Old and mad?

[Oldandgrumpy]

Hi all,
Many years ago I owned a beautiful Mercedes e320 coupe which I loved. It took me and my very young family across Europe on holidays, eased my commute to work, hauled us all off to the country and generally took car of us all with huge grace and refinement.It was a wrench to let it go and I have never really got rid of the bug. Now I am older and wiser and...I want my Benz back. It started as an idle thought and has grown to be an an obsession. There*is just something about the w124 series Benz ( and the equivalent era S Class Coupe's I might add, I have had my lust for a nuclear powered gentlemens club on wheels provoked as well) that oozes quality and refinement even after twenty years.

I live in London but have retired and will be traveling several times a year*between The Loire and The Cotswolds so mileage will be high

So here*are the two*questions

Obvious one first, am I mad to consider a W 124 for long distance travel?
Is the e320 the better choice over the S Class Coupe's considering reliability and maintainable ( I am prepared for the fuel bills)?

Really appreciate any thoughts you might have.

 

[Dieselman]

I would go for the S class for long journeys.

 

[d w124]

Obvious one first, am I mad to consider a W 124 for long distance travel?
Is the e320 the better choice over the S Class Coupe's considering reliability and maintainable ( I am prepared for the fuel bills)?

Really appreciate any thoughts you might have.

Hi and welcome to the forum.As ^ long journeys will feel much shorter driving the C140 but,I`m afraid it would be a 124 for me

 

[Dieselman]

Hi and welcome to the forum.As ^ long journeys will feel much shorter driving the C140 but,I`m afraid it would be a 124 for me

You like short journeys to feel longer?

 

[LTD]

Welcome to the forum.

I guess the most important question is budget.

Having owned a W220 S500 LWB, there are few cars that give the ride comfort to equal or better an S Class.

However, maintenance and fuel bills are not going to be small. The S500 will return you in the region of 20mpg overall. That's what I averaged over 40k miles in mine.

 

[Oldandgrumpy]

Thanyou for your replies so far. I think bills will be fine. I currently run a TVR T350 which I have owned from new for 8 years and have ensured she is kept in perfect condition. I am used to big bills : ). I don't spend excessive amounts but I am happy to pay to maintain a complex car which will probably do relatively modest mileage in total.
Travel will consist of quarterly intercontinental meaderings combined with local day trips of much lower mileage once in country.

 

[d w124]

You like short journeys to feel longer?

Not really Will but I do speak from personal experience from having had both,still have the C140

 

[brigadier]

E320 would be nice on long journeys as well, as long as it has the 5 speed box. Not as nice as c140, but better looking imo - at least front. I'm not a fan of the c140 headlight design.

 

[boxbrownie]

There was a nice 2010 CL500 at auction today.....bloomin' marvelous it looked....an S-Class with balls! Went for about 29K as I remember.......worth every penny, with those proportions the hood looked like an aircraft carrier....mmmmm

 

[boxbrownie]

I currently run a TVR T350

Well your brave.....the only kit car that comes ready assembled.....and then the owner has to reassemble over the prevailing years

But you cannot beat that exhaust note brrrmmmmmmm

 

[WDB124066]

Buy the 124 Coupe as the destination car that you can use at the other end.

Intercontinental travel can then be done in the big Coupe.

 

[Oldandgrumpy]

Well your brave.....the only kit car that comes ready assembled.....and then the owner has to reassemble over the prevailing years

But you cannot beat that exhaust note brrrmmmmmmm

Bravery brings its own rewards young whippersnapper. Besides, how do you think I got so grumpy. Young'uns these days, no respect for the bitter and twisted.

 

[Oldandgrumpy]

Buy the 124 Coupe as the destination car that you can use at the other end.

Intercontinental travel can then be done in the big Coupe.

Now thats a lateral thought. I like lateral!

 

[DSM10000]

Well your brave.....the only kit car that comes ready assembled.....and then the owner has to reassemble over the prevailing years

But you cannot beat that exhaust note brrrmmmmmmm

My Chimera was a true collectors car, I regularly had to stop and collect bits that had fallen oof, become loose or collect large invoices to fix things that the factory thought were not that important

I still miss it!

 

[geoff19]

never had a TVR but did own a Trident which was the car designed by TVR but never produced as they never had the money to go ahead with,owned it for around three years and it was as reliable as a Golf,apart from a new fuel tank it never had a spanner near it.
Must say am a fan of the 320 in your choices though.

 

[Oldandgrumpy]

My Chimera was a true collectors car, I regularly had to stop and collect bits that had fallen oof, become loose or collect large invoices to fix things that the factory thought were not that important

I still miss it!

Collect a lot of memories along the way as well. Not the worlds best built cars but extravagantly ambitious, designed and developed with a frightening degree of passion and on a good day epically fast and furious. I have had many good days.

As I did in my Merc. Burgundy and cream interior, used to sail forth in splendour the world looking a better place when seen behind a silver star.

Gagh! Sentimental rubbish.

 

[Oldandgrumpy]

never had a TVR but did own a Trident which was the car designed by TVR but never produced as they never had the money to go ahead with,owned it for around three years and it was as reliable as a Golf,apart from a new fuel tank it never had a spanner near it.
Must say am a fan of the 320 in your choices though.

Now that's what you call a classic. The Trident was wonderful car. My T 350 has thrown a problem or two but nothing serious. Besides, what other brand of car allows you to develop a life long friendship with the engineers at your dealer? That's what the young don't understand, there's more to car ownership than immaculate engineering and big bills. There's the camaraderie that comes through facing the perils of Blackpool wiring looms together, or taming a Tuscans tendency to spit you off the A406 in the middle of the night. It's character forming!

 

[john-f]

My Chimera was a true collectors car, I regularly had to stop and collect bits that had fallen oof, become loose or collect large invoices to fix things that the factory thought were not that important

I still miss it!

My Griff 500 was totally reliable, which amazed every other TVR owner I met.

 

[LTD]

I'd love a TVR.

Don't know why as they are a totally illogical, barking piece of engineering.

Still would love one though ....