1991 Mercedes W124 250D Manual
Discussion
I've not written about the Merc for a while. Why? I've not really been doing alot. What I'm about to do is talk alot about very little. And have some photos, the first this car has had photos taken with something other than an iPhone. A little harsh really on the girl!
Mats.
Some people get all crazy over them, others don't really care. I'm somewhere in the middle and do sometimes change my stance. I like a decent set of mats but I'm rarely willing to pay for them. Unknowingly the car came to me with a set of genuine Mercedes velour mats. They were lovely! But they were losing their shape a little, especially with the driver's side. That and at £120 for another new set or for replica ribbed mats, which I'm told are ribbed for your pleasure, I also had a choice of cheaper mats. Universal ones put more dirt onto what they're meant to protect rather than themselves so they were out. I took this route in my W124 for tailored mats at £22 for my 250D but I'll be honest. The firment was great, but they were wearing already before the 3,000 mile mark on the driver's side and they were a pain to clean, no matter how much you vacuumed them or bashed them against walls.
It seems the previous owner thought the same. He put overmats over the velour items:
DSC00388 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
DSC00391 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
Under the rubber items the mats are actually in not too bad condition considering they are as old as the car!
Yes, that interior cleaned up very well! I've since Gliptoned it a couple of times:
DSC00399 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
And one without the mats, showing the carpets beneath. People keep saying Mercedes went cheaper on the later cars and I can see why. My 250D had a rubber pad put into the carpet for the driver's, like most cars do. This one? Nada, squat, zilch. Just carpet for where the driver's heels go. No double layers, nothing.
DSC00405 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
DSC00406 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
It was then a case of being out with the old:
DSC00400 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
And in with the new:
DSC00401 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
Those who are observant will realise these are Nicoman Spaghetti mats. They come across as some wonder mat. They look normal(ish), yet don't absorb stains, retain stones and dust, whilst being dead easy to clean out, a very handy thing to have with light coloured mats, which stain very easily. Sounds easy eh? We shall see with time. They don't look too bad outside of the car:
DSC00402 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
But inside I wasn't so sure. I wasn't sure if the pattern worked. But the more I look at it the more they seem to be alright. Unlike rubber items, your feet don't slip on these if they are wet upon entry to the car either.
DSC00407 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
DSC00408 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
From here, it all looks a little more inviting I think with the brigher cabin, but still retains the mellowness, in a Mercedes way
:
DSC00410 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
DSC00415 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
I will not lie, these mats were not cheap. However, I did get a discount on them from the NEC Classic Car show in addition to them being much cheaper than premium tailored mats or the Ripped mats from Mercedes; I suspect they were ripped for similar reasons that these Nicoman mats have their design (dust retention and ease of cleaning.
So, the interior is sorted. In truth the interior was relatively small fry. Why? The bodywork isn't great on this: Sure, it looks iffy from the back
DSC00417 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
If you get closer however, the true state of things can be seen: Just look at that tailgate! It looks like it has seen a few wars! It's strange as most of the paint on the car is original!
DSC00416 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
It's amazing what an iPhone camera can hide eh? It seems the more advanced ones can show a few more flaws!
DSC00422 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
What's the spot on the wing? It can't be that bad!
DSC00423 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
Oh, no, it really is!:
DSC00424 by Charlieboy, on Flickr
It's fair to say the Merc isn't looking too hot. But that is soon to be resolved. Why? It's gone in for a bit of paint. While I look forward to the car coming back, I am always like an expecting father when sending the car away. Excited, yet anxious. Will the car come back fine? Should I have said more about the work or less?
But with that in mind, it's time to crack on with the 2CV and give the M3 a run out as a daily driver once more. Oh, and fix the family fleet ; it's not like they don't have *that* many issues.
Mats.
Some people get all crazy over them, others don't really care. I'm somewhere in the middle and do sometimes change my stance. I like a decent set of mats but I'm rarely willing to pay for them. Unknowingly the car came to me with a set of genuine Mercedes velour mats. They were lovely! But they were losing their shape a little, especially with the driver's side. That and at £120 for another new set or for replica ribbed mats, which I'm told are ribbed for your pleasure, I also had a choice of cheaper mats. Universal ones put more dirt onto what they're meant to protect rather than themselves so they were out. I took this route in my W124 for tailored mats at £22 for my 250D but I'll be honest. The firment was great, but they were wearing already before the 3,000 mile mark on the driver's side and they were a pain to clean, no matter how much you vacuumed them or bashed them against walls.
