W124 500e v's E34 M5
Discussion
the two major differences between these two cars beyond the badge are that the E500 is an auto, and although fast in a straight line it is not M5 fast, due to the weight and the relaxed driving autobox.
Secondly a decent 3.8 M5 with the EDC is a way better steer. Faster, more nimble and wraps itself around you. Even if you junk the EDC and go for a good fast road setup the M5 is a better car for all conditions.
The E500 is only LHD, specialists are hard to find but the following on the web is strong. Parts are freely available too. The design is stunning and the build quality is A+.
E34 M5's are getting rare, body parts are freely available, but trim parts are getting hard to find. Rust is a problem and most cars have been properly driven with mileage on most well over 100k.
Running costs for both cars will be over £1500 per annum if you are using yours for more than 5K mileage. More M5's to choose from but look for bills not just service stamps and get under the cars.
Also crash damage could well be an issue today.
Both cars are rare, both tick the same box, both cars are still fast, but the M5 is more sports orientated and can still handle on track whereas the E500 is a true autobahnstormer, possibly more closely linked to the Alpina B10 Bi Turbo!
Secondly a decent 3.8 M5 with the EDC is a way better steer. Faster, more nimble and wraps itself around you. Even if you junk the EDC and go for a good fast road setup the M5 is a better car for all conditions.
The E500 is only LHD, specialists are hard to find but the following on the web is strong. Parts are freely available too. The design is stunning and the build quality is A+.
E34 M5's are getting rare, body parts are freely available, but trim parts are getting hard to find. Rust is a problem and most cars have been properly driven with mileage on most well over 100k.
Running costs for both cars will be over £1500 per annum if you are using yours for more than 5K mileage. More M5's to choose from but look for bills not just service stamps and get under the cars.
Also crash damage could well be an issue today.
Both cars are rare, both tick the same box, both cars are still fast, but the M5 is more sports orientated and can still handle on track whereas the E500 is a true autobahnstormer, possibly more closely linked to the Alpina B10 Bi Turbo!
belleair302 said:
the two major differences between these two cars beyond the badge are that the E500 is an auto, and although fast in a straight line it is not M5 fast, due to the weight and the relaxed driving autobox.
Secondly a decent 3.8 M5 with the EDC is a way better steer. Faster, more nimble and wraps itself around you. Even if you junk the EDC and go for a good fast road setup the M5 is a better car for all conditions.
The E500 is only LHD, specialists are hard to find but the following on the web is strong. Parts are freely available too. The design is stunning and the build quality is A+.
E34 M5's are getting rare, body parts are freely available, but trim parts are getting hard to find. Rust is a problem and most cars have been properly driven with mileage on most well over 100k.
Running costs for both cars will be over £1500 per annum if you are using yours for more than 5K mileage. More M5's to choose from but look for bills not just service stamps and get under the cars.
Also crash damage could well be an issue today.
Both cars are rare, both tick the same box, both cars are still fast, but the M5 is more sports orientated and can still handle on track whereas the E500 is a true autobahnstormer, possibly more closely linked to the Alpina B10 Bi Turbo!
Very useful, thanks.Secondly a decent 3.8 M5 with the EDC is a way better steer. Faster, more nimble and wraps itself around you. Even if you junk the EDC and go for a good fast road setup the M5 is a better car for all conditions.
The E500 is only LHD, specialists are hard to find but the following on the web is strong. Parts are freely available too. The design is stunning and the build quality is A+.
E34 M5's are getting rare, body parts are freely available, but trim parts are getting hard to find. Rust is a problem and most cars have been properly driven with mileage on most well over 100k.
Running costs for both cars will be over £1500 per annum if you are using yours for more than 5K mileage. More M5's to choose from but look for bills not just service stamps and get under the cars.
Also crash damage could well be an issue today.
Both cars are rare, both tick the same box, both cars are still fast, but the M5 is more sports orientated and can still handle on track whereas the E500 is a true autobahnstormer, possibly more closely linked to the Alpina B10 Bi Turbo!
Hmmm think it's still the W124 for me then. Miss my old E220 and the 500 V8 would be the icing on the cake. Besides I have a 964 for the twisty stuff which would be the ideal bedfellow for the 500 IMO.
Cheers,
James
richardxjr said:
I'd choose the 500E too. But at that sort of money I'd be torn forever between one and an E39 M5 (also with a 5.0 V8 of course)
This is true although I'd guess the E39 will be at sensible prices for a few years due to numbers produced. Whereas 500 prices will only go one way in the next few years?
