MERC E KLASSE, 3.0td. Another info request,

[Lankytim]

The BMW 5 series I was perving over went for fairly strong money, despite being a bit fecked so the hunt for a veg muncher goes on.

 

1990's E class mercs are good are they not, unless they're rotten, which they often are. I noticed one for sale on this very forum recently, a lovely estate, but I can't find the thread anymore.... ebay turns up various shitters.

 

Anything to look out for?

[dome]

Come and look at mine to see what a good one is like

 

But, basically, rust. And more rust. And then some rust.

[Lankytim]

Aaah, it was yours I was looking at... They seem to range from nice to ghastly. 

[dome]

They do. It's a shame as a nice one is a lovely thing and good ones are hard to come by. It's only because I've been offered a car I really like (not very autoshitey sadly) that I'm thinking of selling. I'll do a proper for sale ad at some point but I have a thread somewhere on it.

[Bear]

Rough W124s will make you very miserable, but you'll be able to mumble about "classless" cars at home on a housing estate or a country estate (see also: Subaru).

 

Rough W210 will make you want to destroy everything in the world. Twice.

 

Rear subframe bushes. Rear subframe mounts. Split vacuum hoses/distribution points. Rust. More Rust. Chassis leg rust. Door rust. Window frame rust. On W210, just rust, everywhere.

 

E39s also rust. To drive, the E39 is a vastly superior car - better handling, feels smaller, more nimble, less troublesome air levelling (also IIRC Chapman struts on the back for nerd-points), but even a W210 is better finished and built inside than an E39, and E39s also rust.

[320touring]

I can say for a fact that Dome's w210 is ftmfw!

[Bear]

W210s have wiring looms that get oil in from various places.

E39s have an electrical system that would give the people that designed ENIAC a headache, including IIRC 3 or 4 different multiplex buses and BRILLIANTLY positioned electrical modules (LCM, for starters) and main fuse distribution that seem deliberately placed to get damp/wet when the car decides to leak or has a windscreen fitted by an uncaring fitter just sorting out yet another well-earned stonechip on a tailgating repmobile.

 

The common distribution is under the driver's seat. Under the carpet. Under a bit of heavy, brittle, water-retaining foam stuff. Once you get water in the driver's footwell, the only way to sort out the resulting electrical chaos is to strip the bastard thing completely. Or get a stanley knife.

[forddeliveryboy]

The BMW 5 series I was perving over went for fairly strong money, despite being a bit fecked so the hunt for a veg muncher goes on.

 

 

 

This is news to me, a veg-friendly 5 series. From those I've known, even ancient idis turned awkward when fed the clean golden fuel.

[Cavcraft]

I think it's the 525 diesels of about 1994 sort of era that like it. Reputedly the same engine as fitted to Omegas and Range Rovers.

[Bren]

E class front suspension mountings have been known to separate from the inner wing due to rot.

 

I don't know about running one on veg, you would need to cover it in veg to stop the bastard thing fizzing away.

[Tamworthbay]

My father in law had one, it was gorgeous at first but kept throwing issues up and rotted so fast it made 70s fiats look well made. Bushes were a pain too, plus glow plugs rusting into the head.

[dome]

Mine was, I think, ex jap import and had a very expensive full respray in 2008 including new front wings. It's had a load of cash thrown at it over the years (not to mention £600 by me to fix the knackered cylinder head, 3 days after i got it...) but the reputation these have means it'll put people off looking. If it doesn't go I'll just keep it, good ones are hard to come by.

[Lankytim]

Yours does look tempting... the rot is the main thing that worries me. Is it nice and shiny?

 

Sent from my Y635-L01 using Tapatalk

[Eddie Honda]

E class front suspension mountings have been known to separate from the inner wing due to rot.

My old man had one. Crock o'shite so it was. It did that around 10 years old on the OSF. Something about RHD being made in SA and not as well protected. Wings go replaced under body warranty. Tailgate and rear arches crispy when sold.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Buy Dome's car , transport it halfway down the country , then sell the offensive wannabe drug dealer rimzz to some chav from Milton Keynes for his W211.

I've been looking for some 18's that aren't kerbed to death or the seller thinks are worth £150 per wheel ( or both ) for ages.

[dome]

I got it up on a ramp before i bought it and could find no rot. It could do with a bit of underseal on some parts underneath which I was going to attend to before winter set in. There's a bubble on the tailgate above the rear wiper and a couple of stonechips, I'd also do the lips of the arches if I was being picky-they're not rusty but I rolled the arches to fit the wheels (with the proper tool) and the paint flaked off. I'm terrible at bodywork so haven't done any of that.

 

Recent work was

 

Front Pads(Pagids)

Front drop links.

 

And I've got a set of Bosch Duraterms to fit for the winter-one glow plug has failed in the last couple of weeks but I was uber careful fitting them into the head when it was done so am confident they'll come out no bother-see my thread for pics of my shiny head...

 

I've also got a set of Viton orings for it-I was waiting for the pump to start to weep but it's still as dry as a bone, and i've replaced the fuel tank strainer and transmission filter(genuine Merc, along with the fluid)

[320touring]

320touring delivery service available on domewagonz

[Pete-M]

I prefer the W210 to the E39. The Mercedes isn't as good at sporty but it's much better at high speed wafty.

 

My 320 CDI had some rust issues but the mechanical woes RichardK has experienced seem to have skipped mine. Mine is higher mileage but If trust it to drive to Czech and back tomorrow.

[Bear]

I don't think mine's typical - now I've got into it, I am fairly sure it's had some trauma involving the radiator, which also would mean ATF cooling system, plus it's had another one of those shyster transmission specialist types charge for an ATF filter/fluid change and pin bushing swap that I can find little evidence of having actually been done. The fact that the damage to the underside (smashed up undertray for example, with bent bracket and screw still fastened to the bent bracket holding it in place) looks - from the part dates on replacement parts - to predate the alleged transmission service also indicates the transmission service was performed by some sort of wizard with the ability to remove the sump and replace the filter without removing the main undertray.

 

Likewise I reckon the gearbox will recover with a proper service, at worst, a new conductor plate.

 

528 wasn't too bad at wafty, but was good at corners. My E320 doesn't have comfort/ortho seats, so they're a bit crap by Mercedes standards - the Honda's are better.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

It's worth noting that all German taxis registered after 01/01/2000 come with Mobilo Life 30-year corrosion warranty . While this doesn't cover any accidental damage, MB replaced front wings and rear panels on the E280 Tourer I used to own along with the tailgait and all that work was covered under the warranty - FOC. Dealers love this kind of work as it keeps their paintshops busy.

 

I've since replaced that car with an 2008 W211 E320 CDI Sport Tourer and this car will see me out. I have no intention of ever replacing it*.

 

 

*Unless my loto comes up then I'm a Bentley shiter 4sure

[twosmoke300]

I've got a e300d on my ramp at the moment . Never seen such a rusty bucket of shit , apart from the 54 plate Vito on the other ramp .

Engine sounds lovely tho !

If your gonna have a rotten car get a ford , at least bits are cheap