1986-1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W124)
Over the past few months, while other commitments have kept me from venting in this venue, my far-flung colleagues have heaped much praise on a succession of flimsy econoboxes. I take comfort in knowing that most of these objects of their misguided car lust have long since been consigned to junkyards, landfill, and recycling plants. I take even more comfort in knowing that a representative sampling of these turkeys have found homes in the garages of borderline fanatical owners, and that those owners gladly spend non-trivial sums to keep the objects of their obsession in what passed for tip-top condition when they were new. To see a “Cadillac” Cimarron in the wild, so to speak, can serve as a reminder of the kind of thinking that led GM to its current state. Similarly, to see a Datsun B210 with an intact body shell, and in any kind of drivable shape at all, serves as proof that rust is no match for a big pile of money.
I wasn't a fan of these sad little vehicles when they were new, and time hasn't caused me to change that opinion. Indeed, I prefer my tin foil to be wrapped around leftover pizza, rather than turned into a car’s body panels. With that in mind, I’d like to heap some well-deserved praise on a car that belongs on any list of the best, and most important, cars ever built. That car is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class of the W124 generation, which was introduced in 1986 and remained in production through 1995. Given the huge success of the model that it replaced, the W124 needed to bring something very special to the table. Fortunately, in those pre-Lexus days “something very special” was nothing more than “business as usual” at Daimler-Benz AG.
<rant>When Lexus hit the scene it seemed as though Daimler-Benz lost the formula. The models developed in the post-Lexus environment overtly skimped on overall quality in order to accommodate ever more complex gadgets and subsystems. And, taking a page from the GM playbook, they used paying customers as the test bed for those gadgets. Rumor has it that, after a couple of decades in the wilderness, the company is back on track. We’ll see. </rant>
The W124 debuted to worldwide acclaim, receiving accolades for its ride, handling, and bank vault solidity. Over the course of its lifetime, the W124 was available as a four-door sedan or wagon, a two-door pillarless hardtop, and a convertible. Worldwide, the W124 was equipped with gas and Diesel engines ranging from 2.0 to 6.0 liters, and between 1989 and 1993 the car could be had with 4Matic all-wheel drive. Through 1993, the model names consisted of a number (roughly indicating engine size) followed by a letter code whose meaning sometimes described the body style, and sometimes didn’t. In 1994 the letter/number position was reversed, and the letter described the position of the platform in the Mercedes-Benz line. So for 1994, the 300E became the E320.
At its introduction in the U.S., the W124 was available only as a gas-powered sedan. In 1987 the W124 lineup was expanded to include a Diesel-powered station wagon, and I was given the use of a brand new one for a week. Here’s what I had to say about that car 22 years ago:
The introduction of a new Mercedes-Benz thrills me all of out proportion to the immediate effect it will have on my life. This is no big trick, because new Mercedes-Benzes have no immediate effect on my life. I am, in fact, as likely to actually buy a new Mercedes-Benz as to carry one across the Alps on my back. So why am I so thrilled each time a new Benz is introduced? Simple: forward planning. I look at every new Mercedes as a future used Mercedes, and I’m a sucker for used Mercedeses.
In fact, I’d rather have a used Mercedes-Benz than a new anything else. My recently acquired 1971 300SEL 3.5, which cost less than a well-equipped Hyundai, is as satisfying a four-door sedan as I have ever driven. It’s got a forest’s worth of burled wood, several cows worth of leather, a wonderful air suspension, and more sheer elegance than Cary Grant and William Powell put together. That it’s also burdened with some truly ancient technology, including king pins and a trick-or-treat automatic transmission, matters not a bit. If you offered to swap me a brand-new Audi 5000 for my 3.5 I’d show you the door.
I feel the same way about my 1976 450SL. At age 11 it is worth more than its original sticker price, which in turn is more than I paid for it a couple of years ago: about the same as Toyota wanted for a full-tilt Supra. Granted, the Supra is faster, quicker, handles better, and uses less fuel. But does that sleek hardtop come off in the summer? No! And will it be as rust- and rattle-free in the mid-1990s as my SL is today? Check out the average 10-year-old Japanese sports car--if you can find one--for the answer to that question.
