I've been browsing through Autotrader and the www generally looking at late W124 coupes, something around '94 or '95.
It seems they've either got 130,000 miles+ or £4000+. Some adverts have both of course...
Is this correct? Are they really that expensive? My recent Mercedes history is vague but they must be at least 2 models behind now.
If ebay is a good place to find a car that's had a hard life, where's a good place to find a W124 that's been loved?
SWMBO, cutting through the technical jargon of 2.2 litres or 2.8 stipulates that the baby seat must fit in the back, and the car must be red...
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set up a search in Autotrader - at a distance you want - for a car of a spec you want - and they'll email you when they find one.
Ebay allows the same. Saves a lot of effort.
Don't be toooo specific or a slight error in description may mean you miss one.
Ideal for the lazy seeker for cars.. let a computer do the work.
I have ebay searches running ofr months.. eventually I buy what I want.. cheap!
madf
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I own one, my second: a January 1996 E320.
That's a fairly typical price and with lower mileage they will go up to £8k and more. The cabriolets command a premium of at least 50% above that.
The best way to get a good 'un is to join the MB Club:
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/
which will cost you just £30 annual subscription plus a £5 initial joining fee. (Be advised that the other "club", the MB Owners' Organization, is not recognized by MB and is said to be merely a marketing channel for its associated magazine.)
The MB Club has a good monthly magazine with plenty of small ads. There is also an online slot in the discussion forum for buying & selling.
Also, try Mercedes Enthusiast magazine.
I am deeply satisfied with the car and do not intend to sell it, ever. A friend who drove it recently is equally enchanted. It is luxurious, quiet, practical and a genuine four-seater; I get 26 mpg from it. I have seen very few in non-metallic red, although there are a few metallics around (red always fades, metallic or not).
And to quote from something posted on the MB Club forum today, with reference to the corrosion-blighted successor W210 and W211 E-class, "Asked which car [the owner of an official MB bodyshop] felt was the best for build quality, he said that the W124 was probably the last Mercedes built with bomb proof build quality and that any Mercedes model up to 1995/96 would probably be OK from a rust point of view.....after that the quality takes a real dip."
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I have 2001 E class has not suffered any rust whatsoever in fact the paint is probably about the best part of the car.It is non metalic black ,I must admit that I have seen other colours with rust pocks on them and badly pitted alloy wheels.
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The plain black ones can rust - and badly. I know because someone tried to sell me one.... The paint quality is highly variable from one car to another - I've come across some with really think paint. Take a close look at 'outside corners', this is where the paint will be thinnest.
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Thanks chaps.
I know the cabrios are expensive, but that will always be the way with a Mercedes 4 seater convertible.
I'll keep an eye on paint finish on prospective cars too.
Gareth
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