This 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL was first registered in Massachusetts before moving to Virginia in 2007 and shows 166k miles from new. Finished in Anthracite Gray Metallic (172) over Palomino Leather (264), power is provided by a 5.5-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Equipment includes power operated front seats, heated front and rear seats, automatic climate control, rear footrests, self-leveling rear suspension and an upgraded Becker Grand Prix radio with bluetooth connectivity. Recent maintenance includes a new transmission, new front shocks, a new fuel pump and filter, a full respray, and much more. Service recorcs dating back 6 years have been included by the seller. This W126 is now offered for sale by the current owner with the original tool kit, a clean Carfax report and a clean Virginia title.
The exterior is finished in Anthracite Gray Metallic (172) and features matching lower body cladding and chrome trim lining the beltline and bumpers. Exterior equipment includes heat insulating glass with an electrically-heated rear window, headlamp wiper/washers, and a power adjustable passenger-side door mirror. The paint was refinished in December 2021 with no signs of rust or body damage present.
The factory 15” Bundt wheels wear Michelin Defender tires measuring 205/65 on all four corners. The tires were fitted in September 2021 and show 2020 date codes. A spare tire can be found mounted in the trunk. Parts receipts show the purchase of two new Bilstein front shocks and new front pads and rotors. The self-leveling rear suspension is in working order with the accumulator replaced in 2017.
The interior is trimmed in Palomino Leather (264) and features Burl Walnut wood trim lining the center console, dashboard and door panels. Both front seats are power adjustable with two-position memory with heating for both front and rear seats. Interior equipment includes a premium sound system, an upgraded Becker Grand Prix head unit with bluetooth input, automatic climate control and rear footrests.
The instrument cluster features a 160-mph speedometer along with a 7k-rpm tachometer, an analog clock and gauges for fuel level, fuel economy, coolant temperature and oil pressure. The mechanical odometer currently reads 166k miles with 1k miles added by the current owner in the past year.
This W126 is powered by a 5.5-liter M117 V8 which is factory rated at 238hp and 287 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. Recent maintenance includes a full fluid flush and mechanical inspection with prior maintenance items including a new fuel pump and filter in September 2021, a new transmission installed in December 2021 and a new driver side tail light installed in February 2023. Six years of service records and parts receipts are included and photographed in the photo gallery below. The seller notes that the front-right control arm bushings may need to be replaced and the valve cover gasket shows signs of seepage/leaking.
The Carfax report shows first registration in Massachussetes and later Virginia with linear mileage updates from new, and no accident or damage reports. This 1989 560SEL is now offered with the original tool kit, a clean Carfax report and a clean Virginia title.
A walk-around video has been provided by the seller below.
The W126 is some of the best work to come out of the Bruna Sacco era of Mercedes-Benz and this gray over tan example is the perfect car for anyone looking for a daily driver which provides the Mercedes-Benz classic car experience. With an unrivaled level of ride comfort and no shortage of wood and leather trim adorning the interior, this car represents what it was like to buy a flagship Mercedes-Benz in the late 80’s. Since the W126, five more generations of S-Class have been sold to the public, yet this chassis still holds its own boasting impressive luxury features like heated front and rear seats as well as the retrofit of Bluetooth connectivity. The 560SEL provides just enough modern features to make this car comfortable and easy to daily drive while delivering on the Mercedes-Benz classic experience that we all know and love.
Open Transit:
Enclosed Transit:
The winning bidder will receive an email with the quote and option to proceed with shipping.
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23 Comments
@MBCollector84 Are these wheels made by Maxilite?Congratulations, Greenbrier!$7,000 bid placed by @GreenbrierCC
$6,750 bid placed by @rhartsough1
$6,500 bid placed by @GreenbrierCC
$6,000 bid placed by @rhartsough1
$5,000 bid placed by @Idriveclassics
$4,750 bid placed by @4maticWagon
$4,500 bid placed by @Idriveclassics
To the bidders: I do own a truck and enclosed trailer so delivery can be promptly handled with white glove service.$4,250 bid placed by @Egrimes
$4,000 bid placed by @4maticWagon
Just FYI to the bidders the car was sitting near the loading bay at an angle during the phot shoot. It may appear that rear suspension is sagging as a result. Repair Documents show the accumulator was replaced.The air functions work properly otherwise besides needing a recharge$3,750 bid placed by @BackNein
In regards to concerns about rust I don't believe there is any but will be home soon to verifyThe leather is in very good condition.$3,500 bid placed by @Idriveclassics
Really can’t get a good bead on the state of the interior leather by the pictures provided.$3,250 bid placed by @BackNein
$3,000 bid placed by @Egrimes
$2,750 bid placed by @Prezes84
$2,500 bid placed by @Colinclarkson
@HydrolaulikOne I am happy to verify and answer questions once I get out of the office today. Stay Tuned.$2,250 bid placed by @Prezes84
$2,000 bid placed by @rhartsough1
Seller, can you please confirm if there is any rust when you look under the plastic covers in the sills where you insert the factor jack? Also, in one photo with the trunk open, it looks like there might be rust around the trunk seal above the drivers-side tail lamp? Can you confirm what’s going on there? I see you indicate the AC is not functioning - does the climate system otherwise work appropriately, distribute air as directed, etc.? Are there any other electrical systems/accessories that are not working as designed? Thank you!Hey Bidders, Just wanted to confirm it's still an R12 system.$1,750 bid placed by @Prezes84
@DutchP I know it needs a recharge. I will need to verify if it's been updated.@MBCollector84, smooth power delivery wrapped in just enough luxury for long road trips!@dengreene What did you like about yours most that would inspire you to buy another?@goldfinch53 I hope your daughter walked away safely. This one is ready to roll safely.Has the AC system been updated? Thanks.I had the same car with the same colour , that my daughter totaled few years back$1,500 bid placed by @Goldfinch53
Had a 1991 560SEL and sold it 20 years ago. Perhaps I'll get to relive history in three days. Regardless, good luck with this auction as this is a very nice example.$1,250 bid placed by @dengreene
$1,000 bid placed by @Skid44
$750 bid placed by @Wdkull
@familyman12345 and daughter, We did two shoots at different times of day with different lighting to get the "80's catalog look" I was very pleased with the results. Thank you for noticing!The pictures that you posted are beautiful - very dramatic lighting. My daughter is a professional photographer, and she would say you did an excellent job on a magnificent car!It's more than the owner put Bundt wheels on this SEL - these are very rare 15" versions of the bundt wheels - all of the Bundts used from the late 60's to around 1985 were 14"s. MB made a batch of 15" Bundts and this car has a set. These wheels are very lightweight forged alloy and worth a lot more than a set of stock Gen II wheels! They are also wider than the old 14s allowing wider tires. Similar to the steel wheels used on most 60's MBs with the painted wheel "hubcaps" - the vast majority were 14s but MB made 15's for the W100 limos that looked the same, but were the larger diameter - very rare and valuable.@star4car I appreciate the astute observation. I have located a set of 560 SEL wheels from a local collector that could be of interest to the winning bidder. Happy to connect the dotsInteresting choice to back-date the wheels to bundts - they were last used on the 1985 models.$500 bid placed by @Skid44
$250 bid placed by @Wdkull