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My W124 Ownership..

BillyW124

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
2,891
Location
North West London
Car
W124 E320 coupe, W211 E320 V6 CDI, W211 E63 V8 AMG, R129 SL 280 V6, W215 CL 600 V12 Bi Turbo.
Enthusiasts!

I thought id share with you my steps into how I grew accustomed to the W124 and my current ownership of my W124 Coupe.

The W124 passion and sub-knowledge of these cars really came from my old man where Mercedes has really been part of the family from day 1. He’s had many a Merc in his time. Two of them which sticks in my mind growing up was his yellow W123 230E, loved the way it just sagged a little when you put it in drive! He had that for years I remember. In his ownership the car undertook a full re-spray and an engine re-build where he and my brother-in law worked every weekend chipping away at it. He actually got rid of it in the year 2000. The ECU must have had a millennium bug or something! The replacement was a 1997 N registered W124 saloon, Azurite Blue cream interior with 72,000 on the clock bought from an auction. If I remember correctly he paid around the mark of 6.5k for it. Expensive?:dk: The car inside out was fantastically mint, the dealer label on the back screen read Dodman Read.

As the years went by, the 124 offered its work horse type services which never skipped a beat really. I only started to drive it once the old’s got me insured on it. I blew my little 1.2 16v Zetec Fiesta engine on the M1 coming back from Uni as apparently I had no oil in the engine revealed by the post mortem. Served me right for being inconsiderate, but funny thing was I really did used to take care of it?! Try telling a father that it wasn’t your fault, and the response you get is ‘you have no value for money’ so to that, the car was a gonner. So, persuading my olds to put me on the 124 was difficult as he didn’t want his work horse diminished in such a way. He made me wait because really, I was away most of the time at Uni so National Express it was for the remainder of my 2 years! Once back, in his eyes I was 2 years the wiser. (Which in my mind I was 2 years the wiser back then which makes it 4 years right?!) Anyway with job prospects on the horizon he offered me the insurance on the 124.

That’s when the journey began!

Roll on some time after clocking up some considerable miles and driving hours I just really wanted one for myself. The Coupe always had a place in the back of my mind.

Eventually I was in the market for a 124 coupe after very quickly eradicating
another possible car the Audi 80 Coupe.

Roll on to today:

In exactly 21 days today I will have owned my Mercedes–Benz W124 Coupe for three years. Not much you are probably thinking? I bought it @ 92,130. In three years I have racked up 10,570 on it. It’s been a pleasure to own and I hope, no – rephrase I know it will give me many more years of fun.

Had I got the chance again to buy another 124 coupe, I probably wouldn’t buy the first one I see nor would I purchase one with minimal history (or non existent in my case!) :doh: But you will see why the lack of history and how when it is considered the be all and end all of buying a motor now doesn’t bother me.

Infact, I couldn’t really say it did actually bother me when I bought it. You see I was quite a naïve buyer to the 124 at the time but not completely blind to the fact that I didn’t know what I was looking out for because I did have foundations of what they're are all about. I probably would have bought a complete shed believe me otherwise. Looking back I think I had paid over the odds for my one considering what’s out there currently with FSH and a packet of bursting invoices.

This said, the car has never let up on me once and from the horror stories I hear from other owners of the many disheartening issues of their 124’s I count myself lucky I bought one that hasn’t packed up on me, especially considering I don’t know its past service and maintenance. The only thing that kept me in vain about the car is that the mileage matched up to VOSA MOT records when checked online. Even that was checked after I bought it It would have been feked if the milage didnt match up! Gladly it was all in sync.

If I’m honest, all I did for the first month or two of ownership is compare it to the saloon (now gone as we replaced it for a facelift w211 320 V6). I know that each 124 has a character of their own and no 124 is the same. But I wanted to start to unfold it and see what the deal is. I just thought that the coupe experience should be so much better.

The thing is, I have a good sense for attention to detail which I find is common amongst us members plainly because we are enthusiasts I guess.

In three years only I have a folder full with invoices and receipts of bits I have done to the coupe to get it up to standards. My standards.

The ‘start from scratch’ attitude was the way forward for me to build up my own history for the car.

The bug then began and throughout the three years of ownership I have finally got a sense of satisfaction that all the money (no doubt I have spent a bit), time and effort bringing the coupe up to scratch has finally paid off.

If I thought it was ‘fine’ when I first test drove it, the word ‘fine’ when compared to the cars current running/looks was an overstatement.

Today I know what fine should really feel like and I’m not even done with it yet. It drives/feels amazing.

