joef

Today I had the wind knocked out of my sail and I'm thinking perhaps for the last time.

The convertible top on my car has issues now. Finally a nice day and thought I'd throw the top down for the drive home from work. Got half way and it froze. I can hear a clicking on the driverside rear seat area, but the top's not going any where. The fuses are fine, fluid level as well. I'm guessing a micro switch.

What I'm getting at is, I have a few things that will have to get done.
1. the reverse on the transmission is going, requires a rebuild or I have a functioning used one available.
2. I just received a conditional pass for my emissions test, the engine could use a rebuild or find a low mile used one. But as it stands I'm good for 2 years
3. front suspension could use a little tightening, it's not bad, but next year some refreshening would be in order.
4. the convertible top will be due for a replacing in anothe season or two.
5. and now the operation of the convertible top has become a situaltion.

I'm getting to the point where I'm asking myself do I want to do all this? I love the car, but at what point is it too much?

I have a list of mods done to the car
- turbo technics twin turbo kit
- Wald v4 body kit
- OZ Racing Galileo 3 wheels
- SL600 silver arrow braking
- custom Pioneer & Focal stereo with 10" sub in the passenger side foot well
- double din headunit install
- Eibach and Koni suspension, with RDMTEK shock towers ready to go on.
- 94-95 update was done to the hood along with headlights and tail lights

Should I fix it - $10-15 g's for everything
Part it out?
Sell it as is?

Obviously I won't get out of it what I have spent on it. But $10-15 g's goes a long way on something else

RHW

How many miles?
trans: $900 for reverse only(?)
engine: a few years to think
front suspension: always a worthy upgrade
top: the real fly in this ointment, but a replacement now would also address the fly in the ointment.

You've got one of about 700 prefacelift Cabs. Depending on the moment, that can bring a very motivated buyer.

The mods...also hit or miss. But since they suit your taste maybe that could figure in as a pro keeper. =)

I vote classic, keeper.

190E 16V

Sentimentally, I think "Oh no, not another 124 Cab gone...",
It would be like anew car after the maintenance, and you have a couple of years to spread it out.
You may want another, new, labour of love, project though.
Or maybe an update - that's 25-30 yo tech in the 124.

joef

There's approx 260,000 kms on it.

As for being a pre-facelift cab won't do anything for the cause, cosmetically it's been updated.

joef

That's the frame of mind I'm in. I've had the car now for almost 8 years now. And having a young family it's not the most kid friendly vehicle. I've been thinking of a w140 S class both sedan and coupe or a Volvo S60R and the wifes bugging for a G wagon or H2. But the modding would be kept to a minimum. Ideally it would be nice to stay with a MB and use some of the performance stuff that's on the cabrio, but we'll see. I'm not in any kind of a hurry at the moment. And I'll see what I can do with the top. Would be nice to use it for the summer anyways.
I'm not apposed to parting out the entire car either or putting it back to stock. I have a 94 E320 that will be parted out very soon. Many of the parts needed to put the cab back to stock are sitting on there.

RBYCC

Happy Wife.....Happy Life

Joe

You have a great deal of "life' left to do what you want...

I took about twenty years off from my passion as I grew my business...
Got back into it about four years ago and stronger then ever...
No sense doing and not enjoying...

Don't get rid of any of the parts you've accumulated as they are "money in the bank"...

Once you become senile and forgetful you can do anything you want until someone has to wipe the drool off your face

Ed A.

joef

I think I'm already senile.
I haven't thrown in the towel yet. I pm'd Kestas this morning, the authority on w124 cabs. I hope he can offer up some advise.
I'm hoping to find some time next week to sit down with my mechanic and investigate the problem. I think I have an idea since it's isolated to the cover operation. When I have a chance later today I'll start a thread with the problem. Maybe others have encountered the same situation.

RHW

Mercedes has a several hundred point checklist which was very helpful in isolating an intermittent fault in my white Cab (passenger windshield latch).

