Do you use your W123 as a daily driver?
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I just bought my 84 300D for a daily since my Olds van broke. I can't say how much work it will need on a regular basis but it has and still does need work to get it up to snuff.
'86 W123 200, OM617 non-turbo, bastard 5-speed; '95 W202 C250 Diesel, OM605 non-turbo, 5-spd man
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Daily Driver Donkey - and I have to service her every 10 weeks! She's in need of some never-before-received maintenance now, like wheel bearings and a prop shaft centre bearing. Shocks get replaced pretty much every year...
1 way trip of 5 Miles.
Once or twice a month it is a one way 10 mile trip to Mom's House.
Since I was Injured it has become my Daily Driver because it is what I can fit into easily.
So It does not go far from home.
However, If you are trying to find out what type of Repairs you might be facing it would be better to ask what people have done every year they have owned the Car.
I have owned the Car for 4 years now.
Certain things like last year when the B2 Piston in my Transmission Finally broke and after starting that repair I moved on to the Drive Shaft U-joint Repair grounded the Car for 3 Months. So it is a Daily Driver as long as I have the Parts, Tools and Knowledge to keep it going (I also rebuilt the Brake Calipers that year).
I am not sure if I replaced the Turbo Drain Seals at the begin of this year or last Year.
The first year of owning the Car was about Brake pads, rebuilt Master Cylinder, replacing
the rear Axles with rebuilt ones due to ripped Rubber Boots and I think I did my first Valve Adjustment. I also rebuilt the Injectors, replaced the Motor and Transmission Mounts.
2nd year owned I changed the Oil Cooler Hoses, the rebuilt Master Cylinder went bad and I installed a actual new one.
Finally got a Drip Tube and did the Fuel Injection Pump Timing.
Not sure what year I did this but I hit an Island and tore up a Rear Trailing Arm and dented the Wheels. I replaced those with used ones.
Year 3 I replaced the Transmission Cooler Hoses.
Not sure if this happened at the end of Year 2 or the begin of year 3 but my Lower Control Arm Bushings finished rotting out and it only took 3 days for my Tires to start getting eaten up.
I had neither the Klann ($365) or Klann Clone Spring Compressor(about $180+ shipping) for the front Springs.
Two attempts to use the cheapie Strut Type Spring Compressors resulted in them getting bent up.
I ended up making my own Spring Compressor for the job. And, the Job did not go well. One of the Lower Control arm Bolts was rusted to the Bushing Sleeve.
(I bought a complete Cheapie front End Parts Kit and also replaced the Upper Control Arms.)
I actually did the Lower Control Arm Bushings again because the bores of the Lower Control Arms were so badly Scaled with Rust that after cleaning them the Hole was in larged. I had to get the Car going so I installed the Bushings anyway and got the Car on the Road.
I got another set of Lower Control Arms off of eBay and re-did the Job with new Control Arm Bushings.
So approximately each Year of ownership have been marked by some repair issue that has made the vehicle un-drivable for extended periods of time.
So I do not see how any one has only a Mercedes as the only Vehicle to get them to work unless they have another means to get them to work when the Mercedes is not going.
Also I could not remember everything that I have done and I did not include Filter Changes and normal maint stuff; I do a Valve adjustment once a year.
Kind of add up what the major repair stuff I did would have cost if I had paid someone.
Once or twice a month it is a one way 10 mile trip to Mom's House.
Since I was Injured it has become my Daily Driver because it is what I can fit into easily.
So It does not go far from home.
However, If you are trying to find out what type of Repairs you might be facing it would be better to ask what people have done every year they have owned the Car.
I have owned the Car for 4 years now.
Certain things like last year when the B2 Piston in my Transmission Finally broke and after starting that repair I moved on to the Drive Shaft U-joint Repair grounded the Car for 3 Months. So it is a Daily Driver as long as I have the Parts, Tools and Knowledge to keep it going (I also rebuilt the Brake Calipers that year).
I am not sure if I replaced the Turbo Drain Seals at the begin of this year or last Year.
The first year of owning the Car was about Brake pads, rebuilt Master Cylinder, replacing
the rear Axles with rebuilt ones due to ripped Rubber Boots and I think I did my first Valve Adjustment. I also rebuilt the Injectors, replaced the Motor and Transmission Mounts.
2nd year owned I changed the Oil Cooler Hoses, the rebuilt Master Cylinder went bad and I installed a actual new one.
Finally got a Drip Tube and did the Fuel Injection Pump Timing.
Not sure what year I did this but I hit an Island and tore up a Rear Trailing Arm and dented the Wheels. I replaced those with used ones.
Year 3 I replaced the Transmission Cooler Hoses.
Not sure if this happened at the end of Year 2 or the begin of year 3 but my Lower Control Arm Bushings finished rotting out and it only took 3 days for my Tires to start getting eaten up.
