My uncle still has a E-Class like this one. I still say "Thank you Jeeves" when the seatbelt presenter hands you the seat belt. Mercedes also was the first to have standard airbags in a car in the 1981 S-Class. They also recognized the importance of being properly positioned for airbag deployment so they also equipped the S-Class with the first seatbelt pretensioners. Back then Mercedes were expensive because of the high material quality and precise engineering. Now it's about high tech screens, ambient lighting and perfume dispensers.
Not the last one, but one of the last ones yes. The R129 and W140 came after the W124 and I would consider those the last great ones in that old school sense. Absolutely excellent review. Only if Mercedes made their cars like this again. They'd cost a fortune, but people would still line up to buy.
0:30 the sound of that Mr 6 cylinder this is a 1989 gray Mr 300ce this one is the c124 equipped with a Mr interior with the Mr windows now under the hood it has the optional 3.0 L inline 6 in this Mr it's not a bad inline 6 cylinder that has a mystery steering wheel Mr fuel and it has that wood grain all over on this Mr has Mr climate control Mr radio with some cassette player that has so we can change to different like Mr stations with a mister ashtray and a Mr power outlet and has a Mr sunroof and it has a Mr p on it a Mister parking brake
I also agree the w124 is the best car ever made. I own several Benzes, but my favorite is a 1986 300E. It has 800,000 original miles. I'm the 2nd owner. Bought it in 1988 with 25k miles. I've only done the engine lifters once, and the transmission twice (once at 145k, which I was cheated by a mechanic to prematurely do, and the second time at 250k, and never after that). The car is still solid and drives beautifully. The interior and paint are still beautiful. Silver/black color.
That's correct Bill, the mirrors are asymmetric because they had a different function. The mirror on the right side is shorter and higher and primarly meant for parking and better view when turning right.
My wife and I had a 1992 4 door back in the day... solid car that did everything well. Not only sounded like a vault closing the doors, it went down the highway like a vault... felt heavy in a straight line at 80 mph but nimble enough around town.
If it felt heavy, may have been some bushings getting a little bit worn. I can tell you that, hypothetically, these cars take a real set and get planted at just above 100.
I loved that single wiper on my 2001 CLK430… I could sit and watch it do it’s thing all day, reaching out to get the corners of the glass. It was so heavy that it was silent on the glass, never a shudder or skip from the rubber blade, and when sitting still, you could feel the car move ever-so-slightly from the torque of the arm motor. THAT was definitely the old Mercedes-Benz, money-no-object approach, “Engineered like no other car in the world.”
Bill has actually been a very bad influence on me. Two years ago, I bought a Lexus LS400 because of his review of one. It was, as he described it, competently put together but soulless. I did some work and sold it maybe six months later. Things are much worse, now. I don’t get rid of anything and am accumulating more! Last January, I bought a w124 e300 diesel with under 100k on the clock. I’ve put in a New wiring harness, engine and tranny mounts and replaced damned near every seal where oil and tranny fluid could leak from. I have to put in a new diesel injection pump and that should be it for this project. Over the summer, I picked up a very nice w140 s320 based on Bill’s recommendation. It’s a ‘99 with the short wheelbase and only 83k on the clock. New wheels, tires, an alignment and transmission service is all she’s needed so far. Tonight, I’m picking up a Dodge Challenger Widebody Scat Pack in Black, fully loaded up. Let’s hammer it! So far, my wife has been a real sport. She’s just starting to grimace whenever she hears “Good Morning!” Thanks for another stellar excursion into a really cool car. Happy 2022 to everyone watching this channel!
I'd like to hear you expand on what you mean by *_"soulless"._* We often hear someone say the same about this or that car, and I never know what they mean. Are you (or others) referring to a 'non-sporty' characteristic, or something else? I, for one, can never get enough sound insulation, bump absorption and smoothness of ride. Every car I've had never had enough of the above. But car reviewers (virtually every frigging one) always evaluate every....single....vehicle they review by how close it comes to being a sports car. Personally, I don't get it. But that's me :D
@@be5952 excellent question! Some cars are appliances that get you from point a to point b. Other cars are something you connect with. You bond with them, sometimes on an emotional level. You look forward to driving them. It’s not always because they are fast or really comfortable. The LS400 I had, was an amazing car for it’s time. It had technology galore. The motor was bulletproof and it was exceptionally quiet and smooth. The interior was a really nice place to be. I just never bonded with the car. I never felt excited about driving it. My W140 has less in the way of technology. The 3.2 straight six isn’t fast by any measure. It’s smooth as glass and able to cruise at 100 all day long. The difference between these two cars is that I just love the way the car is put together. You can feel the quality of the switchgear. The double pane side windows are works of art. Even the vacuum operated door and trunk closing features, which still work after 23 years, are all designed to make you feel safe and comfortable. Think about this for a minute. Mercedes had to seriously cheapen the S Class w220 in order to compete with Lexus. That’s when they stopped building cars to a standard.
I love the look of this series. They should have never deviated from it. What killed it was that the world was becoming more globalized and less "German" in Germany. They started favoring cost over quality as time went on. The presence of the massive metal grille became more streamlined and plastic. Also, the shift in the German population no longer seemed to care as long as it had the Benz name. Today's MB lacks character, especially below the E models.
Mercedes makes a few unique, interesting vehicles. We no longer/never did get them in the USA. A45S hatch/shooting brake, G63, & E63 Estate. As far as the other stuff, like sedans & coupes, they have been overtaken by Porsche
@@V8_screw_electric_cars it would cost $200,000 and a violation of environmental laws (blame the government…fuel economy standards are different for trucks)
Here in small town germany there are still a ton of W124 mercedes running around. A lot of them are still being driven (very slowly) by the original owners because they just never saw a reason to replace them.
42:55 "They're known for breaking, but of course, that's more from misuse than it is from inherently bad design the way it would be in a BMW product." Savage, Bill. I love it! :D
Bill you don’t know how good you have it. We have snow and rusty cars. Love Mercedes coupes, solid cars that do not disappoint. We have deer out back and squirrels out front, we’re surrounded!
