This 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400SEL was sold new in California where it has remained for the duration of its life under two owners showing 97k miles from new. Finished in Brilliant Silver Metallic (744) over Black Leather (261), power is provided by a 4.2-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. Equipment includes a power sliding sunroof, power adjustable front seats with memory, power mirrors, a power steering column, a Bose audio system, remote central locking, soft-close doors and dual-pane windows. Over $8k in maintenance receipts performed by the seller accompany the car with the most recent services including new distributor rotors, new fuel pumps and filter, a new PSE pump, battery, and a steering idler arm. Complete service history from current ownership is included with partial service records from new. This 400SEL is now offered for sale by the current owner with the original manufacturer’s literature, first-aid kit, a clean Carfax report and a clean California title.
The exterior is finished in Brilliant Silver Metallic (744) with contrasting gray lower body cladding. Exterior equipment consists of a power sunroof, heated power mirrors, headlamp wiper/washers, dual-pane windows, remote central locking, electro-pneumatically assisted closing doors and trunk and pop-up rear fender guides. The seller reports that the car was repainted under prior ownership and that the front bumper was resprayed under current ownership to fill front license plate holes. Additionally, the power antenna is noted as non-functional. The exterior is in good condition showing no signs of rust or body damage.
16” 8-hole alloy wheels have been finished in chrome and fitted with Michelin Defender tires measuring 235/60 on all four corners with date codes from 2014. Minor scratches are present in the finish of the wheels.
The cabin is upholstered in Black Leather (261) with matching black carpets and Zebrano wood trim which lines the center console, dashboard and door panels. A chip in the wood trim can be seen below the head unit. Both front seats offer 12-way power adjustability with three-position memory for both driver and passenger. Additional interior amenities include dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable rear view mirror, a power-adjustable steering column, electronic cruise control, a Becker Grand Prix 2000 head unit and a Bose audio system. The seller notes the rear driver's side window intermittently sticks on the way up but does shut and seal properly. The mirror adjustment switch is recessed into the trim with the interior otherwise in good condition.
The four-spoke steering wheel frames a 160-mph speedometer along with a 7k-rpm tachometer, an analog clock and gauges for fuel level, economy, coolant temperature and oil pressure. The six-digit odometer currently shows just under 97k miles from new with 6k miles added by the current owner in the past two years.
This long-wheelbase sedan is powered by a 4.2-liter M119 V8 engine which is rated for 275 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. Maintenance in March 2023 included new distributor rotors, a new fuel pump and filter, new PSE pump, battery, and a new steering idler arm. Additional maintenance performed by the seller includes new door lock actuators, new bulbs and new grommets for the pop-up fender guides. In 2021, the car received a new wiring harness, new valve cover gaskets, fuel pressure regulator, shifter bushing, rear brake pads, a brake fluid, power steering and coolant flush, and spark plugs. Complete service history from current ownership is included with partial history from new.
The Carfax report shows two owners with registration in exclusively in California along with linear mileage updates from new. No accidents or damage reports are present on the Carfax. This 400SEL is now offered for sale by the current owner in Los Angeles, California with the original manufacturer’s literature, first-aid kit, a clean Carfax report and a clean California title in the seller’s name.
A driving overview video has been provided by the seller below.
For many, the W140 S-Class represents the peak of Sacco-era legendary Mercedes design and construction. After over a billion dollars in development, the W140 became perhaps the most sought-after and well-loved Mercedes globally; used by heads of state and diplomatic envoys even today across the world. Exterior styling is reminiscent of the late 80’s combined with cutting edge technology and a fresh perspective intended to welcome the 90’s with open arms and minds. Sacco designed the perfect sedan with the W140 which provided ultimate comfort in a package that exudes class from every angle. This early-model example features the contrasting lower body cladding indicative of these early 90’s cars which suits the Brilliant Silver Metallic exceptionally well. With just two owners, California history and recent maintenance, this well-loved 400SEL is sure to provide many more superb miles for years to come.
