I'm lucky. In my small town there are 3 other W116 cars and a diesel 124 which almost qualifies and a 1980 450SL. I've talked with both the W116 owners and the diesel guy but not the 450SL owner who I've been wanting to meet but he seems elusive for now.
Today I was driving my W116 to meet my son for a coffee and on the way back I passed a lovely dark blue W116 coming the other way, we both waved. It got me thinking how often do other owners see similar cars on the road these days? I for one love to see these cars driven and at least in my small area of the globe they seem to be. Let us know.
BCDC
Tasmania
It's extremely rare, as in practically never. But, the few times I do, I can't believe my eyes; mostly because I know how difficult and expensive the power windows and automatic climate control are to get operational; without which the vehicles aren't really usable. I almost see them exclusively on Craigslist by sellers who are exasperated and wanting to unload them, or in the wrecking yard. Any time you see one that's actually fit to use daily, you know the owner is extremely dedicated.
Once or twice a year at best here. Usually too it's a beat to hell 300SD, never another 6.9 that's for sure.
What area of Tassie are you in?
I've seen quite a few 126s out and about lately but very rarely 116.
I drive past a dark blue 280sel parked on the side of the road Alot but that's about it
I've seen a few in the last year here in Perth. Just a fortnight ago I saw one, I was at a job site where the road is quite steep with a stop sign at the bottom. I heard a familiar sound roaring up the hill and it was a white 280, making much more noise than the speed would suggest! haha !!!
Hi Nab, we may cross paths one day! seeing 116s here in perth is not so common. in fact, I had one of the 6.9s out a few weeks ago and someone took a pic of it and put its on the Facebook 'interesting cars of perth' which was pretty cool. its amazing how quickly you show your age. it used to be 124s and 126 every day, you dont even see these. I did see a ratty 123 today and ive seen a wagen a couple of times in the last year. good question BC
W116 almost never. W126 there are about 5-6 or so around here. R107's I see some.
Relying to Flogrates, I'm based near Cygnet in the south of the state. The two white W116's I see a lot are daily drivers and so is the diesel. The guy's just use them all the time which I think is great. Mine I take out around weekly for a spin as I use my ute most of the time for carrying things. One of the things about our dry cool climate and no salt on the roads is these cars seem to last a long time so maybe that is why I see them often. Even though mine is low milage, there are always things to work on as we all know. These are great classics and need the love but it fills me with joy when I see others out on the road being driven. Hopefully I'll see the "dark blue" guy again one day and have a chat. It may even be that 280SEL that you know of?
BCDC
It possibly is, I haven't seen it move since it appeared there. It sits in Waverly in the side of the road.
Quote from: nathan on 29 December 2020, 07:46 AM
Hi Nab, we may cross paths one day! seeing 116s here in perth is not so common. in fact, I had one of the 6.9s out a few weeks ago and someone took a pic of it and put its on the Facebook 'interesting cars of perth' which was pretty cool. its amazing how quickly you show your age. it used to be 124s and 126 every day, you dont even see these. I did see a ratty 123 today and ive seen a wagen a couple of times in the last year. good question BC
I've seen a w116 cruise on YouTube that happened a few years ago, I would be keen for a run if one was organised...
Hi Nab,
yeah, I organised those ones. its time for another as I haven't done one in 3 years or so. the 2016 was the biggest yet when we had 18 116s. I would like to crack 20 and think we could get 25 or so with cars I know. problem this time of year is heat. too hot for my liking to drag out the old ones! maybe I set one for march?
Nathan. just how many of these 6.9's are running AND how do you keep them all "flight line"ready. ?
Keeping the tyres pumped up..the batteries charged.....fluids checked and topped up.......coolant replacement..brake fluid replacement.
registration.. Insurance...washed...polished..interior leather feed....blown globes...it goes on and on and I haven't dwelt on the HPF yet!!!????
