I am strongly considering buying a W124 wagon, and after driving one it seems perfect for what I need. There is a local 300TE available, which has 4Matic, and while the majority of it seems nice I do have some apprehensions which I hope you can help me with here.
The first and largest one is the 4Matic system. I did do a search on here to read about it, but there are so many threads containing "4matic" that I as yet can't find exactly what I am looking for. I do understand they are heavy, can be problematic, and are ridiculously complicated and/or expensive to fix. This I can tolerate if the car will go 20,000 miles or more. Is there a way to check the TC condition, or the 4matic system overall? Can a good knowledgeable MB shop inspect this with any accuracy? Also, the PO has mentioned he has seen the 4Matic light come on the dash on occasion to show it is working. Is this what is supposed to happen? I am worried it flashing has actually been showing a problem.
My only other serious concern is what feels like a hard shift from 1st to 2nd gear. If driven right (or wrong) it gives a little jerk after what seems like a hesitation, though all other shifts seem good.
I am trying to make a decision on this vehicle today. If it's a no go, I will like look for another in the near future as I really liked the drive. FWIW, asking price is $3000 but I think he will go lower.
Thanks for any feedback
The first and largest one is the 4Matic system. I did do a search on here to read about it, but there are so many threads containing "4matic" that I as yet can't find exactly what I am looking for. I do understand they are heavy, can be problematic, and are ridiculously complicated and/or expensive to fix. This I can tolerate if the car will go 20,000 miles or more. Is there a way to check the TC condition, or the 4matic system overall? Can a good knowledgeable MB shop inspect this with any accuracy? Also, the PO has mentioned he has seen the 4Matic light come on the dash on occasion to show it is working. Is this what is supposed to happen? I am worried it flashing has actually been showing a problem.
My only other serious concern is what feels like a hard shift from 1st to 2nd gear. If driven right (or wrong) it gives a little jerk after what seems like a hesitation, though all other shifts seem good.
I am trying to make a decision on this vehicle today. If it's a no go, I will like look for another in the near future as I really liked the drive. FWIW, asking price is $3000 but I think he will go lower.
Thanks for any feedback