Reply With QuoteOnly to a very small subset of people. Most would just think you had an ugly boxy old car ...Originally Posted by Qatar-wol
(I am trying to help talk you out of this, as exhorted, you understand.)
Here - CLICK
I fell into a rabbit hole today after watching this good video - I know! A decent quality YouTube video, with a professional presenter! How rare!
VIDEO HERE
I know it's dependant on condition and history, but is there a reason why I shouldn't? I love '90s Mercedes, and the W124 is just the sweet spot of when Benzes were built up to a quality, rather than down to a cost.
I currently have a BMW 530i wagon, and this Merc would have to replace that, I'm sure. I need a second car in the UK, but it makes no sense to have two cars the same size - I'd also need a people carrier, or something small. But a 500E on the drive? That signifies that I'm a man of (some) wealth and taste, surely?
Anyone with any experience? Thank you!
Only to a very small subset of people. Most would just think you had an ugly boxy old car ...
(I am trying to help talk you out of this, as exhorted, you understand.)
That's quite alright! I'm happy to appear cool only to the cool kids! I know most people will see a Berlin taxi!
I watch more car videos on YouTube than I should, and most 'YouTubers' consistently say that that era of Mercedes is the one to go for, as you say, built for quality not to a cost.
I think it looks fabulous, but saying that, repairs will be expensive.
Why not call around a few Merc indy specialists and ask their opinion, they are likely to be enthusiasts too and also give a honest view.
Cheers..
Jase
Thanks for the comment! The slightly annoying thing is that my hometown (Warwick. Shout-out CV34 posse) has a really well respected BMW independent that I've used for years. I'll have to look around for a similar Mercedes indy.
That’s cool with a capital K!!
It’s not going to be cheap to run although is likely to be pretty robust mechanically.
If you want it, go for it; I would.
My stepdad ran one of these for a good few years, he had a 380 before that and changed to a Lexus after the 500. I know nothing about cars really, so can’t give you any pointers other than it was double nice... He always said it was the best car he had by a country mile.
I would have that without hesitation.
Check for rust under the wheel arches, around the mirror/door interface and around the boot button, other than that the engine/gearbox are absolutely bullet-proof and the full MB service history is a just icing on the top of a very nice cake.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Lovely. Go for it.
'Youngtimers' and the Germans call them (classics but not so old) are still wonderful, and starting to have their day in the sun. Prices only going one way.
I miss my E30 325i cab.
Very nice - my wife had a 320i of the same vintage, and I had a slightly older E28 518i. Lovely slow thing!
No one's mentioned the fact that they are all LHD. That might be a tough sell to my wife!
I was going to mention the LHD but assumed you knew anyway!!
I'd like to talk you out of it, but I can't. It has the correct number of cylinders, litres and valves. It is therefore correct in all respects and should be acquired forthwith.
(Nonsense aside, a friend runs one of these and absolutely loves it, even if he does make a bit much of the 'made in the Porsche factory' thing, sometimes...)
Love it.
I think they had these in the Luc Besson movie “Taxi” as the getaway cars... and I learned to drive in our estate version, cerca 1994/95.
I love a boxy old merc
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I drove a beige/gold W123 around South Africa while I was working there for a couple of months. It was glorious.
The 124 is meant to be a cut above in engineering but I prefer the looks of the 123.
Not much of a statement to put you off I guess.
Walter I can’t in good consciousness tell you not to, my uncle has always had Mercedes, still had one of these, an sl350 and a new GLC currently, it’s the pick of the bunch for me and a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing
Can’t beat the engineering in these vehicles, built to last and I seem to recall you have a seiko land master that suits the colour of the car in the link too
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Das kannst du laut sagen.
(Hope that helps :) )
Looks awesome! Get it on the drive.
There are quite a few MB specialists around who will be able to look after it and maybe not as much as you might think in terms of cost.
Like the statement that it was built and then the cost was worked out. No compromises.
