The Original 4-Door Porsche | 1994 Mercedes-Benz E 500 Review

There's a lot of confusion around the internet when it comes to the performance-spec W124 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. One version was tuned by AMG, the other was co-tuned by Porsche. We're looking at the latter, the 1994 Mercedes-Benz E 500 sedan.
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Special thanks to James from Throttle House for helping out and hanging out with us during this film shoot, without his help we'd have no rolling footage of this W124 in action. Check out their Channel at: / hobbes8081987
The W124 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is widely regarded as one of the best vehicles the German luxury brand ever produced, if not one of the best cars ever made period. It's legendary reliability solidified the W124 as a practical luxury vehicle when it was new, and still to this day as a solid choice for those looking for a classic daily driver. Over 2,500,000 W124 models were produced during its production run, but less than 11,000 came with the 500 designation.
Our full tour and review of this 1994 Mercedes-Benz E 500 is a comprehensive overview of this specific trim, and how Porsche and Mercedes worked together to create a performance-oriented four-door sports car to rival AMG's own Hammer. For North America we got the 500 E / E 500 for 3 model years, and only 45 were originally sent up to Canada during that production run. These W124s came fully loaded with only the carphone and CD changer being optional extras.
The E 500's legendary performance comes from it's naturally aspirated 5.0L M119 DOHC 32 Valve V8 engine which Mercedes developed for the 500 SL and asked Porsche to engineer to fit in the smaller E-Class chassis. Porsche was also tasked with tuning the suspension and ride of the W124 to make it perform better and handle the additional weight of the larger M119 engine. Mercedes also used the brakes from the 500 SL and later SL 600 to help stop the car, though many enthusiasts find that even those brakes aren't strong enough to stop the weight of this beast, opting for even grippier brakes off the SL 600 Silver Arrow.
Porsche helped assemble the E 500 as the Mercedes production facility couldn't accommodate the additional width of the E 500's tire track and flared fenders, and took 18 days to fully assemble one car.
Often confused with the AMG Hammer, both vehicles share the same W124 chassis/platform, though AMG's version took the 5.6L V8 engine from the 560 SEL S-Class / 560 SL roadster and bored out the cylinders to 6 litres, producing more power at the cost of additional weight. AMG at the time was not a subsidiary of Daimler/Mercedes-Benz but rather an independent tuning house. They'd buy a 300 E and custom build a Hammer out of it, giving it the designation E 60 AMG. A number of smaller version were also produces like the E 34 AMG for the Japanese market (shown in this video) and the E 36 AMG, also for European markets where engine displacements were typically smaller.
The rest of our episode of TestDrive Spotlight goes over the features and mechanical specifications of this specific E 500 along with taking it on a road test to talk about how a 25 year old car like this compares to the other W124s we've featured on TestDrive, along with the other E-Classes we've driven also. We discuss our impressions on the road for this vehicle being used as a daily driver and how it handles and performs by today's standards.
We wrap up our full tour and review on the 1994 Mercedes-Benz E 500 with a rundown of what to look for if you're in the market for this kind of car, including the common problems associated with the W124 and E 500 specifically, along with a quick buyer's guide for what to look for.
If you're thinking of owning a vehicle like this we strongly recommend joining one of the E 500 specific forums like www.500eboard.co, which is an active community specializing in this car.
Here's a short write up on Kinja: 485851377-nilelivesey.kinja.c...
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TestDrive is proudly produced in Acton, Québec, Canada. This episode was filmed on-location in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

I am the lucky owner of this vehicle. AMA.

[@burninggas7715]

What is the unlabeld (blank)Button on the Dash

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

@@burninggas7715 factory alarm indicator (LED blinks red when armed).

[@tmklancia]

Have you modded it or are you planning any mods for the future?

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

@@tmklancia ECU/PCM from a 1992 model added, otherwise, no, and no plans. The list of things you can do to this car beyond this point is small. Some owners like to add an ASR defeat switch and disable 2nd gear start, but those are more of a drag strip mod. There's not much you can do to the M119 to increase power, other than boring it out for more displacement as AMG and BRABUS did.

[@audiwankenobi361]

Have you watched the video by effspot called 12,000$ exhaust? Since you're a Merc man you might want to hear that old Mercedes.

[@seff5677]

Side by side this E500 just has a nicer road presence compared to the new E class Mercedes. The old model here definitely wins in the looks department

[@PRNTestDrive]

I agree! No ones going to bat an eye when you’re driving a 2019 E 450, but everyone will notice the 1994!

[@2011Transformersdotm]

Igor Podrug Old Mercedes were always better than the new ones. Thats the time when mercedes built real Mercedes

[@diablocls55]

@@PRNTestDrive I see a lot of 124s where I live so I dont think anyone would look at it twice, but if it is in great condition and not dirty of course, you may get some looks :) especially if it's an e500/500e and/or an enthusiast who knows of the legend. I miss my 2003 e500 but I have a 2007 e550 now. Great cars. Hopefully I can pick up a w124 e500 before value goes up even higher

[@revinot]

AMG-5 Spoke mono block wheels will look so sick on these

[@PRNTestDrive]

I haven't met a 90s-era Mercedes that wouldn't look good with those rims.

