W124 500TE - Lets do this!

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Apologies! I get most parts from dealer.

There was a place called forest fine who supplied Mercedes seals, but they went a long time ago.

They were similar price to Mercedes so not sure how their business model worked. Maybe they had found a hoard of new old stock seals...
 
Jay

No apology required. Not to me anyway ;^)

Maidstone Mercedes have a Parts Chap (David) who has a truly well deserved reputation for being able to track down parts on "older" (in my case 124's) Mercs. This starts when he can name most parts just from "it's the round thing, that bolts onto the big silver square thing". Having named it he then sets off in pursuit and rarely let's you down. He is also "keen" on pricing and not really one to make you spit your coffee out when he mention the final price (although this can happen).

David exemplifies what a parts department should be about. A department that tracks down parts for their customers and not a Comedy Store who's employees fall about laughing at almost every request.

I could give several examples where he has located NLA parts for me, including a 4-Matic Undertray for a pre-facelift car. Or a set of NLA inner front wing louvered wings.. All done with no fuss and delivered within a week of ordering.
 
Definitely last choice of wheels. Promise.

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What an amazing result, I’ve loved following along.

I like the number plate too - I considered buying E500Y which was for sale a little while ago.
 
I’ve been messing/building and modifying cars since I could open my fathers car bonnet and this has to be one of my all time favourite builds.

For me, the OE look and quality really set it off. Perfection.
 
Wheels and exhaust look so much better now . Absolutely perfect.
 
The car looks great Jay. Absolutely stunning. Well done to you and the team.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just then I see the son of the seller in tears… It was obvious that selling this car wasn’t an easy decision for this family. The father and son got emotional so we stopped for a little photo… We took some time for them to say goodbye.. Not quite sure how long they owned this car but the teenage boy indicated that it’s the only car he has ever known.

Its been a long time since I bought a car like this and it reminds me of the special relationship that we form with these metal cans..


Will panasonic cars have this effect? I don’t think so.


In true used car sales spirit, the fuel lamp is on and needle barely moves. Off we go to find a station… We made it thankfully… Tank full and we head for the Autobahn… woohoo, never driven on German roads, 260 KMH here we come… We wave goodbye to Roland with an exchange of hazard flashes. Roland is a new Mercedes friend for life now.


Well before I got the chance to test the range topping 320 torque, the temperature needle flew off the top of the gauge… uh oh. So first things first… post it on facebook..


Stay calm. we have breakdown cover, we have stolen croissants from breakfast and a ¼ bottle of Evian… We have seen three and half episodes of Bear Grylls… nothing can break us.


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With the thought of spending the day waiting for ze RAC on the autostrassebahn, I pulled over and opened the bonnet.. Straight six sounded normal with that old car engine smell… no steam, felt the hoses, seemed ok.. no excess pressure.


Hmm, breath out relief but a little scratchy on the head….


Then I remember an old method passed down through generations of Maneks.


I took my left fist and beat the dashboard.. Hey presto, the temperature was a steady 80 again.


Utilising the phrase of our very own northern member, John… It was the standard equipment “comedy W124 gauges” playing tricks on me. And it tried to scare me all the way back home, bouncing up and down...


The 250 mile or so journey to Calais felt a breeze through Netherlands, Belgium and France.


We were on the train by lunch time and back in the UK..


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This is where we are at now and hope you are interested to follow the progress.


Will the wife find out? Will I live to tell the tale?


It may work, it may not, but in the words of my spiritual prophet and guiding force…


“he who dares wins Rodney, he who dares wins…”


Apologies for any mistakes in my grammar.. I only went to a cheap school and never really listed to my teachers.


Apologies also, for what has ended up being a very long post. Future updates will be brief and picturesque.

This is an absolutely fantastic Read! Had me giggling all the way through! Hahaha....brilliant!
 

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