10K Friday Sonder Edition: 280s v. 300SEL v. 560SEC v. S420 v. S600 Coupe v. S430 v. CL500

It’s pretty amazing when generations of cars come together in value; right now, there are 4 generations of Mercedes-Benz S-class models that all seem to hit market for around the same amount. From the beginnings of the “Sonder” Class Mercedes with the W116 through the W220 cars that are only just over a generation old, there’s a tremendous amount of luxury available in these super sedans and coupes. So what would be your choice? We’ll go by age this time, starting with the W116:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1975 Mercedes-Benz 280S on eBay

Year: 1975
Model: 280S
Engine: 2.8 liter inline-6
Transmission: 3-speed automatic
Mileage: 77,000 mi
Price: No Reserve Auction

Transferred from original owner.

Mercedes Benz 280S 4 door, automatic transmission, very clean inside and out, well kept with only 77000 miles is a classic 1975 car, vehicle was recently serviced/ in good condition, needs carburetor kit and gas pump.

Cashier’s check made payable to owner followed by transfer of ownership.

The W116 introduced the world to the “Special Class” cars from Mercedes-Benz, though truth be told the big Benzs had been around for some time. This particular example is from fairly early in the production range compared to the models we normally see, and was the lower spec short wheel base model with the smallest motor. The color combination, though, is great and striking. Not much information is presented and these W116s haven’t appreciated a tremendous amount, so it’s possible nearly any week to pick up a nice example for under $10,000. If you like the look of the shorter wheel base and can sort some more information on this car, it might not be a bad grab if the bidding doesn’t go much higher.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL on eBay

Year: 1986
Model: 300SEL
Engine: 3.0 liter inline-6
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage: 63,000 mi
Price: $9,900 Buy It Now

1986 Mercedes 300SEL finished in Brilliant Silver metallic with Blue interior. This one owner car was sold new by us and serviced by us including service just completed with complete new exhaust system from engine back. Car drives like a new one, very smooth engine, trans shifts perfectly and brakes very smooth. All options working properly including cruise, windows, AC, radio and antenna. Tires replaced 2000 miles ago. Car always garaged, no rust anywhere original paint shines beautifully and interior like new with special order burled walnut wood trim. Fly in and drive anywhere in the country. Very rare to find this full size long wheelbase 126 with the economical 6 cylinder engine. Complete documentation from new including all keys, owners manuals for car and radio, service book with all services stamped when completed, hang tags and EPA DOT documents. Ebay won’t accept Euro VIN, it is WDB1260251A270876. Please call Bill at 614-261-7131 with any questions, our company has been selling and servicing Mercedes for over 40 years.

The W126 is obviously the car that more 1980s fans remember than the W116, which was on its way out at the turn of the decade. The W126 certainly looks much more modern and thanks to its stellar reputation for quality, many great examples remain on the road today. This is one such good example; the metallic silver over blue interior is again a nice and striking color combination mated to the long wheel base again with the smaller inline-6. While this combination won’t achieve effortless speed like the larger V8 engined examples, I find the whole package to be quite nice with some recent maintenance. However, again like the W116 you can find pretty good examples of the W126 for under $10,000 pretty much any day of the week, so pick your engine and color combination and get luxurious.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC on eBay

Year: 1991
Model: 560SEC
Engine: 5.6 liter V8
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage: 123,019 mi
Price: $9,800 Buy It Now

I am a Mercedes Benz collector selling my 1991 560SEC in Good Condition.

1991 was the last year those cars were produced.

I purchased this Vehicle last Year from California and was stored in doors all winter long.
The Car was never driven in Minnesota. The previous owner took good care of this car

I also own a 1991 560SEL (72k Miles) with the same color combination that is for sale as well.

please send me a message with any questions or if you need additional photos emailed to you.

I can coordinate shipping the car to any state or internationally as well.

Obviously, from a style perspective a big plus with the W126 was the introduction of the big coupe. The SEC was and still is a striking car with a tremendous amount of presence. Dropping two doors turned the luxury sedan into a destination Grand Touring car. This example sports the largest engine fitted to the W126. The 5.6 V8 still won’t win drag races against some of its competition, but then it’s not a race car – refinement was the key, and the motor provides effortless and more than adequate power for the hefty coupe. Again, good examples abound and are still affordable; this particular one is one of the last to hit these shores and overall is well presented in a nice color combination. The fender trim and wheels are unfortunate but fixable; a nice set of BBS RS wheels and some fender polishing and this would be a stunning car in my mind.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 on eBay

Year: 1995
Model: S420
Engine: 4.2 liter V8
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage: 98,986 mi
Price: $4,990 Buy It Now

