Faults:

There is a noise from the rear suspension when a wheel hits a sharp bump in the road.

The dash had a couple of cracks extending from where the speaker covers are situated.

It uses a bit of oil.

General Comments:

I love this car. I have looked at buying a W126 or W123 for about the past 10 years, and finally found myself an example that is in fabulous condition.

The service history is perfect, and I have carried on the getting serviced at my local dealership. While the labour isn't cheap, I know the car is worth the extra cost.

This car is lovely on the open road. It's so quiet for a 21 year old car, and doesn't use too much fuel. Once up to speed, the performance is more than acceptable.

I get plenty of positive comments about the car. I can see myself still driving this car in 20 years. I got the dash cracks fixed before I purchased the car, and have fitted an after market stereo head unit. I love it.

Faults:

Nothing, although I will replace the front brakes soon due to slight uneven wear, due to a poor previous pad change by the previous owners.

General Comments:

A very rare car in the SE, short wheelbase. The SEL is the common longer wheelbase for the V8 models.

I have owned a 5 Mercedes now, and this is the best one.

The interior is almost new due to the hardwearing leather and materials used.

The exterior looks like it's almost been carved from a large hunk of steel. The interior feels like a vault.

It has the 2 stage gearbox, which selects sport, economy modes and also manual first gear select.

With a professionally installed exhaust system, there has been a power gain of 25hp taking it to approx. 285hp. This also brings out the V8 sound, but is not intrusive in the cabin unless the driver wants it that way..

It doesn't sound like much, but due to the lesser weight over the longer wheelbase model, the 500SE hauls when asked to and purrs when required.

These are classics now, and good ones are holding values very well. I had a hard time selling my 1988 300se as these cars are simply beautiful.

The best way these cars can continue to be enjoyed is to make sure that items are fixed when they break, and also the service/maintenance schedule is adhered to.

Faults:

Ran over a wombat. Broke RHS steering arm and dislodged brake caliper. Interesting drive home.

Crushed the catalyst converter when I drove over some rough roads. Was going to cost thousands to repair. I cut it off before the cat con and replaced the rest of the exhaust system with 1-1/4 pipe. Producing quite an unholy note.

Most things that have gone wrong on this car are from me running over animals.

Beginning to develop a rattle, due to the environment it works in. I live an hour out of Wanaaring in outback NSW.

Horn broke when I hit this huge roo. Managed to salvage the radiator. Got a new grille from Sydney. Replace the horn with the airhorn of a Fiat Tipper.

The sun has cruelly damaged the leather and the paint.

General Comments:

I'm not sure there is another car on this world that allows me to drive at a quarter of the speed of sound when I got into town. That I can afford anyway.

Incredible value.

Chews the petrol. It's OK if your kind to it and drive it like Ms. Daisy.

Very comfortable, had many micro-sleeps whilst lounging in the skin of many German cows.

The pillar-less cabin allows panoramic views of all the colours you see on a typical outback sunset.