I’ve even got a soft spot for the old “slash 8" models: the 220s, 230s, and 250s of the late 1960s and early '70s--the Ford Falcons of Mercedes-Benzes. You can buy one today for a couple of grand and with reasonable care it should take you well into the next century.
Fairness requires that I present an opposing point of view, and as it happens, I have one. First: you can keep the Diesels. They’re slow, noisy, and hard to start. And the smoke is embarrassing. And second: the W123 wagon--the 300TD through the 1985 model--could be the most boring vehicle of its type since the first generation International Travelall. That it was burdened with a Diesel engine can only be ascribed to our government’s Draconian CAFE regulations. But regardless of motive, the Series 123 300TD was doubly cursed, and I don’t want one. And here in Scarsdale, where Mercedes-Benzes are fairly thick on the ground, neither does anybody else.
It’s not that nobody in these parts needs a station wagon. (Everyone, everywhere, needs a station wagon; most folks just don’t know it yet.) No, Scarsdale has plenty of station wagons, just about every one of them a Volvo. My guess is that the locals see the 300TD as being about as exciting as yesterday’s yawn. Since station wagons themselves are perceived as being pretty dull, it’s only natural that the less boring ones get the nod. That staid old Volvo finds itself in that position indicates that some of the Turbo’s panache has rubbed off on the lesser models.
At any rate, unless I miss my guess, the station wagon demographics in Scarsdale are going to change. You see, Mercedes-Benz has a new wagon, and despite its Diesel engine I want one. It’s an all-new wagon, with an all-new engine, and in one fell swoop all of my objections to Diesels and Mercedes wagons have been swept away. The new 300TD is flat out gorgeous. It’s no surprise, these days, for wagons to be better-looking than their sedan counterparts: look at the Volvo 700 and the Audi 5000. But in the case of the Mercedes Benz 300 series the transformation is astonishing. Its body could have been created by a glass blower. We have our share of interesting cars up here, and it takes something special to rate a second look; the 300TD was openly and obviously admired by pedestrians, and by the drivers of some of pretty slick machinery. (A trip through Manhattan, where you could drive nude in a motorized hot tub without attracting much attention, evoked several positive comments from the natives, two of whom insisted upon a demonstration of the headlight washers.) To my mind, you buy the 300 sedan in spite of the way it looks, because it is such a terrific piece of engineering. The wagon, by contrast, can (and in many cases probably will) be bought on looks alone, the engineering being a nice bonus.
But what a bonus. After putting some serious miles on the 300TD I’ve come to the conclusion that it is the car that Cadillac should be (maybe is) trying desperately to build. Let me explain. Cadillacs have, for years and years, been prized for their ability to provide a sense of splendid isolation. Remember that “The Cadillac Hour” ad campaign? Driving home in the Cadillac was portrayed as being second only to a handful of Valiums as a means of calming down after a hard day at the office. And it was true. The tradeoff was control, which under all but the most serene circumstances was something you were likely to be out of. In recent years, Cadillac has done an admirable job in remedying this situation. The current Seville, for instance, handles pretty well, but as far as comfort is concerned you’d be as well off in a Cutlass Ciera. The new Cadillacs have all but forgotten they’re Cadillacs!
The new Benz, by contrast, combines isolation with control in a way that is both uncanny and a bit eerie. The car is exceptionally quiet. At speed on a smooth, straight road, wind and road noise are virtually non-existent, and the only mechanical noise to be heard is the very satisfying muted hum of the engine. So far, very Cadillac-like, no? But in the 300TD a most un-Cadillac thing happens when the road gets rough: the isolation remains! You know that the road is rough, both because you can see it, and due to the almost subliminal signals coming from the suspension, but the car continues to track straight and true, and there’s a not a hint of a squeak or rattle.
