E-Class W124 ^^The Great Mercedes-Benz W124 BUYERS GUIDE^^

[coolraoul]

Originally Posted by bmwownage

We used to have a E280, a great car despite some mysterious leaks Rock solid interior build quality, beautiful materials.
The single wiper was cool i think, it moved quick enough, for us at least, and that wiper is really funny.. when the window is really wet and you have someone standing beside the car on the outside, water just splashes out on the person... my dad got me once

I did it too, sooo funny... And the way it moves, wonderful.
But really, when it was hard raining, this single wiper became useless, overworked and inefficient.

 

[bmwownage]

Yea its movement was great, and you have this very unique unwiped shape in the middle of the windscreen at the bottom =D
Probably we didn't find it to be inefficient because we didn't really have a comparison, our other car's wiper wasn't so good back then..

 

[Deleted member 182]

The single wiper was quick for its time, but in really really bad weather, it was hopelessly overworked. Trust me, we have one in the family.

In my old W202 you could feel the car shaking when the wiper was put to the max power.

 

[ZicZachZo]

I have a W201 and it shakes the whole car as well! I think that they should have had the option of having the thing just go half way through it's cycle and then come back to aide the driver under very harsh conditions. I have had to decrease my speed when it's raining really rough because the poor thing can't move the water out of the way fast enough. It's still the coolest wiper ever though! Talk about great windshield coverage.

 

[coolraoul]

I only once saw the wipers of a W140 it is something you have to see!!!
You have the great single-wiper like the W124 and others, and a normal wiper too!!!!

So the best of both world...

Just fabulous.

 

[GTA45E]

Wow, thanks for the huge single-blade wiper responce guys. I didn`t mean to turn this thread in that direction. It was cool to watch as some of you have said. When the wiper got to the mid-section of the wind screen it slid (or pivoted) down a bit for even better coverage.

One of the other orignals I like about the W124 E-Class and W126 S-Class was the window switch locations. Thay were all located just behind the shifter. I thought that was so cool and unique! other cars typically had that switch-gear in the doors.

One thing that hasn`t changed though is the seat switch-gear, located in the doors. That was really unique! It seemed every other car maker was putting that switch-gear on the sides of the seat. I never liked it on the side of the seat (as our 1991 Volvo 940 SE.)

What do you guys think.


Btw, check out the C124 at the header. It was the CLK of that time
and was in fact the coupe version of the E-Class.

It seems todays CLK is closer to the C-Class MB.

The C124 was quit expensive back in the day. I still can`t recall if that car could be had with a V8.

 

[audi_rudy]

Anytime.

The '300 is a good choice. I have the same engine, the M103 E30, in my 300SE. It's a superb blend between power and fuel economy. If you must get a diesel, the 300D Turbo's are very good for their age, definitely not that slow either.

Thats good to know, ive heard that they are very good reliable engines so ill see. Is there anything that I should really look out for when looking at the car? It will defiantly be a petrol engine though

 

[cawimmer430]

In my old W202 you could feel the car shaking when the wiper was put to the max power.

Guess it wasn't that underpowered then.

 

[cawimmer430]

Thats good to know, ive heard that they are very good reliable engines so ill see. Is there anything that I should really look out for when looking at the car? It will defiantly be a petrol engine though

Not really. The only thing to watch out for is the oil consumption I suppose, at least that's in the case of our 300SE. It's got nearly 180,000 km on the odometer and I am told that engines from that era become thirstier for oil when they get older. I guess that's something to watch out for with a 300E.

Check the reviews and scans I posted. There's bound to be something there. You could also check out a 260E though they're not as efficient as the 300E. A latter model E200 / 200E or 230E isn't bad either. Not very refined, but good on fuel and not that slow either.

 

[Nuvo]

Btw, check out the C124 at the header. It was the CLK of that time
and was in fact the coupe version of the E-Class.

It seems todays CLK is closer to the C-Class MB.

The C124 was quit expensive back in the day. I still can`t recall if that car could be had with a V8.

The C124 was beautiful!
it even looked nice as a droptop. I agree with you about the CLK being closer
to the C-Class. Maby MB wanted to give the C a little hype this time around.

 

[450SEL6.9]

Thanks for these brochures, especially the 500 E. There is sometimes a Canadian model 500 E parked in front of a department store at a shopping mall I often visit. I have seen it several times. I'll take a few pictures with my new camera phone if I see it again.

I'm not a huge fan of the early-1990s AMGs, or any AMGs in general. I prefer even the limited edition, super fast Mercedes saloons to look a little bit less aggressive than the AMGs. I'd rather they all look like the dignified 450 SEL 6.9 (surprise).

If I could pick any of the cars in the W124 guide, I'd take a 1992 500 E. I like those orange indicator lights.

 

[Merc1]

OMG, where do I start here?

