GORBETTTEAM

guys,.....I've had it. $1000 AMG kit from Singapoore is already on the way, the ducktail spoiler and exhaust is sitting in garage and looks like my piggy bank has not enough of problems already. Redoing the head,suspension and all other worthless crap on my car is simply rediculous. First of all. I'm lying myself by putting all this stuff on my car to make this icon stand out of the crowd....but for what. 3.2 liter engine feels like Toyota Corolla compering to a '97 BMW 528iA. What is the reason to spend another $500,$1000 or $3000 for something that sits or drives 8 miles/per day or 16 minutes/per day because that's how long it takes me to get to work and back home. Well,...I think it's time to move on and get myself another Beemer, I guess.
Today....another s*&@t came out: "SRS" light. My sticker shows that the air bags should be replaced in 6/2009 so why would this problem be coming out right now? Well, after work I was so pissed of that ya'll cannot belive..... and on top of that the guy from Germany sent me this beautiful e-mail saying that my NEW steering wheel should arrive in about five days and he didn't want to show me the pictures because it's all custom made and he wanted me to be more exited when it actually arrive. So, I started thinking another stupid $500 I spent for nothing. So..... guys, my car is officially up for sale. The bumpers will be here in Chicago in about 5 weeks and I would need another 2 weeks to put everything together, get it all painted and what not. Anybody interested? Let me know. - Jack -

CaliE320

Sorry to hear that. I've gone through that same turmoil over keeping or selling my baby for the same reasons as you. After everything that's said and done I end up keeping her. Sad to say you already spent all that money on the parts that are arriving or sitting in your garage. You'll be lucky to get a fraction of the costs back if you re-sell them or your car. Since you're 90% there already with your project I think it's wiser to finish her and just keep her and enjoy it. SRS light is really nothing big, I've been tucking away $100 a month to get ready for that dreaded head gasket job. You know you have modding in your blod so if you get a beemer you're going to end up from scratch and ordering more modding parts. At least with your W124 you have everything paid for already.

Just finish it !
~Cali

AMG_Eric

i am up for buying that ducktail.

btw when u consider the payment of 700 a month for a new mbz why wouldnt keep your PAID IN FULL model and just upgrade it.

ashman

The srs light could be something simple, maybe a loose connection.

Check the contact ring behind the steering wheel. it is possible that is worn and causing the srs light.

It could be one of the seat belt tensioners is faulty if it is not the connection at the contact ring.

I would try resetting all the codes and see if it comes back.

We keep our benzes and mod them because we love them. sure the w124's are not the fastest cars on the road, but then again, when do we ever have a chance to really open them up. They are not stop light drag racers, or built for high speeds on mountain twisties. they were made to go fast on the autobahn, and do it with comfort and style. It does that very well, and is stable at high speeds to boot.

I feel safer in my w124 at high speeds on the freeway than I ever have at high speeds in other cars..

I personally love the looks, and the car to me is still one of the better looking cars on the road. to me it looks better than most offerings from other manufacturers. It has held up its style well for the last 20 years, as MB's should. hell even a 30 + year old benz in good condition still looks great even today.

Sorry to hear you see the car as a never ending money pit. I myself do not see my car as that, but rather an ongoing project that I enjoy. I'd rather have my slow benz modded to look great, than a souped up run of the mill car that goes fast.

AshMan

AshMan

mike690003

I feel your pain. I got fed up with my car too. The funny thing is that I sold it with NO problems. The new owner has had the car for over a year and only replaced the rear window regulator. Yeah, I spent a load of $$ into that car.

CDP

Jack,

Sorry to hear about your change of heart on the W124. Good luck with everything and with the future BMW.

by the way...Have you installed the AMG exhaust yet? I'll seriously take that AMG exhaust if you wan't want it anymore or don't plan on installing it on the car.

zahkunst

I myself have spent more money than the car is worth in the last year. But this is a combination of not only mechanical upkeep but heavy restoration in the interior...ext paint...dents...dings...wheels...tires...etc. I like to consider it like a classic antique restoration process. People ALWAYS ask me what year the car is and cant believe it.. yeah 15yo in NOv. Had that happen to me twice yesterday infact...that's why I keep it. Pride in ownership.

Someone at work (drives a 97 jeep and scion coupe) said to me hey just lease a new car...my response was "yeah and drive the bubble that everyone else is driving in this town with no personality"...nothx.

The car is old...fuel pump dies...radiator...head gasket..valve guides..wiring...rubber, whatever age gets it.

I was at the dealer with my mom when I was 16 when she bought it so it's an airloom...haha. mine now...finally.

new mercedes suck unless you spend like 100 grand. New mercedes are Way too common in this town....mass produced amg's are everywhere...and they all LOOK THE SAME

YNVDIZW124

SHHH... My car is going to turn 20 next year! When i first got in this forum i posted a rant about this same issue. Some people on here spend money on their benzes like crazy. I mean $400 for an exhaust that almost no one is going to care about unless you go to car shows and show it off. I rather spend my money on my classic mustang since i get more looks and people come up to me and ask me all kind of questions and it's easier to work with. When im in my benz on the street it's just another benz like the rest. I agree the benz brand went way down now that you see AMG mercedes everywhere!

what i say is first worry about the mechanical and then about cosmetics! I feel the same way too that's why mine is going to be up for sale after paint. I don't really have money anymore so it's time to let even my mustang go!

zahkunst

Yeah the parental units had an '86 originally but there was a problem with the engine...it kept clicking and they had to replace something...cylinders orrr i dunno...1 at a time...6 of something in sucession as they failed. I remember it being a common problem on 86's so was the story?? So by the time we were at the dealer in service in '91 she kinda had enough with the other stuff...air bag problems i remember for one thing. She just decided to get the new one with the pimp panels. We brought the new car home to dad that same day without telling him and he went "wtf?" heh

Personally I've only purchased the amg rims, tinted (in FL), pedals, and a chrome gear shifter... i still dont have a cd player in it....i need to do that...but hook into the existing head unit.

ksing44

I think the BMWs are very nice, but they do seem to be all the same to me. I think my W124 is a special looking car. You just don't see them very often and even when I do see one, it doesn't usually look anything like mine. There is something special about my car, even if I do have to spend some money to fix it. I would have to spend a lot of money to add up to the cost of a new car or even for a used car that was anywhere close to being as nice as mine.

