Faults:

Rear brakes binding. Corrosion on jack points... that's all!

General Comments:

Wonderfully smooth ride - puts modern European cars to shame! This car copes with the UK's terrible roads! Relaxing, serene... a really nice place to be.

Easy to drive and manoeuvre :)

Faults:

Interior lights went and were replaced. Easy, and cost was under a tenner.

General Comments:

Unreal. I've had a lot cars in the past, and I always seem to blow them up. This car is a tank. When I first bought the car, I felt like royalty. It was only because my younger brother had a 1997 E280, and said to me I would never regret it if I got a old Merc. I never listen to him. Apart from this 1 time. Damm is the only word I can think of. I drive it like a bat out of hell. And it always takes it with a pinch of salt as to say and yer... love it. Well made. Not like cars today. 1 minute wonders. This car means business.

Faults:

Very little went wrong with the car, considering the age and mileage. A cracked distributer cap, and loss of drive in all forward gears, but that was nearly 300,000 miles!

The central locking never worked on the passenger door, and the rear electric windows were seized solid.

Body work was still reasonably good, with no major rust, and under body was perfect.

There would have been another 3 years of life in this car if the gearbox hadn't broken.

Used about a pint of oil in 2000 miles, so not too bad, and a set of valve seals would have sorted it, as the bores were perfect with very high compression readings.

General Comments:

Performance was brilliant for such an old and heavy car. In fact, I think it was faster than my fathers Jag S Type 3 litre.

It was lowered about 40mm with uprated dampers, so handling was always very neutral and predictable. Slightly jarring at low speed, but great going fast.

Brakes and steering were pin sharp, and it was always a real joy to drive.

W124's drive like no other car, and impart a feeling of robustness and quality workmanship that no other Mercedes has managed since.

It was a little lacking in gadgets compared to newer stuff, but that is a blessing if you ask me. It did everything you asked of it, and had so much character too.

Faults:

Diode pack in the alternator shorted, leading to a discharged battery, this was sorted for 60 pounds. Instrument lights not working, sorted by turning the odometer reset button! Does not mention this in the owners handbook, so if your instrument illumination is not working give it a go. It is the small black knob on the left of the speedometer, just turn it.

Exhaust failed, 400 pounds for a complete new one.

Slight clunk from the transmission, caused wear in the prop-shaft coupling.

Not bad considering this car is nearly twenty years old, and is driven hard.

General Comments:

This car has to be, in my eyes and in the eyes of many others, one of the best cars ever made.

The reliability and durability of the w124 series is testament to the design and quality manufacture of Mercedes Benz vehicles. There will never another range of cars as complete and as satisfying to own as these. That includes more modern Mercs, which by comparison, just aren't the same.

Handling is fantastic for a car of this size and weight, although the front dampers do wear causing an increase in roll, and a vagueness under braking.

The seats are supportive, plenty head and leg room. A very good heating and ventilation system, nice and warm in the winter.

Steering does lack some feel, but then all modern cars do anyway.

Acceleration is fantastic, but can also cruise along, and in near silence.

You can pick them up so cheaply, that it really isn't worth buying any other car.