1996 Mercedes S600

1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S600 V12 Description

SEE YOUTUBE VIDEOS "Big Red 1996 S600" to view about 23 minutes of footage showing this car, a road test, etc.
Rare 1996 S600 V12 with low 99,5XX miles (will go up slightly). One of only 485 imported for this year. Very rare Ruby Red over Parchment Two Tone Napa, making this maybe 1 of 10? (most were black, silver, white, etc) This is a very rich, passionate(!) color combination -you'll get many compliments! Runs well. No dash/system malfunction lights. If you know W140's, '96-'99 is the year range to own for this magnificent automobile, with the updated electronics, 5Gtronic transmission, and (perhaps most importantly) it won't have the heartbreaking biodegradable wiring harnesses of the 92-95 models. Not many of these V12's are sub 100k miles anymore!
EXTERIOR: is a 9. About 6 minor door dings, a couple trunk lid small dents, about a nickle-quarter worth of rust scattered in a couple areas, and some minor scratches from general use. It was repainted a few years ago with a high quality matching MB paint and clear coat as a result of sun fade (carfax is clean). The front bumper is nearly flawless (rare in this model -many are cracked/scruffed on the bottom from hitting curbs/parking). There are areas of sun fade on the black/rubber parts, door seals, etc. The rear reverse light assemblies seem to have leaked water -they're a bit dirty inside. Wheels are in good shape, true, and mostly shiny, but with some curb rash. Goodyear RSA tires are in nearly new condition.
INTERIOR: is a 9, Non-Smoker, very clean (carpets just shampooed), soft NAPA leather with no rips (leather just cleaned/treated), minor wear on driver's seat. The car smells like leather and freshness as a result of the detailing. Suede headliner is basically perfect. The steering wheel has cracks ($400 on Ebay), and while the arm rest works perfectly, it has wear (common, $50/ebay). Many of the center console switches have broken clips (sun/heat), but the functions all seem to work (windows, etc). 4 OEM floor mats look nearly new.
MECHANICAL: is a 9. When all systems are "nominal" on one of these, it reflects care of ownership. No ADS light, No Check Engine Light, etc. A/C works (important on these). Brakes/Tires are very good. Drive 1000 miles today! See "Cons" below for rest of mechanical.
QUICK SUMMARYPros:Interior/Exterior in very good conditionNo System Lights (working ADS, ETA's, etc). Quiet suspension (though, the 19's are firmer than the stock 16's). Those 19's are worth $1500 on ebay by themselves, + value of tires. Door actuators, locks, windows, trunk pull down, all work.
Cons:1) My long-time mechanic (who knows these W140's and M120's well, has a STAR diagnostic system, etc.) told me that there is a PCV hose leak at the back of the engin, possibly elsewhere, and that this is common on M120 V12's (they crack due to age/heat). The PCV/vacuum leak causes a very(!) minor roughness in the idle/low rpm, and a little oil smoke as it drips on the exhaust pipes at the back of the engine. Still, it's very minor, as there is NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.2) Some minor bits need replacement: Power Antenna (grinds, doesn't deploy: $100 on ebay), glove box lock mechanism is unreliable, the rear trunk mechanism/retractable trunk lid handle may need replacement (I was told to take it apart, clean and lubricate, as this may be all it needs. The pull down mechanism works).3) Center Console needs some TLC. The wood is perfect, but some of the switches have broken their attachment clips. This is mainly a DIY project, perhaps 3hrs and some switches.
I produced a small series of youtube videos called "Big Red 1996 S600" (you can see my other videos for the '99 S600 "Mr Big 1999 S600" and "560sel named Kaiser"). Note my 100% ebay rating. I want you to know what you're buying with no surprises, and for you to be happy!
I am offering the car at a reduced price to reflect its minor shortcomings. PCV/Vacuum leak is a 2-3hr job with a smoke tester, and roughly $150 in parts depending on which hoses leak. The Odds-n-Ends are mainly DIY type small things, with perhaps $500 in parts (plus whatever you wish to restore, like the steering wheel and reverse light assemblies). While I could invest $1000 into the car, and add perhaps $3000 to the price, I'm trying to make immediate room in my limited storage for other toys (Minnesota winter is coming!). If the car doesn't sell "AS IS", then I will have it repaired, odds-n-ends fixed, and the price will go up significantly, probably to around $12k as the car will be a solid 9.5/10, making it worth every penny given what's out there. Plus, this one has the $1500 worth of 19" AMG monoblocks. (If it doesn't sell this time around, pre-repairs, then I may sell without Monoblocks on future auction, and sell those outright)
I'd love the car to go to another W140/S600 Benz nut who wants to continue its stewardship! Listed locally on Minneapolis CL as well.