The same thing happens when you need to turn. Without telegraphing any harshness into the interior, the 300TD’s suspension provides the feedback that permits precise control of the car’s position, regardless of road surface. This is a car that doesn’t fight you. It doesn’t even reveal that the suspension is working hard, which means that the driver doesn’t have to!
The only clue to the 300TD’s lack of spark plugs comes when accelerating from rest. The engine’s torque curve is virtually flat between 2000 and 4000 RPM, but that initial run from idle to 2K, before the turbocharger gets into the act, can be tense if you’re used to the more direct response of a conventional engine. It’s not that the 300TD’s overall acceleration from rest is terribly slow; zero-to-60 is perfectly satisfactory. It’s zero-to-10 that can ups the pucker factor by an order of magnitude. That caveat aside, the new engine is terrific, with plenty of mid-range punch for passing, and a top end that makes for relaxed high speed cruising. Speaking of top end, this is one Diesel that really has one. I backed off at an indicated 100 and there was plenty left, so Mercedes’ claim of 123 mph is probably realistic. As important, I think, is the fact that the engine sounds good. Unlike most Diesels, which sound as though they’re working hard even when they aren’t, the 300’s in-line six hums contentedly at any speed.
Returning for a moment to the Cadillac analogy, let’s look at the amenities. Expensive cars, regardless of their strictly mechanical credentials, should be equipped with all sorts of doodads designed to cosset and coddle their occupants, and those doodads should work well and without fuss. The 300TD’s seats and headrests, for instance, adjust electrically via door-mounted seat-shaped controls. You move the part of the control that corresponds with the part of the seat you want to adjust. Associated with the seat controls are a pair of buttons which automatically recall two favored seating positions, along with that of the electrically-operated telescoping steering wheel. That’s clever, but even better is the fact that all adjustments takes place silently; the last time I adjusted a Seville’s seats, it sounded like a 727’s landing gear being raised.
While we’re on the subject of seats, the 300TD is available with “MB-Tex” or, for a ton of money, real leather. In years past, the choice could be made solely on a financial basis, because MB-Tex was pretty dismal stuff. No more: the wonderful world of vinyl has evolved to the extent that MB-Tex, 1987 style, is as close to the real stuff as you’re going to see. Close enough, in fact, that you could describe it as leather without being called a liar more than one in ten times. Regardless of covering, the 300TD’s front seats are a fine place in which to spend time. True to Mercedes tradition, they’re firm, but in all the right places. Because the seats have so little "give" they keep your muscles from having to make constant adjustments in order to keep you in position. This, in turn, virtually eliminates the fatigue that is inevitable after several hours on plush, but non-supportive, seats.
Is there anything bad to say about the 300TD? Absolutely: it’s got a digital outside temperature gauge, the sensor for which is mounted in a place that insures a wrong reading. In fact, the owner’s manual points this out. It does, however, read in Fahrenheit, so even though it’s wrong, it’s wrong in a number that has some meaning. The climate control, by contrast, is calibrated in Centigrade, which has nothing to do with temperature as we know it. When I was too cold I turned the dial to a higher number, and vice versa; but to me, 20 and 22 are temperatures I want to escape from, not encourage.
Beyond that, the 300TD combines more virtues in a single vehicle than any other that I’ve encountered. It handles like a sports sedan, rides like a luxury car, sips, rather than gulps fuel, and packs like a U-Haul. Its structural integrity is awesome, and if my experience is typical should remain so for years and years to come.
The big question is whether the 300TD -- or any car -- can be worth $42 grand. The answer, of course, depends upon who is doing the asking. But if you want the best sedan in the world, and need a station wagon, there’s no other choice. I can’t wait for them to appear in the classified ads!
OK, that's what I had to say in 1987. And sure enough,in 1998 I bought a nearly-mint 1988 300TE, which was the gas version of the car described above. A decade old, and with more than 100K on the clock, it was as tight, smooth, and silent as the brand-new 300TD I drove in 1987. Now, 11 years on, I’m once again thinking that a W124, maybe even one of the convertibles, deserves pride of place in my garage.
