I stumbled across this today. Hope it hasn't been posted yet.

http://www.beaterreview.com/?p=45

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)

Yep, it has. I don't recall how long ago but it might still entertain those of us who didn't come across it the first time around.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Nice article, well written. Only hints at the eternal greatness of these cars.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Adds some false negativity. We here all know that manual transmissions (at least in 240D's) are common, that manual windows (same caveat) are not rare either, and that these cars aren't very expensive to maintain as long as you do the work yourself.

I checked their archives and they did an article on the 80-92 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham-my dad has three of them.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

That's the first time I have seen it.


Pop quiz time: What would an ad for a Mercedes-Benz 300TD represent? If you said a diesel wagon, you get a strudel*.

*No strudel will be provided. Strudel procurement is the sole responsibility of the winner.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Practically none of the "facts" are accurate. w123 equipped with leather seats and ABS? No driver's side airbag either. He makes disc brakes sound like deluxe feature, MB's used 4 wheel discs since 1968. And independent suspension he mentions has been in use since '54..... fun article to read though.

Yeah, I had to re-read that part about the air bags and abs, I think the article meant it was an optional upgrade. Too bad about the video, I wanted to see it.

Why did MBZ stop making the 240D or w123s? I understand it was a very successful model.

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1991 300E 124.030 103.983KE 722358 03 412178
207K

1979 240D 123.123 250K (Project car)

2000 Ford Ranger, 187K

2015 Dodge Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 37K

I have not seen that before. I'm glad to be a 123 owner, though.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

ABS and airbags were options, just not in the US. Also compared to other cars at the time 4 wheel disc brakes and independent suspension was deluxe, heck even today it is. My wife's 2007 car has drums in the back...

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I still don't understand why a comparable car is not made today to satisfy the need for a dependable, simple and economical car. How many 240ds would sell right now if they were new and rolling off an assembly line? (I'm talking simple, like no a/c, no power windows, manual trans, etc. like mine.)

I guess "planned obsolescence" got in the way?

(Edit: Course I'm preaching to the choir, here.)

The original VW beetle is another car that comes to mind...why did they kill a good thing?

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1991 300E 124.030 103.983KE 722358 03 412178
207K

1979 240D 123.123 250K (Project car)

2000 Ford Ranger, 187K

2015 Dodge Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 37K

If there were a 240D being made now, brand new - simple like you describe? I would buy it in a heartbeat.

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1984 300D Turbo, 326000 Km, Thistle Green Metallic

amen.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I read that article at the time I was deciding to become a MB diesel owner - it helped to sway me.

I still like the article Iposted by James May of Top Gear better, though....

By James May of Top Gear...

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

Yep, ABS and driver's Airbag was an option for Euro-version w123's. My old (euro) '84 300TD has the ABS but no airbag. The 300TD options can be seen in here: http://www.angelfire.com/al3/alfie/euro300td/300td.html.

Nice article nevertheless... In addition, this month's Mercedes Enthusiast magazine has a nice article on the "classic" and "collector" future of the w123 estate - check it out at your local Barnes or Border's.

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

There was nothing economical about these cars when they were sold. The sticker price was about $30,000 IN THE 80's which is about $63,000 in today's dollars. http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

I think I own a new car that has all of the features you describe. It has no ABS, no power seats or windows, is reliable, safe (front, side and curtain airbags) and inexpensive at $12,000 new and economical to opperate...


Toyota Yaris.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine