[s-cars] NAC - Benz 300E Questions

Mon Dec 7 15:12:28 PST 2009

As a guy that has a 560SEL 6.0 AMG DOHC, I can assure you you don't want 
one. :)

The 400E/E420 is a great compromise between speed of 300E and rarity/price 
of 500E. It's a 275HP V8, great personality on the road, and other than the 
motor/trans is pretty much the same as the 300E so plentiful parts.

Same wiring harness/minor electrical issue as any W124, plus some extra 
potential issues underhood from heat, as the engine is shoehorned in there.

But they're not well know, so can be had pretty cheap.

B
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Taka Mizutani" <t44tqtro at gmail.com>
To: "Douglas Landaeta" <dlandaeta at gmail.com>
Cc: "s-car-list" <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 6:07 PM
Subject: Re: [s-cars] NAC - Benz 300E Questions

> Yeah, but 500Es are rare as hell, Doug.
>
> I'm talking about "normal" W124s.
>
> I'd rather have a full AMG 560SEL 6.0 DOHC, oil leaks be damned.
>
> Taka
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 5:56 PM, Douglas Landaeta 
> <dlandaeta at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> W126 = more mtce. $$, less performance, over a W124 with the 8 cyl. M119
>>
>> Sent from my mobile
>>
>>
>> On Dec 7, 2009, at 5:50 PM, Taka Mizutani <t44tqtro at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>  Just to add, the head gasket issue referenced seems to only appear in 
>> the
>>> 24v engines.
>>>
>>> Regardless, the W124 is one of the best Benzes in recent history- as for
>>> the
>>> ride and driving experience, I can't comment. I've thought about getting
>>> one
>>> myself several times.
>>>
>>> I personally would prefer a W126 S-Class, though.
>>>
>>> Taka
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 3:22 PM, Michael Lardizabal <
>>> mikellardizabal at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>  .....so true about the torque.
>>>>
>>>> I had a 96 C36 AMG that would just rip the tires all day long. Even w/
>>>> the
>>>> ASR button ON.
>>>>
>>>> As far as the headgasket...yes the later I-6 motors had a rep of going
>>>> thru
>>>> them, but its not too bad a price to pay for what you get in return. I
>>>> think
>>>> that once they're done at the typical 110K- 125K mark, they're good for
>>>> maybe more the next time about. I think once the block has gone thru a
>>>> few
>>>> heat cycles, the HG isn't as prone .
>>>>
>>>> As far as the 190E, the only one worth any effort is the Cossie, but I
>>>> agree. The interior fit and finish is .....well, at least its a
>>>> lightweight
>>>> car w/ a dogleg 5 and an intake sound thats insane.
>>>> --- On Mon, 12/7/09, Kent McLean <kentmclean at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> From: Kent McLean <kentmclean at comcast.net>
>>>> Subject: Re: [s-cars] NAC - Benz 300E Questions
>>>> To: "s-car-list" <s-car-list at audifans.com>
>>>> Date: Monday, December 7, 2009, 2:54 PM
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> More from the V8 list...
>>>>
>>>> -- Kent
>>>>
>>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>>> Subject: RE: 300E Beater
>>>> Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 13:46:06 -0600
>>>> From: Brian K. Ullrich <bullrich at ullrichsys.com>
>>>>
>>>> As usual, Roger has the goods. I do differ on a few points though:
>>>>
>>>> The W124 chassis ran from 1984 to 1995. Badged primarily in the US as 
>>>> the
>>>> 300E, it later changed to MB's new badging as the E320, etc. So, it
>>>> covers
>>>> a
>>>> lot of cars, and differing model numbers, including the diesels, which
>>>> can
>>>> be easily visually distinguished by a fender vent on the right front.
>>>>
>>>> In my estimation, the best of the W124 cars are the 1993 and newer. 
>>>> They
>>>> are
>>>> the post-facelift cars, and include many newer features. I personally
>>>> owned
>>>> a 1990 and a 1995 W124 (300E and E320, respectively), and had little
>>>> problems with either, but my 1995 W124 E320 was a smoker. That i6 was a
>>>> torque-making fool. And it got great gas mileage.
>>>>
>>>> I do differ with Roger on one point about the 190 vs. 300/320: I feel
>>>> that
>>>> the 190 is a much inferior car to its larger cousin. The 190 is known 
>>>> as
>>>> the
>>>> W201 chassis, and in most US trim, it was equipped with a 2.2l 4 
>>>> cylinder
>>>> motor mated to a 3-speed auto (although the 2.6l 6-cylinders are
>>>> available,
>>>> and they are equipped with a 4-speed auto). Roger is correct in his
>>>> assessment that a teenager could hardly get into too much trouble in 
>>>> this
>>>> car, because it just ain't fast. However, I feel that this car is not a
>>>> good
>>>> choice because those motors revved so high at highway speeds (around 3K
>>>> RPM)
>>>> that it just put the engine at risk for failure, especially for
>>>> high-mileage
>>>> cars. Not to mention the fit and finish, which were just not really up 
>>>> to
>>>> the standards of MB at the time.
>>>>
>>>> For my money, if I were to put my teen in a Benz, I'd find a later 
>>>> model
>>>> W124, either diesel or gas, and call it a day. The best inline 
>>>> 6-cylinder
>>>> engine MB ever built was the 3l/3.2l, and coupled with the W124 
>>>> chassis,
>>>> I
>>>> think that makes the best sense. Compared to the 190/W201, parts are 
>>>> more
>>>> plentiful, and it's easy to work on.
>>>>
>>>> Of course, this is just my opinion. My esteemed colleague, Mr. 
>>>> Woodbury,
>>>> may
>>>> have something else to say on the matter.
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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