[kiransri_bng]

That's a Neat Job done. with the way the car looks, seems to be your uncle also loved this car.

[Viraat13]

Originally Posted by ayushagarwal26

- Painting of bumper rails (the center insert on the bumper) matt black instead of the original light grey. Front and back.

A big shout to Viraat13 (and his father, Mr. Arvind) for helping me source parts at brilliant prices, find the right guys to work on my car, introduce me to all the experienced mechanics I'll ever need, and giving me tons of useful knowledge about the car. Mr. Arvind is not only really passionate about his 124, but knows everything under the hood and keeps her like she's one year old at the very most. To be honest, his car gives me a complex!

Hey! No wonder you were telling me to read your thread.

Work has gone well! I'm glad.

I'm assuming you've taken the inspiration of painting your bumper rails black after seeing our car? Haha. Gotcha!

I don't know all the details of what happened that day, nor do I know what gyan you were given, but dad was saying thanks for letting him drive your car, he says that the gear shift in your car is better than the one in ours and that he'll have to get that rectified soon.

And yes, we're both mad people when it comes to our cars, so they're kept up to the best of our ability.
And since we're keeping the W124 for the long haul, we don't see any reason to skimp on the expenses. Fix it & forget it. If an original part has lasted 15 years, the replacement will last just as long.

Cheers!

PS - Anyone know of a W124 E250D for sale in Delhi? Please let me know!

[ayushagarwal26]

Quick Updates:

- The battery died and was replaced with Amaron Pro, DIN74 @ Rs. 7.5k after discounting the old battery. Old battery lived for 2.5 years approx

- Car was still overheating - mostly if stationary with AC on. The guage would go dangerously close to the 120 mark, the compressor would repeatedly cut off, and the car would lose smoothness and refinement at such temperatures. Figured the condenser fan wasn't working at all! It seems there is some carbon in the motor or something. Anyway, a little fiddling got it to work (touchwood). Might need further looking into in the future but it's okay for now. No overheating, and the AC finally cools like it should.

[ayushagarwal26]

Hey

This post is a little OT, and not directly connected to the W124 - I still thought it makes sense here, as it's sure to get the Mercedes enthusiasts interested!

I was in Palika Bhawan recently, getting some minor stuff done on my car, when I saw this beauty - looks like an SL (It had no badging at the rear so I don't know the spec) - it's definitely between 99 to 2002 or close. What saddened me was its state of neglect. I was a little caught up on time, and couldn't try and find out who the owner is / why it has been abandoned, if so . Next time I'm there I'll surely find out.

Can somebody help me identify the exact spec? Also, if it's up for sale (I'll find out as soon as I can) - can somebody rescue it please? I would so love to, but I can't manage two old mercedes cars in my garage. That said, my family would kill me - a W124 is enough to take care of. I wish.... but let's not dream. Maybe someday :(

---

On a similar note, there is a 1996 W124 E220, silver, in pretty good shape (just neglected - a little dusty, no hood ornament, mirrors etc.), but looks like it's in perfectly usable condition. I pass it every day on my way to work, and my heart cries out to her. Someone looking for a W124, please contact me - I have no idea who the owner is, but it's parked in front of a house very close to mine, and I would love to go meet the owner and discuss a possible sale. I just hate to see that car lying there every day!

[Viraat13]

It is an R129. It is based on the W124, with a shortened base. Sold between '89 and '01.
There is another SL just like this one next to Max Hospital in Pancheel, maybe it is the same one? It was also in a state of disuse and wasn't being taken care of.

[ayushagarwal26]

It's been a while since I updated this thread, so here goes!

A few very small updates. I know a lot of these posts don't discuss very significant issues with the car, but I guess any information we can all share about our experiences may be valuable to someone in a similar spot, or looking to get an idea before buying their own 124. On that note...

Also need a little help - Please see point 6!

1) The rear left power window failed, and got stuck at a 30% open position from the top. Wouldn't go up even by force, so had to leave it as it is for a couple of days (until I could find the time to get it done). Don't ask how I managed to keep the rainwater out in this season!

