I'd doubt that it is the safest car in the world. It lacks side airbags for one.


It depends on what era you were brought up in. I was officially around the car business in the late 70's and had my own shop from 88 to 97. These were not exactly the best years for OBD systems and some didn't have any OBD at all ( Like D or L jet or early CIS with a buzz valve ) . Having a live data stream is very helpful for any diagnosis. Modern OBD2 is worlds better to diagnose than early OBD 1 stuff.





Cars are designed to be rapidly assembled and offer decent serviceability over their life span. Think about it, do we compromise the economy / cost of a car over it's entire life span to make something more easily accessible once every 100,000 miles or do we accept that compromise as an overall reduced cost per mile?

When working on a car, think how it was assembled then work backwards from there. A dash for example is mostly assembled before it ever hits the car. Try to take something apart out of sequence and it is going to be difficult.



There are always deals on the fringes, just like buying a house and fixing it up.

Some shops have a one hour minimum. I doubt you could change plugs in much of anything including the time you pick up the work order, bring the car in, gap the plugs, perform the service and close out the WO.





The $ 800 labor only claim to change just a master cylinder has about zero credibility, even if it came from a really bad shop. ( and to quote an old timer salvage yard guy circa 1985 , "55 Pontiac 3 speed manual transmission? Why do want one of those? The were no good in 55.. . ." )


I'd hazard to say even the lowest crash worthiness car built today is still safer than your 1980 anything.


You are seeing 5 year old and newer cars in this condition on a regular basis? That is hardly a credible statement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omkJmE1NwDc

97 SL320 - I understand the one hour minimum charge. That's why it makes more sense to do small jobs like that oneself. Otherwise it doesn't make financial sense.

You can believe what you want about the shop charging me $800 labor to change the master cylinder, but I stand by my statement. It was Big O Tires in Heber City, Utah around the year 2003. I about had a heart attack when I saw the bill since I was only 19 and making $6 an hour. The manager (who I believe was paid on commission) said he spent a lot of time finding a shop that would rebuild the cylinder and how it had to be shipped from state to state getting worked on (one state did the boring, another state sleeved it, another state installed new rubber). I had friends who worked there who told me that I got screwed. Anyway, the point is to just do stuff yourself if you don't have deep pockets or a really good shop that loves these cars.

My 1955 Pontiac had a 4 speed hydramatic automatic transmission. It seemed fine to me. The car had absolutely beautiful styling and was very simple. It made no sense to farm out the work to someone else, but I was too ignorant at the time and didn't have very good mechanical skills when it came to cars. I sure do now, though.

I respect your opinions but also disagree.

Yes, I am seeing 5 year old cars in ragged condition on a regular basis. Then again, maybe it's just an Arizona thing as cars seemed to be in much better condition in Washington. People really beat their cars in this state. Can any other Arizonians corroborate?

YES! That is hilarious and SO my sentiment.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

Wow, cool to see another member on here my age. Most people I've met my age neglect the hell out of their cars just like you mentioned about that v6 mustang. They're idiots. They also beat the hell out of their cars too. I never beat on my cars and never understood driving like its midnight club LA. But believe me if I have to step on it, my e300's see 4500 RPMs to merge if I have to.

I agree 100%. I can't tell you how many people I've met in my age group, yours and a bit older and they're sissies about working on these cars or any car in general. I grew up raised to fix my things and learn a valuable skill. As much as I work, I couldn't afford to pay for a house, and own a car as well so I fix my own. I've never been stranded in my mercedes. My 92 300d was far by the roughest running vehicle I own before I fixed it and I had to drive it 300 miles one day and it made me there and back with an extremely beat transmission and low compression on two cylinders.

Newer cars are garbage. I go to a trade school at night when I'm done work and the reason I went there other than the certification is learning electrical & diagnostics. Everything is a computer. I'd rather work on old benzes every day, but that's not the case.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

I see W140's in the Junk Yards all the time .

I have no idea what's the problem as most are spiffy looking and clean as whistles .

My Brother loves his 126's (two) and I love my 123's (three) , 116's are tricky with the Klima I and it's EVIL SERVO FROM HELL although I did teach my self how to make it behave, I was disgusted with it and sold that car ('80 300CD) at a dead loss .

Kids ~ HARUMPH ! stay off my lawn ! .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Haha, man! This made me laugh so hard. Brilliant!

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"The MB W123 is so bulletproof, you can drive them forever. Which is a good thing as it takes that long to get anywhere."
Betsie: 1984 W123 300D (hobby, 280k miles)
Myrla: 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0 ES 5spd (daily driver, 130k miles)
The Turd: 2007 Toyota Camry (wife's car, 118k miles)

What do you mean by this?

I don't think my car is on the fringes honestly.
Truthly I think I paid slightly too much for it.

It's a black 300SDL with a good exterior and great interior, i paid 3 grand.