It seems the previous owner thought the same. He put overmats over the velour items:
DSC00388 by Charlieboy, on FlickrDSC00391 by Charlieboy, on FlickrUnder the rubber items the mats are actually in not too bad condition considering they are as old as the car!
Yes, that interior cleaned up very well! I've since Gliptoned it a couple of times:
DSC00399 by Charlieboy, on FlickrAnd one without the mats, showing the carpets beneath. People keep saying Mercedes went cheaper on the later cars and I can see why. My 250D had a rubber pad put into the carpet for the driver's, like most cars do. This one? Nada, squat, zilch. Just carpet for where the driver's heels go. No double layers, nothing.
DSC00405 by Charlieboy, on FlickrDSC00406 by Charlieboy, on FlickrIt was then a case of being out with the old:
DSC00400 by Charlieboy, on FlickrAnd in with the new:
DSC00401 by Charlieboy, on FlickrThose who are observant will realise these are Nicoman Spaghetti mats. They come across as some wonder mat. They look normal(ish), yet don't absorb stains, retain stones and dust, whilst being dead easy to clean out, a very handy thing to have with light coloured mats, which stain very easily. Sounds easy eh? We shall see with time. They don't look too bad outside of the car:
DSC00402 by Charlieboy, on FlickrBut inside I wasn't so sure. I wasn't sure if the pattern worked. But the more I look at it the more they seem to be alright. Unlike rubber items, your feet don't slip on these if they are wet upon entry to the car either.
DSC00407 by Charlieboy, on FlickrDSC00408 by Charlieboy, on FlickrFrom here, it all looks a little more inviting I think with the brigher cabin, but still retains the mellowness, in a Mercedes way
:DSC00410 by Charlieboy, on FlickrDSC00415 by Charlieboy, on FlickrI will not lie, these mats were not cheap. However, I did get a discount on them from the NEC Classic Car show in addition to them being much cheaper than premium tailored mats or the Ripped mats from Mercedes; I suspect they were ripped for similar reasons that these Nicoman mats have their design (dust retention and ease of cleaning.
So, the interior is sorted. In truth the interior was relatively small fry. Why? The bodywork isn't great on this: Sure, it looks iffy from the back
DSC00417 by Charlieboy, on FlickrIf you get closer however, the true state of things can be seen: Just look at that tailgate! It looks like it has seen a few wars! It's strange as most of the paint on the car is original!
DSC00416 by Charlieboy, on FlickrIt's amazing what an iPhone camera can hide eh? It seems the more advanced ones can show a few more flaws!
DSC00422 by Charlieboy, on FlickrWhat's the spot on the wing? It can't be that bad!
DSC00423 by Charlieboy, on FlickrOh, no, it really is!:
DSC00424 by Charlieboy, on FlickrIt's fair to say the Merc isn't looking too hot. But that is soon to be resolved. Why? It's gone in for a bit of paint. While I look forward to the car coming back, I am always like an expecting father when sending the car away. Excited, yet anxious. Will the car come back fine? Should I have said more about the work or less?
But with that in mind, it's time to crack on with the 2CV and give the M3 a run out as a daily driver once more
. Oh, and fix the family fleet ; it's not like they don't have *that* many issues.harrykul said:
Bloody hell, I've got two of these sitting in my garage and have been think I need to move them on and get used again. Then I read threads like this, and can't bear to sell them!
Well, as someone once said "We'll see about that"! The next part of the tale does change things!At the time, my 2CV was having some pretty serious metal work done to it! With that being a bitter pill to swallow, the Merc wasn't looking much better! Damn, just look at the poor thing!
It's fair to say that the Merc wasn't looking great It was progress I know! But damn, you do have to see how bad things are before they improve.
Still, there is hope. Or so I told myself at the time.
So, the W124, how were things going with this?
Honestly? Slowly. Initially, I was waiting for the car like an expecting father, with me going down now and again to check the car. When I was given the deadline of a week for the car being done I knew it would never be done in a week. But I wasn't expecting the job to be taking near enough a month to do!
It's fair to say it had changed a little since the last shots!
Oh look, that's a nice paint finish!
Yup, that tailgate for some odd reason had been repainted a few times before. The rest of the car had original paint bar the bumper strips on the bumpers, hardly a surprise!
But thankfully, it was getting there!
Still, at least it was dry inside the place eh? As Monty Python said, always look on the bright side of life.
But I just wanted it back. It was a lovely daily!
Honestly? Slowly. Initially, I was waiting for the car like an expecting father, with me going down now and again to check the car. When I was given the deadline of a week for the car being done I knew it would never be done in a week. But I wasn't expecting the job to be taking near enough a month to do!
