Brilliant, classic, love it, own one yourself. It's now part of me!
Nothing.
What a car; simple but brilliant. Leaves my W126 for dead. A classic of classics. Easy to drive, and even easier to love.
My next car will be a W114, and the one after that, and the next one and the next one...
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 7th September, 2010
Beauty outside, Beast inside
Nothing considering this is a 40 year old car.
The carburetors.
Starter.
Power steering leaks.
Engine leaks.
Rust in floor panels - replaced.
Soft, reliable and classic looking car.
Carbs changed for a Weber kit, and it runs very well now.
I bought it from an ex US embassy worker who did not use it, but kept it stored for too long with some rust in the floor panels, and leaks here and there. It took some time and money to restore.
Now is working very good, with a pleasurable driving and with an elegant look (the body in navy with honey interiors).
It is not a fast car, but is comfortable and safe. I had a crash where a old heavy Ford hit me in the left side, and no major damage was caused.
I am impressed with the quality of this car, and the fact that is a Mercedes, but is a simple car; no power windows, locks, or complicated devices that would make it difficult to repair.
I love it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 21st June, 2010
Loved this car. A million times better than the 190E I had the misfortune to own 5 years later
Water pump leaked shortly after purchase. Replaced with new.
Brake master cylinder replaced.
Replaced rear springs as they were sagging a little.
Centre bearing rubber mount on tail shaft replaced.
Opto (?) signal generator to injectors replaced at well over 450,000km.
Interior fan failed... replaced with a used item. Expensive labour costs as dash had to be ripped apart.
Indicator electronic module replaced.
Upgraded to CFC-free refrigerant.
Replaced front disc rotors (at close to 490,000km)
Steering box mounting bolts had worked loose, which meant you could turn steering wheel 90 degrees and car still would go straight. Needless to say I drove home very slowly... fixed next day.
The only time I could say the car let me down was when it suddenly died on the freeway. The signal to the injectors had packed it in, but then the car had covered over 450,000 km.
I'd class other problems as normal wear and tear, and the car was over 20 years old when I had to replace the interior heater fan.
The car was slightly heavy on fuel but servicing was very reasonable from Benz specialist (and also from an authorised repair centre who was absolutely excellent) so overall it really was very reasonable to run.
Beautiful engine and transmission.
Loud car on the highway got a bit wearisome.
Handled reasonably well, rode well though suspension bump-thump irritating (typical Benz according to road reports). Steered well though not sharp at the straigh-ahead.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 26th August, 2008
A stunning yet practical classic
Cylinder Head gasket replaced, but now runs superbly.
No other problems at all.
An absolutely superb example of German engineering at its finest. Well-built and comfortable, this is just a pleasure to drive, so much of a pleasure, we sold our other car, an Audi, an now use this as an everyday driver.
The ride is so smooth, you have to remind yourself you're in a thirty year old car.
It's also eye catchingly beautiful and always draws admiring looks.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th July, 2006
My first own car - one of the best I ever had
Nothing had gone wrong, except the accidents I or a third person caused.
Still in use - during winter time.
Extremely reliable when it comes to the engine.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 15th April, 2005
Classy, quirky, and fun to drive
The odometer was flaky from the day I bought the car, and finally stopped at 112,000, so the mileages are estimated. The speedometer works perfectly.
Ignition points need cleaning or replacing about once a year. This is one of the few repairs I do myself, and the part is less than $10.
The master brake cylinder and both rear calipers were replaced, on three separate occasions.
The starter, alternator regulator, battery, and a battery cable were all replaced around 2001.
Both front seat belts broke. The replacements were expensive, but easy to install myself.
Both back windows stopped working, but I never bothered trying to fix them. The front right window pops at the top, probably because of a cracked part of the riser assembly. The driver's side window switch went bad this year, but I got another one at a junkyard for almost nothing.
The vacuum pump diaphragm for the power brake booster recently started to leak oil, which made for some spectacular exhaust clouds. The repair was inexpensive.
I love this car, and I hope to keep it for years to come. It's not especially powerful, but it's better than the diesel models.
It's very comfortable on long trips, and very rarely breaks down to the point of being immobile. The only time I have ever had to stop on the side of the road was because of the ignition points, but I cleaned them with a nail file and was on my way again in ten minutes.
It's attractive enough to start conversations in parking lots, and I've had strangers ask what I would take for it. I'm not interested in trying to sell it, especially since the bad odometer would destroy the price, so I just tell them it's not for sale.
Mileage is somewhere around 18 mpg.
This car doesn't exactly have the mileage or reliability of a Honda Civic, but it has something the Civic never will: personality. Considering how little I paid for it, and how low the registration and insurance costs are, I think the value is great.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th October, 2004
Thank you for the info about your car, it will help me with mine.
I recently got mine from my grandparents, and have had a few of the problems you have mentioned.
The most recent one is the moan I hear when I accelerate; not too sure what it is yet.
Also, with that vacuum pump diaphragm problem, if someone else reads this, another indication that's the problem is your spark plugs will be caked with burnt oil, and your brakes won't be that great.
If anyone has any info about the moan I hear, please post.
3rd Jul 2007, 18:00
Thanks for the info--may be buying one.