84 300d sold for $20,000
 

Auburn fall. Lovely clean car with 65,000 miles. I saw it prior to sale in the tent and thought it would be a nice car to have. I expected it to sell for under 10.

My insurance company says my '82 300D with 190k miles is worth $17,150.

BaT
 

There have been, and are several high dollar 123's sold/listed on Bring a Trailer. Low mileage examples are going for around 20K.

It was bound to happen. Just take a look at what JG is charging for his pristine W123 cars...makes $20K seem like a bargain.

I purchased my 84 300D Automatic saloon with Sunroof, SLS and Aircon in 2015 for a fraction of what it is worth today (cash offers received for £20K here in the UK). That said, it has been fully mechanically restored by the foremost W123 specialist and magazine featured.

The 123s have been valued highly in the UK for a decade or so....particularly the wagons.

Yes, and he had seven of his cars at the Legends of the Autobahn. Not one of them got an award. That is unfortunate, as a couple of them were probably the nicest cars there (in my opinion).

I'd say "worth every penny"! Compared to the crap that qualifies for a new car, these days, an older Mercedes in excellent shape with low miles is STILL a bargain at 20K.
Looks like the "market" caught up with these great old Benz's. Too bad for us but still well worth the dough. What's out there new for 20K.....a freakin KIA? Show me another car that will cruise to 200K on the odometer and not even break a sweat. Not even be CLOSE to being worn out. As for "JG's" cars.....simply incredible. Unbelievably beautiful. Works of art, I dare say. Even in the 40K range, an absolute bargain...imho. I'd take one of his cars over just about anything brand new at twice the price! These magnificent Mercedes just ooze style, personality, character and grace not seen in the automotive industry since. Most likely never to be seen again. And let's not get started on the engineering aspect.......

I figured eventually they'd start to rise in value like that especially if in excellent condition. However, owning such a nice W123 would be for summer/weekend driving, as any wear will drop that price as it would with any car...

Plus around here they dissolve pretty quickly in the winter conditions....which new MB's do not. All of the post 2004's in my family have virtually no rust at all, after many years in Michigan winters. Can't say the same for my W210 or any of the prior ones I owned. If only they had been galvanized from the factory, then they'd truly be invincible vehicles!

Respectfully, I disagree. Anything under 200K miles will command a significant premium IF it has been restored or impeccably well maintained. The beauty of these cars is that replacing rusted or worn components instantly transforms the car back to factory fresh condition, assuming periodic maintenance has been adhered to. In other words, as immortal as a car can be.

And people laughed when I paid $5,000 for an immaculate, unrestored 240D a few years back.

Now I’m laughing at the idea of a 240D having a 5 figure value.

LOL

Can you go "Muwuahahahaaa"?

76 240D. Paid £6500 in the Spring. An additional £3500 in parts. Buwhahaahaar!

looking for help...

looking to buy 85 300sd... but my OLD mechanic- said I should be warned about unavailable parts-- like NO Thrust arm/bushings around??? Is he right? I tried trying to research... and can't even find that part... is it also called something else?

I used to own 1984 300sd- 280k-- and this mechanic used to service it 25 years ago

please let me know on this thrust arm... i found a car I like... but fear buying-- due to clunk when came to near stop from front suspension... otherwise car/motor looked sound

As far as I know, EVERY suspension part that could wear out on a W126 is available, and probably from several manufacturers.

https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/3339/3339-Suspension-Steering.htm



No need to worry, these cars are still repairable, and actually at less cost than many newer cars......Rich

Thanks- But my concern is when I research "Thrust arm/and bushing"-- nothing comes up... so is this part- commonly called something else??? and My OLD mechanic- out of touch-- cuz he never sees these OLD SD's anymore?

another question-- 85 300sd

How many hours - will a good suspension shop bill me to-- do a Rubber/bushing/mount /ball joint restore- on front suspension and motor mounts for this 85 300sd

also- mechanic mentioned issues with 85 300sd ABS braking- what issues should I look for there?

A "GOOD" shop (dealer quality=high price) will probably charge more for the job than the car is worth. It is best to find a shop (or friend/mechanic) that will work with you (using your supplied parts) on the suspension rebuild if you CAN'T do it yourself. These are very DIY friendly cars, and there are many suspension rebuild threads on this forum. The only real way to get good value from these cars is to work on them yourself, or find a competent mechanic (Mercedes-Benz enthusiast) to do the work at a fraction of dealer/Euro auto shop cost.

Until someone without insurance rear ends you.

