RE: SOTW: Mercedes 230TE
Discussion
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Not really complaining about this particular car as it seems stonkingly good value for money but it does irritate me when adverts describe cars as being in perfect condition then proceed to give a long list of damage or faults.
Eh? Where does it say it's in perfect condition? 
I was given a one owner 1996 220 E estate 6 months ago and the build quality truly was superb.
It had 148k on the clock, had just had a full service and new battery, but was suffering the usual failed rear wiper, faulty indicator/ wiper stalk, slighty bubbled drivers wing and brittle engine loom connections to the water temperature sensor. Everything else worked and I loved it for its armchair comfort and huge load carrying ability ( although the rear struts did start making squeeking noises). I tried to ignore the fuel costs.
Just as the MOT and tax were due to run out the cylinder head gasket started to go leading to water usage and potential hydrolocking so after 6000 miles in my ownership and with a heavy heart I sent it to the scrapman, minus its new battery and radio.
I got £200 for it, so, for me, it was a result. If I ever needed another load lugger a 6 cylinder model would be my first choice.
I'd even pay for it.
Cheers,
Tony
It had 148k on the clock, had just had a full service and new battery, but was suffering the usual failed rear wiper, faulty indicator/ wiper stalk, slighty bubbled drivers wing and brittle engine loom connections to the water temperature sensor. Everything else worked and I loved it for its armchair comfort and huge load carrying ability ( although the rear struts did start making squeeking noises). I tried to ignore the fuel costs.
Just as the MOT and tax were due to run out the cylinder head gasket started to go leading to water usage and potential hydrolocking so after 6000 miles in my ownership and with a heavy heart I sent it to the scrapman, minus its new battery and radio.
I got £200 for it, so, for me, it was a result. If I ever needed another load lugger a 6 cylinder model would be my first choice.
I'd even pay for it.
Cheers,
Tony
I love these Mercs! I had two, one 200 TE and one 230TE (plus one W123 200T), all vastly underpowered and in basic spec. Mind you, even electric windows were optional back when these were new, it was the era when Mercedes' prices were just the starting point and everything had to be added (including the rear facing seats, which were very common on UK market cars).
Still miss them to this date as they were such high quality, comfortable and total bargain when bought used.
Still miss them to this date as they were such high quality, comfortable and total bargain when bought used.
Malevik22 said:
Not suggesting I would contemplate canabalising this rather wonderful original barge BUT IF there was a less pristine Estate lying around how much work to insert a V8??? And am I missing something - I can't see the price listed anywhere....?
I thinks someone (Matt) from practical performance car did this exact swap.I had a 220 TE untill 11 years ago on LPG and I think thats still around and it had 170k on her when I got rid.
I then deflected to other brands untill I had a knee injury and needed an auto again as a temporary second car for a few months to deal with rush hour traffic. I bought one for around £500 and sold it for around the same on here it was a 1990 300 TE 24V 4 speed auto, a car described as an AMG in stealth by performance car in 1989!
The 6 cylinder ones are nicer smoother and quicker, but the 5 cylinder diesels indructable slow and economical and sound nicer than say a 220 TE but not as quick. Very good sheds W124s I wonder if the buyer and the 300 I sold to around Summer 2009 on here are still together.
I then deflected to other brands untill I had a knee injury and needed an auto again as a temporary second car for a few months to deal with rush hour traffic. I bought one for around £500 and sold it for around the same on here it was a 1990 300 TE 24V 4 speed auto, a car described as an AMG in stealth by performance car in 1989!
The 6 cylinder ones are nicer smoother and quicker, but the 5 cylinder diesels indructable slow and economical and sound nicer than say a 220 TE but not as quick. Very good sheds W124s I wonder if the buyer and the 300 I sold to around Summer 2009 on here are still together.
