High mileage Mercs

[Tony66_au]

As Ive mentioned elsewhere my introduction to Mercedes Benz was in the form of a 3 year old W126 300SEL in the early 90's.

I drove this car on average 250 to 400 km per day at times working the car 7 days a week and put over 400'000 km on the old girl bringing her mileage up to over half a million Km when I finally sold her.

What amazed me was that even with half a million kays on the clock she still drove as well as the day i first climbed into her and that I hadn't had to replace engines and transmissions on the way with only a head gasket, the usual suspension wear and tear and auto trans servicing twice a year.

My previous car (Bought brand new) was a Fairlane (NF) and although reliable was really showing her age at a mere 250'000 k no matter what I maintained with various squeaks, rattles and wind noise.

So in February last year I bought a high 300 k 1987 W124 230TE showing obvious signs of being used as a shopping trolley in which Ive done 25'000 ish k ticking the clock over into the 400'000 km mark.

Apart from the dodgy fixes I've replace only the usual ignition service items and a flex joint and then driven the wheels off the old girl with nary a hint of her stopping.

Then enters my 450SE, bought sight unseen for bugger all and then driven across Victoria from west to east and it was a pleasant drive!

Amazing things and obviously the old Benzes were engineered to last while other manufacturers went the way of design obsolescence.

So, how many miles on your Benz?

 

[Styria]

Well Tony, Gleaming Beauty must be approaching the 400K. mark. I have lost track of the actual mileage as I have changed the Speedo a couple of times. Presently I run a rare miles/kilometer speedo and that's been in the car for only a couple of years. I bought her fifteen years ago with a mileage reading of 204K. and I kept immaculate (some would say pedantic) records for a number of years and she has been my daily driver for the whole of that period.

When I bought Gleaming Beauty, the auto 'slush' box would flare from second into top gear, and I was then quoted $3.5K. to fix the box. I finished up doing the box myself some five years later at a cost of about $1.8 grand. Since then, of course, I have spent quite a bit on many mechanical items, including starter motor (10 years ago), Alternator (about five), valve grind and de-coke (about 2.5 years ago at a fairly hefty price (there is a separate thread on topklasse with plenty of pics) and she is now on her second re-spray. She's cost me a fair bit, but I can tell you that she is in far superior condition now even when compared with when I first bought her. My purchase price in those days was $11750.00 and I can comfortably get that money today. Regards Styria

 

[Tony66_au]

I think records are the key, Im a bit anal with my record keeping too right down to the mileage tyres go on and note on any unusual noises, adjustments and repairs including receipts.

I also will get Odometer readings Matched when I swap out speedo's as I seem to get a small joy from watching the miles increase to the point where I will stop and take a photo of any significant numbers lol.

This habit, Drives Jenn to distraction..............

 

[-bb-]

...to the point where I will stop and take a photo of any significant numbers lol.

If it makes you feel any better, when my daily driver Toyora Aurion clicked over 100000k's recently, I stopped and took a photo...

 

[Styria]

If it makes you feel any better, when my daily driver Toyora Aurion clicked over 100000k's recently, I stopped and took a photo...

..............his other daily driver (bb's), after being rescued and brought back to life, clocked up 22 55 22 with eighty kilometers to go to Sydney (from Canberra)). The old girl was happy - sitting on 2.5 to 3000rpm (and sometimes a bit more) on the highway. Those 6.9s just love getting into the torqueband ! Regards Styria

 

[John S]

I sold my supercharged Calais with 166,000K's on the clock and still going like a new car. It had some wear points though, the drivers seat bolster was showing signs of wear from my abrasive blue jeans, and (as I always left it outside) the two black plastic fill-in strips along the roof were loosing their gloss. I put it in to have hail damage repaired and asked that these 2 items be fixed, but I was made a reasonable offer on the car so went from 3 cars to 2.

I have seen it a few times since I sold it and it still looks great and is running fantastic; to me that shows what regular servicing and quality oils can do for modern cars.

 

[Styria]

I know you still have a soft spot for that car, but am I correctly getting the impression that you wish you had never sold it (not counting financial considerations) ? I mean, after all, it was a cracking good car with lots of get up and go, and a very accomplished performer. Regards Styria

 

[mathew]

I had a 190E that went past 700,000km before I wrote the old girl off and my current 420SEL is cruising up to 370,000km and it too drives like a new car.

 

[John S]

Perhaps you are right Styria, every now and then I wish I still had it, but it had the sports suspension so I think I would have changed it to a slightly smoother ride as I don't want to go screaming around corners etc, all I'm looking for now is smoothness, comfort and silence.

However I believe your Statesmen gives all that, so perhaps I may have chosen a Statesman instead of the E240, who knows.

 

[Styria]

Hi JohnS, I have a very high regard for the Statesman - call me biassed, but I still think it is one of the most beautifully styled and proportioned cars on the road - regardless of age. I know others would feel differently, but that's everyone's privilege. To have a choice, and express it.

Strangely, or perhaps predictably, the ride comfort is probably the Stateman's achilles heel. It does not like broken bitumen, or poorish road surfaces such as you'd find in the Inner City suburbs like St. Peters et al, and on that comfort or rideability quality, Gleaming Beauty (6.9) shows the Statesman a clean set of heels. The 6.9 also feels more assured and conveys somewhat more truthful road feel, but in most other areas the Statesman stacks up very well. It is a serene, gliding car, very comfortable seats and superb ergonomics - just the ride let's it down. It's probably my fault, as the White Power front struts are original - in other words, ten years old. Talk about White Power on a Holden - who would have guessed it. Any of you guys familiar with White Power products ? Wonderful reputation, especially in the field of Motocross and Enduro (both bikes categories) applications. Regards Styria