560 Sel

[DREWFOWLER]

I have the opportunity to buy one of the above, is it recommended and what should I look for? It is a 1989 G Plate

 

[sooper coop]

Assuming your not a pensioner and have shares in Esso/BP and like driving lots of people around long journeys and want a V8 Limo.

make sure it has as few owners as possible a dn full service history. If neither, run away.

 

[Pringles]

I have not owned one but have always wanted one of these cars. The big V8 engines are strong as long as they are serviced properly. Some of the ones I have seen have suffered a bit of rust at the leading edge of the front wings and I believe the rear window seals can perish over time and let water in the boot area ( rust area )

I believe the suspension is an " air " type that rely on pumps /vaccums and these can need replacing and are quite expensive.
It might be worth speaking to a local independent garage to check what the costs are for various items . I would imagine you would need to be fairly committed to " big car " ownership to run one of these cars.

I reckon condition is the main thing and a well serviced 560sel will probably not cost any more on the mechanicals than a poorly maintained W124 300e/e320 ( from a W124 owner who has suffered a car needing to brought up to scratch )

The 560sel is a fast car , 0-60 in around 7.5 secs and 150 mph top end so it drinks fuel.It was the very top of the range in S class terms.
To me these cars will be always be the ones used by the " villains" in James Bond films and that is probably why I love the look of them.

 

[paulcallender]

Yes ideally, full service history, if not by Mercedes then at least a decent garage. For this type of car condition is everything and age/mileage/colour are minor influences on the value. For example, a 175,000 mile example could be 10 times better than an 80,000 mile car.

It would probably be worth having an AA or similar inspection done, given the cost/complexity of repair, of some items. Otherwise, for £30 you can't beat having it put through and MoT, unless its got 12 months of it.

Anything to look for in particular? Tyres, tracking (does it pull to the left? A lot??), condition/level of all the fluids (in particular, auto transmission), areas of corrosion around suspension and seat belt mountings, check for head gasket imminent failure, chromework, go over every inch of the paintwork, check the electrics all work. Even if you find few faults, it gives a good bargaining position.

Lastly, don't worry too much about the money! These cars are plentiful and inexpensive to purchase. If it doesn't work out and your ~£2000 lasts 6 months, just compare this to the depreciation on a £20,000 new car in the same period!