W124 E220 Coupe or W203 CLK?
Discussion
I'm looking to change car, I drove BMW E28's for a long time and loved them, hence I think I'd like a W124, I don't need a lot of performance, but I do need fairly good mpg, hence I think a nice, low mileage tidy W124 coupe would be just right for me.
But..the W124 coupe was succeeded by the CLK, I don't like the first generation of CLK, but the W203 version could be in budget and I like the look of it.
How do they compare?
I need a nice squishy comfy ride with plenty of head room and prefer a bigger space to sit in as I am an 18 stone 6ft 3in lumox.
But..the W124 coupe was succeeded by the CLK, I don't like the first generation of CLK, but the W203 version could be in budget and I like the look of it.
How do they compare?
I need a nice squishy comfy ride with plenty of head room and prefer a bigger space to sit in as I am an 18 stone 6ft 3in lumox.
slippery said:
I'd buy the 124, which looks like a classic and has bomb proof build.
I'm inclined to agree, but its nearly a 20 year old car, plenty of stories of rust behind the headlights and in the sills/jacking points and knackered engine wiring looms killing off the ECU.I'm not scared by the thought of an old car, far from it, but it requires some thought.
Huntsman said:
slippery said:
I'd buy the 124, which looks like a classic and has bomb proof build.
I'm inclined to agree, but its nearly a 20 year old car, plenty of stories of rust behind the headlights and in the sills/jacking points and knackered engine wiring looms killing off the ECU.I'm not scared by the thought of an old car, far from it, but it requires some thought.
r129sl is like the encyclopaedia of 124s!
124s are old cars now. You can use them everyday—I put 25 to 30,000 miles a year on mine—but you have to have a willing and enthusiastic approach to maintenance. And all of them, even the most expensive, have unmet maintenance requirements. There are only two questions: how long is the list of defects? and how many of those defects can you live with? I'm not sure this is appreciated by the new breed of young-classic buyers. They think they can buy a 124 from, say, Charles Ironside, and run it like a brand new car for the next five years: park it on the street and change the oil once in a blue moon. It just doesn't work like that. A very good friend of mine loves cars, especially cars of this vintage. He bought a perfect 140 about four years ago. I drove it this weekend for the first time in years and I was shocked by how much he had let it decline, and this from someone I'd always considered a car guy. He is that; but he just isn't mechanical, doesn't notice the flaws, and has no appetite for chasing down faults and pursuing repairs.
A 209 CLK will be exactly the same.
A 209 CLK will be exactly the same.
Edited by r129sl on Sunday 23 March 22:00
This is what bothers me slightly about these older cars. Although I'm quite capable of detecting little faults and being fussy about wanting the car 100%, I'd have to pay someone else to fix them for me. I guess to run one of these cars on a sensible budget one needs a reasonably-priced local Mercedes specialist or competent garage.
I would be inclined to go the 124 route (no surprise there, I guess!) 
However, r129sl offers very wise advice above.
My car was 10 years old when I bought it with 5 previous owners and just 56,000 warranted miles.
However, everything that usually goes wrong the M104 engine, or the 124 model in general, seemed to wrong with my car! I was just unlucky, but I count myself fortunate that I'm now in a position where I know all these usual suspects are sorted and shouldn't give further issue.
I certainly pays to check the history thoroughly!
As r129sl also says, a C209 could possibly prove troublesome. There are many more electrics to go wrong in these more modern machinery. Don't forget the very last 209s will be 5 years old now as well.
W203 is the C-Class on which that gen CLK is based
Darren
However, r129sl offers very wise advice above.
My car was 10 years old when I bought it with 5 previous owners and just 56,000 warranted miles.
However, everything that usually goes wrong the M104 engine, or the 124 model in general, seemed to wrong with my car! I was just unlucky, but I count myself fortunate that I'm now in a position where I know all these usual suspects are sorted and shouldn't give further issue.
I certainly pays to check the history thoroughly!
As r129sl also says, a C209 could possibly prove troublesome. There are many more electrics to go wrong in these more modern machinery. Don't forget the very last 209s will be 5 years old now as well.
W203 is the C-Class on which that gen CLK is based
Darren
Edited by iluvmercs on Monday 24th March 13:58
Different and yet the same. The main differences are seating position (much lower in the 129), cabin space (more intimate but hardly cramped in the 129), ride (stiffer but not exactly stiff in the 129) and wind noise (more in the 129); and the 129's seats are vastly better than the 124's. The 129 is wider, too: the 124's narrow width in combination with its high seating position and airy glass house make it very easy to drive.
r129sl said:
Different and yet the same. The main differences are seating position (much lower in the 129), cabin space (more intimate but hardly cramped in the 129), ride (stiffer but not exactly stiff in the 129) and wind noise (more in the 129); and the 129's seats are vastly better than the 124's. The 129 is wider, too: the 124's narrow width in combination with its high seating position and airy glass house make it very easy to drive.
So a very upright, softly sprung and relaxed ride? I have a W124 owned since new in '94. Rust behind the headlamps and front wings above the bumper is an easy fix as is any rust in the jacking points and not normally MOT failure. However do inspect for rust in the area of the rear sub frame mounts ( x4 ) - the subframe needs to be dropped to fix properly.
Post 2003 CL's with the 7 --speed 'box are thought to be better than the earlier cars. All have issues with ABC suspension at some stage, and I've seen some with unsightly corrosion issues.
The previous W140 CL looks better by the day and has matured well. Having said that the 215 cars are elegant and beautiful inside and out, especially the rear window arc.
The previous W140 CL looks better by the day and has matured well. Having said that the 215 cars are elegant and beautiful inside and out, especially the rear window arc.
mickyveloce said:
Post 2003 CL's with the 7 --speed 'box are thought to be better than the earlier cars. All have issues with ABC suspension at some stage, and I've seen some with unsightly corrosion issues.
The previous W140 CL looks better by the day and has matured well. Having said that the 215 cars are elegant and beautiful inside and out, especially the rear window arc.
I've just done 140 mile round trip to see a W124, was on PH private sale, sold this morning and popped up with a dealer at £700 more this afternoon. Header tank full of oil....The previous W140 CL looks better by the day and has matured well. Having said that the 215 cars are elegant and beautiful inside and out, especially the rear window arc.
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