It's always great to hear from an expert. Tell me, does my insurance company have a record of not honoring its obligations?

No I don't, but they are great at attempting to sell more insurance than you need or will ever benefit from. Feel free to search here on how many threads give praise to insurance companies that pay a fair price on a thirty plus year old vehicle after a wreck, or anywhere near 17K.

Rollguy- agreed- I found a good "assembly line" body shop... and yes- I would buy the parts/bushing kits... just wondering- what I am looking at for hours-
roughly- to do all of that - bushings/mounts/ball joints- ALL at the same time to save - Labor $$$$

Lastly- does Thrust arm= lower control arm??? is it same thing??

I don't need to do a search to determine that you don't have a clue about my insurance policy.

E mail your insurance agent and ask to have a binding answer to the following questions in writing, on their letter head and sent by USPS.

1) What is the valuation of my car right now?

2) If my car should become damaged, at what % of value would it be considered a total loss and not be repaired?

3) If my car becomes a total loss for any reason, how much will the check written to me be?

What would compel a competent shop to do a job at break even or a loss? Losing profit from parts and cutting labor rates is no way to run a business.

First, I will need for you to send me, via certified mail, a copy or your insurance qualifications. On official letter head (sic), of course.

In any case, the agreed value of $17,150 is specified right on the declarations page.

The 211 chassis has what is called a "thrust arm", and it does the same thing that a "guide rod" does on a 123 chassis. I am not as familiar with a 126 chassis (your 300SD), so I don't know if it has a trust arm, guide rod, or something else. However, the suspension parts for a 126 are also available. As far as the hours involved, many shops charge "book time". A 5 hour job by the book may only take an expert tech only 3 hours, while a DIY guy might take 7 to do the same job. I have no idea how many hours your car will take to rebuild the suspension.

Wow, this and your previous rants in this thread prove that untreated diesel exhaust isn't toxic and also promotes good grammar.

You could have been more specific about what type of coverage you have. Some here have been caught out by thinking Stated Value and Agreed Value were interchangeable only to find that their Stated Value policy would not fully cover them.

For the benefit of others, here is a bit from https://www.hagerty.com/insurance/insurance-tips-and-resources/stated-value-vs-guaranteed-value

Of course I do not have any knowledge of "Your policy".. Relax I was just saying be careful and don't count on what your agent tells you. They are great at saying buy 17K in coverage then payout way less due to depreciation. Thats all end of story.

I didn't ask for insurance advice, so there was no need for me to be specific about anything. If YOU feel the need to provide unsolicited advice, maybe YOU find out what kind of coverage is involved.

Depreciation is not a factor in an agreed value contract.

240D Value
 

Wow, my '82 240D is worth maybe $3,500.00, I can't see it ever being worth more than that as I actually drive the darn thing, it drives very well indeed but is just a base model putt - putter, not even a sun roof nor power windows although the AC is ice cold.....

Sometimes I think jerkhoff rich folks diddle in the market and have no real idea what their vehicles are worth .

To be fair, I obsess over my vehicles. I use them once a week for odd errands but only enough to keep the rubber pliant and the car well lubricated. I pursue original parts for the car (even trim and rare accessories) and don't rest till everything is perfect. Then, after about 2 years, I buy a new project :)

Obsessing
 

......And not a thing wrong with that ! :P .

My thought exactly. At any given time, there are a handful of w123 240d/300d "drivers" on LA craigslist...the kind that look good at least in pictures, interiors are not beat to hell, and purportedly are in solid running condition...and all are generally in the 2500-5000 range (listed prices). If I had to pick a price for my 240D on any given day, I'd guess $3000-4000, so your $3500 sounds just right to me.

Not that I'd sell it mind you..... :rolleyes: .

In the 1970's I foolishly sold a oldie I really liked and was never quite able to replace it .

I made the same mistake in the 1990's, I hope I never do that again :cool: .

You can't replace the body of the car....in Michigan USA they use Salt all over the roads in winter, turns the old non-galvanized MB's to rust dust in a decade or so of winter driving. You might be able to avoid/prolong it if you have your own home heated car wash stall where you thoroughly wash the car off and dry it each and every day you bring it home.....

Also while the old powertrains are good, they still can't match the M112 and M113 engines + 722.6 transmission for longevity/durability/power/economy. An M112 can exceed 30mpg on the freeway, pull a sub 7 second 0-60....and lasts 300k+ with virtually no significant repair. Same for the M113 minus a few mpg's, but way more power.

Especially when I capture a Prius behind me. :devil3:

[QUOTE

Sounds like ours, base model the only option is a right hand mirror. I love the car, but I couldn't imagine paying anything resembling a large amount cash for one.

