Mercedes W124 Buying Guide - Classic Merc BARGAIN!

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

If our buying guide has tempted you, this very 1992 200E is for sale! It's got 108,000 miles on the clock, MOT until December and four new Falken tyres! Offers over £1700 to [e-mail]!

[@AledPritchard]

I love this channel. Every presenter really knows their onions. Another brilliant video by Joe, nice one chaps, big love.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Thanks Aled, much appreciated! -Joe

[@dinispaulino7512]

Great little guide! There are a lot of details to consider, specially the differences between the 3 phases/series of the W124, but of course that's impossible to cover in a 15 minute video, so this is a great starting point for people who aren't used to the W124. I just have to make a little correction, though: unlike the W123, the W124 has a completely separate vacuum circuit for the central locking. It isn't run off the engine vacuum, but from an electrical pump which is located under the rear seat in the saloon, instead. In my opinion, the W124 is the perfect classic daily. I've been daily driving a 1991 300D (naturally aspirated with manual gearbox) for almost 5 years now, and it's flawless. Also, for the DIYer's, it's a great car to develop your mechanical abilities on!

[@arthurdardalis]

The pre facelift cars are the best built, thicker and not water based paint. I’ve a 1986 factory delivery 124, loaded with options, 60k miles & showroom condition. I’m in Greece, so no rust Joe, the 124’s are bank vault build quality, to those mentioning rust, they are far better protected than contemporaries but let’s not forget that they have lived and survived 40 UK climates!

[@solsol1624]

Agreed and yours does not have the Sacco panels I assume? I nearly pulled the trigger on a mint 86 a few years back, but got a 123 instead

[@arthurdardalis]

@ yes, it has the very slim mouldings

[@habsom1406]

Pre-facelift! Extensive options! 60k miles! Showroom condition! Greece, no rust! Sounds like heaven, my dream Mercedes! 😍 I have a pre-facelift S124 300TE but alas there are some localised rust holes which require addressing and it needs recommissioning after 20 years being off the road in UK soggy weather. Mot and tax exempt in a couple of years!

[@alanduncan9204]

Good Grief I thought it was my old W124 !! I had an identical 250D with almost the same number plate. I sold it with around 150k miles as it was starting to rust under those plastic door panels. The car was fully loaded with every toy and had the Velour interior. The only things that went wrong, and I did the work myself. Broken plastic piece on the sunroof, front discs, an alternator, passenger electric window motor and the rear shocks. It was by far the best car I ever had 40 plus mpg and no matter how far I drove I got out the other end like I had been sitting in my living room. The auto gear box was as smooth as silk. One thing I changed on the car was clear indicator lenses and put in orange bulbs. It made the car look a lot better without those orange blobs on the front.

[@paultaylor9652]

The last of the good looking Mercedes with a beautiful interior, great video very knowledgeable.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Many thanks!

[@jamaeze66]

Recently purchased a 1990 260E in a similar diamond blue metallic. Its got rusty sills but repair sills are relatively affordable at around £150 for all four corners. I got mine from Germany because they are a better fit and fabricated from stronger steel. Parts are available for most bits but the you need to be realistic about the fact that the newest W124s are almost 30 years old and so will need work. Get the Haynes manual which is a great resource.

[@simonhunt7269]

Loved my estate in the 90s. Replaced it with a w210 which was horribly unreliable and rusted at just 3 yrs old

[@aubs400]

Mum had a diesel estate. Utterly amazing car, silky smooth and tough as old boots.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Very nice!

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

I tracked down a 1988 s124 200 manual . It’s wonderful, slow but wonderful and has no plastic sill covers . It drove 4 of us to Le Touquet for a December break and came back full of wine without a hitch

[@andrewcrowther1973]

Great video on what to look out for. I used to have a 1990 w124 estate which was fantastic drove like new even with nearly 200k on the clock. Currently have a modern a200 but when pcp runs out I'd love a w124 saloon preferably a diesel auto.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Do it, you won't regret it!

[@abrownm5]

This is a good overview of the common problems with these cars. I love the W124, I'm on my 3rd! The first was a facelift E200 which wasn't very good, bad for rust and the 16v engines are coarse. The next was a 260E that I bought for £1500 and ran for over 10 years with no problems other than basic maintenance. I currently have a 300E-24 saloon in nice condition that I got last year, these are hard to find now and I plan to keep it for a long time! Also my Father has a 230E that he bought for £800 14 years ago and is still going strong. I find these to be well made cars and they are easy to work on for a DIY'er and make a great modern classic.

[@habsom1406]

Nice detailed video, you managed to pack in quite a lot, thanks for creating and uploading.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Thanks for watching!

[@richardelson3261]

Great guide crams in the info

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Glad it was helpful!

