Hi, I frequent the Diesel Forum (you know, next door there!) and I am looking to add another MB to my garage for my wife to drive. I have a W123 300D 1985 that I like real well and it's just a 'work in progress' kinda thing!

Anywho, I have spotted a 1995 E320 wagon (white/gray) at Dick Dyer MB there in Columbia but I need to know that there's someone 'on my side' that has actually looked at this thing before I get too serious. Any takers?! Thanks

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Dale

anybody?

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Dale

The Answer is there

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

It's been a few years since I've been in Columbia. But here are a few thoughts regarding the 94 & 95 w124 Wagon.

Motor:
94 & 95 better fuel injection system than previous years. However, this 124 chassis MB has the notorious BAD head gasket. In addition, the battery and engine wiring harness that also uses same wires in actuator often are the cause of ASR and limp mode problems. The EGR tubing clogs at intake, but it's an easy DIY. Change the oil, coolant, plugs, their connectors and occasionally the 3 coils and you're good to go!

Trans:
Excellent with drain plugs for trans & torque converter for DIY. The bowden cable that controls trans shifting is expensive to R&R and is not an easy DIY. The trans must immediately engage when shifting into reverse. If not, it's going bad.

Chassis:
Climate control vents should work per their settings. If not, it's a bad vacuum feed to the controller [easy DIY], or worst, a bad vacuum pod requiring dash removal. The vac & dash controllers rarely go bad.

A few items unique to the "Wagon" aka "Touring" aka "Estate"
The 94 & 95 e320 are virtually identical and have some differences to the previous years badged as 300TE. Foggy memory says less than 10% of 124's were wagons. Do the math on availability if any body part has to be replaced with a used one.

Suspension:
Front lower control arms on 94 & 95 wagons require replacement. Ball joint & bushings are not replaceable!

Self leveling is only on the rear wheels to help with additional cargo weight. Test self leveling: with engine off, put 2 people in cargo area, when engine is started, rear height should return to unloaded height. It's age and milage will require 2 accumulators if original. Pressure comes from a dual pump for the power steering and self leveling. Hose that feeds the reservoir goes bad with age, but is easy & cheep DIY. The mechanical fluid "controller" [near right axle] rarely goes bad. If inoperative, it's a must fix for adequate road & load handling.

Chassis:
Rear seat operation should be checked. Rotate seat cushion up. Pull red handle up and it should release easily from its pins that should not be broken. Seat back should release easily as well. If rear seat back doesn't release due to broken mechanism in wheel well, I've never read of a way to access it to repair.

Rust at bottom edge of rear windows. Open storage compartments on both sides and peel back rubber moulding to inspect closest to side door.

Tailgate should "stay" in virtually any position. Nightmare to fix supports. It has an auto pull down to latch. Don't slam it closed!

Top rails mounted onto roof good for 200 lbs. I understand, horizontal sliding rails help prevent your stuff from sliding off roof, but I've never needed them.

Rear facing seat good for two small adults. This wagon has more cargo space than any other automobile chassis wagon - BMW, Volvo & previous Sable / Taurus chassis. Although owner's manual doesn't mention trailer hitch, there is info in this forum for capacity & installation.

Audio:
- The rear door "speakers" are an oxymoron and you'll probably break the tiny pins off the speaker covers when you replace the speakers.
- The antenna mount to fender is an oddity. But replacement AM/FM antenna is doable.
- Alpine 6 CD changer [plugs into audio harness in storage compartment] fits inside First Aid kit sleeve. Put First Aid kit in spare tire. Car is prewired to RR fender, but you might need adapter cable.
- Rear compartments could make for big speaker enclosures.
- AMP can be placed under rear seat cushion for mega watt power.

When you need to haul a lot of stuff and/or people this is an ideal vehicle. It handles very well from empty to fully loaded. It will absorb the bumpy city streets, manage the twisty country roads and cruise at 120+ mph on the interstate.

I seriously don't know of another vehicle [at current price] to match its capabilities. I've had my trials & tribulations with mine. Fortunately the forum members have helped me through it all. if you search my name, beware of my many "don't know a socket for a wrench" questions.

Bob
Gamecock Class of 72

Major problems to look for...

Bad Wiring harness
Leaking Head gasket.

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1983 300D-Turbo - Deep Blue w Palomino MB Tex (total loss in fire 1/5/09 RIP)
1995 E320 W124 Polar White/Grey Mushroom MB Tex
2005 F150 Supercrew - Arizona Beige - Lear topper
1985 Piaggio Vespa T5 - Black and Chrome

www.cphilip.com

Oh wow! Thanks guys for your replies and to you Bob Weir for that great list of areas of concern.

Michakaveli, a BIG thank you for looking at annd test driving this one for me - sort of being my eyes and hands from a distance! (Sorry for the cell phone call failure! I will get back with you...).

