I have recently been looking at trading my old faithfull 1989 260E (314,000Km or 190,000mi) for a newer W124 but finally decided to put some money on the older well-knowned car and bring it back to a younger state.
Valves guides/seals/head gasket/front engine cover oil leak issue will be dealt with next week, along with a new rad, full tune-up etc.
1) I need 4 new shock absorbers. I want to retain the original ride caracteristics, which I feel is an acceptable compromise between ride quality and handling. Which brand/make would you be recommending.
2) Cruise control: sometimes work, sometimes not. , there is always a very slight jerks when working. Where do I start the diagnostic?
3) Front headlights: Pitted, sand/blasted, yellowed. faded. looks awfull, poor lighting. Where can I find Bosch or Hella Euro type? Would headlights from the 1994-95 fit on the older W124?
4) Instrument cluster: All needles are discolored and have different shades of orange and yellow" Can those be replaced or painted? trip odometer has not been working for years. Any solution to this?
5) Speekers improvement. Without replacing the original radio,, what are the recommendation for replacing the original speakers for something decent. I am not looking at converting the car to a concert hall but would appreciate some improvements.
Any comment would be appreciated. Thanks
jackD

Jack:

Have you ever replaced the springs during those 190,000 miles? If not, they're probably sagging and need to be replaced as well. Go with Bilstein Comfort shocks,(no questions asked, if you want original ride/quality) and just plain ole OEM springs all the way around if you decide to replace those. (use lower spring bump pads if you like the lowered look)

As far as Euro's go I bought Hella brand (no significant difference in quality as compared to Bosch) except for the side markers that come with them. (I updated my side markers anyhow to '94/'95 clear with amber strip -- looks very nice).

Got the Euros from here: http://www.puma-access.com for about $425 shipped. There are many other threads dealing with Euros for the 124 and merchants that sell them. Do a search and you'll find a wealth of information.

Good luck with your upgrade work!

~Paul

_____________________
'91 300E, 208k miles

Ther is absolutely no sagging. I compared the ride height of my car to a 40,000mi 1994 E320 last week. There is basically no difference in ride height at each wheel. So I am not looking at replacing the springs. Thanks for your comments.
JackD

I rebuilt the rear suspension of my '86 300E last December. Used Bilstein Comforts. Redid the front yesterday, used the same again. My springs are still good even after 188,000 miles.

So my recommendation after searching this forum is to use/match the Bilsteins with your springs. I beleive the stock combination was the comfort not the HD.

Good luck with your ride...
--Craig