The total cost of the purchase of the car and all the stuff that has been done to it so far has cost me way less compared to if I was to buy say a 3-5 year old car. So financially it makes sense. I didn’t plough in cash on it every time to think ill make it back. Bottom line is I won’t and solely i did it for my enjoyment and satisfaction.
All these little things add up to one big thing a sense of how these beautifully engineered motors should be appreciated when it works as intended.

To date work carried out services and general/major maintenance:




27/01/2010 1st service @ 92,701miles
  1. New thermostat
  2. All four Sparkplugs changed, Bosch
  3. Poly V belt changed
  4. Change of air filters oil filter and fuel filter (no pollen filter on model)
  5. 5 ½ lit Mobil 1 10-40 grade oil change
  6. New Oil filler cap
  7. ATF oil flush with new MB ATF oil change
  8. New gear box sump gasket
  9. Gear box filter
  10. Full flush of cooling system and new MB coolant mixture added
  11. New battery fitted
  12. New wiper blade
Checks performed in this service:
1. Checked front wishbones Needs replacing
2. Rear bushings/links Needs replacing
3. Rear sub frame mounts Needs replacing
4. Poor MPG Sticky thermostat resulting in cold engine temperature



12/11/2010 2nd service @ 97,415miles
  1. Oil filter
  2. ½ lit of Castrol magnatec oil 10-40
  3. 3lit of power steering oil
  4. Power steering filter
  5. Brakes bled
  6. 2lit of new brake fluid added
  7. Throttle Body Cleaned, throttle body tension spring fitted
  8. Adjustment of front wheel bearings
  9. Boot lid lock catch adjusted to sit correctly
  10. The instrument light in cluster (failed light) fixed. Bulbs all checked for correct wattage.
  11. Drainage holes checked and cleared (RH side firewall drain blocked, now clear. Water running free on LH side and on all other drains:
· Sunroof drains
· Both left and right firewall drains
· Centre scuttle drains
· Fuel over flow drain
· Both rear sill drains
· Both front sill drains

Checks performed in this service:
  • 1. OVP check (Over voltage protection behind batt) OK
  • 2. Condition of engine wiring harness. In good condition
  • 3. Check hoses/brake hoses/vacumn lines etc OK
  • 4. Are water pumps and fuel pumps in good order? OK
  • 5. Does the handbrake cable need tightening? OK
  • 6. Check all drainage holes for blockage Cleaned
  • 7. Check engine belts OK
  • 8. Drive Chain (does it need tightening?) OK
  • 9. Oil Leaks anywhere (rear diff and near gear box) OK
  • 10. Check Oil pressure. Good engine oil pressure

12/10/2011 3rd service @102,549 miles
  1. Spark plugs changed
  2. Diff oil drained and new Castrol 80W 90 EPX oil added
  3. Air filter
  4. Oil drain and new Castrol magnatec 10-40 oil added
  5. Oil filter
  6. Foot brake tightened
  7. Antifreeze coolant flush/new MB mixture added.
  8. Lambda sensor change
  9. Fuel Sender unit change
  10. Clean up throttle body

Checks performed this service:
  • Hoses OK
  • Vacuum lines OK
  • Fuel lines under clips, clean gunk If any OK
  • Condition of poly V belt OK
  • Wheel bearings OK
  • Gaskets (Rocker cover gasket slight sweating)
  • Steering lock stops (Needs to be replaced)
  • Diff mounts OK, (could do with replacement but not essential currently)
  • Prop shaft couplings (front end of prop shaft coupling has slight play, need replacement)
  • Anti roll bar bushings (front anti roll bar bushings has play, need replacement)
  • Spark plug caps (needs replacing)
  • 4 plug seals ( for rocker cover gasket change)
The above to complete will be carried out in December 2011. Bilstein B6 Shocks and H&R’s will also be fitted at this time.


General maintenance and retro fitting:

  • Burl walnut wood leather steering wheel fitted
  • Chrome Mercedes emblem airbag fitted to match steering wheel.
  • Centre heater control burl wood trim fitted (faded/incorrect colour when purchased)
  • Burl wood gear knob fitted
  • Mercedes Bonnet emblem coin replaced with original star.
  • New original RH Mercedes window regulator fitted
  • New outside LCD temp display changed along with new temp thermometer fitted.
  • Front number plate recess housing for thermometer fitted
  • New front headlamps fitted
  • Front original Bosch indicator repeaters fitted
  • Illuminated vanity mirrors fitted
  • Dimming rear view mirror installation
  • Armrest changed
  • Replaced interior bulbs:
§ Side and centre heater flap bulbs
§ Dash cluster bulbs
§ Headlight switch bulbs
§ Heater control bulbs
  • New front under side grommets for drain holes replaced
  • Left hand side jack point grommet fitted
  • Front and rear windscreens replaced
  • Steering column indicator cam with new snap ring replaced
  • Rocker cover plastic trim cover replaced
  • Throttle and gear box Bowden cables fine adjusted
  • Rear electric roller sun blind fitted (centre burl walnut heater panel to fit switch sourced and original MB wiring loom used)
  • Driver and passenger door check straps replaced.
Major maintenance:




