1986/7 230E Auto

[GP801]

Genuine mercedes exhausts last for ages - just changed the original rear box on our 124 after 16years. They are not as expensive as you might think.
Im not convinced those wheels will really suit the 124 - just my opinion

 

[ianrandom]

The exhausts do indeed last forever. Mine was over 20yrs old before it needed doing. Very impressive.

Unusual wheels. Cant imagine them on a 124. Not sure what the 124 offset is, is it as fussy as the 126?

 

[c2raig]

The pipe that's on it is the original one, or so it appears, so 24 years isn't such a bad run for it. I'm not worried about paying for a genuine MB exhaust, just the £900 for a stainless jobbie stung a bit.

Can anyone recommend a supplier for a centre section and back box (no cat)?

The wheels - I think they'd fit in with the look I'm going for, I'm not a fan of modified cars as a rule, but this one lends itself to a few subtle period modifications. 80s style. I remember my dad having a set of wheels like that on one of his (many, many) Jaguars, and I think they'd work quite well on the 230.

Currently can't get ahold of the vendor of the wheels.

 

[c2raig]

Hello again,

Can anyone assist me in identifying the colour of my car?

I'm struggling! I'm not with the car at the moment, so I don't have the paint code from the VIN.

Here is a photograph:

 

[219]

It could be Diamond Blue , although it looks a bit too dark , that could be the photograph .

This 190 is Diamond Blue - sorry , don't have a good pic of it , but the colour can render differently in different pics .

 

[c2raig]

Perhaps mbclubs most knowledgable member!?

That's close.

I'm out of the UK at the moment, so I'm trying to order as much stuff as I can for her online, so I have a nice pile of presents to open and crack on with when I get home.

This definitely looks different in different photos:

 

[c2raig]

 

[219]

Yep - I'd guess Diamond Blue , especially seeing that last pic .

It was current when these cars were made and did appear on W124's and W126's as well as W201's .

 

[c2raig]

Thank you! Very helpful as always!

This is actually a 1987 car - despite the D plate, which is a personalised registration the first owner - Dr Kex - put on.

 

[219]

I found a few more , including larger versions of some above . Looks like the same colour to me.

 

[c2raig]

Definitely agree having seen those - the third picture I put with the Mondeo in is probably going to be the best likeness, as it's the only one taken with a camera and not a BlackBerry.

 

[Deleted member 11979]

A friend and I last year drove a 1990 200TE with 250k miles on the clock down to Timbuktu. We covered 6500 miles, many of them offroad, crossed the Sahara, running on pretty awful petrol and the engine never missed a beat. Mind you, I did break the self-levelling rear suspension hitting a rock in the desert! I found the big Merc much more comfortable, particularly over long distances and rough roads, than the BMW 325i which was my daily driver at the time.

That was my old car you did that in! Glad the old bus did you proud!

 

[c2raig]

Hi guys, just thought I'd post an update on this.

I haven't really done a great deal with the old girl, apart from drive her when I'm in the UK! I adore this car, and she recently turned over 100k on a day out.

All I've done is give the exterior a minor tidying up, and fitted some new front indicator/rear tail lights (one of the rears was smashed, so I thought I'd upgrade for the replacements).

She really is a pleasure to drive, and I'm glad I've got the car for high days and holidays, as she makes much more of an entrance than the Mondeo does, and she's so comfortable for long journeys.

One query - what is the LCD screen below the tachometer for? It lights up with the dash lights but doesn'tdisplay anything. I initially thought it was a clock but realised there is already an analogue clock on the dash.

 

[219]

Assuming it is centrally placed amongst the warning lights at the bottom of the cluster , that is an outside temperature gauge . There should be a sensor behind the front numberplate . If it lights up but nothing is being displayed , either the 12V supply or the sensor connection is absent .

 

[c2raig]

Thanks Derek,

Yes, centrally placed. It only illuminates with the dash lighting, but it just shows a blank screen.

I don't need that, but I'll certainly look at getting it working, now that I actually know what it is!

One other thing I'd like to note - this car SHIFTS, or at least a hell of a lot more than I expected it to, considering it's only a 230. However, not only is the points risk a big one, the risk of it being written off by someone pulling out in front of it. Is it just me, or do people expect an old Merc to be moving slowly, and therefore that it's OK to cut one up because it won't be going quick enough to notice?