with a teenager driving lol
My Grandparents had a 1988 420 SEL. Silver with Red Leather. It was a beauty. Glad to see you have the Euro Headlights as opposed to those diabolical US ones. Also lose those awful wheels.
I have now watched this video 3 times this morning, just love that car, such a great find. I love the 126 Erra of Benz. I have looked off and on for a late 80s 560 SEL or SEC. Congrats.
12:24 - that Becker Radio Grand Prix ELECTRONIC most likely is also a genuine Mercedes Radio and worth a fortune - at least in the EU , cause every classic car enthutsiast wants to have one and not the sins of the 90s 2000s with any fancy cd & screen radio. btw classic cars are here called what ? OLDTIMER - not classic car. If you read newspapers and magazines they use usually OLDTIMER except those high end cars like ferraris of the 70s or Dinos and so on are sometimes called Classic Car. The wood trim is also rare and quite expensive too but most underestimate that some of these radios from the late 70 and 80s are selling know for over 2000€ or 2000$.. The car seems to have been very well maintained, the noise cancelation matt was under the hood and renewed, also other matts.
While these W126s were made in Germany from the late 70's they didn't hit the USA until 1980. I was just 13 and my neighbor up the street ordered one of the first US examples (these were so hot, you had to be on a waiting list to get one), it was particularly cool because his daughter went to the same school as me, and we all carpooled. They had a beautiful champaign W109 280SEL probably a 71 or so they were retiring, my folks had a 73 W109 SE 4.5 so I loved riding in each car on the way to school, as they were both nearly identical but had much different personalities. I couldn't wait for their brand new 1980 W126 to arrive though, it took about 3 weeks, and when it finally came I was so happy. Even though it wasn't mine, I was happy just to ride in it. It was a silver blue metallic, with blue interior. Being the oldest kid in the carpool I rode shotgun on its maiden carpool voyage. Our school was in the next town, about a 20 mile drive. I can still remember that drive to this day. What's difficult to convey is just how spaceship otherworldly radical this car was in 1980. It looked like nothing on the road. Even the US Spec horizontal sealed beams with that amber fog light insert was like nothing anyone had ever seen before; the side cladding, the lowest drag coefficient of any car on earth (at the time) and it wasn't even close (if memory serves); micro rear defroster, the cool buzzing sound that distinguished it from the "lesser" merc diesels. The HVAC controls and interior layout, that Becker LCD radio with no nobs, were all years (perhaps a decade) ahead of its time. The hidden "double arm" wipers, The factory alloy bunt wheels, while not debuted on that model, were still quite rare and unique, the chrome ones this one had were even more rare and dazzling. These cars were an astonishing radical revolutionary departure from anything ever made before. That W126 literally set the standard for what a sedan was supposed to look like for the next 15 years. The W116 was radical too, when it debuted in 73, but this was next level. Needless to say, when I finally got to school, the car made quite a stir, and drew a crowd of curious children. It was as if I had just landed in a UFO. I was shot lots of envious glances when I hopped out. It was an impressionable day. This might all sound hyperbolic, but I kid you not, this car was INSANE when it came out. Everyone who was anyone had one. It remained contemporaneous benchmark, top of the line status luxury "flash" car for 12 model years, and for the first 5 years or so, demand was so high, most would be presold before the dealer even got them.
Great car, but for a classic Mercedes-Benz I'd pick the W114 series, specifically the 240D with the four cylinder OM616 diesel engine. Classic styling (stacked headlight), simple engineering, and arguably the most reliable and durable car engine ever made (still made in India by Force Motors Ltd). It has a much smaller turning radius than the later W123 so is easier to live with in the city. I like the understated styling, with the W123 a bit too pretty for my liking. I like the buzz and noise of the diesel engine which gives it more character than the petrol engine variants IMO... I hate it when I cannot feel and hear a car's engine.
Great video, but surely you scripted Kase's comment that the idle sounded like a tractor. As an owner of a 6bt 12 valve and a David Brown tractor, I take pride in both:)
Hi, it s a " bad " mixture, euro headlights together with US bumpers!😊 Are euro headlights allowed or doesnt anyone show interrest, because the lightning " form/angle " is different, you can see it in the glas/headlight cover?
