1982 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Reviews

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1982 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Automatic from Australia and New Zealand

Year of manufacture	1982
First year of ownership	2006
Most recent year of ownership	2009
Engine and transmission	Automatic Don't Know
Performance marks	4 / 10
Reliability marks	5 / 10
Comfort marks	3 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper)	3 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)	3.8 / 10
Distance when acquired	100000 kilometres
Most recent distance	180000 kilometres
Previous car	Jaguar XJ40

Summary:

One overrated barge that is for status only, not what I would consider a luxury car

Faults:

Window regulator on driver's side broke.

Seat springs broke.

Power steering box worn and leaky.

Exhaust rusted out.

Climate control failed.

Air conditioning evaporator failed.

Radiator failed.

Engine tappets worn.

CIS fuel injection worn out.

Idle control module failed.

Indicator switch failed.

Sunroof motor failed.

Seat switches failed.

Dash cracked.

Leather gone hard.

Ignition control module burnt out.

General Comments:

One big agricultural barge. Reminds me of a Valiant.

Unreliable unless you do preventative maintenance; change things when they haven't broken yet.

Seats very uncomfortable.

Underpowered for a 3.8 litre V8. Only positive to making it take off is the low down first gear.

Squeaky interior.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd October, 2009

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4th Oct 2009, 10:44

So you bought one that was only good enough for the scrapyard and now you declare the S-Class W126 is an overrated barge?

9th Oct 2009, 08:51

Bearing in mind the car is an '82, that's nearly three decades on the road; things are definitely going to break. These cars are not for the faint of heart; they do need preventative maintenance and a keen ear for the car's mechanical fitness. My '84 380SE, although not perfect, is appreciated for being a well-built vehicle from a different automotive era that can still compare favourably with much newer cars. In driving a vehicle twenty years older than anyone's average vehicle, you must expect that you will be on the side of the road at least once a year with some type of breakdown.

30th Oct 2009, 09:21

I hope you realise that your car IS 27 years old!!

31st Oct 2009, 06:34

I hope you do realise that you bought a 27-year old car... In fact you bought a 27-year old car in bad shape.

14th Jun 2010, 18:45

You bought a piece of crap that should've been junked before you bought it. Mercedes manufactures a marquee auto but even a Benz can be neglected.

This is where the used auto buyer makes sure to buy something with a service history, know the previous owner or are, "well, a know it all".

I love my 30yr old diesel, but wouldn't touch one that's been dogged and neglected for 30 years. Get it?! Some folks don't know enough to know they don't know it all!

Next time buy a new Kia with a warranty if you can't turn a wrench. Likely can't appreciate the engineering laid into an old diesel Benz bucket anyway.

1982 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 300SD 3.0 turbo diesel from North America

Model year	1982
Year of manufacture	1981
First year of ownership	2009
Most recent year of ownership	2009
Engine and transmission	3.0 turbo diesel Automatic
Performance marks	10 / 10
Reliability marks	10 / 10
Comfort marks	10 / 10
Dealer Service marks	10 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper)	5 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)	9.0 / 10
Distance when acquired	222450 miles
Most recent distance	223000 miles
Previous car	Ford Taurus

Summary:

One outstanding motorized vehicle. An exemplary example thanks to the inventors of the first auto

Faults:

A/C compressor. Which still uses R12.

Rear window regulators.

Power front seat switches on door panels.

Radio not working.

Crack in rear window.

Cracked side view mirror.

The previous owner "Martha", who was the original owner, had hit this car into the garage several times so there are dents everywhere, but nothing major. Just superficial stuff.

General Comments:

This car is possibly one of the best cars ever made for both urban and rural driving. The Turbo-Diesel, which is a straight 5 cylinder, lasts forever and can easily go half a million miles between overhaul.

I love the beautiful sound of its diesel engine when it is idling. I love the smell of diesel fuel in the morning.

This car looks wonderful. At this many miles. Almost everything works, including the cruise control. What is broken is the rear window regulators, a few electrical switches that are not that important, the radio, and the A/C. All of which is superficial stuff. When I bought the car, it just had a whole new transmission put in with new brakes and tires with less than 250 miles on them. What a steal for only $500 and a running Mercedes Benz that was well maintained and doesn't smoke.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd March, 2009

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