Greetings Bill, this looks like the Mercedes that the snowflakes from Autohaus reviewed this morning!!! Don't worry, your video is far & away better than theirs. They never give weather & animal reports, no synopsis of the year & I don't think that they have ever heard of Canadians!!!! Keep up the good work & have a shot of coronavirus whiskey for me!!! 🥃
It’s the perfect balance because the young Simps can watch the snowflakes video and us men can watch bill and relate to his misery and learn from his encyclopedia of knowledge.
Welcome to my world, I have 4 of these 300CE's. 89-90 are the better years. One 1990 had the original sticker and it was $60,000 new. I consider it the smarter answer to a vintage Mercedes and close to as cute as a 190. My 1992 runs hot at times, even after service. 2 1990s drive like new. My 93 convertible can run hot at times, too. But it gives a clean, sporty feel in all years. The leather upholstery has help up well and still looks and feels great today. This model gives you the personal luxury format in a very manageable sized car. The 500SEC is beautiful, but just too big to be fun.
I own a 1995 A124 Cabriolet and even after 28 years on the road, there are no squeaks or rattles on my old car. Everything still works flawlessly and the paint has held up remarkably well and has no fading what so ever. While I like some of the rear drive Cadillacs from the 80s and early 90s, they don’t hold up as well as one of these German tanks.
One of the things I always admired... you can't see the seams. They incorporated the seams where sides and fenders meet at a natural opening along the door, trunk openings or incorporated into the side trim. American cars, especially, made no effort to hide or incorporate where they slapped on (often plastic) front and rear caps and corners, and where the hood met the front clip, even on their most expensive cars. Basically, you don't see seams, unless that part has to open. Perfect. Benz made these parts all of one piece, the fender surrounds the corner lamps, rather than fitting a cheap plastic corner piece. No seam between hood and grille, since the grille is connected and opens with the hood. Clean, neat, sophisticated, solid looking. Even look at more current E Class coupes, and you will see random , crazy seams arching across the rear fenders, not in line with character metal stampings, or aligning with trim, or anything else. Just a poorly designed, obvious, and ugly exposed seam on cars that had become already busy with too many character lines, pontoon-like sculpting, etc. Just another reason why this car gives the idea of being "made from one solid block of granite".
You are absolutely correct. This is the last great Mercedes. One of the very best. Just beautiful. After this, It all went to crap. Oh, and 55 minutes. ! Ok. Let me get comfortable.
I love the weather and animal updates on every video. I appreciate the fact you know about some of the details such as the proper operation of the headlight switch and other nuanced tidbits. Looking forward to the next unique and well-preserved car that you feature. Happy New Year!
Love, love, love your channel. Thank you so much for putting out these videos. The commentary is... I can't even put words on it. It reminds me of the men that made me who I am, the stories that echoed in my childhood in the 90s, the nostalgia is palpable, the truth impeccable. Thank you for the videos you've made, thank you for the videos you will make.
Bill once again you nailed that review 👍🏼 Your knowledge of Mercedes’ is epic Clearly one of your favourites and that show’s with this review.. keep them coming As always a big thank you..
I bought a (very good condition) 1989 Mercedes E Class in 2010 for $2,600. The odometer was broke at 160K miles when I bought it. So it could've had way more actual miles than that on it. It rode super smooth. The leather was flawless. Extremely well built! Very minimal mechanical repairs. ...only minimal (optional not mandatory) cosmetic repairs. In the 5 years that I owned it I spent less than $2,600 in total maintenance during that 5 years. That included ALL maintenance, including the givens like oil changes, tires, & brakes. The transmission eventually went out & I sold it still for a good price. I DEFINITELY got my money's worth & more! This particular Benz was my favorite car I've ever owned, including my 93 Acura Legend & 98 BMW 740. I plan to buy another one soon!! Benz enthusiasts LOVE the W124. As old as this Benz is it STILL looks Fly & is a head turner!!! I would gladly trade my current 2008 Lexus ES in for this 1989 Benz today!
Truly enjoyed this video, even more than your other videos which are SUPERB. Your knowledge is on point given how many cars you review, and you I agree with with most if not all points made. I wish I bought my C124 sooner, its truly a joy to own.
Always nice to come home from work at 10PM and hear "GOOD MORNEEEEN!" Beautiful car - saw it's already been spoken for. No surprise. I grew up just a couple of streets away from Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He drove a burgundy 124 station wagon in the early 90's.
We had an 89 300TE wagon we bought in 2003 and kept for 4 years until repairs/maintenance got too expensive. Great car, loved it and never had any major engine problems. Straight six motor was amazingly smooth. Electrical problems kept cropping up and were incredibly expensive even with a mechanic we trusted. Went to grad school and just couldn’t afford to keep the car on the road.
this is why I have been watching this channel since the BEFORE the Rooster days...Factually informative with a couple of dashes of salt and corona whiskey! ...oh and que the Check Engine light in 3...2...1.! EPIC.....Thank you for what you do Bill.
Nice review. That is a very nice and well preserved example. It is in excellent condition. The 300E is what drew me to the Mercedes Benz brand. It was the nicest car on the road back in the 80’s and early 90’s in my opinion.