The W126 cars are great. I prefer the 2nd phase of production 86 and newer. Better climate controls better seats after 88 models. Owned a 87 560SEL for a couple years. Absolutely loved it but don’t buy them if you can’t afford to keep them maintained. There is a lot to go wrong and they are not cheap to maintain. As a technician I don’t mind because nothing drives better than a properly sorted Mercedes.
I wonder if it had not ran long enough to get engine warmed up, old pre emissions diesels ran a lot cooler, and were slow to warm up which could affect the heat output inside.
Very nice and sympathetic video and lots of Infos, thank you veery much for that. Such a 300 SD could be the efficient little brother next to my thursty 6.9 😂
Best car would be 300 SDL like mine 87 aka "Kaiser". At the moment Kaiser is having Vacum gremlins and doesn't want to shut off. But i shell solve that I also have toilet paper oil filter... Great car you got there...
I have a 1982 W126 380SE - the smallest V8. It's definitely somewhat faster than the 300SD. Very nice car and still one of the best :D And NO it's not difficult to get parts. Mercedes provide everything - meaning everything!
in high school a guy had a 1984 tan mercedes 300 SD and another guy had a gray 1983 mercedes benz 300 D Turbo diesel where it actually said turbo diesel on the back of the trunk lid.
My girlfriend works as a tech at a specialty classic Mercedes shop. As a heads up, the transmissions will last forever, but ONLY if you do the fluid and filter every 20k with the proper Mercedes fluid. She loves the OM617 though. It's her favorite of the diesel ones.
I have a 1990 300TE and she has a 1987 300SDL. We both agree the W126 is one of the best cars ever made.
Parents had a 87 300SDL as well. Near the end the motor was running a little rough so not sure what was going on with it but I loved that car. Always jealous of those with the 560SEL and the extra rear seat options 🙂
But rust can be an issue. It's hard to find a good one. The next version is good too.
I have 300k on my W123. New motor mounts and a valve adjustment should smooth out that idle nicely.
i have a 300SD bought from Canada but looking mint ,it´s very economic compared to others with a V8 engine ,gasoline, also confortable car , has if Mercedes weren´t all confortable from late 50´s that i know of, there´s the Proton which even today is an excelent car but mine was one of the last built.
@@bobbbobb4663 My parents had an '86 560 SEL and that thing was a beast. Just torque for days! I didn't know there were different rear seat options. One thing you don't have to worry about is the fuel economy!
Oh and anyone with OM606/617 don't forget to check the air filter mounts! That can be a source of a lot of vibration.
Ha Tommy! Long time viewer you may remember…. I had a ‘84 300SD back in ‘01-‘06 at the height of the vegie-oil craze. I bought it off ebay, flew to Kansas City, MO and drove it straight back to Scottsdale in one 18 hour shot. 250k-ish on the clock. Same color combo as yours. I also put the euro headlights on to clean up the front. Loved that car, but we built a house 2.5 miles down a dirt road and I couldn’t stand to beat her up on washboards everyday and sold her. I’d still really like to have a 500SEC. Should have picked up a AMG SEC before they went krazy!!! Cheers and enjoy!!
Normally people convert them to AMG specifications, for a mechanic is not that hard to do
@@RUfromthe40s I love that the bio-diesel made a reference here- bravo sir!
@@jbullock1878 if one like french fries it´s perfect , but where i live people were buying all 5 liter oil for cooking and leaving none for the persons who needed to cook, it was much less expensive than diesel, the Mercedes were the best for bio-diesel
A properly tuned and maintained OM617 is buttery smooth at idle.
That generation of Mercedes cars are timeless in every way. From the looks to the reliability, everything inbetween
We owned a 1987 560 SEC for 15 years. Loved every second of it. Phenomenal car!
Stuck at Teneriffe airport waiting for a delayed flight, perfect timing for some Classic TFL videos to keep me from going mad here! Love old Mercs, your Classic channel is top tier, thanks for the content guys!
Great car, I'm going to miss it! I hope it serves you well. Can't wait to see more videos on it.
