i live in London but come from South Africa originally and tend to visit about four times a year. my dad bought a 200 W124 in 1987 and i bought it from him about ten years ago. this beauty still runs a dream, about a million k's on the clock she has had her second engine at 300000 but always starts and never left me on the side of the road. i think it has something to do with the fact that electrics are none exisitant in this car, no electric windows, no engine management, no computer, no injector too, carbed motor. also she has the old 4 speed manual and still gets 190k/h.

anyway getting to your problem.

was in sa three months ago and struggled to start the car one day same as you. thought the stearing look was jammed. finnally got her started and no problem again for days. then couldnt get the key out one evening. turns out the cast aluminium ignition houseing had cracked and was casuing alignment problems. so had to change the ignition. problem was i would need seperate keys for doors and ignition and merc wanted about 900 rand 140 dollars for a new ignition and two keys. went to a scrap yard and bouth the whole set for half pent the other half having it all fitted, but when buying second hand check the housing for cracks. common fault especially on high milleage and loads of stop start.

good luck