Randy,
you should know I am descended from one of the last true lunatics of Benz maintenance. Until recently, most of the cars were kept at dads with a no expense spared approach. the cars were always kept in good shape. having retired, dad would charge them every few days, or turn them over and so on. Now in my own place with living quarters attached to the garage, its actually pretty hard doing as you say when you have a busy job. I do have a battery charger and recently bought one of those jumper packs (dman things are small, the size of a ladies purse!). The gwagen, 6.9 and current 280te project are not as nasty to maintain as earlier (ie 114s) cars we have had. you just make sure you have enough juice, turn them over and they go after a few minutes warm up. the worst bit about dads (real first world problems!), was if you wanted the furtherest back car, it was like a game of tetris which required removal of three cars lined in front of it, then return them all. it would take 30 minutes! now i have 3x3 space so its more like a rubics cube and much easier to get out!
the first pic is dads place
the second is in the new garage, which i had this epoxy floor put in so oil just wipes off (although i still use drip trays)
the final pic is the workshop space i have at the back of my garage. im doing up a 280te at the moment so its awesome to have a hoist and dedicated space with no hurry to move things!
this is the my restoration FB page https://www.facebook.com/Mercedes-280te-123-Restoration-377688502994832
I like how your lift is set into the floor. How did you do that and what brand lift is that?
Saw a lovely green one the other day on the highway, looked nearly showroom condition. Very jealous of the owner
Strike me lucky..what a set up !! luv that floor. Gee those 6.9's all lined up make for a different colour car for each day of the week!! Impressive........good old Dad kept the show going there or awhile eh?
sorry to get sidetracked on Squiggles post. The hoist is a Stratus SR 40 I think it was. Italian brand. the scissor hits are getting popular as you dont have posts in the way. Maybe not so good on newer cars with exhaust down each side? you can get portable ones which wheel in, but this was never on the cards with a new house build.
of our 116s, the white one is the only one never to move, its so far down the back of the garage. but it will soon be stored at my house and ill get it out every now and then. it gets started every week at least.
this was my car spotted on a local group just before Xmas.
In the last 18 years, I have seen 1 drivable w116 450 parked in a garage., and another at a show.
So..driving ones I have seen none, ever.
The other 3 I saw, wrecks, basically, I bought.
That makes my W116 the only one I have ever seen driving on a road.
They are quite rare here...
Rare here too. After all the years of owning one and really being aware of the W116 I have never seen one. Last time I looked there were only 17 on the road.
I've seen maybe four (mine excluded) on the road in Ireland in the past three years or so.
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/launceston/cars-vans-utes/mercedes-benz-w116-280sel/1265172839?utm_source=com.google.android.keep&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content=android_VIP_sticky
This is the one I drive past.
I've seen 3/4 incredibly neat ones this week. Been a time.
Aprt the one that i brought in December , i did not seein any W116 since 2008 THE YERA THAT I SOLD MY FIRTS W116 :'( :'( :'( :'(
In Germany, the situation is somewhat different. I see a W116 in the neighbourhood every day. Unfortunately, it is so rusty that it will probably never be driven anywhere again.
Every 3 -4 weeks I see a W116 passing me by, except in winter of course. If I'm also driving my W116, I obviously wave to the driver. If I'm in my daily car, I give it a "thumbs up".
I have seen a few though not recently, they seem to be popular in Ireland and I have seen 3 near where i live but only briefly
a 450 owned by a local garage owner great condition dark green. A 300sd i was driving behind late at night looked in great shape as well and another I have seen in my town a few times all I remember is, it had penta alloys.
I saw one in cancale in northern France and funnily one in Germany when i went to pick up mine, the evening before I went to collect I was out walking and a super black w116 passed me by, thinking it was the one i was going to see i waved / gesticulated, fortunately the driver didn't see me or chose to ignore the lunatic on the roadside, I soon come to my senses and realised that, that one was a little too shiny to be mine.
A rare sight on the roads, curiously all the 116's I have seen appeared to be in good condition.
I can't remember the last time I've seen a W116 on the road, unless you count mine on a flat bed this summer. Funny enough there's an older gentleman that daily drives a W109 going the opposite way from one of my commutes. I can even tell whether I'm running early or late by where I pass him going across the dam road. I'd wave but it would just confuse him. Maybe when I get all my work done I'll try to get out in my car and talk to him.
As I said before I have never seen one on the road. Seen a 126 but never a 116. Comes from living in the backwoods. The most popular Mercedes here are the 123, I have seen a few of those, and the SL.
I saw another beige one yesterday. Tassie seems to have most of the remaining ones left lol
saw a yellow one today!....have seen it before. very tidy......