1990 Mercedes 300TE Wagon

1990 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series Description

This is a very well maintained W124 wagon. I am the third owner. Approximately 260,000 miles. To explain the price, read the entire description. Despite the mileage, it runs and drives like a new car. I would not hesitate to take this car on a 3,000 to 4,000 mile trip—and I have on more than one occasion. This car has been well serviced and garaged for its entire life. Everything works as it should. If you’re looking for a 124 wagon at a reasonable price, this is the one you want. It’s not a show car, but it’s extremely sound and reliable. There is NO deferred maintenance!

For those who are familiar with these cars, I’m providing a list below of various items that are typical trouble spots on these cars. If you are NOT familiar with these cars, I HIGHLY suggest you do your research. There is nothing more expensive than a cheap (poorly maintained) Mercedes. All recent work has been performed by AIR Import Repair (University Place, WA) or by me personally. All parts used are original Mercedes or OEM quality parts. You won’t find any cheap Chinese parts on this car. Unless otherwise noted, all work has been completed within the last two years.

Details on the condition of this car:

M103 ENGINE

• No oil leaks. Head gasket was recently replaced. Compression is excellent. Valve cover gasket also replaced.
• Cap and rotor, serpentine belt, belt tensioner, and tensioner shock recently replaced.
• Spark plugs and plug wired replaced.
• Air pump recently replaced.
• Radiator and coolant reservoir recently replaced. Cooling system is filled with correct Mercedes-Benz coolant.
• Engine starts easily and idles well.
• The exhaust system is intact with no known leaks. No smoke from engine.
• Oil changes have been done by me and the previous owner at approximately 3,000 mile intervals.

TRANSMISSION

• Transmission was rebuilt during previous owner’s tenure. It shifts properly and there is no delay when shifting into reverse gear. (A delay shifting into reverse is usually the first sign of transmission damage on these cars.)
• Transmission was recently serviced (fluid/filter change).

DRIVE SHAFT AND DIFFERENTIAL

• The rear flex disc was recently replaced.
• The differential fluid was recently changed as well.

REAR SELF LEVELING SUSPENSION

• The suspension operates as it should. No hard ride or uncontrolled bounciness, or leaks in the rear struts.
• The multi-link rear suspension is in good working order.

FRONT SUSPENSION

• The entire front suspension was recently rebuilt with OEM parts.
• New ball joints.
• New steering gearbox. (No play in the steering.)
• New Bilstein front shocks.
• New drag link and idler arm
• This car drives straight down the road and handles like it should.

TIRES AND BRAKES

• Front brakes recently redone including rotors, pads and calipers.
• Rear brakes and parking brake function properly.
• Michelin tires. Tires have approximately 50% tread left.

INTERIOR

• This car has the rare RED interior finished in MB-Tex. It’s in very good condition. Seats are rip/crack free other than a minor tear in the right rear seat bench about the size of a nickel.
• Dashboard is intact with NO cracks. No sun damage.
• The carpets, including the rear cargo area are in good condition. Not perfect, but not stained or ripped as is typical in these cars.
• Instrument cluster gauges all function properly. No warning lights on dash. Odometer shows the correct mileage and works. (Odometers often stop working on these cars.)
• Wood is in excellent condition—no cracks or excessive fading.

CONVENIENCE FEATURES

• Climate control works as it should. I personally replaced three of the six vacuum elements inside the dash which control air flow. Air blows from the correct vents at the correct time. A/C compressor works and blows cold air. Blower motor was recently replaced. Monovalve and recirculating pump work as expected.
• Cruise control module was replaced. Cruise works as is should.
• The sun roof slides fore/aft and tilts properly. There is no binding during operation.
• All power windows function as they should including the express down feature on the driver’s window.
• The power mirror works properly.
• The previous owner installed Xenon aftermarket headlamps. These could be converted back if not desired.
• The original tool kit, jack, first aid kit, and owners manual (and related documents) are all in the car. The car comes with two new master and one auxiliary keys. These were keys made by Mercedes.
• The ignition lock has been replaced recently. These wear out over time. All parts used are from Mercedes and properly keyed to this VIN.
• Radio is original, and it works. This is important as many of these cars had the radios replaced and this often means someone has hacked the wiring. Not with this car.
• Power front seats work as expected, including power headrests.
• Front and rear windshield wiper/washers work as expected. As is typical headlamp washers work, but the nozzles tend to get clogged due to lack of use.
• Alarm works properly, as does the automatic closing feature for the windows and sunroof.

BODY

• The paint is Desert Silver—kind of gold-like silver. The car appears to have been repainted at some point in the past, but it’s rather hard to detect as there is not visible overspray. Overall body is very straight, some minor chips and dings as would be expected on a car of this mileage.
• The driver’s door and tailgate seals have been replaced.
• The tailgate struts have been replaced—so the tailgate opens properly and does not sag.
• The tailgate latching mechanism has been replaced. It functions correctly.
• The original Mercedes cross bars for the roof rack are present and functional. A lot of times people lose these.
• All three rear head rests are also present.
• Rear seats fold properly.

OTHER

• This car has been hardwired for a Blackvue two channel dash cam. All wiring is discreetly behind the headliner. The cameras are not included with the car, but the wiring will stay.
• This car has also been wired for a Garmin GPS receiver to be mounted on the left side of the dash. As with the dash cam, all wiring has been discreetly done behind the dash.
• The windows have been professionally tinted. This could obviously be removed if a future owner desires to do so.

I have owned several Mercedes of this vintage. I have invested over $10,000 in this car during the last two years, and I have the receipts to prove it. This car is in better condition than most cars with half its mileage. I currently own two other Mercedes and that’s why I’m selling this one. I don’t have space in my garage anymore. This car is not perfect, but it’s far better than most W124 wagons on the road today. If you’re looking for a reliable car that functions as it should, with a nice red interior, this is the one.