I think I'm going to sell my car. Soooooo sick of it. I guess the previous owner, just did a REALLY ****ty job and now it's blowing up with me. Anyways, if I get it sold. With the money I guess I might as well get another W124, BUT. I REALLY want a 94-95 one. Dunno why, I just like the look so much better, interior and out :/. Are there any things that I would have to watch out on these? Which ones do you guys think are better in terms of quality and stuff like that, or all they all the same thing? Also I notice most of them are 3.2 liter, what's up with that?

I'd like to get one with most of it's records available. And just one that feels really comfortable and sturdy/well built. Mine always felt like crap :/ On the road it felt like crap. And always felt like the engine was being held by a paper clip >_<

Sooo, $0.02's anyone?

 

I too like the 94-95 models. They were the last facelifted models. Different bumpers, new grille, etc. etc. They really look better than any other year of W124, especially the 1986-1989 models which were really plain to look at inside and out. The 94 E320 had the same engine as the 1993 300E, but for 94 MB changed the way they named their cars and they also started keeping inline with the actual size of the engine. My favorites from the final years are the 95 E320 Coupe, 95 E420 and the 94 E500. Those were the best IMO. There there is the 1993-1995 300CE/E320 Cabriolet, a real beauty. I'd go for a 1994+ model. The 2.8 model was a 1 year only thing, the 1993 300E 2.8. which replaced the 300E 2.6.

M

 

Hmmm, thanks for the tip . I also like how the seats are different too. The pattern of the leather isn't that weird stripe type looking pattern that the older W124's have, ugh, I hate that! lol

Can't wait to fix that tranny and sell the crap out of that car

 

that stripe pattern remained until the end of the w124, it's the best thing MB did to their cars, MB TEX!

 

1990 cars came with the updated interiors - seats, more woodgrain
1990 also saw the newer lower cladding and I believe the filler panel in the license plate area of the trunk.

I prefer the pre-facelift car because to me it is more aggressive, hammer like and the 94-95 just looks like the big brother to the W202 and the little brother to the W140, no originality IMO.

If I were to get another W124 it would be a 1992 or 1993 500E. That's IT.

 

pre-facelift looks like the big brother of the 190E, so whatever!

when i was looking to first buy, I only wanted a facelift model, but i've seen a couple of very clean pre-facelft cars on the road, and i REALLY like them now... i have no preference either way, i think it just comes down to the individual car and how it looks, at least on the exterior

 

Well it's for sure I'm probably going to get a different car. Mechanic called today. He said he found grinded metal inside the tranny and it needs a new one, $1,200. He also said the head gasket is leaking, and then I still need a new air pump, $500 :/.

I asked him about selling it. He would give me $800 for it. That would suck since I just bought new tires for it and got it aligned. .Recently I spent about $500 on it. So I would just be getting like $300 literally.

What do you guys think? My parents want to find a used tranny in a junkyard, put it in and just sell it. -sigh- this REALLY sucks... ***...

 

it needs about 2 grand of work, it's worth about 3 grand... i would tell the dude to give you a grand or so and be done with it. who's to say a used tranny will not give you other issues, or something else will go wrong, etc. just cut your losses and walk away from it.

 

i have a 94 e320...and it's been great for me so far.

and Zorro, i agree about the more agressive look. i think it's the shorter and longer-looking head lights.

but i'll just get some eye-lids in that case

 

The 93-95 had the wiring harness issue. The M104 (2.8-3.2) engines were also known for leaky head gaskets and there's more to go wrong. They have variable valve timing and more power than yours so you will enjoy that. Mine felt sorta like crap, too. But it had 162,000 miles on it and was mostly original so what can you expect? The AC evaporator tends to leak as well and the same tranny issues still exist in the new models that you are considering.

 

If your car still rolls - dump it quick. The bone-yard trans. swap may have questionable success. The labor to remove and install a used trans may be painful at 5 hours plus.

$1200 sounds right for just the trans., if it's "out the door" then I'd say that's a great price.

Any high mile 124 will see this same movie.

 

Thanks for all the tips and advice guys. Now I'm doubting getting another W124. I sort of feel like these cars hate me :/. I was driving my friend's W124 around the city. I went to the neighboring cities, went to a store, got back in the car, the the steering wheel wouldn't unlock :/ I was stranded there for 3 hours >_< My friend's dad came and unlocked it a few days later :/ WTF? :'( LOL

Another car I would REALLY like are the BMW E46's 1999-2004 3-Series. IMO it looks awesome and being a "newer" car I would IMAGINE I shouldn't have any problems for a while, right? :O

Now that I'm starting college, I need a reliable car that won't let me down. I don't have time or money to be doing repairs like I do with my car ATM. *sigh*

 

You need a Japanese car my friend. Get a Honda Accord or Nissan Maxima or something until you're done school, then when you have the funds get another w124 and fix it up and drive it

 

+1. These cars can be a hassle to maintain especially when you have other, more important things to attend to.

 

Yes, pretty much any European car will own you. Germans apparently have a very laid-back lifestyle so they can afford to spend all their time and money on their cars, or so it would seem. The Japanese do nothing besides work, eat, work, and occasionally sleep so they build cars that are precision machines designed for flawless though dull transportation.

