W124 vs W129 Driving pleasure?

[bruiserdennison]

I can't quite believe it but I find my 1992 300CE (with 170K miles) more of a pleasure to drive than my 1994 SL500 (91K miles). The steering and suspension feel so much better in the E-Class (tighter and more solid with a very smooth ride). I know that the sportline suspension is good but I just wonder if either the build quality on the 124s is better than the 129s or that its just that carrying a 5 litre V8 wears out the parts more? Has anyone else had this experience or feel that i should be getting a more pleasurable experience from the SL?

Bruiser

 

[Flying Scot]

I can't quite believe it but I find my 1992 300CE (with 170K miles) more of a pleasure to drive than my 1994 SL500 (91K miles). The steering and suspension feel so much better in the E-Class (tighter and more solid with a very smooth ride). I know that the sportline suspension is good but I just wonder if either the build quality on the 124s is better than the 129s or that its just that carrying a 5 litre V8 wears out the parts more? Has anyone else had this experience or feel that i should be getting a more pleasurable experience from the SL?

Bruiser

Maybe you are just an old man and you should have a Volvo 940 I am a trained MV engineer owned quite a few performance cars in my days have driven everything from RR's including Lizzies one to Ferrari's Massers Bristols Bentleys Jags Jensens BM's Volvo's Lancia Delta Integralle Audi Quatro a few fast Fords and Lotus's lots of American muscle cars and and and and. Last year i drove a 97 SL 500 with the 5 speed adaptive auto box and i was the best car the nicest car i have ever driven. I can imagine the SL 600 or SL 73 or 55 AMG might be even better in some ways i dont think a MacLaren would do it for me. But i have i bought a 4 speed car (with around 155K miles on the clock at the mo) just because it was handed to me i cant imagine a nicer car to drive except that 97 SL 500 5 speed car which was double the price and a bit more. am i happy yes it is a lovely car with only one problem the seal at the top of the windscreen . So you either have a wonderful 124 and/or there are quite a few things wrong with your SL 500 - just my views of course as i have not driven your cars.

 

[MB Novice]

Bruiser
I have a 20044 CLk 320 and have been testing SL 500's - 1998 to 2001 - and have noticed the same thing. Every time I get back into my CLk it feel far better than the SL's. Don't know what to make of it. Is it just the weight or i the more modern car just that much better. What did you end up deciding the prblem was?

 

[Lordjellybelly]

Now that you`ve mentioned it my current W124 E320 cab [1996 114K] is tighter, smoother and yet a better ride than my W202 C240 elegance [1998 100K] i used previously. Is that a memory playing tricks or is the W124 the very best "old fashioned" car ever built?

 

[Bolide]

Is that a memory playing tricks or is the W124 the very best "old fashioned" car ever built?

That's an easy question to answer

WRT R129 vs W124, the W124 was four cars (saloon, coupe, cab, estate) and I am sure MB spent millions of DM on development as it was a core product designed to sell in millions. I would imagine projected R129 sales were 5-10% of W124 sales so the budget was adjusted accordingly

It may, of course, just be down to variations between cars due to age & wear. I test drove two 1996 E280s back-to-back last night and the differences were obvious but difficult to describe. Age causes lots of changes and the "driving experience", or whatever you want to call it, changes over time and some cars come out worse than others

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[stumpy]

That's an easy question to answer

WRT R129 vs W124, the W124 was four cars (saloon, coupe, cab, estate) and I am sure MB spent millions of DM on development as it was a core product designed to sell in millions. I would imagine projected R129 sales were 5-10% of W124 sales so the budget was adjusted accordingly

It may, of course, just be down to variations between cars due to age & wear. I test drove two 1996 E280s back-to-back last night and the differences were obvious but difficult to describe. Age causes lots of changes and the "driving experience", or whatever you want to call it, changes over time and some cars come out worse than others

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

That's very true Nick. I will soon be giving my 124 a suspension overhaul - bushes, dampers, springs, spheres etc. Will cost a bit I reckon but should transform the car. I think the problem with this kind of wear and tear is that it happens so gradually you don't really notice it till you try a 'sorted' one.

 

[Bolide]

That's very true Nick. I will soon be giving my 124 a suspension overhaul - bushes, dampers, springs, spheres etc. Will cost a bit I reckon but should transform the car. I think the problem with this kind of wear and tear is that it happens so gradually you don't really notice it till you try a 'sorted' one.

That's 100% true. If it's your daily driver you have no fixed point of reference

I drive 50-80 cars a year so it's easier for me

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[telletubby]

I'm also 100% with that. I changed my 124 diesel estate a couple of months ago for exactly the same model and I only realised how rough and worn the old one was when I got in one that had been fully looked after/sorted.

 

[Bolide]

That's very true Nick. I will soon be giving my 124 a suspension overhaul - bushes, dampers, springs, spheres etc. Will cost a bit I reckon but should transform the car. I think the problem with this kind of wear and tear is that it happens so gradually you don't really notice it till you try a 'sorted' one.

I am beginning to think that the most important bits are the front wishbones & bushes, engine mounts and maybe front top mounts

I had a car recently (a 320 Sportline estate) that had had new front wishbones. The balljoints were integral and needed changing. It drove extremely well

If you're planning a big overhaul I'd do front springs, shocks, wishbones & top mounts, ARB Bushes and steering idler

At the rear I'd do leading subframe bushes, ARB bushes & drop links if they're worn, camber control arms and I'd check all the bushes very carefully

With that lot done I'd fit a set of Continental Premium Contact IIs and have the geometry set on a laser machine

About £1500, I'd guess!

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[stumpy]

Cheers Nick, I will add that lot to the list. I reckon something is amiss at the rear. It feels quite stiff and the self levelling doesn't appear to work like my old one did.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I can't quite believe it but I find my 1992 300CE (with 170K miles) more of a pleasure to drive than my 1994 SL500 (91K miles). The steering and suspension feel so much better in the E-Class (tighter and more solid with a very smooth ride). I know that the sportline suspension is good but I just wonder if either the build quality on the 124s is better than the 129s or that its just that carrying a 5 litre V8 wears out the parts more? Has anyone else had this experience or feel that i should be getting a more pleasurable experience from the SL?

Bruiser

I bought my R129 SL500 in 2005, with 44,000. Thought it was good, but as I have said elsewhere, with use (trip around France, 1,500 miles in a week), it really came to life. The changes included much smoother more responsive power delivery, smoother (imperceptible) gearchanges (more marked improvement in down changes), and suspension became much more supple.

I think there are definite downsides to underuse and stiffening of the suspension and possible "flat spotting" of the tryes are amoung my suspects.

I think the W124 is a super car - I had a 1994 280TE for a couple of years and it gave excellent service and no faults from 108,000 when I acquired it until 122,000 when I sold it, but it just did not seem in the same league as the SL. The definitive difference is in cornering wherby the SL will take A Road z bends at illegal speeds without crossing the white line on firm acceleration - well you would expect that, wouldn't you?

I would use the SL a bit more and possibly push it a bit harder. There may be a great car in there waiting to get out!

 

[kenwood]

124 vs 129

I have both W124 300CE 1990 62K Miles and R129 320SL 42K Miles. I love them both equally.
The W124 for relaxed wafting about great with all windows down and heated seats on cool winter days.
The R129 for those days when a wee bit more fun is needed (more fun less comfort).
Just my 2d.