You’re famous
My Dad here in Germany had the same color 84, but a 280 SE. This was the first car I ever drove regularly after getting my license, also all over Europe on hollidays. It spoiled me of course, but it was so great 😁!
Ah, the W126, the only car able to stand next to the W123
what about the better than those two W114/8 and W115, it gets better as forward one goes to the past(didn´t sound quite well , but...), i remenber when the 300 turbo-diesel came out they had a turbo problem but only the first units, not sure if it was in 81 or 83, but i went to Germany to buy one, new as they weren´t available in my country yet , had to wait 3 years so, full extras , cheaper only had to travel to Germany in a comercial flight and returned driving it, not a single problem after around 3.000 kms made. white and blue leather inside and had all extras like air conditioned, power windows , all that was an extra, and i knew a guy who had one without the turbo, but they took the turbo and the car behaved like a regular new 300D, no problem
@@RUfromthe40s I only had the W123 230E, but it lasted me 695,000 km :) Never liked diesel anyhow
@@computer_toucher i only bought diesels as diesl was almost ofered and gasoline was very expensive but had several or have a lot of gasoline mercedes, had a 230 CE the coupe ,also only available with a 300 turbo-diesel engine(in the american countries) with the beer bench to warm our backs in winter or the big bumpers but most of my mercedes are gasoline, my first car was a 280S from 1969 or 68 not sure now, in 71 i bought the 350SE as the 280S was ofered, but kept them all and later bought older gasoline mercedes being the older one a 220 S from 1961, in a certain point i had so many kept cars that in started to call it a colection, and bought them very cheap as no one at the time could afford a so powerfull car as most of the people couldn´t afford gasoline heavy drinkers ,the reason why they were sold cheap ,it was the reverse the less power it had the expensier it become. In Mercedes only diesel but at the time there was a 6 to 6 months tax that was what regular people earned in a month of work, so they call Mercedes a landlord car.
My friend's Dad had one of these & he was an Oil executive, rode in it a few times. Also, worked in a Music shop in college who's owner owned a late 60's similar model. Drove it a few times, very smooth!
May not be quick, but you do learn to plan ahead, which is one reason my kids learned to drive on a non-turbo diesel Jetta.
Great car always loved them. This might be delivered at the factory in Stuttgart but it's a US Spec. The W126 Diesels have only been for three markets: the US, Canada and Japan. And you also can see it at the bigger bumpers.
My father picked me up in the 80's with a 560 SE and we drove with 240 km/h on the Autobahn. That was great.
I bought a W126 back in 2004 (my second car), modded to run on WVO, sold it after ten years, two years later I bought it back. Spent four years restoring it and now she's a prime example! You should host a meetup. I'd love to meet other 126 owners on the front range
Calculate from °C to °F in around room temps in your head: you double the °C number and add 25 to get ~°F. Ex. 25°C --> °F. 25 x 2 + 25 = 75 (so close ;) )
Multiple by 2 add 30-. Subtract 30 divide by 2
My high school classmate got his Dad’s ‘83 300SD. Drove that car all through college. He got rid of it when he graduated with over 300,000 miles on it. This is when Mercedes made the most reliable cars in the world. I guess it helped that Dad financed all the maintenance 😅.
I’ve owned over a hundred cars from Pintos to Ferrari’s and one of my top five favorite cars was my 1982 M/B 240D. The old joke about the 240D was the 0 to 60 time was two and half weeks! Love the old oil burner M/B! Thank for the memories!
There are reasons why you see so very few of those still on the road, at least here in the northeast US. But a friend of mine had one back in the day. As I recall, and I might be completely wrong, but there was a vent on the block back by the last cylinder that has to be opened to purge air when the coolant is changed. I wouldn't feel too comfortable using the sunroof. When the cable slips out of the pulley, repairing it is a big undertaking.
Beautiful car! I've always loved the '80s S-class. Finding one that is clean with such low mileage is quite a nice find. Now you must share more videos of this car, please!
My father in law owned a MB 560 SEC. He kept it at our house because we had a 3-car garage. He forbade us from driving it but wife and I would take it to the pinks races in Scottsdale on Friday nights. Not to race, but to show off. Beautiful car.