I put this dilemma to myself a few years ago (except that I'd want my E34 as a 3.8 Touring) and ended up with an E500 (the 500E with a nose-job).
Wonderful beast in all respects - very charismatic machine. Has quite a thirst on it but plant your right foot and it'll set off down the road with very surprising vigour and a bellow that a T-Rex would admire. The handling is surprisingly (perhaps "surprising" is not the right word, given Porsche was involved) good too. Also quiet, calm and fantastically comfortable when you are not caning it. Plus, it's a top-of-the-range handbuilt W124 - cars do not come better made than this. Servicing costs and consumables are pricey though (as they are on the E34 from what I understand).
Plus it's just one of those ultimate petrolhead cars.
Here are a few currently for sale (ranging from £10-15k):
www.charlesironside.co.uk - who has two currently
http://www.avantgardecars.co.uk/viewcar.asp?carid=...
http://www.cccarsltd.com/1993mercedesbenz500e.php
http://www.classic-benz.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=...
Wonderful beast in all respects - very charismatic machine. Has quite a thirst on it but plant your right foot and it'll set off down the road with very surprising vigour and a bellow that a T-Rex would admire. The handling is surprisingly (perhaps "surprising" is not the right word, given Porsche was involved) good too. Also quiet, calm and fantastically comfortable when you are not caning it. Plus, it's a top-of-the-range handbuilt W124 - cars do not come better made than this. Servicing costs and consumables are pricey though (as they are on the E34 from what I understand).
Plus it's just one of those ultimate petrolhead cars.
Here are a few currently for sale (ranging from £10-15k):
www.charlesironside.co.uk - who has two currently
http://www.avantgardecars.co.uk/viewcar.asp?carid=...
http://www.cccarsltd.com/1993mercedesbenz500e.php
http://www.classic-benz.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=...
Edited by Wolands Advocate on Friday 3rd September 18:28
22mpg sounds about right overall. Obviously can be better on a constant motorway run but far, far worse around town. I never pay a great deal of attention to fuel economy, but in town driving, I think you can get through each 90 litre tankful in something eye-watering like 150 miles.
I only had mine serviced the one time (it had just been serviced when I bought it) but that service (admittedly not just an oil/filter one) cost £1,400 when all was said and done. However, mine had done over 200,000 miles and so it had quite an appetite for things like brake lines and distributors.
One major thing to check on any 500E/E500 is the wiring loom. They were famously made from biodegradable plastic which would do just that over time. And if left uncheck this fries the ECU and serves up a bill of several thousand pounds for a new one. Any hesitation or misfire could be a sign of that - alternatively it can be moisture getting into the ageing distributors (£500 to replace with genuine M-B ones, as the car has two of them).
I only had mine serviced the one time (it had just been serviced when I bought it) but that service (admittedly not just an oil/filter one) cost £1,400 when all was said and done. However, mine had done over 200,000 miles and so it had quite an appetite for things like brake lines and distributors.
One major thing to check on any 500E/E500 is the wiring loom. They were famously made from biodegradable plastic which would do just that over time. And if left uncheck this fries the ECU and serves up a bill of several thousand pounds for a new one. Any hesitation or misfire could be a sign of that - alternatively it can be moisture getting into the ageing distributors (£500 to replace with genuine M-B ones, as the car has two of them).
I've had a 500E for 5 years now and still love it to bits.
Running costs are low, Many need a suspension refresh though as mine felt perfectly fine but with new spheres, shocks, top mounts and rear SLS fluid the car was transformed, understeer just doesn't occur and once you get used to the handling you can really hustle it along.
I get 20mpg average, that's with quite a high cruising speed and not driving it like Miss Daisy, mine needs a whole new exhaust system after someone reversed into me but apart from a throttle ecu nothing has been needed in 60,000km. It's now on 230,000km and is a 1991 car.
I tried an Audi RS2, an E34 M5 (Just a 3.6) and an XJR, the Merc feels equally as old as the E34 but it suits me fine, the car just feels right and is absolutely bullet proof, also it's genuinely fast as a 993 Carrera S found out on the A1 one day as I pootled past.
Drive one, you'll either love it or decide an E34 is for you.
Dave!
Running costs are low, Many need a suspension refresh though as mine felt perfectly fine but with new spheres, shocks, top mounts and rear SLS fluid the car was transformed, understeer just doesn't occur and once you get used to the handling you can really hustle it along.
