here is a copy of a review I wrote for the Amazon U.K. website on the E class 124 owners bible. Sorry if its a bit long!!
An excellent introductory text for the enthusiast??
This excellent book purports to be the "bible" for the Mercedes 124 E-class series. It's certainly an act of faith by the author Stu Ritter, who is plainly both an expert and enthusiast for the marque. The soft-covered book is extremely well organised and logical in its approach to the subject matter, with a good table of contents and index. The text is of reasonable size and easily read. The black and white photographs, diagrams and tables are of a very high standard. Chapters 1 and 2 serve as a broad introduction to the various models in the range and what to look for when buying one. The large Chapter 3 (86 pages) covers routine servicing and maintenance in detail. Chapters 4,5 and 6 describe the 6 cylinder, V8 and diesel engines in some detail and include many non routine service tips. They don't cover any detailed engine strip down / rebuild information! Chapter 7 is an excellent explanatory introduction to the various fuel injection systems but has no repair/ adjustment detail. Chapters 8 and 9 on the drive train, suspension, steering and brakes are again very clear with particularly good sections on ASR and 4-MATIC systems. Chapter 10 on the Bodywork has detailed information on American paint and trim codes but again no detail on body parts, exterior or interior trim removal /repair. Chapter 11 has a comprehensive section on fuses and relay locations but no wiring loom diagrams. The tuning chapter 12 has a good section on suspension upgrading to the sportline specification, but the headlight conversion is only relevant to the American market. Appendix A on Mercedes Heritage is really only of interest to those fascinated by automobile history, and has been comprehensively covered before in numerous texts. Appendix B on the other hand is a veritable gold mine of facts, consisting of a well-arranged section on known problems / weaknesses of the marque. This is the distilled knowledge from the accumulated experience of an expert in the field, and could save the w124 owner considerable time and money!
Is this the definitive text on the Mercedes W124? It gets close, but has some shortcomings. First, the book only deals with the American market models so there is no mention of the European 4 cylinder 200,230,220 models. Second, THIS IS NOT A WORKSHOP MANUAL!! Owners requiring this type of detailed information are better served by the cheaper Haynes manual, Mercedes-Benz 124 series (85-Aug93) despite its more limited year range, or the Brooklands Mercedes w124 owners manual 85-95. Third, for those who merely want a general introduction to the marque I would recommend the excellent Mercedes-Benz since 1945 vol. 4 The 1980s by James Taylor, which contains considerable detail on the w124 series and the 190 and w126 S class. Fourth, there are some surprising omissions of detail in the sections dealing with vehicle wiring, air-conditioning and nothing on in car entertainment at all. Finally in the age of the Internet, the information "superhighway", there is no mention of the considerable body of information and help available on line from the many discussion forums, owners associations, and tuning firm websites. I would have expected at least a page of web site addresses (URLs) with comments devoted to this subject for the book to be truly up to the minute!
Would I recommend this book, ABSOLUTELY? Especially for the novice to the field it's excellent. Is it the definitive work for the experienced DIY owner, the "Mercedes E-class owners bible" fraid not. But I must confess, I've got a copy on my bookshelf