I brought two of these from California to Romania. At 220k miles, they still run as daily drivers. They are also envrionmentaly friendly ran on Sunflower oil :)))
good for you....I had a '82 300SD there in Colorado as well....turbo is absolute must at 5000 feet...It would pull up I-70 from Denver without downshifting
I commend your choice of Mercedes. I have owned a 1990 420SEL for 15 years now and I have no intention of ever selling it. It is the Goldilocks of the Series 2 w126s. Long wheelbase. 4.2 V8. almost a 50/50 weight balance. 23 mpg on the freeway.
Built like a brick s-house and you can feel every pound of the 2.5 tons. Leather. Zebrano wood. ABS. Dual airbags. A magnificent automobile in every respect.
Love it. Really brings back a lot of childhood memories. My parents had several of these 126 cars throughout the 80s both gas and diesel, they even did a couple trips to Germany for the Germany delivery experience. That is an amazing example. $12k I think was a great price too. Congrats.
As a child of the 1980s living in Beverly Hills, the SD was very popular. I can still spot a few a year driven by mature folks (must be the original owners).
I owned a 1984 300SD for 20 years and 287000 miles before the frame rusted out. It is a keeper if you have the first aid kit and the diesel fuel stations directory for America.
I hope you hang onto this one for a long time. It could be a forever car in your stable. I daily drive a 1979 300SD (W116) in Los Angeles. The drivetrain and ride quality is amazing. I hope to see more videos with your W126.
I own a 1984 300sd as my only car and daily driver and I love it. I put 32k miles on it since I got it (now at 167k).
That OM617 engine sound is like music to my ears. It makes me smile during road trips.😎
My grandfather had an 85 Merc 300SD and I currently own a modern Volvo. Very luxurious, lots of power and all that. But I'd sell that and grab a 300SD from that year but it'd have to be PERFECT.
If you having vacuum problems I feel bad for you son… I got 99 problems and a pump ain’t one!
The W123 is still my #1 favorite Mercedes sedan. And the W126, I think is my 2nd. Between the 2 of those the W126 is a bit more costly to own as far as maintenance than the W123. With that said, I'd have no regrets about owning an '84 300D over an '84 300SD. I do own an '83 240D with a stick which has even less to have to worry about than an '83 300D, no regrets over except for that it won't fit in nearly as well as a 300D Turbodiesel anywhere with speed limits higher than 70 mph.
But I still have to keep telling myself not to covet the '86-7 300SDLs or '90-1 350s with more powerful engines with deeper & throatier sounds providing more reason for those engines being put into the longer wheelbase versions. And there's also the gutsy 560SEL and the 1968-72 300SEL 6.3.
I totally agree that the W126s are built like tanks.
W126 is a wonderful car for a long ride. Congrats.
Great video, my dad had the 1989 Mercedes SEL 560. That generation was so well built. Great video
Dad had one of the few 1991 350 SDL Mercedes. It was his dream car but he didn't do much in the way of research into potential issues. The interior of the car was comfortable and spacious even at bit over 15 years old at the time but the engine was hell. I started looking into it and I suspect that like most of the 6 cylinder diesel models the rods were slowly bending and ovaling out the bores leading to fuel loss and a lot of oil burning.
The only reason why I think Mercedes dodged issuing a recall was they stopped selling that model after only two years.
A while back I was looking for a great and practical daily, but I needed to have some performance as an enthusiast. I went with a 2000, 210 E55, also due to it’s over engineering and robustness. I’ve had many cars, and it is my favorite car I’ve ever owned. It’s corvette fast, comfortable, room for 4 adults, adequate trunk space, and a strong and reliable engine and transmission. It’s also now considered collectible so I have collector car insurance which easily saves me $1500 a year.
absolutely love our W126/C126’s!!
0:18 These lights were so designed so it would be “self” cleaning.
I miss my W123. It might have taken 5 or 10 minutes to get up to speed, but you could cruise at 80 all day long and get 25-30 mpg while doing it.
I can confirm that the W126 was not offered with Diesel engines by Mercedes in Germany, though a few crept in later on with parallel imports.
I'd be wary of the fake aluminium deco around the wheelarches.