It's fair to say it had changed a little since the last shots!
Oh look, that's a nice paint finish!
Yup, that tailgate for some odd reason had been repainted a few times before. The rest of the car had original paint bar the bumper strips on the bumpers, hardly a surprise!
But thankfully, it was getting there!
Still, at least it was dry inside the place eh? As Monty Python said, always look on the bright side of life.
But I just wanted it back. It was a lovely daily!
Edited by SebringMan on Thursday 17th January 18:48
Just as I was wondering whether the car would come back anytime soon, I went down again to see the painter. In its topcoat on the required panels, it looked fantastic. Almost too good! However, I would need to be patient and hold off the urge to want the car back ASAP.
Would would you know? Soon, I got a phonecall to say that the car was ready! Wahey! With that in mind, I went down. While, I had a vision of how the car would look, nothing would prepare me for seeing the car in the flesh:
Doesn't it look lovely eh?
Some people may wonder why the bumpers are matt in finish. The truth is this how the Mercs left the factory. With it all painted up, I am very glad that I stuck to the idea of keeping the lower panels matte, as Bruno Sacco wanted when the Sacco Panels came to the W124 lineage. It really helps the car to look that touch more elegant.
Naturally, after a respray, there are some finishing touches but the car is getting there. If you consider what this car looked like months ago, and the fact that it had been sat for 2 years on someone's drive, this car really has been rescued and come on a long way.
It's good for it to be back.
Would would you know? Soon, I got a phonecall to say that the car was ready! Wahey! With that in mind, I went down. While, I had a vision of how the car would look, nothing would prepare me for seeing the car in the flesh:
Doesn't it look lovely eh?
Some people may wonder why the bumpers are matt in finish. The truth is this how the Mercs left the factory. With it all painted up, I am very glad that I stuck to the idea of keeping the lower panels matte, as Bruno Sacco wanted when the Sacco Panels came to the W124 lineage. It really helps the car to look that touch more elegant.
Naturally, after a respray, there are some finishing touches but the car is getting there. If you consider what this car looked like months ago, and the fact that it had been sat for 2 years on someone's drive, this car really has been rescued and come on a long way
.It's good for it to be back
.Wow - what a great thread. 
I thought the 250D was great, but the 320TE is just fantastic!
I seem to keep getting tempted by older Mercs these days! I had a 1980 W123 280e back in 1991, then in 1997 got a 1989 manual 190e - I really should have kept that car as it was 1st registered on my 30th birthday.
But I got seduced by power - and replaced it with a 1994 W202 C280 Sport!
Which highlighted just how much Mercedes build quality had slipped in the 90s - so I haven't had one since.
My last 6 cars have all been manual BMWs
but as time goes by (and I get older) I'm starting to see the appeal of a good W124 as a wafty conveyance!
It's going to take all my willpower to keep away from the classifieds.
I thought the 250D was great, but the 320TE is just fantastic!
I seem to keep getting tempted by older Mercs these days! I had a 1980 W123 280e back in 1991, then in 1997 got a 1989 manual 190e - I really should have kept that car as it was 1st registered on my 30th birthday.
But I got seduced by power - and replaced it with a 1994 W202 C280 Sport!
Which highlighted just how much Mercedes build quality had slipped in the 90s - so I haven't had one since.
My last 6 cars have all been manual BMWs
but as time goes by (and I get older) I'm starting to see the appeal of a good W124 as a wafty conveyance! It's going to take all my willpower to keep away from the classifieds.
Mr Tidy said:
Wow - what a great thread.
I thought the 250D was great, but the 320TE is just fantastic!
I seem to keep getting tempted by older Mercs these days! I had a 1980 W123 280e back in 1991, then in 1997 got a 1989 manual 190e - I really should have kept that car as it was 1st registered on my 30th birthday.
But I got seduced by power - and replaced it with a 1994 W202 C280 Sport!
Which highlighted just how much Mercedes build quality had slipped in the 90s - so I haven't had one since.
My last 6 cars have all been manual BMWs but as time goes by (and I get older) I'm starting to see the appeal of a good W124 as a wafty conveyance!
It's going to take all my willpower to keep away from the classifieds.
Cheers!I thought the 250D was great, but the 320TE is just fantastic!
I seem to keep getting tempted by older Mercs these days! I had a 1980 W123 280e back in 1991, then in 1997 got a 1989 manual 190e - I really should have kept that car as it was 1st registered on my 30th birthday.
But I got seduced by power - and replaced it with a 1994 W202 C280 Sport!
