Mercedes 300E credibility - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 01-09-2003, 05:52 PM

I have an opportunity to purchase a show room conditiion 1988 300E. I need to know from a consumers and possibly an technicians perspective if this car is a dud or as rekiable as they claim.

suginami · #2 01-09-2003, 06:08 PM

Well, it's a hard question to answer.

Yes, the 300E's are very reliable, but then again, it's a 14 year old car. Time is just as hard on a car as miles. And believe me, it's going to need something. Belts, hoses, gaskets, etc. are wearing out and will need replacing.

A newer Honda or Toyota is going to be much more reliable, if that is what you're looking for.

What usually impresses owners about Mercedes is their durability. You fix them and maintain them as you own it, and the cars consistently look good and and don't become "tired with age" and rattle, vibrate, etc.

#3 01-09-2003, 06:15 PM

Are the Mercedes 300E body panels galvanized like Audis or do I have to be concerned about rust? As mentioned before, the one I'm looking to buy is presently immaculate

suginami · #4 01-09-2003, 07:50 PM

For corrosion protection Mercedes-Benz uses zinc plating (galvanization) to protect many of the body panels. The engine hood, doors, sunroof, trunk lid and fuel filler flap are all galvanized. If the paint is chipped down through the primer and into the galvanized layer, the zinc will electrically migrate across the bare metal and cover it.

All of the welded seams on the car are treated with a special sealing compound that can be reabsorbed into weld material in case of rework.

Primer - The first layer of primer that goes over the zinc coating is applied electrostatically with a complete dip of the entire chassis. The chassis is given a negative charge and the primer is given a positive charge so that primer is electrically bonded to the chassis. After the primary dip there is extensive PVC (polyvinyl chloride plastic) seam sealing all over the chassis.

drbrandini · #5 01-09-2003, 09:39 PM

Paul,

I never knew that much technology went into just the metal work.
Thanks for posting I am learning lots!!!

speace · #6 01-09-2003, 10:04 PM

I just sold my 87 300E last summer. It had 191,000 on it and was fine except I needed to add freon in the AC annually. These older models use the expensive R-12 so an AC problem can add up quickly.

Other than that, the car was still awesome! I did notice that LOTS of plastic things were snapping... The plastic side to the driver's seat, the clips that hold the lid on the air breather, the dash pad - right up the middle... all the plastic was getting brittle.

If your 88 has been garaged, that might make a difference. My '87 spent most of it's life outdoors in the hot Georgia sun...

If it is awesome, and priced right, it should be great for you!

Just my opinion...

G-Benz · #7 01-10-2003, 05:01 PM

What's probably more important to you is what has been recently replaced.

As stated earlier, there are a lot of wear items to consider on a 14-year old car.

Fortunately, due to the high production volume of the W124, the failure incidence of certain components are fairly predictable...especially if you do a search on "300E" or "W124" (hope you have a free weekend and a 24-pack to keep you company while you peruse the threads).

It seems when some W124 owner on this forum has a failure on a component, the other 99% can attest to the same incident at that particular mileage milestone.

So if you stay on this forum, you can practically guarantee that you will know EXACTLY when to watch out for some component to wear out...and you'll know how to repair it!

speace · #8 01-10-2003, 05:07 PM

I fully agree with G-Benz.

When I owned a 74 240D I also owned a 75 300D. The 75 was high mileage, but the 74 had almost the same mechanical needs at the 75 right about the same miles... It was uncanny!

#9 01-12-2003, 10:06 AM

I have had Mercedes for over 40 years.. The newest one is our 92 300 CE.. We do like the car.. But it has all the problems that come with them.. A search will find them as some one said before.. Most of the problems are common with the cars...... But mine does not have more or less..

Of all the Mercedes I have had the 92 has the most problems.. I have had to put in lots of time and money into it for its 75 thousand miles..Far more than a Honda or Toyota... However I do my own work.. and my 92 looks good.. Is lots easier to work on and will still be rebuildable when the Honda or Toyota is ready for the junk yard.. I hope...

The car I got after the 92 I went backward as having one car with problems was enough. My latest car is an 85 300 TDT w/ 87 thousand.. It has more quality and far fewer problems.. I guess I am one of those that also feel the 116 and 123 were the last real Mercedes quality cars made.. However while making them they fell behind as they built the same thing for years.. After that it seems they were trying to catch up and lost the quality and when trying to catch up they did not test things as they had done for years.. ..

I under stand from friends that have 2 and 3 year old cars that they are doing better.. However when looking at how they do compaired to other cars in surveys they still fall very low..

Ken

Zeus · #10 01-13-2003, 04:34 PM

If you do a search on this topic, there has been discussion of this before. That said, I will vouch for the 300E's reliability.

Mine has 280,000 Km on the original engine - still no oil consumption/leaking. The AC evaporator went some time ago (common problem with this car). Other than that, the car's performance has been rock-solid. It has never left me stranded and it drives beautifully even after all this time and mileage. The interior has preserved perfectly and there is no significant body rust despite weathering over 10 Canadian salt-strewn winters. People frequently guess the car is a '94-96 model, not an '89.

If the 300E you are looking at is in mint condition, has been thoroughly inspected and you maintain it well, it should deliver plenty of great driving in return! I truly believe it is one of the best all-around used cars you could purchase.

That's my $0.02.

Good luck!