29/10/2010 (re-apply every 4-5 years)
  • Under body of vehicle Waxoyl treated
92,750 miles
  • Two front lower wishbone arms (with ball joints)
  • Front track rod ends
97,005 miles
  • Rear shocks
  • Rear control arms
  • Thrust arms
  • Camber arms and links
  • Rear sub frame mounts front and rear.
  • Shim pads changed to new 1bump front and 3bump rear
98,900 miles
  • Compression test on all four cylinders carried out (gauge reads compressions are within tolerance)
99,600 miles
  • Fitted AMG II mono blocks alloys, 18x8 J ET31 alloys with Falken 215/40 R18 tyres, originally went for Pirelli 225/40. Side wall profile for ride height interfered with body.
  • Full laser four wheel geometry tracking
100,300 miles
  • Engine mounts
  • Transmission mount
  • Steering damper
  • Front and rear brake discs replaced
  • Front and rear pads (including two new front wear sensors)
  • Belt damper
  • Belt tensioner
  • Manifold gasket, studs and bolts
101,350 Miles
  • New charcoal filter fitted
Body Work Maintenance:

Carried out by CKLClive July 2011

Summer 2011:
  • All four Jacking Points treated. Corrosion on the sill around the points cut out and new metal welded in place.
  • Rear fender arch lips treated after I had a lip roll
  • Washer bottle grommet area in engine bay treated. Corrosion cut out and new metal welded in
  • Front wings removed, treated in anti rust. Fender lips again treated after lip roll
  • Inner wing skins treated in anti rust
  • Rear inner quarter panels and drain grommets left/right corrosion cut out and new metal welded in
  • Inner rear light cluster edges treated and sealed for water ingress prevention
  • Areas of wheel well treated and a light blow over in body colour
  • Driver side footwell corrosion (sill area) treated with new metal welded in and treated
  • Cavity wax injected into the sills
  • Front lights, front bumper and rear bumpers removed to treat inner skins and mounting areas of the body
  • Front bumper re-sprayed due to stone chips.
  • Plastic claddings and sills re-sprayed in monotone effect to the rest of the body.
Got a whole list of to do’s so I’m not finished just yet!

  • Recondition steering box
  • Recondition gear box
  • Drive chain tension check.
  • Steering drag links and components check/replace
  • Steering box mounting: torque bolts check all the ball joints on the steering linkage all 6
  • Diff mounts
  • New exhaust system stainless steel/original MB use acquired Sebring back box
  • Fuel pump, water pump, oil pump check/replace.
  • Gasket checks (is ok however rocker currently slightly sweating on RH side)
  • Grease wiper mechanism
  • Maybe change wiper to aero blade??
  • Top mounts when changing the shocks to B6’s/ also rear shock bottom and top rubbers
  • Eibach ARB’s front and rear with bushes.
  • IR lockset change to be fitted (kit sourced)
  • Heated front seats
  • Electric seats
  • Electric reach steering column?
  • Cruise control: probably not!
  • Dynamat boot area, boot lid, and whole of floor pan. Only once seats are/if sourced
  • HID headlamp conversion? Probably not!
  • Grease seat rails
  • Sunroof gasket/service
  • Avant-garde grille/ grille insets maybe?
  • Dye/restore areas of leather
  • Driver side hand pull on roof Don’t have one currently??
  • Rear cubby hole Sourced
  • Door sills
  • Strip car and do a full re-spray, window seals/door seals replace
Hopefully I have covered most of the bits that need looking after for a 124 and that members can hopefully use this as a guide into maintaining them for years to come.

To consider i was going to ditch this half way through ive pumped a bit of cash on it already for a 320, I always came back disapointed at my viewings because I always ended up comapring them to the current. The thought was i would have to start the above process again. Really, the ones i viewed considering the price bracket they were selling at, anyone on here would have thought they were minters. How wrong. Am glad i kept this? You bet.

For sure, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I have done to my car without the help from members of MBClub UK that have sourced me bits coupled with the sheer volume of the many available threads and useful posts that have been created for others for me to derive an exhaustive list for me to work through so to that I thank you very much.

