Sometime in the near future (hopefully at least) once I have the space and money, I'd like to find a car to complement my 240D. It's main purpose is to be there once my 240D needs some sort of large repair. Can be MB or not (although MB is preferable since the special tools and designs could overlap), gas or diesel, automatic only if it can be converted to manual.
Needs:
-to be able to be driven daily for up to 6 months including NE winters

Prefered
-reasonably fuel efficient
-better highway cruiser
-more power and/or better performance
-visibly pleasing
-not japanese
-easily be able to make it over 200,000 miles

Right now, I'm looking at 190D/E, but like to know what people think. I've also got soft spots for a few, hmm, less reliable or practical cars in my heart. It's really supposed to be a back up/toy.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

I always found it a good idea to have access to a late model reliable car when trying to use a 20 year old Mercedes as my daily driver. Quite a few times this saved me.

I'd recomend a late model 4 cylinder Japanese car, for when you need something to get you to work or on a long roadtrip. Accords are nice.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Japanese cars are hard to beat. a lexus would be good for what you are looking for.

Right now no american car company, As for european, the bmw 3 series are supposed pretty good in terms reliabilty, perfomance and durability.

Jap cars are one of the top sellers in the world for a reason because you get a lot for your money

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

Just pokin around craigslist, this hit the soft spot hard. http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/1361236289.html

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

Shop your local lemon lots. How much do you want to spend? Other than all being factory slushbuckets, anything in the Ford Panther platform meets all your other requirements and can be acquired cheap. They can be converted. Box (79-91) bodies with the 5.0 take the T5 out of a V8 Mustang fairly easily. The later 4.6 cars can be converted also (again with Mustang parts), but this can be a little more involved. See www.crownvic.net for specifics.

You could also snag a Ranger or S10. They can be had for cheap if you look around, are pretty easy to work on, came with real transmissions, and will last if you take care of them.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Can the crown vics really be converted? Would it be a column or floor shift?

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

You can buy a W124 for pretty cheap if you look around.

You might not go back to your W123 though.....

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'O=00=O'
bmw 2002.
long live the legend

I 2nd the W124 idea. Preferably a wagon.

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Ford F150.

I have no spare car....just a W126 and W124, with an anal maintenance regimen, failure is highly unlikely....and they will likely remain as much so or more reliable than any newer car.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Did you really mean this?!

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Failure is likely. Hattie put lots of maintenance in his W126 and he still reccomends a newer backup. I had lots of maintenance on mine and failure was quite often.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

The problem is things break, or you run into problems fixing something...and the parts stores are closed...and you need to get to work/school at 7:30 the following morning.

I was very glad I had access to another car when I had my SDL. I would have not kept it for long if it was the only car I had access to.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

A little young to be starting an anal maintenance schedule, aren't we? I thought I didn't have to worry about that until about 40.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Not looking forward to that in about 15 years!

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual