Quote:
Originally Posted by i-osprey
I can say that the W124 is eons ahead of the venerable W123.
It's also the best car I have ever owned/driven.
Occasionally I have to rent a car for a week at a time for work and I am always completely disgusted with it by the time I return it.
Even with shot struts and shocks I couldn't wait to get back into my 16 year old MB.
Those brand new Malibus that everybody was praising is a POS with a turning radius of a Mack truck.
It's a long, ugly, poorly designed POS.
What a shame that is considered an achievement for American cars.
However, it is much less expensive than an MB.
I hear the Cadillac CTS-V is a real quality car according to Top Gear's James May.
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The 124 is ahead of the 123 in many regards as it should be since it is 10 or more years newer technology.
Where the 124 falls short is in simplicity. Including my Wife and families 123 experiences, I have very close to a million miles of experience maintaining and right at 800,000 miles experience behind the wheel of 123's. I have about 260,000 miles or so experience behind the wheel and maintaining my manual transmission 300E.
To do a more meaningful comparison, you need to separate the 123 four cylinder cars from the 123 five cylinder cars. The four cylinder 123's are the epitome of simplicity. The 123 five cylinder is actually not that much more complex, but when it comes to wrenching on them the four is much easier than the five. If comparing to other cars, the five cylinder 123 is often easier to work on and more simple than most any other car of it's production time or later.
That said, the four cylinder diesel 123 car with manual accessories IMHO is the best car FOR ITS TIME ever produced! Does it drive as well as the 124? Of course not. Is it as quiet as a 124? No way. But if you want a car that offers great reliability, easy servicability and economy along with a pleasant driving experience the manual everything 240D is King.
What IS a very fair and correct statement about these two cars is: "Sitting behind the wheel the advantage is CLEARLY in favor of the 124. With wrench in hand, the winner is CLEARLY the 123.
My $0.02,