Mercedes-Benz 500
Registered from 1990 to 1993.
About this model
The Mercedes-Benz 500 E is a high-performance version of the W124 sold by Mercedes-Benz from 1991 to 1995. The 500 E was created in close cooperation with Porsche. With its engineering department being fully occupied with the development of the new W140 S-Class, Mercedes-Benz commissioned Porsche in 1989 to redesign the W124 chassis along with the necessary changes to the suspension system and drivetrain as to accommodate the wider 5-litre M119 V8. A problem was discovered on the W124 assembly line in Sindelfingen: the redesigned front wings were too wide to fit through certain stations along the assembly line. Rather than do the expensive physical changes, Mercedes-Benz organised the new assembly line at Porsche‘s manufacturing plants specifically for 500 E. This arrangement had a strong benefit for Porsche during its financial crisis brought on from the crippling metalworker strikes and costly engineering and development work on 959.
From the Wikipedia article Mercedes-Benz 500 E, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 1991 5.0 petrol. 24 of 155 tests failed, 15%.
Better than 81% of 1991 cars. The typical one fails 22%, across 94 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Exhaust and emissions | 33% | 8 |
| Lights and electrics | 33% | 8 |
| Brakes | 29% | 7 |
| Body and structure | 21% | 5 |
| Tyres and wheels | 21% | 5 |
| Suspension | 17% | 4 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A tyre cords visible or damaged
- A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Emissions levels exceed default limits
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
Where it stands out against its peers
- Exhaust and emissions: failed more often than 90% of 1991 cars — 33% of its 24 failed tests, where an ordinary 1991 car has 13%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Exhaust and emissions — 33% of its failures
- Emissions levels exceed default limits
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
- Brakes — 29% of its failures
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- Tyres and wheels — 21% of its failures
- A tyre cords visible or damaged
- Suspension — 17% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 33% of its failures
- A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Body and structure — 21% of its failures
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded