RE: Mercedes E200 Estate (W124) | Shed of the Week

[AC43]

J4CKO said:

AC43 said:

J4CKO said:

Its a good shed but you need to be prepared for the lack of performance if you like to press on, just not that kind of car.

It's funny, though, that the second time I drove one I stepped out of news-ish 4.3 V8 into the ancient 2.0 and found myself adapting to it's laid back approach to things.

It didn't do "fast" but it smothered speedbumps & broken tarmac, felt like it was made from granite and made all the hassle happening in the outside world just fade away. In my book that last bit is the true essence of "Merc-ness".

Having said that it was just trundling round London and never had to actually overtake anything. I'd have a 280 or 300 please.

(The second rule of Merc-ness is to always get the largest engine possible. This is increases the sense of serenity. And actually means you can get a shift on, if you really have to. Before reverting to the default wafting mode).

Edited by AC43 on Friday 31st May 11:56

Yep, it got under my skin, and was at the back of my mind when I bought my CLS 500 which had a similar feel but 5 and a half litres and 388 bhp, missed the oversized steering wheel but it did feel pretty much as well built.

I'm on my second E500, a 388bhp one.

It's surprisingly banzai when you let it rip but it still has the old MB DNA of defaulting to doing everything for you and your passengers in a very unruffled way.

[AC43]

Rumblestripe said:

AC43 said:

Rumblestripe said:

AC43 said:

When I was having the wheels on my first C43 refurbed I had a W124 E200 loaner for a week. Loved wafting around in it.

My neighbour's father was a war correspondent and he called it the Beirut Taxi.

I think strictly speaking the W123 saloon was the "Beirut Taxi"?

Great geek fact :-)

Rumblestripe said:

Anyhow, great shed, chickened out on buying a coupe for next to nowt a few years ago. Still annoys me.

Lovely things, them.

As a supporting document, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

The Beirut Taxi

Usually "powered" by the 2.4 Diesel lump my research tells me!

Love it! :-)

The 124 loaner was pretty smacked up. The interior was especially bad. Plus there were various odd clonks and groans from the suspension, transmission and back axle but it STILL felt like it would go on for ever.

Dignified old thing.

[Northbrook]

I have a late E300D, bought recently at shed money, and I'm now on the train to Gatwick to drive another forum member's 386k-mile example back from Cannes.

Once I'm back home and r129sl's car is back with him (sob), I'm going to start planning a long road trip in my own car. Not quick to get moving, but great on the move.

[Rumblestripe]

Northbrook said:

I have a late E300D, bought recently at shed money, and I'm now on the train to Gatwick to drive another forum member's 386k-mile example back from Cannes.

Once I'm back home and r129sl's car is back with him (sob), I'm going to start planning a long road trip in my own car. Not quick to get moving, but great on the move.

Barely run in then!

I seem to remember the 300D could run on filtered used chip shop oil? The only downside being that motorists behind you would be drooling over their upholstery as the aroma of chip shop pervaded their cabins.

[Jaffers]

Dapster said:

Venisonpie said:

Rumblestripe said:

As a supporting document, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

The Beirut Taxi

Usually "powered" by the 2.4 Diesel lump my research tells me!

Looks a goodie that one, alloys as well no less.

Note the round headlight unit on the n/s from the base models and the top model (280E/300D) square unit on the o/s. Yes that's taxi royalty.

The W123 in the first episodes of "The Night Manager" had this same feature. Very endearing!

[r129sl]

387,000 miles; in the Gorges de Daluis first thing this morning:

[rossub]

J4CKO said:

I dont think they are fast when new and 230,000 miles cant have helped but it sounded like a deeply offended cow and made no additional forward motion.

[sidewinder500]

r129sl said:

387,000 miles; in the Gorges de Daluis first thing this morning:

nice to see another pic of your gorgeous car!

How is the SL making out?

[sidewinder500]

r129sl said:

387,000 miles; in the Gorges de Daluis first thing this morning:

BTW really nice holiday report in your titivating thread, as usual.