[@morgatil]

With the Brembo's, the 17" mono blocks wouldn't fit. I sourced these 18" offset Brabus from a guy in Ireland.

[@fj717]

2:49

[@trevorrose4529]

@@morgatil Good thing theres 18" and 19" monoblocks

[@1995RangeRover]

Love the 500E. Every now and then, you see a cool example on the highway.👍😎

[@PRNTestDrive]

I wish I saw more W124s on the road out here. I saw a few W123 wagons in Massachusetts when I was down that way, but up here not so much.

[@morgatil]

I am the dope who sold this car. Love that it is still being loved.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Morgan James thank you for taking such good care of her during your ownership

[@echanlynneighbors-richmond794]

🤣😂😁😀😆👍😎

[@PRNTestDrive]

At least you know it's being well loved, I'm sure most of us never know what happens to the cars we sell unfortunately.

[@morgatil]

You forgot to mention how rare this color is. This is 1 of 5 1994s made in Anthracite Gray.

[@diablocls55]

@@morgatil do you ever regret selling it? Because I'm gonna pick one of these up one day.

[@Roddy_Zeh]

I never forget when I was 8 and my family went to an Italian restaurant. The manager (I believe) had the keys to a W124 300E that belonged to the owner and he opened up the car for me to see. I wish he could've started it too, but that was enough to solidify my respect and admiration for the Mercedes brand, specially their cars from that era, like the W124 itself, the W123 before it and the bigger brother W140. :) Even though it was 'just' a 300E, it was quite the sight here, since imports were so expensive and exclusive. Matter of fact, imports were prohibited here in Brazil between 1976 and 1990, when the ban was lifted. And funnily enough, a W124 300E was actually the very first car imported after the ban was lifted. Awesome review, thanks a lot!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks for sharing your story! Why were imports banned in Brazil during that time?

[@Roddy_Zeh]

@@PRNTestDrive Back in 1976, diesel cars were prohibited here because we depended heavily on imported oil, which generated a big deficit in our financial situation, so they went all out and pretty much banned imports of vehicles and other things, I think. You could still import vehicles under very specific conditions, such as if you had physical disability and wanted an automatic vehicle, for example...or if you worked on an embassy, you could bring any car from anywhere in that case. Hence why, despite the import ban, specially on diesel cars, thete were a few of these older Mercs from the era, W123's and W124's, even diesel-powered. Gasoline-powered too, they were very popular on embassies back then, and it's not difficult to find and purchase one of these Mercs despite the period...they just won't be cheap, but then again, nothing is really cheap here, everything is so expensive. :( From 1976 and 1990, if you wanted to buy an exclusive vehicle, you'd have to rely on small manufacturers such as Puma, Santa Matilde...which made " _fora-de-série_ " models...in literal translation, "outstanding" cars, low production, exclusive, quite expensive...albeit using as many off-the-shelf parts from common brands. Our market was dominated by the big four: Volkswagen (by far the most popular), Chevrolet (probably 2nd place), Ford and Fiat, pretty much they were the only companies here. These small manufacturers used engines, transmissions, parts like buttons, levers, etc for their cars. Hell, sometimes the whole platform was used from normal cars and converted to something more exclusive for those who wanted to stand out from the crowd and wanted something more exclusive than the top models from the big four, namely: * Ford Galaxie/LTD/Landau (major improvements over the US 1966 Galaxie), *Chevrolet Opala (based on the European Opel Rekord, but with Chevrolet I-4 and I-6 engines), then later the Del Rey, which was based on the Corcel, which itself was a major improvement on an old Renault project (!!!) * Dodge Dart/Charger/Magnum/LeBaron/Gran Sedan (all based on the American 1967 Dart) * Related to Fiat, we had the FNM JK 2000 and 2000 Ti, then later the Alfa Romeo 2300 and 2300 Ti4. There were other models in the 60's, but throughout the 70's and 80's, if you wanted to buy an expensive car from the major brands, these were the options. If you wanted more exclusivity, you went for the "outstanding" ones. Another choice was buying a car and have it transformed by specialized companies... Here's an example of what we did, in this case to Ford trucks: jalopnik.com/behold-the-beautiful-madness-of-what-brazil-did-to-ford-1794932201 www.ford-trucks.com/articles/bizarre-brazilian-ford-trucks/ EDIT: sorry for the long message XD

[@PRNTestDrive]

Don't apologize for the length, I really appreciate the thorough explanation! Those Ford trucks you linked to are very unique, almost a cross between a van and a pickup, with a pre-Hummer sort of look to it.

[@Roddy_Zeh]

@@PRNTestDrive Glad you liked it. :) Banned imports force the market to, as the Bear Grylls internet memes say..."improvise, adapt, overcome"! Hahah We made quite a lot of unique vehicles in the period...another interesting model family was the Miura... pinterest.com/pin/503488433324340235/

[@ackvig]

in 2019, I step into my driveway and marvel with awe at the sheer beauty of my pristine smoke silver, (what Mercedes called "beige" at the time) 1994 E320 W124 sitting on Carlsson 1/6 wheels from 1993. So Imagine how I feel seeing THIS beauty!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hold onto yours if you can!

