Taking the COE plunge for w124

[Guest mr w124]

Well, i will be taking the coe for the car soon. anyone else here going to do the same? i feel that its not going to go down again. Plus a friend told me abt the 25% cut in the coe quota again in may so it might be worthwhile to get now.

Just a few things that i need to do after getting the coe:

1)Get the seats upholstered. Although they are not sagging very badly, i feel that it would be nice to drive in a car with almost brand new seats again. N not leather. i want to use MB tex cos i like the feel of it. cost: think should be abt less than 1k. i hope

2)GEt a new coat of paint n back n front bumpers. Bumpers r in bad shape n i think a fresh coat of paint would make the car look alot better.

3)New rims.

4) Top overhaul. A friend is getting 600+km to a full tank n he is not light footed. Tuning seems to be the key but i have been told that i am in need of a top overhaul. I can get abt 420 for a full tank now. sometimes 440, sometimes just 400. would be good to get this done for more power.

5) Most importantly, clean the aircon filters n find out where the exhaust fumes smell is coming from. Having my baby in the car, this is the prob i need to tackle first cos of the health issues involve. I pray that it is not a really big prob.

I remember my to do list being quite long somewhere in the early pages of the 124 repair blog post. 1.5 years n close to 10k later, most major issues seem to be sorted out. I am confident that the car can go another 10years, or at least another 7 so i would really like to keep the car. Anyone else going to take the coe plunge?

[keltanky]

do gearbox overhaul will improve your FC!

Yup redo seats will roughly cost $1k max!

Change aircon cabin filters.

For me, will need a new rear bumper, top overhaul and a new coat too! But i seriously think the value of coe will still stay around this range! Market is just too bad or so bad that it won't go sky high. So will still wait! :surrender:

[Guest MB98]

Hi Kel,

Do W124 (16V) come with aircon filter ?. if yes, can DIY to replace

[g8crasher]

Hey MB98, I'm thinking of doing it as well and yes I do agree that the current levels look very plausible. My to do list would be quite similar to yours. I'll probably list the potential job list when I can.

[Guest mr w124]

Not sure abt the cabin aircon filters. would it be an easy job or do i need to take out the dashboard for that? i already did a gearbox overhaul abt a year ago. mileage was abt 480 per full tank after that. became worse only this past december when i changed my noisy rear axle to the quieter 16valve one. since then, mileage has not been as good. but at the same time, had to drive in 3rd gear for abt 3 weeks while sourcing for the valve body for my transmission. really whacked the car during those times at speeds up to 110 with the 3rd gear so i might have done something to the engine so i want to get the top overhaul done n see from there.

any idea how much the aicon filters would cost?

[Guest starnite]

what is the differences between top overhaul, and full overhaul for engine?

[Guest kepiting1sg]

what is the differences between top overhaul, and full overhaul for engine?

IMHO,

My layman explanation.

Top overhaul means only overhauling the engine cylinder head

Cylinder head

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinder_head

Top overhaul only removes the engine cylinder head from the engine.

Typically change cylinder head gasket, check valve guides, springs & valves - clean or replaced, clean or polish valve seats, check cam shaft, may wanna grind the cylinder head, change timing chain/belt, etc

A top overhaul can be done within a day or 2.

Full overhaul means include the lower part of the whole engine and involve taking out the engine out of the ride for overhauling.

Beside the cylinder head, this will involve taking out the pistons, con-rods, piston compression & oil rings(replacement), crank shaft - crank shaft bearings (replacement), water pump, oil pump, fuel pump, radiator cleaning, timing chain/belt, engine mountings replacement, etc.,

Usually the mechanic/workshop will has to take the whole engine apart, then he can quote what are the parts that needs to be replaced & his labor charges. He might give U an estimation of the cost before he takes out the engine.

A full engine overhaul will take many days and maybe weeks :banghead:

Hopes this Rp1 worth of info helps! :pray:

[Guest starnite]

what is the differences between top overhaul, and full overhaul for engine?

IMHO,

My layman explanation.

Top overhaul means only overhauling the engine cylinder head

Cylinder head

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinder_head

Top overhaul only removes the engine cylinder head from the engine.

Typically change cylinder head gasket, check valve guides, springs & valves - clean or replaced, clean or polish valve seats, check cam shaft, may wanna grind the cylinder head, change timing chain/belt, etc

A top overhaul can be done within a day or 2.

Full overhaul means include the lower part of the whole engine and involve taking out the engine out of the ride for overhauling.

Beside the cylinder head, this will involve taking out the pistons, con-rods, piston compression & oil rings(replacement), crank shaft - crank shaft bearings (replacement), water pump, oil pump, fuel pump, radiator cleaning, timing chain/belt, engine mountings replacement, etc.,

Usually the mechanic/workshop will has to take the whole engine apart, then he can quote what are the parts that needs to be replaced & his labor charges. He might give U an estimation of the cost before he takes out the engine.

A full engine overhaul will take many days and maybe weeks :banghead:

Hopes this Rp1 worth of info helps! :pray:

Thanks Pal, it is great information. Usually a top overhaul is enough? Anyone have done a full overhaul before?

[Guest kepiting1sg]

Thanks Pal, it is great information. Usually a top overhaul is enough? Anyone have done a full overhaul before?