I get 20mpg average, that's with quite a high cruising speed and not driving it like Miss Daisy, mine needs a whole new exhaust system after someone reversed into me but apart from a throttle ecu nothing has been needed in 60,000km. It's now on 230,000km and is a 1991 car.
I tried an Audi RS2, an E34 M5 (Just a 3.6) and an XJR, the Merc feels equally as old as the E34 but it suits me fine, the car just feels right and is absolutely bullet proof, also it's genuinely fast as a 993 Carrera S found out on the A1 one day as I pootled past.
Drive one, you'll either love it or decide an E34 is for you.
Dave!
The wiring loom problem isn't that bad, it mainly affected the US cars where it was running in higher ambient temps. I remember reading about the looms being about $300 in America so not too pricey, I have yet to change it though and it's only the upper wiring harness which gives problems as far as I can tell.
My distributors were £350 all in from Merc, front dampers were £100 each, the spheres about £60 each and I managed a good refresh for £400, this was with me doing the work mind you. Getting the suspension set up at Merc thjemselves was well worthwhile as it altered the handling for the better, the car needs to be weighted to get the geometry set right.
Mine has been off the road while other more important things are done and seeing it sat in the garage brings a tear to my eye, it needs to be doing long distances and fast!
Dave!
My distributors were £350 all in from Merc, front dampers were £100 each, the spheres about £60 each and I managed a good refresh for £400, this was with me doing the work mind you. Getting the suspension set up at Merc thjemselves was well worthwhile as it altered the handling for the better, the car needs to be weighted to get the geometry set right.
Mine has been off the road while other more important things are done and seeing it sat in the garage brings a tear to my eye, it needs to be doing long distances and fast!
Dave!
IIRC I was chatting to a mate of Pistonheads at the Renaultsport Twingo day who owns an E34 M5 (I think it was the 3.6 litre and he ran a rolling road) who said the service history totalled £100k which I was surprised about. Admittedly it's going to be over 20 years plus but even so that's a fair old chunk.
http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Mercedes-Ben...
http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Mercedes-Ben...
My 2 auto journals.
Mine ate rear tyres, I was averaging 5K a set but I had no commute and 90% of all my mileage has been fun miles. The brakes last well though but I think these are the worst part of the car, they are very strong when pressed (it's a heavy pedal) and the car pulls up really well but after 5 minutes of very hard driving you can feel them grumbling, if you use the gears and keep to 3rd on back road playing then that really helps.
www.briandrought.com/cars
This is the previous owner of my car who put up a few nice videos and pics.
Dave!
http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Mercedes-Ben...
My 2 auto journals.
Mine ate rear tyres, I was averaging 5K a set but I had no commute and 90% of all my mileage has been fun miles. The brakes last well though but I think these are the worst part of the car, they are very strong when pressed (it's a heavy pedal) and the car pulls up really well but after 5 minutes of very hard driving you can feel them grumbling, if you use the gears and keep to 3rd on back road playing then that really helps.
www.briandrought.com/cars
This is the previous owner of my car who put up a few nice videos and pics.
Dave!
heisthegaffer said:
IIRC I was chatting to a mate of Pistonheads at the Renaultsport Twingo day who owns an E34 M5 (I think it was the 3.6 litre and he ran a rolling road) who said the service history totalled £100k which I was surprised about. Admittedly it's going to be over 20 years plus but even so that's a fair old chunk.
That'll be Chuckles about four posts up. 
Going on general thoughts that he's been lucky with his, if the suspension goes then it's a very sore one.
I'm sure GP will be along shortly to discuss the merits and many, many pitfalls of the E34 M5.
In summary: Great car but a wallet rapist extrordinare.
CPCauto said:
Vixpy1 said:
Put it this way, I've not had any suspension issues on my E34 3.8, and i've still done over £10K on keeping it running
Didn't realise it was that much !
Edited by CPCauto on Friday 3rd September 21:08
That's just the E34.
I'd love to see a copy of the bill when the tourer is finished.
Howitzer said:
http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Mercedes-Ben...
http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Mercedes-Ben...
My 2 auto journals.
Well, if we are doing that...http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Mercedes-Ben...
My 2 auto journals.
http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Mercedes-Ben...
Yep that's done it, the 124 is the next car when the time is right. Now I need to look into E500 v 500E differences.
This one looks v good value even after factoring in the cost of a flight: http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-pa...
Cheers for all the tips.
This one looks v good value even after factoring in the cost of a flight: http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-pa...
Cheers for all the tips.
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