Quote:
Originally Posted by marco5
Hey everyone,
I know this is a discussed topic but we are now seeing pre 1990 Mercedes Benz diesels becoming more rare each passing day for various reasons. Specifically the W123, W124, W116. Some of these being parts are more expensive, running costs are higher, fewer parts cars laying around, shops not wanting to work on them, rust eating more each year, parts yards scrapping them etc etc.
In my personal experience, as I've mentioned in other posts, even junk yards no longer carry them here in Canada. A decade ago, there were 30+ pre 1990 benz diesels. I've also noticed a large amount of parts, even for the w123 are no longer available from Mercedes. Thankfully some of you help been an excellent help and ebay, forums and collectors still exist. We are however, approaching the 33-34 year mark when the last W123 was made. As 2020 approaches, parts will probably get even more rare, expensive and difficult to maintain. I'm just making a point that we are reaching point in which these cars are actually becoming sought after vintage vehicles.
Keep your benzes in good shape!
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I am not sure about sought after on the east coast of Canada. Also for all practical purposes there are almost no 123s on the road in Nova Scotia now. Even parts cars have become very hard to locate.
I saw this coming as it impacts pretty much all cars as they age. It just seemed to occur faster than I suspected it would here with the 123s.
I suspect a huge majority of car owners no longer work on their own cars. Is again perhaps another factor.
If you have a car that needs or demands work periodically. Generally people dump them as paid for repairs are just too expensive. So much a month to drive newer cars is pretty much endemic today. Actually probably cheaper overall for those people.
You need quite an array of tools to do your own work with any degree of efficiency. Plus the electronic age seems to have disabled a curve of learning that was present for decades. So all too many young people have no self confidence to speak of. Or developed any mechanical aptitude.
The way the wife and myself do many things is quite different than the generally younger members of the population do today. I think perhaps our judgement of things is perhaps more developed. Or is no longer learned or acquired as easily in society. Basically just more common sense approaches to many areas of life that everyone experiences.