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Owning/Operating a 6.9

Started by 1980sdga, 09 May 2012, 09:12 PM

1980sdga

I've accumulated about 60,000 miles of seat time in my 2 SD's and I've concluded that the W116 is a damned fine auto! I'm notorious for being a car whore and tiring of them pretty quickly. I've had about everything under the sun from bimmers, to caddy's, chevelles, camaros, etc., even an Alfa Romeo  :o

Maybe I'm maturing, who knows...

Anyway, the wife just graduated from college and since I worked my @ss off so she could concentrate on school the deal is I can have any car I want. Within reason of course.

I like my diesels but I'm a speed freak by nature  8)  Soooo, I'm seriously considering rounding up a 6.9. Weird that Casey is looking as well. I think he should stick with diesel bangers myself  ;)

The Alfa was a tough little beasty to run so it kind of soured me on exotics but I may be better prepared to give it a go now.  I've been really impressed with the OM617 and the durability of the 116 chassis. I drive them a lot and I drive them hard and they have been pretty trouble free.  The 6.9 would be a semi-daily driver but I hope to come off the road as soon as my current gig is up this summer.

I'm sure any input will be biased  8) but I REALLY want a 400CID FI V8 with FRIGGIN' DRY SUMP OILING! OHC, sodium filled valves  8) I'll probably get a NA model but 350 ft/lb @ 2500 rpm sounds sweet! I'm sure it'll hit the passing lane like a MOFO. Something I really miss with my SD's.

The original plan was to get an M5 but the 6.9 is waaay cooler, cheaper too...

I'm good on maintenance and I'm an oil-change freak, so what say ye?  Should I take the plunge? Pick up a NA model and euro the lights/bumpers?

Is anyone DD their 6.9?

MBdieselFreak

Quote from: 1980sdga on 09 May 2012, 09:12 PM
I've accumulated about 60,000 miles of seat time in my 2 SD's and I've concluded that the W116 is a damned fine auto! I'm notorious for being a car whore and tiring of them pretty quickly. I've had about everything under the sun from bimmers, to caddy's, chevelles, camaros, etc., even an Alfa Romeo  :o

Maybe I'm maturing, who knows...

Anyway, the wife just graduated from college and since I worked my @ss off so she could concentrate on school the deal is I can have any car I want. Within reason of course.

I like my diesels but I'm a speed freak by nature  8)  Soooo, I'm seriously considering rounding up a 6.9. Weird that Casey is looking as well. I think he should stick with diesel bangers myself  ;)

The Alfa was a tough little beasty to run so it kind of soured me on exotics but I may be better prepared to give it a go now.  I've been really impressed with the OM617 and the durability of the 116 chassis. I drive them a lot and I drive them hard and they have been pretty trouble free.  The 6.9 would be a semi-daily driver but I hope to come off the road as soon as my current gig is up this summer.

I'm sure any input will be biased  8) but I REALLY want a 400CID FI V8 with FRIGGIN' DRY SUMP OILING! OHC, sodium filled valves  8) I'll probably get a NA model but 350 ft/lb @ 2500 rpm sounds sweet! I'm sure it'll hit the passing lane like a MOFO. Something I really miss with my SD's.

The original plan was to get an M5 but the 6.9 is waaay cooler, cheaper too...

I'm good on maintenance and I'm an oil-change freak, so what say ye?  Should I take the plunge? Pick up a NA model and euro the lights/bumpers?

Is anyone DD their 6.9?

Hey 1980SDGA You sound a lot like me, I am trying to dry up a constant thirst for getting that new special car in my drive way, you know that model that had every options available on that particular model. Well i had cars that ranged from a Lincoln to an Oldsmobile, to some VW, Porsche, Mustang's, M-B's W140, W123, W115, W201 and a ton of W126's. I can tell you even tho over the years i have driven plenty of different cars, one car always comes back to my thought's it's my 1979 W116 6.9.

I have daily Driven my 6.9 For 3 years now and other then some 2nd gen W126 model's I can tell you it's one of the most Safe, Reliable, Fun, Tight, Instant Torque feeling, Head turning & Bad @SS car i have ever owned. OTHER then Fuel economy not being a subject of matter when you talk about a 6.9 Well this car has everything you need in a car to be honest. There is a thing about the M100 6.9 Engine i can't find or feel in other engine regardless of the car company. The engineering of this engine with all it's attribute it never get "tired". Really i mean either if it's cold, hot, humid, what ever the engine is always ready to pack some punch and never fail's to be safe and reliable. People can tell you whatever they want, this is a great car with a great engine, it always starts and never leaves me stranded or asks for an "engine tune" while your on a trip and it's not the right time. It does have simple electric/vacuum items that works good and is simple to work on if you know older Mercedes-Benz's.