Reposting from your last E class video... The sedans were nicknamed "V-Boots" where my dad comes from. I was a car crazy teenager when they were released and I remember being shocked when he said he'd rather stick with his W123s. Sure he had a profitable side-business exporting nearly new W123s to his home country and some of our best father/son times were our numerous trips checking out and buying them. But to my naive mind, newer always meant better. No matter what I said he wouldn't budge. At the time, I figured it was because he was older than your average dad and probably a little too set in his ways. Then again, the W123 vs W124 debate is probably the only thing that'll persist longer than the cars themselves. Fast forward 20 odd years and my father is gravely ill. Thankfully, he'd clung on just long enough for me and my brother to make the trip to see him. Yet it was clear that he needed to be re-hospitalized to have any chance of living much longer. Trouble is, he hated hospitals and he wouldn't budge. It's the morning of our last day. My brother-in-law - who happens to own a w124 - is due to take us to the airport. He agrees that we can make a detour to the hospital, IF I can persuade my father to go. I enter my father's room, wake him up and tell him there's a V-Boot outside, waiting to take him to the hospital. His dulled eyes instantly lit up. He raised his head and smiled as he asked expectantly "You've bought me a V-Boot?!" He looked so crestfallen when I explained that it was actually his son-in-law's. I felt crushed. Then I blurted "So you wait till you're on your deathbed before confessing that you'd really like a V-Boot after all?!" That was the last laugh we shared together... And the last ride. Love you Dad
my main man you certainly know your onions when it comes to cars and watches , that video was informal but informative all the very best and keep up the good work , happy new year to you sir .
Gregory Peck. Anyone still recall a C/D article from the eighties that compared these (& especially the 300TE estate) to him? Always loved how mostly chrome-free these were. Carved from granite.
Love this video, been following you for years. Got my '89 300 CE this summer. Beautiful metallic brown with a rare beige leather interior. It's a keeper. All I need is a 70's land yacht now.
Well Bill, I am late to the party on this one, but as usual all very exquisite. I already own an '09 CLK Cabrio which is likewise exquisite, but of course drawn to the undeniable pedigree of the W124. Lovely work on this, wonderful detail and camera work. Thankyou!
Hey Bill Happy New years from up north from your Chipper Canadians and thanks for the great weather reports and car reviews and all the laughs . looking forward to see your new videos in 2022 .Take Care.Bill .
I still drive a 140. I love those older Mercedes cars. I had a w124. When it was sold it had 390,000 miles and still was in perfect condition. The peak of the automobile.
@@ashookchandra8191 That's when basically everything started to slide.... And by around '05 every manufacturer replaced quality with "gadgetry". I only drive old cars.... W140, 928, '70 Cougar.
Thanks Bill. Love the video and the car! I have a 95 e320 cabrio with low miles and got flagged down on the highway recently asking if I would sell it. Great last true Benz. I fell in love with this car when the movie ‘The Firm’ has one in it so finally got one. Happy new year!
Bill, you had Heart " Magic Man " on the radio at the end of the thing. Thanks for a great year despite the goats, cats, killer rabbits, etc. See you on the other side. One day I will drive the 91 Prelude down, the air conditioner was ripped put years ago so I'll have to pick my window of time. Best
I drive a 1995 C124 E320 Coupe as a daily driver. The asymmetrical mirrors have got to be there for good reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if they were implemented to provide for faster eye focusing. Thanks for giving me additional ammunition for keeping my baby!
One would have thought that with the margins Mercedes was making in the US market on these cars, they should have designed a dedicated US spec headlight. This looks like a home made chop-shio conversion , notat all in line with the high image if the car. The rest is pure perfection. This model was still frequently found in taxi service well into the 2000's with mileage into the 400-500k km's in European diesel models.
Hello Bill, thanks for your vids, they are hilarious and informative. All the best and Happy New Year from Adam, the displaced Englishman in Vancouver, BC.
I had to stop and gaze at the 25:17 mark as that's the exact configuration of my 95 E320, affectionately called by me my little Green Hornet. She's tucked away for the winter, but it really is a year around car built like a tank. I'm learning a lot of great history watching this video, along with enjoying a few good laughs. Thank you!
About the rear-view mirrors, according to a German car magazine, Mercedes made the passenger side one shorter and taller to make it easier to parallel park and turn, increasing the visibility for cyclists when turning right. I was also slightly more aerodynamic due to the smaller surface area. It was, however, ultimately discontinued due to stricter European laws and the fact that it just looked odd. By the way, is that a Pulsar watch Bill? It doesn't get much more 70s than that, and I absolutely love it!
Tbh the asymmetrical side mirrors remind me of what my old biology teacher had told us back in school, that one side of your body does not entirely, equally match your other side. So to me, that gives this car more of a human appearance if you understand what I’m saying haha
So nice, and rare in a coupe. This was the last generation where the doors sounded like you were closing a vault. I had a Sedan with the bigger engine. I think an 89? My first Mercedes a 400 or 420 E . I have had 8 since that one with several big GM SUVs in between. None compared in quality to this 89 vintage. I'm going to let some animals loose in the yard. It's been too quiet over there lol
Just kidding, but I'm waiting for the bald eagles from North East Florida (it's in the link here) to make their way down to Naples out of the sky during a car review ua-cam.com/video/SrKkGqkQG6M/v-deo.html
@@ChristopheZ it's was a 95 I believe. Help me, they produced a 260? Not. A 300 not. The next engine/model up. My first M B. It had very high belly plastic that did not shine.
@@curiouscars9282 Same for myself it was ok but nothing like how it was years ago. All the fun and excitement has been sucked out of the world, whiskey helps to block it out.
I have a '93 CE and (as mentioned in the other video) a '94 Firebird Formula. The difference in build quality, the materials, the thought Mercedes put into everything, the ease of repairing many things, the genius of simplicity, it's unbelievable. I love the style and the engine of my Formula, but compared to the CE the Formula seems like it was engineered and put together by toddlers. btw, I am really impressed regarding your knowledge of the car and the details you mentioned, great stuff! Regarding the wheels, I believe these (in a slightly different variation with rounder holes) first came out on the W126 S-Class in the late 70s and early 80s. The wheels that are most associated with the W124 are the 8-hole wheels that you show on some of the pictures of other W124 that you put in the video. Regarding the car in the video, I sort of doubt that that is a 89 car. When you look at the outside it's missing all the chrome applications that are supposed to be there on top of the bumpers and the Sacco trim on the side, and on the inside it has all the old interior in it that was changed by 89. It has no wood trim on the door panels, it has the old leather inserts in the door panels, it has the old leather seats, it has no wood trim along the dashboard either. This is not a 89 car, I would argue it's an 87 or 88.