Rare find! This is an original very, very well kept 1995 LEGENDARY Mercedes-Benz S420 (W140 body ) with 4.2L engine only 98986 original miles in terrific condition throughout the entire vehicle. Carfax certified one owner from California . No evidence of cigarette smoke in the car. Dark gray in color with light gray fabric interior. Very clean and straight body . Interior is clean and tidy. Seats (genuine leather) are in excellent condition throughout. Carpets are very clean throughout. Door panels are clean. No broken trim or panels. Headliner is very clean. Powered by a perfect running 4.2L eight cylinder engine, paired to a smooth shifting automatic transmission . The A/C works well and blows cold air . Tires are MICHELIN radials showing % 90 tread life remaining. All mileage is true and correct .Runs, drives, shifts, brakes and rides great. All power windows work great. Well maintained. No leaks. No thrown codes or check engine lights. Pictures will detail all known scratches and blemishes. No rust !

I don’t think there will be many people that will accuse the W140 of being a particularly good looking car, but it was a handsome, conservative replacement for the aging W126 in the early 1990s. Like the W126, the W140 reportedly is a very long-lived car with tremendous build quality; with this car we’re still in the period where Mercedes-Benz was trying hard to make sure these cars were the best in the world. They certainly were large, with a substantially heftier look than the car is replaced and less of a sporty feel. But to those that were interested in owning one, they weren’t after sport. Unlike the W126, the W140 doesn’t really enjoy quite as large of a fan-base and isn’t yet generally considered either collectable or one of the best Benz chassis; consequently, if you look you can get quite a steal on one. This example appears to be well cared for and is a classic 90s combination of greys and blacks that seemed to dominate the color pallet then.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 Mercedes-Benz S600 Coupe on eBay

Year: 1995
Model: S600 Coupe
Engine: 6.0 liter V12
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Mileage: 91,165 mi
Price: $8,999 Buy It Now

1995 Mercedes-Benz S Class 600 COUPE 6.0L

Thank you for visiting another one of LUXURYCARVISION’s exclusive listings!

DON’T MISS THIS BEAUTY RARE COLOR !!!!

North jersey auto mall is determined to keep you satisfied. Since you purchasing a pre-owned vehicle some imperfections could be present at the time of sale. Please give us a call so we could give you a complete visual inspection /walk-around.

Price(s) does not include documentation, licensing, registration fees and taxes

There is still plenty of tread left on the tires. This vehicle has all of the right options. With just 91165 miles, this car is barely broken in. Very low mileage vehicle. Very clean interior! Very smooth ride!

This vehicle might of had over 1,000 dollars in damages due to previous accident ( vehicle looks exceptionally good its a state law to announce all the damages over a 1,000 dollars) If you have any questions please feel free to cal us at any time 201-300-2840

It’s not really fair of me to say that the W140 wasn’t as “sporty” as the W126, since the W140 introduced the 400-odd horsepower V12 to the mix. Capable of sub 6-second runs to 60 and over 170 m.p.h. top speed, these cars were anything but slow, though the power was never a rampage of horses – rather more like an endless freight train in its delivery. Personally, I’m really not a fan of the W140 Coupe looks – it’s too slab sided, too big, and too round and square at the same time. I know, you say…how can that be? But look at it; the angles are off, the taillights look droopy and the headlights look like they spent too much time in Beverly Hills. I think the W140s big problem is that it followed the classic W126, personally. This example looks pretty nice overall, though the chrome needs to be turned down a notch. Still, a lot of car for the money…

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2001 Mercedes-Benz S430 on eBay

Year: 2001
Model: S430 AMG
Engine: 4.3 liter V8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Mileage: 68,000 mi
Price: $10,000 Buy It Now

2001 S430 AMG SPORT PKG – RECENT SERVICE, NEW BRAKES , NEW ROTORS, NEW TIRES, NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW IDLER PULLEY AND SERPENTINE BELT.. HAVE ALL RECEIPTS ALL BOOKS AND RECORDS BOTH KEYS AND REMOTES. NON SMOKER AND NO PAINT WORK. BOTH REMOTE KEYS. THIS CAR IS PERFECT. NO WEAR ON LEATHER , NON SMOKER AND CLEAN. NO CHIPS IN WINDSHIELD, HEADLAMPS ARE CLEAR. THIS IS A NICE ONE.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COPY AND PASTE LINK FOR AUTO CHECK!