I am keeping mine.

zahkunst

See I used to think the same but geez come to Tampa...there are 3 other 124's in the teal blue color like mine alone (1 is a 94, 1 is 91 stock, 1 is 90 tinted stock). Now I thought that was a rare color but ixnay on that...It's actually not such a rare car here. I've even seen one in that weird sea foam green color. Most examples are stock models...I have only seen about 4 with anything done to them and they looked like crap and were not well kept.

I will say though that there are definitely fewer 124's than later model mercedes in Tampa of course. There's A LOT of the late models here....and since the tampa dealer is across from the bucs stadium its always AMG city over there. It's nothing like Miami but yeah.

jrmd01

Ahhhhggg...I'm going through this now. I'm at the point where I have to decide whether or not to put more money into the car or ditch it for a newer model (either a 95 or 97)

My car needs a paint job and I'm fighting a surging idle and hesitation on acceleration (going to change the MAS potentiometer next week). I also have a leak in the A/C. I'd hate to get rid of the car since it's been pretty dependable thus far. After the surging idle and hesitation on acceleration is fixed, I'm positive the car will last another 3-5 years easily. In the last 5 years I've spent $5,000 on repairs/maintenance (tires & new rims included).. $1,800 went to the OEM rebuilt transmission alone.

Buying another used car is not necessarily the best solution. I could be buying someone else's problems.

AMG_Fred

wow 1800? i think yndv posted a few weeks back,a tranny for 1 grand. i hate to hear but these cars once its all fine, will last forever

230TErry

I have just come to the same conclusion. I use my TE as a daily driver and have in the past year: done the head, new fuel pump, fuel pump relay, tires, window regulators, brake calipers and loads of little bits and pieces. Much as I love it and find it superior to more modern benz, I have a 55 220a in the garage which I don't get near cos all my free time is spent keeping the 124 going.

Sadly it is being replaced by a Honda Accord in the next coupla weeks. Still at least I can look forward to getting the 220 back on the road for it's 51st birthday.

liz

stick with your car. The cost of one issue in the new cars could be $2-3000 alone. Everything is computerized. The reliability of MB have gone down. Don't get tempted. Stick with what works. Had a 94 traded it in for an 02 and have had nothing but problems ever since. Wish I had kept my old car. It was a great, solid car that was a blast to drive. My new car is just a car, nothing special.

GORBETTTEAM

Liz!
If I ever traded for 02 Benz I would not had to worry about a thing since it still would be covered under warranty.... and what kind of warranty do I have on 95 model? NONE. Plus. If you want to compare prices for some parts like for example. Any newer model throttle body would cost you, let's just say, around $550+tax and 95 model w/o ASR @ the dealership will cost me $1,950+tax. See, it doesn't matter....Mercedes was and still is one of the unreliable, overrated cars. I don't know what I was thinking when buying that car. Nothing fancy...all square. I guess I just set my mind on that star on the front. It's like,I've heard so many good things about that car and I was hypnotized.

jrmd01

Liz,

Even if I get another car, I doubt I'll get rid of my car. Looking back at the money I've since put in, it's actually reasonable for a 19yo car. I won't do any upgrades (unless I can get it dirt cheap), instead I'll just maintain it and use it as a second car or give it to my sister.


GORBETTTEAM

I understand your frustration. There are some well known and documented problems with Mercedes. But every car has their share of problems. Buying a new car is not necessarily the answer. Now instead of a $2,000 repair bill, you'll have a $15,000-$60,000 car payment (depending on what type of new car you buy). Sometimes you'll get a car that was poorly built. I have read mostly good things about the 95 Mercedes 320E. It was the last year of the W125 so most of the "bugs" were worked out.

The newer Mercedes are unreliable, but the older 70's to early 80's Mercedes are pretty solid. My parents had 2 mercedes. Both bought used. The first one was driven for 10yrs before it finally broke down and "died" (actually my dad took the engine apart to rebuild it, but never had the time time finish what he started). The second one is still being driven after 17yrs. Only replacement was the alternator & powersteering pump (plus the regular maintainence stuff ie. battery, oil filter, tires). Everything still works except for the sun-roof.

The only reason I like my 1986 Mercedes 300E is because it's pretty well built and the style is timeless. Those who don't know a lot about MB sometimes ask me if my car is a newer (1998) model (probably think it's a C class). I don't mind spending $1,000/yr to maintain this car, but if it was a 1986 Honda...forget it.

GORBETTTEAM

You don't need $1000/yr.
Check this out.
On 1995 E320 If your sunroof don't work this is the procedeure:
Sunroof Actuating Cable&Support 124 780 13 89 $67.00 0.8HR labor.
Sunroof Cable Tube 124 780 03 77 $47.50 6.1HR labor.
Sunroof Motor 124 780 00 07 $440.00 1.8HR labor
w/taxes @ 9% in Chicago and labor $44/HR you'll end up paying $987.21
How's that for a sunroof job? ...And guess what, I have the same problem LOL !!!
- Jack -

CaliE320

Would it just be cheaper to go to an indi sunroof repair shop? There's a DIY on sunroof repair somewhere on here. I remember seeing a write-up on it..
Maybe somebody else can post it for ya

~Cali