Unlike the old Mercedes 600 or pagoda SLs, they are cheap plastic add-ons mostly used to cover scratches and usually cover rust growing in secret.
Other than that - great car!
In America they were a very common aftermarket "accessory". Along with the pin stripes. Both of which look awfull in my opinion. But you're right, the wheel arch thing is disasterous for rust.
Oh man Tommy, congratulations on that one! What a beauty. At the same time it's so depressing because they will never make such a perfect car again.
11:30 The shutter speed of the camera is doing wonders to how the carburetor is moving
You get bored before it breaks down 😂 The w124 feels more modern somehow
I love these and the W123. And I love the sound of these diesel engines.
Awesome car !! Love to see it more on the channel! Love the content guys it never gets old.
OM617 are great engines, but they go through air cleaner housing mounts often. This particular example has broken air cleaner mounts.
Finished my project last year, a 1988 420SEL repowered with 2009 E550 and 7sp auto….but 100% standard in appearance inside and out. Now a gentle old man tourer but with a turn of speed and something resembling economy. They have been a tank in the day but by todays standards they are surprisingly light
The fact it shakes a lot means it doesn't run buttery smooth, and it rattling is probably the fact that the valves need to be adjusted.
Our '84 300SD does run buttery smooth. btw, the temperature indicator does use fahrenheit, as it should for a US spec model. yours maybe got replaced by a celsius one?
To fix the Heat, check the Mono-valve. You can rebuild them for around $30. Nice car, i have the same year and model in Black!
The W126 Diesel is absolutely on my bucket list. I had a 1988 560SEL, wonderful ride, great car, but not the best for daily efficiency. I also had (and still really miss) a 1971 220 Diesel, Wonderful cars. The 220 did finally have an issue at 692,000 miles LOL. There is just something about the 126 that is absolutely timeless! Looking forward to more with this big bodied beauty!
I nearly got a 300SD as my first car, I was so excited to try it out but my mother was persistent she test drove it with me sitting next to her. When we did check it out, some switches and electrical functions in the car didn't work, you could see expanding foam inside used to hold trim together... and as a cherry on top we felt the body flex whenever it went over any uneven road surface. It was super fun but mom didn't improve... I'll still would be 100% willing to get one when I get the chance next time
Love the 126, it’s easily the best car in the world.
A clarification on the Euro headlights, there is no way that a US-spec car would have Euro headlights because it was delivered at the factory, that’s not how factories build cars.
Then Euro headlights were definitely retro-fitted during the car’s life and can be verified with the date markings on the lights themselves.
I live in Europe, I purchased a W124 in 1986, factory delivered, Us-spec as I liked the US appearance. The car was delivered with US headlights.
I see your 300SD and raise you my 350SD, same era. Ice blue. Acceleration left something to be desired, but really miss that car. Drove from Trinidad, CO to Fort Worth on one tank of fuel.
That thing has a panoramic roof too?! Jeeeeez, thats fancy especially for then.
A number of years ago I bought a 1979 300 SD. I drove it for a couple of years and it was a great car. Very very few problems with it except mine did not have a very strong (effective) air conditioner. But the mpg was good for such a large heavy car, looked good in a classic way, and cruised down the freeway very comfortably. Over the years I owned one of these, plus a 1985 mid size turbo diesel MB, and a 1990 300 E. I liked the 1979 300 SD the best. The 1985 mid size turbo diesel was by far the worst.
Awesome and outstanding thanks for sharing and taking us along.
gotta love a 126.
a 560sel gotta be up there as the best dictators car ever made
Some Mercedes have oil filled engine mounts, I always loved seeing an older gentleman or lady that would keep driving them because they were garage kept.
The shot of the engine was great, practically moving in a circle lol
Man so many of my friends had these in the 90s in high school, indestructible 3-500k miles, slow and a tank
It would be the best but the whole cable harnesses rot completely and you have a big paper weight.
I had a 300CD Turbo Diesel and an 300D Turbo Diesel. The CD was my favorite. Simply sublime.
I think the 300 SE is the best mid trim for the W126.
Timeless tank! I absolutely love it! Peak Mercedes!