If you google "Bruno Sacco" you will find that this gent was a mechanical engineer from Italy who was the chief of design at MB from the mid 70s through 1999 or so. Under his watch, the MB engineers were given almost free reign to design and build the perfect car, hence the w123 and the w124. These cars were very expensive, close to 100k in today's dollar. But for your money you received an automobile with a 30 year plus lifespan. The prevailing wisdom at MB during this era was "form follows function". Simply put, the car was designed by engineers and not stylists. All of this is quite evident if you are lucky enough to own one of these vehicles. Nothing before or since can match the fit, finish and stout nature of these special cars. It's worth noting that MB had no real competition in this era: Lexus was just ramping up; Audi was plagued by quality issues and BMW was really a sports sedan for sports sedan fanatics. MB owned this whole segment. Sadly, Sacco retired around 1999 and MB never regained the greatness of the w123 or w124.
I think the Baby-Benz deserves a video by now 🥺🥺 Also, the Gullideckel wheels were already available on the W201 in 1984, before the W124 came to market.
Bill, love you work. Watch all your vids. I gained a new appreciation for these cars. I just bought one and modded it for off-road bashing for variety club rallies. It is extremely well engineered and built however, without me researching what I’m about to say ( I’m lazy) I was sure some of those safety features you mentioned were first introduced by Volvo in the 70’s (padded dash, crumple zones and drop down engines in frontal crashes etc). That was my understanding growing up with a father who loved the Volvos. Either way I’m certainly appreciating these Benz’s now!
Das war der beste Benz Model der gebaut worden ist . Ich finde es immer sehr interessant, dass die mercedes für den US Markt schon damals Klima automatisch und Lederausstattung hatte .Und das dritte Bremslicht, was dann ab 1995 in den w210 eingebaut würde. Allgemein finde ich die US 🇺🇸Version immer viel schöner und stabil. Weil bei uns findet man so ein mercedes mit der Ausstattung sehr selten. Danke für das tolle Video 👍🇺🇸
A 1990 300CE sits on a battery tender in my frigid garage. After 10+ years of ownership, I've never known how to turn on the headlight washers. Been the best old car I ever bought.
Assuming they are functional, turn on the headlamps and invoke the uniwiper, then press the stalk to wash the windshield. They are designed to activate if the headlamps are on and you are cleaning your windshield, however some models,, in an effort to save washer fluid, will require three actuations of the windshield washer with the headlamps on.
It is said that each time the "check engine" light goes on a Mercedes Benz, a service technician's child get their college tuition paid off for the semester.
as an old guy with young kids in thier 20s I share your sentiment bill, Im 47, I remember the 80s, the threat of thermonuclear destruction was a thing, but a little understanding between old and young people goes a long way, as always the media is to blame for most of our divisions.
A day with a Curious Cars upload is always a good day. Thank you Bill
Thanks, Kevin - appreciate the compliment.
@@curiouscars9282 Bicurious cars ftw!
worried his palsy is getting worse seeing in camera work!☹
@@davedave5787 Vaccine side effect
@@V8_screw_electric_cars hahahahah! Ok kiddo!
My uncle still has a E-Class like this one. I still say "Thank you Jeeves" when the seatbelt presenter hands you the seat belt. Mercedes also was the first to have standard airbags in a car in the 1981 S-Class. They also recognized the importance of being properly positioned for airbag deployment so they also equipped the S-Class with the first seatbelt pretensioners. Back then Mercedes were expensive because of the high material quality and precise engineering. Now it's about high tech screens, ambient lighting and perfume dispensers.
the new benz is total crap!
@@davedave5787 just like a new cell phone great service for a few years then it becomes disposable and off u go to buy a new one sooo sad 😭😭😭
Agree 😊👍💯
Yes, much more enjoyable now!! Who cares about wood quality lol, I like to ENJOY my cars
Never truer words have been spoken
Not the last one, but one of the last ones yes. The R129 and W140 came after the W124 and I would consider those the last great ones in that old school sense. Absolutely excellent review. Only if Mercedes made their cars like this again. They'd cost a fortune, but people would still line up to buy.
0:30 the sound of that Mr 6 cylinder this is a 1989 gray Mr 300ce this one is the c124 equipped with a Mr interior with the Mr windows now under the hood it has the optional 3.0 L inline 6 in this Mr it's not a bad inline 6 cylinder that has a mystery steering wheel Mr fuel and it has that wood grain all over on this Mr has Mr climate control Mr radio with some cassette player that has so we can change to different like Mr stations with a mister ashtray and a Mr power outlet and has a Mr sunroof and it has a Mr p on it a Mister parking brake
I also agree the w124 is the best car ever made. I own several Benzes, but my favorite is a 1986 300E. It has 800,000 original miles. I'm the 2nd owner. Bought it in 1988 with 25k miles. I've only done the engine lifters once, and the transmission twice (once at 145k, which I was cheated by a mechanic to prematurely do, and the second time at 250k, and never after that). The car is still solid and drives beautifully. The interior and paint are still beautiful. Silver/black color.
That's correct Bill, the mirrors are asymmetric because they had a different function. The mirror on the right side is shorter and higher and primarly meant for parking and better view when turning right.
My wife and I had a 1992 4 door back in the day... solid car that did everything well. Not only sounded like a vault closing the doors, it went down the highway like a vault... felt heavy in a straight line at 80 mph but nimble enough around town.
Mercedes and BMW are definitely drivers cars!!!
If it felt heavy, may have been some bushings getting a little bit worn. I can tell you that, hypothetically, these cars take a real set and get planted at just above 100.
