W124 4matic Questions
 

My dad and I have talked about picking up something AWD to keep at his house for my 16 year old sister to drive this winter if she needs to (she drives my 87 300D while her 92 300D is getting painted) or just as a spare AWD vehicle.

Someone locally is selling a 300E 4matic with around 150k miles on it.

So:

How can I make sure the 4matic works?

Anything I should look for related to the 4matic?

Does changing the fluid in the transfer case help extend its life?

Is even 4matic good in the snow?

Otherwise I'm very familiar with 124s and have a good idea of what I am looking at, but I have zero experience with early 4matic.

Question #1: If you spin the tires and the little triangle in your dash does not light up then something is not right.

Question #2: The service history of the 4Matic matters. Check the records. Other than that I'd check it for leaks and get it on a lift. They don't call it $Matic for nothing! ;)

Question #3: I'd think so.

Question #4: Yes, 4Matic's are excellent in the snow. I'm considering importing a 4Matic Diesel (yes they do exist) from Europe once cash allows.

My best advice is have the 4Matic system looked over with someone who's experienced (Good Indy) if you're not familiar. The 4Matics are excellent when everything is right. But an account drainer when they're neglected.

I'm well aware of these but they aren't cheap when they aren't rusted to hell. I've seen really nice examples of 124 300TD 4matics in the 10,000+ euro range. Neat indeed, but I'm not sure its worth the outlay. The vast majority of 124 4matics I've seen in Germany were 260E's and cataclysmically rusty.

Thanks for the insight, I'm going to schedule an appointment to see the car.

I live in Denver and I've never even put snow tires on mine. I'm not afraid to plow snow with the front bumper either. The T-case's don't break they just leak internally and eventually it overflows onto the exhaust. As long as the 4-m light comes on with the key and goes out when started the system should be functional.

Got there and there was black paint over the 4M light.


Took it to a gravel parking lot, 4matic nor the ASR worked.


PASS

Generally, that is not a good sign.

Yup. It's rare to find a good 4Matic. I passed on a 4Matic with working ASR and 4Matic a few months back about 10 minutes from my house. The price was ridiculous. He wanted $5250,00. Keep looking, you'll find one eventually. There out there.

Pass on a 124 4matic, run run run.

i lost a 100 dollar deposit on a 4matic...best money every spent by not buying it.

Even a good one has a heavy steering feel to it and wheel doesn't return to center after a turn normally, like you always have to turn it back to center, really odd, like driving a semi. (Actually a semi feels better than a 124 4matic)

It was free to look, don't worry I didn't buy it.