Anyway, it turned out that the channel on which the mechanism rides has a small moving attachment which had broken due to years of wear. A new channel wasn't available (unless you buy the entire assembly including the motor), so a new one was fabricated and put in by our trusty electrician at Palika Bhawan. Took a short while and works well now. Cost a fraction of the new part, and I'm more than satisfied.

2) The hood ornament had been loose for a bit - couldn't tighten it as the attachment itself has loosened over time. A new star was out of the question for now, as this one is original and hasn't lost it's shine. Used a little elfy under the attachment (Not on the car body or the star itself), and pronto. We're done!

On a side note, does anyone know where to get the Taiwan made three pointed stars which used to go around for Rs.500 odd? I can't find them anymore! Always handy to keep a couple just in case.

3) Now for the biggie. The roof fabric had sagged from the inside, thanks to an impulsive interior cleaning exercise using a little water. Mercedes, apparently, uses some water soluble glue. Why, Mercedes, why?! Anyway, it took all of 2 hours and a very talented upholstery guy to do it up again, this time with new, nicer fabric. I dare say it's a cross between fabric and PU and looks a little like MB Tex

4) All new ICE. Finally! While I will update the ICE section in a bit, here's a quick summary:

- JVC KD X30 media receiver. Yes, one pre out, no TA, no disc receiver. This car needs a simple, non amplified, no SUB kinda stealth setup which will be played at simple volumes.

- Boston Accoustics Mobile Audio coaxials throughout. 4" in the stock locations in the front, 6x9" in the rear without any modification but some clever placement.

Other details in the ICE section!

5) A little suspension work - there's a slight noise from the front right. Nothing major, probably just a bush to be replaced. Will wait for the monsoon to end before I touch it.

6) Injector cleaning - I've been wondering if this will help my fuel consumption. The car is very smooth, idles and revvs gracefully, accelerates smoothly and has no jerks or misses. However, in city FC is stuck at 5-6 and highway 7-8 at max. Other owners tell me something's wrong - everyone seems to get 1-2 more. Any ideas?

7) Interiors - Next update will involve a little work on the seats - need to redo them with some good quality art leather. Simple plain black, modeled around the existing seat pattern, to match the car's elegance.

I think that's it for now. I wish I had taken pictures to support some of the work done, but I always tend to forget. Will be back with more updates later!

[ayushagarwal26]

Another quick update - I'd managed to damage the exhaust thanks to a loose clamp I'd ignored for a month or so. Silly me.

Anyway, a job which would have taken a few hundred rupees and a half hour at most was replaced by one that cost a significant times more (but still no alarming amount) and 3-4 hours of work, since the clamp gave way, the exhaust cracked due to it's own weight, and a section of the pipe had to be replaced! Got it done today.

In addition, the car has been a little jerky in the first gear and fuel consumption is still ridiculously high. An ECU scan showed nothing of significance. The plan now is to run her for about a 1000 more kms, then get a complete service done - engine flushing, synthetic oil, new oil, fuel and air filters, and clean the injectors. Hopefully that will work!

A link to a more detailed post on the work done, with pictures:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post2952629

And a picture of the exhaust damage:

[Viraat13]

Originally Posted by ayushagarwal26

The plan now is to run her for about a 1000 more kms, then get a complete service done - engine flushing, synthetic oil, new oil, fuel and air filters, and clean the injectors.

I would suggest you read up on switching from mineral to synthetic oil.

I read that switching from the thicker mineral oil to the thinner synthetic oil causes accelerated wear and tear because the tolerances of the pistons and rings are based on the thicker oil, so it could possibly cause you to need an engine overhaul sooner. But then again, I read this a couple of years ago, and new research has shed more (better) light on this subject.

[ayushagarwal26]

Hey guys... a couple of updates. I find myself on the support thread more often, when niggling issues crop up - but just thought I'd post an update here as well.

I had issues with the power windows not working unless the front door was open. Weird. Also, the wiper wouldn't work (regardless of any door position or other, seemingly unrelated points!). Troubleshooting led to the fuse box and connections - it has now been repaired, and all new fuses have been put in.

Link to the post (and follow up troubleshooting) on the support thread:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post2964039

[ayushagarwal26]

Hey everyone!