Given that the last one built is now 14 years old, you might be inclined to warn me that this could be a risky proposition. By way of reply, I commend your attention to these four videos, which document the attempt by British TV’s Fifth Gear to destroy one. (And remember, if you see it on TV, it has to be true.)
--David Drucker
Shawn on April 14, 2009 at 03:43 PM
CJinSD: That's one of the best insert-foot-in-mouth stories I've heard in a while, LOL. I'm also in total agreement with you about the V6 engines.
Ingram Powell on April 20, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Unfortunately, with the nineties came a rapid deterioration of Mercedes quality. Strangely, their reputation hasn't suffered nearly as much.
If I won the Lotto tomorrow I'd be no more likely to visit a Merecedes dealer, but I'd risk jail for a clean 60s 300SEL or 280SL.
MARtin on May 16, 2009 at 10:21 AM
THIS IS THE BEST CAR EVER
the most comft. and lux 4 its time
i had one
model 86 automatic and i wood buy another one !! i just love this car !!!!
dwight on May 18, 2009 at 06:49 PM
I think the w124 is perhaps the most important Benz in the last 30years.
I have owned 3 of these cars (E320, 500E and 300TD wagon). The build quality is impeccable and the cars had unique touches such as heated windshield washer fluid.
Crackerjack on June 02, 2009 at 06:34 PM
David,
I recently bought a 1995 W124 with over 230,000 kms on it, and because the previous owner did a wonderful job maintaining it, it simply astonishes me that everything but one headrest works as if new. People just don't realize that these cars hold up more than most luxury cars today. But then again, people are into getting rid of their cars every 4-5 years, so they have no idea what real value is like, perhaps ever. Interesting that you mentioned Cadillacs in your article, I also looked at some 96 STSs in the hunt, found one, but when compared, well, there is no comparison. The thunk of the doors and refinement of this benz outshines many new cars today, even though its 14 yrs old. We looked at a few before choosing this particualr one, and it was very visible as to who took care of theirs and who didn't. In Germany, these babies are still used as cabs (prob some W124s still left in those configurations) and when I used to speak to cabbies in the late 80's, most metioned that they were sitting on 600K-1M kms on one engine, sometimes 2 transmissions. Its our first ever Benz, and it sure looks like it won't be our last, well, maybe it will outlast both of us, though the wifey still has it in for a Cadi. If all cars were built this well, tsk tsk!
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater on July 30, 2009 at 07:49 AM
W124 was (and is) very nice, but I prefer the W126 of that era, aka the S-class.. Same build quality, more gizmos (but not too many), not much more expensive these days to find used than the W124s.
However, that one shining wagon, the 1987 300TD, is really a special gem and its resale value to this day is exceptional. If I were to take any other car besides my 1987 300SDL (which has the same engine), it would be a loaded 1987 300TD.
Then again, I'm hoping that I can transplant parts off the 560SEL such as heated seats, since that's probably the only feature I miss from modern cars.
jeu educatifs on October 01, 2009 at 02:47 AM
Hi...
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W124) black is my dream car. I wonder when it will stay over my parking place. It is just a perfect car...
Matt on December 19, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Great review. I had 6 older BMWs before getting into Mercs. I've had a 93 190e 2.6, 96 C280, and now a 93 400E. All with well over 150k miles, one having over 200k. I am impressed with the quality also with the late 80 model BMWs I've had. They really don't build cars at the quality they used to in the late 80s through early 90s.
Warren on April 22, 2010 at 02:59 AM
Have owned a few MB's from 108s, through W114, W123.Engines were from 250, 280, 280e . 230.6 etc
Our 1972 280E W114 is our Sunday car-2nd owner -full history but are most impressed with or 1995 W124 E280- prevviously one owner with documented history-drives as new and feels great
Emily on June 10, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Hello, I would like to sell my 1995 C220 Mercedes Benz. The only problem is, I have a connection to it since it was my first car to ever drive, 10 years ago! Therefore, in efforts to sell it, I would like to donate or give the proceeds that it is purchased for to a larger cause. Any ideas?
