1995 e320 wagon- any thoughts?

[mecb]

hello-
i am considering purchasing a 1995 e320 wagon with about 140k. does anyone have any thoughts on this particular year/model and any idea of what i should expect to pay? any help would be appreciated.
cheers

 

[guydewdney]

look at the rust thread...

 

[mjtray]

If you are purchasing one of the last W124 E320 Wagons then ignore the rust thread as it only applies to the replacement E Class (W210?)

If its the W124, great cars that really take the mileage and are still very popular as they are built like tanks.

You could easily still pay up and over £5k if its in good nick and has all the toys.

Just check to see if the head gasket has been done as this is the one major weakness on the car....it leaks from the rear left hand side as you look at the engine. Also make sure the car idles properly when its in gear and does not surge against the brakes.

If it does not have a full service history then take care....these cars are all about preventative maintenance and need to be serviced correctly using Merc parts and not pattern parts.

Rust on the W124 is not normally much of an issue....just do the usual visual checks...thankfully the paint on the W124 is much harder than the replacement E Class that also came along in 1995.

Good luck

 

[mecb]

forgive my ignorance but what does w124 stand for? i'm buying in the us- if that makes any difference.
either way- thanks for all the help.

 

[guydewdney]

W124 is the chassis number / type - 124s are the square headlight ones - 210s are the replacemnt (late 95 / 96) with round headlights (twin)

W is wagon (saloon)
T is estate (station wagon to you yanks)
C is coupe

so which?
210:-
http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/w210 euro2.jpg
124
http://www.mbcdi.com/124/w124-300e-751liasgrau-miller-net.jpg




incidently - this came up onthe google image search as a W124 - NOT WORK / WIFE FRIENDLY!!!!

http://zenin.site.ne.jp/02/gyarari.2-6/w124.jpg

 

[mecb]

got it- thanks. the one i'm looking at is a 124- unfortunately it doesn't come equipped with the option pictured. anyway- i've heard about that head gasket problem as being not if but when. do you agree?

 

[Keith]

head gasket

yes I believe it is when rather than if but it normally occurs under 100k miles. If you have 140k then my strong suspicion would be that its already been dealt with. The replacement head gasket should last for ever. See if you can find out from the service history / receipts etc whether they had the head done.

I agree with other contributions - rust is a non issue on a 95 W124 in my experience or if it is then it must have been badly neglected.

The main weakness of the model in my experience is on the electrical side. The wiring harness is bio degradable and it degrades prematurely - also try to find out if this has been replaced - advantage if it has. Fully check out the heating and a/c works well and maintains a constant cabin temperature when the dials set to the white zones but is also capable of responding with hot or cold on demand from each side independently.

I have a 95 W124 with 150k and it runs like a new car and i expect to put at least another 150k on it. so if all seems ok, has service history then dont hesititate.

keith

 

[mecb]

much appreciated- thank you.

 

[Smalley]

As mentioned above, look for oil leaking from the right rear corner of the head gasket. The right rear corner would be the passenger side in the U.S.

The original head gaskets were poorly designed, but have since been updated.

Also have the engine wiring harness checked. All engine wiring harnesses are bad on M104 engines from 1993-1995. The problem is with the insulation on the wires flakes off, causing the wires to short out, setting the check engine light, etc.

A competent Mercedes independent would be able to inspect this for you.

The wiring harness is about $500.

Last, by all means spend a couple hundred dollars and get a PPI performed (pre-purchase inspection).

 

[Dublin]

I would love to know the best places to search for a G Wagon (W124). Ant suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Dublin

If you are purchasing one of the last W124 E320 Wagons then ignore the rust thread as it only applies to the replacement E Class (W210?)

If its the W124, great cars that really take the mileage and are still very popular as they are built like tanks.

You could easily still pay up and over £5k if its in good nick and has all the toys.

Just check to see if the head gasket has been done as this is the one major weakness on the car....it leaks from the rear left hand side as you look at the engine. Also make sure the car idles properly when its in gear and does not surge against the brakes.

If it does not have a full service history then take care....these cars are all about preventative maintenance and need to be serviced correctly using Merc parts and not pattern parts.

Rust on the W124 is not normally much of an issue....just do the usual visual checks...thankfully the paint on the W124 is much harder than the replacement E Class that also came along in 1995.

Good luck

 

[Bolide]

95 W124 320

I think the main thing with these cars is to be fussy. Be fussy about colour, about spec, about the interior and the paintwork

Be fussy about the service history, seller, the way it drives and the way it feels

If you do that, and drive at least 4 cars before you make a decision, you'll be in good shape!


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[andy_k]

echoing what everyone else has said buy the best you can find.

Make sure it's got all the "toys" and they all work (or you know how much it will cost to fix them). Leather interior, air con, cruise control, electric seats etc etc

The E320 wagon/estate is a superb car, the power to weight ratio is spot on, it's an effortless mile muncher and shouldn't have to cost you a fortune.

Get one that has been looked after and it will prove to be one of the best cars you have owned

Prices vary drastically and will depend on the seller. I've seen quality cars advertised for £5000 but I've seen really nice examples sell for as little as £1500 so don't pay too much.

Andy

 

[paulcallender]

I would love to know the best places to search for a G Wagon (W124). Ant suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Dublin

The G wagen is not a W124. There is no one best place to find a W124, I suppose www.autotrader.co.uk is a good place to start. Local ads, part-ex cheapies at prestige car dealers too (thats where I found mine).