So i picked up a 1993 300CE (3.2 M104)
no asr
Paint code 702 is smoke silver, interior code 265 is mushroom leather
came with chrome 500e rims i believe
now heres the catch.. so the odo says 115,000 i know i know too good to be true..
i ran a vin check, turns out the odo was rolled back/replaced 100k basically a long time ago, but the last 2 owners had NO idea.. so basically lets say the car has 250k.. he thought everything was just happening prematurely.. poor guy
he bought it from his aunt..
Car has basically been sitting for about a year and who knows how he drove it..
I picked it up from palm springs california so.. the car is dusty.. and many things are cracked..

interior has gone to hell, but headliner is good, and surprisingly, the seat belt carriers work PERFECT!

-he has a 6000$ transmission job receipt from 1999 or something (not his)
(has about 2k in receipts, including wiring harness done back in 2001 (he seems to have probably followed some online guides, cause he showed me where he cut it to check the wires, and has his own code reader thing?)
-head gasket receipt (don't know if its mb spec, but he said his mechanic used a good steal one)
-has a receipt for cylinder #5 being replaced (but i don't know if its mb spec)
-has receipts for other repairs, tensioners, etc
-dash isn't cracked.. but its dry

now things that worry me
-has a CEL, i tried the code reader (never had one before, it blinked like 5 times, ill make sure) and repost
-all the rubber/plastic seem dry
-vacuum leaks
-AC doesn't work very well it gets cold, but the blowerfans seem weak, nothing from middle vents, he blocked the top vents with pvc tape, he did it so more pressure would come out through the sides
-don't think heater works
-cheap tires
-Brakes seem weird, but not bad, lots of life in them
-has a KYB shock i think, but bushing is out, and makes annoying sounds when i go over something (only 1)
-cheappppp autozone battery
-serpentine belt looks like it needs swapping, but he gave me a new one (AUTOZONE) PEHHHH
-speedo needle shakes a little
-dusty
-don't know if/where it leaks
-weird aftermarket alarm
-sunroof is slow, when it tries to open, but closes fast
-lights dim a little when window switch is pressed
-right side power mirror doesn't work
-windows are very slow, and scratched.. hopefully its just the tint..
-defroster status, unknown
-still hasn't gone on the rack
-steering feels heavy (PS fluid seemed dark dark dirty though)
-reverse seems to lagg? or the car doesn't move unless i put some gas in reverse
-the accelerator pedal is heavyish, but clicks (no not the kickdown) seems kind of loose
-oil pressure is at 0 when idling, and falls a bit
-oil light comes on when i took it to 80, goes off, comes back, etc
-seems to run kind of warm, but i think its common for m104
-one headlight doesn't work, but high beams do, so its probably a fuse

-i want to ideally get rid of the CEL asap so i can smog, he got a smog 2 years ago he said he turned off the light with his homemade scanner device or something? or with battery clamps and they passed fine
and get my tags too (august 2011) was his last tags

-i'm going to get a ppi asap, with leakdown test and everything
-going to change the oil sooner then asap, but i'm not sure what oil to put, he doesn't remember his last oil change, and he seems to have gone to jiffy lube
he is pretty sure he put dino oil though i just don't know what grade to put

I got the car for $1000, and with all the service receipts, even with the rolled odo, it seemed like a decent daily as i don't have a car and the engine didn't run too bad, and tranny was smooth
(till it blew a fuse, and i went crazy and thought it was the immobilizer when it turned out to be a little central locking system fuse ) at work
-i brought it from 400ish miles away so i really should get an oil change asap!!

so the little diy things i probably need to do
-sun visor clips are broken
-one speaker goes in and out (probably just wiring)
-need to replace front seats
-need to get new seatbelt retainer covers or whatever
-new window (water proofing seals)
-basic tuneup
-possibly 400e brake upgrade
-need to change battery to a better one
-serpentine belt
-shifter knob
-facelift headlights
-new plates, their all bent up, wish i can keep my old ones it was so easy to memorize
-suspension overhaul.. still thinking whether to go sportline or not, but of course i want the steering box and everything, but i still havn't decided
-stick my old sound system in there?
-compass mirror retrofit
-get cover for ecu -__-


so the story, i had a 95 c280 before, and the m104 feels just like it, a tad more power, not as smooth (yet) but my 1987 3.0 m103 seems to pull me back alot more to my seat, esp during first gear, and is alot more responsive, i thought the 3.2 m104 was going to be a wow over the m103, and as well as compared to the m104 2.8 but the m103 still pulls harder for some reason?

