Looking for a super well maintained wagon- Preferably diesel, but I can probably only afford a gas model. I do my own maintenance, but I don't have the tools/space/time/know how to do any significant repair or restoration work.

I only recently discovered the joy/beauty/quality/integrity of these cars- I will never drive another Volvo or VW (or Studebaker)!

I have cash and I will travel if necessary.

Thanks!

How much are you looking to spend? The W124 market is really in the tank right now which is great if you want to buy. Very nice cars are going for $2500.

W123 wagon and W124 wagon to me are kind of apples and oranges. I see the W123 as something that can last forever. In CA I think $4000 - $5000 gets you a nice one (driver) and you want to find one where some of the more expensive stuff has already been done:

checklist:
1. Climate control - does heat come out where it should? Does A/C come out where it should?

2. Self Leveling Suspension - search the forum if you don't know how it's supposed to function.

3. Auto trans - rebuild is about $1500, not so bad, but nicer if you don't need it

4. RUST. don't even bother if it's rusty.

5. Unless you _really_ know what you are doing, avoid anything that has been WVO converted.

6. Little bits of info - if you don't want the 3rd row seat it's a little cheaper. The third row seat also weighs like 100 pounds. I removed it from my wagon and replaced it with the rather useless storage area. Second row headrests are a plus. Euro bumpers may look nice but the fold like tinfoil and you will end up replacing more tail lights. 1985 California cars have a different turbo and a trap oxidizer, 1985 is considered the best year because of the later transmission and different rear axle ration but the CA emissions stuff is considered a slight minus because of the uniqueness in parts.

I have $4500 maximum to spend. I really really want a W123 (and have for a long long time), but nice specimens here (and it seems elsewhere) seem to start around $6500 and go way way higher (It's absolutely insane what people pay on Ebay). For my business, I have to keep up (fake actually!) appearances and therefore drive a super pretty car. Plus I can't afford not to buy one that isn't mechanically meticulously maintained or sorted out (did you follow that triple negative?), so that leaves me at least several thousand $ short. Anything with more than 200k miles scares me.

On the other hand, I can afford the finest W124 there is (why are they so cheap?), but all I keep finding are 200k+ mileage and/or mechanically/cosmetically challenged specimens. Anything with more than 130k miles scares me.I know what to look out for (wiring harnesses/ head gaskets/ AC/SLS). It's just a matter of time before the right one turns up, but I've been looking for months and am getting impatient...

It's too bad that they didn't import W123 TE's to the US.

I have always purchased old cars from either elderly original owners or from enthusiasts- or from enthusiastic original owners- so here I am...

Thanks!

W123 wagons are expensive because they are wonderful.
W124 wagons are cheap because they are plentiful.

Hold out and wait for the right W123 to come along and buy the best one you can.

When you look at ebay and craigslist, look at all the ones that DON'T sell also... But be ready to buy when the right one comes along because first person to find it will get it if it's a bargain.

What websites have you been searching on?

Here's a '85 Wagon in my local Craigslist. Mileage claim is different between their text and what's on the listing but I'm guessing their text is the accurate mileage. It looks decent though. Still above your max limit but may be something to look into. I'd look at it myself if I had the dough!

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Turbo Diesel Wagon














condition: good
1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TD odometer: 109399 paint color : white type : wagon drive : rwd fuel : diesel transmission : automatic title status : clean

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Turbo Diesel Wagon

3.0L I-5 diesel engine

209K miles

Automatic

Power windows

Power door locks

Runs and drives great

Starts right up

Sun roof

Great Daily Driver!

It drives nice and solid, like no other car I've ever owned. It's not fast by any measure; slow and steady wins the race!

Interior
The interior is in good shape except the dash which has a lot of cracks in it. I also have an original third row seat that I never got around to installing. The windows work and the climate control works but may need a recharge to blow cold.

Exterior
The paint is in ok shape, but it has a few issues here and there. There are a few scrapes and dings, but overall it looks pretty good for a car that is almost 30 years old. The tires are great shape with full tread.

Electrical
Power windows work and all switches work as well
All exterior lights work.
Interior lights work working
The clock, speedometer, odometer and trip work perfectly
Issues: The fuel gauge does not read, and the radio does not work.