Now that Diwali is more than over, and we all should have some more time (hopefully), how about that mini 124 delhi meet? I was thinking this Sunday, somewhere in south delhi.

So who's in? As per my previous count, we know at least 5-6 124 owners in the area, and anyone else interested is welcome to join!

Let me know. Eagerly waiting for your replies / PMs!

Ayush

[ayushagarwal26]

A quick service report.

Although my car had been (apparently) serviced at 140k, I decided to give it a complete service at ~145 since I had not got any oil or filters changed since I purchased it more than 1 year ago.

Work done:

1) Engine flushed with ABRO flush in order to switch from mineral to semi-synthetic oil. I got many mixed opinions for the switch - some said that synthetic is better and I should switch, whereas some said that the switch after all these years could, in fact, damage the engine. Hence a switch to semi after proper flushing first.

2) Put in Caltex 5w-30 Semi Synthetic, around 6 liters.

3) Fuel filter, oil filter and air filter replaced with MANN filters. Although the packaging says German quality, I doubt that these are manufactured in Germany. It's okay, though, because I intend to repeat an oil change every 5k and filter change every 10k kms, which is twice what is recommended.

4) Replaced the soiled gear boot (leather trim around the gear knob) - got it made locally.

5) Added an injector cleaning fluid to a full tank of petrol. On a side note, I use only Octane 93 from IndianOil now. At ~71/l, it's way better than the standard 89 we get for 68.xx. Funny that the so called premium petrol (octane 91) is still priced at 77-78, and octane 97 is 94!

6) Got the car washed and waxed, and dash/interiors lightly waxed.

As expected, the car is a lot smoother and throttle response is better. No jerk or lag on leaving the clutch after gear changes. Hoping the fuel consumption goes down... let's see over a longer period!

Next service, I may switch to complete synthetic forever. I was recommended Shell 5w-40 as the right oil for this car. Not entirely convinced though... if the semi works flawlessly I might stick to it. Suggestions are welcome!

[Viraat13]

Hey Ayush. I tried calling you a few weeks back but I couldn't get through. I wanted to tell you that I got another W124.

Let me know how the semi synthetic oil works out for you. My E220 is also going to be due for service soon. About 1K kms left.

The oil quantity is 6 litres exactly. It is given in the owners manual.

Where did you get the waxing done?

Cheers!

[ayushagarwal26]

Hey Viraat!

Funny, but I do know you finally found your E250D - It seems to be doing the rounds at Palika Bhawan Haha... just kidding, but one of the mechs told me (they remembered your dad introducing me to them). Congratulations! Would love to see the car. I'll call you in a couple of days... maybe we can meet up.

As for the semi synthetic oil, I doubt if I'll be able to judge within the time you cover 1k kms in, but let's see... I'll keep you posted. You or uncle are free to drive my car and see for yourself, of course!

~A

[Viraat13]

Originally Posted by ayushagarwal26

Hey Viraat!

Funny, but I do know you finally found your E250D - It seems to be doing the rounds at Palika Bhawan Haha... just kidding, but one of the mechs told me (they remembered your dad introducing me to them). Congratulations! Would love to see the car. I'll call you in a couple of days... maybe we can meet up.

As for the semi synthetic oil, I doubt if I'll be able to judge within the time you cover 1k kms in, but let's see... I'll keep you posted. You or uncle are free to drive my car and see for yourself, of course!

~A

Malik, Raju, or Deepak. Couldn't have been anyone else!

But yes, the car needed a LOT of work and I must've spent about 15 days getting it done. There are still some niggling issues left, and the car will be going to Patel Auto on Thursday for some work on the automatic transmission.

Thanks! And sure, let's meet. I have a 5 day weekend ahead of me.

EDIT: How is 93 octane working out for you? Dad's car started stumbling a little. Going back to 97 from the next full tank onwards. 20 rupee a litre price difference! :o

[ayushagarwal26]

Malik it is

As for the 93, I think the benchmark makes all the difference. I have always used 91 (premium) in the past, so 93 is better.

I've tried 97 once - it makes the car seems way smoother, but Rs. 94/L is too much for a daily drive car!