My parents had a w123 when I was a kid and I have wanted one of these era S-class equivalents forever ..they were great for the 80s and early 90s...I just can't afford the differed maintenance most of these have now
Tommy went out and bought a 1980s movie star. The W126 Mercedes S-Class was almost in every 1980s and 1990s movies driven by a villain or a rich character.
Love it!! My parents had one and so did my Aunt Carolyn!
Just a small correction, the OM617 motor was sold in North America only, not in the USA only.
What is the difference?
@@jsm1497 North America = USA, Canada, Mexico
My first car was a ‘83 380SEL but had over 190,000 rough miles on it. They are right about the interior my seats looked brand new but all the real wood was cracking. It also would not pass emissions here in Georgia back in 2002 when I got it at 15 so my parents got me a 01 Kia Sephia which was extremely reliable even with a teenager driving lol
84 was a good year for the 300SD, but then again I might be a little biased. 😁
I own one and one of the best things to do for performance is delete your center resonator. It is a ridiculously restrictive design
The *SECOND best car after the w116 hahaha The w126 was indeed soooo ahead of its time, what a great car.
You meant to say W123 instead of W116 :-)
My Grandparents had a 1988 420 SEL. Silver with Red Leather. It was a beauty. Glad to see you have the Euro Headlights as opposed to those diabolical US ones. Also lose those awful wheels.
Nice!
I would love you to do a video on a W116 300SD though!
Even more solid than a W126!
I have now watched this video 3 times this morning, just love that car, such a great find. I love the 126 Erra of Benz.
I have looked off and on for a late 80s 560 SEL or SEC. Congrats.
My mom and grandpa both had 300SEL l, brings back memories
Probably one of the only Mercedes I would actually buy👍🏻 great find.
I have a 280s also blue silver with dark blue seats and my only problem i have with it is the 20l/100km (12 mpg) fuel consumtion
Great car. I drove a friend’s 560sel. Feels like a limo in the back. Very solid but leaks a little.
12:24 - that Becker Radio Grand Prix ELECTRONIC most likely is also a genuine Mercedes Radio and worth a fortune - at least in the EU , cause every classic car enthutsiast wants to have one and not the sins of the 90s 2000s with any fancy cd & screen radio. btw classic cars are here called what ?
OLDTIMER - not classic car. If you read newspapers and magazines they use usually OLDTIMER except those high end cars like ferraris of the 70s or Dinos and so on are sometimes called Classic Car. The wood trim is also rare and quite expensive too but most underestimate that some of these radios from the late 70 and 80s are selling know for over 2000€ or 2000$.. The car seems to have been very well maintained, the noise cancelation matt was under the hood and renewed, also other matts.
While these W126s were made in Germany from the late 70's they didn't hit the USA until 1980. I was just 13 and my neighbor up the street ordered one of the first US examples (these were so hot, you had to be on a waiting list to get one), it was particularly cool because his daughter went to the same school as me, and we all carpooled. They had a beautiful champaign W109 280SEL probably a 71 or so they were retiring, my folks had a 73 W109 SE 4.5 so I loved riding in each car on the way to school, as they were both nearly identical but had much different personalities. I couldn't wait for their brand new 1980 W126 to arrive though, it took about 3 weeks, and when it finally came I was so happy. Even though it wasn't mine, I was happy just to ride in it. It was a silver blue metallic, with blue interior. Being the oldest kid in the carpool I rode shotgun on its maiden carpool voyage. Our school was in the next town, about a 20 mile drive. I can still remember that drive to this day. What's difficult to convey is just how spaceship otherworldly radical this car was in 1980. It looked like nothing on the road. Even the US Spec horizontal sealed beams with that amber fog light insert was like nothing anyone had ever seen before; the side cladding, the lowest drag coefficient of any car on earth (at the time) and it wasn't even close (if memory serves); micro rear defroster, the cool buzzing sound that distinguished it from the "lesser" merc diesels. The HVAC controls and interior layout, that Becker LCD radio with no nobs, were all years (perhaps a decade) ahead of its time. The hidden "double arm" wipers, The factory alloy bunt wheels, while not debuted on that model, were still quite rare and unique, the chrome ones this one had were even more rare and dazzling. These cars were an astonishing radical revolutionary departure from anything ever made before. That W126 literally set the standard for what a sedan was supposed to look like for the next 15 years. The W116 was radical too, when it debuted in 73, but this was next level. Needless to say, when I finally got to school, the car made quite a stir, and drew a crowd of curious children. It was as if I had just landed in a UFO. I was shot lots of envious glances when I hopped out. It was an impressionable day. This might all sound hyperbolic, but I kid you not, this car was INSANE when it came out. Everyone who was anyone had one. It remained contemporaneous benchmark, top of the line status luxury "flash" car for 12 model years, and for the first 5 years or so, demand was so high, most would be presold before the dealer even got them.
