Mercedes-Benz W136 buyer's guide

The 170 — the car that carried Mercedes-Benz through the war years.

Years: 1936–1955 · Models: 170V, 170S, 170DS and related 170 models

Overview

The 170 was Mercedes-Benz's volume car before the war and the model with which production restarted after it: the 170V of 1936, and the improved 170S and diesel 170DS of the early 1950s. Construction and manners are of their era — a separate chassis, a side-valve engine in the V, and coachwork that on pre-war cars can include timber framing. Survival in the United States is mostly post-war cars and private imports.

Engines

1.7-litre four-cylinder engines: the side-valve M136 petrol in the 170V and 170S (the S with higher output), and the OM636 diesel in the 170DS.

What to check

• On pre-war cars, any timber body framing for rot, and the condition of the fabric or leather roof sections on open cars.
• Completeness above all: trim, instruments, and fittings for a 1930s–50s volume car are now the hardest things to find.
• The chassis and its lubrication points, king pins, and the cable or early hydraulic brakes according to year.
• Engine condition assessed in person — these are simple engines, but parts support is thin and machine work is the norm.
• Paperwork and identity: with cars this old, documents establishing what the car is are part of its value.

Values

Open cars and the 170S lead a small, knowledge-based market; pre-war cars with documented history are the most sought-after. Originality carries unusual weight because so much has been replaced, repaired, or lost over ninety years.

Buying tips

Join the car's world before buying: the pre-war and early post-war Mercedes community and its parts networks matter more for a W136 than for any later series here. Buy the most complete car offered, even if it is not the cheapest.

See the 17 W136 cars currently listed.