[@antoniocalimero1173]

That's why a good one already costs at least 20,000 euros. Then you never have any problems. The best ones were made between 1990 and 1992.. more beautiful than the older ones and better than the newer ones. That is also the best investment as a classic car of these types. Since 1993, savings have been made and you can see that in the whole car, as well as the failed facelift. The newer engines also no longer sound nice and all have head gasket problems and wiring problems.

[@Beechams1042]

I've got a '93 220CE which is a coupe just before the name change to the E-Class happened. So it's actually quite rare. Had the wiring loom issue - but Silek Auto re-manufactured it for me. Plus the tin worm on the jacking points was sorted. It's not perfect (yet), but an ongoing project I love - most of the time! Just got a few smaller bits to sort out - before trying to find and fit a rear screen!

[@saxonuk14]

I'd recommend walking away from anything with a sagging back end. Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'll get my coat.

[@LesterLovesWatches]

I wouldn’t say that W123 values are “sky-rocketing”. Values for cars which are not concours or haven’t recently been totally restored are roughly the same as they were 3 years ago.

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

The s124 spheres can be replaced for about 500 quid

[@Julianpms]

No mention of any of the V8-engined models: not just the 500E/E500 but also the 400E/E420, also LHD only. The latter less sporty, but a beautiful torquey engine and a great drive. (I have the good fortune to have owned a 1995 E420 with just 48,000km for the past three years.)

[@paulknight1332]

You forgot the petrol V8 E500 which was only available in LHD and is very rare in the UK.

[@dmitrynikitin4259]

I have an S124 (Estate) 200T, carburetor. Starts every time easily in Irish climate. I wasn't able to find new hydraulic rams (they look like shock absorbers) online for the rear suspension. And I think the valve for that self-levelling suspension can not be rebuilt, and is very very expensive. So, yes, as it was mentioned in the video, check it carefully before you buy. Maybe read something/watch something about it if you really need an estate. They look great and are very spacious, but the SLS may consume a lot of money. I also can't lower it low enough (normally it sags as I know)! And I don't understand why. Considering removing it, unfortunately. Although it's not recommended, as the system is really good when it works. Rust at the bottom of rear window frames was a problem for me as well. Did I hear that W124s are partially galvanised?!

[@waitingforvirtue3080]

Great run through, would love you to talk a little bit slower please.

[@peterjanvanbijnen226]

i you want an good car that wil not be any hassle just buy the diesel one the 250D they are very relaible and very economical, they run on diesel vegatable oil engine oil

[@martinsv9183]

Or a carburated 200. Had 2 in family as w123. Only thing ever done to those engines during their whole life was a carburator membrane for like $20.

[@DavidDatura]

Surprised by this. I always thought the W124 E-Class was the best of all the E-Class’s with bank vault like build quality like previous Merc’s. Didn’t realize they were rust buckets! With flaky Italian/British like wiring looms! Weren’t they galvanized when manufactured?

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

They're far more durable than most contemporaries, but four decades on the road (as well as those infamous wiring looms) eventually take their tole!

[@Suprahampton]

No mention of the E500?

[@ranjanaluwihare1511]

The W124, last of the real Mercedes Benz’s! RIP😢

[@OM617a]

I like the w124, have owned several. But the quality is not even close to the w123, so not better in every way.

[@andrewpreston4127]

Hhm, rust anywhere and everywhere..., head gasket failures, bio-degradable wiring... Ffs, why on earth would I want one of these ?.., they're a money pit. Back in 1992 I owned a 300E. About 18 months old, as I re-call. A lovely car, but really, there's nothing inspirational about them, just a biggish, comfortable saloon, seemingly well put together, at the time. Just another Merc. I can never quite the understand the aura in which Mercedes are held in this country. In Germany, Mercs are the taxis. I also owned a 1984 W123 240D just over 20 years ago. Paid £300 for it, with an MOT of a few months. Car had done 300,000 miles, and the engine and mechanics felt like they were good for the same again. The body, and hiiden rust told another story, as revealed when MOT time arrived. Fortunately it was only a short drive to the scrapyard. All cars with significant rust are moneypits to repair.

[@eddiejones.redvees]

It sounds like you would have a job looking around for a good one with all that rust and mechanical and electrical problems it would be best to look elsewhere to me

[@peterjanvanbijnen226]

you forgot the 500E

[@tonylee-UK]

Please slow down. You're motormouthing.

[@AJC508]

0.75 play speed fixes it, mercifully.

[@timjones143]

7000 GBP for a GOOD sedan?? I doubt it. I really do.

[@davidpidge]

What do you doubt about that? I got my 260E saloon for £2400 4 months ago. Excellent condition with a few bubbles showing on the front arch.