Why is the W124 so good?

[djwazza]

I've been the owner of a 'very' good condition w124 estate for just over 2 months and I'm struggling to figure out what it is that is so good about these cars.

Since owning the car I have discovered that the front wings rust, the jacking points rust, the rear windows leak and lead to rust of the rear wings, the internal structure of the car is prone to rust, the door trims promote rust and the subframe can also rust. The complicated electronic parts are either super expensive or almost impossible to fit and the chance of all or some of these occurrences is highly likely (in my case soon after ownership started).

I already own 2 classics, I thought the chance of this car inheriting classic issues was some years away. So please explain the reasons I should keep the said car and not trade it in for something more tedious and less corrosion prone?

 

[Roger Jones]

"Since owning the car I have discovered that the front wings rust, the jacking points rust, the rear windows leak and lead to rust of the rear wings, the internal structure of the car is prone to rust, the door trims promote rust and the subframe can also rust. The complicated electronic parts are either super expensive or almost impossible to fit and the chance of all or some of these occurrences is highly likely (in my case soon after ownership started)."

Sorry to see that you are disappointed. It's not clear whether your car is already exhibiting these problems or that you are worried about them happening in future. All the corrosion points that you list are well known as predictable weak points, although I'm not so sure about the electronics (apart from the wiring loom degradation on later models, which has still not happened in my 1996 E320 Coupé). They are so widely reported as to be primary targets in any pre-purchase inspection, such that evidence can be used in price negotiation. Once fixed, the car should be good for another decade, if anyone keeps a car that long these days (except me). I view whatever I spend on such repairs as investment in long-term ownership: spread over ten years it is easy to live with; spread over two years it makes little sense. And it has to be said that all cars corrode eventually, and corrosion is not something that suddenly bursts out.

I guess it comes down to whether you really like the car or not. I suspect that most long-term W124 owners take these repairs in their stride, because the car is fundamentally so satisfying. Many more W124 owners swear by their cars than swear at them.

Also, I sometimes feel that the W124 gets a bad press in this respect. The grief reported by owners of earlier models -- right back to the 1960s -- rather sadly confirms that MB has rarely been at the forefront of protection against corrosion, perhaps with the shining exception of the R129 (W140 too, maybe), not to mention the dreadful record from 1996 to 2003. Superb corrosion resistance is the one thing I miss about the Audi 100 I sold a decade ago.

 

[dervdoc]

one of the main factors also is how well looked after the car has been in its life time, i have a 89 300D w124 and apart from usual wear and tear mine was looked after very well, serviced every 3000k and body work was in very good condition apart from front wings, there are over 700k miles on my origional engine and autobox, still running well

 

[Smiley]

Im one of those long term w124 owners; never kept any other car longer than 4 years and had the 124 for 11; probably will never sell it as it is worth so little. Why is it good? Main reason is that it drives so well, is so comfortable and relaxing to drive, second is it is so useful being an estate - it is cavernous, third nice and easy to service and fix when it does go wrong - which to be fair is not too often. I have added over 180k miles to the 30k odd that were already on the car when I bought it - apart from servicing tyres brakes it has had very few parts really - a new rad, a wiper motor, one electirc window motor and a set of glow plugs - oh and one wheel bearing and some anti roll bar bushes - theres probably a few more bits but not many. It has not gone rusty as it was waxoyled early on in its life - and that has stopped the rear windows leaking too (at least I assume thats why they dont leak!).
Some would say it looks old fashioned, it has no a/c and it is quite slow to get going - but hey ho I still like it.

 

[grober]

What is the exact year and specification of the car. Remember it's at least 13 years old if not more.

 

[Will]

The good thing about 124s is that they're honest cars with a feel good factor

The list of potential faults (and associated remedies) isn't horrific and none of them really jump out at you unexpectedly - pretty much, they're all well documented and fairly easy to spot.

If you buy one with outstanding faults, I don't really see why it's the car's fault for not having been properly looked after?

