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W210 E-class - is it classic yet - serious question - in front or 5 years away

Started by Banksia_Park_Berny, 07-04-2025 03:18 PM. 47 replies. 5,441 views.

07-04-2025 03:18 PM

Banksia_Park_Berny ★ Silver - Unaffiliated

★ Silver

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Banksia Park NSW
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Car: 1985 W126 380SEL

asking for a mate.

Sincere question. the W210 E-class. Is it classic yet. The earliest cars (1996 production) are now 29 years old. Some people are starting to call them classic. Some people are saying not yet.

1999 Mercedes-Benz W210 E-class - silver, OEM 7-spoke alloys

I have an opinion but want to hear from the boys before I commit. Specifically from Con and Hugo and Vasilios.

If we say yes, it changes the conversation for the W210 owners on this forum (which is currently a small group, maybe 15-20 boys depending who you count). If we say no, we wait until more of them hit HVS eligibility.

This isnt a vote. its a discussion. SMP §7.2 will rule in the end.

07-04-2025 04:18 PM

Con_K Differential Specialist | H.A.R.D.A.N.A.of.Legends Mod

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Location: Marrickville NSW
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No.

The W210 is not classic.. not yet. Possibly not ever - and i say this as a moderator, not as someone whos against the car.

The W210 has the headlight cluster everyone hated when it came out, the early ones had the wiring loom issues that werent fully resolved until 1999 production, and the rust on early Australian-delivered cars is documented and severe. The early M112 V6 has the balance shaft chain problem that takes some of them off the road by 250k.

None of this is disqualifying from "classic" status by 30-year-rule definition. But "classic" on this forum has always meant a car worth restoring and preserving as an example of Mercedes-Benz engineering. The W210 is approaching its 30 years but the engineering doesnt warrant the label yet. Maybe never.

Im happy to be argued with.

07-04-2025 05:48 PM

Hugo_Darlinghurst Senior Member

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Two questions getting mixed. 30-year HVS is simple, first W210s hit that in 2026. whether the W210 deserves classic status is seperate.

Con is right on the headlights, early wiring, rust, M112 balance shaft chain. all real.

But 1999-on facelift cars fixed a lot. E55 AMG W210 is significant. S210 wagon is last of the properly heavy Mercedes wagons before it all went soft.

My vote.. split it. pre-1999 W210, no. post-1999 facelift, car-by-car thru HVS. MCDA has been treating them about like that since 2017 anyway.

07-04-2025 07:18 PM

Vasilios_Billy

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The technical case for the W210 is weaker than the chronology suggests.. hugo is correct that the late-production cars resolved most issues but the platform itself was a cost-down from the W124 in ways that are visible 25+ years later.

The W124 has a known service profile, known longevity, known parts supportability. The W210 has surprises. Ive seen cars im rebuilding at 240k looking worse than W124s at 380k. Same era, same brand, different engineering choices.

My vote (not that we are voting) is no for now. Revisit when more late-production cars hit HVS eligibility and we have data on how theyve survived 30 years.

08-04-2025 09:18 AM

Banksia_Park_Berny ★ Silver - Unaffiliated

★ Silver

Join Date: Sep 2008
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cheers boys..

im leaning hugos way. facelift W210 is a different car to the early one. But Vasilios is right too, we dont have enough 30-year data yet.

So leave it alone for now. revisit when the late cars are old enough and we see which ones survived.

Lefteris what does SMP say...

08-04-2025 10:48 AM

Lefteris_IT Admin

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SMP §7.2 - "Classic status discussions on the forum require either (a) Mercedes Classic Centre Stuttgart designation, (b) HVS eligibility plus a 2/3 supermajority of the Knowledge Council, or (c) admin discretion under §7.2(c) for cars that satisfy neither (a) nor (b) but warrant inclusion on documented technical merit."

The W210 currently satisfies none of (a), (b), or (c). The Stuttgart Classic Centre does not list it. HVS eligibility is 2026 at earliest. There is no Knowledge Council supermajority.

Therefore: not classic on classicmercforum.com.au as of 08-04-2025.

Noted. we can look at it again later when HVS and Stuttgart stop arguing with each other. SMP §7.2 still applies.

Thread will remain open for member comment for the next 30 days. After 30 days it will be locked per SMP §7.2(d) "classic-status discussion windows".

08-04-2025 11:48 AM

Con_K Differential Specialist | H.A.R.D.A.N.A.of.Legends Mod

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Lefteris. 30 days is too long for this one. Past 7 days it goes off the rails. We have data from the C36 debate last year. Trust me.

08-04-2025 12:18 PM

Lefteris_IT Admin

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Con.. fair. Reducing to 7 days per SMP §7.2(d). Thread locks 15-04-2025..

11-04-2025 02:18 PM

Cousin_Johnny_M Luxury Car Sales

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BROOOS..

For what its worth my vlient base for W210s is small.. the facelift wagons sell well for utility but no-one is asking for them as collectables in 2025. Maybe later when more hit HVS. For now im pricing them as good used cars not as appreciating assets.

Lefteris 7 days is right. The C36 thread last year was a circus by day 14.

14-04-2025 06:18 PM

#10

Banksia_Park_Berny ★ Silver - Unaffiliated

★ Silver

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Car: 1985 W126 380SEL

Thread closing tomrrow boys.

Position locked - W210 is not classic in 2025. Revisit later with proper 30-year data.

Cheers for the discussion. The boys reading should know the position so we dont have the same conversation in a new thread next month.

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