toying with the idea to buy an old car..... ideas?

[seiko.citizen]

lately ive been bitten by the car bug. in particular the W140 mercedes. known to be the last of the over engineered benzes ever made, and sadly the car that princess Di passed away in due to not wearing seatbelt.

currently im researching cost of maintenance, spare parts as well as availability.

i know i am not able to import any cars sold locally in oz personally. however i am able to import cars already chopped up to replace parts, which brings me to this question.

is it possible to still get the W140 in sg as a scrap car, or have all W140s been exported out of singapore due to the 10 year rule. (the last W140 would have been delivered in 1998/1999 - we are now in 2011 or 12/13years ago)

i dont believe the W140 will ever have any eventual vintage value because too many were made. also i eventually get into this car, i will preserve it and enter it into a concours in perth

want to know the following:
if the W140 is still available as a scrap car (so that i can use it as a spare parts)
ex owners who still remember the good (or bad) times they had
price to service. (i expect to do most of the mechanical work; but electrical work is going to be a pain in the butt)

i know the following faults to look out for:
1) up to 1997, the wiring harness was made from substandard insulation causing shorts in the system
2) use of the vacuum pump to aid in closing doors, boots, central locking, climate controls meant that the vacuum pump was made to work to the bone and will fail eventually.

some will call me crazy, others may call me cheap, and some may even talk me out of this outrageous idea.

[patrickmaniac]

Ever thought of w124? That's a German panzer and many still running on the road. No worries for parts as they are available in SG and my. Fc a bit teruk though.

[taxico]

lately ive been bitten by the car bug. in particular the W140 mercedes. known to be the last of the over engineered benzes ever made...

currently im researching cost of maintenance, spare parts as well as availability.

is it possible to still get the W140 in sg as a scrap car, or have all W140s been exported out of singapore due to the 10 year rule.

...i will preserve it and enter it into a concours in perth

2) use of the vacuum pump to aid in closing doors, boots, central locking, climate controls meant that the vacuum pump was made to work to the bone and will fail eventually.

keeping a w140 for a concours is not crazy, but i think it will take some time. perhaps you should consider a w124 as someone suggested above as a daily driver, perhaps a v8 version.

my family has had 2 w140s - one pre-owned (initial 280SEL model from 1993) and one brand new (1998 S320 upgraded model with parktronic). the pump system is both cool and ridiculous (when it fails) at the same time - if it's busted, the doors and trunk won't close properly even if you force it and you'll have to resort to using a fuse re-installation trick.

the antenna and park assist rods will also fail with age and dirt. these cars are still available for export from singapore, and some are still available on the roads and dealer's lots actually - but i doubt buying it to deregister and re-export as a parts car will be viable due to the high COE costs right now.

as for the scrap yard... you'll have the scour pioneer and other scrap yards around the island to know. i doubt it though... it's an "in demand" type of luxury vehicle in many other less developed parts of the world and can be made available at a good price for people living there.

the electrical system is also quite complicated, and i think for the models sold in singapore you'll find all seats are electrically controlled (along with many other options installed) as it was meant to be a "tow kay" car.

all 4 side windows should be in good condition for the insulation system to work effectively. love the rain sensors. love the plushness. love it lots. but the sucker goes through fuel pretty fast, even by 90s standards...

if you were looking for a grand dame of merc, i would look for a w126 instead as it has less electrical problems. otherwise i would look for C140 coupe that would, in my opinion, be fit for any concours sooner than a w140 sedan would (but note that the c140 is more like a GT for a gentleman than a turbo-charged green light rabbit).

also, the more powerful v12 engine is prone to overheating and may require modification (aux fan relay) for the cooling system to kick in earlier. IMO, an earlier model (before the face lift and all the later electronic gizmos) is a safer bet.

whatever the case, good luck and enjoy the ride!

[taxico]

btw, your plan is not a ridiculous idea.

i have been trying to persuade a stranger (!) to sell me his w126 coupe (with bodykit) the last few months...! perhaps one of the last few left in singapore??

however, if this is your first foray into the "car restoration" world... please note that it will, for the most part (of almost any project), be a bottomless money pit. if you're okay with that, you'll be okay with that.

(get it?) ; )

[seiko.citizen]

@ patrickmaniac: W124s never quite evoked that emotion in me. It was like a baby S class. Nice ride though. The only W124 that I ever fancied was the 500E! Now that is a W124 worth looking at.

@ taxico:
to be honest, for daily drive, i will choose japanese over german. simply because its cheaper to maintain and easier to fix (if you know what you are doing!), japanese parts are common here in my part of the world, and relatively cheap to import.

