W124 Woes..

[WRS]

Hello.

I am the proud owner of a 1994 E320 sedan. Actaully, I am the third owner of this particular sedan, and I have all of the service records to prove it. Unfortunately, this car has become a bottomless money pit.

It seems that every time I bring the car in for service, it is in need of another $500 to $1000 worth of repairs. While it has never left me stranded, I'm horrified to think what would happen if I did not keep up with the maintenance.

What are other owners' experiences with these late model 124s?

I take meticulous care of the automobile, and can verify that all major services have been carried out on time. As it is now, I've been putting off repair of the sunroof lifting angles (this seems like an extremely labor intensive repair). Also, I am saving to complete a head gasket replacement and the associated top engine work as this M104 is yet to have its gasket replaced at 170k mil.

Let me also point out that this is the third consecutive MB I have owned. It is also the most troublesome. I have delt with the same independent MB repair specialist for the past 10 years. I do not believe this to be a case of the mechanic taking his client for a ride.

I'm seriously thinking about selling off this car, cutting my losses, and looking to find the trouble free 1977 300D that used to be mine.

What are your opinions?

[bill streep]

You might have a lemon... But, at 170K, if maintenance has been postponed, you can easily run into trouble. Our '92, with a 103 engine, has been great - but we only have 90K on the clock. Also remember this is a GAS vehicle, not diesel...

[Robby Ackerman]

My wife's 124 has been the opposite of a money pit. Last year total cost of operation, fuel, depr, repairs, taxes, over 20,000 miles was $.18/mile, less than half what the IRS allows for mileage.

My wife is driving as I am snapping photos of 190SLs along Virginia's Skyline Drive.

[joelj]

My 124 is a 1988 260e with 120K miles. there was a time when i also felt that my 124 was a money pit with items breaking down one after the other. But when I got over that hump, it now is the most reliable car I have. I just had my 1997 E230 Wagon serviced and i felt that my 260e drives much smoother than the wagon. Maybe because its a 6 cylinder or maybe 124's were made better?

I am also looking for a 123 body. I heard that those cars last forever as well with hardly any electronics to break down. A 280CE would be great :)

Regards,

Joel

[WRS]

Thank you for the replies.

I'm glad to read that my car seems to be the exception.

[Robby Ackerman]

Joel

I've got two 123s. Both 300D turbodiesels and now being driven by our son and daughter who are in graduate programs. They are over twenty-years-old, one has 370,000 mi and the other ?? miles. They are just good cars. Our daughter drives her's on vegatable oils and will have a biodiesel tank setup at her house shortly. I expect she'll use a conventional above ground oil heat tank so it can gravity dump into her car.

[joelj]

Hi Robby,

Wow 370K miles and still humming. Bio Oil now thats interesting. How much mileage dows she get out or it? Is that cheaper than gas?

Your daughter must be cisntists or inventors.

Cheers,

Joel

[Robby Ackerman]

Right. She is an environmental scientist.

Veggie oil is $4 to $5 a gallon, and biodiesel is less, and I don't know know what the local price is.

She has not tracked her fuel mileage, but both have a higher cetane rating than conventional diesel fuel. She uses these fuels because they reduce emissions by 70% and there is no sulfur in vegetable oil.

[Lyonstexas]

Having been in the restaurant business, it is necessary to pay to have used fryer oils removed from the premises. If they can be used after having been filtered, then it would be really financially feasible.

Tim

[WRS]

My first MB was a 1977 300D. I bought it when I turned 16. I put nearly 95K miles on the car in four years. All it ever asked me for was fuel, oil changes, and a new starter. Selling that car is high up on my list of poor decisions.

[bill streep]

If you do a search on the biodiesel subject, you'll find a company that makes a recycling kit for the resturant oil. The car smells like fried chicken when it runs!

[erussell]

In reply to the member who asked about repair costs:

I have a '95 E320 sedan with 174K (original owner). Just brought it in for service: check light, AC check, oil change, tire rotation, and overall checkup. The check light turned out to be the O2 sensor (original one); AC needed R134 (added more last summer). Might need a wiring harness (hope not) and hope I don't have an AC problem. Total cost was $600, including a sway bar bracket. As usual, my car still runs great!

[WRS]

Thanks for the reply.

It sounds like our cars are in similar condition as far as miles are concerned. I too just had the 134a recharged, oil changed, thermostat replaced, and the snow tires exchanged for the all seasons. My bill was $350.

My records show the 02 sensor changed at 80K miles (sounds a little young to me).

I've read many concerns over the wiring harness in these cars; however, mine shows no major signs of deteriorating. I'm in no hurry to bend it around and see what happens.

Does the check engine light indicate problems often with your car?

It seems like mine is constantly illuminating. Fault codes usually indicate the EGR valve or O2 sensor at fault. When the parts are tested, they have always checked out fine.

Any of this sound familiar?

Thank you again for the reply.

