300 Te

[rjk]

I just bought an '88 300 TE for a song at a local wholesale auction. The car is clean and the rumble (the reason it went so cheaply) is a bad rear driveshaft flex connector ($40). So I want to know what else I need to look for and what the known problems are for this beast. It has 172k mi.

[psfred]

Hah, you beat me, I spent $4500 on mine!

Bounce the rear end -- if the suspension isn't soft, you need new accumulators for the self leveling rear end. This is important, as when they go completely flat, the struts get pounded to death and the cost the earth. Ride should be glassy smooth with two adults in the rear.

Replace the front flex disk, too, it's probably bad if the rear is.

Check the links on the rear suspension, at this milage they may be wearing. The rubber on the bushings (vulcanized in place) will tear and shred. If any are bad, expect to replace them all.

Check the rear diff mounts, probably also gone, causes thumps when shifting.

All the rubber hoses in the engine compartment are likely rock hard and leaking unless previously replaced, including the idle control valve hoses.

Nothing else particularly specific to the wagon, everything else is typical of a W124, including the maddening leaking AC evaporater.

I've replaced all the rubber in the engine compartment, a water pump (at 218,000 miles!), the accumlators in the rear, and need to do the flex disk and evaporator this winter. Else trouble free except for a fan clutch and new radiator cap.

Peter

[dtf]

The buzz words for a search on that series car is M103 and W124 engine and chassis respectively. At the mileage you stated there is the potential for anything on the car to die regardless of defective design or not. You'll love your wagon.