xlr8tin

Hey guys. I found this today as I was searching. I've been looking to trade my BMW 320i so sent him a text and he is very interested.

I think it looks great, and 112K miles I hear is nothing on these W124s. But other than that I don't know much about them.

http://medford.craigslist.org/cto/3862291864.html

I wish it was a little newer, and a E320, but beggars can't be choosers. What are some of you guys first impression about this? What is the performance like? How do they handle? Can I upgrade power at all without spending a crap load or swapping the engine out? I'm not too concerned about reliability since this would be a second car. What are some upgrades I can look forward to doing if any appearance wise and performance.

He mentioned that the rear windows cannot be rolled down from the front, but only from the rear. He said this literally happened last night. Any ideas about this?

I'm doing as much research as I can tonight, since we trying to meet up tomorrow to see if he likes my car and I his. I hope I can get as much feedback as possible tonight...thanks in advance

pwogaman

I'd be looking around a bit more before jumping into a 1986 W124. It was the first year of the model in the U.S. and not all the design kinks had worked their way out just yet. There was a significant update in 1990, and a final one in 1994-95. The 94-95s (your E320s) have some serious biodegradable insulation wiring harness concerns which can be addressed for about $750-1,000, so it you end up there make sure that repair has been done.

The mileage is very good on the car you're checking, but ti is too easy to alter that or to experience odometer failure in these cars. When test driving it, make sure the odometer is moving.

The lack of rear window power from the front switches is a non-issue since the windows work from the rear. The problem could probably be fixed simply by rocking the switches a bunch of times to cut through some built up corrosion or center console crud that has worked its way into them.

You might also want to scroll through the benzworld[dot]org W124 forum. It is a fairly active group. Also try peachparts[dot]com, but it does not have a dedicated W124 group. Look through the tech forum there. Too many forums are filled with discussions/questions about whether these rims make my butt look fat. Too fluffy for meaningful feedback.

As to the W124 itself, I love it. I currently have 4, 3 diesels and a gasser 4matic. I have also parted another one down to every last nut & bolt and fastener. They are truly over engineered cars. There is plenty of good forum support for DIYers and no issues with getting OEM replacement parts. You can rejuvenate these cars to essentially ride like a brand new car. If you're looking for a hot rod, a 300E is probably not going to be it for you.

xlr8tin

Right now it's between this or a 1988 BMW 750 that is about an hour closer. But it isn't running and needs a battery. So the Benz is an easier choice at the moment. I think my main concern is will the 300E be too slow? I now the BMW I have now is very slow but since it's a 5 speed it's very fun.