[@paulm6481]

Peak Mercedes. Bruno Sacco the genius behind this and the SL of its generation. They have never come close to this design since.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

He is a legend

[@simplefindsforthehome7803]

Don't forget the king of the beasts the w140 as well! Amazing designer!

[@MrCarGuy]

@Mr. Cairo Saved me from explaining this.

[@simplefindsforthehome7803]

@Mr. Cairo agreed and heard/read of Bruno's thoughts as well....but a great car nonetheless.

[@Kev27RS]

@Mr. Cairo Yes, he also designed the R230 SL in the late 90's.

[@sheldonm3535]

I love that you tilt the roof on all the cars. The only way to drive Euro

[@tarendranalvsamy9971]

The more i watch this kind of videos, the more i fall in love with it

[@PRNTestDrive]

The car or the video? 😀

[@tarendranalvsamy9971]

@@PRNTestDrive both😉

[@nadersoli815]

Why the hell is James from Throttle House in your video, Nile???!!!! Hahahaha! AMAZING! Wow. Just wow. That was my favorite part of the video. That said, Nile you make exceptional videos. Professional level. I feel like I'm watching Motorweek but with a farrrrr better and more enjoyable guy to watch. Maybe it's that silky Canadian voice. I feel a nap coming on. So soothing. All jokes aside, masterpiece Nile and what a beauty of a car. I'm selling my 2001 silver E320. Runs like a stallion. Gonna miss it.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I really appreciate your comment, thanks! James and I have been friends for quite a while now, he happened to have some free time during the time I was filming this car and popped by for a few hours. We wanted to include a quick cameo that would be a complete surprise, and something we didn't address at all in the video like he was just some random guy we found. Good luck with the sale of your E-Class! I still would love to have one of those generation as my daily, I was very close to before getting the W204.

[@Sc0rpy]

thank you Niles and James for making this nice epispde about one of the greatest retro cars I enjoyed watching it

[@PRNTestDrive]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm really happy James was able to come and help with some of the filming, we really couldn't have done those rolling shots without his help!

[@lkooli]

First content I see from you. Subscribed. Awesome channel!

[@PRNTestDrive]

I'm glad to hear that, we're always looking for new subscribers! We have quite a collection of classic Mercedes & BMW episodes if you're into this era of luxury car.

[@lkooli]

@@PRNTestDrive yes of course. I'd love to see one on the Mercedes-Benz SLC (C107) and which engine is best to get.

[@JoeUrbanYYC]

Very happy you are still reviewing some older cars. Just stumbled upon your Vigor vs Accord video and checked out the LS vs 7 Series. It's cool that you do a mix of new cars but also desirable old ones, please keep doing that! Subscribed.

[@PRNTestDrive]

We've love to do a lot more of the classic cars, it's just hard to find willing owners with the right cars to feature. We're hoping we'll have more opportunities in 2020!

[@alimirza7907]

My favorite KZbin channel with the best car brand in the world! The Best Or Nothing!

[@PRNTestDrive]

😁

[@wholeNwon]

Better that they had chosen nothing.

[@moosakajee2585]

Had a E320 95 model Straight 6 24 valve motor. Absolute pleasure pushing a std 172kw. I used to call it The Bullet

[@PRNTestDrive]

We drove that as a cabrio and really liked it. Solid amount of power with that motor.

[@woodroblue8332]

These cars are timeless this one looks really 👍good

[@PRNTestDrive]

We couldn’t have asked for a better example to feature!

[@peterlee7723]

My 1995 e420 rides smoother on the highways than my 2011 e550. This is why I have reinvested in it and drive it daily. W124 better than w212!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hold onto it if you can! They can't just dont build them like they used to.

[@Requiescat_in_pace]

Did Porsche also participate in building the E420?

[@MrBdavis99]

If you can't find or afford the 500E, the 400E is a good albeit forgotten alternative. Think E39 540i M sport to the M5.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Solid car also! Still a fantastic drive.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Agreed

[@Freimopp777]

Brabus put a V12 (7.3) into a W124

[@PRNTestDrive]

That would be an exciting car to feature. I imagine it would be really heavy up front though.

[@trevorrose4529]

They also put a 3.6 6.0 and a 6.5 in there!

[@Freimopp777]

@@trevorrose4529 the 3.6 also in the 190E . They put everything in what the customers wanted :) Väth, Calsson, Lorinser, Renntech and so on did smiliar engine swaps.

[@lockederbass90]

This is the best car ever made and will be for ever the best car ever made. Incredible design, understatement and just pure power!

[@NFNP]

@Lucas Cruz I've driven my w124 diesel over 425,000 miles. Have seem more than a few examples over 300,000. I was recently on the African continent and still saw them being used as taxis.

