9 months on - and still going strong.

[AlisonH]

Some may recall me asking the 'to buy or not to buy' questions last January, and when I was offered my first Merc.

Yes, there were a few teething troubles, and I won't deny it's a bit eccentric in its component parts, but it is proving very reliable and ideal for the purpose now. I doubt all that time off-road and sitting around in a farmyard helped.

Noticed a slight oil leak from the diff recently and that it needed a bit of an occasional judder from the vicinity of the propshaft/gear gox investigating.

I took it back to the local garage that had found the car for me, where they replaced an oil seal, propshaft mounting and also the coupling between the gearbox and the propshaft. I was anticipating a hefty bill but was pleasantly surprised at only £128, of which only £30 was labour, the rest parts and VAT!

One thing that is puzzling me, though, is that I've been monitoring the mpg and zeroing the mileage each time I fill up, as I am almost certain the fuel gauge is 'iffy'. Last month I seem to have got about 33mpg out of the car, and that doesn't seem likely when I do a lot of short runs with stopping and starting, low gears and plenty of hills. Perhaps on a run and without pushing it, I'd believe that but...?

Anyone any thoughts? (It's a petrol engine and has a manual gearbox, btw.)

 

[Bolide]

I'd believe 33 mpg as an average. Manual cars are more economical than the autos

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[AlisonH]

Thanks, Nick. I'd previously thought I was getting about 25 - 28mpg. That not long after I got it, so perhaps any improvement is down to it having blown any cobwebs away?

I'd be interested to see what it will do on a sesible run and over a distance. If it's doing 33mpg just locally hauling a load of feed etc in the back, it may well surprise me.

 

[Ade W124]

Good to hear the car is performing its duties well. I've had mine for 8 months, whilst I have enjoyed owning it so far and its behaved pretty well up to now for a 16 year old, its now in an Indy getting major engine works sorted... Whilst I'm looking forward to getting it back in good order, I'm not looking forward to the bill...

Long may your trusty (and economical) TE keep on running.

Ade

 

[AlisonH]

Mine's got 132,600 miles on the clock and no record so far of any work having been done on the engine. That sounds sweet enough and has only needed about a litre of oil since I've had it.

So far, the most costly repair I have needed to have done was a new rear exhaust after I holed it running over a darned great rock hidden in long grass in the middle of one of the rutted tracks I have to drive regularly to drop off animal feed. Car sounded more like the tractor it doubles as as that day! (Well, I always said I needed a workhorse.)