-the seatbelts are cool, once both windows are down, you feel like a king despite how your car looks.. :P although it'd be better swagging out
-the ride is smooth (well i need a new suspension) [even in its current state]
-still looks great even with such crappy paint (or lack of clearcoat)
-great mpg, way better than my 87 300e


the only thing i've done is
-change all the fuses to german copper ones (i thought they'd use ato fuses from the 93 as they do have like a code scanner)
-change ovp relay fuse
changing my taillight bulb, for now but once i wash my facelift ones ill stick em in

i need to really clean the car, but i have no idea where to start.. how do i clean all the dust from the inside/worn out leather/plastics?

i know "there is no such thing as a cheap benz" and it is better to find one in good condition..
as i've gone through 2 in pretty beat condition, i mean my 300e was fine till it got wrecked.. my c280.. everything i fixed and some old lady decided to rear end me

but man does my 300e's paint look good haha

anyways this is just my daily, so i don't mind if it doesn't look great, i mean i do but im more worried about how the car runs, and the little minor things..
and i figure its better than any civic, way better driving feel, comfort, and its so much more safer, i would know. (i was going to buy midasmike's 300ce sportline, but the money just didn't come around :P)

so what else are some easy things i should do first,
i do plan on doing things over time little by little like saijin_naab was it?

i know it might be expensive
and all i want first is for the car to run properly and well then do the suspension probably..

if anyone has any pointers or tips where to start, and things to do i appreciate it and i know i missed things, its almost 12 am, had to work after a 4 hour drive

heres some pics.. will take more later, just kind of busy and lazy and had a w124 leave me stranded!! well i should have checked the fuse.. hahaha

OH and i forgot, what can i swap from my wrecked 87 300e, into the 93 300ce?






just a couple i snapped in work parking lot.. will take some of the dusty interior soon

 

man i thought working with rust was hard, when a car baked, its no joke!!! sand everywhere, everything is brittle ><

 

You certainly got yourself a project car man.

Are you sure this is how you want to go about getting back into a w124?

 

its not, but my budget sucks :| i keep thinking maybe i should have bought mike's its a way better example, at least its not sandy and scorched.. but i didn't have the money, so well see..
engine seems like it might have potential, but i',m not sure if i want to work on it, and just get another CE.. honestly i don't mind the m103..

just going to do it slowly

havn't checked coolant yet actually..

so i thought i could use the power mirror from the 87 300e, but nope, their different..

and the rearview was in bad shape, so i tried to use the 87 300e one as well, different.. i thought all w124 mirrors were the same so i just tugged it out, but it happens to have 3 screws, and comes off with the mini-visor..

so things i've done..
-safely removed driver side mirror without it breaking on me
-broke the rearview mirror -___-
so i have only 1 mirror, and power doesnt seem to go to it
-my AC controller lights went out for some reason
-engine makes more noise than i thought, and shakes the whole car, might need mounts.. hopefully sand isn't in the engine, but i wouldn't be surprised as its everywhere.. as i think sand might be in the lifters or something, as its causing a tick
-need a new headlight switch
-can't figure out how to take the drivers side headlight out, i got the bolts, but the wiper motor is there and i really don't remember how i got it out of the 87 300e
-pulled out the power seat switches and cleaned it, full functions are back
-the accel pedal is loose or something..
-little flare between gear 2-3 upshift
-took out sunvisors just cause they were swinging around a little bit..
-vacuumed a whole bunch of rocks under the carpeting..
-found various digital ports in the back..?
-think i need new thermostat sooner or later

so basically i need even more work! maybe i should get some mirrors from the junkyard, clean it up and get rid of it.... cause the 104 3.2 isn't all what i thought it would be although its pretty fast.. but all the dust, and baked items are killing me!




found some mysterious thing tied to the rearview..

 

IMO, the best deal on a 124 of any sort includes the history from a dutiful owner.

Beg, borrow or steal the extra money to get that with any 124 car, as it will pay you back.

If you are as handy as you sound, you have thousands of dollars of parts to sell right now. That could be a better use of your time and current resources...to ebay out parts and then aim at a few thousand dollar purchase of a nicer more sorted out 124 coupe in 4-6 months.

 

true.. haha no i'm not handy, jsut trying to be..

 

doesnt 1993 and this engine should be a facelifted car?

 

Nope not really. Facelift in US started in 94/95, engine got worked in late 93 though.

 

A well sorted m104 pulls better than the m103. The seat of the pants meter disagrees solely due to gearing...

Hook up a garden hose to your hot water, and get the engine warm.... Drench it in degreaser, scrub, then rinse. Oh yea and repeat!! Tho save the electronics by the battery..

The CEL, I'd throw new idle hoses and vacuum connectors at it.... Focus on the little things like the clips on the mas .