Stripper 240D's
 

.......Mine didn't have a R/H mirror nor sun roof when new ~ the only option was the excellent slush box transmission .

It now has that R/H mirror of course.....

Plus a few other bits and bobs I picked up in junkyards and put on it .

I'd drive it to South America (not the Darien Gap) now if I needed to .

Base model vehicles have far less things to go wrong as they age out .

There's a reason the OM61X engines enjoy the reputations they do. While the M11X engines are nice, they're not really exceptional in any area by any measure, especially in such company. That said, the diesels from the late 80's/ early 90's (OM60X) are an excellent example of the point you're trying to prove.

it varies! I am in Marietta GA and I had the following for the same request but on my W123

1) $2000
2)$750 with alignment
3) $200 no alignment

How are they not exceptional? They are remarkably reliable, can match or surpass the OM61x in durability and are twice as powerful or more, run cleaner, much lower maintenance. I love the OM61x motors but I'm not going to say they are superior to the M112 or M113 (or OM648) motors....because they're not.

A stock M112 powered E320 can easily surpass 30MPG on the highway, is less than half as loud, and makes 80% more power stock.....and will readily go 300k+ miles with no problems and much less recurring maintenance.

My brother's E400 has 329hp, and 354lbs torque at 1600rpm....and can get 33mpg going 75mph at around 1,600rpm in near silence. Cars have come a LONG ways since the 70's/80's.

Yes the name description does not sound right. I think He meant the locator bar and bushing really with the ball type joint. That keeps the lower control arm located.

If you have a pre agreed arrangement on total loss value. Fine. Just straight collision coverage probably forget a cheque for that amount. I could see a massive fight to get anywhere near it.


As my insurance person told me. Our job is to protect the premiums we collect. By and large they all do pretty well with that.

Crazy prices, and my 1984 & 85 300D's aren't worth more than $4000 to me, especially since parts are becoming a challenge and high priced. I paid $400 & $2500, resp. for my M-B's and put much more time and money into them over the years (10 & 18 yrs, resp.).

But, a high valuation works to your advantage. I paid $800 for my 1965 Chrysler in 1991 (perfect shape, CA no rust) and it has been totaled 3 times by my insurance (2 uninsured drivers, 1 deer). Their body shop usually says "can't repair", because they are idiots or lazy. I send them ads for similar cars and let them decide on value, usually ~$4000, which they think is a deal since don't understand many other cars are more desired (bigger engine, 2 door). I take $500 to keep it, fix and often get a full repaint. The deer just crunched 1 door. I bought a used door for $150 w/ shipping and painted myself. Easy bolt-on fix.

No, body shops don't want to lose money on the job.

Fixing a long obsolete car is very time consuming and owners of daily driver and below cars will scream and cry how the repair isn't perfect, the new paint does not match 40 year old faded paint and how long the repair took.

Next time you need a repair on one of these cars, take it to a high end restoration shop not a generic body shop. Just be sure not to complain about the cost.

Again, I don't rely on anecdotal data from a individual to form an opinion. While I have every confidence that you sincerely believe that the M11X engines are superior, you've left out the fact that the OM61X motors yield much better economy at city or highway speeds and have literally hundreds of examples of lasting well past 300K miles with only basic maintenance.

Yes the newer motors are much faster and don't need valve adjustment, but they're not as economical in everyday conditions or as durable to own no matter the mileage or conditions. Perhaps this is why taxi drivers the world over still love them!

You know, I've always wondered what would happen if a modern fuel rail system was put onto an om61x.

Beyond the loss of reliability, I'd be curious if the fuel economy would jump to 30+.

It's weird how these cars have gone from, "quirky old cars" to straight up collectors/classic cars.

The weird thing is seeing cars from the 90s starting to get that same, "it's a classic car". I can't believe those cars will one day be considered classic.

My tracked, measured and recorded fuel economy is 24 city, 36mpg (US) highway in my 1984 300D NA Auto (Euro). My W115 240d hasn't passed 30 mpg yet, despite having one less cylinder, but is in need of a mechanical restoration. Even though they'll take neglect, these cars need love and care to perform as originally designed. We're getting there!

The W123 has been fully restored by Mark Cosovich here in the UK and performs like new. It has a couple "add ons" like the aluminum "steelie" wheels and low rolling resistance Michelin tires. Other than that, it's factory original.

Anything after the W124 will never be regarded as a Classic. History is the one thing that can't be erased by even the best of Marketing.