Which highlighted just how much Mercedes build quality had slipped in the 90s - so I haven't had one since.
My last 6 cars have all been manual BMWs
but as time goes by (and I get older) I'm starting to see the appeal of a good W124 as a wafty conveyance! It's going to take all my willpower to keep away from the classifieds.
I'll be honest, I preferred the 250D over my manual E36 323i. It didn't have the pace but it excelled elsewhere. This E320T however, is just in another league! It may "only" have 50BHP more than the 323i did, and a slushmatic on top, but it's just awesome! It's planted in the corners, the sports steering 'box really tightens things up nicely, and you can just feel like you could drive this car across countries! I did with my 250D and the long trip almost dissolved away as we went on!
I would like a 320TE; I've even considered 'backdating' this car (bonnet, steering wheel and badges/wheels would need changing), but OTOH it's nice to keep this car as it is, even if it did become the first known 'E-Class'.
The 'box almost works by telepathy in 5 speed form; I really have to restrain myself overtaking things in it!
Good ones however are getting tricky to find, albeit they are still out there.
But there would be no rest for the wicked here! This car would still need a little more work from me
:So, after the respray, the car was quickly put to daily use. After all, I thought I'd take the stress of the M3, and then power on with sorting out the 2CV's issues. With that done, it was then time to sort out the Merc's maintenance. One job I have been meaning to do for quite some time was the coolant change. Why?
-The header tank looked grim
-I didn't know the history of the coolant
-The car would undercool, albeit not by alot.
-The heater despite being good, was not as good as my 250D. I'd expect the petrol to be better to be honest!
With that in mind, I made a start on that today, as soon as I got back from Bicester Heritage. I would be in for a bit of a surprise however!
Firstly, despite the header tank looking crappy, the coolant that came out of the drain was not as bad as I was expecting! Instead of the gungy orange mess I was expecting, I was greeted with a surprisingly red hue of coolant. At this point, I very quickly closed off the drain plug, and prugressed to the top of the engine.
Mercedes Coolant Change Jan 2019 (1 of 6) by Charlieboy, on FlickrHere, I came to remove the thermostat. I would start by draining the top hose into a cut off water bottle to reduce the mess. However, the thermostat didn't come out looking pleasant. Once more, there were a couple of precipitates in the coolant. Not many, but enough to darken the colour of the red coolant. It seemed the coolant was possibly not as bad as I was expecting but certainly not fresh either, or a poor quality OAT coolant, which seems to be the case with a number of no-name coolants IME.
Mercedes Coolant Change Jan 2019 (4 of 6) by Charlieboy, on FlickrOne of the reasons for why the thermostat reading could have been lower than expected could have been down to the poor seal. It wasn't leaking from the thermostat, but it may have been internally. As always, I went with a genuine thermostat; I've found most pattern ones to be rubbish in the past, and the OEM type items made for Mercedes tend to be the same price as the dealer, but without the extended warranty cover. It seems the original thermstat came out of the car.
Mercedes Coolant Change Jan 2019 (6 of 6) by Charlieboy, on FlickrWith that, I went to drain the coolant. However, I had a problem. I bought Glytasyn G48, assuming the the coolant was IAT. With that in mind, I went and bought a bottle of G30, which still conformed to a slightly later, but valid Mercedes approval.
Mercedes Coolant Change Jan 2019 (5 of 6) by Charlieboy, on FlickrWith the coolant drained, and a few gallons of water put through the system to flush out the system, I then went to fill the car up. My Mercedes was an absolute pig of a car to bleed. With that in mind, I went and put the ignition on, the fans to medium speed and the heater onto the maximum temperature. With the auxiliary motor working and me topping up the coolant slowly until the car wouldn't accept anymore, I then tenatively fired the car up.
Much to my surprise, the car was throwing out warmer heat from the vents and the car was barely warm! The top hose was stone cold which worried me; this was not the case with the old thermostat, but then I remembered ; The themostat has a bypass foot in it, which will exclude the radiator from the system until the car has warmed up. Eventually the top hose also got warm, with the heaters now being very hot! Just as they should be in a Mercedes!
It seemed to be stable at 85-90 degrees in the unit (the thermostat is an 87 degree item), but of course, I'll use the road test to reflect on this more. So, that's another part of the service off the list.
I'll be honest, I was putting the job off due to the issues with the 250D and bleeding it, but it seems I got lucky. But of course, the road test shall reveal more
.helix402 said:
At least the G48 can go in your BMW.
Along with the draw full I have. Silly I know! It's a good job you mention that. The M3 could use a coolant change soon ; I need a thermstat for that as well ; It'll be a phonecall to Cotswolds or Rybrook methinks.