Why on earth do you want to be talked out of buying one?
"A man of little significance"
Uber cool car for those in the know, Eddie Irvine owned one as well as an SLR.
I don’t get on here much these days but this is one thread that caught my attention.
I’m on my 4th one, had 2 of each 500E & E500 with my current one being one of the E500 Green Limited Editions.
I took my time when buying each one, as there are some poor examples out there.
Happy to answer any questions you have about them
It's a beautiful car. If the one you find is well sorted, follow your heart, you only live once and all that!
Why would you want to be talked out of that?
Madness
Bizarre, I watched the same video yesterday and got equally smitten!
However missis will never allow me one so I’m sorted in that sense :)
get that thing bought.....
just watched the vid and I want it!
I still have images of big alloys and rusty arches on the kind of grubby streets I grew up on.
The w123, however...
Truth is I'd have either. Even the once unloved 190e fetches decent money these days.
As an aside, I visited family in Munich as a child, could not believe all the taxis were Mercedes.
Edit: oh it's the 500? Hell yeah!
Last edited by Fender; 26th April 2021 at 21:10.
buy it!
Either that’s an old advert or a very sketchy example!
BTW if you’ve seen Ronin some of the filming of De Niro driving the Peugeot was it being towed by a red 500E.
14:06 here
https://youtu.be/7H-z5rUM4i4
Last edited by GraniteQuarry; 26th April 2021 at 21:55.
Thank you all for your comments, and to you, PDE, for the offer of help! I'm in no hurry and am happy to take my time and keep my eyes open, and we'll see where we go! If I have any news, I'll be sure to bump the thread,
Looking at that reminds me how great a movie Ronin is and that I haven't watched it for a long time. Hopefully on Netflix or Amazon...
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
Best looking car I’ve seen in ages! I used to love my old E320 W124, and an E500 would be one of my dream cars….if they had the steering wheel on the correct side. And indeed the wing mirrors too!I don’t get on here much these days but this is one thread that caught my attention.
I’m on my 4th one, had 2 of each 500E & E500 with my current one being one of the E500 Green Limited Editions.
I took my time when buying each one, as there are some poor examples out there.
Happy to answer any questions you have about them
Just sold my 1993 model pre facelift which in my eyes is a better car than the facelift as quality started to take a tumble!
Great cars, I’ve owned two.
Never going to get one for those figures now that must be an old advert, also has incorrect wheels fitted.
Lots of Japanese imports around with low miles but history can be sketchy.
Achilles on these cars is the dizzy caps sweat up & can cause miss fire which can spike the ECUs through lack of use, don’t like sitting around or damp weather.
UK cars also can suffer from tin worm, front wings normally suffer.
Engines pretty bullet proof.
You won’t get anything decent under £25K now I’m afraid.
When the W124 was released in 1985, it initially enjoyed very poor reputation due to quality issues, mostly suspension, steering, drivetrain and also problems with rust. But Mercedes took control and from late 80's those cars were indeed impeccable (if a little old-fashioned in design).
My favourite Merc model is the pre-predecessor, the famous /8 model:
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
With respect, while I have great admiration for the engineering in the 500E as an example of mechanical and development excellence, that green patterned leather shown above is on the contrary one of the nastiest things I have seen in a long while. The germans did have form for some questionable styling choices during this era. The rest of the experience had better be good to make up for that!
Last edited by Padders; 27th April 2021 at 10:48.
Lovely bit of kit, this.When the W124 was released in 1985, it initially enjoyed very poor reputation due to quality issues, mostly suspension, steering, drivetrain and also problems with rust. But Mercedes took control and from late 80's those cars were indeed impeccable (if a little old-fashioned in design).
