Andy_M

Hi everyone. I'm new here since we just bought a '90 300E yesterday. She is in super shape and has just under 120k on her. So, naturally, I have a couple of "newbie" questions:

1) If properly maintained and cared for, how many miles would typically be acheivable on this car ?

2) What size/location speakers does this car have? I'm sure I'll want to replace the stock head unit (Becker, I think?) and speakers almost immediately with an Alpine and some Polk Audio units. Also, is this MOST bus like the Porsches?

3) What is the recommended oil ? Is high milage synthetic advisable?

4) The car runs beautifully, but I notice that when pulling out from a stop, you have to almost floor the car, otherwise you creep. Once it starts to gain some momentum, it seems to rev fairly quickly and accelerate fine. It runs smooth and fine other than that, just seems almost like it starts out in second or something. Any idea what might be up there?

5) Who/what are some of the better online parts warehouses and discussion/tech boards for this car?

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to all the help I know I will receive while learning the "Benz" ropes.

Oh, and one last one....I see on Tire Rack that a set of 17x7" rims with a 38mm offset and with 215/45ZR17 Pirellis mounted are listed as fitting this car...do you guys agree that this tire size will fit ok ?

Andy

Chappy

Hi Andy,

Since I don't want to be a hog....I'm not going to answer all your questions....just two:

1. I've got 220K on my '91 Coupe...still going. Others have put 300-400K miles. It all boils down to keeping the car well maintained.

4. Yes, the car starts in 2nd gear. 177hp doesn't feel like much when it has to push around 3500+ lbs.

Welcome

Bigpete123

2) The speakers are in metric, so it's difficult to find exact matches. 4" will fit in the dash locations, 5.25" will fit in the rear dash locations. Some cars came with subwoofers in the doors (mine didn't so I don't know the size, but they're around 6" or something.)

5) There are actually good online parts dealers around if you just search. You'll find that almost all of them use the exact same database, so the prices will be just about the same no matter where you go. I prefer to buy from mercedesshop.com because I want their forum to be around forevever... which leads me to another point, they have great technical help over there, so give that forum a look too.

Chappy

I have MB Quart speakers on my coupe (very pleased with them) and my understanding is that Rainbow makes a very nice drop in speaker for 124s. I'll consider going with Rainbows on the wagon.

The subs in the door with Active Bass are 6" as Bigpete mentioned.

Andy_M

1) LOVE hearing that....

4) well that makes me feel better actually....I was going to have the tranny checked out by my buddies over at Level 10.

Andy

Andy_M

Sounds a lot like the setup my Boxster had. Stock amp low passes to the doors. By rear dash I assume you mean the shelf behind the passengers' heads....not 6x9's back there eh? Wierd.

Anyone know what option determined if you got 6 inch "woofers" in the doors or not?

Chappy

It's called "Active Bass", but it may have only been available on the coupe for 1990 in the W124-series.

Andy_M

OK, I'll look at the documentation I have and at the HU itself. Is there an amp present somewhere if the car has Active Bass that is not there if it doesn't ?

LoveLEE143

I know where you can order rainbows from. A guy has them locally in ATL Chappy.

Chappy

On my coupe, the amp is in the trunk IIRC.

Do you have speakers in the front doors?

Chappy

Thanks, let's chat at the meet Sunday.

RogerJones

Oil:

My 300E twin turbo is now at 177k and runs on Mobil 1. It has run on fully synth for the whole of its life -- a requirement of the turbo spec.

My W126 300SE (same M103 engine) is now on Mobil 1 at 142k. Having had the head gasket fixed, I decided to take a risk and switch to fully synth from the semi-synth it had been fed before. I've now done 5000 miles on Mobil 1 and there's no hint of any leakage, contrary to what I have seen reported elsewhere ("They put fully synth in by mistake at the service and it leaked like a sieve", "Fully synth is likely to get through the seals in an old engine", etc.).

Andy_M

Looked last night and there are no speakers in the doors, so I guess that I'm looking at a pair of 4" and a pair of 5 1/4" coaxials, an Alpine 9883, and a decent 4 channel amp.

Interesting comment on the switch to synthetic at 140k miles without problems. Has anyone else done this on a motor at 120K or more? I use Mobil 1 in my Porsche so I always have it around anyway.

Andy_M

OK, a bottle of injector cleaner seems to have stopped the rough idle issue that occured on me only once. I purposly made a bunch of short hops with the car yesterday and could not induce the problem. Actually, I think she is running smoother in general, so she probably needed the injectors cleaned anyway. Found a couple of places to get the couple of parts I need reasonably priced, and they are ordered.

I spent the entire weekend detailing her. Those ugly assed pinstripes went first, thanks to some 2000 grit wetordry and some NAPA speedy white compound. She got the whole treatment, clay bar, cleaner wax, and topped her off with a machine polished layer of Mothers California Gold Carnuba wax. Interior got the royal treatment as well and a nice drink of Lexol. I think the last time the wheels were cleaned was before Watergate.....

The guys at the garage where I took her for NJ State inspection had to look at her VIN tags 3 times before they'd believe she was a '90. They thought she was about a 2000.

All I need now is a new set of mats and I'm good to just enjoy her for a while. I'll get some pics tonight and post them.

Andy_M

Well, I thought the injector cleaner had done the trick but apparently not.

Yesterday the car ran fine going to work in the morning, fine for my wife visiting a vendor in the afternoon (in start/stop traffic), and fine when we left work. Then, on the way home, we stopped off at the grocery store - maybe for 15 mins. When we came out the car started on the first turn of the key (it usually takes 2) and ran rough as soon as we started moving. It stayed running rough until we were able to get in the throttle a bit and run it at 50mph for a half mile or so, then it cleared up and was fine again the rest of the way home.

Today I'll start going through the checks that Saumil suggested. I have no manuals yet, so I'll have to fly a little blind. Seems like it is something sticking or intermittantly not working right in the idle or cold start systems. It has never ran rough at normal driving speeds, in fact it runs exceptionally well.