W124 Estate

[shoestring7]

Hi Folks,

I'm hoping to get a quick brief on these from those with experience.

I'm looking for a set of wheels for the winter. It needs to be a reasonably satisfying ownership proposition, have sensible overall running costs, offer wafty comfort, be able to show a decent turn of speed for local A and B roads, and be presentable at business meetings.

The W124 has got a reputation for old school solidity; I've seen some comments about wiring problems, the need to check the auto-box, rear self-levelling suspension and service history.

I'm probably about ready for Merc ownership too!

Any other comments? I'll probably be looking at a six-pot petrol model.

thanks


SS7

[Highway Star]

I've not an estate, but a 124 Coupe. There is a thread on the 124 coupe running a few threads down from here where a few 124 owners have added their opinions.

Have you seen the 124.co.uk website - read around there including the links to buyers guides etc.

[r129sl]

I've got an estate, 320TE. They're great. They're old cars now, so keep your wits about you. Engine wiring looms on the later models can disintegrate due to heat but by now I'd expect that to be fixed. The self-leveling suspension is simple: avoid leaky struts and remember that the shock absorbtion function is carried out by spheres under the floor. It is obvious when they are shot because the rear end is like a pogo stick. Cheap fix. Make sure the sunroof drains are clear and not rusted. Make sure the transmission works. The 4 speed auto is the best and most reliable automatic transmission ever built. It will not be perfectly smooth but it should move from D to N to R and back again swiftly and it should handle full bore 1-2-3 changes without slipping. Front wings rust as do tailgates.

The 300 TE is probably the best. While not the fastest nor the most laden with equipment (no bad thing), the engine is unburstable, smooth and fast enough. Also, they are much cheaper than the later 320TE or E320 estate.

Edited by r129sl on Monday 7th September 16:48

[mickyveloce]

Fantastic cars . I had a 1992 300TE which I owned twice and would buy back tomorrow . Any faults are fairly apparant . Rust only a cosmetic issue really and the parts are cheap enough to make these a viable proposition for years to come .

Mine did 25mpg max though , so expect 18-20 around town . I sold mine to an eccentric gentleman from the North East who reported that he was delighted with it and had "road tested" it to 130mph , even with nearly 160,000 miles on the clock .

The sensible alternative would be a late model 220 estate ; not much poke but very refined for a 4 cylinder car and economical too .

[Egbert Nobacon]

My 1993 W124 300D Estate has covered 203k miles and is still going strong - it has never let me down.

Buy these Mercs on condition and history - dogs will cost you lots and let you down.

As well as what has already been mentioned, look out for/ be careful of the following :

Rear suspension can be costly/fiddly to fix, rear brake pipes/suspension pipes can rust.

Front road springs break (very common and often difficult to spot) at the bottom.



All will have some rust now and most is fixable. If you see one with rust at base of rear side windows (look inside and reach up under the sills after removing the internal side panels)and a damp load area, walk away - it can be a bugger to fix.

Regular preventative maintenance is the key to longevity with these cars.

They are well engineered and easy to work on. Most parts are cheap and easily obtainable. Merc themselves are often cheaper than you'd think.

Edited by Egbert Nobacon on Monday 7th September 21:04

[shoestring7]

Egbert Nobacon said:

My 1993 W124 300D Estate has covered 203k miles and is still going strong - it has never let me down.

Buy these Mercs on condition and history - dogs will cost you lots and let you down.

As well as what has already been mentioned, look out for/ be careful of the following :

Rear suspension can be costly/fiddly to fix, rear brake pipes/suspension pipes can rust.

Front road springs break (very common and often difficult to spot) at the bottom.



All will have some rust now and most is fixable. If you see one with rust at base of rear side windows (look inside and reach up under the sills after removing the internal side panels)and a damp load area, walk away - it can be a bugger to fix.

Regular preventative maintenance is the key to longevity with these cars.

They are well engineered and easy to work on. Most parts are cheap and easily obtainable. Merc themselves are often cheaper than you'd think.

Edited by Egbert Nobacon on Monday 7th September 21:04

I could feel or smell no damp, but could see what seemed to be a little corrosion on the B pillar. Is this a sign of the corrosion you refer to?

SS7
PS the edges of the 'screen had also started to go milky but this seems fairly typical.

Edited by shoestring7 on Wednesday 9th September 11:32

[bolide]

Edges of the front screen going milky is common around 1992 / 1993 cars. It rarely gets much worse

Rear suspension problems are much, much rarer than people make out

If you want a diesel buy a post-facelift car with a 606 engine if you can find one. They are rare

Things to watch out for include rusty front wings, knackered engine mounts, dodgy gearboxes, non-working sunroof and tatty high-milers. E280/E320s all leak some oil but don't panic

One of the best cars ever built, IMHO, and it's well worth searching out a good one

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

[Mark34bn]

I keep watching these lovely old W124 estates on Ebay, I quite fancy one as a second car. I'm quite surprised at the difference between them, condition wise. One question I have is some are badged say 300TE and others are E300, does anyone know the difference and is one preferable to the other?
The next E280 with good tan leather may have my name on it....

[r129sl]

Mercedes changed its badging system in about 1993/94. Until then, a number generally (but not always) representing engine capacity preceded a letter or letters representing spec.

Thus on the w124, a 200 was a 2.0litre carb; a 300 E was a 3.0litre fuel injection; a 300 D was a 3.0litre diesel, a 300 TE was a 3.0 litre fuel injection estate car. For MY1994, Mercedes started the class system, whereby 'E' was the mid-range saloon, and the number represented engine capacity. So a E220 was a 2.2litre petrol and a E300 diesel was a 3.0 litre diesel.

The engines changed in late-1992/93. The petrol units gained 4-valve heads. With the name change, the diesels gained 4-valve heads.

Complicated. Here is a range as I remember it:

Saloons:
200
200 E (after about '89)
230 E
250 D
260 E
300 E
300 E 4-matic
300 E-24
300 D
500 E

200 E
220 E
250 D
280 E
300 D
320 E
500 E

E200
E220
E250 diesel
E280
E300 diesel
E320
E500

Estates:
200 T
200 TE
230 TE
250 TD
300 TE
300 TE 4-Matic
300 TD
300 TD 4-Matic
300 TE-24

200 TE
220 TE
250 TD
300 TD
320 TE

E200
E220
E250 diesel
E280
E300 diesel
E320

Coupes/convertibles
230 CE
300 CE
300 CE-24

220 CE
320 CE

E220
E320

Other models were available on the continent, including a 200 D, 200 CE and 400 E.