School me on Merc W124.

[MJCRO]

I'm about 99% sure I wanna get rid of my eta by this winter for a W124 300E. I've been looking on Craigslist and you can find so many for dirty cheap in minty condition.

Anyone r3v's own or owned one? From reading around I hear they're wonderfully reliable and easier to maintain than most older Merc's.

Inspiration:

[nach2103]

entire thread with more than enough info to get you started without the bias of a make-specific forum...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3471343-Official-Mercedes-Benz-W124-Thread&highlight=w124

any specifics you're looking for? they are not very fun or involving to drive. they are however quite classy looking once euro headlights are in and make a great, simple daily driver.

[MJCRO]

entire thread with more than enough info to get you started without the bias of a make-specific forum...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3471343-Official-Mercedes-Benz-W124-Thread&highlight=w124

any specifics you're looking for? they are not very fun or involving to drive. they are however quite classy looking once euro headlights are in and make a great, simple daily driver.

ATM I can't really get much for my eta + I wouldn't have the funds to pick up a later model E30. So I'm thinking I'll buy a W124 for ~2k, lower it, throw some nice wheels on it, show car on the cheap for next summer. The daily driving is mostly why I'm gonna get one. :)

[bmwguy325is]

Pure junk for a stereo install.
I just bought a W202 its the 190e replacement.
The c230 n/a car gets 30mpg
Of and parts take more digging than for BMWs

[airkhin]

honestly i miss mine. i had a 88' 300te that i used for a beater/commuter for a while. It was best wagon i had for the $, solid all around car, old classic mercedes "boat" feeling. great if you can do diy and have time on your hands. parts can be had on the cheaper side, but most diy's take quite some time as you have to pull lots of stuff off to get to something. ex: waterpump on m103 motor...

gas mileage is just about same as e30 but has a larger tank.... makes long trips easier.

[mach schnell]

I have one, a '93 500E, and love it. They are excellent cars. Not involving like an E30. But comfy, smooth, solid, reliable, and classic. I enjoy mine immensely.

[RLGDiesel]

I have to disagree that they are not involving to drive. They remind me a lot of the E30...solid build quality, boxy German shape, tight steering, and no cupholders.

You can even find a 300e as a 5 speed if you look hard enough.

Good luck!

[MJCRO]

Hellz yeah, I wanna get into the shows next summer in the tri-state so hopefully by winter I can sell my current eta.

[TimKninja]

If you like the way your E30 drives, dont bother. my friend has a w123 (Not the same car but thwey seem similar). Im not a big fan of the boat like feeling of it and how slow (Diesel) it is. Not something i would DD. BUT they are tough as nails.

Im sure the w124 is similar. They are very well built cars. Just not my preference.

[Fusion]

Look for a late model with an M104 24V engine (E280, E300, E320).
At first glance late models have the front grill "trim" and hood in one piece.

[nickpro]

My 95, I love it. I love everything about it. Dash layout, the way it drives, how it looks. The thing seriously eats up highway highway miles. I've put 9K on it since march.

[tjts1]

If you like the way your E30 drives, dont bother. my friend has a w123 (Not the same car but thwey seem similar). Im not a big fan of the boat like feeling of it and how slow (Diesel) it is. Not something i would DD. BUT they are tough as nails.

Im sure the w124 is similar. They are very well built cars. Just not my preference.

No actually the W123 and W124 couldn't be any more different from each other. The 2 designs are 10 years apart and have nothing in common.

The W124 is a W201 (190e/190d) that has been stretched and widened. Every moving part is interchangable between the 2 chassis including suspension, steering, engines, electrical architecture, about 50% of the interior, transmission, diff etc.
The 300e uses the 3.0 version of the M103 12v engine up to 1992 and M104 24v engine from 93-95 (renamed E320 in 1994). The M103 uses CIS/Kjet fuel injection, it sucks. The 24v is Bosch LH 2.4.
5 speed manuals are extremely rare in the US.
Parts are cheap and can be found at just about any online retailer but there is virtually zero aftermarket. You can get 4 pot brakes off the later E320 and R129, stiffer springs off the V8s basically lots of parts are intercangable between all MBs of that era with the exception of the W126 and R107.
I replaced my 92 190e (M103, 2.6) with an 87 300d (3.0 OM603). I swapped over a lot of the newer parts off the 190 into the 300d, I still need to swap in my 5 spd and a few interior bits.
cheers

http://i.imgur.com/MLjBy.jpg

[MJCRO]

My 95, I love it. I love everything about it. Dash layout, the way it drives, how it looks. The thing seriously eats up highway highway miles. I've put 9K on it since march.

You went to the First Class Fitment in Jersey few weeks back right? Pics of your car are floating all around the net haha.

I kind of want to try something different, I like my E30 but after driving my brothers E55 AMG W210, I think I want something with a more refined and classy look.

[Roland H]

They're great cars, just don't stancedouche it.

[Alpina]

I have one, a '93 500E, and love it. They are excellent cars. Not involving like an E30. But comfy, smooth, solid, reliable, and classic. I enjoy mine immensely.

The 300e uses the 3.0 version of the M103 12v engine up to 1992 and M104 24v engine from 93-95 (renamed E320 in 1994). The M103 uses CIS/Kjet fuel injection, it sucks. The 24v is Bosch LH 2.4.
5 speed manuals are extremely rare in the US.
Parts are cheap and can be found at just about any online retailer but there is virtually zero aftermarket. You can get 4 pot brakes off the later E320 and R129, stiffer springs

500E is totally NOT an average 124,, i had one and it is in a league of its own,,, truly a lord of the ring in the 124 world,, IMO one of the greatest MB ever made

If you are going to by an 124,, take the E320,, i think thats the best value,, but in Europe we have 3.0 M104 24v with CIS/Kjet.. thats suck also compared to the newer version of their EFI SYSTEM

but later the E320 replaced the 3.0 24v version

also consider to buy 300CE or 320 CE,, one of the best looking sports coupe ever made,, stunning build quality,, etc

If you want to go further,, look also for 400E/E420 4.2L V8 32v ,,,280 horses and a fantastic car,, i also had one of these ,, my wife drives a 300 CE M103,, a great car and it works ,,superbly !!!!!!!
NB.. the MB is not as sporty as the BMW ,, but Mercedes was not trying to made their car so sporty ,, the market was totally different,,

at last ,, if you wanna be the king,, by the 500E ,,, it costs,, but it is a much much better car than ANY BMW made at the same time,, BELIVE me,, i have owned most of them incl the E34 M5 ,,E32 750 ,, etc etc