[@NFNP]

@Lucas Cruz no, not really, the w124 chassis as a whole was too legit to quit. Diesels are representative of old mercedes engineering, they were the first to build Rudolph diesels engine. I only drive diesels, but I can acknowledge the quality of pre chrysler merger Mercedes engineering. The suspension bits used on Dodge Chargers and challengers are Merc designs in the late 90s.

[@NFNP]

@Lucas Cruz and I appreciate Hondas and toyotas. I've been a tech in a Honda Acura shop (really all imports, but mostly honda acuras)

[@NFNP]

@Lucas Cruz #facts

[@NFNP]

@Lucas Cruz not really, good design is good design. Its timeless and I like it. Completely mechanical, no computer to run. The k24 is legit tho

[@user-bd5yg5op3h]

Всем владельцам Mercedes здоровья и благополучия ! 👍😎 Были W201,W140, теперь W124.

[@audiwankenobi361]

Ha! You channeled your inner Jeremy Clarkson! *_"POWWWER!"_*

[@PRNTestDrive]

😆😆

[@richmahoney4637]

Great review big fella keep em coming boss and cool to see James from throttle house everyone hit that thumbs up

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks! We really appreciated his help on this one!

[@soplim8632]

Back when Mercedes made reliable cars

[@2011Transformersdotm]

Back when Mercedes was real Mercedes

[@wholeNwon]

I had 2 and they were anything but reliable despite perfect maintenance. NEVER again!

[@sonyhk3824]

Sooo nice video I love the Mercedes cars and well done Nile. Big thumbs-up to your chanel

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thank you, I’m really glad you liked it! We’ve been planning this one for a while now.

[@sonyhk3824]

Appreciate

[@AzikinSin]

W124 unconditionally is the best car EVER made.

[@wholeNwon]

Mine sure weren't. Body work was good otherwise unreliable and trouble prone.

[@AzikinSin]

@@wholeNwon it depends on how previous owner of your car was using it. Of course if he just didn't care about it and never changed the oil, filters, e.t.c it will wear out very quickly. But if you take care of it it will serve you very long til the last day. Mine 200E produced in 1990, has 300000 kilometers on odometer and still runs perfectly to this day. Its body is also in a very good condition.

[@wholeNwon]

@@AzikinSin You're very lucky. My company bought both of mine new and maintained them flawlessly. Still very disappointing.

[@AzikinSin]

@@wholeNwon im not lucky, it's better chance that you are not :) Because overall this cars are very good and almost all people say it. Maybe you just had a bad examples, but once you get a good smooth running W124 you will approve it.

[@wholeNwon]

@@AzikinSin No. I knew the service manager and a master tech and both said that my problems were typical and others a lot worse. I suspect that the US versions are different from the European and Asian cars. National owners' surveys of MB are poor in terms of reliability long term.

[@vvv-hh6wo]

What a great review, the amg info was fascinating🥊

[@PRNTestDrive]

We're really glad you liked it, thanks! I wanted to make sure we went over the AMG and 'Porsche' version to clear up any confusion.

[@vvv-hh6wo]

@@PRNTestDrive man ı really enjoy your reviews!🥇

[@zooks3894]

I much prefer the boxy shape of the 80s and 90s mercs, volvos etc to today's styling.

[@Kev27RS]

This is more 80's. The actual 90's E-Class was the W210. Design-wise you could even include the W211.

[@30yearoldmanthatgetsbullie44]

Kev27RS i have a 99 w202 that looks like a baby w124 just a little more rounded look

[@Kev27RS]

@@30yearoldmanthatgetsbullie44 Nice

[@seandonahue87]

Great video!! My dad had a 86 560 sel back in the day

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks! Very nice, we had the pleasure of featuring the same W126 560 SEL twice on our show, fantastic car.

[@Kev27RS]

Awesome car! The actual 4-door PORSCHE back then was the AUDI RS2. 👍

[@diablocls55]

Nope it was the e500

[@vishS14]

RS2 and E500 were both on the assembly line at Porsche at the same time, there are pictures of them both there next to eachother. Also RS2 is a wagon thus 5 door, not 4. Thats how hatchback and wagon doors are also called in europe.

[@Kev27RS]

@@vishS14 True! I said the RS2 because it actually had more to do with PORSCHE than just the modified engine. See the bodykit, mirrors, wheels, ...

[@Necko92]

W124 and W140 are probably the best cars ever made.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I've enjoyed the short times I've had in both of those generations. I'd still like to explore a W140 of my own.

[@Necko92]

@@PRNTestDrive Thats my dream car since i was kid, later i had chance to try s500. Now i want s600 for myself :)

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hopefully you can make that happen!

[@toonames]

Amazing 😻 i love my 1991 500e euro spec no sunroof

[@PRNTestDrive]

Nice! I believe the other 500 E we saw during filming this had a sunroof, but was originally from Europe. I assume Mercedes offered more flexibility for options in their domestic market.

[@MrBeboopman]

A beauty.... still. 😍

[@justinhenderson5710]

My 94 c140 coupe has THIS motor. Incredible💓 Cruised at 120mph to palm springs recently. 1 finger on the wheel.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I bet the S-Class would be incredible with this engine. The S 600 we did was a lot of fun, but the V8 feels like the right mix of power and efficiency.

