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Old 7th December 2013, 14:29   #46
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Congrats on the car. It looks amazing, no one can say that its 2 decades old. Just timeless design. I go through the W124/140 fever every couple of months. Then I am unable to find one in decent shape and give up. And the cycle keeps repeating.

@Viraat13 - The benz you bought looks pretty nice too. Time for a writeup on that? Is that a custom paint job on it? If i remember the forums correctly you already had a couple/one of 124s?
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Old 7th December 2013, 14:35   #47
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Quote:
Originally Posted by crdi View Post
Saab err, be kind to tell the meaning of "Herr Kampfpanzer" & how it is pronounced. I loathe google.
Rudimentary German lessons on Duolingo have taught me that it means Mr Battletank. Pronounced "her camp-fan-zer".
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Old 7th December 2013, 14:55   #48
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Great review! Thanks for sharing

Brought back the memories of the first W124 I sat in – back in 1996. It was my gym friend’s car and after a drive around, it was hard to drag myself back onto my Yezdi Roadking .
Do keep updating the thread.
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Old 7th December 2013, 15:22   #49
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

How do you adjust the analog clock on the instrument panel? Where is the switch located for the clock? And secondly the door mirrors fold in completely or don't?
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Old 7th December 2013, 20:35   #50
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Quote:
Originally Posted by crdi View Post
Saab err, be kind to tell the meaning of "Herr Kampfpanzer" & how it is pronounced. I loathe google.
Heh! As Viraat absolutely correctly replied, it does indeed mean, "Mr. Battle tank".

With regards to pronouncing it, it goes "Haia"" (the r's are silent) "Caimph-painsa" (again the silent r!)

Quote:
Originally Posted by avishar View Post
There is an inherent beauty in old German sedans,the ordinary drab run of the mills one,which to me are oh-so-romantique! Starting with the Beemer 1600s,1800s,E21s to the mid 90s,Audi 80,100s(My favourite is the luxo barge Audi V8) and ofcourse the W Mercs.

For the W124,i can never pinpoint how a set of simple slab sided lines look so attractive.

I love that wiper,the one where it does a little pirouette in the centre to cover the maximum windscreen.

Ruddy well written review!
You my friend are a man after my own heart, with impeccable taste (at least in automobiles) - which is good enough for me!!!

What a fantastic word to describe the wiper movement! You're right, it actually is a darned pirouette!

Thank you for the compliments on the writing - I do ramble on unless someone slaps me on the wrist!!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by joshiviv View Post
Congrats on the car. It looks amazing, no one can say that its 2 decades old. Just timeless design. I go through the W124/140 fever every couple of months. Then I am unable to find one in decent shape and give up. And the cycle keeps repeating.
Thank you kind sir!

The fantastic thing about design that is un-fussy is that they never date. And man - the guys as Mercedes got this one spot on!!! Here's wishing you luck on your continued search. I'm now after a W140, so you'd better keep your eyes peeled!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Viraat13 View Post
Rudimentary German lessons on Duolingo have taught me that it means Mr Battletank. Pronounced "her camp-fan-zer".
Right you are Viraat! Just the R's are silent...

Quote:
Originally Posted by vb-san View Post
Great review! Thanks for sharing

Brought back the memories of the first W124 I sat in – back in 1996. It was my gym friend’s car and after a drive around, it was hard to drag myself back onto my Yezdi Roadking .
Do keep updating the thread.
My 1st memory of a 124 ride is pretty darn special too actually! I will keep updating the thread - God promise!!!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by W.A.G.7 View Post
How do you adjust the analog clock on the instrument panel? Where is the switch located for the clock? And secondly the door mirrors fold in completely or don't?
You have now got me scratching my head!!!! Not only that I have actually gone into the manual to see how to do it too...!

I'm assuming it is from the two knobs on the centre console, but the last time I fiddled with the knob for the trip-meter, I almost broke the ruddy thing - therefore I have kept my paws off it so far!

With regards to the mirrors, they actually remain pointed outwards, which is why the short mirror on the left is absolutely magic...
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Old 7th December 2013, 23:40   #51
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

In all the excitement – I actually never got around to talking of how I decided the W124 would be a handy daily driver did I???

No. I was not on an intoxicant. Neither was I delirious with fever. Nor was my brain the end result of some fiendish alien experiment.

You don’t believe me do you?
*Sigh*

It’s been a recurring theme from the time I was a wee child.

Never mind.

So, remember I spoke of not being able to drive my Delhi registered cars in Bombay? Don’t you be nodding your heads like you remember, fellas – all of ya’ll are just snapping my chain, so stop it. I’ll have a pop quiz on the forum and the lot of ya’ll end up looking like wee fibbers!