I am a Engine oil/All fluids changing freak my self also. I find that fluid's are not to be changed when they wear out but instead they should be changed as often as you can afford. I never let my fluid's get dirty before changing them, in any of my cars. An oil change of a 6.9 is about 12.5L of oil, it is quite fun to pour all that new engine oil in there :-).

If you don't mind the fuel Economy, Every other aspect of a 6.9 is flawless from my point of view. People might complain about the Hydro Suspension, well i think it's great and has never let me down and works great. I purchased my Car from a 1 owner since 1979 with a great dealer maintained background so that might help also. I have an Article that came with the car when purchased new, it was written by Brock Yates, you should read that, it will sell you the idea of getting a 6.9.

Great Car, Great Stature, Great Engineering, Great safety, Great Power, that is what the 6.9 is all about my Friend.

For the right price i am selling my 6.9 if your are interested. I am on a pause here, either somebody will buy my car for the right price or either it's going to be my Sunday race car. I am gathering all the parts and knowledge to get this car track ready. http://s356.photobucket.com/albums/oo3/MBdieselFreak/

WGB

A few ideas from a long time Mercedes owner and W116 enthusiast - plus a 6.9 owner for nearly five years.

1) The ultimate expression of the 116 is a 6.9 but other models still perform very well - but no other 116 has that extra wow factor and this will carry forward into valuations in the future so that money spent is more likely to have a potential recuperation ratio.

2) It is always cheaper to buy the best you can get than rebuild the cheapest.

3) Even the best available is still likely to require significant expenditure to get into an acceptable state. The counterpoint to that is that prices of good cars are quite low and with some reasonable care everything is rebuildable on a DIY basis.

4) Parts are drying up so if you want a good one as the end product - do it soon.

5) If you have to worry about fuel consumption you can't afford one - really the fuel consumption is only marginally more than a 450.

6) I like the extra punch that a Euro motor has - but even then my W212 E500(US - E550) is two generations ahead of it in noise suppression and performance so it tends to taint my 6.9 experience - I keep remembering that my 6.9 is 33 years old.

7) Just do it - like all Mercedes once they are fixed properly they tend to stay fixed.

Bill

MBdieselFreak

Quote from: WGB on 09 May 2012, 11:47 PM
A few ideas from a long time Mercedes owner and W116 enthusiast - plus a 6.9 owner for nearly five years.

1) The ultimate expression of the 116 is a 6.9 but other models still perform very well - but no other 116 has that extra wow factor and this will carry forward into valuations in the future so that money spent is more likely to have a potential recuperation ratio.

2) It is always cheaper to buy the best you can get than rebuild the cheapest.

3) Even the best available is still likely to require significant expenditure to get into an acceptable state. The counterpoint to that is that prices of good cars are quite low and with some reasonable care everything is rebuildable on a DIY basis.

4) Parts are drying up so if you want a good one as the end product - do it soon.

5) If you have to worry about fuel consumption you can't afford one - really the fuel consumption is only marginally more than a 450.

6) I like the extra punch that a Euro motor has - but even then my W212 E500(US - E550) is two generations ahead of it in noise suppression and performance so it tends to taint my 6.9 experience - I keep remembering that my 6.9 is 33 years old.

7) Just do it - like all Mercedes once they are fixed properly they tend to stay fixed.

Bill

Amen to that! I agree a 100% with Bill, it shows that he has owned M-B's for a long time he knows what he is talking about!

pompy

I have to say that a 6.9 will remain on my wish list - untill I own one. And own a 6.9 I certainly will.
It IS the complete package.

TJ 450

Bill's list of points sums it up.

They are a great car to drive and own when in good order.

Tim

1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

Casey

Don't worry I'm not competing with you...just keeping my eyes open. It'll probably be a while until I get one as I expect most sellers will want somebody with cash in hand to seriously consider a sale and I'm not very good at saving. :P

Suspension maintenance is costly over time but I still want it. :)

WGB

Realistically in my opinion the hydraulic components in the suspension were designed to last 200,000 km and then be replaced - entirely - with new.

Considering that until recently this could be accomplished on a DIY basis for three to four thousand dollars it makes sense.

Most cars are not so lucky so they get nickle and dime maintenance.

At this stage I am anticipating living out my life with my E500 and there will come a time when the same will need to applied to it's air suspension - it's just called budgeting.

Bill

TJ 450

Quote from: WGB on 15 May 2012, 08:53 PM
Most cars are not so lucky so they get nickle and dime maintenance.

I suspect that's why MB has discontinued the parts, or at least the OEMs anyway. They would be much better off keeping parts/tooling for a 300SL/W198 for instance. This is how I see it anyway.

Tim
1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500