Great pics! Thanks for that, always nice reading

[ClassicMercs]

Iamnotkloot said:

Excellent article , shed.
But not a very exciting car.

It's not fast - shame it's not automatic - but last year I did 10k mile European tour in 4 weeks.
25 year old car ! Competent - how many more cars could you do that in.
And coming back the whole car was so full the Customs guy changed his mind about any internal inspections.

[J4CKO]

AC43 said:

J4CKO said:

AC43 said:

J4CKO said:

Its a good shed but you need to be prepared for the lack of performance if you like to press on, just not that kind of car.

It's funny, though, that the second time I drove one I stepped out of news-ish 4.3 V8 into the ancient 2.0 and found myself adapting to it's laid back approach to things.

It didn't do "fast" but it smothered speedbumps & broken tarmac, felt like it was made from granite and made all the hassle happening in the outside world just fade away. In my book that last bit is the true essence of "Merc-ness".

Having said that it was just trundling round London and never had to actually overtake anything. I'd have a 280 or 300 please.

(The second rule of Merc-ness is to always get the largest engine possible. This is increases the sense of serenity. And actually means you can get a shift on, if you really have to. Before reverting to the default wafting mode).

Edited by AC43 on Friday 31st May 11:56

Yep, it got under my skin, and was at the back of my mind when I bought my CLS 500 which had a similar feel but 5 and a half litres and 388 bhp, missed the oversized steering wheel but it did feel pretty much as well built.

I'm on my second E500, a 388bhp one.

It's surprisingly banzai when you let it rip but it still has the old MB DNA of defaulting to doing everything for you and your passengers in a very unruffled way.

Yeah, it cant half fling a big car down the road, I dont think my M135i was any quicker as standard, needed a tuning box to feel any quicker, and even then, its not as nice of an engine.

[anonymous-user]

A scene from the drab old merc owners club earlier today



ETA - only whips made of old MBTex seats (which is plastic, like an Allegro) are acceptable of course.

Edited by dme123 on Friday 31st May 19:18

[Cheapstraightsix]

How odd.

I just bought one of these in a whim today before seeing the article.

Amazing was £600 can buy.

[rickk]

Jaffers said:

Dapster said:

Venisonpie said:

Rumblestripe said:

As a supporting document, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

The Beirut Taxi

Usually "powered" by the 2.4 Diesel lump my research tells me!

Looks a goodie that one, alloys as well no less.

Note the round headlight unit on the n/s from the base models and the top model (280E/300D) square unit on the o/s. Yes that's taxi royalty.

The W123 in the first episodes of "The Night Manager" had this same feature. Very endearing!

Any reason to think there are alloys on both sides?

[B17NNS]

Wrong engine and gearbox but dang she’s pretty.

[0a]

Cheapstraightsix said:

How odd.

I just bought one of these in a whim today before seeing the article.

Amazing was £600 can buy.

Reader ride thread please!

I love my 320.

Edited by 0a on Friday 31st May 22:34

[Dapster]

And if you are wondering if they can take the miles....

https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id...

[0a]

HOW MUCH??!! Not miles off what I paid for my 71k mike 320 (as per the above!).

[Mr Tidy]

I'd always wanted a Mercedes since I was at primary school, and in 1991 I finally got my 1st, a W123 280E Auto. But it wasn't a great example and when I got a company car it went.

Then in 1997 I bought a 1989 Manual W201 190e that was a great car and probably performed pretty much as well as the 280E - so I kept it for 2 years!

But I got seduced by power, and replaced it with a W202 C280 Sport Auto. The only thing that was better was the engine - the ride was rock hard, but it didn't seem to handle any better and the build quality definitely wasn't as good. My decision was based on a drive of a mate's manual C280 Elegance some years before which was great, but then it was only 2 years old!

I'd love a W124 estate, but not a manual 2 litre one.

[CDP]

Just wondering if a later engine and autobox can be made to fit for a proper q car?

It would need the plastic hubcaps back of course.