I only just remembered today that I actually have some spare G30 from my sister's Saab for the Merc, so even there I'm sorted.
What a fantastic topic!
I'm new to this forum and just read all 7 pages in one go. I too have a 250D manual and I recognize so many of your remarks. Notably, I fully agree it's quite springy, once it's warmed up and you rev the nuts off it. I daily'd mine for years, and had aplenty of adventures since I bought it in Germany in 2012 (a one owner car!). Don't want to hijack your topic, so not gonna list those, but once I drove it from Netherlands to Lithuania, then via Italy to Portugal, and back to Lithuania via Netherlands. An epic few week roadtrip, with a W124 that didn't miss a single beat.
Anyway, since I moved to the UK it's stored in a shed, and as I'm finding a life without a W124 quite empty, I'm now familiarizing myself with the wondrous world that's called 'Ebay UK'....
The 320 is coming along very nicely as well btw!
I'm new to this forum and just read all 7 pages in one go. I too have a 250D manual and I recognize so many of your remarks. Notably, I fully agree it's quite springy, once it's warmed up and you rev the nuts off it. I daily'd mine for years, and had aplenty of adventures since I bought it in Germany in 2012 (a one owner car!). Don't want to hijack your topic, so not gonna list those, but once I drove it from Netherlands to Lithuania, then via Italy to Portugal, and back to Lithuania via Netherlands. An epic few week roadtrip, with a W124 that didn't miss a single beat.
Anyway, since I moved to the UK it's stored in a shed, and as I'm finding a life without a W124 quite empty, I'm now familiarizing myself with the wondrous world that's called 'Ebay UK'....
The 320 is coming along very nicely as well btw!
What epic barges.
and those steelies are 
Well, this Mercedes has been a strange one, and almost became a keeper! Barely 2 year ago, it was a car that was forlorn and stood up on someone driveway due to them being unable to get it running. From that, I went on a bit of a mission to titivate this car. While it worked, a couple of other issues reared their heads, but despite that, I really fell head over heels for this car. It was easy to see why as well.
-It looked great when tidied up. Sure, a 320TE looks a little better, but the newer cars still have an elegance around them, when adhering to the Sacco virtues.
-It was a comfortable old boat! Sure, you did rush around in it, because you could, but you didn't need to.
-It was swift! With the 220BHP M104 lump coupled to the 5 speed 'box, it really shifted well!
-It just had a good vibe about it! With the combination of Cream leather and the Azurite Blue paintwork, it didn't say taxi cab, it was almost a kind of lifestyle vehicle!
However, reality had to set in. Driving a 24 year old car that's been stood up for 2 years will take commitment as a daily; There was almost always a to-do list on this car. 22MPG everyday when doing 300 miles a week at times can soon become painful, when it takes almost £70 to fill up for those miles! Ouch!
I'd have loved to have kept it, but with the arrival of the new toy, it was either this or the M3 that had to go. That was a hard choice for me, given that the M3 would release more funds. But then the M3 is great in another way, and has a number of the Merc's things in a weird way. I also wouldn't have done quite a few of the trips in this Merc that I'd do again in the M3 either. It's strange, having cars known for being good, but also meeting or surpassing your expectations there. Normally mine have been crushed in the past, but not with those two cars.
It's funny, a car that you bought on a whim from a mate can end up working it's way to your heart, and man this one did! It's however, gone to a man who knows W124s well, and will do right by the car. You can't keep them all, and there is more to try. But it's funny how I was willing to settle on that car.
Was I right to get rid of the W124 over the M3? Should I have bought the next car, knowing it would compromise my car situation? Would I come to enjoy the new car as much? Time will tell. In many ways they are similar.
Farewell old friend! You served me better than I expected, and I couldn't have asked for more
The new car? That will arrive in the next post.
-It looked great when tidied up. Sure, a 320TE looks a little better, but the newer cars still have an elegance around them, when adhering to the Sacco virtues.
-It was a comfortable old boat! Sure, you did rush around in it, because you could, but you didn't need to.
-It was swift! With the 220BHP M104 lump coupled to the 5 speed 'box, it really shifted well!
-It just had a good vibe about it! With the combination of Cream leather and the Azurite Blue paintwork, it didn't say taxi cab, it was almost a kind of lifestyle vehicle!
However, reality had to set in. Driving a 24 year old car that's been stood up for 2 years will take commitment as a daily; There was almost always a to-do list on this car. 22MPG everyday when doing 300 miles a week at times can soon become painful, when it takes almost £70 to fill up for those miles! Ouch!