My aunt owns a 8th gen civic that she daily drives and I hate everything about it. It's loud, plasticy, rough riding, and the road noise is horrendous.

That car costs a lot more than mine used but honestly it's a shoe box.

My 300SDL is like a cavernous man cave compared to the civic. My distant relatives own a newer lexus 3 something seriers. The inerior is bland and the seats are VERY hard and uncomfortable. Wasn't impressed with it.

In short, i'd rather own a 3k merc > 3k civic

Hell, i've been in BRAND NEW Corrolla and wasn't impressed.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I know my spelling is horrible.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I would think a Webasto would be a "must have" for a diesel in Alaska.

Dkr.

I mean cars that the general car buying public overlooks. 3K is almost nothing for a car that runs and drives let alone a car that offers lots of value such as yours. Yours also comes with risk that people without facilities / skills are not going to accept, if they were, the street price would be much higher.

My 97 SL320 was 6K in 2011 and was happy with that. I then proceeded to put about $ 2,500 in parts getting it to my reliability standards. ( I change parts when they get near expected end of life rather waiting for a random failure. This way the car is down on my terms not at random. )

A typical used car buyer isn't going to accept a car needs 2,500 in parts the minute they buy it.

Well, I do almost all of my work, unless it is more expensive to do it myself. So I honestly won't and haven't needed a shop to repair my car. Essentially there is no risk for me. Honestly wouldn't trust ANY shop to repair my car but that's another story.

Honestly just about every used car purchased needs work, some more than others.
No matter the car brand. The older the car, the more it needs obviously. Most used car buyers don't want a 1980's vehicle either. But at the end of the day, an ecnobox is an ecnobox.

Since luxury decrepit MUCH faster, you get a MUCH better buy/car $ per $ used, that's a fact. So if you want your moneys worth and then some, these cars fit the bill. I see no point in buying a modern car that costs MORE with a WORSE fit and feel.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I've had an '82 240D and an '84 Euro 300TD, for about 9 years now. Both have manual shift and manual heat/AC.
Today, these old W123s are fun, hobby cars. Over the years, I've had to put some money in them, mostly to maintain an acceptable level of reliability, but not really an excessive amount. Now, I must admit, I have been able to do most of the repairs myself.
I know they're not as safe as a new car and I probably won't get more than I paid for them if I sell. (Well, maybe I would for the Euro TD)
Anyway, I don't care!
These cars big attraction for me is their simplicity and wonderful, functional design, without computer systems that might require expensive or unobtainable parts to keep them going after 30+ years.
And I'm pretty sure fuel prices will go up someday. Though, if they don't, I'm OK with that too.

Meanwhile, for my daily driving I also have a couple of mid 90s 4-cylinder Toyotas - a Camry and Tacoma.
Just as my W123s represent the peak of Mercedss quality and reliability in the '80s, the Toyotas represent the peak of Japanese quality and reliability in the '90s.
(Though both of these were actually built in the US)
The Toyotas DO have electronic systems, but at least not to the absurd levels of today's vehicles! So they've been pretty bullet-proof.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

I have a pretty good eye for vintage mercedes & I see W123's as often as I see W126's & R107's and I see them all the time in Southern California. I see em all over and I see the whole spectrum from Sad ****mobile to Chrome Roller. I see about 2-3 per day, minimum, but what alarms me is the amount I see in the nearby pick ur parts. I see about 3-4 a month among 6 Junk yards. It makes alot of parts available at minimum price, but it really makes me sad. Some of these owners (damn hipster posers) get overcome by the challenge or unfortunate mistakes and these cars end up ripped apart riding on make shift jack stands. If you like your vintage mercedes I highly recommend the local pick your part ONLY if your not turning your car in. I feel the scariest market is the parents who buy cars for their highschoolers. Those cars burn out or get totaled. Im going to hold onto my Mercedes, and probably buy a few more while Im at it, I find them more than enough as a suitable car & positively something to behold. If they ban the diesel or gas engine, Ill gladly slap an electric motor in & stuff batteries in the trunk (or where the fuel tank is ). I want to keep these things around, theyre all delightful, even the ****hawks or the slow as ****. But don't plan on me always staying O.E.M.


(but never below O.E.M. standards.)

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A junkyard is not for junk

I have doubts about this. Yes, the old cars don't have side airbags but other than that I would rather be in a W126 than a new Mitsubishi Mirage (or Ford Focus for that matter).

I was driving an '82 BMW 733i when someone cut me off on the freeway (two cars were road raging and I got caught). The car veered off towards concrete center divider and I hit it at a 45+ degree angle at about 50 mph. The car rode up the center divider and flipped over. I slid down the freeway on the roof about 100 yards. I crawled out of the car with only a small bruise on my chest from the seat belt. The roof maintained most of it's integrity and the driver's side wheel well did not deform.

I would not want to make the same trip in any current compact car...

By the way, I'm a new member to this forum and a new owner of an '85 300sd!