What W116 do you own/drive?

[Des]

There seems to be a large proportion of Australian 6.9 owners here, not that, that is an issue, after all I am one myself but I am curious what the actual forum % of W116 breaks down into.

Please vote, I guess if you own more than one you can vote multiple times, I have selected 3 votes per user, this should allow for W116 Benz addicts.

[oscar]

  Bloody 6.9ers I'm glad you can't vote twice on the same model, all those 13.8ers out there. C'M ARN 350's

[116.025]

I can tell this poll was made by a 6.9er 

Since there were the asterisks around that option and all...

I started to vote 280SE and 280SEL, but it didn't seem fair since my SEL is wrecked and being used for parts, though it was a blast to drive...

[Martin 280s]

Hi Everyone,
What is more important than which model you have is the fact you're out there enjoyng having it! As much as I think the S320 (W140) is a dream on wheels, I love my old 280S. I frequently attend MB club meets in and around São Paulo and HAVE to admit that the W116 is a great car and no less than any other 'new' model. I have heard a lot of critisims about build quality, electronic gadetry etc. and I often think..."Will a new Mercedes still be around in 30 years?" 
Regards fellow W116's, Martin

[oscar]

I started to vote 280SE and 280SEL,

It's a shame, you'd be the only 280sel.  Which is amazing because I see more of them, on the occasion that I see another 116, then 450sel's.  I left the 280S out as well, only because it's not officially driveable.

Hi Martin and welcome.  Are there many w116's around Brazil or in the club?

[Martin 280s]

There are quite a few. The 280s is the more 'popular' of the range although there are some 450's and I think 2 6.9's.
One of the more popular cars in the club, despite being ridiculously expensive here, is the R107!
Our club is for classic models however, the late 70's and early 80's are predominant.
The term classic, in my opinion, doesn't really mean old! The W116 is a true classic, lots of lovely chrome and real build quality, I think the plastic look of the later models lost it's charm.  Hope I haven't offended anyone!

P.S My other Merc, which's a project for this year, is a 1972 W108 280s with the 4-headlight set up . I just love 6-cyl cars!

[oscar]

I don't think it's possible to offend anyone on this site by praising W116's and knocking the plasticised cars.  We all know where your coming from with your thoughts.

I've always liked the 108/9's and I think the americana/stacked headlights really set this car off.  If I had the money, I'd grab an seb or the-- whatever the coupe version is.  They look fantastic.  Isn't there another fella in your club that has posted here before.  I can't remember his name but he has a 6.9. He could be elsewhere in South America but I'm not sure.

[oscar]

I don't think it's possible to offend anyone on this site by praising W116's and knocking the plasticised cars. 

Steady now Simon....
Some of us have some plasticised ones too   

As long as it's quality plastic, I don't mind 

Actually, Ive been doing a bit of W126 research for someone else.  Anything I've posted in this or the club forum is just what I've read from others advice.  It's been soooo long since I've been in a W126 I can't comment from experience.  But I'm laying my chromed W126 bashing batton down.  There's some really nice examples for sale with all the bells and whistles.  If we ever sold our Ford Territory, I'd be pushing hard for a 420 or 560 sel as a replacement.

[Des]

There's some really nice examples for sale with all the bells and whistles.  If we ever sold our Ford Territory, I'd be pushing hard for a 420 or 560 sel as a replacement.

Traitor!!!



Actually I agree I am leaning more and more towards my next daily driver being a W126, although temping to have another 6.9.

[Andrew116]

'78 280SE... standing last night at red light (that's me)... on my right - Lamborghini Gallardo 
He revs the engine smiling at me what a great car he has... 
I have a modiffied exaust... and 6 cyl. 
So I rev it arround 5500 a few times... his smile faded 
Green light: he tries a burn out... accelerates to take me to the first light. My 280SE: selector in S - kickdown... result: 2 seconds behind him on abou 400 meters.
But I, and only I had the pleasure to drive a w116 

Andrew in Romania

[116.025]

I started to vote 280SE and 280SEL,

It's a shame, you'd be the only 280sel.  Which is amazing because I see more of them, on the occasion that I see another 116, then 450sel's.  I left the 280S out as well, only because it's not officially driveable.

That's really wild that you see more 280SEL's than any other.  I wonder if Oz was the biggest market for them?  Since they made about 400 less of them than 6.9s.  I would LOVE to have another 280SEL 4-spd or find a 350SEL with a 4-spd.  Though I did recently see a 350SEL on eBay that only went for $2,500 USD   Makes me glad I didn't buy the $6,000 USD green 350SEL I looked at a few months ago, even if it was a beauty.

Right now I'm thinking about calling the chap with the $1850 USD 280SE w/Sunroof that's in the local rag (I mean...newspaper).  I guess Mom and Dad are right, I need a girlfriend to tame my Mercedes fever....

Andrew, great story, I wish I could have been there!

[oscar]

280se's are the most common and anytime I spot an sel version, it's more often than not a 280sel. Perhaps Oz was a target market for them.  More affordable than the 450.  Anytime I'm at my mechanics and if there's a 116 in the yard it's a 280se.  I'm also in a remote area so it's probably not indicative of the numbers in Oz. 

I remember that 350sel, it had that "brave" interior didn't it.  It was so unique but a bit steep in price. Not sure if I liked it at first but I don't think it would take long to really grow on me.

[116.025]

I remember that 350sel, it had that "brave" interior didn't it.  It was so unique but a bit steep in price. Not sure if I liked it at first but I don't think it would take long to really grow on me.

Yup, that's the one.  I really wanted it, but wanted $6,000 USD more...   I was considering offering him $4,000, but he said something that strongly implied he wouldn't go below $5,000 and probably wouldn't jump on that.

I'm not surprised that the short 280's would be the most common, since between the 280S and SE they made better then 250,000.  The US is a little different in that regard, since the 280's weren't available the whole run like the 450's were, if memory serves.  If I see another 116, which isn't common, mind you, it's almost always either a 450 or a 300SD.

[Andrew280SEL]

Sorry to reawaken a potentially dead thread, but it seems i'm the only (drivable) 280SEL owner on this forum. 

[Des]

only 40 people voted, time to bump this up?