If you’re shopping for a 20+ year old German saloon, your options are hardly limited. There’s the unbreakable W124 E-Class with half a dozen (or more) drivetrain options, the clean and simple C4 A6 and of course the E34 5-Series. Each of these cars have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s start with the E-Class.
W124
This is perhaps the safest bet on the list. Parts are widely available, and while things WILL go wrong (you’re dealing with a very old car here), they will go wrong predictably. Getting a proper service record and sending it to the right mechanic will mean you can anticipate expenses accurately. Chances are, the previous owner is an older man who took good care of the car, but do look into this. Also, buying from the owner directly will usually give you an idea of how the car has been treated.
The car itself is also the smartest choice on the list because of what Mercedes-Benz’s engineering goals were for it. It was made to be a comfortable cruiser for both drivers and passengers. It was also made to survive in any climate and it sold well globally. For that reason, even panels and rubber parts will not be much of an issue. Getting an older car that was built for comfort means you can still get the right driving experience after spending some money on the suspension, door rubbers and a new set of tyres.
You’ll find some variants with the ‘E’ after the 3 digits (example: 200 E) while others will have the ‘E’ before (E200). The 3 digits indicate the engine displacement (200=2-litre, 300=3-litre). While not universally true, newer models will be designated with the E before the displacement. Newer models also tend to have clear signal lights instead of amber, but these (as well as the Masterpiece bodykit) can be fit by the owner later on.
Inline-4 petrol engines from 2- to 2.3-litres can be found commonly. Inline-6 options like the 2.6, 2.8 and 3.0-litre are not rare, but definitely worth the additional road tax cost. Diesels can be found, but these were typically used as taxis. Larger V8 models are rare.
There are 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic and 5-speed automatic versions of this car in Malaysia. Expect the 5-speed manual to be found on base models. We’ve seen one example in Ipoh with a beige fabric interior and on mudah, there are a couple of 230TE wagons fitted with this same transmission also with fabric interiors.
4-speed automatics are extremely lethargic but also quite common. For a car like this, the 5-speed automatic is ideal, with the 2.6-litre single overhead cam offering sufficient power while being less complicated than the larger, mixed alloy engines that tend to leak oil more commonly (though any older engine should be inspected for this)
Pricing is a difficult one to pin down. Some owners have had the car for decades and are desperate to let go of it before an overhaul or the road tax needs to be done. These owners will typically let go a 4 door for between RM5-8K. Some might even go lower for larger displacement models. A good quality W124 sedan can be found for around RM8-15K. But if you want a more exotic shape, there are wagons that go for RM20-35K.
Coupes are the most beautiful versions of the W124, but they’re also the most expensive. The cheapest we tested was for RM24K, but it was horribly abused. A mint condition one can fetch RM35-45K, but at that price, you might want to look for something a bit more special.
With any of these W124s, you’ll find some wear and tear on the interiors. We’ve seen many in good condition, but the wood interior does tend to chip and leather will start to show its age too. As long as all the panels are in place, you should be OK.
If you haven’t already, read part 2 on the C4 Audi. and part 3 on the E34 BMW.