No one cares
@@HipsterDoofus100 Your’re wrong
8:09
I loved that single wiper on my 2001 CLK430… I could sit and watch it do it’s thing all day, reaching out to get the corners of the glass. It was so heavy that it was silent on the glass, never a shudder or skip from the rubber blade, and when sitting still, you could feel the car move ever-so-slightly from the torque of the arm motor. THAT was definitely the old Mercedes-Benz, money-no-object approach, “Engineered like no other car in the world.”
Bill has actually been a very bad influence on me. Two years ago, I bought a Lexus LS400 because of his review of one. It was, as he described it, competently put together but soulless. I did some work and sold it maybe six months later. Things are much worse, now. I don’t get rid of anything and am accumulating more! Last January, I bought a w124 e300 diesel with under 100k on the clock. I’ve put in a New wiring harness, engine and tranny mounts and replaced damned near every seal where oil and tranny fluid could leak from. I have to put in a new diesel injection pump and that should be it for this project. Over the summer, I picked up a very nice w140 s320 based on Bill’s recommendation. It’s a ‘99 with the short wheelbase and only 83k on the clock. New wheels, tires, an alignment and transmission service is all she’s needed so far. Tonight, I’m picking up a Dodge Challenger Widebody Scat Pack in Black, fully loaded up. Let’s hammer it!
So far, my wife has been a real sport. She’s just starting to grimace whenever she hears “Good Morning!” Thanks for another stellar excursion into a really cool car. Happy 2022 to everyone watching this channel!
I'd like to hear you expand on what you mean by *_"soulless"._*
We often hear someone say the same about this or that car, and I never know what they mean.
Are you (or others) referring to a 'non-sporty' characteristic, or something else?
I, for one, can never get enough sound insulation, bump absorption and smoothness of ride. Every car I've had never had enough of the above. But car reviewers (virtually every frigging one) always evaluate every....single....vehicle they review by how close it comes to being a sports car. Personally, I don't get it. But that's me :D
@@be5952 excellent question! Some cars are appliances that get you from point a to point b. Other cars are something you connect with. You bond with them, sometimes on an emotional level. You look forward to driving them. It’s not always because they are fast or really comfortable. The LS400 I had, was an amazing car for it’s time. It had technology galore. The motor was bulletproof and it was exceptionally quiet and smooth. The interior was a really nice place to be. I just never bonded with the car. I never felt excited about driving it. My W140 has less in the way of technology. The 3.2 straight six isn’t fast by any measure. It’s smooth as glass and able to cruise at 100 all day long. The difference between these two cars is that I just love the way the car is put together. You can feel the quality of the switchgear. The double pane side windows are works of art. Even the vacuum operated door and trunk closing features, which still work after 23 years, are all designed to make you feel safe and comfortable. Think about this for a minute. Mercedes had to seriously cheapen the S Class w220 in order to compete with Lexus. That’s when they stopped building cars to a standard.
I've owned a 1990 230E for 12 years. It has now done 340,000km and still looks and drives like a new one. Your video says it all. I love it!
There is a saying my father says:
The less things a car has, the less things can break.
And that is 100% true
I can’t imagine the frustration and hilarity of Bill wrapping presents. Would’ve made for a great video. Maybe next year.
I remember being 19 and my boss at the time had a white 95 300CE and I thought it was so beautiful.
Awesome review!
I love the look of this series. They should have never deviated from it. What killed it was that the world was becoming more globalized and less "German" in Germany. They started favoring cost over quality as time went on. The presence of the massive metal grille became more streamlined and plastic. Also, the shift in the German population no longer seemed to care as long as it had the Benz name. Today's MB lacks character, especially below the E models.
Mercedes makes a few unique, interesting vehicles. We no longer/never did get them in the USA. A45S hatch/shooting brake, G63, & E63 Estate. As far as the other stuff, like sedans & coupes, they have been overtaken by Porsche
I think mercedes should still make it just like they do g-wagen.
@@V8_screw_electric_cars it would cost $200,000 and a violation of environmental laws (blame the government…fuel economy standards are different for trucks)
@@JoJoJoker They had better economy than some of the new cars, europe had 200E version US only got the biggest engines.
@@V8_screw_electric_cars those old European diesels were extremely slow cars….
Here in small town germany there are still a ton of W124 mercedes running around. A lot of them are still being driven (very slowly) by the original owners because they just never saw a reason to replace them.
You should have your own tv show Bill, in fact you are the windowless, pillarless, peak of automotive journalism, I enjoy every vid you make 🥂🍾💫
This car represents perfection in both design and engineering. Cars started to look this modern 5 to 10 years later.
A big THANK YOU from Germany for this EXCELLENT entertainment :-) I LOVE every single one of your videos !
I love that there’s a ‘peter’ a rich guy who we never see like on magnum pi. Never show us Peter but always talk about his extravagant life.
This beauty is already "sale pending" on the Autohaus website and it's no wonder. Beautiful machine and another great review, Bill.
Yes, it was listed for $14,900 (for future reference).
42:55 "They're known for breaking, but of course, that's more from misuse than it is from inherently bad design the way it would be in a BMW product."
Savage, Bill. I love it! :D
Bill you don’t know how good you have it. We have snow and rusty cars. Love Mercedes coupes, solid cars that do not disappoint. We have deer out back and squirrels out front, we’re surrounded!
Greetings Bill, this looks like the Mercedes that the snowflakes from Autohaus reviewed this morning!!! Don't worry, your video is far & away better than theirs. They never give weather & animal reports, no synopsis of the year & I don't think that they have ever heard of Canadians!!!! Keep up the good work & have a shot of coronavirus whiskey for me!!! 🥃
It’s the perfect balance because the young Simps can watch the snowflakes video and us men can watch bill and relate to his misery and learn from his encyclopedia of knowledge.
I don't mind the snowflakes at Autohaus, Bill has taught them well.
13:11... as a fellow gen X'er Bill's comment there has so much strong perspective against today's younger generation's worries.