I'd have loved to have kept it, but with the arrival of the new toy, it was either this or the M3 that had to go. That was a hard choice for me, given that the M3 would release more funds. But then the M3 is great in another way, and has a number of the Merc's things in a weird way. I also wouldn't have done quite a few of the trips in this Merc that I'd do again in the M3 either. It's strange, having cars known for being good, but also meeting or surpassing your expectations there. Normally mine have been crushed in the past, but not with those two cars.
It's funny, a car that you bought on a whim from a mate can end up working it's way to your heart, and man this one did! It's however, gone to a man who knows W124s well, and will do right by the car. You can't keep them all, and there is more to try. But it's funny how I was willing to settle on that car.
Was I right to get rid of the W124 over the M3? Should I have bought the next car, knowing it would compromise my car situation? Would I come to enjoy the new car as much? Time will tell. In many ways they are similar.
Farewell old friend! You served me better than I expected, and I couldn't have asked for more
The new car? That will arrive in the next post
.So it seems a few people may know that I had this motor. So, naturally, I figured I'd say more here. I bought this car over a year ago, and these posts are dated from back then. But here it is for you folks .
It seemed my car collection was so cosy! So right! What did it compile of?
-A Citroen 2CV6 Special
-Mercedes S124 E320 Special 5 speed
-The BMW E46 M3.
So, did that satisfy me? Sort of. If I could pick two of those to keep, it would be the Germans. The Citroen is lovely, but a little testing in daily traffic, which doesn't happen at times. However, at the right time, I really, really liked it!
Buying the Citroen made me realise a few things however. Not all cars are the same. OK, I knew that. But also, even the 'cheapest' cars can soon become expensive to run. I'm surprised at the parts prices of some of the parts of mine. Yes, I could have gone cheaper, but I've hit that stage in life where it is nice where things work, and you don't keep going wrong and then around in circles, circles and yet more circles. Does this sound familiar to us? It certainly does to me!
Clearly, I should have sold two of those and kept one. Except, there comes in the issue.
-The S124 is the imperfect daily, yet perfect! Yes it drinks like George Best doing 24MPG around town, but it's sooooo nice!
-The M3 as my thread makes clear is far from a cheap car to own. But; it's a lovely drive! I drove some moderns as a temptation to replace it, and I couldn't bond with them. Yes, for the right or wrong reasons, the moneypit of the E46 M3 is here to stay. I've had some bitter times with it, but some of the best times too! You cannot put a price on that really.
Anyway, I'm waffling. Where does the W108 come in?
A while ago, a mate of mine Rich bought a W114 250S. I jokingly said I'd buy the 280SE the chap had for sale. It seems I couldn't; it sold within the week. Was I bitter? Yes, very!
In short, I really fancied it, but of course, it couldn't be mine!
Let's go forward 2 weeks.
The same seller had a 280SE 4.5 coming in, apparently better than the other car. So, how did this look? Pretty similar if I am being honest!
So, it looked good! Damn, I was almost over buying a W108! Yes, I remember seeing the odd one in the '90s, and loving them at the various car shows I've since been to! Damn, I got over getting one of these too! I guess I wouldn't get over so soon!
There was only one thing for it. See the car. Seeing it, it was rust free! Sure, the horn didn't work, and I couldn't figure out half of the controls. But the deal was done! I agreed to buy it, and despite my collection of cars, made movements to ensure I could fit it in the stable! Yes, the 2CV would go to a new home, but I can move onto bigger, and better things right?
Well, we shall see.
.It seemed my car collection was so cosy! So right! What did it compile of?
-A Citroen 2CV6 Special
-Mercedes S124 E320 Special 5 speed
-The BMW E46 M3.
So, did that satisfy me? Sort of. If I could pick two of those to keep, it would be the Germans. The Citroen is lovely, but a little testing in daily traffic, which doesn't happen at times. However, at the right time, I really, really liked it!
Buying the Citroen made me realise a few things however. Not all cars are the same. OK, I knew that. But also, even the 'cheapest' cars can soon become expensive to run. I'm surprised at the parts prices of some of the parts of mine. Yes, I could have gone cheaper, but I've hit that stage in life where it is nice where things work, and you don't keep going wrong and then around in circles, circles and yet more circles. Does this sound familiar to us? It certainly does to me!
Clearly, I should have sold two of those and kept one. Except, there comes in the issue.
-The S124 is the imperfect daily, yet perfect! Yes it drinks like George Best doing 24MPG around town, but it's sooooo nice!