My favourite Merc model is the pre-predecessor, the famous /8 model:
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I love the green seats!
mine too,i restored this 1968 250/8 one in the nineties.it was a yuk grey when i bought it,much bodywork later i resprayed it Ford diamond white.it had done a quarter of a million miles but the straight six ran smooth and sweet.a lot of local brides went church in this,mostly FOC if i knew them or they were customers at my Garage.we used it as a family car for about 10 years before i sold it to a Merc enthusiast..we now have very nice low mileage w211 E class 320 which i do enjoy but sometimes i hanker for an older classic again..When the W124 was released in 1985, it initially enjoyed very poor reputation due to quality issues, mostly suspension, steering, drivetrain and also problems with rust. But Mercedes took control and from late 80's those cars were indeed impeccable (if a little old-fashioned in design).
My favourite Merc model is the pre-predecessor, the famous /8 model:
Last edited by greasemonkey; 28th April 2021 at 08:47.
Did you end up buying it then!?
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Nothing purchased yet! But the idea is simmering.
Part of my difficulty is that I've always been a BMW driver, and I keep seeing things like this -
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11710607
He already had to pay £20K in bills, and that doesn't include petrol. And you're still tempted?Nothing purchased yet! But the idea is simmering.
Part of my difficulty is that I've always been a BMW driver, and I keep seeing things like this -
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11710607
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Oh well I mean an m5 is a heck of a car but it’ll take a bit more looking after, I’m a BMW man, always had them or VW as my personal car, and company carNothing purchased yet! But the idea is simmering.
Part of my difficulty is that I've always been a BMW driver, and I keep seeing things like this -
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11710607
Can’t fault bmw they always drive the best but always suffer from silly faults .. need to stay on top of wheel alignment or they eat tyres for example
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Well, I'm hoping he paid the bills so that I don't have to!He already had to pay £20K in bills, and that doesn't include petrol. And you're still tempted?
That cinnamon interior is beautiful and looks very well maintained
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He already had to pay £20K in bills, and that doesn't include petrol. And you're still tempted?
I was thinking the same thing.
I have owned cars with big folders of history with extortionate bills, often when looking through the paperwork I can see the owner has been taken advantage of especially if the owner is clueless with mechanics and has stuck to the same dealer.He already had to pay £20K in bills, and that doesn't include petrol. And you're still tempted?
My current everyday had lots of money spent on it in the last 15k miles of previous ownership, touch wood 2 years on I haven’t spent a penny bar servicing, tyres..
The issue is that the M5 is a high performance car, and as such when things start to go slightly wrong, costs pile up rather quickly. The initial requirement of 500E (or S) was for a high(ish) end motor, a comfortable grand tourer with loads of space for 4 or 5 passengers.
The M5 may be (one of) the best high performance saloons on the market, but with a loaded history I would probable stay clear, especially as it doesn't fit the initial query.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
One of my neighbours near our Spanish home runs a 500E and he has had it for over 10 years. It is his only form of transport out there and totally reliable. Being in Spain, it does not rust.
It has dated in a cute way. It looks strange when he unlocks the boot with a key etc but it is mega cool despite what anyone says.
Please send a pic of you inside the car, holding the steering wheel with a vintage Rolex on your wrist.
I once bought a Merc 300CLS, it was five years old and had less than 5,000 km on the clock (it still had the smell of a new car inside). the owner was a retired public employee and I am pretty sure the car hadn't see a rainy cloud until I bought it. Still, I found a thick pack of maintenance bills in the glove compartment, the Mercedes dealer had changed oil and brake fluid every year; and automatic gearbox fluid twice in five years. Annual change of air conditioning micro-filters, winter tyres (I am sure the car was never driven with them), you name it and it was on the bills.
I owned the car for five years/80,000 km and had no repair except for a broken suspension spring.
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
Lucky you that you found one in that shape, nice car the cls too very sleek
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Fantastic cars, go ahead & buy.
I got very close a few years ago, but ended up going with a 211 E55 estate as a more daily usable alternative.
It now resides with a friend of mine & I was reminiscing with it last night.
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