Pitfalls of a 13 year old 124!

[mercboiuk]

My car's just gone in for a major service, including oil and filters. I'm getting the gearbox oil changed, as well as the diff oil.
She'll possibly need new brake discs and pads, too.
I've also got some damaged interior trim replaced, along with the collapsed driver's seat being repaired (with the help of Sp!ke's seats ).
I'm also having the suspension looked at, as it's feeling a little more "wobbly" for want of a better phrase.

BUT....the major problem for this service is some pesky rust has been discovered! There are two holes in the engine bay; one by the ABS unit, and the other next to the screen washer resevior.
Also 2 rust holes have been noted in both rear wheel arches where the forward gromits sit. It will be grinded back and patched, but the cost is over £2,000 with my Merc Specialist. A huge amount, but I know it will be repaired to a very high standard.

The joys of owning an older car, I guess! I can't wait to get her back, but it will take a further week and a half.
You still have to love the 124 series though!

Darren

 

[Ade B]

Ouch!

Could you see the rust in the engine bay from above or was it only visible from underneath?

Any chance you could post pics of the locations as check points when you get the car back.

So far mine seems to be relatively sound rustwise, but at 17 I'm expecting issues to start to appear soon.


Cheers
Ade

 

[Ian B Walker]

but the cost is over £2,000 with my Merc Specialist. A huge amount,

Too right its a huge amount, is he having a laugh? That works out at £500 per weld . Why not seek a further quote before you spent this amount of cash. Even if the quote includes a service. A "B Service" at Mb is in the region of £400 or there abouts. So that equates to £1600 of welding. OK, new discs at about £78 each, fitting at 1.5 hours, still does not add up.

 

[SilverSaloon]

hi.

Seems expensive to me aswell - definatly woth getting a couple of quotes for any job this size if you are able to.

These 124s can be expensive when problems arise. Definatly worth learning a few simple mechanical skills like brakes, oil changes etc to save some costs doing it yourself. I'd also be tempted to attempt the body repair myself. I've just repaired the rear wheel arches on my saloon myself. Luckly the rust was not onto the main bodywork (just on the very lip of the rear arch) so painting was pretty easy and looks good. I'd also be tempted to attempt rust work in the engine bay aswell myself as any DIY imperfections wouldnt show much. Unfortunatly the front arches on the saloon needed more professional work

Then again, if you are happy to pay that to get the car back to a standard you are happy with then i say go ahead.

i sourced quite a few interior trim parts 2nd hand from ebay to replace a few bits that were damaged in my Estate. Its pretty much sorted now.

 

[grober]

I think I know where those holes are just behind the lights. Water tends to accumulate there and if your windscreen washer reservoir is leaking this tends to accelerate things on that side. If the holes aren't too big you could probably patch them with fibre glass matting since I don't think they are structural. The rear wheel arches are a different story and should be repaired professionally. The damage may well extend into the rear of the sills and rear jacking points which is a classic rust spot for these cars. The other area of concern are the rear subframe front mounting points on the car body itself. If the damage extends to these areas it might well reach the cost they have quoted. If it does only mean patching a couple of holes in the arches then as others have said it seems a bit expensive so get an alternative quote. If the car is very extensively corroded you have to have to question spending £2000 if there is to be more big body repair expenditure further down the line. I don't want to sound too pessimistic but try to see the big picture in the long term. £2000 if really required would go quite a way in the purchase of another sounder condition car?

 

[MangoMan]

Does sound a tad pricey!

...... And reading what Grober has just said, I tend to agree with him.

 

[Ade B]

I think Darren has sunk a lot of cash into the car already so I don't think the economics are the prime motive here - if the £2k includes welding, paint, new OE discs and pads and a service + driver's seat repairs + vat I can see how it could rack up..


Ade

 

[SilverSaloon]

if the car is a keeper and the owner is happy to spend large amounts on it to keep it top notch then its worth it IMO. My estate will get whatever needs to be done to it. Not had many issues so far, but I try to keep maintenance up myself though and only get somone else to do the job if i dont have (or can learn) the expertise or tools.

I can also see how the bill once you factor in labour for all those jobs will soon rake up, which is why i cant recommend doing basic stuff yourself. A lot of stuff is just time consuming and doesnt require specialist knowlege. Non mechanical jobs (like the seat etc), the specialist will probably just "wing" as he goes along anyway same as you would, unless he's done it before.

