Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
r129sl said:
Yeah, I know, saddest man in sadsville. I missed the tenths of the mile: too busy yacking to my Porsche-obsessed five-year old about the 928 S4 we'd just seen. Also, could've rev'd the motor to 3,333rpm (or near as) and maybe even locked it in second to get 33mph as well, which would have put the oil pressure on 3 bar! Next time, next time...
Next time it'll be all the 4's- OIL PRESSURE?! Need a custom gauge...Seriously- this is just about the greatest car on PH. An inspiration. I just blasted the cobwebs out of my 220K mile C123 before I SORN it for a bit, and was almost surprised, certainly entertained, by how ridiculously well it drives.
Just spent my evening reading this by now epic, and inspiring thread.
I am just about to pull the pin on base model W124 200TE tomorrow, sight unseen and based on a fulsome interrogation over the phone and a decent advert plus a flawless, recent 10 year MOT history.
Thanks again R129sl!!
P
I am just about to pull the pin on base model W124 200TE tomorrow, sight unseen and based on a fulsome interrogation over the phone and a decent advert plus a flawless, recent 10 year MOT history.
Thanks again R129sl!!
P
There may be a bit of action on these pages over the next couple of weeks. Tomorrow the car gets new front lower control arms at the dreaded main dealer. They have offered a price I can't refuse so it's second (or tenth) chances all round. I spent the evening ordering up myriad bits of trim, little bits and bobs which I have noticed are missing or worn out. I'll document that, when I get it all. £100-odd of under-bonnet seals (not sure why) and a similar amount on interior parts. More significantly, I have also ordered new coolant hoses and clamps between radiator, water pump, and reservoir, £124. Finally, I am mulling on replacing the front shocks. I am not convinced Baister fitted the right ones (although he swears he did): I'm sure he fitted Bilsteins for a c124. It was also 90,000 hard miles ago that he fitted them. After driving a very tidy a124 cabriolet today, I started wondering about my car's ride. I've priced up replacement Sachs at £100 for the pair, including VAT, and they are an easy change. I'll see what it's like on the new control arms tomorrow before making up my mind.
Edit: this morning's purchases (not the pen and USB dongle):
Edit: this morning's purchases (not the pen and USB dongle):
Edited by r129sl on Monday 18th July 10:10
MB Newcastle fitted new lower control arms today at a fairly reasonable price, all told. Obviously they have cured the hideous graunching noises coming from the joints with the chassis but, to my surprise, the ride and handling seem better, too.
In this evening's sunshine, I fitted my new little parts.
Our old friends the pedal rubbers were suffering for 58,000miles of wear:
New light switch:
New radiator cap, note how the seal on the old one had perished and was letting coolant out.
My children had kicked the seat belt anchor cover away. This was surprisingly troublesome to fit. More haste and all that.
Then finally, the pièce de résistance a new speaker cover for the near side rear door. The main dealer wrongly priced this, so I snapped it up. I'm not sure why I get obsessed about these little bits of damaged trim, especially when the door card is wrecked. I took the opportunity to remove the door card, add some sound deadening to the door skin and then remount everything better than it was. Again, a tiresome task.
Next week the car goes back to Paul the Man for it's annual paintwork. There is very little to deal with. A bleb where some trim has rubbed away the paint; a tiny bit of chipping on an inner wheel arch; and a bleb behind the back bumper. He has quoted £300, so it seems churlish not to.
In this evening's sunshine, I fitted my new little parts.
Our old friends the pedal rubbers were suffering for 58,000miles of wear:
New light switch:
New radiator cap, note how the seal on the old one had perished and was letting coolant out.
My children had kicked the seat belt anchor cover away. This was surprisingly troublesome to fit. More haste and all that.
Then finally, the pièce de résistance a new speaker cover for the near side rear door. The main dealer wrongly priced this, so I snapped it up. I'm not sure why I get obsessed about these little bits of damaged trim, especially when the door card is wrecked. I took the opportunity to remove the door card, add some sound deadening to the door skin and then remount everything better than it was. Again, a tiresome task.