[erussell]

The check engine light came on once before at around 90K. I was using the dealer back then for repairs. They wanted a small fortune for replacing the o2 sensor and to repair the usual oil leak at the top of the engine. That's when I started going to my new mechanic. He only works on MB and does MB restorations. Trained at MB in Germany. He's a about 30% less than the dealer, has loaner cars (old 300 SD's), and I don't have to put up with going to the dealer, speaking to the receptionist, waiting for the "service advisor", waiting for the loaner, etc. I hope to keep my car for at least 250K. The new ones are nice, but have to many things that can go wrong.

[erussell]

Update to my ’95 E320 (now at 176K) - see my previous post:

Just had the wiring harness replaced due to check light coming on again. The AC needed one of the two fans replaced (very cold now). Front rotors and pads replaced. Total $1850 (cash - saved about $150 for cash). According to my mechanic, the original wiring harness, made in Germany, was made of bio-degradable plastic. The replacement he uses is made in the US - not bio-degradable. The only other problem I have is the usual rust around the antennae - which is a little noticeable since my car is white.

Still intend to keep my baby for quite a while. The new ones look great - but the quality and reliabilty are questionable.

[bill streep]

Many have had the harness replaced for free from MBUSA...

[dnev01]

How would I go about getting my wire harness replaced for free?, thnx

[SemperBenz]

My wife's 124 has been the opposite of a money pit. Last year total cost of operation, fuel, depr, repairs, taxes, over 20,000 miles was $.18/mile, less than half what the IRS allows for mileage.

My wife is driving as I am snapping photos of 190SLs along Virginia's Skyline Drive.

And who took the picture of you taking pictures? :eek:

[SemperBenz]

Thank you for the replies.

I'm glad to read that my car seems to be the exception.

I wouldn't say that it is the exception.

You may have a bunch of deferred work to catch up.

As mentioned earlier, once you get over the hump, you will be fine.

I own two W124 (a wagon and a coupe) and I am a happy camper.

[POS]

Are you sure your mechanic isn't bilking you a bit? $1800 for wiring harness, fan and pads? My indy mechanic (a Mercedes-only German garage with 30 years of working with my family's MBs) only charged me $800 for the harness and install.

$1800 seems high.

[michaelscoots]

The harnesses went up in price....now $1200 at the dealer. I think he did just fine when you factor in labor, and the additional work he had done.

Michael

[Don350SDL]

Holy resurrection Batman, this post started in 2004...

[G. Johnson]

I've spent $1,600 on my '95 wagon last year and consider it well spent when a new one runs around $46,500. Today the sunroof motor quit for no reason and after checking it out with a testor, the motor was getting juice. A new motor goes for around $300. I was really stumped. Anyway I thought as long as it's shot, why not tap it a couple of times for good measure. Now I DON'T suggest you do this to every part that fails, however the sunroof motor does work now!;)

[1987260e]

I have found the Chrysler wrench to be a very valuable tool in my tool box, wouldn't leave home without it.
If I didn't spend a couple of K's a year on my Benz she wouldn't think I loved her anymore. We have a love hate relationship between us separated only by the Chrysler wrench !!!

[Maxbumpo]

Is the Chrysler wrench the one that is flat, green, and folds easily? ;)

I've been using that one too often in the last month on my '87 300TD. I knew when I bought the car that it would be a project, I just hope I can keep up and not end up walking to work. I think that I've dropped about $1000 in last month, but that includes a new set of tires ($500). Next up will be complete overhaul of rear suspension, followed shortly by front.

[1987260e]

I have my 260 E in the shop being repainted, I pick it up on Tuesday. It was a 10 footer before. Now it will be a 5 footer. I have put myself on a budget with my car. I will not spend no more than I have from now on !!! I mean it this time. I'm done spending more than is necessary. I might have to invite some of my new found African friends over to help if I need anymore repairs. These guy's can make anything work with just about nothing. Can anybody help me with classic car insurance. I have now almost 20k+ in a 1987 260E, Blue Book is about 3k. Am I suppose to take a bath on this if it is totaled or can I purchase some kind of insurance to help off set the lose? It is in great shape.

[EmeryDC8]

I think you can talk to your insurance man about insuring the car as "stated value." It usually requires an appraisal and your premiums will be higher, but may be worth it to you.

[1987260e]

Stated Value will only pay what the appraised value is, so if the appraised value is only $7k that will be what they pay. That isn't even half of my reciepts for the restorations. My local ins agent hasn't been much help. I am checking into a couple of classic car ins, with the limited use clauses they may be able to help. I will consider all suggestions.

[EmeryDC8]

What are the different kinds of insurance coverage? There are three types of automobile insurance offered today: Actual Cash Value (ACV), Stated Value, and Agreed Value. ACV coverage is what insures most everyday cars and pays out a depreciated "book" value in the event of a claim: the older a car is on an ACV policy, the less value it has. Some insurance companies offer Stated Value policies for collectibles. These policies are better than ACV because they allow you to "state" a value for your vehicle greater than its depreciated "book" value. But, Stated Value can still depreciate vehicles because the policies generally require the insurance company only to pay "up to" the "stated" amount. Only Agreed Value insurance policies guarantee you will get all of your money back in the event of a total loss. There is no depreciation of a car's value with an Agreed Value policy.

http://zhome.com/Classic/CCInsur.htm