 

[mercboiuk]

I know it's a huge amount to spend, and yes the car has had a large amount of money on it - she will be a keeper

The holes are, IMO, large in the engine bay, and the 2 in the rear arches require the rear seat to be removed. They've explained to me that although the job and materials, itself isn't expensive, it's a labour-intensive exercise to get to the areas. They've told me there is a cheaper option to patch the holes which may not be as long term (I can't remember what that was called), but I said I wanted it done correctly.
Just to clarify, the work isn't anything to do with exterior body panels, more the bits you wouldn't necessarily see! I only discovered the rust in the rear arches when I recently removed the wheels and gave the arches a good hand wash.

As for tackling bits myself, I daren't trust myself! LOL.

And yup, I'll post up photos of the areas once I get the car back.

Darren

 

[mattc]

Can you not do some of the leg work (like removing the rear seats, liners etc) yourself. Let the experts do the important stuff you cannot do yourself but save elsewhere? If money is no object then crack on I say!

 

[stever]

I think I know where those holes are just behind the lights. Water tends to accumulate there and if your windscreen washer reservoir is leaking this tends to accelerate things on that side. If the holes aren't too big you could probably patch them with fibre glass matting since I don't think they are structural. The rear wheel arches are a different story and should be repaired professionally. The damage may well extend into the rear of the sills and rear jacking points which is a classic rust spot for these cars. The other area of concern are the rear subframe front mounting points on the car body itself. If the damage extends to these areas it might well reach the cost they have quoted. If it does only mean patching a couple of holes in the arches then as others have said it seems a bit expensive so get an alternative quote. If the car is very extensively corroded you have to have to question spending £2000 if there is to be more big body repair expenditure further down the line. I don't want to sound too pessimistic but try to see the big picture in the long term. £2000 if really required would go quite a way in the purchase of another sounder condition car?

Sorry to disappoint you - I did exactly that on my last W123 and it failed the MOT, the tester deemed that it was a structural area. The rust was caused by blocked drain holes under the headlamp washer motors.

 

[Smiley]

Body repair shops have much lower hourly rates than MB specialists; I bet you could get an equally good rust repair for 1/2 the amount you have been quoted.

 

[Stratman]

The holes are, IMO, large in the engine bay, and the 2 in the rear arches require the rear seat to be removed. They've explained to me that although the job and materials, itself isn't expensive, it's a labour-intensive exercise to get to the areas. They've told me there is a cheaper option to patch the holes which may not be as long term (I can't remember what that was called), but I said I wanted it done correctly.
Darren

I think the word you are looking for is bodge

 

[mercboiuk]

Photos!

Hi guys! I had to pop over to my Merc Specialist yesterday, so took my camera along. So I could post the requested pics of the rust-affected areas.
The front wings are well under way being repaired, the o/s nearly ready for painting, and the n/s welded. The rear arches are yet to be done, so you have a better of idea of the rust there.

O/S Engine Bay:

N/S Engine Bay:

O/S Rear Arch:

N/S Rear Arch:

Darren

 

[mattc]

Thanks for that Darren - will be checking mine in the same places.

 

[Smiley]

Look on the bright side - still cheaper than the depreciation on the RR.

 

[Pringles]

Just checked mine after reading this thread and I have got rust under the washer reservoir(hard to see because the washer reservoir obscures it but no mistaking it under torch light)
I will need to get it attended to this year £££ !

 

[bolide]

Rust in the engine compartment in those exact locations - under the washer bottle being a favourite - is not particularly common. I see it in about one car in fifty. However affected cars seem to have serious holes or rust patches once the rust has taken hold

A more common one is rust at the inside front of the bonnet above the radiator. I think it's caused by condensation on the bonnet as the engine cools

Nick Froome

 

[Dave Lewis]

I've had the rust problem under the washer bottle, quite a big hole. It's been welded now. I think it mainly effects the last of the line. The problem is the hole in the inner wing panel that locates the peg in the bottom of the washer bottle - thin paint and moisture from the washer bottle weeping = certain rust. I'm keeping an eye on the nearside by the abs pump.

 

[Smiley]

Take the washer bottle out, have a good look + get the waxoyl spray gun out and cover it liberally - will never go rusty then.