1986 Mercedes-Benz W124 230TE from Singapore - Comments

Hi Paul.

Thanks for your detailed info and updates - It is really encouraging since I'm set to buy a 300TE later this year. My fear is fuel consumption of this model other than than it it seems to do just fine with some spit & polish. I will update you once I have the vehicle.

Hi Paul, thanks for your comments. I am Singaporean living in the Philippines. Got my 1988 230TE, just wanted to share that prior to bumping to this blog, I had name her Bertha. Coincidental! Cheers!

Hi all, it's been awhile since my last posting. Bertha still humming along.. have lost track of the things done. So far I've had most of the undercarriage bushings replaced, powersteering box (though I think I didn't need to because it think the bushings sorted out most of the wandering problems that I was starting to face.) and had the rear diff replaced with a second hand one. The rear diff is a frustrating piece to have to deal with. To purchase it new is about SGD$3000 and a scrap yard version is about SGD$600... neither can really guarantee you perfect silence. The parts seller which sells the new (possibly factory reconditioned) items cannot guarantee it, so it's quite like a $3000 lucky dip.

So far I must say that when things have been replaced on her, they stay in good shape.

To the previous poster, I would have spent something like $2000-$3000 in the first 3 months... but the caveat is that I bought it cheap and many things needed cosmetic sorting, like the broken seats, door cards etc. In retrospect, I think I bought what people may call a 'not very good example' no matter. We live and learn, I've another friend who bought a 'good example' and has spent far far less on car maintenance. So I guess the golden lesson is to get a good example from start perhaps even pay a little more... don't believe that you can sort these things out, because they add up quite quick.

Next up will be the full restore of the SLS. All the parts except one has arrived. BTW it's SGD$4500 for every single part needed in the 230TE SLS system.

Cheers - Paul.