Hello everyone im here for some advise on buying a w124. Im new to the w124 and not very knowlegable about mercedes in general, i ownded a w123 for a short while but she ended up heading to the scrap yard and im more a vw guy anyway,but i have fallen in love with these big beautys.

So heres my question. Im trying to buy one for around $3000 but im not sure what kind of mileage i should be looking for. The ones iv found so far are asking $4500 for a 300e with 160k on it, now i dont know if this is fair or a rip off. Im really not sure of pricing on these cars and dont know what to expect as far as mechincal longevity and durability .

Another question i have is about lowering these cars. From what iv read the only way is with lowering springs. Im more of a fan of coilovers but i guess they dont make them for the w124. Which companys makes the lowest set of springs and which shock should they be paired with to achieve a slammed and firm ride. Keep in mind i do have another daily driver i just plan on making this more of my weekend/fun car.

Thanks everyone

 

Hi Adam,
Some things I've learned when engaging this community with the question you asked. Put your location in your profile. Start identifying the cars you are interested in and post links to them or pull pictures and descriptions if you think someone might buy the car out from under you... Point being, there is a huge swing in how much the car is "worth" and what you will pay for it depending upon location and condition.

Service records are the key to getting a W124. Inspections before you buy are also important if the car is sight unseen. Don't be in a hurry to buy any used car. It will cost you a lot of money if you don't choose wisely.

I took about a year looking around the country for what I wanted, started to log some prices and mileage that I found on ebay and auto trader, and then gave myself a budget for the car. I did find similar cars in my area, and learned how to spot condition flaws, wiring harness replacement, head gasket leaks, cam shaft seal leaks, etc. Documentation helps a lot in seeing how well cared for the car was in its past.

There is a difference in what you will be spending per year on these cars beyond the cost of original purchase to consider. They aren't cheap when it comes to parts, but there are plenty of parts out there. If you can do some service on the car that's great because the garages and dealers see you coming from a paycheck away.

Once you have all that in mind the forum will be more than willing to judge and give advice on the cars you are narrowing in on, but for now your question is too vague for this mindshare.

Once you have the car the spring conversations will come. Take a look at other threads on this to see what others have done with links and coil overs. Its not to my taste but there are plenty of slammed cars here and on the "other" forum.

Best,
Bob