Thanks Wimmer so much information on what is pretty much my favorite Mercedes-Benz of all time, arguably with the R129 SL.

Ahh..yes the marvel that is the single blade wiper which I have now. Everytime someone rides with me while it is raining they always get big eyed when they see it swoop across the windshield and "reach" into the corners all in few seconds. "Damn look at that" is the usual reaction. This was quite a piece of engineering and brainstorming. However like others have said it can't keep up in a really heavy downpour, but thankfully that isn't too often so I can live with it. The way it wipes light snow away when you first switch it on is priceless.

The thing about the W124 was that it was such a simply elegant car with all types of engineering-driven details. The 2 exterior rearview mirrors for example. The passenger side mirror was tall and narrow and the driver's side was long and skinny. No marketing here, purely an engineering lead solution/detail. What I really thought was novel was that on diesel models the passenger side front fender had vents in it, right in the sheetmetal. I just thought that was the coolest thing back then.

More on wipers. Mercedes really got smart on certain models later one when they used the single blade wipers pivoting action on one wiper (left side) in conjuction with a regular (but long) wiper on the other side on later day cars. This setup nearly wiped the entire winshield! You couldn't watch both wipers at the same time while driving. I think the 140 cars had this.

Did someone mention the C124? I remember the day it debuted as the 300CE. One of my best friends and I said we'd have these cars today, well by the time we were grown and could buy such a car the 300CE sits in the MB musuem...lol. The 300CE was breathtakingly expensive for the 1988 model year, something like $55,800 if I remember right. When I tell you that this was the most elegant Mercedes I'd ever seen up to that date I'm not kidding. For some reason I don't remember seeing the 560SEC until like 1989 or 1990. When the cabrio debuted for 1993 I couldn't believe how expensive it was and how well it sold at the same time, so much so that it was still produced for the U.S. market well into 1996 after the W210 E had gone on sale.

The 500E is likely my favorite Mercedes-Benz of all time. In this day of the CL, SL, CLS and AMG everything and Black Series this, that is quite an honor. The 500E was just so rare and expensive also, and the best one was the one year only E500 of 1994 which included the last facelift the W124 got before retirement. Plus this car had some Porsche engineering in its DNA, that sold it for a lot of people.

What really gets me about these W124 is the sheer number of them I still see in such great shape on the road today. I mean the newest one is 12 years old and their paint and bodies look new most of the time. I can tell you that nothing Mercedes made after the W140 up to maybe the current S/CL will be in such great shape 12-15 years after they go out of production. The first ML, CLK (my car), W210, W211, W220, C220 or current ML, R, or GL (or anything else made during these years) will most certainly not look as good or hold up as well physicially. There will be exceptions of course, but the majority of them will not, they just weren't built as good. I'm still horrified when I think of the first time I sat in the first ML. With a W140 sitting on the same showroom floor there was no way the same company could have made these 2 vehicles I thought.

I plan on having both a 124 car, either a 500E/E500 or a 300CE/E320 Coupe and a R129 SL before my driving days are over. Just to drive every now and then of course.

Mercedes seems to be returning to a quality first position, but even with the newest S and CL, they aren't built like the old days exactly. I really believe Mercedes used thicker sheetmetal and just heavier components for nearly everything back then. However in Mercedes' defense they've had to use lighter things because unlike those old-tech cars, today's Benzes have so many electronic systems and what not that increase weight so if they didn't lighten their cars in other areas you'd wind up with something like the Maybach. Heavy as hell. The Maybach's model designation is by the way, W240. Hint as to what it is based on.

P.S. I don't care what none of you all say, I like the blunted frog of a C140 coupe. With the right wheels and some tint it looked the part!

M

 

[Merc1]

It seems todays CLK is closer to the C-Class MB.

The C124 was quit expensive back in the day. I still can`t recall if that car could be had with a V8.

Yes it is much closer to the C-Class, I have a W208. It was quite a switch for Mercedes, which BTW went without any entry-level coupe for the 1996 and 1997 model years in the U.S.

The W208 CLK was/is in its defense much sportier than the C124 was, especially from a design standpoint. I guess they ordered Sacco to come up with something sportier since by this time the Lexus SC had arrived. The prices were something too. A 300CE Cabriolet was like 80K in 1995, but that same money would buy you a CLK55 Cabriolet years later in the W208 series. The CLK320 and CLK430 Cabrios were much cheaper than the 300CE/E320 ragtop.

As far as I know the C140 never had a V8 from the factory. A 400CE or especially a 500CE would have caused quite a panic back then, but we're talking about the days before Mercedes niche-plugging fetish.

M

 

[ree]

Hi guys!! Just found this website on the wolrd wide web:

catalogue - german / technical data

The have nearly every catalogue of the W124.

I'm very interested in this car - maybe this could be my first car in one or two years...I'm impressed by its build quality and you can really get a lot of spares!!