Welcome to my world, I have 4 of these 300CE's. 89-90 are the better years. One 1990 had the original sticker and it was $60,000 new. I consider it the smarter answer to a vintage Mercedes and close to as cute as a 190. My 1992 runs hot at times, even after service. 2 1990s drive like new. My 93 convertible can run hot at times, too. But it gives a clean, sporty feel in all years. The leather upholstery has help up well and still looks and feels great today. This model gives you the personal luxury format in a very manageable sized car. The 500SEC is beautiful, but just too big to be fun.
Check on the electric wire harness
Nearly there Bill! Another five minutes will move you into Legendary Legend status! Keep 'em coming, we love ya!
Hey Bill! Thank you for making these videos! I struggle with insomnia at night and listening to your videos helps me relax and sleep. Take care bud!
I own a 1995 A124 Cabriolet and even after 28 years on the road, there are no squeaks or rattles on my old car. Everything still works flawlessly and the paint has held up remarkably well and has no fading what so ever. While I like some of the rear drive Cadillacs from the 80s and early 90s, they don’t hold up as well as one of these German tanks.
One of the things I always admired... you can't see the seams. They incorporated the seams where sides and fenders meet at a natural opening along the door, trunk openings or incorporated into the side trim.
American cars, especially, made no effort to hide or incorporate where they slapped on (often plastic) front and rear caps and corners, and where the hood met the front clip, even on their most expensive cars.
Basically, you don't see seams, unless that part has to open.
Perfect.
Benz made these parts all of one piece, the fender surrounds the corner lamps, rather than fitting a cheap plastic corner piece. No seam between hood and grille, since the grille is connected and opens with the hood.
Clean, neat, sophisticated, solid looking.
Even look at more current E Class coupes, and you will see random , crazy seams arching across the rear fenders, not in line with character metal stampings, or aligning with trim, or anything else. Just a poorly designed, obvious, and ugly exposed seam on cars that had become already busy with too many character lines, pontoon-like sculpting, etc.
Just another reason why this car gives the idea of being "made from one solid block of granite".
You are absolutely correct. This is the last great Mercedes. One of the very best. Just beautiful. After this, It all went to crap. Oh, and 55 minutes. ! Ok. Let me get comfortable.
Can't believe it went on that long - sure didn't feel like it.
@@curiouscars9282 we all benefit. Thank you.
I daily drive a 1993 W124 400E in Florida...Loving it!!! I bought it 5 years ago with 150K miles, now I have 289K miles on it :) ;)
I love the weather and animal updates on every video. I appreciate the fact you know about some of the details such as the proper operation of the headlight switch and other nuanced tidbits. Looking forward to the next unique and well-preserved car that you feature. Happy New Year!
Love, love, love your channel. Thank you so much for putting out these videos. The commentary is... I can't even put words on it. It reminds me of the men that made me who I am, the stories that echoed in my childhood in the 90s, the nostalgia is palpable, the truth impeccable.
Thank you for the videos you've made, thank you for the videos you will make.
Bill once again you nailed that review 👍🏼
Your knowledge of Mercedes’ is epic
Clearly one of your favourites and that show’s with this review.. keep them coming
As always a big thank you..
I bought a (very good condition) 1989 Mercedes E Class in 2010 for $2,600. The odometer was broke at 160K miles when I bought it. So it could've had way more actual miles than that on it. It rode super smooth. The leather was flawless. Extremely well built! Very minimal mechanical repairs. ...only minimal (optional not mandatory) cosmetic repairs. In the 5 years that I owned it I spent less than $2,600 in total maintenance during that 5 years. That included ALL maintenance, including the givens like oil changes, tires, & brakes. The transmission eventually went out & I sold it still for a good price. I DEFINITELY got my money's worth & more! This particular Benz was my favorite car I've ever owned, including my 93 Acura Legend & 98 BMW 740. I plan to buy another one soon!! Benz enthusiasts LOVE the W124. As old as this Benz is it STILL looks Fly & is a head turner!!! I would gladly trade my current 2008 Lexus ES in for this 1989 Benz today!
Outstanding video and commentary.. your wit and sense of detailing the design and history of the ride was excellent
Truly enjoyed this video, even more than your other videos which are SUPERB. Your knowledge is on point given how many cars you review, and you I agree with with most if not all points made. I wish I bought my C124 sooner, its truly a joy to own.
Always nice to come home from work at 10PM and hear "GOOD MORNEEEEN!" Beautiful car - saw it's already been spoken for. No surprise. I grew up just a couple of streets away from Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He drove a burgundy 124 station wagon in the early 90's.
Happy New Year, Bill. Thanks for the videos again this year. May 2022 bring you bird-free mornings and whiskey-filled evenings!
Just bought an 89 w124 -260E, w/81k original miles...... fabulous car!!
We had an 89 300TE wagon we bought in 2003 and kept for 4 years until repairs/maintenance got too expensive. Great car, loved it and never had any major engine problems. Straight six motor was amazingly smooth. Electrical problems kept cropping up and were incredibly expensive even with a mechanic we trusted. Went to grad school and just couldn’t afford to keep the car on the road.
That is one of my favorite classic Mercedes-Benz color combinations. I can't wait to see you review a 190E 2.6.
this is why I have been watching this channel since the BEFORE the Rooster days...Factually informative with a couple of dashes of salt and corona whiskey! ...oh and que the Check Engine light in 3...2...1.! EPIC.....Thank you for what you do Bill.
Nice review. That is a very nice and well preserved example. It is in excellent condition. The 300E is what drew me to the Mercedes Benz brand. It was the nicest car on the road back in the 80’s and early 90’s in my opinion.
Amazing, the story that comes with the vehicles are priceless 👌
Reposting from your last E class video...
The sedans were nicknamed "V-Boots" where my dad comes from. I was a car crazy teenager when they were released and I remember being shocked when he said he'd rather stick with his W123s. Sure he had a profitable side-business exporting nearly new W123s to his home country and some of our best father/son times were our numerous trips checking out and buying them. But to my naive mind, newer always meant better. No matter what I said he wouldn't budge. At the time, I figured it was because he was older than your average dad and probably a little too set in his ways. Then again, the W123 vs W124 debate is probably the only thing that'll persist longer than the cars themselves.
