My W124 - a month into ownership

[Darrell]

I've had the old 124 for 5 weeks now and am loving the drive every day to work.

I have greased up the wiper, and fixed the drivers side leccy window, although something has gone wrong again so I now have to lift the glass up and down with one hand on the inside and one on the outside. Not really a prob and when summer comes I will leave it down permanentley.

The suspension makes loads of funny groans and other odd noises so that may need some attention soon.

The rear seats have been folded up since I bought the car and the amount of room available is astonishing.

I like the auto gearbox, it means I can hold a cup of tea whilst driving to work , also I noticed today that it has heated rear mirrors which is cool, not sure if my w202 has them.

Two things though, I cant quite suss out.

1. Why am I able to use the electric windows and roof whilst the doors are open but yet with no key in the ignition?

2. What is the little pull-down flap between the rear-view mirror and the windscreen?

Apeat from that, she is a super old bus, what makes me think now is what would a well-looked after 320 diesel be like?

 

[Will]

I've had the old 124 for 5 weeks now and am loving the drive every day to work.

I have greased up the wiper, and fixed the drivers side leccy window, although something has gone wrong again so I now have to lift the glass up and down with one hand on the inside and one on the outside. Not really a prob and when summer comes I will leave it down permanentley.

The suspension makes loads of funny groans and other odd noises so that may need some attention soon.

The rear seats have been folded up since I bought the car and the amount of room available is astonishing.

I like the auto gearbox, it means I can hold a cup of tea whilst driving to work , also I noticed today that it has heated rear mirrors which is cool, not sure if my w202 has them.

Two things though, I cant quite suss out.

1. Why am I able to use the electric windows and roof whilst the doors are open but yet with no key in the ignition?

2. What is the little pull-down flap between the rear-view mirror and the windscreen?

Apeat from that, she is a super old bus, what makes me think now is what would a well-looked after 320 diesel be like?

Hi there,

I think #1 is a convenience feature so that you can still close the windows if you've forgotton after you've stopped/parked etc. All old 124/201s seem to have this function.

#2 is a sun visor block/shield. So when the sun is low and blinding you, you can fold down the visors either side and just above the mirror

Will

 

[Ade B]

The mini sun visor is one of the little quirks that make the 124. Like the lop sided mirrors, upright bonnet opening, foam bits which stop bits falling down between the transimission tunnel and seat, fabric cover strips to the sunroof, positioning of the glove box latch, chrome trim on the door, puddle lights etc. etc.

Lots of little things which are very well thought out and sit in the background just making the ownership experience a little richer

Plenty of downsides too though

Ade

 

[Smiley]

The mini sun visor is one of the little quirks that make the 124. Like the lop sided mirrors, upright bonnet opening, foam bits which stop bits falling down between the transimission tunnel and seat, fabric cover strips to the sunroof, positioning of the glove box latch, chrome trim on the door, puddle lights etc. etc.

Lots of little things which are very well thought out and sit in the background just making the ownership experience a little richer

Plenty of downsides too though

Ade

very very few downsides
cant be I still have mine after 11 years; and I have had lots of cars, not one other car has lasted more than 2 1/2 yrs.

 

[Darrell]

I noticed the lop-sided mirrors, I thought one had been knocked off and replaced by one from a different model.

 

[Ade B]

I noticed the lop-sided mirrors, I thought one had been knocked off and replaced by one from a different model.

Ditto Had the exact same question for the first one I test drove a few years back..

 

[Sp!ke]

You haven't yet asked what the perspex inspection window is in the front passenger door, or why the ignition barrel is on the left rather than right. Or why the trailing arms under the rear of the car have seemingly pointless rounded plastic mouldings.

There are loads of well thought out things about these cars.

Do you have chrome strips in your door handles? If so, there's another hidden gem that you probably haven't discovered.

 

[Mondorich]

Do you have chrome strips in your door handles? If so, there's another hidden gem that you probably haven't discovered.

What? Please let me in to this one. Mine has chrome strips in the handles.

 

[Sp!ke]

Its called comfort locking.

You can open or close all your windows and sunroof from outside the car by holding the key in either the locked or open position from any of the locks on the car, including the boot lock.

So on a hot day, you can open the car up and let the heat escape prior to getting into the car. You can also close any window that was accidentally left open from outside the car when you lock up.

 

[Mondorich]

Ahh, that's Ok, I've used this. Didn't know it was age related.

Had it on my '95 Passat and we have it on our '01/51 Octavia.

Thanks for the info though Sp!ke

 

[Darrell]

Mine has got chrome strips along the door handles but the comfort locking doesn't appear to work. Ho hum, I never lock it anyway.

I did notice the ignition barrel and the indicator stalk on the opposite side to the W202. This is more confusing to me than having one manual and one automatic car.

 

[Howard]

It's so the police can't grab the keys out of the ignition when they stop you , gives you a fairer chance to get away !

 

[Sp!ke]

Mine has got chrome strips along the door handles but the comfort locking doesn't appear to work. Ho hum, I never lock it anyway.

You need to lock the car but hold the key locked for an extra couple of seconds and you should see the windows start to close.

 

[bifold]

Mine has got chrome strips along the door handles but the comfort locking doesn't appear to work. Ho hum, I never lock it anyway.

I did notice the ignition barrel and the indicator stalk on the opposite side to the W202. This is more confusing to me than having one manual and one automatic car.

I love the ignition barrel and the indicator stalk being in that position,my other car is a Triumph so bit of a comfort to have both the cars the same

 

[abecketts]

reading the post about chrome strips on door handles made me go and check the car, it does have them but the windows don't do ought. does that mean something is amiss? its a 95n 320 estate.

Thanks Paul

 

[Highway Star]

You haven't yet asked what the perspex inspection window is in the front passenger door

What is this? I spent a good 5 minutes staring at it trying to figure out what it was for when I was sat in a queue on the M40 the other week.

 

[bluevenetian]

just found the "mini-visor" behind the rear view mirror...and will try out the auto locking windows/sunroof....but now I want to know about this inspection window in passenger door....what's that all about? and more importantly, where is it?

 

[Sp!ke]

reading the post about chrome strips on door handles made me go and check the car, it does have them but the windows don't do ought. does that mean something is amiss? its a 95n 320 estate.

Thanks Paul

Could be your comfort relay is duff. Could also be that you've not got the technique quite right.

 

[Sp!ke]

What is this? I spent a good 5 minutes staring at it trying to figure out what it was for when I was sat in a queue on the M40 the other week.

It is a special slot for your servicebook. When correctly in position, it will display the information for the next service.

 

[Darrell]

I keep messing about with the comfort locking thing but I'm getting nowhere. My wife thinks that I am wierd.