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When car enthusiasts talk about old Mercedes-Benzes it always comes out wistful — a twinkle in the eye and a “they don’t make ’em like they used to” tone, which probably has to do with how often they throw around the word “over-engineered.” Usually it’s the classic, dogmatic old-Merc screed about building a car to a standard not a cost, and a manufacturing ethos that places value on quality and reliability. And they’re right — mostly.
Hence, the myth of the bulletproof Mercedes-Benz. As I own a 1990 Mercedes 300TE wagon, built on the purportedly indestructible W124 chassis and regarded as one of the last of the “over-engineered” Benzes, I can attest that rumors of its reliability have been greatly exaggerated. In my month-and-a-half of ownership I’ve had to take the car to my mechanic twice; both times he handed the key back and said, “I’m sure I will see you again soon” in his vaguely Eastern European accent.
It’s not that old Benzes are particularly unreliable, it’s just that old cars in general aren’t reliable. And hell, W124’s weren’t even infallible from the factory, even if the myth states that Mercedes-Benz in the late 20th century cracked the code to automotive invincibility. The M103 inline-six engine is known to eat through head gaskets, and cars built between 1993 and 1995 were fitted with “bio-wire” wiring which departed this mortal coil full decades sooner than the engineers intended. This doesn’t even account for leaks and electrical gremlins, of which there are plenty.
I only say all this because it’s important to temper your expectations with an old Benz. Because if you anticipate that the car will occasionally let you down, you’ll have one of the damn finest vintage daily drivers you can buy upfront for $2,350. (Well, that’s what I paid for mine, anyway.)