Cheers Billy. :thumb:
 
Thank you for taking time to write this Billy,your car really does look and drive lovely
 
Billy, your an official 124 nutter, welcome to the club mate! lol. I feel exactly the same about my car, even though its just a 2.8, but im not changing it for anything. Your post has inspired me to do a write up on mine too, but i'll do that once everything is done on my car. I have collected a whole bunch of things for it, everything is sitting in the garage waiting to be put on. Just waiting for the time to do it now :)

124 nutters all the way!
 
Billy, your an official 124 nutter, welcome to the club mate! lol. I feel exactly the same about my car, even though its just a 2.8, but im not changing it for anything. Your post has inspired me to do a write up on mine too, but i'll do that once everything is done on my car. I have collected a whole bunch of things for it, everything is sitting in the garage waiting to be put on. Just waiting for the time to do it now :)

124 nutters all the way!

Glad its inspired you, the same way how reading threads on here inspired me to an extent.

Once its all over though and have done everthing it'll be boring! May have to buy an SEC!
 
Just a taster of whats to come ;)

6277352028_338f50e1f2_z.jpg

6277354542_906521c24f_z.jpg


:)
 
Inspirational!

Hi Billy W124.... Glad to see I'm not alone in loving my W124! Had mine for about 18 months, used it every day as a commuting car for a year before taking it off road to do up. Purchased for £700 from ebay... no service history, engine transplant before I bought it, to a 300 24V with manual box.
Only faults... knock from rear suspension... all bushes pending a change, and an occassional stalling issue when stopping rapidly after fast acceleration. (Oh...and it developed an irritating squeaking noise from a yet to be identified bearing at the front of the engine).

So far I've replaced the green interior with a black one, adding a passenger electric seat in the process, changed carpets, seatbelt butlers, lots of trim, steering wheel etc. Just waiting to take out the dash to re-colour and fit new plasma dials to the instrument cluster... also added additional sound deadening material whilst everythin stripped out...

Petrol tank has been in and out, whole boot area treated for minor rust, then lined with sound deadening material (Behind tank)... fuel filter changed and pump assembly cleaned up, underbody treated for minor rust blemishes and new underbody paint...

LED rear lights fitted, lots of cosmetic goodies aquired and waiting to go on, including new headlights, sidelights, grill to go with the facelift bonnet added etc..

And the picture shows the car this weekend, wings off, no issues there, only some light rust, but of course, the dreaded jacking points are shot... so I'll be taking the car for some welding soon, and probably have the whole rear subframe out for replacement bushes and a check for rust where the sun never shines!

A long way until I reach your level of commitment though... but I'm sure I'll get there...
 

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Just a taster of whats to come ;)




:)


Those rims are looking looking the business, the saloon is going to look real good with them on.

just remember to get the stance and lowered height correct to compliment them.

They are serious wheels, good camera work too actually
 
Hi Billy W124.... Glad to see I'm not alone in loving my W124! Had mine for about 18 months, used it every day as a commuting car for a year before taking it off road to do up. Purchased for £700 from ebay... no service history, engine transplant before I bought it, to a 300 24V with manual box.
Only faults... knock from rear suspension... all bushes pending a change, and an occassional stalling issue when stopping rapidly after fast acceleration. (Oh...and it developed an irritating squeaking noise from a yet to be identified bearing at the front of the engine).

So far I've replaced the green interior with a black one, adding a passenger electric seat in the process, changed carpets, seatbelt butlers, lots of trim, steering wheel etc. Just waiting to take out the dash to re-colour and fit new plasma dials to the instrument cluster... also added additional sound deadening material whilst everythin stripped out...

Petrol tank has been in and out, whole boot area treated for minor rust, then lined with sound deadening material (Behind tank)... fuel filter changed and pump assembly cleaned up, underbody treated for minor rust blemishes and new underbody paint...

LED rear lights fitted, lots of cosmetic goodies aquired and waiting to go on, including new headlights, sidelights, grill to go with the facelift bonnet added etc..

And the picture shows the car this weekend, wings off, no issues there, only some light rust, but of course, the dreaded jacking points are shot... so I'll be taking the car for some welding soon, and probably have the whole rear subframe out for replacement bushes and a check for rust where the sun never shines!

A long way until I reach your level of commitment though... but I'm sure I'll get there...

Wow, you have done a fair bit mate,

I consider an engine swap from time to time but i think ive got a long way on that one! I just dont want to break the harmony in which she now sings!

I'm going to see a doner vehicle tomorow at a yard, hopefully it has all the bits im looking for like the elec/heated seats etc. The person i spoke to on the phone says it has so lets see!

