Your Ultimate Family MB - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

BradH · #1 03-03-2003, 12:14 PM

After selling our gas-pig Ford Expedition, I am in the market for a new vehicle for my wife to drive as the "family car." My daily beater is a 225k mile '82 300D that runs like a champ and has given me 2+ years of very reliable service. I'd buy another W123, but we both feel as though the back seat is too small for our two-year-old son and baby daughter we expect this summer.

So, if you had up to $15k to spend on the ultimate family Mercedes sedan or wagon, what would it be, and why? Can any W124 owners with kids comment on the size of the back seat? Space, reliability, and overall cost of ownership our our main priorities.

Thanks for your insight!

Brad
'82 300DT 225k
'83 Porsche 911 SC 117k
'50 Chevrolet 3800 Pickup 65k original miles!

Tom Sweeney · #2 03-03-2003, 12:38 PM

Brad,
If you want a sedan why not look at the 126 chassis? I have two children and there is plenty of room in the back seat. I have an '82 SD and '86 SDL. The SDL has 4 inches more leg room than the SD. They are both extremely reliable and average between 26 - 30 MPG.
Tom

jfikentscher · #3 03-03-2003, 01:02 PM

MY kids (17 & 10) don't complain about the room in our '87 300D Turbo. Of course I'm usually in the back while my daughter drives!!

Joe.

Holson Adi · #4 03-03-2003, 01:43 PM

I would choose either an 86/87 300SDL (the back seat is really nice) or an 87 300TD. They both use the same engine.

The W124 (300TD) obviously is a wagon and you could put more stuff in the back. However the 300SDL is without a doubt more luxurious.

Another car to add,

contrary to what people say. If you could find a 1992 300SD (350 really) and somehow put a pretty extensive warranty on it. I think you would love the W140 more than anything else.

IZELJIC · #5 03-03-2003, 01:45 PM

For 15K I would try and find a nice W140 350SDL. Those cars are very safe for the kids and they offer great performance and reliability.

Igor Zeljic, Minneapolis.

#6 03-03-2003, 02:45 PM

The back seat is tops in the comfort/width/legroom category...would even accomodate a baby carrier AND passengers in comfort.

Good luck

lrg · #7 03-03-2003, 03:08 PM

The third seat on the W123 and W124 are about the same size. I have a 9 and 11 year old and both are fine with the third seat for about 30-40 minutes. Any longer than that and it's a bit too small. Also, if your kids are prone to getting carsick forget a rear facing seat.

190D22 · #8 03-03-2003, 04:17 PM

Well gas or diesel? For a gasser it would go to a 560 SEL, I would loooove to have a 560SEL!!! Diesel I'd say 300SDL or a 350SDL with the engine problems solved.

#9 03-03-2003, 06:56 PM

Spending $15k? Might be real tempted by some of the relatively rare 97-99 300D's that come up every so often. Looks to me to be a very sharp car, nearly perfect?

JimSmith · #10 03-03-2003, 09:01 PM

Brad,

I have 3 kids, and for the greatest part of their early childhood, we drove the W123 240D. With three kids and two in car seats the rear bench of that car was not comfortable for them. My parents would not have worried about that, and to be honest neither did I. I was more concerned with how much junk my wife carried around to cater to them, and the fact that the W123 headlights lit up the tree tops instead of the road at night.

We "upgraded" to a 1991 350SD. The car was nearly perfect. The size and payload were just right for a family of 5, and it was relatively economical, getting nearly the same mileage as the 240D. If you consider a 3.5 liter Diesel, please inform yourself on the issues with the engine. Do a search on the subject.

We also own a 1988 300E (W124) and for two kids I think it is fine. It is only slightly larger than the W123, possibly in legroom, but not much wider. We still use that quite a bit for 4 people, with my wife and I now the smallest of the bunch still at home.

My vote for the money would be a 1996 or 1997 300D as already noted by Old Deis. I think you should be able to find a medium mileage version, well equipped and in great shape. And you should be impressed with the W210 interior space. Bigger difference between it and the W124 than between the W123 and W124. On trips of any significant length the W210 rivals the W126, unless our daughter is back home. It is much more aerodynamic than any of the earlier cars and gets well over 30 mpg at cruising speed. I believe the legroom in the W210 is the equal of the short wheel base W126.

In any case, don't rush. Take your time and find the car that suits you best. Good luck, Jim

190D22 · #11 03-03-2003, 10:19 PM

I WANT A 126 TD!!!!

Michael K · #12 03-03-2003, 11:46 PM

My experience with a 124 wagon... if it's just the two car seats, you're all set. The new baby could go in the middle and the todler on one side. That leaves tons of room in the way back for all your gear and one back seat for a thin person. Three car seats will fit but the middle place is only a lap belt so it only works for seats for the little ones and then getting the baby into the middle seat is tricky. It really is a tight fit, though, to add even a thin adult in with two car seats. Two younger kids who sit big boy style plus one car seat fit OK too.

In short, what the 124 wagon lacks in size it makes up for in versatility. If it were me, I would take both your car seats to a dealer, strap them in, and see how they fit. Compared to a minivan or large SUV, you may be surprised how little manuvering room there is in a sedan or wagon.

Best,

DZLPWR · #13 03-04-2003, 02:00 AM

We've enjoyed the SDL with one child. The back seat area is almost like walking into a minivan. It's wide enough to take on three child seats. Finding the stroller in the trunk after coming out of Costco is no big deal. With a stroller off to one side, the trunk is still large enough to take on our average Costco loads.

I'm sure we'll NEED some thing bigger after the next kid arrives. It's going to say "Freightliner" or maybe even "Dodge." Either way it will say "Sprinter" and it will easly take four paxs & 2 Harleys to the ultimate riding country. It will double the mpg of my crapy SUV, - and will cut the turn radius in half.

#14 03-04-2003, 06:14 AM

Great topic. I have a 1998 E300TD and my family loves it. The problem, we all cannot fit at the same time. My wife and I have seven children! We also own a Ford Club Wagon 15 passenger. This is our primary people mover. I have two diesel vehicles and one diesel tractor and the GAS club wagon. I also have been looking at the Sprinter van. I wonder how it drives. It is only a 5 cylinder diesel if my memory serves me correctly

BradH · #15 03-04-2003, 12:14 PM

I appreciate everyone's comments and insight thus far. I don't know if I can sell the wife on a wagon, as she seems to have some aversion to them, so it looks like a sedan will be it for her. In my mind, I have it narrowed down to a W124 300D 2.5T or a W210 E300D. Can any long-term and/or high-mileage owners of either of these cars comment on annual maintenance/repair costs and reliability history? Both cars seem to be good values on the used car market and get great mileage--two main criteria that we have in this car search.

Cheers,

Brad