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17 Comments
Keep going guys, I've got more than the current bid in service receipts for over last 2 years— let's give this great W140 what it's worth!$8,400 bid placed by @Clarity2
$8,000 bid placed by @JDHansen
$7,750 bid placed by @Clarity2
$7,500 bid placed by @JDHansen
$7,250 bid placed by @milacaboy
$7,000 bid placed by @JDHansen
$6,750 bid placed by @Clarity2
$6,500 bid placed by @JDHansen
$6,250 bid placed by @mr_frank
$6,000 bid placed by @Clarity2
Final 30 minutes! Bidders, don’t forget to make sure your payment info is up to date. And a gentle reminder that there’s no need to wait til the buzzer, as the timer resets automatically with another 2 minutes. Cheers.Thanks @124guy. She’s been babied!I can't remember the last time I saw a 140 like this that didn't have a warped or cracked lower front bumper. Looks like a really nice SEL!W140s use timing chains, @dengreene, and my understanding is that they'll need replacement anywhere between 100k and 200k depending on oil change frequency. The timing chain has not been replaced under my ownership, and I don't have a record of it previously; I've had several mechanics go over the vehicle and they have not advised replacement (yet), though the new owner might consider it for peace of mind.Does this car use a timing belt or a timing chain? If a belt, when was it last changed along with the water pump. Thanks!Thanks for your bids so far! Still a bit to go to meet reserve, but hoping we can close the gap so this wonderful W140 can find a good home. Please don’t leave your questions til the last minute— I’m eager to answer any inquires that come up.$5,500 bid placed by @Mphillips
$4,500 bid placed by @Clarity2
A walk around video has been added to the listing.A walkaround video has been uploaded here: https://youtu.be/J364_716HVA I'll try to shoot a driving video this weekend; meanwhile, please feel free to ask any questions and schedule a test drive if you're in the Los Angeles area!@waterhazard Hi , that work receipt confused me. I haven't seen any evidence of water damage anywhere on the vehicle and there are zero musty smells in the cabin, and the Carfax is clean. The mechanic mentioned it was under the rear seat when he was replacing a sensor under the rear seat , so maybe it was an isolated case of water ingress. Regardless, the vehicle is now clean and everything works (HVAC, soft close, rear antenna masts, etc) apart from the items mentioned in the description.One of the work orders mentioned flood damage. Can you detail/describe the damage? What happened to "it never rains in California?"$4,250 bid placed by @Dtamscott
$4,000 bid placed by @Clarity2
@B_R_W awesome! My wife had much the same reaction when I brought a W140 home. I love them though.Sounds good @MBOregon, and yeah, I've got a few Better Half Drive vids in the can I need to edit!@B_R_W Thanks for the reply. I may be interested in the wheels in any event. I enjoy the ‘Better Half’ videos! You should do more!@MBOregon Hi there , they won't come with the car, but I can discuss selling them separately if the buyer is interested.Do the mono blocks the car has in the video come with it?$2,700 bid placed by @baxterross
$2,390 bid placed by @Gent90210
$2,140 bid placed by @TilleyYW
$1,499 bid placed by @Gent90210
$1,249 bid placed by @mr_frank
$999 bid placed by @austincb8712
Hello and welcome to my first MB Market auction! I purchased this 400 SEL locally from its original owner, who was selling because she had purchased a V12 S-Class. A woman after my own heart She babied her baby and insisted on only hand washing it, never running it through a car wash—a rule I’ve upheld during my ownership. I’ve addressed every mechanical need I could find (see $8,400 in receipts), and apart from the date codes on the tires I’d be fully confident driving this cross-country. I’m sad to see this amazing sedan go, but with another 140 and three other cars in the garage it’s time to find the next caretaker. Please don’t hesitate to throw any questions my way, and I’m happy to arrange a test drive and/or PPI for serious parties. Thanks and happy bidding. Cheers, Basem Wasef