What to look out for !

[jebus]

Right then !!

Finally taken the jump and bought myself an 95/N E320 coupe. Unfortunately not a sportline but hard to find in blue/black.

One of the best i could find, 125k but in pretty much imacculate condition.
I'm thinking a definite keeper! (well until/or if, it turns into a lemon)
What do i look out for in a view to keeping it tip top?? (having not owned one before)
Got some ideas;

Wiring loom:

I have no idea how to check if the wiring looms been replaced. Is it just a matter of looking in certain areas for obvious degradation ? Reams of history but haven't come across a bill for wiring loom.
(sorry) i know this has been covered before. One post mentioned checking part No. Anyone know what part number equals ok and vice versa.

No rust anywhere, that i can see. Arches pristine. No obvious dodgy repairs. Head gasket replaced last year or 2k ago.

Climate control is cool not cold is this normal ?

Cheers

 

[bennesspipers]

Climate control doesnt mean air con, but it could have air con as an option,check your dash buttons ! One place i found rust was in the boot,left hand side at the back, just under the rear light. Caused by a leak on rear screen rubber, then the water runs into a trough where you wouldnt normally look ! Its just next to the hump that is the rear exhaust mounting.

 

[Ade B]

Welcome to C124dom, I put another 160 miles on mine today with a trip to the south coast with family and dog.

Post a pic of your central console and we can tell you about the climate control. I can't see how you can have it without an AC compressor - it should blow cold if its working correctly.

Check the jacking points for rust and clear all the drain holes - give all the electric bits a good run if the CHG was replaced, I can't see how a brittle loom would have survived other than that just stick lots of petrol in it and enjoy.

Oh and some pics would be good.

Ade

 

[Smiley]

If you have three vertical buttons in the centre of two rotary heat adjusters then you have a/c; if you have a series of horizontal buttons and no rotary dials then you have climate control. If you have two rotary heat dials and no buttons then you have the windows and sunroof for your a/c.
Assuming that you do have a/c or c/c then it should blow ice cold if it is working properly. You will need to get it re-gassed and leak tested. Fixing a/c on older cars can get pricy which is why so many are left not working; tricky to justify several hundred pounds on an older car.

 

[grober]

I would check when the automatic transmission fluid/ filter was changed last since most of the common engine checks/repairs appear to have been done and its the other major car component . Fluid/ filter should be changed every 36k miles. You might also want to check when the brake fluid and antifreeze/coolant was changed last. Front anti roll bar bushes can go, rear discs can suffer corrosion as can front springs. One vital check should be the lower front wishbone ball joints since they are safety critical components. It sounds as if you have bought a well looked after car but still worth checking.

 

[Roger Jones]

Good advice above. I always get all fluids changed when acquiring a car, documented history or not (does that dealer tick in the box mean what it says?).

Dig around the Net for more on detecting looming problems; it is said that the worst of them are deeply buried and not evident at the top of the engine. It's not hit mine yet. Stay alert to the slightest running imperfections in the engine. Here are some of the large US sites, and there are several others:

Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum

Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Mercedes Benz C Class E Class AMG News: Review, Preview. Owners, Repair, Wheels - MBWorld.org

PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum - Powered by vBulletin

Corrosion usually hits the front wheel arches, so you are lucky if there is none. The rear under the lights is also prone, as has been mentioned. And, of course, there is the common problem of the rear screen delaminating at the edges; mine has, but I am living with it rather than forking out £750-ish.

My Coupé has done half your mileage, but I currently have a front wing and a drive-train vibration to fix, the latter appearing to be caused by the worn/loose UJ at at the front end of the rear half of the propshaft. I haven't seen many other reports of this specific diagnosis, although such vibrations from other sources are not uncommon, the kludge solution being the easy installation a heavy damper (which doesn't get to the root of it, of course, but may achieve enough suppression).

I've had the car nine years and cannot envisage selling it, so I hope you will get similar satisfaction too.

 

[Ade B]

Good advice above. I always get all fluids changed when acquiring a car, documented history or not (does that dealer tick in the box mean what it says?).

Dig around the Net for more on detecting looming problems; it is said that the worst of them are deeply buried and not evident at the top of the engine. It's not hit mine yet. Stay alert to the slightest running imperfections in the engine. Here are some of the large US sites, and there are several others:

Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum

Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Mercedes Benz C Class E Class AMG News: Review, Preview. Owners, Repair, Wheels - MBWorld.org

PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum - Powered by vBulletin

Corrosion usually hits the front wheel arches, so you are lucky if there is none. The rear under the lights is also prone, as has been mentioned. And, of course, there is the common problem of the rear screen delaminating at the edges; mine has, but I am living with it rather than forking out £750-ish.

My Coupé has done half your mileage, but I currently have a front wing and a drive-train vibration to fix, the latter appearing to be caused by the worn/loose UJ at at the front end of the rear half of the propshaft. I haven't seen many other reports of this specific diagnosis, although such vibrations from other sources are not uncommon, the kludge solution being the easy installation a heavy damper (which doesn't get to the root of it, of course, but may achieve enough suppression).

I've had the car nine years and cannot envisage selling it, so I hope you will get similar satisfaction too.

Good round up - quick hi jack.. re your drive train vibration is that underway or only stationary.

I've been living with a slight transmission grumble in D when stationary more or less since buying the car 30k ago.

Ade

 

[jebus]

Cheers for the replies guys ! Definitely given me some good pointers.

From being pristine 2 days ago. I've now got a sticking n/s/f window. Goes down but struggles to come back up. I'm thinking lack of use, not been driven at all for 7 months. Appears to be jamming in the rubber near the wing mirror.

Also it's developed (or i missed it when test driving) a hum/drone/slight vibration between 70 and 80. Have i got the same fault as roger above ??? If you give it gas the problem disappears and is also non existent above or below these speeds. Thought poss prop shaft (joint) or wheel bearing. If wheel bearing why would it not be evident under exceleration ? Loading up (on the rears)? Or am i talking rubbish?

The previous owner spent 8.5 k on it last year (cough) buying it for 6k from a specialist and 2.5k on getting it up to scratch. Although if he'd taken it to a benz specialist rather than a rolls and mazerati i'm thinking the bill may have been less.
So can't believe he would of let this problem go. Unless he didn't go above 60 of course, or was skint from the other bills.
No longer with us to ask unfortunately.

I'm going to have to have a root about methinks


Mike

 

[Roger Jones]

"re your drive train vibration is that underway or only stationary"
Only when under way, coming on at 45-ish and becoming less intrusive as speed builds up until the irritation is drowned by road, engine and wind noise at 75+.

"a hum/drone/slight vibration between 70 and 80"
This is common enough to be mentioned in the E-class owner's bible. First suggestion: unbalanced propshaft, but my mechanic says that's so distinct and rough that it's not the case with my car. If not, then the bible suggests the easily fitted damper (part no. 124 350 03 72). Easy enough to test for a wheel-bearing source, which seems less likely.