Thanks to the fact that the cops were making my life a living hell (and then some!) I now have very very strong views on this practice of registering and re-registering a motor vehicle in different states of the same country. For those of you who think I’m in favour of it – do raise your hands, so that I can ask you to stand on one foot as you dance around while chanting, “Oh My God, I got that completely wrong…” while I sermonize and rant and rave and spit. (Okay, I won’t spit.)

See what you’ve made me do? Lose my train of thought. Where were we at? Ah. The 124 and how it came about.

You see, I was hell bent on the Fortuner. The big brute, who spat (ufff…there I go again) cars aside like flies in your onion soup. I’d wanted one from the day it first arrived, just never got around to driving one – but I wanted one nonetheless. You know – one of those *guy* things! And I was far too used to the idea of an SUV where you didn’t have to worry your already frazzled brain about which kooky nut job was going to rear end you, or side swipe you, or be a douchebag and stop suddenly in the middle of the road to have a chin wag with the neighbour he has met only 3 hours ago???

So I got into my Safari, drove past a Toyota showroom. Reversed and turned into it. Went barrel chested to the sales rep and announced, I’ll put down the full payment in 36 hours if you can have a car delivered to me by the end of the week. THAT got their attention! And a test drive vehicle!! I drove it out and was so gob smacked at being underwhelmed, that I actually didn’t know what to say. So I didn’t. Say anything that is.

All the reasons - on another thread maybe. But at the moment...At 27 lakhs and a lot of debt for it – I was not prepared to drive a Fortuner for the next 5 years of my life.

Then I got onto TBHP and once again noticed the world of pre-worshipped. And saw what my money could get me…! Civics, Lauras, Jettas, Accords..I was like a kid in a candy store. Then it led to the question, if I can get an Accord, I can surely stretch to the Bimmers of the world too…And renewed frenzy ensued.

Till.

I saw.

A W124 in the TBHP classifieds.

The apple must have hurt Einstein when it fell on his head. Mine still hurts – although that might have something to do with my being (willfully) bald. He on the other hand, was a fuzzy fella with a head full of hair (if pictures are to be believed!)

That was that. Off I went searching every forum in every online nook and cranny. Which led me to many many cars. Many of which I saw, and drove. Including one particularly colourful gentleman’s who claimed that the only cars he dealt with were “exotics” and imports and that his beige W124 was a German import in impeccable condition.

What it was, was a rust bucket, wheezing on itself as it struggled off from standstill. Clunking through the transmission and the most jerky kick down in the history of automatics. He then looks at me after an agonizing 10 minute drive (and that’s after he’s made me wait for him to show up in the first place for 40 minutes!!!) and asks, genuinely surprised too, “You want to drive?”

No. I wanted to see your lovely face, sunshine. The impeccably maintained car’s just a lame a$$ excuse…

He was big and fa…errrhealthy’, which is why I kept my mouth tightly shut though.

Lets just say, I didn’t call him back.

Like ever.

Then some others came and went. Nothing felt like I wanted to pull my cheque book out instantly and drive the little boy back home. (That actually sounds wrong, in so many different ways…) *sheesh*

Okay, lets do this again... Drive the big man home. (That didn’t make it much better now did it?????)


I tell you, we live in complicated times. Anyhow, it all went down, till that fateful phone call to this friend asking if I could come over for a chat… The thereafter is in a post on the first page.

I came into the world upside down i.e. I was a breach baby (or so I’ve been told), therefore my order of things has never been the best. Apologies for the all over the place posts, but it will get better from here. I to be promising saars (and madamz).

More soon...

Last edited by bIte tHe bulLet : 7th December 2013 at 23:48. Reason: Formatting OCD!!!
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Old 8th December 2013, 16:29   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet View Post

More soon...
Keep it coming! I think all of us are enjoying every last detail!
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Old 8th December 2013, 16:55   #53
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

I've said this before and will again, Mercedes Benz built battalion tanks in the disguise of passenger cars! They don't and won't die. It's always a pleasure to see an ownership with such honest love for the car. I have a family owned w201 with 70k Miles in the clock and still strong.

I'd like to ask you where would you get/have you got the replacement hood emblem from? Mine got nicked and I want to replace it. It's a bit different to the type on w124...w201 has it on the chrome grille hence it comes with a chrome base at its stem. I'm also inspired by the new exhaust system on yours, the w201 could do with a new system as well Some details please
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Old 8th December 2013, 17:57   #54
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Quote:
Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet View Post
The apple must have hurt Einstein when it fell on his head. Mine still hurts – although that might have something to do with my being (willfully) bald. He on the other hand, was a fuzzy fella with a head full of hair (if pictures are to be believed!)
Congratulations on the ownership of lovely vehicle. I have a scale model of same since I was 10 yrs old and I cherish it.