-The M3 as my thread makes clear is far from a cheap car to own. But; it's a lovely drive! I drove some moderns as a temptation to replace it, and I couldn't bond with them. Yes, for the right or wrong reasons, the moneypit of the E46 M3 is here to stay. I've had some bitter times with it, but some of the best times too! You cannot put a price on that really
.Anyway, I'm waffling. Where does the W108 come in?
A while ago, a mate of mine Rich bought a W114 250S. I jokingly said I'd buy the 280SE the chap had for sale. It seems I couldn't; it sold within the week. Was I bitter? Yes, very!
In short, I really fancied it, but of course, it couldn't be mine!
Let's go forward 2 weeks.
The same seller had a 280SE 4.5 coming in, apparently better than the other car. So, how did this look? Pretty similar if I am being honest!
So, it looked good! Damn, I was almost over buying a W108! Yes, I remember seeing the odd one in the '90s, and loving them at the various car shows I've since been to! Damn, I got over getting one of these too! I guess I wouldn't get over so soon!
There was only one thing for it. See the car. Seeing it, it was rust free! Sure, the horn didn't work, and I couldn't figure out half of the controls. But the deal was done! I agreed to buy it, and despite my collection of cars, made movements to ensure I could fit it in the stable! Yes, the 2CV would go to a new home, but I can move onto bigger, and better things right?
Well, we shall see.
It was a bit of a struggle, and my back going right after I paid the seller really threw a spanner in the works for a delivery time! After all, I couldn't really move things about at the unit with me being a cripple!
Fast forward on, and my local garage came to the rescue. He agreed for the car to be delivered to him and that he would also MOT it.
MOT it I hear you ask? It doesn't need one of those? Indeed it doesn't, but that does come with a few issues despite some success of people here doing it.
-Restorer friends of mine have noticed that almost every 40+ year old car imported has been inspected quite recently, with them generally being registered off the V112 MOT Exemption form.
-Chatting to the DVLA yesterday, a gent on the phone told me that cars arriving with a V112 are more likely to get inspected than those without one, despite the evidence put into the envelope when it's sent over. After all, an individual has less to lose over mis-supplying information over an MOT tester, which is their liveliehood.
-While I know my way around a car, it's nice to have a second look over.
So, how would the old girl fare on the test? Honestly, not terribly! It could always be better mind you!
So, it failed on:
-No numberplates ; No, I don't really get that either, and my tester is normally pretty fair. I'm not sure if he is familiar with the process of registering cars...
-[s]Headlamp aim is to the right; wrong lights[/s]
-Horn doesn't work
-Battery is loose in the tray
-Wipers are shot as is the washer pump
-[s]A marker light wasn't working[/s]
-One track rod end is terrible
-Two exhaust mounts have broken off.
A few of those failures I expected as you know, but some were a little embarresing. The battery is terribly loose in the engine bay! I, at the time didn't realise how to operate the washer jets, and my tester and I were listening out for a pump. The track rod end I didn't notice on the test drive at the farm when I viewed the car, but on the ramp, it was clear it was in a terrible way. There is a good few mm of movement in each direction! Strange, as the steering 'box isn't that loose for a car of this age!
To top things off, the engine started sounding a little rattly at the station when it was intially dropepd off and the engine was at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. The oil pressure was 30PSi idling hot, and my heart just sank at that point. what had I bought? But once cold, it was quiet! Except the battery was now flatter than a flat thing! Thankfully, my Noco Genius Boost (my garage has also since bought one) saved the day. firing it up seemingly as if it wasn't struggling.
The garage has agreed to pass the car once I've fixed the above. Then, it was a case of delivering the car to the unit, with me agreeing a time of 5:30 with my garage, saying the 2CV was being picked up that day as well.. That day was not a pleasant day by any means! In short:
-The 2CV went away that day. The buyer however hadn't told the towing company that the car would have spares included as well. What should have been a 15 minute transaction soon became almost an hour, as I was rumaging around to repack the spares into the car.
-My old man's recently bought an Audi A3 8P, of the 2.0 PD TDI 140 format with a DSG 'box and in SE trim. I offered to service it. All was going well until I did the fuel filter ; it was the wrong one. To make matters worse, the seal got nicked on the old one, meaning the filter had a dribble. Pretty crap really as it was now 4pm, and the nearest motor factors were 10 miles away, in Coventry. Not what you want. I would have to take the Audi, with half of the diesel going into a leakproof bag I enclosed the leaking fuel filter in. At ECP, they still couldn't narrow it down, so I did it off images only. I then went back to the unit, somehow not spilling any diesel out of the leaking filter, threw the filter in, and proceeded to clean up the diesel.
