I drive up and down the 57 all the time.
If you see a black W210 with AMG body kit and Monoblock rims, honk.

1989 260E (103 engine) with 460K on the clock..... Valve job at 250K (when I needed to replace a leaky head gasket.
A guy I know has a 1991 300E on taxi duty....last time I saw him, he had 686,000K on the clock.....same engine.

My 103 engine with lousy maintainance and harsh driving conditions (Montana) just passed 365,000 miles and still gets 30 mpg. Uses about a quart every 900 miles (oil not scotch). Minimum operating time is 2 hours per start interval.

I have been servicing a customers 1997 e-320 (104 motor), for six years now.
When I started, he had 155,000 miles.
Just last week it rolled over 375,000 miles and it runs, looks and drives like new.
I replaced the front shock absorbers rcently.

he did need a transmission overhaul at 275,000 miles, but the motor never had a head gasket or valve job done yet.

I resealed the upper front timing cover and replaced the water pump around 300-k miles.

All highway miles in the southeastern region of the U.S.

He wants to get rid of it, bacause of maintenance costs, but I'm as inexpensive as they get and I come to him for the maintenance.

He is looking at Lexus's.-not a bad choice, but the benz runs and looks so good, but he is worried that something big is going to go.

Oh, I had to do an emergency alternator repair for him also a month ago.
I drove 150 miles to get him going( how's that for service).
He was in the middle of nowhere in Tennessee on some back road, and he was petrified to let any of the locals look at his car.

A club member here in Oz owned a 2 litre 190E (W201) which travelled well beyond 700,000km (around 450,000 miles) before he wrote it off in an accident. I know this was an M102 but that is effectively an M103 with two less pots. He claims it never required any significant repairs over that distance. I belive he is now trying to match that with the M111 in a C180 (W202). Not sure that it will do it though. Not that I doubt the durability of the M111, it's just that it is now a second car (wife's car) since he has purchased an E220 cabriolet (W124 with 2.2 M111). Wonder if he will attempt the greatest distance for a 124 cabriolet?

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107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.

Reading through your thread 123 vs 124 has kept me away from these until recently. My 240D manual (got it because I'd had so much tranny trouble with my older 67') lost a sync (I think) and then no output at all. Parked the 240 and bought a 300e m103 recently. It's checking out very good except for the brakes seem to be pulsating a little. ABS sender I think.
Anyway I've gotten the idea you were down on the 124's.
So where do you get a magnetic drain plug? Great idea - use them in my VW's that have huge miles in the dirt.

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89 300E
79 240D
72 Westy
63 Bug sunroof
85 Jeep CJ7
86 Chevy 6.2l diesel PU

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Marcus Aurelius

Sold my 1989 300E with over 333,000 Km on the engine - everything completely original. Valve steam seals, valves, etc. all original. Ran perfectly. That was a great engine.

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Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

"So where do you get a magnetic drain plug?"

One trick is to get a small rare earth magnet and stick it on the plug. Much more powerful than the typical magnet on a pre-made magenetic plug.

A good hardware store near me carries magnetic drain plugs, even in several metric sizes.

-Best of luck

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.

My 89' 300SEL just hit 140k miles, and it runs well, but has a few little problems...valve stem seals are leaking a bit, has a loud tapping sound on cold startup (just started yesterday), it has a misfire at idle every once in a while, the CEL was on for a while, but mysteriously turned off, and just today the ABS light came on.

I sure hope this car turns out to be as reliable as the cars you guys have...i've only owned mine for the last 2k miles...

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Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

Mine are 256 and 269. I saw a 300E with 366k on it once.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I have a 1988 300 SEL with a 103 motor. It has about 175,000 miles on it. Had a valve job done on it at around 145k. And I went through the ignition system at about 160,000, new wires, distriputer rotor and cap and a new coil. I change the oil every 3000 miles and change the air filter every other oil change. Other than hamfisted twits at the indy mechanic I have had no problems.

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I'm sick of .sig files

My W124 M103 had about 155K when I sold it to a friend, and he is still driving it (I hope). Everything was original. Other than leaking (not burning) a quart of oil every 800 miles, it ran like new and the body, tranny, and suspension were TIGHT.

I have receipts from day one for my current W210 M104 purchased from a friend. It has about 172K and runs like new. Original trans and engine, drives like a brand new car with no issues whatsoever.

My W126 M116 has had a valve tick for as long as I've owned it, but it too runs like a brand new car. 143K with chain and guides replaced by previous owner around 110K or 115K, otherwise everything is pretty much original. Tranny shifts aren't as graceful as I'm sure they were when new, but it gets me where I need to go. It's my daily driver and I have put about 25K reliable miles on it since I got it 2 years ago. Has never left me stranded.

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

Lets see....

First Motor went til 208k miles, then gave out...
Second motor had 125k miles on it, dropped it in my car, went 15k miles, and it took a crap...


The motor thats in my wagon now has like 70k miles on it, and purrs like a kitten.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

My 1991 300CE Sportline (W124, M104) has 224,000 and looks and runs like brand new; however, shes in the shop with a blow transmission...cant wait to get her back!

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1991 300CE Sportline
1983 300SD TurboDiesel (Gone but not forgotten)