Vehicle Description
1984 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL (Please note: If you happen to be
viewing this 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL on a site other than
GarageKeptMotors.com, it's possible that you've only seen some of
our many photographs of this vehicle due to website limitations. To
be sure you access all the more than 195 photographs, including a
short walk-around-and-startup video, as well as a link to its
clean, accident-free Carfax documentation, please go to our main
website: GarageKeptMotors.) ... the ultimate summation of the
Mercedes-Benz quest to make the best car in the world through
innovation, technology, safety, and mechanical excellence....
Hagerty.com, Definitive W126 S-Class Buyer's Guide, 2019 Hagerty
noted that the W126 series (of which this 500 SEL is one) is often
called the last true Mercedes-Benz. Less complex and challenging to
maintain than the cars that came after it, more sophisticated,
refined, and yet with all the legendary build-quality of the series
that preceded it, the W126 sedans definitely occupy the sweet spot
in a long line of Mercedes-Benz automobiles. The praise went on...
Underneath, the car is essentially a structurally modernized,
lighter, and more refined W116 (prior series), sharing very similar
engineering. This commonality makes them drivable everyday classics
with the same long-lasting and impeccable and durable fit and
finish, relative ease of serviceability, and polished driving
dynamics. 'Compared to the W140 after it, the W126 was always a
much better car mechanically,' said (a) former Mercedes-Benz master
technician.... 'There's less to go wrong and they're easier to work
on and fix.' Even a quick glance shows why these cars were a
favorite of Hollywood stars, business tycoons, and political power
players. The combination of understated elegance, timeless design,
and the hard-to-quantify presence of this full-size sedan is both
obvious and appealing. The notion that someone important is in that
car is almost a standard-equipment feature. The 1984 500 SEL
offered here is a well-maintained example of these rolling bank
vaults of German luxury. The black exterior paint is uniform and in
very good condition across the car. The characteristic Mercedes
grille is undamaged and as impressive as it was when the car rolled
out of the Stuttgart factory in October of 1983 before being
shipped to the United States. Across the entire car, the chrome,
glass, and complementary plastic trim all shows beautifully. The
original 15-inch alloy wheels exhibit very little wear and are
mounted with newer Uniroyal Tigerpaw radials. All the factory
emblems are in place and undamaged. Headlight and taillight lenses
are clear and undamaged. The car's condition speaks to consistent
owner care and restrained use over the 105,000 miles (only roughly
3,000 miles per year on average) displayed on the odometer. Inside,
the black-on-black theme continues, as does the evidence of careful
use through the years. The leather Mercedes used in the eighties
could not have been of higher quality, burled wood accents were
carefully selected, and build tolerances were exacting. All of that
is evident here with only modest patina showing on some surfaces
like the console trim. The dashboard is entirely free of cracks,
leather trim shows no damage or sign of abuse, and it's highly
unlikely many children ever rode in the car's ample rear-seating
area. The car's side and rear glass has been tinted. A
Rockford-Fosgate premium audio-speaker system has been added
together with a Clarion head unit with Bluetooth capability. Under
the hood, the 5-liter aluminum-block V8 is complete; all components
are present and properly located. The engine compartment is tidy
but not overly detailed. A newer battery is installed. The car's
undercarriage is in similarly good condition with minor rust not
involving body panels. This is noteworthy in a vehicle that has
spent most of its life in the upper Midwest. The more then 195
high-definiti