Mechanical
The front suspension has no issues.
The rear suspension SLS seems to be functioning with no leaks.
The transmission shifts well no problems in any gear.
The engine is strong and has almost no leaks, I replaced the fabric injector lines and valve cover gasket recently. The turbo works well, I replaced the intake seals from the air cleaner to the intake of the turbo.
New battery, new starter.

__________________
*1985 300CD, 214K miles, Pearl Black/Palomino MB Tex-Stuck in FL
*1985 300D, Smoke Silver/Palomino MB Tex, 280K miles--Dad's car--Sold May 2015
*2014 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI Premium Pkg, Platnium Grey w/Black VW Tex- Dad's new car- 55k
*2017 Chevy Cruze LT Diesel, Silver w/Black leather, 26k miles, brother's new car
*2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 Z71 Crew Cab, Pepperdust w/Black leather, 15k miles, my new ride

You're going to have trouble finding exactly what you desire within your budget. That white one is nice but you say you won't take anything over 200K so that probably rules it out for you (even though I'd say it's a screaming deal). You need to either up your budget and pay ~$10K for a mint W123 wagon or else lower your expectations to match what you can afford.

__________________
Regards,
Aaron

The white one - I would check with seller re: 109k miles vs. 209k miles. He writes 109k at one place in the listing, 209k at another place in the listing, and the odo says 109k. Looks like a nice car priced about right. "AC might need a recharge to blow cold" is kind of sketchy. It's summer. It's humid. If you want to sell your car and you think it needs to be recharged then you get it recharged so that could be some sort of money pit.

Nice one just came up on RI Craigslist: 1985 Mercedes 300TD Wagon

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

The white '85 TD looks very nice- I will get more info...

I've been mostly searching with searchtempest.com which searches all craigslist sites nationally- it works quite well. I set up this custom search: intitle:mercedes intitle:wagon|touring -1996 -1997 -1998 -1999-2000-2001-2002-2003 -2004 -2005 -2006 -2007 -2008 -2009 -2010 on SearchTempest


Thanks!

I guess I might be one of the resident wagon experts and kind of take umbrage at the notion that 200K scares people about the gassers. You realize that's less than 10,000 miles a year, right? I feel strongly that well-sorted, well-maintained, and MOST importantly well-driven 124 wagons are certainly going to show themselves capable of 'legendary' 123 diesel mileage and durability when they come up on similar age. I wish my hot tub time machine went forward and not backward, then I'd show you.

They're both fine vehicles, but in my opinion the M104 engine and 722 transmission, along with superior highway cruising manners simply trumps the 123. They took a great vehicle, refined it all around, and just made it better.

Now regarding the market...there is lots posted here but to my mind the 124s can be found for $2500 to $4000 and the 123s for a slight premium to that.

Good luck with your search. Go slow, be thorough and you'll find exactly what you want. And run, don't walk if it doesn't come with a complete vehicle history. People who own and enjoy these wagons are completely anal about records and maintainance. People who flip them aren't.

__________________
Scott in MD/DC
94 E320 Wagon
"Money can't replace it, no memory can erase it
and I know I'm never gonna find another one to compare"-LW
85 TDT project (stay tuned)
W201, W202, W126 and lotsa VWs

This. I have two M103 powered W124's with over 250k Miles and they are both dead reliable. I wouldn't think twice about driving either one across the country tomorrow. I would even go so far to say they are superior cars to my 240D in nearly every way.

Pet peeve of mine, from buying and selling cars over the years: If your A/C doesn't blow cold (45 degrees at the vents) it is not operable. Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.

__________________
Scott in MD/DC
94 E320 Wagon
"Money can't replace it, no memory can erase it
and I know I'm never gonna find another one to compare"-LW
85 TDT project (stay tuned)
W201, W202, W126 and lotsa VWs

.

You are right in the vast majority of cases- however, when I bought my '91 300 SE, the AC didn't blow cold. I bought it with the assumption (and at the right price) that it would be expensive to fix, but I didn't plan on fixing it because AC is only needed in San Francisco a few days per year. I was very happy when I succeeded at fixing it with a $25 can of refrigerant. The prior owner is an elderly SF chinese lady who only drove the car to mahjong on Sundays, so she probably was being honest when she claimed that she didn't even know that the AC wasn't working...

I wrote to the owner of the white W123 wagon in Tennessee and asked for more info about the AC, mileage and service history. We'll see what they say...

Thanks again-