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Hi - Am hunting for a good W124 estate in the Glasgow area. Read over HJ's advice and am a bit stuck for what to look for on the self levelling suspension? Seen a couple of cars, on promising 94 280 that went before I could get it checked by my mechanic, and a tired but cheap 1990 230 that had an obvious thump from the back left. Seller pointed out a reservoir in the the engine bay that he said ran fluid to it. Anyway, left that one alone. To test, is it as simple as getting a friend to climb in the boot and see it the car comes back up, and is it essential that the s/l works? (thought the clunk on the 230 could be a solved by changing the shock a'?)Any general advice on the cars very much appreciated - I know there are people here that are big fans. Frustrated as there are few around and wild price variations. Thanks!
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Be prepared to search nationwide, because they are scarce -- their owners like to keep them, and with good reason.
There is a specialist dealer in Brighton:
www.w124.co.uk/index.html
If I were you I'd make a trip down there (fly to Gatwick and get on the train there) and spend half a day looking at their stock and talking to them about all the issues, even if you don't buy from them. I've advised a friend to tell them he's looking and not to put a ceiling on the price, so they'll have every incentive to find him a real good'un. They are now all under £10k; as it's a car you would intend to keep for a long time, I would budget accordingly and not get too hung up on price.
I'd say the self-levelling suspension system is something to check very carefully indeed. It's complex and, when it goes wrong, costly to put right.
Beware of cars that have been used for towing or if there is evidence of repeated very heavy loading.
I wouldn't look at the smaller engines; go for the 300TD or the 320 petrol, although the 280 should be OK (engine shared with the W140 S-class entry model, I think).
The paintwork is pretty durable, but check the wheel arches and also the rear windows (I've seen one or two recent reports of corrosion around the seals).
Two issues affect the M104 (3.2 petrol) engine and should be checked carefully:
* At some point the head gasket will go (see Car-by-Car Breakdown). I'm beginning to compile a faults history for the MB Club forum, and the reports of M104 HG failure mileage seem to range from sub-100k to beyond 150k. Reckon £800 to fix by an independent and appreciably more by an MB main dealer. (The predecessor M103 3.0 engine can be a bit leaky too.)
* On the M104 and other MB engines built between 1992 and 1996, the wiring loom insulation degrades and eventually causes electrical problems (MB unwisely used feeble biodegradable material). This also seems to happen in the same sort of mileage range as the gasket. Reckon £700 to fix by an independent and appreciably more by an MB main dealer. (Open up the taped sections to see what's really happening.)
I'm on my second W124 E320 Coupé and couldn't be more satisfied with the car. I sold the first one only to upgrade to one of the last to be built, with its five-speed box. The wiring loom is fine and the head gasket also seems fine at 55k.
Finally, when you do get it:
* Find a good independent servicing outfit. Don't touch main dealers. There's Merparts (01475 741236) in your area, run by Paul Mazzoni, who's a regular contributor to the MB Club magazine (The Gazette) and has been its technical columnist. He's certainly worth talking to before you find a car.
* Join the MB Club:
www.mercedes-benzownersclub.co.uk/
No, come to think of it, join immediately so that you can benefit from the experience of owners via the online forum. It's only £30 a year, plus £5 joining fee
P.S.
tinyurl.com/9xv2y
P.P.S Having mentioned the Brighton outlet, I now wonder what sort of establishment it is, as there is no street address given on the website. However, even if it's a sole trader working from home, he should be worth talking to.
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I've bought, sold and serviced a lot of these over the years. IMHO they are the best car MB ever made (and I include the recent C and E-class in that).
The rear S/L suspension can be replaced with conventional dampers - obviously it costs a few hundred though. Unless you are prepared for this then check that the S/L works and is not leaking (a job for a professional).
The rear suspension on all models has a fair few link rods - a lot of the bushes will be cracking and breaking up on cars of this age - so again, check carefully. A rear suspension rebuild can be expensive.
Diff whine can be a problem - check for diff leaks. Whine needs assessing by an expert, its not always terminal.
Check for rust around jacking points. Rest of car should be OK unless its had a repair.
