The car find of my life? My Indian Spec 1999 W124 E220...
Discussion
Hi all,
I thought I should share the story of this weekend with you...
I'm a member of some local car sales groups on Facebook, most of the cars are usually crap, and I wasn't looking to buy another car so soon - especially a project.
Friday:
But then Friday came, I finished work a little early and found myself a little bored. Someone listed just 'Mercedes for sale' with a picture showing a W124, covered in moss and dust and on a V plate! The mot history check showed the last being in 2013, so I thought they might be open to an offer. If anyone isn't aware, this model ceised in 1995 (I recall).
Just from my nerdy Merc background, I knew it was an Indian built car, which meant a manual gearbox, higher suspension, steel sump guards and a few other wierd bits of spec.
Saturday:
On 10am Saturday I enquired expecting them to ask possibly 1k if it was in ok condition, amazingly they wanted 600. I wasnt really supposed to be buying a car so wouldn't have stretched to that, but I couldn't resist - talked them down to £350. It was an opportunity too good to resist.
By 12.30am I'd picked up the car and got it back to the workshop. Initial impressions where extremely good. It only had 135k miles and It drove like new!
Threw some good part worn conti's on the back £40 total and set to work cleaning it up and tackling all the small jobs and inspecting before an MOT.
With some tlc and generic hub caps thrown on (ill find a good condition merc set or get some 8 hole alloys) it started to look much better! Mechanically it seems excellent, very little wear on the interior too and aside from slightly rusty front wings (normal) its solid. Aside from the wings there is only some paint scuffs and very small dents on the boot lid.
Also, I found the service book inside. Its had a full merc service history until it was laid up!
Today:
Managed to get the car in for an MOT (on a sunday). Amazingly failed only on a loose battery (totally forgot to check as im putting a new one in) and also headlamp aim. No advisories aside from a cracked headlamp otherwise.
The emissions readings are comically low too...
The car is a very odd specification, some bits of note:
-Imported new from India in Sept 2009
-Aircon
-Manual
-Leather, but no armrest
-2.2 16v but running 8.5:1 compression instead of the usual 10:1. It feels a little lazier, but none of the on paper figures are much worse than euro spec (fuel consumption is higher however)
-KM/h clocks, with mph overlays (pictured)
-Raised suspension
-A 5mm thick steel sump guard and other chassis reinforcements, from my research there is about 75kg of additional strengthening in this vs. standard.
-Full UK main dealer history.
-Showing 216,000km (135k miles)
-Electric windows all round
-Electric mirrors both sides (rare)
-Extra capacity fuel tank (11gal. vs standard 8.8 iirc)
All in all a very odd car, drives like new, could with a little love be mint, even the control surfaces arent worn much and nothing seems to have had any UV bleaching.
I'm in 2 minds whether to keep or sell, any thoughts? In any case I'll be keeping it for a while, I love these cars and this feels like a time warp. I can't get over the price I paid for it.
Some pictures...
I thought I should share the story of this weekend with you...
I'm a member of some local car sales groups on Facebook, most of the cars are usually crap, and I wasn't looking to buy another car so soon - especially a project.
Friday:
But then Friday came, I finished work a little early and found myself a little bored. Someone listed just 'Mercedes for sale' with a picture showing a W124, covered in moss and dust and on a V plate! The mot history check showed the last being in 2013, so I thought they might be open to an offer. If anyone isn't aware, this model ceised in 1995 (I recall).
Just from my nerdy Merc background, I knew it was an Indian built car, which meant a manual gearbox, higher suspension, steel sump guards and a few other wierd bits of spec.
Saturday:
On 10am Saturday I enquired expecting them to ask possibly 1k if it was in ok condition, amazingly they wanted 600. I wasnt really supposed to be buying a car so wouldn't have stretched to that, but I couldn't resist - talked them down to £350. It was an opportunity too good to resist.
By 12.30am I'd picked up the car and got it back to the workshop. Initial impressions where extremely good. It only had 135k miles and It drove like new!
Threw some good part worn conti's on the back £40 total and set to work cleaning it up and tackling all the small jobs and inspecting before an MOT.
With some tlc and generic hub caps thrown on (ill find a good condition merc set or get some 8 hole alloys) it started to look much better! Mechanically it seems excellent, very little wear on the interior too and aside from slightly rusty front wings (normal) its solid. Aside from the wings there is only some paint scuffs and very small dents on the boot lid.
Also, I found the service book inside. Its had a full merc service history until it was laid up!
Today:
Managed to get the car in for an MOT (on a sunday). Amazingly failed only on a loose battery (totally forgot to check as im putting a new one in) and also headlamp aim. No advisories aside from a cracked headlamp otherwise.
The emissions readings are comically low too...
The car is a very odd specification, some bits of note:
-Imported new from India in Sept 2009
-Aircon
-Manual
-Leather, but no armrest
-2.2 16v but running 8.5:1 compression instead of the usual 10:1. It feels a little lazier, but none of the on paper figures are much worse than euro spec (fuel consumption is higher however)
-KM/h clocks, with mph overlays (pictured)
-Raised suspension
-A 5mm thick steel sump guard and other chassis reinforcements, from my research there is about 75kg of additional strengthening in this vs. standard.
-Full UK main dealer history.
-Showing 216,000km (135k miles)
-Electric windows all round
-Electric mirrors both sides (rare)
-Extra capacity fuel tank (11gal. vs standard 8.8 iirc)
All in all a very odd car, drives like new, could with a little love be mint, even the control surfaces arent worn much and nothing seems to have had any UV bleaching.