These Diesel engine model can run on biodiesel so well too.
Great car, but for a classic Mercedes-Benz I'd pick the W114 series, specifically the 240D with the four cylinder OM616 diesel engine. Classic styling (stacked headlight), simple engineering, and arguably the most reliable and durable car engine ever made (still made in India by Force Motors Ltd). It has a much smaller turning radius than the later W123 so is easier to live with in the city. I like the understated styling, with the W123 a bit too pretty for my liking. I like the buzz and noise of the diesel engine which gives it more character than the petrol engine variants IMO... I hate it when I cannot feel and hear a car's engine.
I would daily one of these in 2024. They are sharp looking. Especially for that era.
Great video, but surely you scripted Kase's comment that the idle sounded like a tractor. As an owner of a 6bt 12 valve and a David Brown tractor, I take pride in both:)
Love tractors. He keeps threatening me with a good time with these comments😂
I think W126 is a type of car that will run perfectly even after nuclear war. Bulletproof 🔥
You did good--congrats!
Hi, it s a " bad " mixture, euro headlights together with US bumpers!😊 Are euro headlights allowed or doesnt anyone show interrest, because the lightning " form/angle " is different, you can see it in the glas/headlight cover?
that heater at full blast shoud burn your hand, out of the defroster. they blow hot. do as thermostat and cap first.
One of my favorite cars besides Volvo from this time period love it so much great choice Tommy Great Choice my dude 😎
The W126 cars are great. I prefer the 2nd phase of production 86 and newer. Better climate controls better seats after 88 models. Owned a 87 560SEL for a couple years. Absolutely loved it but don’t buy them if you can’t afford to keep them maintained. There is a lot to go wrong and they are not cheap to maintain. As a technician I don’t mind because nothing drives better than a properly sorted Mercedes.
I wonder if it had not ran long enough to get engine warmed up, old pre emissions diesels ran a lot cooler, and were slow to warm up which could affect the heat output inside.
For the condition and mileage that's a fair price for you and the seller. I think that should be a forever car.
Very nice and sympathetic video and lots of Infos, thank you veery much for that. Such a 300 SD could be the efficient little brother next to my thursty 6.9 😂
Nuclear ☢️ EMP proof, no electronics to fry, it’s mechanical.
Strange that it was never sold in Europe where diesels were more populair than in the US 🤔
Europe had the very similar and even more indestructible 300D/300TD which were a bit smaller and those two were sold in both the US and Europe.
Congratulations on this very nice piece of history.
Das ist CLASSIC DEUTSCHE QUALITÄT........
Best car would be 300 SDL like mine 87 aka "Kaiser". At the moment Kaiser is having Vacum gremlins and doesn't want to shut off. But i shell solve that I also have toilet paper oil filter... Great car you got there...
I have a 1982 W126 380SE - the smallest V8. It's definitely somewhat faster than the 300SD. Very nice car and still one of the best :D And NO it's not difficult to get parts. Mercedes provide everything - meaning everything!
in high school a guy had a 1984 tan mercedes 300 SD and another guy had a gray 1983 mercedes benz 300 D Turbo diesel where it actually said turbo diesel on the back of the trunk lid.
I like it better than ANY Jeep product.
Well. You have an opinion.
Well, there are a few bullet proof Jeep products. Just nothing recent. But Jeep doesn’t make a diesel high end car either.
i agree but the last good jeep ened with the cj5. and the no jeep could compare to the capabilty of a w46x series.