W124 300TE What to watch out for?
Discussion
Hi All
Now that GT3 Junior has arrived, we need to do the family car thing. We're buying an RS6 Avant from a work colleague when he & his family go overseas in Jan/Feb but could really do with an estate car until then. I don't want to be spanked on heavy depreciation so thought that a £2k "Gentleman's smoker" would fit the bill.
E Bay/Autotrader etc all point towards the W124 series & the 300TE petrol looks tempting. What should I be looking out for when I start looking at them?
Thanks
Peter
Now that GT3 Junior has arrived, we need to do the family car thing. We're buying an RS6 Avant from a work colleague when he & his family go overseas in Jan/Feb but could really do with an estate car until then. I don't want to be spanked on heavy depreciation so thought that a £2k "Gentleman's smoker" would fit the bill.
E Bay/Autotrader etc all point towards the W124 series & the 300TE petrol looks tempting. What should I be looking out for when I start looking at them?
Thanks
Peter
Hi Peter,
I've had a couple of 300TE's. Very very capable cars, and not too thirsty either.
Ok, points to watch... (Not exhaustive, and only from my own experience)
Rust - check Front wings, also check sills, and especially in front of the rear wheel arches, sometimes behind the plastic outer panel.
Self levelling rear suspension sometimes can be problematic, so have a good root around under there.
Engines - absolutely bombproof. I had a 300 engine with over 300k on the clock before I had to do the headgasket and when I looked at the bores, camshaft etc, it was like new. Amazing...
Propshaft doughnut sometimes perishes, so could wobble the drive train...
Electrics - all pretty good, wiper motor can be a bugger, but that's all mercs. Interior electrics are fine, aircon sometimes needs re doing, so check pump....erm...
Seats are good, they are sprung rather than that new fangled foam stuff, so check they aren't like an old mattress.
I had the older style 3.0 straight six single cam, these are truly unbreakable. The later incarnations I'm lead to believe are slightly more problematic, but still good. The only one I've heard can be a bit of a problem is the 4matic, I guess as it's more to go wrong.
My son loved the rear facing seat (in the crumple zone
) I was forever telling him to stop sticking his tongue out at motorists behind.
Great cars.
Regards, Mike
I've had a couple of 300TE's. Very very capable cars, and not too thirsty either.
Ok, points to watch... (Not exhaustive, and only from my own experience)
Rust - check Front wings, also check sills, and especially in front of the rear wheel arches, sometimes behind the plastic outer panel.
Self levelling rear suspension sometimes can be problematic, so have a good root around under there.
Engines - absolutely bombproof. I had a 300 engine with over 300k on the clock before I had to do the headgasket and when I looked at the bores, camshaft etc, it was like new. Amazing...
Propshaft doughnut sometimes perishes, so could wobble the drive train...
Electrics - all pretty good, wiper motor can be a bugger, but that's all mercs. Interior electrics are fine, aircon sometimes needs re doing, so check pump....erm...
Seats are good, they are sprung rather than that new fangled foam stuff, so check they aren't like an old mattress.I had the older style 3.0 straight six single cam, these are truly unbreakable. The later incarnations I'm lead to believe are slightly more problematic, but still good. The only one I've heard can be a bit of a problem is the 4matic, I guess as it's more to go wrong.
My son loved the rear facing seat (in the crumple zone
) I was forever telling him to stop sticking his tongue out at motorists behind.Great cars.
Regards, Mike
I'd watch out for mistreated old ones like this 
:
In all seriousness, it was an old smoker I picked up when I bought a new house that needed work. Cost £380 with a few months T&T. New tyres and ran smoothly (225K), nice spec on it too.
I used it as a mobile skip, takes about 1/3 to 1/2 a skip load when it's filled right up, very handy for the dump runs.
I did about 20 trips like this so must have saved at least a grand in skip charges. Sold it back on when the tax ran out for £240, suspension was pretty tired by then too
They're great cars, I know a guy who specialises in them but they normally pick out the good ones and are priced accordingly. www.w124.co.uk
Main things to check have been covered by Mike above, but the only thing I would add is that £2K for a 300TE is very pricey, I'd be expecting a very low mileage perfectly maintained car for that kind of cash. I'd probably spend less than £2K and buy a 300TE or look out for a later E280/E320 estate for your budget - with the (proper) 24v engine, not the '300-24' which in all fairness was a bit of a lash-up.
There's some heavy specced ones about, especially the later cars - leather, air con, heated/electric seats etc - nice to get if you can find one (and they're all working!)
Much better built than the W210, certainly from a rust point of view.