[@justinhenderson5710]

@@PRNTestDrive yes I love the m119 motor. NVR driven the v12. Kinda want one altho the maintenance scares me. My mechanic has a Mint 93 600sel with 340k miles. He has rebuilt it twice. That might be a good one to buy. Then I would have the coupe and sedan. First I gotta get my 95 s124 wagon dialed for my wife and finish the coupes lil problems and my daily 300sl fixes $$🙄 Love your channel and Passion!!!

[@theil6]

Great Job Niles...! I love that Car

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks! We had a blast filming it.

[@airenesivad2975]

This example is a far cry better tgan than Hovies. Absolutely stunning I am envious of the owner. Just pure class and sheer awesomeness

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Mostly because I didn't set out to Buy the Cheapest E500E in the Country :)

[@PRNTestDrive]

Professionals have standards 😀

[@seddam]

This car is legend🤤🔥

[@PRNTestDrive]

I'm so glad we had the chance to finally feature an E 500.

[@seddam]

@@PRNTestDrive My biggest dream. and of course the w140 S600 (but AMG 😉)

[@patrick9761]

love this guy bloody best explainer doco!

[@PRNTestDrive]

I really appreciate that, thank you!

[@clifflee5404]

I had one for a long long time. It was one of the most beautiful cars I ever had. The only one I wish I could have driven, was the E60. That car was safe for the time. It was built like a tank. I was able to easily take it 150-155 regularly.

[@PRNTestDrive]

The AMG was and still remains one of the most interesting cars available. I'd love to have the chance to feature one.

[@repawnd1]

Such a good looking car, I would love to have one.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Same here! My big takeaway from driving it was just how well it kept up with modern traffic, which isn’t something I usually find with the older cars we feature.

[@gerbrandicus]

@@PRNTestDrive You seem so surprised that it can keep up with traffic. It will do a lot more than keep up, it has a 320hp V8 and does 0-60 in 6.2 seconds. 75hp citycars keep up with traffic, on the German autobahn those fly by with 175km/h. Although it does take them longer to get there. Love the oldschool MB reviews. Can you do a W211 E55 and a SLK32?

[@PRNTestDrive]

The W211 AMG has been on our list for a while now, we'd love to make an episode on either happen!

[@jasperdilincoln2341]

These were when Mercedes was built like tanks and were reliable here in the States

[@wholeNwon]

Mine weren't!

[@tzion115]

Old one looks sooooo mush better!!!!!

[@PRNTestDrive]

We love the look of this generation Mercedes!

[@SDBROOKS08]

I use to have a 98 E430. It was pure luxury power all in one 🤦🏾‍♂️I miss that car 😥😥

[@PRNTestDrive]

I bet! Nothing feels quite like a classic Mercedes.

[@ChristopheZ]

I drive a 1993 W124 400E ( M119 V8 4.2L )..no problem keeping up with the 80+ MPH traffic on I95 near Boston...LOL ;)

[@PRNTestDrive]

Very nice! I wonder if we spotted you on the road when we were in Boston a few weeks back. I was impressed with how many W123s I saw in Massachusetts.

[@kdmatthews7986]

I am the owner of an 92 velvet hammer 500E. 1505 made 688 imported to the us. completely handmade.

[@youareinflames]

very informative and entertaining. if you could shed light on w201 190e that would be amazing

[@PRNTestDrive]

It's a car on our list to feature. There's one for sale in our town, out of the budget for this show to buy it outright just to do videos on, but we're looking for a W201 to feature!

[@youareinflames]

@@PRNTestDrive Actually, I am looking to buy one. I want190e more than 3 series maybe its because it has Senna associated with it or maybe its because its benz and the golden generation it was built. 1st time buyer so i'm a little intimidated, hence I was hoping if you could shine some light. love your channel btw, its good to see a Canadian automotive channel very informative.

[@coldsoldier313]

This car is a beast

[@PRNTestDrive]

It definitely is!

[@fredschriks8554]

Ahh a 500E finally. Well E500.

[@PRNTestDrive]

It’s been on our list ever since we featured our first W124, I’m really happy we finally got to do it.

[@fredschriks8554]

@@PRNTestDrive Hehe i can imagine. Love mine still. ✌

[@ianhuth37]

What an awesome car one of my dream cars

[@PRNTestDrive]

Awesome indeed!

[@audiwankenobi361]

Hey Nile! Check out the video "12,000$ Exhaust" by Effspot....as bad as I want to type more about it I will resist but you just got to hear that old Mercedes!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Haha! I think I saw this on Instagram a couple days ago, that thing sounds insane. Definitely out of this world compared to the straight-piped V12 S 600 I did last year.

[@soplim8632]

I’m over that s class in japan. His milking the shit out of that exhaust, way too much noise to acceleration ratio. And way too many videos of the same exhaust

[@audiwankenobi361]

@@soplim8632 now I feel kinda guilty but i can't stop watching his videos....atleast he has also been showing everyone how amazing you guys car culture is over there.

