[FrozenMBZ]

I know all years are best years of SEC. I personally like 1989+ for the passenger airbag. Maybe it can be retrofitted in old cars? I dont know.

What do you guys think? Which is the best year of SEC (according to you) and why?

Thanks for indulging me.

 

[tusabes]

For us models 1989
Or 1990 if not equipped with problematic asr

 

[torrem3]

Guess who has ASR!!! Hahaha I actually love the damn thing in the snow, keeping the rpm right where it should, but it's not 100% On as the previous owner replaced the rear calipers and didnt get the correct ones where the sensors bolt on. ASR can be a headache if you don't know how it works, or if you wanted an LSD.

 

[281lxm]

I am partial to 1991, the last MY as it was the fewest. NON-ASR, and I am aware that some were made in 92, in S Africa.

 

[MT_Merc]

I'm going to go with 1989. It's got all the updates and options you would want (well, ok, minus the rear seat rolltop), and beyond that I've got a growing feeling that the 80's was a cooler decade than the 90's. Doesn't hurt that my SEC is an '89...

 

[81126]

Euro '88..

...biased, yes...LSD not ASR, Code 822 option available, year with the most KW...still has a glovebox, stringbacks on the front seats...

 

[Luke Colorado]

I'I've got a growing feeling that the 80's was a cooler decade than the 90's.

Excellent point.

 

[KRH]

I'm going to go with 1989. It's got all the updates and options you would want (well, ok, minus the rear seat rolltop), and beyond that I've got a growing feeling that the 80's was a cooler decade than the 90's. Doesn't hurt that my SEC is an '89...

Yes i can vouch for that with my two
The 560 Euro is a late 88 that captured all the fruit including the better seats but leather map pockets (not nets) 300hp engine with no cats / 2.65LSD / adjustable steering position an memory seats and glovebox (no passenger airbag thank goodness as no issue swapping out the steering wheel) /no ASR
Anti-dive/squat rear suspension/alloy trailing arms/rear SLS

The Euro 500 M117-965 high comp is just as desirable as that engine is real sweet and luvs to rev. I now have a very desirable 2.65LSD to drop into that and also have upgraded the seats to the later version. Being Euro also has the anti-dive/squat suspension /alloy trailing arms/ rear SLS
Both now have the rear roll top burlwood seat storage box swapped in (in addition to the matching front burlwood storage box)

I don't think they come much better than the Gen2 Euro version in both 500 & 560 with the slimline Euro Bumpers and no ugly coin tray along the bottom of the dash and no ugly USA sealed beam headlights and no anti-pollution gear

 

[bondavi]

Owned two euros a '86 500SEC and '90 560SEC euro.

If I were to get a Gen2 euro again, it'd have to be a 86-87 560 ECE version w/ the 4-pin EZL.

I would have peace of mind knowing my car could last for the long term without expensive and hard-to-find 8-pin EZL repairs.

I would do updates to the car for the later 90-91 interior if I needed, but to me, mechanical peace of mind coupled with 300hp ECE trumps all.

 

[tusabes]

It's pretty difficult to find a 86-87 euro in the USA though. Most grey market imports stopped in 1985

 

[bondavi]

Yeah. Member DBMB out of AZ has/had a white '86 ECE coupe and posted for sale a year or two ago.

Agreed, it's tough to find gen2 euros that already have a CA history/CARB sticker these days.

 

[wooky_chew_bacca]

I am partial to 1991, the last MY as it was the fewest. NON-ASR, and I am aware that some were made in 92, in S Africa.

I agree on the 1991 also because of being the last year and being rarer due to the lower production/sales run

"Upgrades" can be made if you can get your hands on the needed parts, Euro headlights and bumpers for starters

 

[KRH]

Owned two euros a '86 500SEC and '90 560SEC euro.

If I were to get a Gen2 euro again, it'd have to be a 86-87 560 ECE version w/ the 4-pin EZL.

I would have peace of mind knowing my car could last for the long term without expensive and hard-to-find 8-pin EZL repairs.

I would do updates to the car for the later 90-91 interior if I needed, but to me, mechanical peace of mind coupled with 300hp ECE trumps all.

Bondavi this won't be a problem soon
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w126-s-se-sec-sel-sd/2180361-m117-mods-bluetooth-cis-k-jet.html
Progress on this FrankenCIS & FrankenDPS Kit for KE-Jet has now mastered control of the fuel mapping which now totally tuneable across the whole rev/load range.
The ECU has a lot more functions than just fuel
Mike from Dkubus together with Steve from reanimotion are all over this Bosch system (which by the way is it turns out with a bit of modern technology adapted to it is actually a "very good system")
This assumes a non molested EHA and a good Fuel Head / injector filters are clean / Good POT / no vac leaks / fuel pumps are good / Fuel reg is good / so what is aimed for is the engine is already working fine and tuned correctly as a starting point for the Franken to take over from that point.
It is not designed to mask a poor running engine that needs attention

Next step is working on the ignition mapping and the R&D will be done on that to phase in control of the ignition ( I assume this will eliminate the need for reliance of the EZL for any mapping- and most likely eliminate the need for the outdated EZL altogether)
I have a haltech 2000 which has extensive ignition mapping tuned for a Euro high comp 560 300hp (with the 16/17-24/25 cams as both same profile) and this will most likely be used as a basis reference for them to work from as a starting point.
End result will be a huge leap for the M117 i believe to finally prove how good this engine is in its current form without the need for a full EFI conversion to wake it up

 

[FrozenMBZ]

So 1986+ 560sec's are ok cause they do not have the 8 pin thingy?

 

[tusabes]

So 1986+ 560sec's are ok cause they do not have the 8 pin thingy?

All usa 560 are ok bc they don't have the 8 pin ezl , you just want to avoid the cars with asr from 90 and 91

We are talking about euro models ,88 and up have the unreliable 8 pin ezl