Today, my wife, son and daughter loaded into the 85 DSEL and headed off to Fort Wayne, IN to take a look at this one. (I am soooo upset that I didn't check THIS thread in the past few days because I have been spending most every free moment at home on the web looking at these cars! I could have certainly used the suggestions of Bob Weir while there.)

Anyway, the car at first look is - gorgeous. The green w/parchment leather has to be my favorite combo. Exterior from 10 - 15 ft is 'perfect' but closer reveals the small imperfections like couple of small chips in the lower body cladding and very small ding on drivers door. Then the next level (worse) would be the 'scuff mark' behind the rear drivers side wheel well on the cladding, it should rub out I think. Then on the passenger side doors are a couple light scratches - again I think they will polish out almost completely. Then the worst level of exterior damage is the grille dent (actually 2 of the cross-bars are dented in a bit more than slightly) and the front bumper and apron/valance(?) that has definately come into contact with a lamp pole base or some similar object! Nothing TERRIBLE mind you but enough that anyone here would want it fixed!

Interior is - nearly NEW! The driver's seat has NO cracks/splits whatsoever! And the rest of the seating appear they have not been sat in. Something I observed was both door pockets are beginning to loose their vinyl covering due to pulling stuff out of them and lifting the edges of the vinyl. I'm picky and would like to see that repaired at some point, should I end up buying it! Not sure they can be effectively fixed though. Factory floor mats are in like new condition as well as the carpeting throughout. One small crack in the wood someplace on the console - hardly noticeable.

The car runs smooth as silk. The accelerator pedal is a bit touchy - push a little and nothing, push just a titch more and WHOOOOMMM away you go! That would need some attention. Cruises nicely at 80mph and shifts smoothly as well.

I'm not sure how to determine if the harness has been replaced nor the head gasket so I'm hangin out there on that one! The AC compressor engages and there are some bubbles I can see in the little sight glass on the accumulator(?) BUT the air from the vents is not much more cooler than ambient so I'm thinkin there's more to this than "...just a charge."

Bottom line is this: I like this car but am nervous about the biggies, head gasket, wire harness and the evaporator. SO, I put a small deposit on the car ($200) to hold it until Monday when they will take it for me to their local MB dealership to have a PPI done on it. After it has been inspected, I will talk with the MB dealership about what they have found and determine at that point how to move forward. Any other suggestions from you geniuses (and I do mean that!) will be appreciated AND I WILL LOGON HERE OFTEN SUNDAY TO READ YOUR REPLIES!

Thanks again to you guys and hope you all have a great evening. Now I gots to get to bed as it will be time to get up for church soon enough...

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Dale

For the head gasket, unless there is a record of the replacement, you'll have to assume that it is original. However, if it isn't leaking, look all around the head for leaks especially on the passenger side toward the rear, if there are none then at least it seems okay for now. The timing-chain cover tends to leak often on these also.

The wire harness has a white laser-printed tag, visible between the battery and the HVAC housing, there's a design date and a fabrication date on it (FD I believe), look for the Fabrication Date.

If it has a triangle light at the top of the speedometer, a tire-chain switch in the center console, (seems to in the photo, but hard to tell) and an ASR light in the idiot-light row then it has ASR. This is a very nice feature IMO and I'm pretty fond of it, but many are not because it and the associated electronic throttle can be a big pain if it fails. Unfortunately at this point in the game, probably better off finding a car without ASR.

I'm also not sure of the rear bumper, thought that the '94/'95 rub-strip went all of the way to the wheelwells like the sedan and coupe, someone with a '94/'95 wagon should know.

The throttle actuation should be much more linear if it has ASR, if jumpy maybe the actuator is on the way out (wiring is troublesome). Be sure that all idiot lights including ASR light up when the key is turned on.

Nice color / nice leather, matches my daughter's E320.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Dale, with an Indiana car carefully inspect for rust issues.

I completely understand your observation with the accelerator pedal. My mother's 1995 E320 sedan reacts the same way while my 1995 E320 sedan accelerates smoothly without the sudden lurch. Lubricating the throttle linkage on her car made no change. Be sure to ask the PPI dealer if there is a way to fix that problem.

From my experience a white car is significantly easier to keep looking clean and hides light scratches very well.

The loose vinyl covering on the door pockets is a prevalent problem with all the 1995 E320's that I have seen. In my opinion the adhesive fails over time rather than the edges being lifted loose by constant use.

It's nice that the seats are leather. Other 1995 E320 wagons that I have seen have Tex seats which may not be as comfortable as leather.

The grille egg crate repair/replacement should be an easy, relatively inexpensive DIY project. At least it was on our 1991 300CE (which has the pre-facelift style grille) after I hit a deer just before coming to a stop.

Hope all goes well with the PPI.

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Fred Hoelzle