1997 Mercedes-Benz S600

The W140 S600, in my opinion, is one of those ‘best friend or worst nightmare’ kind of cars. A wonderful example is almost pure bliss but if you end up with a neglected one, you’ll soon be searching the classifieds for a nice Toyota Corolla. Unlike its younger sibling W220 S600, the M120 V12 in the W140 is a great example of a twelve cylinder engine. It’s extremely smooth, makes great power and doesn’t have any real fatal flaws. It’s just everything around it that can be troublesome at times. Throttle actuators, EGAS modules, coolant pipes, breather pipes on top of everything else that normally goes wrong with a 90s Mercedes, will drive you nuts. The thing is, you really have to love the W140 to justify owning one. This isn’t a half-hearted car that you can drive and forget about. Even if you have no interest in maintaining this car by yourself, you really should have someone who knows the M120 look after it as most general mechanics usually don’t have the knowledge and experience to tackle problems as they arise. If you are one of those crazed W140 fans that has been looking for a prime S600, this 1997 in New York might fit the bill.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 Mercedes-Benz S600 on eBay

Year: 1997
Model: S600
Engine: 6.0 liter V12
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Mileage: 90,000 mi
Price: No Reserve Auction

1997 MERCEDES BENZ S- CLASS S600 V12 W140 IN PRESTINE CONDITION. MERCENDS BENZ FLAGSHIP VEHICLE WITH LOW MILES ONLY 90,000 ORIGINAL MILES.
BLACK ON BLACK BEST COLOR COMBINATION. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE 2013 THIS IS MY FOURTH S600 YOU WILL NO BE DISAPPOINTED, ADULT DRIVEN,GARAGE KEPT, MERCEDES BENZ SPECIALIZED MAINTAINED. WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED RECLINING HEATED REAR SEATS, DEFROST EXTERIOR MIRRORS, REAR SHADE, AND VERY RARE OEM 19″ AMG MONOBLOCK WHEELS. ABSOLUTE DREAM VEHICLE

VEHICLE NEEDS DOOR LOCK PUMPS.

PRIVATE OWNED. CLEAR NYS TITLE IN HAND. VEHICLE IS SOLD WHERE IS AS IS.
CURRENTLY REGISTERED AND INSURED. $1,000.00 NO REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT REQUIRED

This one looks like a nice example. It’s not perfect, but not many of these are anymore. Being a 1997, it has the 722.6 transmission which I think pairs great with the V12 in terms of power delivery and most importantly, reliability. This car also has 19 inch Monoblocks which are really rare and suit this giant body well. The bumpers have some rock chips and the paint looks oddly faded, but it’s nothing too ghastly. Inside, the S600-only two-tone leather seats and exposed stitching dash look great without much wear. The wood on the steering wheel is surprisingly not totally cracked into a million pieces like the majority of them are and the rest of the wood looks OK, but has some small flaws. The seller says this car needs door lock pumps which isn’t a cheap or easy repair as they usually need to be sent out to a specialist for a rebuild. Like I’ve said a hundred times before, I wish there was some sort of mention of maintenance and repair records on this thing to give me some sort of piece of mind.

Given it’s sharp looks and 90,000 miles, I can see this one bringing good money. Like most 90s Mercedes, prices are all over the map depending on condition but I think this seller might hit a home run. I wouldn’t call the W140 S600 a collectible, but it has it’s small legion of fans who adore them. Maybe in another 5-10 years these will reach a stage where people will be snagging these up regardless of condition à la 190E 2.3-16, but right now it’s only the best of the best that will have real value. As for a price, $15,000 wouldn’t shock me. That is a ton of a money for any W140, but for someone who knows what they want, I can see them ponying up to get it.

– Andrew