I think, if its fundamentally good but has quirks, it'll get nicer as you work through the systems; but that's also how it can get real expensive.


And the mystery part...looksee like a phone mic.

 

yeah i just don't know if i should cut it off or not, cause its coming down from the headliner

so i did quite a bit of driving today trying to get some decent bbq (superbowl).. i saw most of the quirks and gave it a quick rinse at the coinwash and cleaned up the interior a little bit..

the car left me stranded twice!!!!
good thing i had all my tools, and a bunch of spare fuses in the trunk

my girlfriend complained about the car which got me thinking and off my *** a bit, and i lost a bet for a team i don't care about it was 10 bucks but still!!!! :P

one of her complaints was obviously the seats, and the smell of sand/lime/dust in the car..
so i cleaned it up a bit, and man the leather is so dry but meguiars helps ALOT.. and meguiars isn't a expensive or i don't know if its top rated, they claim it is..
now it smells like leather cleaner.. which is not bad..
but i don't know how much i can revive the leather..
the front seats are going to need replacing or reupholstering.. whatevers cheaper, hoping i can just pick something up at the junkyard

the woods a bit cracked and stuff, but its no biggie, just need one clip and the wood should hold fine..

the guy put PVC piping tape all over the top vents and they crack and crack when i try to get them out, and i don't want em to get into the vents so whats the best way to take em out? because i wanted to clean the dash a bit..

my girlfriend also complained about the smell, of gasoline
and i'm guessing the 1993 model has a cabin filter? but i can't seem to find one, its usually under the wiper right? and the cover for that is BAKED!
but it can also be 02 sensor, and i haven't checked the eha yet either

the engine bay.. i'm going to need work on it, and i think i'm leaking oil from the engine.. did an oil change with some 15w40 (for now) i think ill go full synthethic and switch to mobile one as my budget gets a bit better..

i noticed the drivers side window makes some wind noise, and a little water gets in, i think its the seal.. but i might want to replace all the windows :P
but i think itll be costly..

tried the defroster, don't know if it works or not (the rear heated window one)
the front, it heats a little from the vent..

the fans blow when the ac/heat is off when i go over 50 mph?

my girlfriend also complained about some noise.. seems to be vacuum leaks from the engine..

-the car seems fine when its smooth, although a bit slow, or its the speedometer cable probably seeing how its shaking around..
but the tranny flare is getting quite a bit annoying

-i fixed a speaker connection today, the wire was loose, so i cut it and soldered it back onto the speaker, and man the stock becker unit with the bose speakers arn't too bad.. probably cause the coupe has a 6.5 in the door?
and the cd changer still works!
-i noticed that the coupe doesn't have a antenna up

-i swapped the headlight so now my lowbeams work again, but i do plan to do a full facelift on it since all i need is one more headlight shoudn't be hard

still can't figure out why the AC lights went off

the suspension seems shot, i plan on going bilstein hd and h&r lowering springs in the future sometime, after i get all my bushings and joints to par

does the car have 2 fuel filters? or am i thinking of fuel pumps.. probably pumps..

-ignition struggles and makes a little grinding sound sometimes, but most of the time it will start right up.. until the problem which left me stranded as mentioned earlier

now for the BIG problem..
fuse C (vacuum control, so the car can't start) seems to keep blowing, i swapped the fuses to all copper german ones, when i change the fuse, i can hear a little spark sound from the little box full of relays behind the fusebox..
i tried removing relay to relay to see if i can see the short, but nope.. couldn't
and when the fuse touches the pins even a little, i can hear the sparking for sure, but when the fuse is set with a clicking sound and in there, the clicking starts, and car starts fine..

i'm pretty sure its due to the alarm system, or some weird aftermarket crap.. as theres some box by the pedals, and theres aftermarket wiring thats been cut everywhere.. or its the original one, because it seems to happen when i lock the car from the trunk..

anyways, i'm trying to take care of the little easy things myself, and trying to stop breaking things like mirrors.. -___-

i should be getting my ppi either tommorow or tuesday probably from (mr.MB in reseda, one of the highest reputed mercedes techs around here)

still contemplating just getting the mirrors and selling it.. but it has potential and its pretty fun.. and i think it will be okay for a daily once its running good, and hopefully the MPG will be better :p today, it wasn't as great as i thought... but thats probably because i drove on the freeway all day yesterday

 

got smogged today, smogged okay even with the CEL on, i asked what it was he said its just dusty sensor
got that done for $50

Got an old tint removed for $10..
it was all scratched up because so much dirt and dust is between the seal or something..

so it makes a creeking sound and its slow.. is it the whole regulator assembly?
and how do i clean up the thing that scratches up the window tints?