I don't see much about the 380SEL's on this board. I bought one not long ago and so far I love it. Can someone give me a general summary of that model, what to expect etc. This one only has 108k miles.
Thanks!
51

Early versions of the 380SEL were equipped with an engine that had a weak, single row timing chain. The chain had a reputation for breaking prematurely, and as this is an interference engine, the pistons would wind up impacting and bending engine valves that were open at the wrong time. Mercedes eventually began equipping these engines with stronger dual-row timing chains, which cured the issue. Many early engines were retrofitted with the parts necessary to use these stronger chains. I suggest that you repost your query on the tech help section of this site to determine how to tell if early engines have undergone the retrofit, and when Mercedes upgraded the later engines.

Well, the 380SEL is not that popular these days, because while the gas mileage is nothing to crow about, on the other hand it is also the most anemic V8 engine, you could ever get in the W126 model line, and with just 155 hp and an unaggressive rear end, it doesn't move so quickly as many others.

Also, being in the Generation I series (1980- 1985) it lacks several features that mark the updated US pec gen. II cars, from 1986 - 1991 (dual airbags, ABS, smoother lower rockers without the ribs, updated upholstery and interior, dual snorkels on the airbox, leather wrapped steering wheel, slightly updated dash and HVAC controls and so forth.)


So the negatives aren't too bad.

On the positive side, this series, the W126 is regarded among the LAST of the bulletproof, practically handbuilt cars, safe as a bank vault,


Look HERE!!!

W126 Rolling Crash

see: 1:20 et seq. on this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwcVEnyxeo8

durable, unbelievable quality, parts available forever from the classic center, and a styling tour de force.

About the engine: An autoweek article some years back featured a column about a shoe salesman in Nebraska that could not take his samples on the airplane, so he bought a brand new top of the line 380SEC, the two door version of yours.


Autoweek borrowed it off him for a month, to see what it felt like to test a real high mileage car, and loaned him a brand new E class Mercedes to use for the month.


They reported that they had to turn the key 3-4 times before the engine caught, but once it did, it ran fine. They also mentioned it had quite a lot of stone chips, on the rockers and along the front of the hood.


But they said, that all things considered, the 380SEC was a really good car considering it had over 825,000 miles on it.


Their only concern was metal fatigue, at such exalted mileage, and they could not answer the question, only ask it.


The kicker was that the loaner E class Mercedes was returned after a month to them, and it wasn't new anymore.

The shoe salesman had driven it 7,000 miles!!!



I read about the car on the internet a couple of years ago, it was spotted in a car show in Cleveland.


It had 925,000 miles on it.

~~~~


Maybe YOU have a lifetime car, too!!!


For buying/maintenance tips, here is a guide I wrote 11 years ago, which has been well received over the years. It is the 2 door version of yours, with the 560 engine.

http://www.mbcoupes.com/buyersguide/buyersguide.htm

The US version 1983 380 cars, like yours, came with the weak and failure prone, single row timing chain.


And at only 108,000 miles you need a new timing chain anyway. That's 26 years, so the guides, originally white are now probably roor beer brown, and with lots of tiny hairline cracks, if not crumbling. Do the chain, guide, and tensioner, every 100,000 miles.

Now is the perfect time to get the double row conversion done on yours.

Make sure yours has been changed to the double row chain, and if not do it, and you will be fine!!!

Good luck with your car, it is a good one to have.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Sounds like great advice, and comes with a good story.

This is one of the only 1980s Mercedes models I never rode in. I knew someone with a 380SEC, but I couldn't get much impression of it's performance, as he was an older man who lived in central Seattle. I don't think he ever went over 40 or so.

I think they are maligned because of the mistake of the single row timing chain. They also had tall gearing (I think, correct me if I'm wrong) combined with the lowest output (Mercedes) V8 of the era.

None of that would keep me from buying a nice example.

__________________
1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!

actually, there's a euro 380se for sale in cars (whiskeydan?) which i wish i could buy (too far, or i'm too poor) ; the owner and the car both seem to get good reviews. sorry you missed it. tho, to be honest, i think the american 380 seems anemic only to those like jim b., who are used to a very elite level of performance, or even others like me who have had a 5 liter.(albeit stock/american). hell, at the end of the day, you still have a benz v-8, not a f***ing hyundai.

jim b. speaks the truth about all things w126 - ignore his wisdom at your own peril.

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

It was my first car.


Mine was a hoopty (perfect for a first car at that) Most that still run these days have had the timing chain done, as you'll be lucky to get 50k out of the single row. Mine had 150k on her when I sold it to another forum member.


CIS/K-jet is going to be fun if the rubber has yet to be replaced.


It's no slotch by any means - it burned the tires quite nicely.

__________________
-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

Was it this shoe salesman

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Bought mine used and the timing chain had already been replaced. I really loved that car. It had plenty of power and would cruise at 80mph. Liked the back seats that adjusted electrically. Liked the interior room. In fact I just liked that car; had enough power for me (granted my other car is a 300SD).

I failed the emission test and had to have the catalytic converter replaced and shortly after that (maybe two weeks) it caught fire and burned up - total loss. Have often wondered if the indy forgot to put the heat shield back above the cat.

Still miss that car.

I said the same thing about the 83 380 SL and met with the ire of a fellow who calls himself "GermanStar", who thinks this problem is way overrated and gets far too much attention. It is much cheaper to simply replace the chain every 70,000 miles than to go thru all this retrofitting he stated.

I recall reading about recorded failures at less than half that mileage. I'm sure he's right about the cost, as I suspect that the cams have to be replaced as part of the retrofit.

Why would the cams have to be replaced? I thought it was simply a question of new sprockets to accept the double row chain.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

You may be right. I do recall that the retrofit was not inexpensive, but don't recall the parts list.

W126's are damn near worthless these days, so just buy a better model. Get a 420SEL, or 560SEL. You want all the updates. 89-91 are the years you want.

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Old school PaulC.

__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

+1

There are some really nice W126 deals out there. You can find a W126 for about the same cash as a Ford Tar-ass.