Gabriel on July 11, 2010 at 03:54 AM
i own a 1986 w124 230e with 700 thousand on the clock, never missed a beat, the paint is in perfect condition still looks brand new, the interior is immaculate, in a redish maroon colour ( im yet to see another w124 with this colour interior.)and its still a dream to drive.
i will keep it untill she dies, then probably reco the engine and it will go for another 24 years.
cheers Gabriel.
Mr Merc on August 13, 2010 at 01:25 PM
I am a huge fan of the W124 and regard this as the last of the Greats.
The later E Class was built down to a price as was the C class, I love my little 1992 190e 1.8 even thought its a manual. I just parted with a beautiful 1990 300E and a 94 280E with only 90k. I do have a 300TE seven seater good knows why I live alone, thats why I have so many cars, that is a really pratical car. to complete the set I have a 1990 W126 500se that is amazing, leaves my 4.0 Jag for dust and drinks far less fuel, on a run 28 and normal running around 20. The 300 is unreal 30+ all the time. I am sad to see that alot of these wonderful cars are being sent overseas, we think there past it and off they go and last another 20 years. The front wing rust problem I over come, if the wings are good when I buy one I hammeright them inside, if I need new ones buy the genuine ones, the patern wings are a pain to fit so if you value your time or are paying someone else it works out cheaper. Use geniune parts and good oil every 6 to 10k I do mine and 500,000 is no problem, I had a W123 280 with 487,000 miles and someone stole it, I never got it back, I expect its still running arounsd in some foriegn parts. I love my Merc's and even though I have 1 Jag (for sale) a 1978 Rover SD1 and a Discovery for towing its the Merc's that will always be the car for me, what I really wont is an AMG G wagon 5 door another G wagon to off road a 500E an AMG E class estate a 560SEL and if the sun ever shines a 500SL would round it off, when you read the list you can see the reasob for every car as for cost,dreams are free for the time being.
So if you have never owned a Merc why not you only live once and those that do will understand.
George Bullock on October 31, 2010 at 05:36 AM
I own a 1991 300E 2.6 which now has almost 350,000 miles on it (had 80,000 when I bought it). I have owned it for 5 years, and it looks new inside and out, and runs like new. I have had to replace bushings on it, and I have gone through one belt tensioner and a clutch plate replacement, but I wouldnt trade this car for any new Mercedes built after 1995. When the clutch plate issue came up, I found it would cost me about 800.00, so I started looking into buying a new Mercedes. I went to the lot and test drove a 2008 E320 and was not at all impressed. Gone was the road feel, the feeling of being in a "real" Benz. It just felt like any mass produced vehicle but had the familiar 3 pointed star on the hood. The C-Class was laughable inside and out to me.
The W124 is such a reliable and satisfying car to drive, that if anything major happens to my trusty 300E, I will simply replace the engine and keep it! Everyone who sees my car cant believe its almost 20 years old. And its design is timeless.
silver J. sender on February 25, 2011 at 01:16 PM
Hi May bge some body can help me I have a mercedes 300e 1991, the transmission broke last week I have another transmission but it is 1989 for same class, Do you know if it is compatible with 1991 class model
thanks a lot
Bill Todd on February 27, 2011 at 05:24 AM
I have just found your article and blog, found it interesting. The only thing I find odd is the dismissal of diesels. My first MB is a 1991 300D W124 with the 2.5. It is white with palomino interior. I had been searching sales and eBay for a car to use veggie oil. What I ended up with was a car with 227k miles in excellent condition 3 years ago off of eBay for $400.00. That auction closed on SuperBowl Sunday (crazy timing). The car is so nice that I have not coverted it and won't. I have spent about 1500.00 on necessary repairs and it is my daily driver. The winter has been the worse in my history in North Carolina, the car has not failed me at all. For a car this heavy and well balanced, I cannot believe you think them sluggish. To own a REAL Mercedese is to experience the diesel engine. My next newer model when I am ready has to be a diesel. I have been toying with the idea of an interior modernization/customization to give it all of the newer technology. In three years it will reach classic stage but it is not collector kind of vehicle so I do not think that a customizaition will hurt the value. The diesels are the most sought after on the market. Sorry you have a disdain for them. I am looking forward to a cool million miles on mine.
peem yuenpairoj on May 07, 2011 at 09:19 PM
i used to drive MB 124 E280 superb car from bangkok to chiangmai...great ! that's why always best selling car from eu. in thailand forever.