A good one with service history and without outstanding faults will usually make for a pleasant ownership experience and not cost very much to run annually (unless you're really unlucky).

Despite my best efforts to buy one of the cheapest 124 estates on the road (a 300TE for £320), it's now done 196k miles and just keeps on going. It's not perfect - nor should it be for it's age/mileage/price - but it's as tough as old boots and reliable, and has only cost me £60 to keep going over the last year (£40 for an MOT and £20 for a set of MB handbrake shoes). So they're not all bad

Will

 

[The Boss]

Honestly, nothing comes close for comfort, relaxation and ownership pleasure..

Sure others can be good at certain traits.. others might be faster and others might have more gismos.. but when Jeremy clarkson talked about how the s class actually reduces your heart rate, i sincerely believe he wasnt talking about s classes, which i find stressful with so much going on.

plus the w124 has clean timeless lines which i do not think will ever fade nor will they ever grow old...

a good 124 is not a rare thing... and others have said, sure things can go wrong, its a mechanical creation, so ofcourse this can happen, but in all honesty, on a Pound for Pound basis, you will be hard pushed to find something that comes close to it...

if you are having problems, its worth noting, that this would not be a stereotypical trait of the 124 or 126 models... its just unfortunate.. but i wish you luck in the rest of your ownership!

 

[SilverSaloon]

Its a difficult one, and sometimes something I think about.... i think, for me, for an old car (mine is a 1994 estate model) it is better and more versitle than any other 1994 vehicle i could get.... compare it to a 1994 mondeo estate for example.....

cheers

derek

 

[djwazza]

Thanks for the responses gents.

My W124 estate has some corrosion to the front wings and jacking points and I'm trying hard to seal the rear windows against inbound water, not easy at this time of year! The wings I intend to replace with Beevers sourced parts, sprayed prior to fitting and prepped by me on the inside to prevent the dreaded wing rot. The rear windows I'm not sure about. I have just replaced the rear screen to ensure a fully working demist and I notice there is water ingress. I'm tempted to live with the water (drips only) and take all 3 rear windows out in the spring, clean up the seals and replace or respray the metal garnish strips once they're off.

I will also remove all of the plastic to get to the jacking points and have new metal welded into the extra jacking holes that have developed over the last 13 years. Can anyone tell me the part numbers for the clips that I'm sure to break during the removal?

The car has had a full underseal so whether I like it or not, I have to keep fixing it. To put all minds at rest I do like it, it does waft you along nicely and it does swallow loads... still it would be nice if it didn't fizz when it encountered British weather!

 

[grober]

This of any help? Êàòàëîã

 

[Sp!ke]

My W124CE has been a daily driver for 19 years and has now covered 200k miles.

It still feels tight, and drives better than almost all newer cars I've driven. Other than the odd hickup has been very cheap to run indeed, requiring little more than standard maintenance.

I'm not sure that any other car could be used as a main car for so many years without major surgery to keep it going.

 

[Fullmeister]

W124 German scrap.

Your right mate ...... they are RUBBISH

Let me do you a favour and I'll take it off your hands for a hundred quid

Currently own a '92 250D estate 410,000 KM takes me all over europe I trust it without question. It also has (unusual for a German motor) great character , drives smoothly across the worst Polish roads can muster, runs on Bio at 60p from the filling stations (Bliska) does 30 MPG average and I once drove it 30 Hrs non-stop from Wroclaw to Thessaloniki without a single complaint from my ass.
Yeah wings rust etc etc but parts are cheap and a million european taxi drivers can't be wrong.

dare I say it ........ best car in the world ? .......

 

[Apial]

My W124CE has been a daily driver for 19 years and has now covered 200k miles.

It still feels tight, and drives better than almost all newer cars I've driven. Other than the odd hickup has been very cheap to run indeed, requiring little more than standard maintenance.

