It is the best car I have ever driven!
Only thing I had to fix was the cigarette lighter.
This is a excellent car to drive and own. Me and my family love the interior and sound system.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th March, 2010
Great comfort! Great power! Great quality! Great car!
Bent steering damper caused by previous owner. (fixed immediately due to horrible rubbing noise while turning).
Leaking steering pump. (not a priority at the moment).
Brake pad wear sensors needed replacing (cheap and easy fix).
Love this car. I purchased it because I looked on this site and read the great reviews, knew what to look for as far as maintenance (wiring harness replacement), and picked one up dirt cheap from a fellow car lover. So far I spent $100 and that replaced my steering damper, and I had the technician swap my brake pad sensors while he was down there. Could have done that myself, but why bother. I'm going to school to be an auto technician, and I'm sure I'll be needing to replace some more important stuff at some point.
Anyway, compared to my last vehicle (Dodge), this is a dream car. Actually, it's just a dream car anyway. Great interior quality, and this thing is a tank. The ride is extremely comfortable, and yet it still handles like it was meant for cruising around 130mph (autobahn of course). I have also owned 2 Nissans and an Infiniti and loved them. This is also on my list of favorites. :) Can't wait to do a few classy modifications to it.
The 94-95 tail lights have been installed. I also want to get the front turn signals from that year and add the euro-spec headlights, because the us-spec headlights are so dim. Might also add some hid's into the new headlights, but not sure yet. The previous owner added a CD player, but I don't like how it looks (silver face that doesn't match the car), so I'm going to add my Clarion head unit (black) that looks much better and seems to be better quality. That's all I really want to do it for now. Might get some AMG wheels as a spare set.
Anyway, I love my 1993 400E, and I thank those that have given their reviews on this website for submitting their reviews. They really helped me to get behind the wheel of this great car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 2nd December, 2009
The Alpine 102 has a dark face plate, it isn't silver or titanium looking. It has the USB and MP3 input in the front for easy access. I put Alpine in all my Mercs and BMWs.
I didn't update the taillights. They were already on when I bought the car.
As for the headlights, I'm still torn between buying the ridiculously expensive Euro-specs with the wipers, or going for DEPOs.
I had a 1993 400E and it was an absolutely outstanding car. I loved everything about it and I regret that I sold it. The W124 chassis with that big V8 is just an amazing experience.
30th Dec 2009, 00:10
Why not install an Alpine unit? Much better looking/quality than a Clarion.
Installed a 102 model in my 400E (looks great). But be forewarned, you do need an experienced installer to run the wiring from the stock harness to the trunk. And the gas tank is in between the rear seat and trunk wall.
I've had a 93 190E 2.6 and a 96 C280 Sport. I do like the added HP of the V8 in the 400E, heated seats, and traction control ASR are a welcome addition to the winter months. But I do miss the better sounding Bose speaker system in the C280.
The model I have has the transmission that is shared with the 93 400se/sel and 94 S420 (722.366) with ASR traction control. By default it starts in second. To start it in 1st you have to shift down to 2nd then over to activate the 1st gear (>B) switch or full throttle to activate the kick down switch.
A DIY mod is to bypass the stock 1st gear switch and wire it to the rear windows lock switch. This switch can be used more easily and at anytime, giving you the option to start in 1st or an extra kickdown gear at moderate speeds.