If visual aesthetics and ease of maintenance were the only issues in play, I could see the case for the W123. But there are other issues.

And I don't at all doubt that a really nice W123 can command a significant premium, even more so than a nice W124. My initial observations have to do with the VAST MAJORITY (not the exceptions). So when someone on CL advertises, say, an 1985 300D with 250k miles, decent interior and exterior, this and that don't work, and wants $5,000.....it just ain't gonna happen. These people are not living in reality.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 142k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife