VI. Standing the Test of Time
The W140’s legend was not forged in the showroom, but in the years that followed, through long-term ownership, relentless mileage, and the lived experience of those who saw it as more than just a car. It was a statement of permanence.
For most owners, the first impression is not the ride, the silence, or the technology. It is the weight of the door, the click of the switchgear, and the density of the air inside the cabin. The W140 feels sealed, deliberate, and built for something beyond ordinary transportation. That was always the point.
When the W140 debuted in 1991, even the short wheelbase model’s 5.11 meter length was derided as unwieldy. It was called colossal, monstrous, even un-Mercedes-like. Today, that dimension feels restrained. The 2024 E-Class is 4.95 meters long, barely shorter than what was once considered excessive. The width and height difference between the W140 and the current E-Class is measured in millimeters.
Meanwhile, the current S-Class stretches to 5.29 meters, with the Maybach S650 at 5.47 meters. What was once mocked as excessive is now moderate. Mercedes got the W140’s balance exactly right.
Mercedes built the W140 to last indefinitely, and many have. High-mileage examples, some with over 300,000 miles, are not unusual, especially in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Some served as embassy cars, state transports, or limousines. Others were simply driven daily, year after year. Owners across three decades attest to their longevity. The engines, particularly the M119 V8 and M120 V12, are both understressed and overbuilt. The bodies resist corrosion better than any Mercedes before or after.
Not all is perfect: the most infamous flaw is the biodegradable engine wiring harness found in 1992–1995 (some say 1996) cars. Mercedes, pursuing environmental progress, used insulation that breaks down with heat. It sounded noble in theory. In practice, it crumbled, shorted circuits, and caused no-starts. Most have been replaced, but repairs are costly.
Other common issues include failing self-closing door pumps, leaking evaporator cores buried in the dash, and worn engine mounts on the M120 that cause vibration at idle. Cars with Adaptive Damping and self-leveling suspension require regular service of hydraulic accumulators and struts. Parts are mostly available, but not cheap, and the process is labor-intensive. In the early 2000s, as these cars moved into second and third ownership, many were neglected—driven until something failed, then sold off.
This neglect transformed the W140 into a bargain super-luxury car in the 2010s. In the United States, it was possible to buy a 600SEL for under $10,000, a staggering discount from its original $130,000 to $160,000 window sticker. But there was a catch. Restoration costs could easily match or exceed the purchase price. Enthusiasts who committed to proper maintenance, often spending $30,000 or more over several years, were rewarded with a car that still feels more substantial than almost anything new.
While values are now rising, W140s are still far from their original MSRPs. The best survivors—especially late-model S600 sedans and CL600 coupés—are entering collector territory, but at a fraction of their original cost. A pristine S600 with under 50,000 miles might bring $30,000. Rare AMG variants, such as the S70 and S72 built for heads of state or the Sultan of Brunei, on the other hand, are essentially unobtainable. Private sales are rumored to reach $500,000, though few have been documented publicly.
Today, owning a W140 is a conscious commitment. It requires knowledge, resources, and reverence. It is not a car to flip. It asks for investment, and in return, it delivers the most tactile, analog representation of Mercedes at its peak. Few machines before or since have been engineered so definitively to be final. Not best in class. Not best for the money. Simply the best.
The Patek Philippe ad campaign famously reads: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.” The sentiment applies to the W140.
Time has softened its image. What once seemed excessive now seems honest. Unlike its predecessor, the W126, which can feel fragile with its slender hardware and delicate fittings, the W140 is substantial, yet it avoids the overcomplicated interfaces of later generations.
It trades gimmicks for mechanical substance. That combination of robust build and enduring technology makes a W140 feel as fresh now as it did in 1991. Where post-millennium S-Classes show their age through failing screens and controls, the W140 simply does what it was designed to do.
That is the W140’s legacy. And it is one worth inheriting.
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