The product of a collaboration between Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, the W124 500E was a worthy competitor to the E34 BMW M5. Powered by a 5.0 liter V8 motor generating 322 hp and equipped with beefed-up suspension and brakes, these stealthy Q-cars have languished on the used market until relatively recently. Finally receiving the attention they deserve, over the last decade values have steadily risen, with mint condition examples now commanding $30k price tags. Cars at that end of the market will likely stay tucked away behind closed doors. But what if you want to just drive a 500E, and not worry about every ding or scrape it gets in the parking lot? The courageous and open-minded might want to take a look at this forlorn-looking example. With a bit of attention and light restoration, this could turn out to be a steal. Or a money pit. Only the brave need apply…
Tag: w124
Ever been out shopping and you impulse bought a shirt, wore it a few times, then it sat in the back of your closet for…
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The 300CE joined the W124 lineup in 1987. These cars offered the same levels of reliability, passenger comfort and safety as the sedan, but with a shorter body, two doors and no B-pillar. This gave the coupe a much a rakish, sporting look. But there can be no mistaking its provenance: the coupe retains the elegant, taut and brawny good looks of its sedan sibling, and both are unmistakably the work of famed Mercedes stylist Bruno Sacco. Powered initially by the 3.0 liter version of the M103 SOHC engine, in 1990 the CE’s motor was swapped out for the M104 DOHC unit, which increased power output to 217 hp (the engine was revised again in 1993, bumping displacement to 3.2 liters, but power output remained the same).
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300CE on eBay
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Occasionally we don’t have the time to get to all the auctions that catch our eye. With that in mind, we’re going to be putting…
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The W124 platform E-class is an unstoppable tank. So you’d think that the addition of an all-wheel drive option would make an excellent car even better. Not so fast. The “4Matic” AWD system offered on the W124 was complex. Using numerous electronic sensors to control the locking central and rear differentials, the automatic system was capable of splitting torque between the front and back axles as required: 100% to the back, 35/65 front/rear, or 50/50 front/rear. When performing properly, this made the W124 a very competent car in inclement weather. However, the complexity of the system meant that if and when it broke, repair costs could quickly become astronomical. For that reason, W124 enthusiasts tend to pass over the 4Matic, regarding it as a rare example of Mercedes’s over-engineering becoming a liability.