1988 Mercedes-Benz W124 300TE review from Australia and New Zealand
"Delight to drive and will serve you well"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
We bought this one quite cheap for its age and could identify immediately some problems such as cracked headlight lens, broken sun visor catches and dodgy Blaupunkt CD, however these were cosmetic and repaired very easily and cheaply (the AA inspection guy guessed the headlight lens at about $1000, it actually cost $150 brand new and genuine!).
Other things that have gone wrong are; electric window switch failed.
Electric window arm needed replacing.
Electric seat plays up at contact points (switch needed pulling apart and cleaned easily done).
Tyres (2 sets in 2 years)
Engine mounts worn and replaced.
In tracking an oil leak we had the C seal, crank seal and main fan bracket replaced + 2 power steering belts (it was actually the fan bracket the whole time!! But finding a decent mechanic is - well :-\
Main fan bearings worn.
Still has a leak from Transmission to fix.
Radiator top tank replaced when top hose connection cracked and broke.
General comments?
We love it, best car we've ever had. Fits our family comfortably (7 seats) and is a fabulous cruiser. Very reliable and has never left us stranded.
A bit thirsty and unfortuately you get tarred with this "you've got money" brush despite the fact that is cost far less to buy than what most average people spend on cars!
Performance is great I even kept pace with my brother-in-laws Mondeo ST24 and we were fully laden!
These are great cars and has converted us to Merc-heads!
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All 1988 Mercedes-Benz W124 reviews
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1986 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0 fuel injected Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 10/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 165000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 190000 miles |
| Previous car | Audi 80 |
| Date of Entry | 5th December, 2004 |