C:\Users\Home\Downloads\report for VIN WDBNG70J01A206481 (1).html

713-858-2897

The W220 ushered in the period that Mercedes-Benz will likely look back upon with regret; it’s where their penny-pinching began to erode their near legendary status. However, it’s also the period where more and more gizmos were expected on cars; park distance control, adaptive cruise control, hundreds of airbags, televisions and more power, more power, more power; the world isn’t as simple a place as it was a few decades ago for a car designer. Some of the drop in quality can be excused because of the massively increased complexity, but the bottom of the market for the W220 has yet to be seen I think. This particular example is overall a nice presentation with the right wheels, the easier on the wallet smaller motor and a good color combination – in the requisite Silver, of course. Still, I think I prefer the look of the W220 to the W140, but perhaps I’m alone in that.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL500 on eBay

Year: 2004
Model: CL500
Engine: 5.0 liter V8
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Mileage: 126,952 mi
Price: $9,788 Buy It Now

Being a Mercedes-Benz, it comes loaded with a full slate of comfort and convenience features. This car has leather seats, a power glass moonroof, power rear sunshade, dual power seats with memory, Heated front seats, power windows, locks, and mirrors, remote entry, auto dual-zone air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD stereo with a CD Changer, auto rearview mirror, HomeLink, power tilt and telescopic wheel, cruise control and much, much more….

This world-class luxury coupe also has ABC air suspension with ride firmness and ride height control, and a GPS navigation system with day and night screen modes and POI navigation.

The 5.0 liter V8 is smooth and powerful, rated at 302 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. Its mated to an automatic transmission with manual shift capability.

Exterior features include alloy wheels, fog lamps, and headlamp washers. The exterior paint is called “Granite gray Metallic”. We haven’t seen this color very often, and it is really sharp. Its a gray metallic color that has a bit of a blue tone to it – more or less depending on the ambient lighting.

As far as condition, you would have a hard time finding a nicer 2004 CL500 around, and its actually nicer than many 1 and 2 year olds we’ve seen. The paint shines all around, and there are no notable dents or dings. The interior is equally nice with no rips, holes, or tears in the seats. All of the power functions work, and the A/C blows cold.

The Carfax report shows this to be a lifetime Florida car with no accident history or any other problems. You can see the vehicle history report at the end of the photo gallery.

We are offering this at a very fair price, so feel free to use the low Buy it Now Option, before someone else does.

Please check out all of our 100% Positive Feedback. We are very proud of the way we do business, and you will be too. North Shore Autos is located only 3 miles from the Fort Lauderdale Airport, and only 2 miles from the World Famous Fort Lauderdale Beach. Fly down, have some fun in the sun, and drive this excellent Mercedes-Benz home.

Please look at all of the gallery photos included, and feel free to email or call us with any questions you may have.

PLEASE CALL KEITH at 954-448-3659

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BIDDING…..
Options & Packages
OEM Code
Description
MSRP
SEAT TRIM
2__
LEATHER SEAT TRIM
$0.00
(STD)

INTERIOR TRIM
731
BURL WALNUT WOOD TRIM W/STANDARD DECOR
$0.00
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS
889
KEYLESS GO
$1,040.00
Features & Specifications
Standard Features
– MECHANICAL

5.0L SOHC SMPI 24-valve aluminum-alloy V8 engine
Dual stage resonance intake manifold
7-speed driver-adaptive automatic transmission-inc: touch shift, optimum gear programming, comfort mode
Automatic slip control (ASR)
Electronic stability program (ESP)
Rear wheel drive
Independent 4-link front/5-arm multi-link rear suspension
Active Body Control (ABC)-inc: coil spring & electronically controlled hydraulic cylinder w/gas-pressurized shock absorber at each wheel, sports mode, automatic 4-wheel level control, driver-selectable ride-height control, automatic speed-sensitive lowering
225/55HR17 all-season performance tires

17″ x 7.5″ 5-twin spoke aluminum-alloy wheels
Speed-sensitive pwr rack & pinion steering
4-piston pwr perforated/internally ventilated Brembo front disc brakes
2-piston pwr perforated/internally ventilated rear disc brakes
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Brake assist system
Electronic brake force distribution (EBD)

If the W220 was a better looking car to me than the W140, there’s no doubt in my mind that the C215 was a massive improvement over the W140 Coupe. The C-pillar treatment alone is worth the price of admission; it’s one of the more elegant designs Mercedes-Benz has put out in the past few decades. This car brought back the image of the Grand Tourer that the original W126 started in my mind. It’s hard to believe that nearly 30 years span these cars on paper until you look inside the C215 and see what was available; this decade old car has more options than some new cars do today. Despite that, the price is within reason and the condition is great overall. For a daily driver to make you feel special, it’s hard to argue that you could get much more car for your money than one of these Mercedes-Benz models; though I’d keep some money in the bank for potential repairs.

Who wins it? For me, it’s a toss up between the undeniable value of the newer cars and the classic designs of the W126. I particularly like that 300SEL, but the 560s always catch my eye too. I think if I had to rank the cars, it would be 300SEL, 560SEC, CL500, S430, S420, S600, and 280S for me. If the W116 was a Euro car like I wrote up recently, that would mix things up a bit, but the W126 wins this round for me. How about you?

-Carter