The most reliable- w116, w126 or w123?

[tbaldwinusc]

Hi there gang, newbie here. I'm not very mechanical and am looking for a reliable daily driver that I can convert to veggie, I live in Irvine, CA (SoCal). Aside from the cosmetics of each, I'm interested in everyone's opinion of the most reliable platform and if you have preference of year within that platform.

I'm not a DIY'er so beyond engine reliability, I need a solid transmission, AC, windows and other accessories. I realize these are old cars and things are bound to happen, but to the extent I can pick the most reliable the better.

From a cosmetic perspective, I love the 1980 300SD, but these didn't come with an airbag from what I understand and safety is somewhat important to me as well. Can I expect airbags on the newer models to even work after 20 years? Any other thoughts or opinions are greatly appreciated.

Tom