Mercedes W124 estate: £0

[Six-cylinder]

The Mercedes is back from its weekend away with my wife, she has been to the Tiverton 200 canal festival. She reports the car runs very well and the first night she got there the camp site was so flooded she had to sleep in the car. The only thing she noted was a smell of burning oil at idle, not bad for an old free car.

 

I wonder how many times it would manage the 400 miles round trip given just the odd service, I suspect hundreds!

 

[HMC]

Great photo! Glad to hear its giving good service, they're so useful and thoroughly thought out.

[michael t]

Quality stuff, glad to see it being used

[Mr Livered]

Well chuffed that the Merc's future appears to have been assured for a while

 

Gr8 photo.

[Six-cylinder]

Another great day in the Mercedes life, a fresh MOT passed with only a few minor things needed. To celebrate I have had a service done and the rocker cover gasket changed to stop the oil leak.

[burraston2006]

Photo for the calender?

[Six-cylinder]

I just did not have any nice photos to offer collecting the Merc from a workshop in drizzly rain from Milton Keynes. The best I can manage is now it is home it is parked in the lay-by across the road with my Citroen Visa ready for action at any time!

 

[Mr Livered]

Hey, a new MoT, that's ace! Nice one Mr Cylinder

[rml2345]

That one is deffo calender worthy.

[Six-cylinder]

The Mercedes was lent out last weekend to a friend for duty as a “Van†and was appreciated for its comfort as well as its load capacity. But the question was asked out loud by my friend “what are those pins doing in the door panel?†I have wondered myself and guess only one person will know but maybe your guys have some ideas!

 

[richardmorris]

In-car noticeboard?

[Mr Livered]

I wondered the same thing when I had it. It could indeed have held memos for a previous owner, in fact that's not a bad idea now that I think about it.

 

Or maybe just to store the pins safely during a car trip, where they can't prick anyone or get lost, then they got forgotten?

[DVee8]

My old man used to keep a couple of pins for adjusting the washer jets.

[r.welfare]

I do that as well but stick them in the headliner.

[Jim Bell]

Voodoo.

Or reflexology. Stick two pins in the door, the exhaust fixes itself.

[Six-cylinder]

Following my wife camping in the old Merc, I am thinking of fitting a bath!

 

[forddeliveryboy]

Such 'boring' cars often only begin to show their real worth and chartacter when used intensively. At first, a 124 can feel bloody boring and even a little characterless, its virtues shine when you're 400 miles into a journey or carrying sofas and other big items which would fit in a CX estate but little else. They just need decent rust protection, especially around the rear axle and it's worth re-filling the sills with gloop too - the plastic covers from '89 on can hide all sorts of nasties - usually as a result of accident repair. It's a quick and simple job to check and rustproof.

[Six-cylinder]

You are right I have tended to run about in smaller cars and it is great when the man in the bathroom shop says it's quite big what have got to load it in, my reply an old Merc estate then you will be fine concluded the telephone call.

 

Over 2000 miles now in just short of two months with out a hiccup, I think you are right I need to look at the rust and next time I have it serviced I will get the garage to report any rust and see if they can do some rust proofing for me. 

 

This is the fifth W124 Merc I have had, so I knew what I was getting when I put my name down for it. In the past I have always had 6 cylinder ones and while the 2 Litre is ok the fuel consumption is no better than the larger engined cars.

 

One thing next time somebody gives me a FREE car please can you make sure it has air conditioning, it is the bit I miss most!

[Six-cylinder]

Quick update, the Mercedes developed a cold start problem, which now has had a relay change and at the same time I have had the rear wiper and central locking fixed. All is great again.

[Jim Bell]

Cold start relays are a common consumable according to the old interwebs.

Glad it's back fit dude.

[chaseracer]

The W124 lurve is returning.  Time I fixed the 300E... 

[forddeliveryboy]

Surprising how small a 124 estate looks next to a medium-size modern, which could no more swallow a bath or sofa than have its faults sorted by adjusting a cable under the bonnet.

[Partridge]

Voodoo.

Or reflexology. Stick two pins in the door, the exhaust fixes itself.

No for Voodoo, you stick pins in the Minichamps version.

[beko1987]

Looking very nice! I've had about 6 occasions when still owning the xm would have been handy, almost justification for another large car...

[gordonbennet]

Quick update, the Mercedes developed a cold start problem, which now has had a relay change and at the same time I have had the rear wiper and central locking fixed. All is great again.

 

Was that Overvoltage protection relay?...usually residing just behind the battery, well it does on later 6 pots, if so its worth keeping a known good one handy, the only thing thats ever caused one of my 124's to not start...well apart from the odd flat battery...and as an aside bloody Bosch batteries aint wot they used to be either, have switched to Yuasa or Varta as first choices.

[Six-cylinder]

Was that Overvoltage protection relay?...usually residing just behind the battery, well it does on later 6 pots, if so its worth keeping a known good one handy, the only thing thats ever caused one of my 124's to not start...well apart from the odd flat battery...and as an aside bloody Bosch batteries aint wot they used to be either, have switched to Yuasa or Varta as first choices.

 

Not sure, I sent it to my local garage while the weather is relatively warm so I could still start it and they fixed it, it had been showing the ABS light as well but that has gone out now as well. There was still plenty of meat on the front brake pads but the light was flickering on so I had the pads changed while it was away. The plan is because my wife has started to cover more miles so she will use the 200TE some of the time to keep the miles down on her Volvo V70, the 200TE will benefit from needing to be kept fully serviced or I will get complaints.

 

The 200TE is in my hands today and so far I have given a friend a lift to the station, been shopping and still to go, is collecting my  friend from station and visiting friends this evening, always a busy car!

[richardmorris]

ABS light on is classic OVP symptom apparently. Seems it can cause all sorts of stuff to go wrong as it's not just a relay - there's quite a few electronics in it too.

[Six-cylinder]

I have just had a week in west coast of Scotland including visiting the Isle of Skye twice!

 

Anyway the important information, it was my turn to provide the car for a trip and I choose the old 200TE, 1700 trouble free miles in 5 days @ 29mpg and 1200miles per l ltr of oil burnt/lost. We left a 62 plate BMW 318d on my drive belonging to my friend who came with me but the old Merc responded, no temperament, no I will start for you latter, no drive slower and I will be ok, I have had many new cars in my life but this old Merc felt just as reliable.

 

 

I am going to have to fix the front interior lights, the radio and give it a polish as a reward now!

 

The Photo shows the Kyle of Lochalsh Bridge to Skye behind the car.

 

[Six-cylinder]

Well it's clocked up over 6,000 miles since since the last service I did, so as it has a full service history how could I do anything other than have another service done. While being serviced they found a leaking pipe for the self levelling rear suspension. Anyway all done, I have had the call to say the car is ready to collect and my friend is taking me there this afternoon. 

[Mr Livered]

fantastic; always good to see an ex-Livered motor doing well