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What do you guys think of this W123?

3K views 31 replies 10 participants last post by  austinholloman 
#1 ·
I've been a benz guy for about ten years but I am finally ready for my first w123 Turbo Diesel. I've always found this model to be completely remarkable, I can remember being a kid and seeing these drive down the street and them stopping me dead in my tracks. I have owned several petrol Germans, 10 total and I did most of my own work on them. However, diesel and this model are completely new to me. :surrender: So, I feel like a kid all over again, learning about cars online and now I need advice from the pros. :bowdown: What do you guys think of this car and what are some things to look for? Is the price to high? Should I be worried about the mileage? What should I look for when I test drive it next week? Give me as much advice as you can.

1984 Mercedes-Benz 300 - Used Sedan Dallas TX | AJ's Nice Cars
 
#3 ·
You can't drive w123 to death if you treat it with even some mechanical sympathy and regular maintenance. Rust kills these cars, not mileage.

Turbo will have to serviced/changed eventually and tranny 'haps depending on usage and service given during the years.

Worth checking out in my book.

-Garth
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys. He says he has a lot of additional information for me at his work. I'm going to go look at it for sure. I drove one a few days back, that a guy was asking $7500 for and it was really nice. Way too much in my opinion but the interior and exterior were near perfect. However, when shifting from first to second it shifted hard enough to feel it and cause loose change to rattle. Is this normal behavior or should it be smooth in all gears? The guy owned a classic Mercedes shop and I wanted to take his word for it but I can't see Mercedes producing cars that ran like that fresh off the lot.

This is the car I drove for $7500:
1982 MERCEDES BENZ 300D TURBODIESEL
 
#5 ·
The hard shifting can be an easy fix. I've made three cars shift perfectly by adjusting the "Pressure Control Cable" (AKA Bowden Cable). Turn the adjuster above the valve cover in the direction that makes it require more throttle travel before taking up the slack on the cable.
 
#7 ·
If I ever bought a car with 361k mikes on it, it would never be from a dealer, it'd be from an individual so I knew where the car had been and what was done to it. You'll spend $3500 on that car, another $2000 easy to replace worn items, and then you'll never be able to sell it should you decide to. Skip that car.
 
#9 ·
Personally I would go after this one. Its a non Turbo but this one has collector value. This would probably be a 1976 model, which is the first model year of the w123. So even with out the Turbo, what ever you do to the car will enhance its value. And with this year you have less issues to go wrong, no vac controlled transmission and no Turbo. If you want extra horse power, I would install a type m injection pump. Now the price is a little high if the miles check out to the papers and everything is okay mechanically...with no rust or rot....2500 would be a good price....all I drive are non turbos and they drive just fine once up to speed.
 
#10 ·
I actually looked at the one from AJ's umtil I saw 351K on the odometer. Wayyyy to much for that car with that many miles and not knowing how its been maintained. Im no expert on W123's but Id stay far away. The 7500 one is overpriced I think. But looks good, other than the doo doo brown color. Sorry I always hated that color. A car dealer friend of mine called that brown "stick around brown" because he couldn't sell brown cars very easily LOL! There is a blue one in west fort worth on CL that is ok if its still for sale. If he still has it im sure you can deal him down.
 
#14 ·
Lol! Stick around brown... I actually loved that car but there is no way I would pay that price. Tac wasn't functional, sunroof didn't budge, hard shift into second, head liner was going, turn signal stuck at times, the driver door handle was coming off and it needs a respray on the back passenger panel. I think I might let that car sit for a while and make a half price offer for fun. I actually kind of fell in love with that color. Kind of timeless.
 
#16 ·
I swapped a 3.46 diff into my E46 325i Sport 5spd and it completely changed the behavior of the car. Such a quick little car.

What RPM would the car be turning at 80mph with a 3.46 rear? Has anyone on here done this? My car is going to be an uptown cruiser with very rare highway use. How bad is the highway mileage with the 3.46? My 02 Lexus ES300 is only getting 25-28mpg at best.
 
#17 ·
Oh wow! It looked like a nice car on the ad... But you never know till you see it in person. Ill keep my eye out. I see a few once in a while over here in Fort Worth. There is a beautiful black on black 300D a guy down the road has. If here ever puts it up for sale Ill buy it myself no matter how much he asks... LOL Ive told him that numerous times. Good luck with your search!
 
#19 ·
"Quote:
Originally Posted by MB_FPK
If, in my 300D-T, put the 3.46 diffy in it, what would it do?
Accelerate quicker at city speeds, limit top speed from 103mph to 92mph, increase RPMs at 70mph from 3000rpm to 3500rpm and cut fuel economy by 1-2mpg.

I like how it accelerates, but the car tops out in speed quickly and its a little noisy on the highway with the higher RPMs.

Quote:"
 
#28 ·
I have had my eye on this one for a while, looks like one of the best choices out there currently. I am just worried to take the plunge and then something better roll out a few days later. Not really in a hurry yet. The second one you listed. I might have to go look at that one. That mileage is to hard to beat, if its real.
 
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