[@JensEausB]

I have 2 E500 94 😄

[@PRNTestDrive]

Nice! Double the fun!

[@adamfrbs9259]

That car has a perfectly designed classic car design that still looks normal today. Just swap in halogen headlights and newer style taillights, maybe some newer style wheels and tires and looks fine in 2019 if you ask me. Brilliant designer.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I’d love to see a tasteful modernization of this as you mentioned, better quality lights would probably be it for me if I had it.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

That would reduce its value. It’s a collector car, and collectors value originality.

[@adamfrbs9259]

@@Marshal_Dunnik I'm aware. I have a better Mercedes. Notice all things suggested could be switched right back.

[@vdobrovo]

If I could have only 1 car in my life, it would be w124 500E....

[@PRNTestDrive]

The perfect mix of power & reliability.

[@ravennexusmh]

it's beautiful, except for the lack of offset on the rear wheels making them stick out. it looks wrong from the rear 3/4 view.

[@carloscardona9859]

Thanks for the vid. Grail car since i first knew what it was!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Same here! We wanted to make sure we cleared up any confusion on its history, I’m sure I confused it with the AMG at some point like some have.

[@carloscardona9859]

@@PRNTestDrive achieved..and very well...great production...not to defame him..but (the smoking tyre)...Matt..all he does is talk about cars..drive them no outside or drive buy shots...you guys actually review and show the car in motion...great shots and detail....kinda like picking up an old road&track magazine...keep up the good work!

[@pfsantos007]

Where did you guys shoot the beginning of the video? I did recognize some other parts like Kingston Road near Brimley. Work sometimes takes me to that area. Would have loved to see that car drive by. Excellent video by the way.

[@PRNTestDrive]

We filmed all the exterior/interior shots and A-Roll at Bluffers Park in Scarborough. We tagged the location on the video, if you're watching anywhere but on a TV you can click through to see other videos from the area.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Filmed at Bluffers Park, the RC Harris Filtration Plant and Kingston Road.

[@kdmatthews7986]

Amg also offered very limited performance package option for select few clients for an extra $12,500+ min for an F1 inspired detuned twin turbo kit that took an extra 12 weeks of wait time after factory completion of production car wait times.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Very cool! I wonder how many of those ended up being ordered. Either version of the W124 is special.

[@pavledjordjevic2073]

PRN_TestDrive good video on a Unicorn Sort of Car (In Canada anyway) These w124 500e Cars have been growing on me the most in the last while. MERCEDES Benz has such a nice catalog of classic Cars to choose from and really get into in a more involved sort of way. It’s like joining a group or club once you choose the right car for you and all of a sudden you discover that connection to the group especially with the AMG cars I’d say. On a different note I just want to mention something regarding the PRN_TestDrive presenter. You are great at your job. You are easy to follow, knowledgeable easy to listen to so keep up the good job. Please however start taking your health more serious. You are a young guy and should be able to loose a major amount of weight now before you get any older. It will be much harder the older you get and one day you’ll realize that you are as big as a house. Get on a good exercise program. Cardio and watch your calorie intake. Nutrition is important but can also be fun. Stay away from processed (everything) especially sugar. I wish best of luck with this and keep up the great video work you are a natural presenter.

[@kdmatthews7986]

my 92 hammer is amg tuned version. one big detail of the difference between them is the transmission. Amg 1s have 5 speed trans in all 92 to 94 year models. Mercedes version 4 speed trans, imprints on various parts saying amg or benz, beefed up parts on amg cars. Ex. bigger driveshaft swaybars exhaust ect. more aggressive cam timing, fuel mapping and transmission shift control.

[@smashervt]

Had a chance to buy that W124 AMG coupe. I regret not buying it. Would buy it now

[@PRNTestDrive]

Prices for these are only going to keep going up, unfortunately for those who want to buy one now.

[@smashervt]

@@PRNTestDrive Yea i know :(

[@riffriff4347]

I have a 500e from 1991 beast !!!!!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Very nice, hold onto it if you can!

[@riffriff4347]

Yess i do thanks very nice video

[@MrReese]

MB built a lot of wider vehicles than this one, just look at the R129 for example. Porsche was in a bad financial situation and MB actually gave them the contract to assemble the 500 to help them, amongst other reasons.

[@PRNTestDrive]

That's certainly a good point. Porsche was in trouble. To be fair though the SL-Class roadster was built in a different assembly plant designed for it.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Yes Porsche was almost on the verge of going under. The workers left idle by the end of production of the 959 supercar were the ones who assembled the E500E

[@chazg8489]

I'm sold

[@PRNTestDrive]

So are we!

[@raycroal]

hey prn how fast did the e500 feel with the w140 s600 in mind was it as fast?

[@PRNTestDrive]

That S 600 was an incredibly quick car, but so was this W124. The owner took me on a quick spin back from filming the highway segment we filmed and it picked up speed like crazy. I’d say the S-Class felt quicker because of the added torque it produced, but honestly if you took both on a drag strip I think they’d be really close.