The car looked a mess initially, but the unit looked more like a disaster zone and I stank of diesel and was minging. The time I hear you ask? 6pm. Great, I'm late! I ended up getting to the garage at 6:30pm, with the owner being fairly calm about it. The 280SE was already on the ramp, so there was nothing for it, but to take the car to the unit!
At least the traffic was calmer at 6:30, much calmer than if we set out at 5:30.
Once we got to the unit, it was great to see the car on some of my turf:
With this done, I ended up parking it into the unit, awaiting some parts to arrive. Sure, I looked like a greasy coalminer or a homeless person at this point, but at least things had got done.
The next day, I'd set to work with knocking out the failure items.
Fast forward on, and my local garage came to the rescue. He agreed for the car to be delivered to him and that he would also MOT it.
MOT it I hear you ask? It doesn't need one of those? Indeed it doesn't, but that does come with a few issues despite some success of people here doing it.
-Restorer friends of mine have noticed that almost every 40+ year old car imported has been inspected quite recently, with them generally being registered off the V112 MOT Exemption form.
-Chatting to the DVLA yesterday, a gent on the phone told me that cars arriving with a V112 are more likely to get inspected than those without one, despite the evidence put into the envelope when it's sent over. After all, an individual has less to lose over mis-supplying information over an MOT tester, which is their liveliehood.
-While I know my way around a car, it's nice to have a second look over.
So, how would the old girl fare on the test? Honestly, not terribly! It could always be better mind you!
So, it failed on:
-No numberplates ; No, I don't really get that either, and my tester is normally pretty fair. I'm not sure if he is familiar with the process of registering cars...
-[s]Headlamp aim is to the right; wrong lights[/s]
-Horn doesn't work
-Battery is loose in the tray
-Wipers are shot as is the washer pump
-[s]A marker light wasn't working[/s]
-One track rod end is terrible
-Two exhaust mounts have broken off.
A few of those failures I expected as you know, but some were a little embarresing. The battery is terribly loose in the engine bay! I, at the time didn't realise how to operate the washer jets, and my tester and I were listening out for a pump. The track rod end I didn't notice on the test drive at the farm when I viewed the car, but on the ramp, it was clear it was in a terrible way. There is a good few mm of movement in each direction! Strange, as the steering 'box isn't that loose for a car of this age!
To top things off, the engine started sounding a little rattly at the station when it was intially dropepd off and the engine was at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. The oil pressure was 30PSi idling hot, and my heart just sank at that point. what had I bought? But once cold, it was quiet! Except the battery was now flatter than a flat thing! Thankfully, my Noco Genius Boost (my garage has also since bought one) saved the day. firing it up seemingly as if it wasn't struggling.
The garage has agreed to pass the car once I've fixed the above. Then, it was a case of delivering the car to the unit, with me agreeing a time of 5:30 with my garage, saying the 2CV was being picked up that day as well.. That day was not a pleasant day by any means! In short:
-The 2CV went away that day. The buyer however hadn't told the towing company that the car would have spares included as well. What should have been a 15 minute transaction soon became almost an hour, as I was rumaging around to repack the spares into the car.
-My old man's recently bought an Audi A3 8P, of the 2.0 PD TDI 140 format with a DSG 'box and in SE trim. I offered to service it. All was going well until I did the fuel filter ; it was the wrong one. To make matters worse, the seal got nicked on the old one, meaning the filter had a dribble. Pretty crap really as it was now 4pm, and the nearest motor factors were 10 miles away, in Coventry. Not what you want. I would have to take the Audi, with half of the diesel going into a leakproof bag I enclosed the leaking fuel filter in. At ECP, they still couldn't narrow it down, so I did it off images only. I then went back to the unit, somehow not spilling any diesel out of the leaking filter, threw the filter in, and proceeded to clean up the diesel.
The car looked a mess initially, but the unit looked more like a disaster zone and I stank of diesel and was minging. The time I hear you ask? 6pm. Great, I'm late! I ended up getting to the garage at 6:30pm, with the owner being fairly calm about it. The 280SE was already on the ramp, so there was nothing for it, but to take the car to the unit!
At least the traffic was calmer at 6:30, much calmer than if we set out at 5:30.
Once we got to the unit, it was great to see the car on some of my turf
:With this done, I ended up parking it into the unit, awaiting some parts to arrive. Sure, I looked like a greasy coalminer or a homeless person at this point, but at least things had got done
.The next day, I'd set to work with knocking out the failure items.
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