Next week the car goes back to Paul the Man for it's annual paintwork. There is very little to deal with. A bleb where some trim has rubbed away the paint; a tiny bit of chipping on an inner wheel arch; and a bleb behind the back bumper. He has quoted £300, so it seems churlish not to.
I replaced the front shocks today. Quite a physical job for a weakling like myself. In the humid air I was sweating like the proverbial fat lass at a disco wearing a cardigan by the time I was done. Anyway, correct Sachs replaced incorrect Bilsteins: sure enough, it was wearing shocks intended for a 124 coupé. Is there any difference in feel? It's very hard to say. But at over 90k since the last change and with a lot of motoring coming up in the next few weeks, it seemed worthwhile. I also replaced a couple of nuts and bolts that weren't correct. The cost was less than £100.
After going to the Man next week, I am going to change all of the radiator hoses. They look original. None of them feels hard or looks particularly swollen, but at 23 years and 335k miles, it seems like more sensible preventative maintenance. Again, even with new jubilee clips, the total parts cost was only about £100, although I'll have to buy some anti-freeze.
After going to the Man next week, I am going to change all of the radiator hoses. They look original. None of them feels hard or looks particularly swollen, but at 23 years and 335k miles, it seems like more sensible preventative maintenance. Again, even with new jubilee clips, the total parts cost was only about £100, although I'll have to buy some anti-freeze.
Thanks CdeG. We're all saddos in this life. You have to embrace it.
I stuck your book in the post tonight, should be with you Tuesday or Wednesday.
I feel like I've done something wrong with my new shocks. It feels ever-so-slightly like I have a slightly out-of-round tyre for some reason. A boy whacked a brake disc with a hammer at one point but I don't think that could be it. I've checked everything is done up tight. Repeatedly. Maybe it's all in my imagination.
I stuck your book in the post tonight, should be with you Tuesday or Wednesday.
I feel like I've done something wrong with my new shocks. It feels ever-so-slightly like I have a slightly out-of-round tyre for some reason. A boy whacked a brake disc with a hammer at one point but I don't think that could be it. I've checked everything is done up tight. Repeatedly. Maybe it's all in my imagination.
These are the bits of bodywork being attended to this week. I think it's a good idea to tackle little blemishes before they take hold. The cost is pretty low (£300 this time). If I do this once a year or so, I will have a car that may last indefinitely. Living 200 yards from the north sea in the north east of England, driving all year round on often wet roads which are heavily salted in winter and covering a big mileage might otherwise see steady decline.
I'm using the Bilt Hamber 97% zinc Electrox primer. And everything that is behind a trim panel will be slathered with Dynax S50 to try to extend the lifespan of the repair.
This is the trailing edge of the nearside front wheel arch. It looks like a little bit of grit found itself between the Sacco panel and the wing and rubbed a little hole in the paint, allowing corrosion to start.
This is the near side rear wheel arch. I had this painted last year but this year we replaced some metal in the lip.
Further back on the near side, behind the bumper, a little hole was patched last year and done properly this year:
Behind the rear bumper on the off side, two of the spot welds had started to corrode:
Finally, the tailgate had started to bubble around three of number plate rivnuts. They all do this but it is concealed behind the number plate:
The coolant hoses and clamps arrived yesterday. I can't be bothered to fit them myself. It will take me two hours that I haven't got. It will take the Man 30minutes. He'll do it right. I'll break something. So the obvious solution is to get him to do it at a bit of extra cost. I will fit the engine compartment trim nick-naks that also arrived. I can fit trim. Push it on. That's it. Even I can manage that. Although I'll probably drop one of the fasteners into the inlet manifold.
I'm using the Bilt Hamber 97% zinc Electrox primer. And everything that is behind a trim panel will be slathered with Dynax S50 to try to extend the lifespan of the repair.
This is the trailing edge of the nearside front wheel arch. It looks like a little bit of grit found itself between the Sacco panel and the wing and rubbed a little hole in the paint, allowing corrosion to start.
This is the near side rear wheel arch. I had this painted last year but this year we replaced some metal in the lip.