Fast forward 20 odd years and my father is gravely ill. Thankfully, he'd clung on just long enough for me and my brother to make the trip to see him. Yet it was clear that he needed to be re-hospitalized to have any chance of living much longer. Trouble is, he hated hospitals and he wouldn't budge.
It's the morning of our last day. My brother-in-law - who happens to own a w124 - is due to take us to the airport. He agrees that we can make a detour to the hospital, IF I can persuade my father to go.
I enter my father's room, wake him up and tell him there's a V-Boot outside, waiting to take him to the hospital. His dulled eyes instantly lit up. He raised his head and smiled as he asked expectantly "You've bought me a V-Boot?!"
He looked so crestfallen when I explained that it was actually his son-in-law's.
I felt crushed.
Then I blurted "So you wait till you're on your deathbed before confessing that you'd really like a V-Boot after all?!"
That was the last laugh we shared together...
And the last ride.
Love you Dad
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, thanks for the laughs and great content as always.
my main man you certainly know your onions when it comes to cars and watches , that video was informal but informative all the very best and keep up the good work , happy new year to you sir .
all your cars presentations are perfect man, you r the best
This is such a beautiful example of the last of the best Mercedes ever. Thank you Bill ! The most beautiful bank vault on wheels.
I love this channel could listen to Bill all day his reviews are excellent material . Thank you Bill you always make me smile keep the good work up.
Bill your the best! Thanks for a the different cars and the information you pass on.
Gregory Peck.
Anyone still recall a C/D article from the eighties that compared these (& especially the 300TE estate) to him?
Always loved how mostly chrome-free these were.
Carved from granite.
Love this video, been following you for years. Got my '89 300 CE this summer. Beautiful metallic brown with a rare beige leather interior. It's a keeper. All I need is a 70's land yacht now.
Well Bill, I am late to the party on this one, but as usual all very exquisite. I already own an '09 CLK Cabrio which is likewise exquisite, but of course drawn to the undeniable pedigree of the W124. Lovely work on this, wonderful detail and camera work. Thankyou!
Hey Bill Happy New years from up north from your Chipper Canadians and thanks for the great weather reports and car reviews and all the laughs . looking forward to see your new videos in 2022 .Take Care.Bill .
Bill, I live for this! Your the man bud!
I still drive a 140. I love those older Mercedes cars. I had a w124. When it was sold it had 390,000 miles and still was in perfect condition.
The peak of the automobile.
So solid but since the mid 90s garbage 🗑️
@@ashookchandra8191
That's when basically everything started to slide.... And by around '05 every manufacturer replaced quality with "gadgetry".
I only drive old cars.... W140, 928, '70 Cougar.
All your videos are great thank you keep them coming.
In North Dallas in the early 90s, you couldn't throw a rock without hitting one of these. Enjoyable review of a great car.
Thanks Bill. Love the video and the car! I have a 95 e320 cabrio with low miles and got flagged down on the highway recently asking if I would sell it. Great last true Benz. I fell in love with this car when the movie ‘The Firm’ has one in it so finally got one. Happy new year!
I love your 1 hour full TV length show length reviews. If only you could put commercials in now so we could go grab a meal in between.
Absolutely best MB motivational speech and video I have heard of
Bill, you had Heart " Magic Man " on the radio at the end of the thing. Thanks for a great year despite the goats, cats, killer rabbits, etc. See you on the other side. One day I will drive the 91 Prelude down, the air conditioner was ripped put years ago so I'll have to pick my window of time. Best
Good morning lol. Love your vids bill. Been watching basically since you started!
I drive a 1995 C124 E320 Coupe as a daily driver. The asymmetrical mirrors have got to be there for good reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if they were implemented to provide for faster eye focusing. Thanks for giving me additional ammunition for keeping my baby!
One would have thought that with the margins Mercedes was making in the US market on these cars, they should have designed a dedicated US spec headlight. This looks like a home made chop-shio conversion , notat all in line with the high image if the car. The rest is pure perfection. This model was still frequently found in taxi service well into the 2000's with mileage into the 400-500k km's in European diesel models.
The best channel on UA-cam, keep up the good work & keep an eye out for those birds!
Happy new year Bill! Great review and finally, you were able to review the 124 coupe.
Amazing review. The best
Simply outstanding in every way, this video and this car. Superb.
Hello Bill, thanks for your vids, they are hilarious and informative. All the best and Happy New Year from Adam, the displaced Englishman in Vancouver, BC.
I had to stop and gaze at the 25:17 mark as that's the exact configuration of my 95 E320, affectionately called by me my little Green Hornet. She's tucked away for the winter, but it really is a year around car built like a tank. I'm learning a lot of great history watching this video, along with enjoying a few good laughs. Thank you!
Nice Omega Digital watch Bill. THANKS for the content this year!
About the rear-view mirrors, according to a German car magazine, Mercedes made the passenger side one shorter and taller to make it easier to parallel park and turn, increasing the visibility for cyclists when turning right. I was also slightly more aerodynamic due to the smaller surface area.
It was, however, ultimately discontinued due to stricter European laws and the fact that it just looked odd.
By the way, is that a Pulsar watch Bill? It doesn't get much more 70s than that, and I absolutely love it!
Tbh the asymmetrical side mirrors remind me of what my old biology teacher had told us back in school, that one side of your body does not entirely, equally match your other side. So to me, that gives this car more of a human appearance if you understand what I’m saying haha
As always great work
W124 is the best Mercedes ever made and yes, the finest car ever built . Spot on right as always mate ! On On !
So nice, and rare in a coupe. This was the last generation where the doors sounded like you were closing a vault. I had a Sedan with the bigger engine. I think an 89? My first Mercedes a 400 or 420 E .
