My winter hack - Mercedes W124 E200

[Peter C]

As much as I enjoyed my BMW E36 320i, imminent knee surgery dictates a need for an automatic car. I've bought a tidy old Merc.

 

1994, W124 E200 automatic, last of the W124s, post facelift version with the 16V 136BHP engine. Nice spec, with leather, alloys, 2 x airbags (which means there is no glovebox!), electric everything and cruise control.

 

The car has exactly 100k miles on the clock, with enough history to confirm this is genuine. Although this is a UK car, the first two owners were based in Spain. There are receipts in Spanish and copies of old laminated for sale notices with photos of the Merc parked somewhere "exotic". I bought the car from the third owner, a middle aged woman based in a posh part of London.

 

I would say the car is presentable rather than mint. There is the odd dink and spot of rust, but none of it is serious. I got the car with 10 months MoT and a little tax. The previous owner had the car serviced two months ago, with an itemised bill from Kwik Fit confirming what's been done (inc: oil, filters, plugs, brake fluid), for £259.99. Nice! The alloys wear nearly new Michellin Pilots. It drives well, all the electrics work ok, so far so good.

 

Have some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks happy next to my W123 230E:

 

[Pete-M]

That's rather nice for a 200. Great colour combo, and leather is a must in these. I'd drive that.

[Spottedlaurel]

Looks tidy. Roughly how much did it cost you, out of interest?

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

That is the perfect colour combination on one of these! I agree, they are so much nicer with leather, but it was such an expensive option on an older Merc that only the gas guzzling ones seem to have it!

[ProgRocker]

Looks stunning!

 

Without knowing its an E200, I would have guessed that it was an E280 or E300 from the outside (was there an E300 - there was a 300E pre-facelift).

[trigger]

That's really nice, I remember someone i know who had a N plate one of these new, it was in that lovely Met. Dark Blue with cream leather, It was like travelling on a magic carpet, It was so smooth, His was a E220 though.

 

Yours looks great, I'd defiantly would have one, I can't imagine the 2.0 being all the nippy though?

[ashmicro]

Nice indeed. The valver 2 litre is none too shabby, even in the W124 with the Heather Mills 'box. I reckon you did well there, Peter - those nearly new tyres are worth a bob or two, as are the 8 hole rims if they are as good as they look.

[Peter C]

Roughly how much did it cost you, out of interest?

 

Have a guess.

 

What do you reckon is the going rate for a W124 in nice condition with lowish miles, nice spec, 10 months MoT, short tax, £260 spent on a service two months ago, quality tyres, private sale....?

[myglaren]

Nice acquisition Mr. C. Lokes quite ambassadorial, as though there should be "CD" plades distinguishing it.

 

Where's the 'green with envy' smiley when you need it?

[warren t claim]

Roughly how much did it cost you, out of interest?

 

Have a guess.

 

What do you reckon is the going rate for a W124 in nice condition with lowish miles, nice spec, 10 months MoT, short tax, £260 spent on a service two months ago, quality tyres, private sale....?

 

£995 on Evilbay?????

 

Nice car! Mine runs faultlessly and does more MPG than a big car has any right to.

[trigger]

Roughly how much did it cost you, out of interest?

 

Have a guess.

 

It's must be woth £1500 all day long but i bet your going to say No, It was £800 or something crazy.

[r.welfare]

I agree with the learned others - lose the E200 badge from the back and you'd be fooled into thinking it was an E280 or E320, what with the leather and 8-hole alloys. Nice.

 

Using a little eBay nous, I'm going to say it cost you £550 which, if I'm right, is a hell of a lot of car for the money.

 

I really do like the purity of styling on the W124, although given my true autoshite leanings the one I'd want is a very early car with the full-width smooth plastic wheeltrims in that disgustingly lovely sludge green! A 200 carb would be ideal for the masochist in me.

[Mr Lobster]

Lovely looking car that. I wouldn't have thought that even if the 2.0 is a bit lethargic that it would matter. That'll be a lovely thing just for wafting about in.

 

I suspect when we find out how much I will be rather jealous!

[pogweasel]

Just add diplomatic plates and drive it carelessly/park it anywhere you please.

