Mercedes-Benz W124 – The Time is Now

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Chris Pollitt

Learn, if you will, from our mistakes. That purple (Bornite Metallic) W124 at the top of the page was ours. It was a bit rough around the edges when we bought it for £100, but over the course of a few months, we got it back into tip top condition. Then, for reasons we’re still trying to reconcile, we sold it. We sold it to a friend though, and he has continued to look after it, which is nice. Not as nice as, say, if we still owned it, but there you go. The lesson we’re trying to impart here is twofold; buy yourself a W124 while they’re still cheap and then don’t sell it. If you do, you’ll regret it. Much like we do on a daily basis.

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But hey, we’re not here to bring you down into the mire of our mistakes. Instead, we are here to celebrate the W124 Mercedes-Benz, a bona fade modern classic that has yet to climb the monetary ladder into the unobtainable. It will though, just look at the W123 Mercedes-Benz before it. Ten years ago, you could buy a running, MOTd car for £500. We’d know, because we did. Today, you really need to be adding a zero to that figure. The W124, thanks to being just as solid, just as cool and even better to drive will absolutely go the same way. In fact, mintier than mint examples already are. This is, make no mistake, a rapidly closing window. The time most definitely, is now.

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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE W124

Launched in 1984, the W124 had some seriously large and well-loved shoed to fill, namely those of the W123. It was a formidable machine that proved to be engineered to excessive levels, and that was loved the world over for its solidity, reliability and for its effortless style. That is a very, very touch act to follow. But of course, Mercedes-Benz and a design time working under the watchful eye of Bruno Sacco delivered. The W124 wasn’t just good, it was exceptional. It still is, in fact.

Design work for the W124 started in 1977, and it was decided that rather than be an evolution of the dated W123, it would instead follow the path of the all-new W210 190 model. It was all new, and more modern. It had a multi-link rear axle, better brakes, better front suspension, a stronger and stiffer chassis and better crash protection. It was strong and solid. It was also handsome, too. And angular, somewhat brutal design, it was definitely of its time, but even so, it still hold up today. Good design, as the W124 proves, never goes out of fashion.

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Like the W123 before it, the W124 was a versatile machine. It was offered with all manner of engines from humble 2.0 units through to V8s. Manual and automatic transmissions were available (though the manuals are best avoided), and there was even an all-wheel drive version. As with its predecessor, the W124 was offered in a range of configurations, too. Saloon, estate, coupe and for the first time, cabriolet, were all possible.

Then we have the brute, the performance bruiser and the supercar slayer – the 500E. Built between Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, the 500E packed a naturally-aspirated V8, flared bodywork and more luxury equipment than you could ever need. This was, and indeed still is, the ultimate iteration of an already impressive car.

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In 1993, the W124 was given a facelift. This brought a new grille, vented wings, clear indicators and interior changes as long as a new range of engines. The core design of the car remained the same, however. The name changed at this time too, as the facelift ushered in the new ‘class’ era, by which we mean the car was then officially known as the E Class. Apart from the facelift changes, you can identify these models by the change in nomenclature. Early cars were 230E, 300E, 500E etc. Later cars swapped, thus became E230, E300 and E500 etc.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR? 

As with any car from the ’80s or ’90s, the main thing you need to be looking for is rust. While the W124 was indeed engineered to the nth degree, the fact remains it was built out of metal all to willing to become a Titanic tribute act. The inner rear wings are killer sports, where the subframe meets the body. The rear boot gutter rots, and the boot fills with water. The roof at the rear upper screen corners rots out, and then the cabin fills with water. Sills and jacking points (which are hugely complicated in design and thus costly to repair properly) rot out. The inner wings and forward most chassis legs can and do rot, as do the front wings on nearly all of them. So, yeah, look for rust. Then look again. And if the seller is telling you the rust has been repaired, check it’s been done properly. The W124 is double or even triple skin metal in some places, so repairs need to be proper.

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Mechanically, the W124 is a pretty robust machine. Our four-cylinder 230 petrol is still going today and has over 205,000 miles on the clock. The key to longevity is of course maintenance, so if you’re looking to buy one, make sure this is evidence to support as much. Look for leaks. The most common problem is an oil leak, almost always because of a failed rocker cover gasket. Check the oil filter area, too, as the filter go on the top of the engine in some models. Coolant leaks can also be an issue, so check for those, and have a look at the duo valve for the heater that is located in the back left corner of the engine bay as you look at it. These can fail, and you won’t get any heat into the cabin. Not what you want on a cold morning.

Internally, the cabins are again, robust. But this robustness only remains if the car is looked after. Because of the W124’s willingness to do lunar miles, seat and carpet wear can be something to look for. It’s not uncommon for electrical items to fail such as windows and sunroof. The sunroof motor can often be at fault, but check the fuses too. The slightest bit of extra load on the circuit will blow a fuse. It’s why ours didn’t work, and was a 50p fix in the end. The wood on the dash can warp and crack, and replacements are expensive. The heater fan can get noisy as the car gets older, resulting in it wailing like a banshee. Replacements are available, but it’s a faff of a job to do.

Other than all that, just employ a bit of common sense and due diligence. Avoid cars that have patchy history or that have had a million owners. Don’t be put off by mileage if it’s been well looked after – they’re built for it. Avoid modified examples, as there is no way some stick on bits will be of the same quality as what Mercedes fitted, and avoid manual transmission cars. There is nothing inherently wrong with the five-speed manual, but it’s also not the greatest gearbox in the world, and it robs something from the relaxing, wafty nature of the W124. Auto is best.

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WHAT ARE PRICES LIKE? 

Wide and varied, in a nutshell. Cheap cars, unless you’re after a restoration project, are probably best avoided. Yes, we bought ours for £100, but that was mate’s rates, and we wanted something we could tinker with and build back up. If we were going to do it again, we would budget for a couple of grand at a minimum, but if we wanted something that we could simply buy, drive and enjoy, that figure would be more like £5k. If you want a coupe, the prices go up by about a grand, same for good condition estate versions. The Cabriolet? Well, that’s going to be £10k at a minimum. Mint examples can easily be north of £25k. Then you have the 500E or later E500. If you want the biggest, baddest W124 out there, it commands the biggest baddest price of around £30k upwards. And don’t forget, all the 500 models are left hand-drive.

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WHY SHOULD I BUY ONE? 

Quite simply, because a good W124 could well be the last car you ever need. Get a good one, look after it, enjoy it, and it will never let you down. If it does, there are myriad specialists out there who will be more than happy to help keep you on the road (Edward Hall would be our suggestion). A good W124 can be used every day, it’s still smooth, still reliable and still safe even by modern standards. It’s the perfect car in many ways. Crucially though, it’s a classic Mercedes-Benz, and when you’re sat in it, looking down the bonnet at that three-pointed star, you’ll be glad you made the investment.

Take a look at the great selection of Mercedes W124s currently for sale, but only if you want to buy one and keep it.

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