[@TheEspenK]

0.56 Pre-facelift hood and facelift lights. Kind if amateur not to use proper representation for the 124, great when the cars are finished one way or the other

[@brunobegic3841]

As soon as I saw that tattoo on your left arm I subscribed YNWA brotha'

[@PRNTestDrive]

😃😃

[@phvdberghe6861]

Don't forget the W124 E60 AMG...

[@PRNTestDrive]

That's a car I'll likely never find to feature, but one I'd love to.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

@@PRNTestDrive one with low miles recently sold for 200,000 Euros

[@acereport8939]

I told the insurance company that my vehicle was worth more money because of the specific “color combination” of my vehicle and there was silence on the other end... Afterwards, they increased the quote significantly. 🤑

[@PRNTestDrive]

As long as you’re properly covered it’s well worth it!

[@adamp7920]

Hey was that your exact car up for sale many years ago out west of Toronto in a smaller town waterdown Ontario?

[@PRNTestDrive]

It’s very possible that’s where this came from. I forget where the owner said he got it, but it was local enough to the GTA.

[@ocerrr]

Hi PRN_TestDrive, Could I ask Which car you tested has the most smooooth ride? I want to buy an "old" luxury I watched your review about BMW 7, BENZ S , LS400 430, I figured out BMW is not as smooth as BENZ S or LS, but I really love the e38 looks, its slim lines. Witch is best between LS400 LS430, Benz w140 w220? Is different displacement rides a little different such as s500 and s55? I think you might test a LS460 as well that's comfort too. Is there any other cheap old car that could provide a smooth ride as well? Thank u the show is fantastic.

[@PRNTestDrive]

It'll ultimately come down to if the car you're looking at has the original suspension (air suspension) or has been swapped with something aftermarket for reliability. I feel that any generation S-Class is the leader in overall ride comfort, all 3 generations we've driven have been insanely smooth on the road. The Lexus LS 430 would be the next closest, followed by the LS 400, and then the 7 Series BMW from that era. There's nothing wrong with BMW's ride, but the sport suspensions are usually a little firmer, but still incredibly smooth overall. As far as reliability goes I'd look at the Lexus LS 430.

[@ocerrr]

@@PRNTestDrive Thank U so much!

[@paolonepomuceno3571]

Just watched this. Very very nice e500! May I know what color this is? Color code two tone paint is nice! Thank you!

[@PRNTestDrive]

I believe the top is Desert Taupe and the bottom Shell Grey.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Anthracite Grey Metallic (172 G). It’s the original factory paint.

[@bennybop5387]

"mo powwa baby"

[@805NAVE]

Holy shit thats gorgeous, the newest gen is such an unattractive sedan lol. Much prefer all the older gens. This 500 E spec js perfection, power rear sunshade is my fav option lmao

[@PRNTestDrive]

You can’t beat it! Such a difference when jumping between this and the W213. We’ll be publishing the Retrospective on that one next week.

[@Yesterday23071]

Hi , nice to see you after so long . Do you still owe the BMW ?

[@PRNTestDrive]

We're always producing videos! Two a week for the past year now. I do have the E38 still, we should have a video on that coming out sometime before winter, more of a status update for the start of our project for it.

[@offlimits4622]

DER HAMMER!

[@jjc4232]

U drove up Kingston from the upper beaches to Markham road.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Jack Chung good eye

[@Alionn1]

Omg that comparison old vs new mercedes, I found the old w124 to be much better looking!!!!!

[@PRNTestDrive]

We're looking more in-depth at the differences between those two on Monday!

[@Requiescat_in_pace]

Are Mercedes E500 or E420 safe vehicles for people who drive 25k miles per year? You mentioned the old air bags in car probably killing driver.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Single-stage airbags could be a problem, that’s true. After doing the research on this generation I found they’re pretty reliable when you consider the age. I wouldn’t worry too much about the airbags though, you’re still more likely to die in a car without any than one with old ones like this.

[@Requiescat_in_pace]

@@PRNTestDrive Thanks

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

So long as you remember to never, ever put a small child or baby in the front seat - they should go in the back, even in modern cars - then you’re good to go. Don’t forget MB invented the airbag. Safety is in fact a major reason I bought this car. It doesn’t have side airbags but it does have a very strong safety cage. The W124 as a whole was one of the safest cars in the road. In terms of driver safety aids it has a 1st generation anti-slip (ASR) computer. All in all, it’s probably as safe or safer than several modern cars, especially compacts or smaller.

[@jjc4232]

Is the owner of the 500 thinking of selling?

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Jack Chung he is not

[@ehab1mohmmad]

Very good 👍 👏 👌 😀 vehicle 👌 👏 👍 😀 🙌 😎 👌 👏 👍 😊

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks for the visit! We love featuring these older Mercedes models.

[@anonymoususer855]

What's the difference between the E500 and the 500E? Pardon my ignorance.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Mercedes changed the names of all their vehicles for the 1994 MY, introducing the "class" designations we have today. This is why many enthusiasts call it the E500E to cover all the bases.

