Good car
Had to replace the brake pads...
This is a very good car... sturdy and reliable... very nice... low gas comsumption...
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th June, 2006
Delight to drive and will serve you well
We bought this one quite cheap for its age and could identify immediately some problems such as cracked headlight lens, broken sun visor catches and dodgy Blaupunkt CD, however these were cosmetic and repaired very easily and cheaply (the AA inspection guy guessed the headlight lens at about $1000, it actually cost $150 brand new and genuine!).
Other things that have gone wrong are; electric window switch failed.
Electric window arm needed replacing.
Electric seat plays up at contact points (switch needed pulling apart and cleaned easily done).
Tyres (2 sets in 2 years)
Engine mounts worn and replaced.
In tracking an oil leak we had the C seal, crank seal and main fan bracket replaced + 2 power steering belts (it was actually the fan bracket the whole time!! But finding a decent mechanic is - well :-\
Main fan bearings worn.
Still has a leak from Transmission to fix.
Radiator top tank replaced when top hose connection cracked and broke.
We love it, best car we've ever had. Fits our family comfortably (7 seats) and is a fabulous cruiser. Very reliable and has never left us stranded.
A bit thirsty and unfortuately you get tarred with this "you've got money" brush despite the fact that is cost far less to buy than what most average people spend on cars!
Performance is great I even kept pace with my brother-in-laws Mondeo ST24 and we were fully laden!
These are great cars and has converted us to Merc-heads!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 5th December, 2004
Exceedingly Well Engineered and Executed
Head Gasket replaced.
Timing Chain replaced.
Rear suspension accumulators replaced.
Climate control panel replaced.
Two rear window lifters replaced.
Gas struts for rear lift-gate replaced.
All repairs done upon purchase from car lot.
This is an outstanding vehicle.
With the exception of the climate control panel and the head gasket, all other repairs are essentially regular maintenance items.
No rust after 225,000 miles.
Car handles exceedingly well.
Cruises at high speed like it's new.
Cabin is comfortable and almost silent.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 28th November, 2004
Never buy one
Mainly seals and gaskets that dry-rotted. Cost a fortune to fix. At 85,000 miles (and 10 years old). New transmission gasket $18, but it's $480 to install it.
Oil pump gasket, $300 at 80,000 miles.
A/C never blew very cold, even after repairs at 90,000 miles, which were $500.
Water pump at 110,000, $500.
Head gasket at 88,000 miles, $500.
Would never buy one again. Nice riding car, but too expensive when repairs come. Spent $4,000 in 2 years on this car. That's a nice trip to Europe!
Might consider a diesel MB, though.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 29th April, 2001
Shame your car didn't work out. Usually, the W124 are totally reliable.
Cheers, Wolfram (300CE)
These cars are very reliable, but they DO need maintenance once in a while!! If you buy one with a maintenance backlog (and the one above probably was), you'll pay for it sooner or later (and most of the time sooner). So you either realize this and bargain the price of the car down, or you just leave it behind and focus on a better maintained 124, which might be a bit more expensive, but you save lot of money in the end.
Hey!
I bought an 88 mbz 300ce a couple weeks ago. Its in really good condition and drives great. The guy that sold it was asking 4500 but I talked him down to 3300. It has almost 200k miles on it, but had the engine and trans rebuilt a couple years ago. Its fun to drive and I love the jealous looks I get from old people that think they couldn't afford it. Your car is what you put into it. I've already put about 1000 bucks into it, but I love the car. I used to have a 190e with 65k orig. miles, but I recked it about a year ago, the ce is way faster.
I own an 88 300TE wagon. It's my first Mercedes. I have always been leery of "German" cars, as my BMW was a bad experience. My wagon is used daily, it's comfortable and is reliable and fun to drive. I think this car will last me for many years, even though it's old, and I do not see myself selling it.
I picked up a 400lb console stereo that was 77 inches long, 60 miles from home; it felt like there was nothing in the car!!
For urban living it's the best, no need for a truck. Best car I ever owned, and I've owned many, no greenhorn here!
28th May 2006, 17:42
An update 2 years later...
The transmission deteriorated to the point where reverse took awhile to engage and the gears would slip under heavy acceleration. We had it reconditioned (new seals etc) for approx $2500 and its as good as new now.
No more oil leaks, however, burns a bit of oil though.
Other things going wrong: The ABS motor/pump unit will sometimes stay on even though the car is turned off - I discovered that a gentle knock with a spanner handle will stop it.
Power steering will sometimes whine (due to low fluid levels).
The electric sunroof is now starting to play up - struggles to close.
Despite all this we still love the car, it has never failed us, still as fast, comfortable and thirsty as ever.