New Diesel in the Stable!!! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pawoSD · #1 01-24-2007, 12:00 AM

Lets all welcome the newest diesel to the forum, a 1983 300D! We rushed to the East Side of Michigan tonight (the thumb area

) and snatched it up before another guy could come out to buy it tomorrow.

She has 221,300 miles, runs great and has NO RUST at ALL.

Only a small spot on one fender, easily fixable. I'd say the car is an 8.5 out of 10 physically, and a 9 out of 10 mechanically. It MOVES! Wow...I had never driven a W123 before, what a difference compared to a W126, its fast...and feels like a block on wheels. I'll take some pics sometime in the next couple days to show it off.

THREE diesels and counting now....and we got this one for a steal of a price. Its why we had to rush over and nab it before the other guy.

Jeremy5848 · #2 01-24-2007, 12:16 AM

Pictures, please.

Veloce300DT · #3 01-24-2007, 01:44 AM

Cant wait to see/hear more!

pawoSD · #4 01-26-2007, 05:04 PM

She's dirty, but here's a bunch of pictures.

TX76513 · #5 01-26-2007, 05:11 PM

Nice catch!

winmutt · #6 01-26-2007, 05:13 PM

soon to be mine and its "cuter". check the interior.

iNeon · #7 01-26-2007, 05:46 PM

So you like the way a w123 handles/rides?

I'm not feeling the 'tightness' of the car so much as I used to-- My Sister recently bought a van like your Father's(2004 Town & Country) and that thing rides like it's on marshmallows-- I *really* like it.

Is a w126 somewhere in the middle? This may be sacrilege, BUT...The w123 seems too jarring, and I think maybe I'm ready for a more posh ride.

Love the brown, by the way! Ditch the bundts and put hubbies on

pawoSD · #8 01-26-2007, 06:06 PM

The W126 absorbs bumps a little bit more than the W123....but it still has a way stiffer ride than our minivan does by far. Most german cars have stiffer/harder suspensions, makes for better high speed handling etc...personally I like it, but I have become very skilled at avoiding potholes around here, its like an obstacle course!!

Our van goes over them and you don't even feel it....

I like the W123, it definatley feels like a tank, even moreso than a W126 IMHO....

This 300d has a leaky primer pump that is leaking air into the system and was making it a 20-second crankathon to get it started....I'll be replacing the pump in the near future. It probably also needs a valve adjustment, and the throttle linkages are worn out and sloppy. You get almost no throttle response till the pedal is about 60% depressed....then it all comes at once.

I opened the hood and pressed it while looking, and saw how much play/looseness there is.

My dad drove it home (190 miles) and he said it easily topped 100mph when he floored it....he was leaving me in the dust in my big o'l 126...I had to sound my fog horn.

barry123400 · #9 01-26-2007, 06:23 PM

Looks like both of you have found some pretty decent rides. It seems like there are many components involved in a cars ride. My hardest riding car leaves me less tired that the same long distance run in a softer riding version. On the otherhand I had an american front wheel drive car with a hard ride that almost killed me over great distances. Even my feet hurt. it was transmitting some bad type vibrations right to the driver I think. Time may shortly be running out for picking up the better examples of 123s at a reasonable price as well. So far they are not recognized as a collector car either but that just might change with time. At the least availability has to shrink at some point.

pawoSD · #10 01-26-2007, 06:32 PM

I agree on the point of a soft riding car making you tired. It is exhausting to drive our minivan anything over 70-80 miles, it makes me feel ill and the incredible amount of windnoise and drafts in the cabin make it a pretty unpleasant experience. In my W126 it is warm, cozy, and all I hear is the sound of my 617 when going down the freeway, which is a much warmer sound than the air/road noise in the van. To pick up that W123 I drove over 375 miles in a 5-6 hour span, and it didn't bother me at all, I wasn't even tired afterwards.

TWeatherford · #11 01-26-2007, 07:16 PM

Nice catch. Buff and polish that baby up, maybe paint or powdercoat the wheels, it'll look real nice.

I thought Mercedes had great shock absorption. I guess the only other thing I'm used to driving is a '97 F-350, so its not really a good comparison. Love it for higher speeds.

iNeon · #12 01-26-2007, 08:14 PM

Oh, its absolutely perfect for touring in the country on gently graded and curvy roadways-- but absolutely atrocious on city streets. It'll rattle your fillings loose! it's double-edged!

The w123 really is the most solid car I've ever experienced. It just feels so solid that it's hard to imagine it'll ever fall apart. At the same time, I've found myself wishing the car has a bit less rigid structure so it would absorb more of the nastiness.

I'm sure later models are much improved, and a longer wheelbase might help. Maybe something like an SDL, but I'm *so* afraid of that w126 electrical system after pulling seat warmer wiring harnesses from a 500SEL!

Spagetti.

JimmyL · #13 01-26-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winmutt

soon to be mine and its "cuter". check the interior.

Do you have any more pics of that car? That is AWESOME!!!!!

**edit**
I didn't mean to be rude pawoSD, looks like you picked up a really clean little W123. Love that radio!!
Nice Car!

Prosecutor · #14 01-26-2007, 09:35 PM

nice find

85 DSEL · #15 01-26-2007, 10:04 PM

Absolutely georgous!! I really like that 'rootbeer' color...

Did you ever divulge how much silver and gold you had to lay out for this nice find?