I'm in 2 minds whether to keep or sell, any thoughts? In any case I'll be keeping it for a while, I love these cars and this feels like a time warp. I can't get over the price I paid for it.
Some pictures...
Escapegoat said:
Love it - absolute bargain. The gap around the rear wheel in the arch is proper LOLly.
Yes, the lift seems quite high. Interestingly the suspension is stiffer than euro models, it feels like a sportline (from memories of both) so still rides well but feels a little more chuckable. I have no idea what indian roads where like in the 90's, but judging by this they must've been aweful!
anomaly said:
Fantastic, great find. Any idea why it came to the UK?
As I understand it, there was enough people who didn't like the (supposedly inferior) round headlight version that came out in 1996 that importers would import these new from India and sell them for 20k in car supermarkets.This still has the original number plates on it from 'Trade Sales'. Likely sold it when new
Quick update time...
So 20k miles later (its now on 235ish) I still haven't spent a penny on it, only fuel.
Averaging 32mpg, sitting at 0.8-0.95 on the motorway for 90% of driving - Over 100 miles per day, and kicking its head in when off it.
Too say im amazed is an understatement.
Got myself a DSLR so took some pre-light restoration pictures tonight.
Maybe it deserves a service some wheels & tyres and its slightly leaky oil cooler changing now.
So 20k miles later (its now on 235ish) I still haven't spent a penny on it, only fuel.
Averaging 32mpg, sitting at 0.8-0.95 on the motorway for 90% of driving - Over 100 miles per day, and kicking its head in when off it.
Too say im amazed is an understatement.
Got myself a DSLR so took some pre-light restoration pictures tonight.
Maybe it deserves a service some wheels & tyres and its slightly leaky oil cooler changing now.
crosseyedlion said:
As I understand it, there was enough people who didn't like the (supposedly inferior) round headlight version that came out in 1996 that importers would import these new from India and sell them for 20k in car supermarkets.
This still has the original number plates on it from 'Trade Sales'. Likely sold it when new
I think the round headlight version you refer to was the bug-eyed W201, and by all accounts they weren't nearly as good as the W124 like you have. I think they marked the beginning of Mercedes bad years!This still has the original number plates on it from 'Trade Sales'. Likely sold it when new
Anyway, I really like it. I'd probably just stick some better wheels, or at least trims, on it and run it for years. But I can see the appeal of a 320 transplant and some fettling - I don't think that would spoil it, it's really just about what you want!
Already looking forward to an update!
Interesting car. Think I remember seeing one of these (possibly the same car) advertised on Mercseller.com a few years ago.
Sounds like you got a good cheap car there. Keep it original and give it a service, and enjoy the novelty value of a mildly unusual Merc.
Someone else mentioned the Trade Sales number plate. Have a look at this forum post confirming that TS were selling them new back in the day.
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t...
Sounds like you got a good cheap car there. Keep it original and give it a service, and enjoy the novelty value of a mildly unusual Merc.
Someone else mentioned the Trade Sales number plate. Have a look at this forum post confirming that TS were selling them new back in the day.
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t...
Mr Tidy said:
I think the round headlight version you refer to was the bug-eyed W201
It was actually the W210.
The W201 was the Mercedes 190E
I have a completely superfluous knowledge on Mercedes internal model numbers. My inner geek just had to speak out!
To the OP, awesome car sir. Top work.
My dad bought two of these new in 1998, one 220 petrol and one diesel (I think it was a E250 ) He purchased them from a guy in East London who dealt with importing cars, he had lots of them dotted around his yard, there was choice of either blue or black (both metallic) all with grey interiors, the diesel had leather whereas the petrol had cloth both had manual boxes and plastic Mercedes wheel trims, I remember them both having fantastic air conditioning. I seem to remember the 220 was £18,000 and the diesel was a little more
I’m sure they guy mentioned they were originally for the Malaysian market and had been assembled in Asia, (I’m not sure how much of this is true) I remember the 220 had some patchy paint from a blow over, apparently this was due to bird droppings whilst sitting on the dockside
Both were R registration ending in JEV, I’d occasionally see similar JEV ones floating about or in the autotrader so I think a fair few must have come in.
We flew down from Manchester to docklands airport on a turbo prop to collect them, I drove the petrol one back and my dad the diesel, I’d only passed my test a few months earlier it was a great day out.
I’m sure they guy mentioned they were originally for the Malaysian market and had been assembled in Asia, (I’m not sure how much of this is true) I remember the 220 had some patchy paint from a blow over, apparently this was due to bird droppings whilst sitting on the dockside
Both were R registration ending in JEV, I’d occasionally see similar JEV ones floating about or in the autotrader so I think a fair few must have come in.
We flew down from Manchester to docklands airport on a turbo prop to collect them, I drove the petrol one back and my dad the diesel, I’d only passed my test a few months earlier it was a great day out.
Edited by pistolpedro on Tuesday 19th July 09:23
pistolpedro said:
I remember the 220 had some patchy paint from a blow over, apparently this was due to bird droppings whilst sitting on the dockside.
You've just solved a mystery!!! The roof is showing signs of a previous poor blowover with some laquer defects, otherwise the paint is fine on the rest. I've always wondered why! Edited by pistolpedro on Tuesday 19th July 09:23
Thanks
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