[@anonymoususer855]

@@Marshal_Dunnik Thanks.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Also, there are some cosmetic differences, like clear lenses and a smaller grill, and 6 less hp due to emissions.

[@anonymoususer855]

@@Marshal_Dunnik Which of the two has clear lenses, a smaller grill, and 6 less hp?

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Gustavo Zeefried the 1994, also has much better headlights. You can, as I have, fit the ECU from a 1992-1993 to restore the lost hp

[@jonfarah8529]

Giving taxi 1 vibes

[@perlewitzaudio]

Love this video and this car! However, something doesn't seem right about the performance of the car in the video. Not sure if you were really stepping on the accelerator that much, but under hard acceleration, the 500E should kick down hard and blast off in a symphony of V8 sound. It seems the 500E in the video was unusually slow and way down on power and barely kicking down a gear. Off the line, hard acceleration on this car should also be peeling the tires off with no issues.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

perlewitzaudio the car is designed to start in second gear. And yes, all E500Es are down on power. It’s a 25 year old car. Probably has about 270hp today.

[@PRNTestDrive]

There’s only so much I’m willing to do in traffic along unfamiliar streets. Last thing we need for this show is unexpected speeding tickets. The owner pushed this car hard for me on our way back from filming and I guarantee it performs the way it should.

[@andreypaliy6508]

*hoovies garage has left the chat*

[@PRNTestDrive]

He showed up in the comments on the video we did last year on the 1997 Mercedes-Benz S 600.

[@hidromek1706]

124

[@BLACK_WOLF_W124]

If owners got any problem with w124 ask me @w_124_black_wolf

[@atos.nympha3451]

It called V booth in west Africa. Trunk looks like a V

[@jondoe1310]

Ato Nympha is it also called the beast?

[@atos.nympha3451]

@@jondoe1310 i never heard the beast but it sounds abt right for w124 .i have 322k miles on my E300D

[@dariodjakovic1600]

That sagging peeled headliner has been bothering me now for hours.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

dario djakovic sorry, was trying to get that fixed for the shoot but couldn’t find a good shop and material in time. It’s getting fixed asap because it bothers me too

[@stabbs_15]

Now only compare a w124 300D to this :D

[@PRNTestDrive]

Haha! I’d love to do a diesel for this generation, if I had a wagon then I’d cross off another couple trims for the W124 coverage.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Well, it would get better gas mileage

[@DaniloMarkovic-jz5pk]

Well with om606 tuned to 320bhp it will have similar Nm and probably a lot lighter and better fuel economy so if you are looking for comfort ride and similar performance its doable

[@FaceChicago]

Still trying to find one

[@PRNTestDrive]

They’re not easy to find! Especially the E 500. W124s can be found but even regular ones are getting rare.

[@gamper33]

Throw some AMG Aero 3 piece wheels on that car, can't go wrong.

[@jjc4232]

Upper beaches?

[@PRNTestDrive]

I imagine so, I’m not super familiar with my Toronto neighbourhoods, but we filmed most of this around the Scarborough Bluffs.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Filming done at the RC Harris Filtration plant and along Kingston Road. (edit: and Bluffers Park)

[@jjc4232]

@@Marshal_Dunnik the Upper beaches. I go there often with my wife for walks.

[@BLACK_WOLF_W124]

For sale my brother??? I wanna buy e500 wolf 🐺!! I have E420

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

RRRN RRRN not for sale, no :)

[@BLACK_WOLF_W124]

Marshal Dunnik ooouuuuuu😔😔😔😔

[@PRNTestDrive]

Never sell it!

[@BLACK_WOLF_W124]

PRN_TestDrive got you 😀😀😀 Like me 😂😂

[@11232132312]

greetings from w124 2.5d 88r

[@PRNTestDrive]

Diesels are the way to go for these if you want ultimate reliability!

[@11232132312]

@@PRNTestDrive true that. 88y like new car. u can see that on my channel

[@ParissaKhoury]

So what's the cost to become a custodian of an E500?

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Eddie b anywhere from $10-80k USD depending on condition and mileage. Good examples can be had for around $25-35k.

[@ParissaKhoury]

@@Marshal_Dunnik 80k USD!!!! Didn't know it was soo expensive to become a custodian of a vehicle 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@AzikinSin]

@@ParissaKhoury in Russia you can buy a good E500 for around 20-25k.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

An ultra-rare E60 based on the E500E is currently for sale in Europe for 200,000 Euros.

[@Virtuoso23]

Like the car. Hate the rims.

[@TSunderground]

i just have 200E :D

[@AzikinSin]

Same, great car but 200e lacks in power so much

[@paully1227]

Yeah my friend had one great car, but my 2008 e63 amg much much faster. I would say this car handles better than the 08 plus my 03 m sport e39 was better in the hills twisted turns.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Well yeah I mean any AMG, especially a newer one will outperform this. We have the E 53 AMG next week and even that would have no problem against it, but that’s not what buying a classic car like this is all about.

[@cheesycroissants]

Thought it was the 500e?

[@PRNTestDrive]

Mercedes changed their naming system for the 1994 model year, so a 93 would have still been a 500 E