I had neither the Klann ($365) or Klann Clone Spring Compressor(about $180+ shipping) for the front Springs.
Two attempts to use the cheapie Strut Type Spring Compressors resulted in them getting bent up.
I ended up making my own Spring Compressor for the job. And, the Job did not go well. One of the Lower Control arm Bolts was rusted to the Bushing Sleeve.
(I bought a complete Cheapie front End Parts Kit and also replaced the Upper Control Arms.)
I actually did the Lower Control Arm Bushings again because the bores of the Lower Control Arms were so badly Scaled with Rust that after cleaning them the Hole was in larged. I had to get the Car going so I installed the Bushings anyway and got the Car on the Road.
I got another set of Lower Control Arms off of eBay and re-did the Job with new Control Arm Bushings.
So approximately each Year of ownership have been marked by some repair issue that has made the vehicle un-drivable for extended periods of time.
So I do not see how any one has only a Mercedes as the only Vehicle to get them to work unless they have another means to get them to work when the Mercedes is not going.
Also I could not remember everything that I have done and I did not include Filter Changes and normal maint stuff; I do a Valve adjustment once a year.
Kind of add up what the major repair stuff I did would have cost if I had paid someone.
81 300d with an '84 turbo engine. I put 20 - 25K miles on a year. Engine and transmission are both solid. I've done glow plugs, front suspension parts, brakes, exhaust donuts, and regular oil changes. My mechanic did my last valve adjustment. It has been very reliable for me. My main challenge is getting the thing prepped for paint while I am still driving it a bit. I've never been for a period unable to drive except for when the head gasket on the non-turbo area blew which was really my fault for installing a Greasecar system and then taking the thing off-road.
Dkr.
Dkr.
I use my '85 300TD as my winter daily driver (and year round supplies hauler) and my '86 300SDL as my daily driver the rest of the year. My wife uses her '85 300CD all year as her daily driver.
I took care of all the issues with these cars right after I bought them. So now I just drive them and do maintenance and repairs as needed.:thumbsup:
I took care of all the issues with these cars right after I bought them. So now I just drive them and do maintenance and repairs as needed.:thumbsup:
)
78 280S, 81 300SD, 82 300D, 92 300E 2.6, 90 260SE, 94 S280, 10 E300,
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899 Posts
Mine is a part time daily driver, I alternate it with my 124.
My 81 300D is my Daily Driver, I bought in early spring after my 95 E320 ate a tire tread on the highway. It had very low miles (and still does). I much prefer the W123 for stop and go commuting, do miss the W124 on the highway.
Maintenance has been an issue, recently exhaust. I am hoping to get to a point where I have most everything that needs replacing or fixing taken care of, we will see ....
Maintenance has been an issue, recently exhaust. I am hoping to get to a point where I have most everything that needs replacing or fixing taken care of, we will see ....
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My 83 300D has been my daily driver since 2004 when I drove it home the first time. I've kept up with maintenance as well as replaced non-maintenance items that eventually wore out.
It has been very good and I've only recently stopped using it daily due to the acquisition of a new car. This will allow me to park my 300D, but I just can't let it sit too long because I quickly miss driving it. So, I drive it once a week.
It has been very good and I've only recently stopped using it daily due to the acquisition of a new car. This will allow me to park my 300D, but I just can't let it sit too long because I quickly miss driving it. So, I drive it once a week.
03' e500 sport w211 (current) / 84' 300td Wagon(sold) / 84' 190e(sold) / 01' Z3 coupe
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80 Posts
Daily drivin with this wagon
1984 300D (purchased from 2nd owner in Dec. '10 with 176k miles, and I've put 10,000 on since then).
Definitely my daily driver... 45 miles round trip to and from work (mostly highway miles). Other than regular maintenance, the front suspension rubber bits are wearing out. Had to replace the rear half shafts right after purchase. I had an inspection done by a reputable Benz Indy and he made a list of needed repairs... I took care of the safety issues first (brakes, tires)
If you can work on it yourself, it's a good investment as far as older cars go... but getting one that has been well maintained will save you lots of headache (and $$).
Definitely my daily driver... 45 miles round trip to and from work (mostly highway miles). Other than regular maintenance, the front suspension rubber bits are wearing out. Had to replace the rear half shafts right after purchase. I had an inspection done by a reputable Benz Indy and he made a list of needed repairs... I took care of the safety issues first (brakes, tires)
If you can work on it yourself, it's a good investment as far as older cars go... but getting one that has been well maintained will save you lots of headache (and $$).
I use my '79 240D as my daily driver. I keep up on regular preventative maintenance stuff, as well as other things that need to be done. I attacked the maintenance part of it when I first got it and got it where I want it mechanically, so it's just been an enjoyable DD with some few repairs here and there. It's at 188k right now and by far my favorite car I've ever driven. It LOVES the highway.
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