w124 CE Quality

[EasyManHugo]

Guy on EBAY selling an E220 Coupe says this


"Built in May 1993, just before the facelift, this is one of the very last real solid w124. (With the facelift model Mercedes started to outsource some of the production away from Germany and also used thinner metal in order to drop the weight. The face lift models tend to rust away and aren't quite as solid)"

Is that true...or sales talk??

Many Thanks

EMH

 

[Sp!ke]

Sales talk imho.

 

[GP801]

I think its largely a myth. All depends on how its been cared for at that age.

 

[Ermir]

I have been a proud owner of a w124 for 7 years. I have to say that it has some especially week rust points which disappeared with the face lift. 50% of the w124 i have seen have this rust problems.
1. In the fenders, up the wheel arch.
2. Behind ABS.
3.Front doors, on the bottom where the water drains.
4. Cabin to chassis connections.
5. Below the tail lights.
6. Around the windscreen or back window. etc.
The w124 was not as galvanized, zincked and treated as new models are. Metal is not resistant to rust due to its thickness but of the way is treated. Ford is well known for superior resistance against rust although it has very thin build in metal.

 

[hotrodder]

FWIW if it's a '93 220 it's kinda at least a 'half face lift'... later engine etc with the early grille. My '93 320 is the same, early grille badged as a 320TE instead of E320

As said condition is everything with these, dunno about the early cars being more solidly built as i can't remember the last time i saw an eighties w124 on the road, plenty of ninties examples still about local to me though...
W123s have a reputation for being more solidly built than the w124. Shutting doors and things like the fit/feel of trim certainly backs this up but they're FAR more rot prone and like early w124s a LOT simpler than a late example with regards to equipment/leccy stuff so there's less to go wrong...

The later cars are just as rust prone IMO, they're just better at hiding some of it due to the lower body cladding

 

[grober]

The big change in rust resistance came with the change from solvent based paint to water based paint. Post 92/93 being slightly more prone to rust . Nothing to do with metal gauge used - which didn't change afaik. That said- the older the car--- theoretically--- the greater no of UK winter road treatments its had to endure. BUT a "summer only 89" is likely to be in better nick body wise than say a " seven years younger " last 1996 car that's been used year round all its life.

 

[Sp!ke]

I have been a proud owner of a w124 for 7 years. I have to say that it has some especially week rust points which disappeared with the face lift. 50% of the w124 i have seen have this rust problems.
1. In the fenders, up the wheel arch.
2. Behind ABS.
3.Front doors, on the bottom where the water drains.
4. Cabin to chassis connections.
5. Below the tail lights.
6. Around the windscreen or back window. etc.
The w124 was not as galvanized, zincked and treated as new models are. Metal is not resistant to rust due to its thickness but of the way is treated. Ford is well known for superior resistance against rust although it has very thin build in metal.

My 1991 prefacelift W124Ce seemed to suffer in all the normal weak points youmention.

 

[Scott_F]

Ford is well known for superior resistance against rust although it has very thin build in metal.

Not so.

Well into the noughties Ford were producing Ka and Fiesta models that suffer from levels of corrosion last seen on 1970's Minis.

 

[stwat]

Indeed. Most manufacturers seemed to suffer when water based paints were introduced. Some seem to have recovered better than others.

 

[carat 3.6]

Ford is well known for superior resistance against rust although it has very thin build in metal.

That's a joke surely?

 

[Deadly Dave]

My `88 300CE has no rust. The metal defiantly feels thicker than later models.

 

[Ermir]

That's a joke surely?

No, seriously. Have u ever seen rust on a focus?

 

[Ermir]

My 1991 prefacelift W124Ce seemed to suffer in all the normal weak points youmention.

Have you bought it in germany? They use salt in snow which accelerates the corrosion.

 

[d w124]

Have you bought it in germany? They use salt in snow which accelerates the corrosion.

They use salt here too and as for fords,plenty of rusted ones around

 

[Ermir]

They use salt here too and as for fords,plenty of rusted ones around

Shqiptar je ti o vlla???

 

[d w124]

Shqiptar je ti o vlla???

No,I just like having your flag there Po normal qe Shqiptar shoku

 

[Ermir]

No,I just like having your flag there Po normal qe Shqiptar shoku

Haha ok. Mos me thuaj qe banon ne woodgreen