After 2 indes basically tried to figure it out, one dealership visit (they were quite fair) sorted that out for a few hundred bucks. The checklist goes point by point and will isolate your problem better than guesswork. But, do you have a dealership you trust.

joef

does anyone have that list? I don't have much faith with the dealership local to me. Plus they're just putting the finishing touches on a new multi-million dollar location. I'm sure the per hour rate will reflect.

CDP

Move on and invest your money on the better things.

I would get rid of my W124 too, but if no one wants to bite and take it off my hands - I'd rather have it sit and collect dust than part it out...

joef

Ok, having said that, what price tag do you put on it?
Our dollars are at par.

YNVDIZW124

I don't know about you guys but almost every other day I see a white 300ce AMGed out and It always makes me wish I had another w124 as a project. If you drive a everyday looking car you are just going to blend into the crowd. Driving a modded w124 will get you people asking questions and admiring your car. You won't get that if you buy a toyota or something like that.

rivcal4life

I also say to fix it. As has been stated, you can spread out the work over several years. Hey, if you need some cash to help the fund, I would be glad to take those rdmtek strut mounts off your hands!

Maybe even those silver arrows if my current brake deal falls through.

vexed

I posted on the *other* forum in the DIY my experience in first doing a R&R on most of my cab cylinders and then troubleshooting the codes. If your top faults, e.g. it stops and the switch flashes you can read the code with the homebrew code reader. There are not that many switches that can go on you. I would open it manually and then try to close it manually and see if the switches are being activated.

Let us know how we can help. I literally had my cab for 2 hours when I discovered my first leak, I was really frustrated for a while but now all is well.

joef

When putting the top down it get approx 90% and stop when the cover get about 6" away from closing. But there is no flashing on the switch when it stops. I'm going to rip apart the back next week one day and see if something is stopping it. I was thinking perhaps it could be a cylinder failing. I can hear a "clicking" sound from driver rear side every time the switch is pushed.

joef

I'll think about it. We'll see how frustrated I get.

vexed

That's strange because usually the top will fault. Can you close it with the switch? I would still open it manually and then lift the compartment cover so you can see if everything is connected. There is a switch on the driver's side that is activated by the compartment cover opening, it is next to the hinge for the cover but it is spring loaded and should not be making a noise. Once open manually if you can close it using the switch that might clear whatever is preventing a full cycle.

My top would fault after the cover opened and the rear raised, the main (front ) of the top would not move. It was that switch next to the hinge caused by the compartment cover not opening high enough

joef

I think you may be onto something. I'll look at it this evening hopefully and post results.

Thanks,

Chappy

Hey Joe,

My growing family was cause for me to move from a 300CE to a W124 wagon!! Get a kombi, then move the turbos and other fun bits over to the new ride. Put the cabrio in storage until the kids get older.

Just my 2 cents....

joef

When I told my 5 year old what I was going to get rid of the cab, she begged me not to. That she's expecting to take it over one day. Probably one of the best laughs I've had in a long time.

I've been eye-ing up a 99 S500 with 90,000 km on it (55,000ish miles). To accomodate the family. Plus my wifes been reminding me frequently that she likes the G wagon.

We'll see, I can still drive the car with the top up, so it's not the end of the world. but I'll be a serious teaser until the top gets dropped.

BJaltima

I suggest keeping the car and getting a w124 wagon like chappy! Then the G wagon for the wifey.

and I've never seen a pre-facelift cabrio.....I would have kept it that way.

vili1982

Hey bud, I guess you really gotta decide how much do you still love this car. 10 K for repairs is serious coin man.. You can get a decent S500 for 10 K.

Let me know if you need a hand with anything.
cheers

solo11

Hey Joe,
Bought my 94 e320 cab 4 years ago. Got all the repair manuals because I thought I"d be wrenching all the time. Nothing! Just goes and goes. What a tank. I would not get rid of it if i wre you.
I get a little envious of all the mods you guys do. Some of them I don't even know what they are. Just shows how much you're into that car. I never see the Euro 93 cab in the Chicago area.

I am developing a thud/dead spot in the left rear. Do control arms go bad? Could it just be the shock? I am willing to replace (by myself) all of the rear suspension if I have to. Any of you guys have suggesttion for upgrades? Good to be back on the site.
solo