Occasional oil leaks, not sure if this is from car seals or shoddy servicing.
Power antennas.
Hood symbol constantly stolen.
Fuel pump leak.
Enamel on the rims is comming off.
One word to describe this car: SOLID. This is a quality car which drives smooth and confidently. Not a speck of rust (they always salt the roads here!).
Heavy off the line, but excels in highway crusing and passing (I believe this is due to the auto transmission configuation which is set to start in second gear unless the pedal is stomped).
I have just acquired a 1987 300E with 147,777 miles on it 3 days ago and I totally agree with the review. I am sure that my next car will also be a Benz.
Note: Yes the car starts in second. I have a 260E, the acceleration is pretty good. The correct solution is to stomp it.
I totally agree! I currently have a 1987 300e (with a 2.6L) with 245K! Runs like a dream, fast and very solid. No rust here either and with all the Eastern winter salting too. Agree with the power antennae, and unfortunately AC too.
There is a way to bypass the 2nd gear shift, too. I discovered it on my 1990 300SE. Shift to '2' then back to 'D'; this, will start the car off in first gear! This is very useful, and improves overall acceleration times because the trans. does not have to shift down. Oh, yeah, that 1st gear start should work in ALL Mercedes models, with the V8's shifted into 'B' instead of '2'.
My father has an '86 300E 5-speed with 324K miles on. Still going strong! The 300E is a wonderful car, indeed. The motor is bullet-proof. If I were you, I'd never replace it. In all honesty, there is nothing to replace it with! Too many electrical parts on all these newer cars. DUAL AIR MASS SENSORS on twin turbocharged electronically regulated V12 engines (Mercedes' own S600)! And the ride in ALL these Mercedes is ALWAYS the same! Be it a 1975 450SEL or a 2000 S500! 1987 300E or 2003 (W211) E320! You are not really stepping up, unless you like electronic wizardry. Although the 1996-2002 E-Class is nice (RELIABLE), too.
I have had a made-for America 1987 MB for some 4 years. It has some 115,000 miles on it now. For 2 years I have been considering to up-grade to a 4 or 5 year newer model. But the car is SO GOOD that I still can't make my mind. It has some annoying things like every 6 months or so the battery dies without warning, it leaks a little oil, and the ride is not as smooth as my wife's 1989 BMW 525, but I still I love her (my car AND my wife)
My mother owns a 1988 300E, which now has ~350k miles, bought in 1992 with 20k. Seems she won't get rid of it! While these are not necessarily inexpensive cars to own (service is expensive), they will not need to be repaired often, are very reliable, safe, quiet and sturdy. Since these cars are now 'up there' in age, I'd strongly recommend buying one with service records, and as few owners as possible (and wealthier ones who can afford the service, if possible). I agree with most comments here, the seats are wonderful, the cars ride and handle beautifully, get decent gas mileage and have adequate power.
I acquired a 1988 300E with 142k miles on it about a year ago. It is an OUTSTANDING car, very solid, smooth, and you can really feel the road as well as the shifting when you're driving. I agree, it could be faster off the line, but she really flies on the straights and the freeway. The only real problems I've ever had have been the right side rear window/headlight wipers have become inoperable over the last 16 yrs, but this seems to be a very common occurence especially on all 300Es of the same era. Also, mine experienced some problems with the cylinder shaft seals which needed to be replaced when I bought the car, but if your the mechanic who specializes in later-model MBs, it wasn't that big of a hassle or cost to fix.
I own a 1987 300E with 120k kms. I cannot believe that these cars are so inexpensive to buy as mine has not been expensive to service at all. If I had more money, I would buy them all up. It is a quick, reliable and great looking car. The paint work is good, interior excellent (MB-Tex), safe and people think I am wealthy when I turn up in it. Yet it cost me less than an entry level Mazda!
I am going to hang on to this car for years. I prefer the earlier of the series as one thing that does not look good (in my opinion) is the plastic trim at the bottom of the later W124 series doors. It never looks neat.
I have put the last 225,000 on my 1987 300E - it now has 275,000 and is still, without a doubt, the best car I have ever had - and I've had everything from new Bimmers to new Caddys. It is still a joy to drive and will outrun most cars its size on the highway.
I do stay after it - personally changing the oii every 3K miles and the filter ever 6K. Doing that allows me to also inspect everything regularly.
The hard part is finding the right people to work on the car. Many say they know how, most really do not. Finding those who know though is critical to having a well maintained 300E.
I love it and will probably drive it until it just disappears.
By the way, what is it with Mercedes dash boards? Why do the all crack so easily from the sun?
Mercedes dash boards. I assume you're talking about the wooden trim which has a tendency to crack down because it's made out of real wood (dries up). I got cracks into mine after parking my car outside for 5 days when temp was about -4 deg (celcius). Looks like dry air has someting to do with it as well.
I just purchased a 1987 300E with 131k miles, and without a doubt it is the best engineered vehicle I have ever driven (even with all the years and miles). It does have some electrical quirks and leaks a bit of oil, but I hear the slight oil leak just guarantees it is an MB. As for the electrical - someone earlier posted a notice that the rear window and headlight wipers didn't work. Strangely enough I have the same problem. Does anyone know what part I need to replace to fix the problem? Also, anyone know of a good MB mechanic in the Charlotte area?
I have a 1989 MB 300e the car is running hot if it needs
a qt of anti-freeze ALWAY needs to add anti freeze do'nt see any leeks, also the car jumps out of second gear
PLEASE HELP.
Hi -
I just bought a 1986 330E with 175K (I think - the odometer is broken). It seems to run fantastic. Very smooth ride and feels great to drive. I'm excited to learn about that "shifting" secret as it does appear to be slow coming off the line. Also, there seems to be problems with the AC and Heater blower, 2 of the power window motors and the Front Wheel differential bearings. But hey, it's 20 years old. Not bad. My Dashboard wood is cracked as well. Any input? Any good mechanics in the Charlottesvile VA area? ceazerus@yahoo.com.
I recently purchased a 1987 300e with only 120,000kms. I cannot believe the performance of this car. I did have a laugh reading about the rear window motors going. I had mine replaced through a trusted mechanic for 300 dollars including parts, labour and taxes.
A problem has arisen- when I make a tight left turn at slower speeds it sounds like the axle is stressing. Has anyone encountered this problem?
I managed to get my car going 180kms, but had to slow down, how fast can this car go?
I would also like to mention I worked for a MB dealership some years ago and rarely saw this car come into the dealership for reasons other than basic servicing.
I have a '90 300E that mysteriously makes a loud rear-end clicking/thumping noise, which sounds like the rear end. It has been to the shop over and over with no luck. Seems it comes on after a sharp and slow turn (not sure if it was L or R). It goes away for many months at a time, especially when driven on a long trip of straight stretches (I live in WV where we have many hairpin turns)...let me know if you hear of a solution. Seems harmless, but none-the-less annoying. Send comments to dabbydawg3@aol.com.