Will
:In all seriousness, it was an old smoker I picked up when I bought a new house that needed work. Cost £380 with a few months T&T. New tyres and ran smoothly (225K), nice spec on it too.
I used it as a mobile skip, takes about 1/3 to 1/2 a skip load when it's filled right up, very handy for the dump runs.
I did about 20 trips like this so must have saved at least a grand in skip charges. Sold it back on when the tax ran out for £240, suspension was pretty tired by then too
They're great cars, I know a guy who specialises in them but they normally pick out the good ones and are priced accordingly. www.w124.co.uk
Main things to check have been covered by Mike above, but the only thing I would add is that £2K for a 300TE is very pricey, I'd be expecting a very low mileage perfectly maintained car for that kind of cash. I'd probably spend less than £2K and buy a 300TE or look out for a later E280/E320 estate for your budget - with the (proper) 24v engine, not the '300-24' which in all fairness was a bit of a lash-up.
There's some heavy specced ones about, especially the later cars - leather, air con, heated/electric seats etc - nice to get if you can find one (and they're all working!)
Much better built than the W210, certainly from a rust point of view.
Will
One of my favourites ; I`ve just bought back a 300 TE from a chap who I sold it to about 3 years ago .
I can`t think of a negative really , they`re not too bad on unleaded and I`ve just paid £200 fully comp to insure it .
My car is probably one of the best ( since selling and buying back the owner has spent about £5k on the car ) and it wears its 150000 miles with impunity .
I`m toying with the idea of selling my C36AMG and the 300 TE to buy either a C32 or 500CL so if you make me a reasonable offer , I may be tempted to get rid .
MickyVeloce
I can`t think of a negative really , they`re not too bad on unleaded and I`ve just paid £200 fully comp to insure it .
My car is probably one of the best ( since selling and buying back the owner has spent about £5k on the car ) and it wears its 150000 miles with impunity .
I`m toying with the idea of selling my C36AMG and the 300 TE to buy either a C32 or 500CL so if you make me a reasonable offer , I may be tempted to get rid .
MickyVeloce
Blimey small world 
Nick from www.w124.co.uk was just at my place for a
Thoroughly nice chap & knows his Mercs inside out. I'm sure if you contact him he knows of a car thats been offered to him that he would'nt want to retail on but is otherwise a good one, worth a call I'd say.
Nick from www.w124.co.uk was just at my place for a
Thoroughly nice chap & knows his Mercs inside out. I'm sure if you contact him he knows of a car thats been offered to him that he would'nt want to retail on but is otherwise a good one, worth a call I'd say.
Edited by cptsideways on Monday 29th October 23:12
P ,
my 300 TE is more or less as follows
1991 J facelift model 3 litre 6 188 bhp 4 speed auto
Pearl Blue metallic with blue/grey checked cloth
air con , electric roof windows mirror and aerial
150000 miles with history and original books etc
Car has 5 owners from new , two of them being me (!)
The condition can only be described as mint . The car has had a full top quality paint job , new wings etc and looks like new . The underside is as good , having had new brakes , driveshafts , tyres , fuel tank , springs, shocks , fuel , brake and self levelling pipes all replaced in the previous 6000 miles and then undersealed .
It also has a Merc towbar , electrics and remote start fitted .
Consequently , it will be more than £2000 and , I would imagine that if it were offered by a specialist Merc site it would be considerably more . I`m looking for £2750 .
I apologise if this contravenes the advertising rules on PH , but the car isn`t officially advertised anywhere (!) PS I`m in North Yorkshire near Harrogate.
MickyVeloce
my 300 TE is more or less as follows
1991 J facelift model 3 litre 6 188 bhp 4 speed auto
Pearl Blue metallic with blue/grey checked cloth
air con , electric roof windows mirror and aerial
150000 miles with history and original books etc
Car has 5 owners from new , two of them being me (!)
The condition can only be described as mint . The car has had a full top quality paint job , new wings etc and looks like new . The underside is as good , having had new brakes , driveshafts , tyres , fuel tank , springs, shocks , fuel , brake and self levelling pipes all replaced in the previous 6000 miles and then undersealed .
It also has a Merc towbar , electrics and remote start fitted .
Consequently , it will be more than £2000 and , I would imagine that if it were offered by a specialist Merc site it would be considerably more . I`m looking for £2750 .
I apologise if this contravenes the advertising rules on PH , but the car isn`t officially advertised anywhere (!) PS I`m in North Yorkshire near Harrogate.
MickyVeloce
Edited by mickyveloce on Tuesday 30th October 20:59
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