W124 E300 Diesel... should I?

mitchell.scott

mitchell.scott

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Joined
Jul 8, 2009
Messages
568
Location
Colorado Springs
Car(s)
2017 VW GLI
I have the opportunity to buy a very nice E300 Diesel for sale here in the Springs for $3,500. It has 218k miles, but records since new. It's been very well kept up, with all services done ahead of time. Two owners, in New Mexico and Arizona. The paint isn't in very good condition due to the sun, but the interior is excellent. A few scratches in the center console trim, but no rips in the leather or stains. I know that the W124 has a reputation for being insanely reliable, and I know someone who has a 124 estate with over 415k on it. Plus I know that my Accord is creeping up on having Honda's infamous auto-transmission issues. Thoughts?

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Lovely car, really.
I personally love old MB's , and infront of all old diesels. The Sound of it .... <3


If its not in too bad conditions , and (unlike in Germany) there are no high costs to run it, go for it !
 
Is it a turbo? If so yes, then convert it to run bio diesel for free gas*.

*Either brew your owen or find others who do.
 
An American petrolhead considering to buy an old Diesel Merc? Hell just froze over. :D

The reliability of the W124 is indeed legendary. I say do it.
 
It's a good choice; the car's problem areas are the air conditioning system (pain to fix and expensive when it breaks, but if repaired correctly good for another decade or so afterwards) and the diesel transmissions can be iffy. About $1500 or so to fix either problem, not including labor in the case of the transmission.
 
There are records for a new AC compressor about a year ago, and it's had the transmission serviced regularly. Shouldn't be too much of an issue?

It's for sale at a local Mercedes shop that puts customer's cars on consignment, which is nice because they actually know the person who owns the car and they know the car very well.
 
It isn't the compressor that's the problem area, but the internal control systems that fritz. The compressor wears like any car, of course.

Transmission failure tends to be random but progressive (starts slipping).

Still, it's hard to do better and easy to do worse in that class, and if you want a diesel there's really no other choice. (Jetta? No.)
 
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Well, did you buy the blue Mercedes? I am curious how it turned out. FYI, that blue color is VERY rare. Also, that combination of the W124 body and the inline 6-cyl normally aspirated engine was only available that one year of 1995. Enjoy! It should give you many many years of service. Those W124 chassis cars are very reliable, just routine maintenance stuff that any older car would need is in order.
 
buyitbuyitbuyitbuyitbuyit
 
BUY IT. I used to drive one of those for some months, and can only recomend it. the one i used had 650 000 KM thats about 400K miles, and it was just like new.
It's old, but more comfortable than most new cars, and it spends around 10l/ 100Km(i don't know what that's in MPG)
I can talk alot about reliability, and if you have any specific question about it, you can ask me anytime. (PM me or something)
It is indestructible. it needs very little maintnance (thats only good if you can find spare parts).
I also know a lot of people over here in Albania, who used those cars (the 200 and 250 version) as tractors in the field.
And the ultimate proof that it is indestructible: last year in Rally Albania in the class "Not Offroaders" the first and second places were taken by almost stock E classes (with mud tires but not raised, and with a chage and racing seats, nothing else), places 3 to 5 were taken by W123 cars, and the 6th was a costumized subaru impreza. The course was too hard, and the 64 others didn't make it to the finish, and none of them drove a mercedes.
 
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