Is a W124 300E a money pit or a worthwhile vehicle to own? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pawoSD · #1 10-30-2008, 05:32 PM

I ask this because I am soon going to try to get rid of my wife's Toyota Rav4 death trap that burns lots of oil and is a pain the posterior to work on.....and replace it with something MB, which I am (willing) and (able) to work on.

She's not a huge fan of the W123/W126 "too big and ugly"

She likes W201's and W124's, and essentially anything after that. Budget for the vehicle will be about 3-4k.....and gas or diesel does not matter.

I am thinking 190d of any flavor if I can find one at a reasonable price....but that seems unlikely....or a 190e....or a 300E W124. 300E's are the most plentiful so I could be more picky and haggle better.....

Is the 300E a pain to keep going? Or is it at least semi-reliable? I've read other opinion threads on this, but I am still at an impasse....

I've driven a 300TE before, and thought it was AWESOME.....so that might help.

If I go 300E, I will try to find a 93 or newer model with the M104 motor....

blueboxgeek09 · #2 10-30-2008, 05:57 PM

My dad has a 1994 e320 and I have a 94 e420. The e320 has 210,000 miles on it with the only thing needing replacement at 130k --> water pump & starter. Since then with regular maintenance it has been a dream.

The e420 has 150,000 and all parts are original except blower motor (typical w124 problem)

My wifes 96 c220 has its minor issues (fuel sending unit failed, Mass Airflow Sensor Failed)

I would stick with w124.

With the 300E, (From my knowledge) the common problems include, blower motor and regulator, wirining harness (though not all exhibit this) and various suspension bushings going bad (I replaced my control arm bushings as well)

Overall...for a 14+ year old car...it is better than any heap of junk that mercedes has built since.

Hope this helps.

Rashad

rickmoore49 · #3 10-30-2008, 06:13 PM

As you can see in my sig line, I believe in the W124. My 260E is my favorite all around car. I like the feel, the handling, and the car is very easy to work on. Make sure you search this forum for the many posts which layout the key things to watch for when looking for one of these cars. Certain years have their own issues (wiring harness) and it's great if you can find one that has already had the head gasket redone. Low miles is good but I rarely let that be a determining factor - the engine and drive train will last forever with proper maintenance.

Good luck and let us all know what you end up doing.

duxthe1 · #4 10-30-2008, 07:47 PM

201's aren't near the car that the 124 is. That being said the most important thing is how well the car was taken care of. You can find a 100kmi car run into the dirt or a 200k that has been well maintained with a lot of life left in it. Regardless any 12-20 year old Mercedes is going to require maintenance and upkeep to drive on a regular basis. Beats a car payment though

DrJ · #5 10-30-2008, 08:05 PM

Is a W124 300E a money pit or a worthwhile vehicle to own?

The answer is "YES." As stated above, it depends entirely on how well these old cars have been cared for, and even then you will have age-related repairs.

I have a 1987 300E with 160K miles, and I love it. It has been reliable, in that it has never stranded me. It has consumed a fair amount of money, though, in the 8 years I've owned it.

Be very careful assessing the state of the AC, as repairs are very expensive. I've replaced the water pump, the coil, lots of AC pieces (nearly all by now), sway-bar bushings, rear thrust arms, idler arm, tie rod ends, the rear transmission bushings, motor mounts and had the sun roof repaired. That's in addition to the usual wear items. Note that many of these are rubber or suspension bits whose wear is expected -- these are mostly age related.

If you work on it yourself, then costs are not too bad. If you don't, then save money for repairs. I figure I have spent between $1000 and $1500 year, including all repairs and wear items (like brakes, plugs and tires).

I think it is worth it, but others may well disagree.

The car is also not the best in the snow. Not the worst either, but not the best. I'm in CA so it matters little, but your part of the country is different (I grew up 50 miles south of you).

hanno · #6 10-30-2008, 08:29 PM

Have both W201 and W124 (see below). If buying again, would go for W124, specifically 94/95. Base your decision on condition, condition, and condition. By the way, condition is important

. If you don't know what your looking at yet then have someone who does do an inspection for you. Lots of uninformed folks buy because "its a Mercedes" then realize the PO didn't have the $ to have it serviced properly and they don't have the $ to bring it back. If I didn't enjoy working on them myself I couldn't afford to keep them. Pick the best on you find, haggle (the above beaters drag the prices of the good ones down) then drive it for the next 15-20 years. I drive the 87 every day, high speed and low, still gets a smile.