I have had 8 since that one with several big GM SUVs in between. None compared in quality to this 89 vintage.
I'm going to let some animals loose in the yard. It's been too quiet over there lol
Just kidding, but I'm waiting for the bald eagles from North East Florida (it's in the link here) to make their way down to Naples out of the sky during a car review ua-cam.com/video/SrKkGqkQG6M/v-deo.html
@@bradford_shaun_murray it's just not the same without the birds, goats, or feral cats.
Or maybe an ex in the bushes!!
400E came out in 1992 to 1993, the E420 was 1994 -1995...if your W124 was an 89, it was definitely NOT a V8
@@ChristopheZ it's was a 95 I believe.
Help me, they produced a 260? Not.
A 300 not. The next engine/model up.
My first M B.
It had very high belly plastic that did not shine.
@@ChristopheZ it was fast.
Thanks for your videos Bill!
Bill and I thought I was the only one still wearing a Pulsar P3 watch from the early 70's, now I feel little better, nice watch on your wrist.
Thanks for this video.very interesting
Good day Bill hope you and the family had a great Christmas
Hello Paulie - Honestly, it was kind of a crap Christmas, but probably could have been worse. Hope you're doing well.
@@curiouscars9282
Same for myself it was ok but nothing like how it was years ago. All the fun and excitement has been sucked out of the world, whiskey helps to block it out.
I have a '93 CE and (as mentioned in the other video) a '94 Firebird Formula. The difference in build quality, the materials, the thought Mercedes put into everything, the ease of repairing many things, the genius of simplicity, it's unbelievable. I love the style and the engine of my Formula, but compared to the CE the Formula seems like it was engineered and put together by toddlers.
btw, I am really impressed regarding your knowledge of the car and the details you mentioned, great stuff! Regarding the wheels, I believe these (in a slightly different variation with rounder holes) first came out on the W126 S-Class in the late 70s and early 80s. The wheels that are most associated with the W124 are the 8-hole wheels that you show on some of the pictures of other W124 that you put in the video.
Regarding the car in the video, I sort of doubt that that is a 89 car. When you look at the outside it's missing all the chrome applications that are supposed to be there on top of the bumpers and the Sacco trim on the side, and on the inside it has all the old interior in it that was changed by 89. It has no wood trim on the door panels, it has the old leather inserts in the door panels, it has the old leather seats, it has no wood trim along the dashboard either. This is not a 89 car, I would argue it's an 87 or 88.
Wow...a 55 minute video about a W124 coupe! Now that's just a wonderful, late Christmas present!
I love the way you announce "GOOD MORNING!" It's trademark tier, lol!
I Have a feeling I can talk car with this dude forever...lol!. Great job again!!!!
If you google "Bruno Sacco" you will find that this gent was a mechanical engineer from Italy who was the chief of design at MB from the mid 70s through 1999 or so. Under his watch, the MB engineers were given almost free reign to design and build the perfect car, hence the w123 and the w124. These cars were very expensive, close to 100k in today's dollar. But for your money you received an automobile with a 30 year plus lifespan. The prevailing wisdom at MB during this era was "form follows function". Simply put, the car was designed by engineers and not stylists. All of this is quite evident if you are lucky enough to own one of these vehicles. Nothing before or since can match the fit, finish and stout nature of these special cars. It's worth noting that MB had no real competition in this era: Lexus was just ramping up; Audi was plagued by quality issues and BMW was really a sports sedan for sports sedan fanatics. MB owned this whole segment. Sadly, Sacco retired around 1999 and MB never regained the greatness of the w123 or w124.
Goodmorning.. the ramblings are priceless
I think the Baby-Benz deserves a video by now 🥺🥺
Also, the Gullideckel wheels were already available on the W201 in 1984, before the W124 came to market.
Bill, love you work. Watch all your vids. I gained a new appreciation for these cars. I just bought one and modded it for off-road bashing for variety club rallies. It is extremely well engineered and built however, without me researching what I’m about to say ( I’m lazy) I was sure some of those safety features you mentioned were first introduced by Volvo in the 70’s (padded dash, crumple zones and drop down engines in frontal crashes etc). That was my understanding growing up with a father who loved the Volvos. Either way I’m certainly appreciating these Benz’s now!
Love your videos
Great review Bill..
Perfect 👍🏿 video I love the night drive I wish I could find on there so rare ! Very good quality car. The Leather is unbelievable.
That was hilarious. Well done!
Das war der beste Benz Model der gebaut worden ist . Ich finde es immer sehr interessant, dass die mercedes für den US Markt schon damals Klima automatisch und Lederausstattung hatte .Und das dritte Bremslicht, was dann ab 1995 in den w210 eingebaut würde. Allgemein finde ich die US 🇺🇸Version immer viel schöner und stabil. Weil bei uns findet man so ein mercedes mit der Ausstattung sehr selten. Danke für das tolle Video 👍🇺🇸
A 1990 300CE sits on a battery tender in my frigid garage. After 10+ years of ownership, I've never known how to turn on the headlight washers. Been the best old car I ever bought.
Assuming they are functional, turn on the headlamps and invoke the uniwiper, then press the stalk to wash the windshield. They are designed to activate if the headlamps are on and you are cleaning your windshield, however some models,, in an effort to save washer fluid, will require three actuations of the windshield washer with the headlamps on.
Bill...you are, quite simply...The Best!
a great review and the history of the car very well presented ... i have two of these ... great cars
Nice car Bill!!! Happy Holidays!!!
Looking forward to ALL your upcoming videos in 2022.
Cheers to you with a covid whiskey drink. Thanks again
It is said that each time the "check engine" light goes on a Mercedes Benz, a service technician's child get their college tuition paid off for the semester.
🤣👍
as an old guy with young kids in thier 20s I share your sentiment bill, Im 47, I remember the 80s, the threat of thermonuclear destruction was a thing, but a little understanding between old and young people goes a long way, as always the media is to blame for most of our divisions.