No. Whatever he paid, it was a steal for something in that kind of shape.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

I almost want to post what I paid for it, but it would only seem like a joke. The family obviously priced the car according to the milage, so I'll let you think alongside those kinds of prices. I feel extremely lucky to say the least. The day after I bought the car, I woke up early and had to actually check the garage to make sure it was not a dream.

There is also something kind of ironic that I forgot to mention. When we were inspecting the car, we never once turned it on. The condition it was in spoke enough. I even brought a diesel compression kit, which I didn't end up using. I handed over the money, and that was that. We started the car after paying and drove 3 and a half hours home. I'll tell you what though, the engine runs better than any Mercedes diesel I have ever driven. It drives better than any car I've driven.

I'm a younger guy, but I have an extremely deep passion for these cars. I just want everyone to know that I'm going to religiously take care of this car, and not to worry. It is currently in my garage and under a car cover as well.

nice find!

Ten years ago you could get the bmw 02s for not much money. Now they command crazy prices.

Perhaps the w123 will reach that status soon.

Glad that such a well built vehicle can be had without paying ridiculous prices.

Get em while they're cheap. (Relatively)

He got it cheap enough as usually unless you almost stumble across something really good. You will spend quite a lot of time and usually money just locating it. He was astute enough and knew enough to try to get there first as well. Nice going.

Absolutely beautiful. Stunning. Congratulations!

Also, is that what a W123 is supposed to look like? Man, I now realize what a hunk a' junk mine is. I used mileage as an excuse, but yours is not that far off.

*Hangs head in shame and removes star from hood*...

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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 a perfect find and purchase! Fitting name because of her history and I hope you keep it all original with no modifications.

Looking over your imgur photo album, looks like the firewall had sound deadening material added. Also you have the very nice Diavia, dealership installed, Sanden style compressor setup for your A/C. That should work very well.

Great purchase and keep it for a lifetime!


.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

I appreciate all of the kind words everyone. I am going to keep the car 100% original, it just is too rare of a car to molest and modify.

There is only one spot of rust on the car, and it is the battery area. (Which is expected) I plan on doing all of the future work on the
car in a methodical and slow paced fashion, only with OEM quality parts. I somehow plan to better the condition of the car cosmetically
and mechanically, as infeasible as that may sound.

Highly recommend getting rid of that rust causing flooded lead acid battery and install an AGM battery instead. Especially that car...

I hear OE Mercedes AGM batteries are at good price.

.

.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Peach parts had a few of the shifter boots last month, about $10 and it fit perfectly.

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1981 240D Four on the floor, Orient Red over Parchment, bought with 154,000 but it's a daily driver and up to 180,000 miles, mostly original paint and all original interior.

I think the term is we become at least temporary custodians of certain cars. When they are truly getting older and in very good condition for their age. Efforts then to keep them in similar condition are not unreasonable.

My dad told me many years ago when I was disposing of some of my cars. Just to keep them instead. Wise older man as I wish today I had heeded that advice. Not for the implied monetary value or gain but historically or emotionally. Today they would have been interesting. It has been mentioned what did you pay.

Over time with cars like this it does not really matter. I could list cars that my father suggested I keep. A 39 ford 2 door that never left the town it was in. Until just before I got it. There were no roads out of that northern Canadian town. Financial cost 125.00 from the older lady. It was already older but mint. Remember back then nobody except a few guys like myself wanted older cars. At the time new cars where pure heavy status symbols.

A mint 50 mercury a real high financial roller at the time that I paid 300 dollars for. A pretty new Mercedes fintail 6 cylinder gas. That an old fellow that sailed with me on my sailboat almost weekly sold me for the huge sum of 600.00. He had purchased a new lincon and told me the price reflected the true trade in rip off price when he finalized the deal if he had traded it in. He simply told me when he pulled up to the club one afternoon. That the Mercedes was at home waiting for me. Just give me 600.00 when I want to. He knew I liked the car and had said if you ever want to sell it let me know.

There were others perhaps less notable in my mind as well but would have been well worth taking care of over the years in good storage conditions. Perhaps using each one infrequently. The cost of acquisition and money returned when sold back then. Just basically pocket change today. Little more than a set of high line tires today.

Being fortunate to be a custodian of certain cars is not insanity. Just the occasional drive of the 54 Cadillac would be enjoyable today. Memory is a strange thing but only three years later the quality of the car brand to me was going downhill.. Cadillac's slogan was the standard of the world. In some ways back then and earlier they were.

There is some form of emotional attachment between some cars and guys especially. Although it probably is not logical. It can and does exist. Or perhaps it I just some combination like the extension of power or freedom. I have never really examined all the motives in depth. Other than understanding they subconsciously exist. Personally I find they do not fail with age. Most wives in general also tollerate well our interest in cars. In there minds perhaps we have never grown up and they are our toys. Typically when I used to mention that I might go to the Hershey car event or similar. A few days before there would be a packed suitcase just inside the front door. To me it was the wives seal of approval. She never packed a bag when I went on a business trip or any other reason.