Im aware of the fuse reinstallation trick for the pump, but dont do it too many times, the pump and associated parts will eventually fail; if i was actually serious (at the right price) i would look for the late model 97/98/early 99 W140 in either the S320L,420L,500L. (facelifted, guide rods were removed, climate control upgrade, and the much dreaded aircon compressor issue was addressed), but the guide rods are actually pretty cool, if im not wrong, my uncle had one where the guide rods will extend, but it also had an audible and small lcd display, im not sure if it was possible to have the parktronics and guide rods together working concurrently. having said that, i do remember my uncle's W140 had the previous gen climate control. which would mean that it was the pre facelift model.

electronics is definitely a nightmare without a doubt. just the wiring harness alone will kill anybody's faith in mercs. it seems to be the rule at merc, if its not controlled electronically, it has to be pneumatic. even the lumbar support was run on air as was the central locking for the lucky few who upgraded to air suspension/self levelling suspension, i wish them all the best

If im not wrong, alot of W140 is actually shipped across to african nations, and middle east. there is also quite a following in japan. it is unfortunate that i cannot import a running vehicle into oz, due to legislation here.

I will avoid the S600 at all costs. V12 engines were heavy causing front suspension issues and overheating which also killed the wiring harness. What I never understood is, why dont merc learn from their mistakes and put two fans like the LS400, that is how it should have been from day one *imo*

i was wondering if the prices of W140 have actually bottomed out yet, hence the fascination lately to get into the W140, to be honest, some of the W124/126 are actually selling very close to (if not more than the W140), which if according to my calculations, alot of people may want to keep onto their W140 hoping that the price will turn around and start to climb.

yes this is my first move into car restoration and yes, i understand this is gonna be one serious drain on my wallet.

[seiko.citizen]

just got quoted at the merc dealer in perth, 10,000Km service (lube and safety) is A$550. 20,000Km service (basic maintenance and safety)is A$950.

The price of the dealer stamp is actually quite affordable (considering toyota charges about $350/$750 respectively).

Of course there is also the option of an independent mechanic (not far from my house) who specialise in mercs.

[Ender]

wow! you guys really know your stuff...
anyone into the olde skool volkswagon beetle????
nope, not inspired by CST but I have wondered if it is possible to have a olde skool beetle fitted with a modern engine?
Anyone know?

[KuchingKu]

It's illegal to change engine in Singapore unless you get clearance from LTA.

W124 is nice. There is a old car thread in www.vagsg.com that you may want to read....1000 pgs.

[taxico]

...I have wondered if it is possible to have a olde skool beetle fitted with a modern engine?
Anyone know?

you can apply to have your engine replaced officially OR have it swopped in/out annually...

: )

[patrickmaniac]

Vagsg? Isn't that for vw and it's cousins?

I know there's one at one motoring and a Facebook page for local w124 fans.

It's illegal to change engine in Singapore unless you get clearance from LTA.

W124 is nice. There is a old car thread in www.vagsg.com that you may want to read....1000 pgs.

[taxico]

...if im not wrong, my uncle had one where the guide rods will extend, but it also had an audible and small lcd display, im not sure if it was possible to have the parktronics and guide rods together working concurrently. having said that, i do remember my uncle's W140 had the previous gen climate control. which would mean that it was the pre facelift model.

might be an aftermarket installation...? i don't remember any built-in lcd screens, just leds (?). also note that if one sensor fails, the whole system will not work. and they don't like rubble... something common on au/nz roads.

the wirings also handle fuel and engine control systems/perimeters/instructions, which means better FC after they're replaced! also, check the entire cooling system... pump, fans, fan clutch, radiator, thermostat... i would also watch out for a worn transmission and subframe bushings.

whatever the case, the car should shift properly (whether 4 or 5 speed) and glide over almost everything.

[seiko.citizen]

might be an aftermarket installation...? i don't remember any built-in lcd screens, just leds (?). also note that if one sensor fails, the whole system will not work. and they don't like rubble... something common on au/nz roads.

the wirings also handle fuel and engine control systems/perimeters/instructions, which means better FC after they're replaced! also, check the entire cooling system... pump, fans, fan clutch, radiator, thermostat... i would also watch out for a worn transmission and subframe bushings.

whatever the case, the car should shift properly (whether 4 or 5 speed) and glide over almost everything.

[img]http://binary.hjrockman.com/S140.jpg

the lcd that i was talking about, was that small window next to the air freshener in the picture. in between the aircon vents. as for the parking sensors, i believe the rubble problem is not just on mercs, but in general due to ultrasound/radar characteristic.

the aircon is problematic on the W140, esp on the pre facelift models. where the aircon compressor(?) would react with the aircon water. and cause failure.

the transmission is a pain in the butt, because of the hippies, merc decided to make that "transmission oil for life, sealed tank" meaning cannot flush the transmission (or something along those lines).