What is the most trouble-free Benz? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jakob F Prasz · #16 01-02-2006, 04:56 PM

I my self has never owned the chassis 123-230E, but it should be the best car ever built. I have a chassis 124-230ce from 1990. Its well built, and is fairly easy to maintain. The sparepart are cheap, and there is a lot of people with lots of experience on the model. If you ask around, espicialy european taxi drivers they would say the 123 and 124 chassis is the best MB's But...... they are getting old. So if you are looking around you have to deside what you want from the car. If you are not the handyman, don't buy an old car! A 15-20 year old car needs some attention to be running in perfect condition. See it as a hobby, if you don't have the time/skill, buy a new one!

meltedpanda · #17 01-02-2006, 05:44 PM

84 300SD
Of course I am biased, but mine has been trouble free and a great daily driver, 160K and going strong

neanderthal · #18 01-02-2006, 06:12 PM

i like all the 124s.

the 1995 diesel would be the epitome of 124 engineering IMO.

suginami · #19 01-02-2006, 06:18 PM

I moved into a new house two months ago, and my neighbor directly across the street from me is a technician at the local Mercedes dealer - Penske Mercedes Benz.

When the technicians talk amongst themselves about which Mercedes they would own if they had to purchase it with their own money unanimously agree on the W210 chassis E320 or E430. He claims they have very very few problems.

Jakob F Prasz · #20 01-03-2006, 04:26 PM

The 210 has a lot of electrical problems, and they also have a rust problem. I suppose it depends on where in the world you live. Here in the north (scnadinavia) they are not good cars compared to the older models. Offcourse if you live in california where you don't use salt on the roads in the winter its ok, but ist not a 124 and will never be! also, you have to have access to much more expensive tool to maintain the 210 like computer software that is almost impossioble to get your hands on. And another thing that is much more subjective, it looks like a gen experiment gone wrong between a frog and a bathtub ;-)

Peter Fearing · #21 01-04-2006, 10:02 AM

Folks: Come to Wisconsin if you want to watch your expensive MB rust away. Mercedes makes a pretty good car but when they bought Chrysler they learned how to "cut corners". Bottom line, MB's will fall apart just like my Cebby truck, perhaps a year or two later. Go figure.

deanyel · #22 01-04-2006, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakob F Prasz

And another thing that is much more subjective, it looks like a gen experiment gone wrong between a frog and a bathtub ;-)

Now you have offended both frogs and bathtubs. I believe an apology is in order.

braverichard · #23 01-05-2006, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakob F Prasz

And another thing that is much more subjective, it looks like a gen experiment gone wrong between a frog and a bathtub ;-)

Which is why it became the best selling imported car in the USA when it was lauched and held that title for four years! In fact, your description of how it looks seems to agree with many of the rappers who call the E-Class "the Benz with the frog eyes." It was a radical design that was well accepted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Fearing

Folks: Come to Wisconsin if you want to watch your expensive MB rust away. Mercedes makes a pretty good car but when they bought Chrysler they learned how to "cut corners". Bottom line, MB's will fall apart just like my Cebby truck, perhaps a year or two later. Go figure.

Get your facts straight. MB's cost cutting - more like "budgeting" - started much earlier than the Daimler-Benz/Chrysler merger. It only started to become very noticeable in the last few years because the cars started ageing much faster than anyone expected them to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deanyel

Now you have offended both frogs and bathtubs. I believe an apology is in order.

Ha Ha Ha you crack me up man. I'd like to see that apology.

Hatterasguy · #24 01-05-2006, 10:52 PM

MB cheaped out with the W210 in rust proofing. So it started in 1996.

I find people really don't understand the Diamler take over of Chrysler corp. The Germans who run the company view themselves and anything MB makes as far better then Chrysler. Technoligy flows from MB down to Chrysler not the other way around. The new rwd sedans from Chrysler are a perfect example of this. MB had a lot of W210 parts and tooling laying around and they gave them to Chrysler to make 300C's and Magnums. The Crossfire is an old SLK and even MB admits it uses about 50% of the old SLK's parts.

However this is old news fast forward to the W211 and W221, quality seems to be up again. I'd buy a 2003+ MB before a late 90's one.

braverichard · #25 01-05-2006, 10:59 PM

Just from reading all the crap people post all over the web, I've come to the conclusion that 99% of the public has no idea of what went down in that merger. Quite a shame when you consider the confidence with which people say false things.

Moesauction! · #26 01-05-2006, 11:36 PM

I currently own. a 98 e300td 225,000 miles, 99 156, milles, a 96 196,000 miles and a 86 300sdl 384,000 miles all diesels, Guy i sell these diesels as a hobby, trust me when you buy one buy it to have 10 years at least and youll never buy a new car again, long term dollars spent saves you cash every day. Yes you will have to fix things every now and then , but you average dollar per mile is nothing like a gasoline car, and a gas car benz needs alot more work to it and motors rebuilt over time. My last benz of mine that was a personal car was a e300 84 and it had 700,000 miles on it and i olet all my employees drive it we couldnt kill it, but it smoked so bad i sold it to the kid down the street and he put a new turbo in it and ran it another 70,000 miles before wrapping it around a tree when it was snowing. note he was hot rodding, hahaha a diesel! crazy kid. Personal opion, there is no other car that screams class and durabilty then a mercedes benz, if you want a volkwagon and get 50 miles to the gallon, and dont care obout comfort or leg space that is your ride. But gas if you plan on keeping a car a while is a waste, and look at what the resell value of a benz diesel is the 95 older body stlye are bring 10,000 on ebay! and the 85 that are really clean i have seen them sell for 5000 to 7000.00 i think that is crazy but you cant find these diesels any more, well good luck.