Or take up a sideline in ferrying bereaved folk to the crem.

 

Nice car though, well bought.

[warren t claim]

Lovely looking car that. I wouldn't have thought that even if the 2.0 is a bit lethargic that it would matter. That'll be a lovely thing just for wafting about in.

 

I suspect when we find out how much I will be rather jealous!

 

I'm jealous too if you only paid £600 for it!

 

I don't think the 2.0 engine is lethargic at all tbh.

[Peter C]

I'm gonna make all you guys green with envy. I paid £500 for it.

 

Ok, I had to spend £28 on a new bonnet badge and a day cleaning and polishing it, but I think I've got myself a little bargain.

 

Ehh?

[Peter C]

Using a little eBay nous, I'm going to say it cost you £550 which, if I'm right, is a hell of a lot of car for the money.

 

I did buy the car via EBay and the asking price was £550. Did you have your eye on it?

[Lankytim]

500 notes??? shitting hell. Why am I wasting my life with rotten old shit??

 

Thats not a winter hack... its a 5 year motor..

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Great for snow, floods, etc.

[Guest EccentricRichard]

500 notes??? shitting hell. Why am I wasting my life with rotten old shit??

 

Thats not a winter hack... its a 5 year motor..

 

Not 5, more like 15... =)

[fiatdaft]

yeah, if it lasts that long for you to pass your driving test.

[Guest EccentricRichard]

yeah, if it lasts that long for you to pass your driving test.

 

Oh, please... I've been trying (without success) to get a job for two years. If/when I get a job, every penny will be going into my 'car fund'. I WILL be driving, you'll see...

[warren t claim]

I'm gonna make all you guys green with envy. I paid £500 for it.

 

Ok, I had to spend £28 on a new bonnet badge and a day cleaning and polishing it, but I think I've got myself a little bargain.

 

Ehh?

 

Fuck! I paid £350 for mine but I think it will take a lot more than £150 to get it up to the standard of yours.

 

What state are your front wings in?

[fiatdaft]

yeah, if it lasts that long for you to pass your driving test.

 

Oh, please... I've been trying (without success) to get a job for two years. If/when I get a job, every penny will be going into my 'car fund'. I WILL be driving, you'll see...

 

 

thats because you are a twat.

[Barry Cade]

 

I really do like the purity of styling on the W124, although given my true autoshite leanings the one I'd want is a very early car with the full-width smooth plastic wheeltrims in that disgustingly lovely sludge green! A 200 carb would be ideal for the masochist in me.

 

This one just about ticks all your boxes. If you buy it I'll swap ya the steelz and trimz off my 190d for the alloys.

 

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

[Peter C]

What state are your front wings in?

 

Nearside spotless, not even a pimple. Offside has very early signs of rust bubbling beneath the paint, but due to the black paintwork the corrosion is not obvious until you squat down and look up close.

 

I've given the paint a good T-Cut and polish and it looks great. The paint wasn't bad in the first place but I took the opportunity to tidy it up, as I had a day off work plus the weekend and the weather was nice. Shame really that soon as I leave the village the fucking thing is going to get splattered with mud.

[Spottedlaurel]

£500?!?!?! etc.

 

That's flippin' good value.

[Albert Ross]

Jammy cunt! My Wife would even approve of me buying that! And that's saying summat!

[Peter C]

Jammy cunt!

 

Thanks mate!

[r.welfare]

Did you have your eye on it?

 

No, I'm not in the market for new wheels at the moment - I just took the assumption that it was an eBay purchase and searched the completed listings. It appeared to have been listed three times in the last few days for some reason - did that account for the drop in price. For £500 I think you have done exceptionally well - mind you, if there were no photos of it (as the eBay listings seemed to imply) then the gamble paid off, for sure.

 

Great for snow, floods, etc.

 

Oh, I don't know. We had 8 inches of snow here in January, and my wife managed to get around in the automatic Accord just fine while I was working away in Bradford (where the snow was less severe!) - she's not the most delicate of drivers, and we live in a similarly rural area to Peter. Also, given that Peter's Merc is only a 2-litre and Merc autos only start off in 2nd unless hammered, I reckon he'll be OK if the same weather hits this year.