THE CAR lacked the snob value potential customers desired and, to make matters worse, was overpriced. In early 1998, reacting to market feedback, Mercedes-Benz India launched the W210 to replace the W124, which had been around since two years. Residual values of the W124 crashed as several owners traded in their older E-class for the latest one.

The W124 is the most widely available super luxury car in the used car market and most of them are in pretty good shape. Many E-class owners tend to use their cars only for special occasions, which is why it is easy to find low-mileage examples. Typically, a 1996 E-class will have just around 40,000km on its odo. However, it is not worth paying a premium for sparingly used Mercs because they are likely to have spent long periods standing still in the owner’s garage. In fact, several problems like clogged injectors due to fuel gumming and moisture-contaminated hydraulic fluids usually occur after long periods of non-use. In fact, the heavy insulating material used extensively in the E-class is a haven for mice, who make a meal out of the wiring harness.

When scouting around for a used E-class, don’t be put off by high-mileage cars. Instead of paying a premium for a low-mileage car, it makes more sense to get a good deal on a high-mileage one. A 1996 model with 75,000-80,000km on the clock can be picked up for as little as Rs 10 lakh and if maintained well, still feels as good as new. It’s not bad to consider a car with six-digit figures on the odo, if you get a good price for it.


Before buying a second-hand E-class, ensure that the car has a clean service history, which means it should have been serviced only at an authorised workshop. The service book should contain the previous owner’s names and also have the dealer’s service stamp upto the mileage on the odometer.

There is a high incidence of service being carried out by unauthorised workshops. Owners tend to go to private garages because they are usually 35-50 per cent cheaper than the authorised ones. Also, the W124 is mechanically simpler to service than the latest-generation Mercs.

Merc-authorised workshops are expensive but the extra amount you pay for service should be viewed as an insurance which, if you’re lucky, can be extended beyond the warranty of the car. Mercedes’ global philosophy is a long-term relationship with its customers. If a car has a clean service record, the company will support it with limited goodwill warranty.
For example, there are cases where a failed a/c compressor and evaporator have been replaced free of charge despite the car being well out of the warranty period. Only Mercedes does this.

To check the service record of the car you are going to buy, it is advisable to take it to an authorised workshop which will charge around Rs 1500 to verify its history.

Remember, that even though you might have bought your E-class for a song, maintaining it is expensive. That’s the price you pay for a car that wears the three-pointed star. The routine service every 10,000km costs Rs 12-14,000 whilst the regular wear and tear parts are expensive as well. The E250 Diesel is cheaper to run than the E220 petrol and in the long run cheaper to maintain as well.

Before putting your money down make sure the E-class you are considering is in perfect condition. Stay away from cars that show even the slightest sign of abuse as major repair bills can run into six digits. The body, even on the earliest W124s, is likely to be as good as new and should be checked for accident damage. The door striker plate, which holds the lock in place, sometimes needs adjustment - an easy giveaway is when the doors rattle which is easily rectified. Check interiors thoroughly. If the leather trim or wood veneer is damaged, getting an original replacement will prove expensive.

The brake pads need to replaced every 20,000km, a bit more frequently on the automatic version. Check the pads to see how much life is left in them because a full set of pads costs Rs 6900.
On high-mileage cars which have done close to 90,000km, watch out for suspension noise. A sound from under the front wheels could be due to worn tie-rod ends or drag links. A full suspension overhaul could set you
back by Rs 85,000.

On the E250 Diesel check for diesel leaks which normally drip onto the engine mounts and weaken the rubber. A sign of weak engine mounts is increased vibration and they cost Rs 20,000 to replace.

Niggling problems are known to occur, especially when the car is not used for a length of time. The hydraulic clutch tends to stick and there have been cases of clutch slave cylinder failure which were solved by placing a heat shield over the cylinder. Oxidised ceramic fuses, again caused by long idle periods, developed gremlins in the electrical system.

‘Gum’ in the fuel clogging the fuel filter and injectors was another problem. A choked filter makes the fuel pump work harder and gets noisier. A noisy fuel pump indicates either a clogged fuel filter or that the pump needs replacement.

The air con on the W124 is the best in the business but there have been cases of the a/c evaporator developing a leak, especially if the car has done more than 50,000-60,000km. It is advisable to check the a/c’s service history in high-mileage cars.

The early W124s came with steel wheels and JK tyres. Many owners tended to swap the steel wheels for a set of alloys of an unknown brand. Hence the durability of these wheels is always suspect.

It is best to find a car fitted with original Merc alloys or of a known make (for example BBS). It is unlikely you will find a car with the original JK tyres but if you do, budget for an immediate tyre change. Firstly, the JKs are likely to be more than five years old (rubber weakens with age) and, more importantly, they simply do not provide the performance and ride comfort of the Continentals, which Merc later switched to.

Both the diesel and petrol engines are virtually bullet- proof and you are unlikely to have any problems with the powertrain well past the 150,000km mark.

Few appreciated the W124 for what it was - possibly the best mid-size saloon Mercedes ever made. The magisterial W124 is regarded as the last of the old-school Benzs, the product of a time when Mercedes triple-checked every last nut and bolt and purposely over-engineered its cars, ‘just-in-case’. This meant that Mercs cost more to develop and to make (and, of course to buy.) It did not lead to efficient manufacturing practices but it did lead to good cars and the W124 E-class is still a very good car indeed.

If there is one car that can outlast the Indian roads it is the W124. It looks and feels like it has been carved out of a block of steel. The fact that all the Indian-made W124s are less than six years old, still ‘new’ in Merc terms, and available for Lancer or Honda City money, makes the old E-class a great second-hand buy.