I'm not sure that any other car could be used as a main car for so many years without major surgery to keep it going.

Not doubting for one moment of the enjoyment of the W124CE, I did wonder how much fuel you might have used compared to a modern engine at the cutting front edge of todays frugal small diesels.

200k miles will need around 8000 gallons of petrol, wheras a modern frugal diesel might use 3000 gallons. 5000 gallons extra fuel at £5 a gallon gives a rough extra cost of £25k. A rather large amount that has just vanished over 19 years. But its only money

 

[bluevenetian]

I've had more grief from my 1995 280 estate than any other car I have owned -- which include an XJS jag and a 1977 Daimler Sovereign. The Merc's capacity to run up enormous bills is staggering. I know a lot of people will say, "if you buy a dud, you have to live with a dud" but.... this car was owned by a japanese diplomat for the first 8 years of its life, during which time it had a fair amount of money spent on it (new A/C unit etc). As an example of the level of care it received -- on the day it was sold to its second owner, the aformentioned diplomat spent nearly 200 pounds having a new electric aerial fitted.
The second owner was a very close friend of mine and also spend a fair amount of money...400 pounds here, 500 there....
I bought the car a couple of years ago and then we got into the serious money....
However....I really like the car, its very comfortable to drive, I love the (vinyl MB tex) seven seats, it amuses me that it looks so old fashioned, yet still does the job and most importantly it feels SOLID, hewn rather than screwed together. But then again so it should... this model cost about £38,000 in 1995.
I don't think its as nice to drive as a similar era BMW 5 series, but I wouldn't swap it for one.
Are they overrated? - yup
Am I keeping this one? - yup

 

[Sp!ke]

200k miles will need around 8000 gallons of petrol, wheras a modern frugal diesel might use 3000 gallons. 5000 gallons extra fuel at £5 a gallon gives a rough extra cost of £25k. A rather large amount that has just vanished over 19 years. But its only money

20 years ago, fuel was a great deal cheaper so your figures dont stack up. You'll find the numbers are a great deal less.

Besides, you need to compare like for like. Look at the fuel consumption of a modern 2.3L petrol Mercedes and you'll be surprised to learn that it is no more efficient at all.

I should also say that with my direct experience of london driving, the MPG difference between a modern diesel and my old W124 is 26mpg vs 32 mpg, and with petrol being cheaper and not having the expensive turbos, EGR systems and filter systems to go wrong, a diesel car may not reap any such reward you speak of.

Then there's the cost of buying and the depreciation of anything modern. I bought my W124 back in 2001 for a mere £2000. This HAS to be cheap motoring at its finest.

 

[d w124]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience boys,but for me W124 IS ONE OF THE BEST CARS EVER MADE.

 

[suitcaseau]

My 95 E280 has no rust anywhere; but then it lives in Australia. I love this car.

 

[Ade B]

Are they overrated? - yup
Am I keeping this one? - yup

In the same barge..

Early blisters appearing on mine - 3 years of constant use and abuse, 35k miles and parked outside. Amount of petrol consumed doesn't bear thinking about - its thirst is pretty much the only thing I don't like about the car, and maybe the dead steering which just makes it pointless to hustle (not necessarily a bad thing).

Interestingly the last two articles I've seen in classic rags have rated the 123 far higher than the 124 which is considered a bit too modern..

Looking back at mine this morning parked all shiney and clean on a pretty SE London street in beautiful morning sunlight, its just starting to look like a classic - must be the heritage grille.


Ade

 

[janner]

The W124 was one of the best cars made in the late 80s/early 90s and still looks better than many modern cars. The problem is they're now around 20 years old so some of them are falling apart. How many Mondeos/Granadas/Cavaliers/Carltons of the same era are still on the road, let alone selling for thousands?
Whould I swap my W124 for a W210, W211 or the new E-class? Nah..

 

[VB123]

Rust? What the hell is that?! Nearly 400k on mine and it's the best Merc I've owned....