Marc Mosko on May 15, 2011 at 11:51 AM
Just read David Drucker's piece on the W124 and watched all the videos on the total destruction of the 300E wagon to my chagrin.
I am a fanatical devotee of the W124, which started with my purchase of a new 300TD (W123)in 1982, a new W124 300TD in 1987 and finally my regular ride, a purchased new E320 Wagon in 1994.
Although, I only have 136,000 miles on my E320 wagon to date, I like to brag about my total maintenance bills, which have not yet exceeded $10,000 in 17 years even though my wagon has been serviced as required. Cosmetically, I've repainted the front end twice as I-95 in Florida sprays stones at the paint regularly. I changed the zebrano wood on the inside recently as I hate the hairline cracks the wood veneer develops over time. Everything else is practically as new inside and out and the car runs just a bit better than when I first drove it out of the showroom.
I just passed 70, and have been congratulating myself on all the money I've saved over nearly two decades by avoiding having to buy new cars. Imagine... if you add the purchase price of $43,000 to the maintenance cost of $10,000 you get $53,000 divided by 17 years and that's only $3118 per year to drive the best Mercedes ever built. Don't believe it? Go test drive a new MB at a dealer and then a used W124 at a used car dealer and get convinced.
Again, having passed 70 and saving all that money I decided to buy the car I've been lusting after for years ... the 1994 E500. Found one on eBay and just unloaded it off the truck last week. Yes, it is a "Wolf in sheep's clothing" and I now have all the cars I'll ever need until someone takes my license away and sends me off to a rest home.
Marc in Florida
okello paul on May 28, 2011 at 12:07 PM
this is the most comfortable car ever and the safest in the world its my dream car
whicker on July 05, 2011 at 01:57 PM
I've owned and loved 3 MB build on the W124 chassis. I'm driving one now that I am least proud of, although it does still roll right smartly with 260k on it. but i'm thinkin its time to replace and move on. my question, has anybody built an automobile with the quality of the W124 since? I'm clueless if I stray from whats tried and true for me.
Uwais on October 14, 2011 at 08:40 PM
Dear I bought ths model 1997, had 60,000 miles on it. I am driving it from last 14 years. Mileage is 320000 on it. Had its Transmission overhauled once. Other regular repairs we know have to do. Still worth it. Fully paid, minimum liability insurance. Drove to Tornoto last month from NJ in a bad weather. Drove it in many Blizzards with slow speed, as it is a rear wheel drive. Never disappointed me. few things to mention, Change its valve seats once in 3 years, Oil Change in time. Change locks in time, if they are jamming. Otherwise its a hastle and big money. e-bay and other off markets parts I buy online. Use mercedes DIY forums. You will find a lot of help for many issues online. Keep your car away from inexperienced technicians. I did get it painted once at Maaco, in $500. The most expensive repair was transmission which cost me $4000. I can not find a car in $4000 of this standard.
chris on November 25, 2011 at 10:03 AM
i was watching top gear on dave earlier , the one where james may was in finland messing about with what looked like a 190 in rally mode(the same one with clarksons V8 food mixer) and couldn`t help noticing the headlamps. i would like to aquire some for my pimped 260e.if anyone knows what the hell i`m on about and where to get these headlamps please reply.
many thanks
chris
Olivia on May 07, 2012 at 08:35 PM
I just bought a 1992 300E with 180,000 miles on it, and I love this car so much! It had been extremely well maintained by the previous owners and I plan to do the same. I'll keep this car until it completely falls apart. It gives the most satisfying ride there is and there's nothing else like it.