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Classics or ???

1K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  Lars Spain 
#1 ·
I have been thinking about this for a while; what exactly are our W126's; classics or junk (worst case, and to provoke a reaction :) ?

I realise that this is different from one country to another, also that the condition of the car has a lot to say about that, especially in the places that are at the limit of respect for these cars.

Where I live, these cars are mostly seen as "bad taste" (everybody want small diesels here), with quite a few people seeing it as "mafia" (though the latest russian mafia raid had cars like brand new Aston Martin and Maserati confiscated; pretty far from the W126). Apart from the above, there are, of course, a minor group of enthusiasts who recognise the qualities of our cars, but they are few and far between ...

Are these cars widely recognised as classics anywhere in the world, or do we have to wait another ten to twenty years, or? :)

Does it make sense, financially, to throw money at these cars, waiting for value to go up?
(Yep; always makes sense in terms of driving a great car, but that is a different story :)

Any ideas, anybody?

Thanks

Lars
 
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#2 ·
They are Classics and Collectors and Drivers ,but i would not wait for the value to go up
 
#3 ·
For me, the w126 are certified classics. But I don't think the values would go up soon.
 
#5 ·
Azimut, you got a point there; it sure depends on the person driving it :)) I mostly drive mine wearing shorts or jeans, which kind of turns it into a lifestyle item (in lack of a better expression); if wearing a suit, it would be a bit like looking for a social lift - at least around here - and that would not work at all ...

Well, I believe that these cars are classics - for the enthusiasts, but it will take another 10 years or more, before they are widely recognised as classics; after all, most countries now have official definitions of classics (w. reduced roadtaxes, cheaper insurances etc), and they generally require another 10-15 years - that said; it takes less to turn a W126 into a classic than it does an old Ford, a lot less... :)

It will probably be a very long term investment if you want to see a return, but to me the return is paid out in driving pleasure and feeling of quality ....
 
#7 ·
i think that with the 126 mercedese engineers created something which sadly we will never see in a german automobile again.......big....brash....bulletproof......and not afraid to show it.....unlike the recent cars which mercedese has been building.....thier designs have moved away from that of the 126 to imitating japanese cars such as lexus....honda....toyota....need i go on.....
When im driving my 126 i feel in command.....unlike a 2007 bmw 320d which i had the misfortune of driving.....it felt like i was trapped inside a robot or something......the amount of controls it had.....
In this forum iv seen people from all over the world......who love the 126.......and i know one thing for sure....in 10-15 years time my 300sdl will still be with me.....whereas the 320d and other cars like that will be long gone.
 
#8 ·
yes, definitely a classic!
my mom has leased a prius (toyota) and oh my god, I mean it's an okay car and it's got some nice goodies that my SDL doesn't have, but, well, it just does not feel the same not to mention build quality is SOOOOOOO shoddy compared to my SDL.

at least when I drive it I feel in command, and I know that ten years from now it'll still be eating the miles as well as some great memories.

It's like driving a starship with the Hyperdrive always available (accelerator pedal :D), ooh soo nice!
 
#9 ·
The W126, like the W116 before it is quickly spilitting into two distinct camps.

Valued classics (Such as those seen on this fine board!) and total junk (Seen on others :) ).

I would not expect the prices to rise anytime soon. In this world of $1.75/L gasoline expect the value of these cars to plummet. This will result in an abundance of cars junked for the sheer fact they are uneconomical to operate/fix fairly minior issues.

These cars have never been 'for the masses', and with the price of fuel/rarity of some parts they never will be.

- Steve
 
#10 ·
I bought mine about 4 years ago and it has been a driving restoration ever since. Though not a car that is going to jump in value, it has been getting more and more attention as the years go by. I find that parts are becoming harder to find and more desirable as well. So in my opinion the amount of these will decrease due to running/maintenance expenses however the ones that will remain will be truly amazing collector cars.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I agree with this line of thinking. In another ten years (since so many were built) the population of these cars will shift dramatically. There will be a lot more junkers (or already scrapped versions) and a much lower population of cream puffs. It will be simple supply and demand at that point whereas the very well maintained cars will be collectable. You can already see how hard it is to find a nice one. Additionally this type of cost no object quality will never return and it will become more widely recognized as such. Just sit or drive one of these cars and it's quickly apparent you're not in a Toyota.

Having said that, I don't think they will ever command huge dollars but will certainly be worth holding onto. If you notice only the junkers have depreciated tremendously because their owners have come to the realization the cost to bring it back far exceeds the worth of the car by a factor of 3 to 1. The mint versions still seem to hold their value and are scooped up pretty quickly. Plus, I don't think you can totally attribute the price decline to gas prices as some 60's muscle car gas hogs still command a hefty price in spite of high fuel costs. Or looking at it another way, the surviving cherry daily drivers will eventually turn into garaged collectibles driven much less with weekend treks,shows or driving events.... Just like a lot of the collectible cars today that were once common daily drivers. I don't think the owners of the prized 126's are going to rush en masse and sell their cars for peanuts anytime soon just because gas jumped up another .50 or $1.00 a gallon. I know I won't. But I probably will drive it less... which is good in the long run.

IMO, there will always be people that will appreciate the high-quality of the 126. Plus, I think emotion plays a big part in how people perceive these cars and further down the road people will still get excited when they see a beautiful minted out w126... many for the first time. Just remember how you felt when you first experienced the 126. It's happening already to some of us as we drive these classic beauties down the road. I got the curious stop light inquiry the other day about my 126 and it's not even mint yet!

Sorry for the long winded post. I was on a roll and am passionate about the subject. I love my cars... probably too much.
 
#11 ·
I think they are two completely different groups. The junks and classics. BUt I think this was (and I am obviosly Bias) One of the best cars made by Mercedes. They started to go down hill in the 90's with the issues with the ML320's and they started to make the Mercedes an "Affordable Car". I think it was a mistake that cost the Mercedes to drop a class.

Think about it, these cars were anywhere from low 20k to 50k plus, That was in the 80's! Think about what the C class and other are costing. They are a bargain by comparison, but build quality is sacrificed.
 
#12 ·
i do not drive my SEC every day but ther are times i drive it for a week at a time and times it sits in muy garage for 2 weeks.....................
but guaranteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey every time i drive it people ppl stop me or do the roll down ur window sign and tell me how much they love my car or what year is that or even 2 day ran into a friend (woman) on the van wick 2day and " wow u got a new car its georgeous" ----- thanks had it for 23 years now..........................:eek::bowdown::thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
Thanks all :)

Well, where I live, it is a bit strange; we have the "one owner, low kilometers, mint condition" gems and we have 560's that are simply left abandoned in the streets. We got the molested ones, with homemade spoilers and strange air-intakes, well, we got them all.

Suppose they are in sort of a in-between state now :)

Luckily (?), only the good ones survive, so, in time, they will be appreciated more than today... Anyway, never mind value; to me they are about other qualities ...

And yes, I have strangers asking me about my car several times a week; kind of says it all, right? :)
 
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