 

LOL, I just don't get it. I thought these cars were like amazing MB products and "over engineered". I've always been against buying myself a japanese car :'(.

What about those E46's though? Is there any hope with those? :O LOL. My cousin has a 1981 3 series something, and I can't believe it but that thing is still running strong :S. *Sigh*... My beloved European vehicles :'(

 

I love my 300ce, but its giving me crap. Here are the cars I could see myself purchasing next (if I had money, which I dont, so its a non-point).

1)Smart ForTwo (CDI or Hybrid)
2)190e 2.6 Sportline Manual
3)c230k Sports Coupe Manual
4)slk230k/320 Manual
5)Hyundai Tiburon 2008 Manual
6)Seat Leon
7)Saturn Astra

As you can see, I love my benzes. Its from my dad, and now that I have been indoctrinated, I cant ever be without. They are just different, and yes, they have problems, but at the end of the day, I still want to keep the car although the one part its asking for now is 1/4th the cars total value. I cant see myself ever feeling that way about another car.

The SmartCar is because Im an Environmental Science student, and the state of our fuel efficiency pisses me the hell off. The Smart ForTwo CDI/Hybrid would be sick, efficient, funky, and cool.

The Hyundai Tiburon is there because I have always thought they looked really cool, and now, especially in the 2008 rendition.

The Seat Leon is there beause man, that thing is cool. Hot-hatch FTW.

The Saturn? Cheap, economical, safe, reliable. And, cool as hell.

 

they were over-engineered in the sense that the chassis, if serviced reasonably, will easily last 500,000 miles and do it SAFELY. The power-train was kept as simple as possible to ensure reliability and moderate performance. To that end (despite the known flaws related each engine family, i.e. four, six and eight cylinder), you will be hard-pressed to find another family of automobile made by any manufacturer at any time that has lived as long and for many been such a satisfying driving car all the while.

It has been said over and over, and rightfully so, that the state of any W124 car as a daily driver with 150,000+ miles on the odometer is totally and completely dependent on the kind of service it was given over it's life. Simple as that really.

One thing for sure though, these cars are built like brick *****houses structurally. The deisels and V8 engines seem pretty indestructable as well. Mechanically and electronically I think they are better than most cars produced at the same time, but the difference in build quality really is most apparent in the chassis and interior and less in the accesories and sub-systems. Unfortunately, as these cars get even older, the things that need fixing will get even harder to fix due to parts availability and qualified mechanics with experience working W124's. In my opinion, depending on the car, it is worth the effort.

W124's are a "labour of love" nowadays. In order to keep them going and look good while doing it, you gotta keep yo pimp-hand strong brotha!!!

I am 40 years old, and have owned many cars in my time. I drive my E420 because I think it is a great car with lots of style and has a certain quality to it that I do not feel in most other cars...even brand new ones. I recently rented a Chrysler 300C with the hemi in it. That car is basically a rebodied E-class car with a hot-rod engine in it. Yes, it was quick, and yes, the navigation and white faced gages were nice. But you know what, and I mean this sincerely...my car is a better driving car, despite not having a few of those ammenities. Maybe I am lucky, because all the options and features in my car work. Having the smooth power of thr 4.2 liter V-8 helps too. Frankly, I do not think I would like my car as much if it was an I-6...I like power...and more accurately, torque. But that is my thing and I take nothing away from I-6 cars.

If your car has become too troublesome for you AT THIS TIME, sell it and get your education whiledriving a more reliable, easier and cheaper to maintain car. Then, when the time is right, and you have the whip, buy yourself a '94 E500. You won't be disappointed, and will be in a better position to own and drive it.

 

I'm not sure what an E46 is, but you want to avoid the 3.0 V8 with a certain block. The inline sixes were and still are great. I have an X3 with the 3.0 inline 6 and it's awesome. The only thing is it's hard to find a well maintained older BMW. They all look like they were previously owned by college a student who lived in them and could only afford duct tape and baling wire to repair them. Benzes are not as appealing to younger owners and that may be why there are so many nice ones around.

I mean, look at this seat. Did the guy have it sitting in the front yard for 5 years or what?! I've NEVER seen a seat look that bad in ANY Benz; even an old one.

 

^^^ Typical BMW build quality. Their interiors never impress me. Before my dad got his Audi, he looked at some X5's and all of them were well maintained yet the interiors were already failing. Little plastic bits here and there, and even some of the LCD screens were starting to bleed. This seems pretty typical for BMW as far as my experiences go... 2-5 years on the road for a bimmer is compared to 20 or more for a benz.

 

E46's are the 1999-2004 (or 2005 ,,, not sure ) 3-Series lol

 

Those are awesome cars. I would love to have one, but they're still a bit pricey.

 

My friend's E46 325ci with the 5 speed manual transmission is a down right FUN car to drive.

I say, find a well maintained, used 323/325ci (coupe please - the sedan is kind of ugly by now). They're harder to find because the owners do drive them harder, but check out used enthusiasts' rides.

go to e46fanatics.com, i saw a bunch of used ones for sale in the low teens, just make sure to have a bmw mechanic look at it.

If you haven't driven one, go take a spin in one, with a manual transmission though. The straight six loves to rev, it's very smooth and it's actually fuel efficient!

 

Wrx!!!!

 

Excellent post.