Further back on the near side, behind the bumper, a little hole was patched last year and done properly this year:
Behind the rear bumper on the off side, two of the spot welds had started to corrode:
Finally, the tailgate had started to bubble around three of number plate rivnuts. They all do this but it is concealed behind the number plate:
The coolant hoses and clamps arrived yesterday. I can't be bothered to fit them myself. It will take me two hours that I haven't got. It will take the Man 30minutes. He'll do it right. I'll break something. So the obvious solution is to get him to do it at a bit of extra cost. I will fit the engine compartment trim nick-naks that also arrived. I can fit trim. Push it on. That's it. Even I can manage that. Although I'll probably drop one of the fasteners into the inlet manifold.
Edited by r129sl on Tuesday 26th July 21:32
Well, there has been a bit of mission creep. The 124 is relatively easy to paint because of its small, separate panels with crisp lines and full-length trims. On the driver's side, the visible new paint is very slight. On the passenger side, pretty much the whole side below the window line has been painted. And, of course, the tailgate below the feature line has been done. Then most of the car below the window line has been clear-coated.
I went there yesterday afternoon and it looked like a good match under the lights of the paint booth. I forgot my camera, unfortunately. It should be flatted, polished and re-assembled today but I won't get to see it (I'm typing this from the London train). The new coolant hoses and clips will be fitted this evening. And then in the morning it gets a four wheel alignment. Hopefully it will be ready for me at lunchtime on Friday so I can use it to take the boys to see the in-laws on the other side of the country.
As for sound deadening, it does make a difference but it is not transformative like the claims. Nor is it easy to apply: the access holes are always smaller and there is more stuff in the way than appears in the advertising materials for these products. When I first got the car, I put Dynamat on the inside of every door skin and it certainly reduced the volume of noise. But I was aware that it had fallen off the nearside rear door, so this was simply a re-application exercise. It makes the door shut with a much more satisfying "thunk". I have thought about doing the boot area but I think it would be a difficult business.
I went there yesterday afternoon and it looked like a good match under the lights of the paint booth. I forgot my camera, unfortunately. It should be flatted, polished and re-assembled today but I won't get to see it (I'm typing this from the London train). The new coolant hoses and clips will be fitted this evening. And then in the morning it gets a four wheel alignment. Hopefully it will be ready for me at lunchtime on Friday so I can use it to take the boys to see the in-laws on the other side of the country.
As for sound deadening, it does make a difference but it is not transformative like the claims. Nor is it easy to apply: the access holes are always smaller and there is more stuff in the way than appears in the advertising materials for these products. When I first got the car, I put Dynamat on the inside of every door skin and it certainly reduced the volume of noise. But I was aware that it had fallen off the nearside rear door, so this was simply a re-application exercise. It makes the door shut with a much more satisfying "thunk". I have thought about doing the boot area but I think it would be a difficult business.
Great thread!
My fathers old E320 W124 (saloon) is sitting on my drive having not turned a wheel for 2 years or more looking very sorry for itself.
It's only done 120k and had a brand new engine by MB at 67k. Rear interior has hardly been sat in and front is in great nick. Have I left it too long to do something with as the bodywork looks a bit tatty?
I really have no idea what to do with it
My fathers old E320 W124 (saloon) is sitting on my drive having not turned a wheel for 2 years or more looking very sorry for itself.
It's only done 120k and had a brand new engine by MB at 67k. Rear interior has hardly been sat in and front is in great nick. Have I left it too long to do something with as the bodywork looks a bit tatty?
I really have no idea what to do with it
Boshly said:
Great thread!
My fathers old E320 W124 (saloon) is sitting on my drive having not turned a wheel for 2 years or more looking very sorry for itself.
It's only done 120k and had a brand new engine by MB at 67k. Rear interior has hardly been sat in and front is in great nick. Have I left it too long to do something with as the bodywork looks a bit tatty?
I really have no idea what to do with it
It's quite simple. You book a transport coy. to collect it from your driveway and take it to a certain premises in Newcastle. Job done. My fathers old E320 W124 (saloon) is sitting on my drive having not turned a wheel for 2 years or more looking very sorry for itself.
It's only done 120k and had a brand new engine by MB at 67k. Rear interior has hardly been sat in and front is in great nick. Have I left it too long to do something with as the bodywork looks a bit tatty?
I really have no idea what to do with it
(Then you post lots of pics on here just to make us jealous.)
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