Just had an old timer like myself at the door this morning. Asking me if I had the tools and shims to adjust his valves on an old engine. We both have interests in cars but have not crossed paths for perhaps 10 years. He loves to rebuild really old military vehicles. Not my thing but he has been hooked on them forever.

It is like you mentioned in going out the next morning to see your aquisiton. You will never get tired of doing so when they are older and in good shape. We have new and newer cars of course but the relationship with them to me in context does not exist. For example if I had to give away either the Toyota that is still worth a lot more in many ways than my recent 3.8k acquisition. I would say take the Toyota.

Again not a rational decision but instead I just like the older car better. So does the wife unfortunately. She has hinted I could drive her Toyota. Or stay in my Honda beater. Maybe I have a semi car wife because what we have is jointly owned in all ways. Except for cars as she considers that Toyota hers. Not to the extent you would have to pry it out of her dead hands fortunately. Yet close enough to keep in mind. She may make good humored fun of me and always has in many ways. Yet never about the cars in general. Strange woman or exceptionally smart. Your guess would be as good as mine and I have decades of experience with her.

Good thoughts Barry. I have had a lot of cars through the years and have sold them along when I have had my fun with them. I would not mind having some back but no real regrets. It's always more fun to look forward than backward.

I can only think of one time the wife wanted a car I had bought for me. The pristine gray 74 240D with parchment interior which I bought with a bad motor and fixed up really nice. She wanted it but I cannot really remember if she ever drove it or not.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Tom I really do not dwell on the past. That extensive post was just to confirm perhaps to young guys why we do certain things they may not have considered. Or what it can lead to.

A brand new car to me has always been just a utilitarian device basically. There is no serious interest or attachment at all. Cars where an important component of the north American culture at one time.

As for forward thinking . I was toying with the ideal of explaining how to drive new cars engaging no depreciation in the process. I do not engage the practice. As these specific cars have no air conditioning package. Maybe I will post it as a thread soon.

Any sane way to get off the depreciation treadmill and car payment treadmill sooner for some is money in their pocket.

barry what you said rings true with me. Am I the only one who has dreams about my past cars that are so real I have to think twice to shake them off when I wake up? I have a recurring dream that I am at my Mom's house where I grew up and my 65 Dodge truck is there along with my 69 AMC Rebel.

The only thing keeping me from more aggressively looking for "Cream Puffs" to haul home is that I am out of room to park them.

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Brian
87 300Dturbo 180K #14 head still running R-12 SOLD 12/2017
02 F350 Powerstroke 180K
05 Chevy Express 1 ton w/Royal Utility box 120K
08 Infiniti FX-35 40K
15 Golf Sportwagen TDI 35K
10 Sprinter 3500 chassis with a Class A Winnebago on it. 56K

Look up the shifter boot by VIN. There was a change on the 126 going from 84-85 and similar may have happened in the 123. The boot wasn't changed with the exact model year change.

Edit, I'm fixing the 85 SD for my son. It belonged to his grandfather bought new. I fear that he won't appreciate it. Perhaps I'll trade him for the 12 VW TDI and keep the SD.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

It was just over a year ago when I found a Euro 300D 4 speed on the Indy Craigslist. The owner in a lot of words did say the car was really ready to be parted out, but because it was a Euro, he was putting it for sale at $6950.00. Gosh I thought, what is this jerk trying to say. So I called him and found out very quickly that he was a recent German Immigrant, working as a court reporter in our State Capitol. Anyway, he had this long ad, advertising the remaining virtues of this truly German built Mercedes, which was built nothing like the regular junk 300D that Mercedes was importing into the US, no way, these Euro built cars imported by Germans from Germany, these were the real cars. Well, I made an appointment to meet him at a hospital which was in Indy, about half way between us. When I got there, I could see from a block away that the car was junk, never the less, I did take a drive in it. He didn't want me to drive it, but I insisted. The car was running on 4 of the five cylinders. One was completely dead. To keep the car idling you had to constanly fuss with the idle adjustment knob on the dash - too much and it would roar, too little and it would die. Inside and out the car was a mess. So we ended the test drive and I was impressed by the value in that heavy flywheel. In an instant I knew that was the answer. So I said Vince, I think I will buy your car. Oh, very good he said, then my wife and I will buy the new Suburu we want. Well I hope so I said, but there is one thing wrong in your price I said, and that is the decimal is in the wrong place. Your ad says $6950.00 and you and I know that can't be right and even $695.00 is a bit high for a parts car, but because it is a 300D factory 4 speed I will pay that. Wow, he exploded on me like a roman candle! He just wouldn't shut up telling me what a stupid idiot I was to think he would consider anything on that order. No he would come down to $6400.00, that was his new low. He said I forget that his car was built for the "German" market and I was really stupid if I didn't know that. Well, then he re-wrote the ad for Craigslist telling all prospects if they didn't plan on buying his car on site the first time they saw it, they shouldn't even attempt to look at it and some more inane remarks - sad and stupid, what more can one say.

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!