I'm really keen on the sound deadening propertes fulfilled on the car though. If i source the seats etc and when they are installed its only going to be done then as the interior is only going to be stripped once!! I then can deal with the IR lock set conversion once its stripped.

Its about the time i think in a 124's life unless its really been looked after by the way of kept in a garage or hardly been used in the wet that they wont need proper tlc.

Its a great learning curve tinkering with these motors. You will find the levels of thought is actually put into the creation of the car. Each nut, bolt, clip, plastic trim, metal strip is there for a reason! If you have forgotton to put it back you will quickly realise what it was used for when somthing dont work. Annoyingly too, how that piece of trim that fitted so well isnt going back on properly. That annoys the crap out of me, so i carefully observe how panels and the like are in place when removing.

Importantly you get to know your car inside out and you can predict how its going to behave! They really have a character!:)

..time she works for me now no doubt!

good luck with your motor!
 
WOW ..wat a insight,
 
Can anyone tell me if the rear anti roll bars on the 124 will be a PIA to fit?

does the subframe need to be removed for this?

i think it goes up behind the actual frame?
 
Sorry I can't answer your question, but just to say I agree with your first post on the W124 - I had the same model but as you (and most people) will probably remember from my thread it did need thousands and thousands spent on every bit of it. But there was something about how well it still drove at 170k miles and how sturdy it felt and the classic styling that I really loved. My W140 has everything but the W124 actually felt like a proper car, the W140 feels like something different!
 
Having just done the 190E, id say it may be difficult to remove the anti roll bar without dropping the subframe as it would be difficult to weave it around all the bits and pieces.
 
Wow great write up scares me a bit though! Money pit or labour of love ;)

Good question, if it pleases me after all the effort then no - not a money pit. Defo a labour of love.


Having just done the 190E, id say it may be difficult to remove the anti roll bar without dropping the subframe as it would be difficult to weave it around all the bits and pieces.

Cheers Jay, just needed some confirmation, i too reckon it needs to be lowered.

i think ill time this according to when ill have to re apply the waxoil.
 
Hello Billy W124. You might know where I can find some Reserve parts for a W124 Estate 200TE, 1992. Middle exhaust box and Cat converter, sun-roof electric mechanism, interior lever for rear tail-gate lock,chrome tail-pipe cover and tow-ball cover.,lockable petrol cap+ key, sump guard. Thank you, Ponto-Jet..
 
Good question, if it pleases me after all the effort then no - not a money pit. Defo a labour of love.




Cheers Jay, just needed some confirmation, i too reckon it needs to be lowered.

i think ill time this according to when ill have to re apply the waxoil.

It is sufficient to just undo the front subframe bolts and let the front of the subframe drop a little until you can weave the anti roll bar into place.
 
Hello Billy W124. You might know where I can find some Reserve parts for a W124 Estate 200TE, 1992. Middle exhaust box and Cat converter, sun-roof electric mechanism, interior lever for rear tail-gate lock,chrome tail-pipe cover and tow-ball cover.,lockable petrol cap+ key, sump guard. Thank you, Ponto-Jet..


Sorry pal, no bits for an estate, just for coupe im breaking currently..

But yes, try Dave ...

If Billy cannot help you try.

RetroDave 07710 672 986. Breaker and forum member.

Hills Breakers 01695 455777

Rob Parker. 3 Pointed Parts. Follow this link to his ebay site.

Mercedes * Central locking pump * w124 124 infra-red 1248002148 | eBay


Thanks John.
 
Damn thats a massive list!!! I can certainly say that since owning my C124 CE i have been massively impressed as to what the car can do even though she had covered 186k when i bought her. Smooth on the motorway and touch wood no problems yet (compared to the VW MK4 Golf which was every month!!!!) . I have done a service on the car, oil change, ATF oil change, engine coolant flush, new coolant, new spark plugs and engine mounts improved the car even more. I have recently purchased a set of new rep amg rims which will go on shortly along with new springs for the front and rear. I will be changing the aerial this weekend depending on the weather and changing the headlight wipers as i broke mine last week :doh:!!! Hopefully as the months of ownership continue i will be doing more and more to the car and bring the car back to top spec, last thing i need is the interior to be changed still trying to find a complete set in mint condition. Hopefully my enthusiasm will grow more and more for the old girl and maybe, just maybe get an AMG version of the CE to sit next to her on the driveway!! On top of that hopefully the SEC will be back on the road soon. My friend lost his job recently and needs quite a bit of work to be done on it before she is fully up and running!
 

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