1986 Mercedes-Benz W124 200 from UK and Ireland - Comments

The Carburetor choke stopped working around 20, 000 miles ago. This part alone costs £1,200 new, but the choke can be fixed by the owner by first removing the aluminium part with the two coolant hoses attached to it and then adjusting the contianed sping to touch the (rich) marked lever.

The head gasket has blew around four times since the car was new. And most recently the cylinder head also needed regrinding which cost a whooping £168.00 to put right. (without labour charges or gasket etc.)

I have owned the car from new and it really has been a really robust car, but most definitly requires specialist Mercedes Mechanics to work on it, and it also runs a lot better on new (original) marked Mercedes Parts.

The car is really built like a Tank, although dispite appearances it can really shift! It's Carburetor is very rare to be in a Mercedes, but it gives the engine a smoothness and power quality that a 2.0l injection could most definitly not offer. I Have owned three Mercedes along with this one including a 95 c180 a 96 e320 and a 2001 e220. But still the old 200 is still my favorite car and is definitaly built a lot stronger.

I have also purchased a 1986 200E (S'pore) Carb. I find that

after many visits to the car mechanic the car needs 10 minutes

to warm up other wise the car engine dies - is this the fault of the choke that you were talking about.

I would like to hear from you my e-mail address is

needhi88@hotmail.com.

I am in fact the same person who wrote this review, but as I do not have e-mailing facilities I will explain your problem below.

I would suggest that you first of all replace the air filter with a FRAM one, and use redex petrol treatment too. this should and will greatly improve things. And since I wrote that review I have installed bosch super 4 spark plugs. these have completely restored all power on startup and the car runs as it would when warm. I would suggest that you get these parts as I have tried them and they are great. they should all come to around £30.00 in price, but you need a bosch dealer to get the suberb super 4 spark plugs. (mercedes dealership possibly)

P.s please post any progress or queries as I regurally check for comments/ queries.

Since writing this review I have started major work on the 200. I had started to drive my c class more often and eventually got attuned to its good condition. my 200 had rust spots here and there and was begining to look the age it was. so last december I decided to respray the car in my own garage which was a complete nightmare, but proves it can be done. I had no experiance of spraying cars whatsoever buut as I only sprayed one panel at a time I managed to do a astonishinly good job. I would recomend any one out there to try it as I was quoted £3200 to spray it by my local bodyshop. in the end I did buy all the equipment, but if you borrow it you would only have to buy the paint which cost me arount £200. that includes hardners thinners etc. the car now looks incredibly good and as it was when I bought it 16 years ago. I bought brand new merc alloys and 205 60 r15 tyres, chrome arches, clear indicator conversion kit and basically all other badges wiper blades etc. all in all it has cost me ovewr £3000 as I also rebuilt the engine. I found out that it was in fact a 2.3 l engine I bought when my own one broke its timing chain. rebiult was the wrong term to use I suppose as I only had to renew all the seals etc on it. the quaility of the parts is incredable and it was a pleasure to work on.

I would have liked to have shown a picture, but don't know how. I am going to buy a lowering kit. can anyone tell me their experiances with these and if they effect the handling etc as I would like to know what effect it would have? if so please post your comments on them and the brand of the kit you fitted. all in all the car now is really as new as all engine components have been polished or painted, and as siad the exterior of the car is so clean it puts my c class to shame.

will be checking for comments on lowering kits and will post progress of fitting one.

I have bought a 1986 200 also, and I suffer from faded paint and a few minor rust patches also. I am concerned with an article I saw which told me the car basically falls apart after 200,000 miles, and my car has 211,000 miles. Can you confirm this as truth or nonsense? It always starts, but when cold it will cut out if I really don't rev it hard, and once I heard a sound that I can describe as a clicking sound from the engine.

Water is also getting into the front and rear passenger side of the car, and I think it's coming in through the sunroof, but I can't exactly pinpoint it, is there a history of sunroof leakages like the old BMW 7 series.