Sir, pardon me if I missed the pun/sarcasm in your exemplary writing, but being from the science fraternity, cant restrain from mentioning that it was Mr.Newton and not Einstein who had that encounter with the falling apple.

Last edited by Grr7 : 8th December 2013 at 18:02.
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Old 8th December 2013, 21:41   #55
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Quote:
Originally Posted by mango_pal View Post
Keep it coming! I think all of us are enjoying every last detail!
Thank you...much!
See, that's the advantage of having a captive audience - they got to see what you show 'em!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by lemedico View Post
I've said this before and will again, Mercedes Benz built battalion tanks in the disguise of passenger cars! They don't and won't die. It's always a pleasure to see an ownership with such honest love for the car. I have a family owned w201 with 70k Miles in the clock and still strong.

I'd like to ask you where would you get/have you got the replacement hood emblem from? Mine got nicked and I want to replace it. It's a bit different to the type on w124...w201 has it on the chrome grille hence it comes with a chrome base at its stem. I'm also inspired by the new exhaust system on yours, the w201 could do with a new system as well Some details please
I agree. Wholeheartedly!

I'm getting a replacement hood emblem from a trusted chappie on Lamington road - suggested by a member from the forum itself. Happy to pass on the deets to you too..

The exhaust system came off an SL and were snapped up by the friend who owned 9717 before me... It's a Carlsson exhaust and worth it if for nothing else, the thrum it has at startup!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grr7 View Post
Sir, pardon me if I missed the pun/sarcasm in your exemplary writing, but being from the science fraternity, cant restrain from mentioning that it was Mr.Newton and not Einstein who had that encounter with the falling apple.
I was wondering why I wasn't getting flamed for this deliberate gaffe!!!! You dear Sir, have just won my admiration (and applause!) for being the eagle eyed bad boy!


* Note to self Nice save dumkbkoff, serves you right for not taking sciences in grade 11/12. "Aur karo bleddy Commerce..."
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Old 8th December 2013, 23:55   #56
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I have a question.I see quite a few import W124s running around too,lates 80s-early 90s.Compared to them how do the Indian made(assembled would be correct) W124s fare? What all components were sourced from India(if there were any)?
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Old 9th December 2013, 01:44   #57
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

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Originally Posted by avishar View Post
I have a question.I see quite a few import W124s running around too,lates 80s-early 90s.Compared to them how do the Indian made(assembled would be correct) W124s fare? What all components were sourced from India(if there were any)?
The "Indian" W124's came with higher coil springs, all the suspension mounting pads were the number 3 or 4 variety, it came with added under-body protection, and I have found after checking the VIN in some places that there was something called a hot climate pack or something similar, no idea what it was though.

The batteries and tyres were Indian, and I think the seats were too, but they have held up really well, so I have my doubts about that.

If you're looking to buy an older W124, make sure you have a mechanic at hand who knows how to handle the M103 engine, which is what powered the 300E. I am only just beginning to understand how the damn thing works, after nearly 8 months of ownership! On the bright side, it's beautiful when it runs right.. I'll get there soon. BUT parts for the engine et al are hard to come by. The diesels were all ridiculously simple, so no worries there.
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Old 9th December 2013, 17:36   #58
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Many congratulations on owning something which has tugged your heart strings.

You, Sir, an inspiration for a lot of us who have wishfully let go of cars that tug the heart and taken the plunge of practicality!

To top it all, an amazing style of narration that couples facts with humour!

Keep the posts coming in and wishing you many happy milestones with your Battle Tank!
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Old 11th December 2013, 08:39   #59
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

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Originally Posted by prateekswarup View Post
You, Sir, an inspiration for a lot of us who have wishfully let go of cars that tug the heart and taken the plunge of practicality!

To top it all, an amazing style of narration that couples facts with humour!

Hey Prateek,

Many thanks for the kind words and the lovely praise! (It's all beginning to go to my head now... )

I'm not sure about being an inspiration, but as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, life's too short to live with regrets - it's not worth the hassle and the heartache. Been there, done that and become wiser for it too...

So therefore - the w124 arrived as a daily driver and I love pretty much every moment of it!!!!
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Old 11th December 2013, 10:40   #60
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Re: "Herr Kampfpanzer" - The unfolding story of my Mercedes E220 (W124)

Hey, congrats on the car. Loved the style of your narration (I have even shared this thread on my facebook).

Interiors look super clean. The WALD bumpers are not to my liking though. Recently acquired a W124 myself and drives it with a smile and a little bit of 'stage fright' (you know with all the audience you get on the road)
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