Edited by Lanceb on Friday 25th November 19:17
Edited by Lanceb on Friday 25th November 19:32
Hi all,
I feel in a good place to comment on here. I purchased one of these about 5 months ago . 220TE with leather and aircon. Although it is a four pot it is still adequate (we are not talking racers here.) It has had 1 owner and full history and no rust. I paid £650 for mine. I am sure the vendor will take an offer and although they are in shed territory price wise they are extremely well constructed cars. The quality of the fixtures and fittings are just superb. Yes my car has a few niggles (electric aerial stuck and sunroof only tilts) but hey. It is my daily and I am heading towards completing 1000 miles this week alone at 34mpg. I absolutely love it quiet,comfy and getting rarer by the day. Mine is also manual so I have to do some work. It requires a service soon which I will do (to keep costs down). I have just purchased 4 winter tyres to keep me going if it ever gets cold again LOL. If you are one of the people who are posting and thinking of buying it.....just do it. They are huge and you can move stuff/people to your hearts content, you will thoroughly enjoy the ownership experience and in the unlikely event of it going tits up big time you can sell it as non runner or break it (ouch don't do that) and get most/more money back.
What are you waiting for Buy it before I do.(I can't she will kill me if I bring another one home.)
Remember this was built when Mercedes built their reputation for quality cars.
Good luck and enjoy.
I feel in a good place to comment on here. I purchased one of these about 5 months ago . 220TE with leather and aircon. Although it is a four pot it is still adequate (we are not talking racers here.) It has had 1 owner and full history and no rust. I paid £650 for mine. I am sure the vendor will take an offer and although they are in shed territory price wise they are extremely well constructed cars. The quality of the fixtures and fittings are just superb. Yes my car has a few niggles (electric aerial stuck and sunroof only tilts) but hey. It is my daily and I am heading towards completing 1000 miles this week alone at 34mpg. I absolutely love it quiet,comfy and getting rarer by the day. Mine is also manual so I have to do some work. It requires a service soon which I will do (to keep costs down). I have just purchased 4 winter tyres to keep me going if it ever gets cold again LOL. If you are one of the people who are posting and thinking of buying it.....just do it. They are huge and you can move stuff/people to your hearts content, you will thoroughly enjoy the ownership experience and in the unlikely event of it going tits up big time you can sell it as non runner or break it (ouch don't do that) and get most/more money back.
What are you waiting for Buy it before I do.(I can't she will kill me if I bring another one home.)
Remember this was built when Mercedes built their reputation for quality cars.
Good luck and enjoy.
Edited by edpurnell on Friday 25th November 19:48
I have just driven our S124 320 TE down from Edinburgh this afternoon. It turned 194,000miles en route. I've had it four years and 50,000miles now, having bought it on impulse at an auction. I can't think what to replace it with. It is the perfect car. Ours is loaded with extras: sportline chassis and interior (so much more than lowered springs), leather, walnut, air con, electric heated memory seats, seven seats, five speed automatic transmission, extra speakers, removable tow hitch and no doubt some other stuff which I can't recall right now. But it is not the extras that make it great: it is the extremely well-designed nature of the thing: nothing is missing and nothing is superfluous. The 3.2l DOHC is a peach as well.
The amazing thing is, fitted with winter tyres, it becomes invincible in snow.
The amazing thing is, fitted with winter tyres, it becomes invincible in snow.
Good shed! 
My mate has the 2.2 petrol engined variant and has been using it round Europe the last year or so. Shod with winter tyres he even did an Alpine ski season with no problem. Absolutely brilliant on the motorway, super solid, super practical. I was genuinely impressed with it.
My mate has the 2.2 petrol engined variant and has been using it round Europe the last year or so. Shod with winter tyres he even did an Alpine ski season with no problem. Absolutely brilliant on the motorway, super solid, super practical. I was genuinely impressed with it.
roadwolf said:
I'm glad you you don't want to start posting alternatives, as that one isn't. How do you consider a saloon of a different class with a 4.2 V8 an alternative to a 2.3 estate.
It's an alternative shed - an alternative way of spending <£1K on something interesting...This isn't a new car showroom - we're not comparing luggage capacity and cupholder counts you berk.
Looks a tad expensive to me..
Was tempted with a bid on this.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170728536563?ssPageName=...
Was tempted with a bid on this.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170728536563?ssPageName=...
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