babymog · #7 10-30-2008, 09:29 PM

Any 124 that doesn't say "4matic" on it can be economical to own. It can also be troublesome, but since you have the skills to repair and the intellegence to do preventative maintenance, I think that you'll enjoy owning one. You might even find yourself swapping cars with her to "fix" her car, more often than necessary.

pawoSD · #8 10-30-2008, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

Any 124 that doesn't say "4matic" on it can be economical to own. It can also be troublesome, but since you have the skills to repair and the intellegence to do preventative maintenance, I think that you'll enjoy owning one. You might even find yourself swapping cars with her to "fix" her car, more often than necessary.

Yeah I'd never get a 4Matic......I am pretty set that a 93-94 300E is the vehicle I'd like to find....we'll see how it goes. I am sure I could handle the maintenance without much issue. I've done essentially ALL possible jobs to the W126....

First I need to get her junky toyota sold.....they seem to go for good amounts....we'll see what I can suck out of somebody for it.

babymog · #9 10-30-2008, 10:54 PM

The 124 is no more complex than the 126 in areas such as climate control, cruise, engine (with same engine of course), windows, locks, ... but has a simpler front suspension (less $$ to maintain the strut suspension), pretty reasonable IMO to maintain. It's getting a car that already needs maintenance that is expensive, in either body.

pawoSD · #10 10-31-2008, 12:20 AM

less $$ to maintain the suspension? I've spent $0 on mine in the past 70k/5+ years.....so less is a good deal!

Of course it shows...its a bit clunky....but I spend my money on other parts of the car....maybe someday I'll be able to afford a suspension rebuild.....

jcyuhn · #11 10-31-2008, 10:00 AM

The 124 E-class can be a fine car. It it important to find one which has the known gremlins already addressed. For a late model year (93-95) with the m104 engine, that means the head gasket and wiring harness. Bonus if the radiator is new and the a/c evaporator is solid. (My 1993 has had one small a/c repair since new - replacing a leaking expansion valve. Still works great.)

Have you considered a 202 C class? They have a good reputation for reliability and longevity. The M111 four cylinder is reliable and reasonably frugal. Not sure what the market price range runs for these.

- JimY

Holson Adi · #12 10-31-2008, 10:01 AM

I had an E420 and since then I've had an 01 CLK55 AMG, an 07 Hummer H3 and now a 08 BMW 335i coupe. I missed the E420 so much but I couldn't get myself to get another W124 that probably wont be as nice as mine was, so I got a 190E...

Mine has low miles and no rust, which is great. Unfortunately the p/o was a hack job and put in a lot of aftermarket parts, cut a lot cables, etc. But it's OK, it runs well and it's black on black.

I like the way the 190E handles and in general it feels A LOT like a W124.

BUT, it is a cheaper built car once you look at the interior/trunk trim pieces in detail. They tend to be thinner, cheaper looking, flimsier.. just less substantial.

In my opinion, given the small price difference, unless you really want a smaller more nimble car get the W124.

Is it a money pit? Yes it sure is compared to say a Jeep Cherokee but it has tons of charisma and as long as you don't try to make it perfect (live with some quirks), then I think it's a reasonable car to own. I'm a die hard Benz fan and the W124 is my favorite.

G-Benz · #13 10-31-2008, 10:06 AM

Pretty much everything has been said regarding the possible issues with the W124. I will add that due to age, ones going up for sale will probably be due to the seller getting tired of fixing all of the age-related stuff. Even a well-kept all-books and recepits type of car will have some age-related wear items that need attention.

Regardless of condition, I would set aside a couple of grand for the first year to take care of those items.

gmercoleza · #14 10-31-2008, 10:22 AM

The W124 is the best Mercedes ever made IMHO.

Turbo E320 · #15 10-31-2008, 05:33 PM

My 86 300e has 300K+ miles on it and I'm just starting to get valve ticks. I've replaced the alternator and a few relays but its been a great car. I got the car when I was 15 for free from a nieghbor and beat the **** out of it. I used to drift it, auto-x it, and drive it hard all the time, the whole time it had over 300K. The body is in amazing shape and is awfully easy to work on. The motor is simple to work on as well. I love my 300e. If I were you I would look for the M104-24v powered 300e's and e320's like the 93-95's.