 

[GTA45E]

Great posts Merc1, keep up the good work!

 

[cawimmer430]

OMG, where do I start here?

Thanks Wimmer so much information on what is pretty much my favorite Mercedes-Benz of all time, arguably with the R129 SL.

Ahh..yes the marvel that is the single blade wiper which I have now. Everytime someone rides with me while it is raining they always get big eyed when they see it swoop across the windshield and "reach" into the corners all in few seconds. "Damn look at that" is the usual reaction. This was quite a piece of engineering and brainstorming. However like others have said it can't keep up in a really heavy downpour, but thankfully that isn't too often so I can live with it. The way it wipes light snow away when you first switch it on is priceless.

The thing about the W124 was that it was such a simply elegant car with all types of engineering-driven details. The 2 exterior rearview mirrors for example. The passenger side mirror was tall and narrow and the driver's side was long and skinny. No marketing here, purely an engineering lead solution/detail. What I really thought was novel was that on diesel models the passenger side front fender had vents in it, right in the sheetmetal. I just thought that was the coolest thing back then.

More on wipers. Mercedes really got smart on certain models later one when they used the single blade wipers pivoting action on one wiper (left side) in conjuction with a regular (but long) wiper on the other side on later day cars. This setup nearly wiped the entire winshield! You couldn't watch both wipers at the same time while driving. I think the 140 cars had this.

Did someone mention the C124? I remember the day it debuted as the 300CE. One of my best friends and I said we'd have these cars today, well by the time we were grown and could buy such a car the 300CE sits in the MB musuem...lol. The 300CE was breathtakingly expensive for the 1988 model year, something like $55,800 if I remember right. When I tell you that this was the most elegant Mercedes I'd ever seen up to that date I'm not kidding. For some reason I don't remember seeing the 560SEC until like 1989 or 1990. When the cabrio debuted for 1993 I couldn't believe how expensive it was and how well it sold at the same time, so much so that it was still produced for the U.S. market well into 1996 after the W210 E had gone on sale.

The 500E is likely my favorite Mercedes-Benz of all time. In this day of the CL, SL, CLS and AMG everything and Black Series this, that is quite an honor. The 500E was just so rare and expensive also, and the best one was the one year only E500 of 1994 which included the last facelift the W124 got before retirement. Plus this car had some Porsche engineering in its DNA, that sold it for a lot of people.

What really gets me about these W124 is the sheer number of them I still see in such great shape on the road today. I mean the newest one is 12 years old and their paint and bodies look new most of the time. I can tell you that nothing Mercedes made after the W140 up to maybe the current S/CL will be in such great shape 12-15 years after they go out of production. The first ML, CLK (my car), W210, W211, W220, C220 or current ML, R, or GL (or anything else made during these years) will most certainly not look as good or hold up as well physicially. There will be exceptions of course, but the majority of them will not, they just weren't built as good. I'm still horrified when I think of the first time I sat in the first ML. With a W140 sitting on the same showroom floor there was no way the same company could have made these 2 vehicles I thought.

I plan on having both a 124 car, either a 500E/E500 or a 300CE/E320 Coupe and a R129 SL before my driving days are over. Just to drive every now and then of course.

Mercedes seems to be returning to a quality first position, but even with the newest S and CL, they aren't built like the old days exactly. I really believe Mercedes used thicker sheetmetal and just heavier components for nearly everything back then. However in Mercedes' defense they've had to use lighter things because unlike those old-tech cars, today's Benzes have so many electronic systems and what not that increase weight so if they didn't lighten their cars in other areas you'd wind up with something like the Maybach. Heavy as hell. The Maybach's model designation is by the way, W240. Hint as to what it is based on.

P.S. I don't care what none of you all say, I like the blunted frog of a C140 coupe. With the right wheels and some tint it looked the part!

M

Anytime.

And thanks for sharing your memories, comments and experiences.

 

[NevadaJack]

Thanks wimmer for the excellent post. Brought back some memories of my 1990 300TE. It was White with Navy interior and a very sweet car. My wife loved it. Only one problem with it was the front seal had to be replaced twice Other than that is was one of the nicest wagons we owned. Put about 125,000 miles on it before we traded it on a W210 wagon.

 

[misabou]

Fantastic post, thank you for this information. I also love the mercedes W124 series. I own a E 220 Coupe with 330000 Km and 13 years but works perfectly.

Thank you for the scans.

PD: The W124, the last of the over-engineered Mercedes-Benz series.

 

[Merc1]

I'd say the W140 was the last one, but it really doesn't matter....for better and for worse Mercedes-Benz just doesn't make them like the 140 or 124 anymore. In some ways that is great and in other it just isn't the same. Oh well....one can always get a Maybach.

M

 

[klier]

Wrong section!!!

Can a mod please relocate this thread to the MB classics.

Classic Mercedes-Benzes