J.D.

Hi guys,
I've always loved the look of the W124 body, I just wanted some opinions on which model/year is better than the others in terms of reliability/maintenance/etc.

I have my eyes on a 94 E420/E320... is this a better choice over a 300E from previous years?

I'm looking for a solid and reliable car, the V8 from the 420 is tempting, is it much less reliable than the 6?

All comments are welcome, thank you

STLe320

Personally, I believe it's just looks. I think the 94/95 body style looks the best, but that's just me...but then again look at ZorroAMG's car...it's the older style w124 and he definitely pulled that one off lol

shdoug

If I do it again I would prefer the 300E except for the fact that they use R-12 refrigerant. There's less to go wrong with the older ones.

GEDaggett

I just bought 94 320. I love the car. I have never felt as in control at 100mph than behind the wheel of my 124 (it feels like you doing 60). However if I had known then what I know now I would have done a bit more mechanical investigating. here is a short list of things to look for on a car you are considering. I have been very well educated by the guys here on the forum and pretty much all of these things have tons of threads including a couple of my own.

1. Wiring harness- this is a big one $800 - $1000 bucks depending on where you get it from. DO a search for the w124 wiring harness issue and that will explain it all.

2. Head Gasket - They have a tendency to leak oil and sometimes it can be significant (as I have learned with mine) parts for a head gasket set and all the fix-ins will run you about $300.00 if you do the timing chain at the same time and do you own work. You don't want to know what the dealership will charge you.

3. If the car has a "rough idle" it could take you a while to diagnose. It usually not as easy as new plugs and wires. do a search on rough or erratic idle on the threads and you get the picture.


Having said all of this. The right car is very worth it. These things are awesome. I was going to get a v8 and then I drove the 320 I have now. The car has plenty of power and I have already toasted my share of caddi's and Lexus that think they can just blow past the old Benz. On the highway the thing really kicks it up. Accelerating seams like it just isn't going to stop (thank you autobahn) to me the car is worth putting a couple thousand into over the first year (which you can EXPECT will happen) I personally like the 94 -95 versions of the 124 better. I think they have better styling with the side skirting and front and rear bumper fitments. the 3.2 is a bit of a step up to the 2.6 and 3.0 (unless you get your hands on a twin cam 3.0)

S anyways good luck in your hunting and go over the thing with a fine tooth comb. There are enough of these still in good shape that you don't have to settle for a rough one. Get all the info you can on the wire harness part numbers and location of the dates of manufacture so you can tell right off if you should mess with it or not. Carfax is awesome too, it saved me from two Odometer rollback cars.

hope this helps

J.D.

Thanks for all the advice... I will definitely take all these issues into consideration. I know I'll have to put some money into the car, I'm just hoping it's not a bottomless pit. It's hard to find one with the color combo and condition that you want... but I'll be patient and look around.

CDP

If you have the funds.

Go big and get the E420. You won't be disappointed. I jumped from a 1990 300E to a 1995 E420 and absolutely love it.

I actually think - to be honest - the E420 was more of an reliable car than my old 300E.

ZedStyle

when i gun the e320, the straight 6 feels like i'm on a train, it just f**kin goes and goes and GOES! the best way to describe it is 'linear' power... perfectly balanced, and unstoppable. i can't even imagine what the 420 feels like...!

J.D.

Does anyone have any experience with the 400E? I've been looking around and it seems as though it gets quite a few positive reviews. Specifically a 1993 400E, any known issues to watch out for?

CDP

Basically wiring harness would be the biggest thing to watch out for on the newer W124's.

POS

Transmission, wiring harness, and evaporator leaks are the three biggies with the '94-'95 w124. The wiring harness is the smallest issue of the three.

CDP

I guess it all depends on the owner since I haven't experienced any transmission and evaporator leak issues at all and I'm at 142K running perfectly fine.

GEDaggett

All the 124's from around 93 or newer WILL, at some point in there lifetime, need a wiring harness. It will be sooner rather than later. They were all made faulty and will break down and corrode. Transmissions if taken care of are fairly solid and the Evaporator is an issue. But the Harness problem is on every single car..Bar-none.

J.D.

What's the labour to install a wiring harness?

GEDaggett

If you are doing it yourself, you can get it done anywhere from an hour and a half to 4 hours depending on your experience.

190E 16V

I don't think the V8's have the headgasket problem that the 6's have, BUT bear in mind that at 120K miles, timing chain (and guides) should be replaced - not an issue, but a "maintenance interval".

Wiring harness at the same time, as it gets hard and brittle - "inevitable".

steffo_

These transmission problems you are talking about...
Is it the automatics that have these problems?
Because Im thinking of buying a 320ce that has a manual tranny...

Hakk403

I have a 94 E320, and it is amazing, however the thing has not been reliable by any stretch of the imagination, but to be fair I've driven the **** out of it, and no matter how much my modding and maintenance costs me I don't think I will ever sell it, not because it is an E320, but because it is a W124. I don't think you can go wrong with any model 124, but if I were to start all over, I would do a coupe or an E500/500E.

I love my car, no matter what you choose you can't really go wrong, just don't expect it to be a good, cheap car, because it is by no means cheap.

STLe320

Yeah...there seems to be some kind of "connection" between the driver and his/her w124...kinda cool IMO

GEDaggett

I am still waiting for the name for my 124 to pop into my head. I will post a pic or 2 soon and maybe get some help.

Saijin_Naib

I've been calling mine "you b!tch" for a long time, but it seems to be behaving better now, so it needs a new name.

shdoug

As soon as you name it, it will fall apart!

190E 16V

Mine was going to be "The Terminator", but that might be the end of it!

crr1612

i guess i shouldnt have named mine...that explains a lot. its not a name tho, its more of a nickname. "the panzer"