Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
Same story this week. Engine oil and filter, fuel filter, air filter. Cost, about £25. Time, about 15minutes. I also swapped summer wheels for winters today. Some of the summers have been curbed but the winters are in pretty awful shape and, I suspect, won't hold pressure without the rims being cleaned up. We'll see. I can't think it has needed any expenditure since the last service 6,000miles ago. Fuel consumption hovers at 31mpg.
I had to put a new brake master cylinder on this car this morning. Cost £144 inc VAT, fitted. The pedal was losing pressure after a few minutes' driving. It was quite disconcerting. No loss of fluid. Anyway, the brakes feel a million times better. I then drove it to Manchester and back, taking the mileage to precisely 324,000 by the time I pulled into my yard. It's a great car. Still.
Four new wheels arrived today from Mercedes-Benz of Oxford (www.mercedes-benz-parts.co.uk). These were £105.53 each including VAT and shipping. Which I think is a pretty good deal. Bizarrely, they are no longer listing them. The best my local dealer could do was £125 each.
In other news, I replaced the front anti-roll bar bushes and one of the brackets yesterday. No bill yet, but shouldn't be too much. I think sleeping policemen really do in these bushes.
In other news, I replaced the front anti-roll bar bushes and one of the brackets yesterday. No bill yet, but shouldn't be too much. I think sleeping policemen really do in these bushes.
The existing ones (the winters) are really tatty. With a refurb costing at least £300 and being a bit of a faff, I looked at new. I've done a deal to sell these old ones for £150. And I recoup the VAT on the new ones, so they end up costing £170.
Edited by r129sl on Thursday 25th February 22:58
My Hirschmann antenna has been giving me a bit of gyp lately. For a while it remained in the up position, whether car or wireless was switched on or not. Then it started working again. Then it stayed in the down position. Anyway, it turns out that there is a little control box on top of the antenna unit. I replaced this today (disconnect wire, pull off old one by sliding towards the front of the car; connect wire, push on new one, very easy) and now it works fine. I recite this incredibly tedious tale just in case one day somebody with a w124 or a Hirschmann antenna has the same problem and googles it.
Here is the part. Cost £30 from the always excellent man at Car Masts UK. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360389063946?_trksid=p20...
I also gave the car a quick oil, oil filter and fuel filter change the other day. Usual sub-£30, sub-15minute cost. Current mileage is 326,500.
Here is the part. Cost £30 from the always excellent man at Car Masts UK. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360389063946?_trksid=p20...
I also gave the car a quick oil, oil filter and fuel filter change the other day. Usual sub-£30, sub-15minute cost. Current mileage is 326,500.
Two pics from my current Alpine trip. The car's doing well albeit I don't want to tempt fate. It was a pleasure to run it up the French side of the Col du Petit St Bernard today, even if it is somewhat under endowed. Testament to the engine's smoothness was my failure to notice once we were on the flat that it was still locked in third.
EJH said:
Having guessed Petit St Bernard before seeing your photo (luck 1, judgement 0), I’m going to chance my arm and ask if the second avalanche tunnel photo on the way to Val D’Isere?
Correctamundo. Yesterday was Pt St Bernard. Both Cols closed malheureusement, but still fun going up one side.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff