Prospective W124 Owner

[Samosun]

Hi all,

I'm interested in getting a W124 estate. I'm looking at one locally, it's a '88 230TE. Very basic spec and about 100k miles. I'm not looking for anything fast or flashy, just large inside, comfortable and reliable.
Looks like it's been looked after, but I'm hoping to tidy it up a bit and keep it for a good while. so to my questions.

- What is it like to get parts for these cars? I assume service parts are common and available from GSF/Euro/ etc, however is there anything I should look out for which are very rare and difficult to fix?

- what is the engine in the 230TE like performance wise? Clearly it's not rapid but I assume it's got a bit of grunt for towing etc and is nice and smooth? Is it common enough to find used parts if anything goes wrong.

- Are there any common mods for these cars people can recommend? Aesthetic or Mechanical? I'm generally just planning on making it less fussy. Removing aerial, maybe rear wiper etc? Painting/replacing black (now grey) plastic bumpers/mirrors, alloys. Has anyone seen/got these on banded steels? Do they look any good?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Sorry if this is a common topic, I did do a quick search of the forum but just found a couple of generic (but helpful) buyers guides.

Thanks

 

[219]

The main problem , having had three W124 estates and a W123 before that ) is that fuel and hydraulic pipes for brakes and self levelling suspension ALWAYS rust at the back where they pass up and over the rear subframe.

I’ve had to do that job on every one of my otherwise nice cars , and it is a pig of a job or expensive in labour if paying someone else to do it for you .

Ready made pipes from the dealers used to be cheap , but no longer , so now I have the tool and make my own up .

The self levelling can also suffer from ruptured membranes in the oleo-gas spheres , and the control valves can stick, oh and if your pipes corrode and cause a loss of fluid then the pump can run dry and be knackered- especially bad on the six cylinder cars where you have a tandem pump with separate chambers serving SLS and power steering.

That system is the only serious weakness in these cars , and when working it is fabulous: you can load two metric tonnes in the back with impunity and the car will still sit level !

A minor niggle is that the frames to the side windows either side of the cargo area are aluminium, and you can get sacrificial corrosion where they meet the steel bodywork around them - to check , open up the storage panels either side of the load area and feel around with your fingertips ; also check in there where the wheel arch meets the inside of the rear wings .

Rust is a problem as with any other 30 year old car - check front inner wings behind headlamps and under the washer bottle; external rust on front wings around wheelarches and especially where they meet the front bumper will be obvious, and the wings unbolt so are easily replaced. Check around jacking points in the sills and also along the bottoms of the doors . The cars don’t rust particularly badly , but these are the main places to look .

Water leaks can be an issue , either due to fallen leaves filling the drain holes just behind the bonnet hinges and causing water to go where it shouldn’t , or due to blocked sunroof drains causing the cassette to rot away .

Mechanical components, if looked after , are pretty much bomb proof .

They actually are very good cars , but due to age now you have to be careful when buying . If you can get a specialist who knows the cars to look it over before you buy , it would be money well spent .

 

[brucemillar]

Samosun

Welcome aboard. You have come to the right place for 124 ownership. Also take a look on the Facebook 124 Enthusiasts Page.

I own and run a fully restored 1987 300te 4-Matic Estate that is Factory original.

The estate version of the 124 is becoming rarer and more sought after so prices tend be on the up.
Rust is the single biggest enemy of these cars.
Clean 'well presented' estates, can hide rust that puts them way beyond the scrapyard or any sensible restoration budget.

Start at the top and work down.

1. Rear Side windows (into the boot) the lower seals nearly always leak (unless they have attended too/replaced).
2. This same water then creates really bad rust through the wing to floor pan and spare wheel drum/petrol flap and eventually the rear sub-frame mounts. All of these parts are available from MB but require a good welder/panel shop.
3. Jack points on all four corners fill with water and rot out the sills and chassis. As above kits are available from MB to repair, or can be fabricated.
4. Front Firewall. This can be a right off. Have a good poke under the windscreen and as low as you can get for any signs of bad rot. If that has gone you are into serious money as the lump will have to come out and the car braced etc.
5. Engine and box on these things are legendary for the longevity and moon miles. Get the biggest lump you can if you want any kind of performance. These are very heavy cars and even with a big lump they are not race winners.
6. Engine Wiring Loom is perishable on some of the later cars and will need replacing that sees many of thee sold of quicker than a quick thing. Ask here when you have a car in mind somebody will tell you if it is in the effected wiring loom range, or seek receipts prove the loom has been replaced.

Try and buy a car through this or one of the other forums/members. That can save a huge amount of ball ache.

There are many really good solid well maintained cars out there. But most of the bargains are bargains for a reason. Things not working that the owner would be a "cheap fix" fine get them to fix them in the price. I have seen cheap fixes bankrupt a car, walk away if they are not prepared to help with that or stand up to their claims.

Yes they can be modded in almost fashion you would think and there are plentiful spare parts around, you may to hunt but they are there and people on here will help.

Good luck.

Bruce

 

[Samosun]

Thanks a lot for the advice! Really helpful stuff.

Pontoneer, apart from visible corrosion on pipes and leaks are there any simple checks you know of to evaluate the condition of the system? It does look a tiny bit low at the back....but then the photo is on an uneven surface. Does a faulty system fail an MOT or is it more a comfort issue? I assume leaky parts would fail but I'm guessing many issues would not be noticeable unless in use? I'm planning on getting this on the road asap as it currently has no MOT. It ran out earlier in the year.

Brucemillar, thanks for the info. I will be sure to check those areas! One of the reasons I'm interested in this car is it really appears to have been looked after, and lightly used. Plus it's got as little to go wrong as possible, it doesn't even have electric windows!

 

[brucemillar]

Thanks a lot for the advice! Really helpful stuff.

Pontoneer, apart from visible corrosion on pipes and leaks are there any simple checks you know of to evaluate the condition of the system? It does look a tiny bit low at the back....but then the photo is on an uneven surface. Does a faulty system fail an MOT or is it more a comfort issue? I assume leaky parts would fail but I'm guessing many issues would not be noticeable unless in use? I'm planning on getting this on the road asap as it currently has no MOT. It ran out earlier in the year.

Brucemillar, thanks for the info. I will be sure to check those areas! One of the reasons I'm interested in this car is it really appears to have been looked after, and lightly used. Plus it's got as little to go wrong as possible, it doesn't even have electric windows!

Open the boot cubbys (one either side) remove the spare wheel and have a feel around down the bottom for rust & damp. Then take a look at the the rear window seals, checking for any signs of rust under the seals (bubbling uneven rubber)

Less to go wrong is good ;^)

Pontoneer gives great advice. I forgot the pipes and spheres. If you do have to get the pipes you will get a great idea of the rear subframe/chassis.

Take a good wire brush.


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