A top overhaul is usually required when the head gasket blown and engine oil & coolant get mixed up.

U may lose engine oil if the engine oil gets into your coolant or engine gets overheat due to loss of coolant, etc.

A full overhaul is usually recommended when your engine lose compression especially due to worn out piston rings.

Oil gets into the firing chamber and U start to burn engine oil resulting white smoke from your exhaust.

Another Rp 1 worth of info. ;D

[Guest mr w124]

Abt the cabin air filters, is it a big job?

[Guest starnite]

wait for me! wait for me! Hehe.. tomorrow going to collect my car from dealer, renewing my COE at same time..Auspicious day to do it.. 3/18/09. In Cantonese, 3189 = Business Huat Long long!! Haha

You guys have any W124 meetup? Very new to W124, so keen to learn from all bros here

:punk1:

[Guest eokh]

wait for me! wait for me! Hehe.. tomorrow going to collect my car from dealer, renewing my COE at same time..Auspicious day to do it.. 3/18/09. In Cantonese, 3189 = Business Huat Long long!! Haha

You guys have any W124 meetup? Very new to W124, so keen to learn from all bros here

:punk1:

oh ! so yr a W124 freshie too !!

oopss ... dont tell me you bought yrs from Mackenzie ??

:laugh:

[keltanky]

guys

come for March GTG, sure got some W124s!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Guest 9339]

wait for me! wait for me! Hehe.. tomorrow going to collect my car from dealer, renewing my COE at same time..Auspicious day to do it.. 3/18/09. In Cantonese, 3189 = Business Huat Long long!! Haha

You guys have any W124 meetup? Very new to W124, so keen to learn from all bros here

:punk1:

:clap: :clap: :clap:

3/18/2009 = 3189 collect car, let me help you add on......

3/28/2009 = 3289 Change rim / tyre

3/29/2009 = 3299 Add ICE

that's for the time being, need more let me know hehee.....

[Guest starnite]

wait for me! wait for me! Hehe.. tomorrow going to collect my car from dealer, renewing my COE at same time..Auspicious day to do it.. 3/18/09. In Cantonese, 3189 = Business Huat Long long!! Haha

You guys have any W124 meetup? Very new to W124, so keen to learn from all bros here

:punk1:

:clap: :clap: :clap:

3/18/2009 = 3189 collect car, let me help you add on......

3/28/2009 = 3289 Change rim / tyre

3/29/2009 = 3299 Add ICE

that's for the time being, need more let me know hehee.....

Haha, that is funny.. Will try to go the meetup in March, but before I start adding the ICE and RIMS, need to fixed the gearbox 1st! Already know the problem when I bought the car, that is why dealer letting go cheap. Hope that after the overhaul, will be good as new!

[Guest mr w124]

As expected, the coe has gone up. anyone going to take the plunge? we can still get the cheaper pqp right? as in we have a choice. when does the choice expire does anyone know?

[Guest mr w124]

Went to Siak Heng at Eunos. For 1k, they'll redo the whole seats including the newer version of seat design (looks like the masterpiece version but single colour n mb tex, not leather. Also the pillars as well n the carpets in the range of abt 400 if i remember correctly. Sounds like an honest guy. But i will be holding back for a while, seeing how the economy is going before i spend more money on the car.

[Guest mercw124]

Im currently serving my NS and I drive from Kovan to CCK for work daily, I'm clocking 600km on a full tank!

[Guest mr w124]

Thats good. i'm driving very light footed now n only getting 430

[Guest qes78]

Im currently serving my NS and I drive from Kovan to CCK for work daily, I'm clocking 600km on a full tank!

i stay around Kovan too.

[keltanky]

qes78 ]

Im currently serving my NS and I drive from Kovan to CCK for work daily, I' wrote:

i stay around Kovan too.

yup he stay near you.. he's the one that you tot is me!! :surrender:

[Guest qes78]

lol....

ah...u remember.....so pai seh

[Guest mercw124]

Haha! Yes, i remember about the "mistaken identity" quite a while back.

I'm living in Charlton Park - what about you qes78?

[Guest mr w124]

Just to update. Finally made up my mind n bought the coe today at $3004. Quite a number of w124 n 126 outside LTA, presumably to renew coe. Even saw my dream car, the W116 there. As i was leaving the building wondering if i had made the right decision, realised that my right side indicator was lose n abt to drop off. Hope its not a sign of maint probs to come....

On a more impt note, i can start my fixing up of the interior n finish off with a nice paint job.

[Guest eokh]

Just to update. Finally made up my mind n bought the coe today at $3004. Quite a number of w124 n 126 outside LTA, presumably to renew coe. Even saw my dream car, the W116 there. As i was leaving the building wondering if i had made the right decision, realised that my right side indicator was lose n abt to drop off. Hope its not a sign of maint probs to come....

On a more impt note, i can start my fixing up of the interior n finish off with a nice paint job.

good for you!

always bear in mind... the Grand Old Dame is ... well "OLD"

so some flu, cough, constipation is to be expected

always tell yrself... despite all the maint cost, higher FC, road tax, inspection and blah blah blah...

you will always be driving a BETTER and CHEAPER car than that Altis /Fit / Stream / Wish / (and LEGACY !!) parked next to you