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Old 05-11-2008, 07:28 PM
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junqueyardjim junqueyardjim is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cicero, Hamilton County, Indiana about 30 miles north of downtown Indianapolis
Posts: 2,623
My new to me W124 with 5 speed and M103

We drove to Michigan yesterday to pick up the "new" car. This is the one that was listed on Ebay about 3 weeks ago. It is a very pretty and sharp little sedan. No doubt about it being a California car. I just went through the service records and repair orders on it which came to just under $19,000 from the time the warranty expired untill early 2000. The fellow I bought it from in Michigan, bought it in 2001, and he was the third owner. The car spent about a year in Douglas, Az. It does have a smooth 5 speed with long throws. But very smooth. The Michigan owner was disappointed in the way the car ran. It does have a lifter or two that need replacement - that is what I think. He was told by his favorite mechanic at a GM dealership where he is "Service Manager", that it probably needed a new engine. Anyway he is young, fell in love, got married, stuck the car in storage since 2002 and then decided to sell it this spring.
Well, I was going to tow it home, but the day was nice and my son was home, so lets try to get it back to central Indiana. It had been sitting for about six years in a storage facility, clean and dry, and it started right up for him with a new battery. He had never registered the car, and since he had no plates trucked it home from Indiana back to Michigan, and there it set until I picked it up. It started easily, ran rough, and the first fifty miles were pretty touch and go. Holland Michigan was celebrating there annual "Tulip Time", and US 31 had about all the traffic it could handle, and the little car was just giving me fits. But once through Holland and back on the interstate, with a few more RPMs it moved along pretty nice. At about 100 miles, at South Haven there is a Walmart close to the interstate, and I thought, I bet a quart of Lucas oil additive would help this thing. Well, the Walmart didn't have Lucas, but they did have STP. So I put a quart in, which was just a little over full. Wow, in two or three miles, it was just a different engine. I could hardly believe the difference, it was so good. So we drove it on home, I kept on working it, making short runs up to 70, then 80, then 90 a couple of times and even did 100 briefly at the state line. The lifter seems to pump up at high rpms, but looses it at about 2000. So I will begin with the lifters. What do you recommend? At about $15.00 each, replace all at one time or just the ones that are bad. Two were replaced about 10 years ago by the stealer.
There are other problems of course. Seems that the sunroof has been a problem for the life of the car. Time and time again it was "diag sun roof". The seller furnished me with factory parts, a big bundle of stuff to rebuild it. That looks kind of dumb for me to get it rebuilt out here in Indiana when the dealer in California couldn't keep it operating.
A second more pressing problem that I have to address is the fact that the power steering is totally dead. It gives not the slightest assistance. In all the vehicles I have owned or operated, I have never had a PS unit that was silent, held oil, and just did nothing. Anyone have any ideas, other then looking for a used pump? Does anyone have a used PS pump available? It does drive wonderful on the hghway without PS, and I am still big enough and strong enough to horse it into any spot, but my Granddaughter wants to learn to drive a five speed, but nobody will drive it until I get the PS unit.
AC is inoperative, still on R12, seller said it worked for the month or so he drove it, but he said the HP hose has a leak. Cruise Control is dead also, so what else is new. The genuine black leather seats and the exterior paint are beautiful. The seats are wonderful compared to my W123 seats, and mine are in good condition. The power adjustments all work very nice. The ride and suspension seem very good, and I have the ticket that both front and rear suspension was rebuilt at about 125,000. New shocks, new springs, control arms - I guess if it was bolted on they replaced it.
For those of you who saw it on Ebay, the picture that showed that rust spot, made it look like it was a least as big as a quarter. I thought, how sad to have a big old half dollar size ding with rust. But I could not find that spot on the pictures of the car, just that close up. Well, the spot is smaller then a match head. It is right on the edge of what I would call the rain gutter that runs around the trunk. It still will have to be fixed, but it is pretty small. The factory pan under the engine is all in place and looks like new. I see that it has to come off to change the oil. Well, I know some in the forum were interested and that is where we are now. I hope a couple of lifters will pay a big dividend and make that engine sweet again. It is smoking a bit at times, it had new valve seals at about 80,000 miles 12 years ago. That plus 6 years of sitting might call for new ones again. It had new guides put in at that time also. I still can't believe how much that woman spent for service. I think the stealer saw her coming. He also charged each time for each half day plus fuel for the loaner car. I think she had a couple thousand in car rental. Hope they gave her a good one. Now I better add this car to my signature.
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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!
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