1991 Mercedes-Benz S-Class SEC review from Estonia
"Probably one of the 10 best cars ever built... EVER!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Suspension needed serious repairs, (around 1500€ spent on it).
The Curtain on back window is not working.
Rear left window (electrical), is not working.
Radiator is slightly leaking (has not been replaced yet).
Air Con need refilling.
General comments?
This is my first car and for me it was a dream come true, when I saw this baby on sale. At first I was looking for w124 coupe, but my friend who owns a 560 SEC (probably the one in best condition in our small country) managed to change my mind. It was the first car we went to see and as the body was in superb order (no rust at all, which in our climate and road conditions for so old car is extremely rare), I decided to buy it.
So what did I get for 4500€:
Black leather interior, (heated) electric seats (with memory functions), cruise control, ASR, Air Con, Self-leveling hydraulic suspension, electric sunroof, 4X electric windows, heated rear window etc.
Comments:
- "There is no replacement for Displacement" V8 165kw is superb, compared to the Golf we have in family. 200 km/h is no problem.
- Everyone wonders how silent it is. Absolutely incomparable to mid-class cars.
- It has the looks! New S-classes are too common nowadays here. But this baby is rare and turns heads. Germans say that this one of the last Mercs made, where engineers and designers (not accountants) were in charge and one can see and feel it. both interior and exterior has high quality and style in every detail.
- A truly simple car. It could be said that it is over-engineered, as every minor mechanism can be fully disintegrated (and fixed), if needed. Therefore it is relatively cheaper to repair (compared to newer cars). I do minor repairs by myself and I'm an office rat, not a mechanic :)
- Not the cheapest car to maintain. Mine was built 17 years ago and it starts to show. But taken into consideration the age, build quality is truly superb. These cars are built to last.
- All in all: anyone who plans to get one, it is expensive to maintain and it doesn't pay off if you need a car to get you from A to B. If you need something that can do that in style and comfort, it is THE THING!
Recommended reviews
| 1991 - S-Class 300SEL 3.0 six cylinder Grand, elegant, diplomatic, fast, well-built! |
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| 1991 - S-Class 560 SEL 5.6 Liter V8 Very sharp and elegant, but not practical for 2007 |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1991 |
| Year of manufacture | 1991 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 420 V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 191000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 197000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 30th April, 2007 |