Good morning! Today we’re going all the way up to the very top of our usual price range, five thousand dollars. It’s a sum that seemed like a lot once upon a time, especially if you were a cable-access TV host, but really isn’t much to spend on a car, especially these days. But I’ve found two old German sedans for that price that actually sort of seem like… good deals?
Yesterday we were in the bargain basement, looking at two title-less, non-running projects for only a grand each. And it seems like most of us are of the same mind: the Simca is interesting and kinda cool, but the chance at a Rampside for that price is just too hard to pass up. And that seller seems like they’d be a lot more interesting to talk with, too.
And by the way, yes, I know the Corvair is a six-cylinder. I had a bit of a brain fart, and I actually did spot it while I was previewing the post, but then I forgot to go back to the editor and fix it. I do regret the error, and I apologize, but hey: The world is an imperfect place.
Now then: Cheap German cars get a bad rap, but I often wonder if there aren’t some of them out there that are worth the money. I mean, the Germans manage to keep them on the road, so why shouldn’t we? All it should take is a caring owner, and lots of preventive maintenance. Right? These two look pretty good; let’s see if either of them meet with your approval.
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 5.5 liter overhead cam V8, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Tacoma, WA
Odometer reading: 195,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
Superlatives are dangerous things. Declaring something the biggest, or the fastest, or the best only invites challenges; whatever you come up with, someone is always going to try to top it. But what happens when you set your sights not on making something the best that has ever been, but the best you can possibly make it? You get something like this, the Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class. Designed by engineers unencumbered by marketing balderdash, and built to a standard rather than a price, the W126 may not be the best car ever, but it is very, very good.
The W126 was available with a variety of engines, both gasoline and diesel, but this one has the biggest one available: a big honkin’ V8, just like a proper luxury sedan should have. It displaces 5,547 cubic centimeters, or 338.5 cubic inches, a nice decadent size befitting this car’s standing. This one has nearly 200,000 miles, but has been well cared for, and has a stack of receipts to prove it. Everything works, and the air conditioning has been upgraded to R134a. Its only fault is in the self-leveling suspension; one side has an air leak in the rear. The seller has been driving it as-is. It’s an expensive fix, but the system can also just be deleted and replaced by normal shock absorbers.
Inside, it’s just about perfect. Looking at this interior compared to more recent luxury models really shows how the definition of “luxury” has changed when it comes to automobiles. Instead of being flashy and gadget-laden, this car’s interior is understated, refined, and comfortable. They literally don’t make them like this anymore–at least not in Germany.
It’s beautiful outside as well, finished in a nice shade of blue. The seller does say it has some failing clearcoat, but it must be minor; I sure don’t see it in the photos. I’ve always really liked the looks of these cars. It’s such a timeless style. Fitting, for a car that lasts so long.
1998 BMW 740i – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 4.4-liter dual overhead cam V8, five-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Fairfield, CA
Odometer reading: 200,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
Meanwhile in Munich, BMW was placing its faith in inline six-cylinder engines, after a brief dalliance with V8s during the 1950s and ’60s. Eventually, BMW realized the sixes just weren’t cutting it, and brought back the V8. But the crazy part was that, in this E38-chassis 7-Series, the V8–with four cams, variable valve timing, and 268 horsepower–wasn’t even the top option. You could get a V12, too, just another sign that the days of BMW sedans of being simple, sturdy, driver-focused machines were coming to an end.
This E38 has covered 200,000 miles, and has been carefully cared-for in that time, it sounds like. The timing chain and guides, a known issue on this engine, were replaced recently, along with the water pump, so that’s at least two things that won’t go wrong on you. The transmission was recently serviced, and shifts smoothly. In fact, the only mechanical work this car needs are some new lower control arms; they are worn, and cause a little shimmy in the front end. The parts are cheap, and while front-end work is messy and physically difficult, it isn’t particularly invasive or complex. You could easily do it yourself, if you’re handy.
It has been well taken care of inside as well. There is a little wear, and the seller says the plastic trim on the driver’s seat is broken, but generally it looks good. Dead pixels in the gauge cluster are a common problem with these cars, but the seller says this one’s display has been repaired and none are missing. And as a high-end car, it has every option you could think of at the time – well, all right, not every option. I don’t think it has a remote control.
It’s a sharp-looking car outside, too. You don’t see this dark blue too often; too many 7 Series BMWs are afflicted with earth-tone syndrome. The seller says the paint is original, and still shiny; it must have lived in a garage.
Yes, I know; just because these cars are running well now is no guarantee that they’ll be reliable in the future. But is worry over what might go wrong really enough to stop you from enjoying something really nice? As the saying goes, life is too short to drive boring cars. Get yourself a big German luxury car, and live a little. Which one will it be?
(Image credits: sellers)
You really can’t lose with either choice.
the sporty shorty in that great blue is the way to go
I’ve already owned a S-class if this generation and it was really good,so I think I would go for the BMW this time. It probably would be a little more fragile, but I’m ready.
I went with the Mercedes out of nostalgia, as my dad had one when I was a kid. He had actually bought it in Germany and shipped it over. As a kid I remember being impressed with the passenger reading lights on gooseneck stalks in the backseat -now that was luxury! He held on to that car for nearly 30 years, and I imagine someone is still driving that tank around southern California.