Front suspension and brakes are pretty robust - discs and pads are cheap.
Later engines (M104) prone to head gaskets going and bolts failing.
Earlier M103 is rugged - valve stem oil seals at 150k (smoke on start up and decelleration).
Autobox - when hot R and D should engage within 3 seconds. 5 seconds or longer and you're looking at a rebuild. Delay in R means reverse clutch pack is worn out (small design fault in the transmission).
MB aircon is a bit unreliable - check it works (temp control servo).
My choice would be 300E with M103 engine.
Don't overlook manual transmission cars - they're OK.
Some specialists can overrate their cars and get greedy - these are old cars now, so don't over-value. I would try for a private seller.
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Can you tell me where I can get the same sort as that above for the W210?
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I have a 1995 W124 saloon, the later 300 diesel with the 24 valve engine. Currently 90k on the clock and bought with only 78K and one owner. Nothing has gone wrong, everything works as it should and it sailed through the MOT a couple of months ago. I spent a long time looking and searching the forums before purchasing so I would certainly suggest viewing a few before deciding. I was looking for something with good history and condition and reasonably well cared for. At this age there are plenty of ragged old dogs out there so I followed my nose and chose very carefully and would advise building up your knowledge and insight of the model and selecting carefully. I put a new set of tyres and changed the fluids when I got it. A very nice car and I cannot recommend them too highly. I am told the late 280 petrol has a 5 speed autobox and is regarded as higly desirable. With regard to the post about the W210, well check out some of the discussions about serious rust problems due to poor build quality, see also the CBC breakdown. I think the general view is that the W210 is a long way from the standard of the W124. If I were buying a later, prestige estate my choice would be an Audi A6. Having had one, 80k miles with no problems and no rust at 11 years of age when disposed of with 134k on the clock.
MGs
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I reply to query about W210, I have sold a couple and looked at loads.
They ride and handle better than W124, but don't feel quite as solid. Still a strong car though.
Your main problems are going to be rust, electrics and auto transmission.
Look for rust under paint, especially on 'outside' corners when it seems to be put on very thin. Look for a little 'spider' pattern under the paint. Check seams under the bonnet for rust - a good indicator of problems elsewhere. Incredibly, the brake pipes also seem prone to rust!
MB went for electronics in a big way on the W210, so look out for non-functioning TC, cruise control etc etc. ECUs are very dear and you may struggle to find an independent with the right diagnostic kit - so it could be a main-dealer job at ££££.
Auto transmissions have been prone to failure and cost much much more to rebuild than the older generation of fully-hydraulic DB auto's.
Personally I am not a great fan of the W210, they 'look the part' but there are too many common problems.
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Thanks to all for the replies, especially Roger - great info. I had looked at the www.w124 web site and the cars were fantastic> However, the prices seem silly - I was looking at a 1995 M 280 private sale, leather, FSH, , 7 seats,full MOT and the car looked like new inside and out. It went before I could get an offer in but was at £1950 - that guy seemed to ask around £5-6 for the same. He obviously cherry picks the best examples, but they are old cars...I can't face paying that kind of cash for a car that would make two fifths of * all at auction if I later wanted to dispose of it. Thanks again - let you know how I get on!
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Yes, I looked at the W124 'specialist' website - the prices are daft. You should get the sort of motor you want for under £2.5k - trying buying from a private seller who's had the car a few years. Don't get hung up on MB services history - basic servicing is easy on these cars, just look for evidence of regular oil changes and two-yearly antifreeze changes.
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Got a 1995 N E280 in a private sale in Kent, 1600 quid. Has 147k on the clock and thats backed up by MBSH to about 130k and lots of independent receipts from then. Looks like new inside and out. 500 or so miles back to Glasgow and all seems fine, so hoping for no major expenses in the near future - car has just had new brakes, tyres and service so I'll see how things work out.
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Well done and I hope you enjoy the car as much as all the other owners seem to.
Perhaps you will join the MB Club and keep us posted about your experience.
I would get your wiring harness checked. It's not the M104 engine but the problem reported above affected engines other than the 104. There's a long thread and a secondary one running on the MB Club forum right now, with some good explanations and photographs.
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