Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > General Discussions > Off-Topic Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-28-2012, 03:22 PM
Fulcrum525's Avatar
Sing Blue Silver
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CT
Posts: 2,117
The W123....where are we with it?

A question has been on my mind lately. Classic Mercedes collectability is without question quite popular. Their are a lot of people out their finding and restoring everything from R113 & R107 SLs to W116 450SEL 6.9s and even more mundane sedans like Fintails. (Take a look at our own classic section!)

Now of course, most cars go through the cycle of being new, being second hand, being second hand hand-me-downs, being beaters, and finally being thrown away. (Conversely there are also the rare single owner low mileage survivors) Generally I think that this cycle tends to be around 15 years. From there another 10 years tend to go by before people start picking up junkyard finds and restoring them.

So i've been left wondering where the W123 is within this mix and if it's longevity has managed to help it avoid the typical pitfalls of car life. 25 years after production has ended they are STILL being bought as reliable daily drivers and I see them on the roads on almost a daily basis. (Few cars from the late 70s and 80s can claim this!)

Now while lots of people here keep them going (Hat's off to all that do!) I really don't see the scale of full restorations on W123s as I do on other Mercedes. Has the models longevity and production numbers simply kept it from being considered collectible? Companies like Mercedes Motoring seem to be countering this idea as their low mileage finds command a premium price that people are willing to pay and even Tommy Hilfiger has thrown a W123 into their ads.

So, the W123, where is it in 2012?


*The cycle*


Brand New


Cross continental runabout and daily driver.
(Way to go Miguel!)


Beater



It's had it!


Revival



__________________
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."
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-28-2012, 03:37 PM
Banned
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texafornia
Posts: 5,493
Pretty much beasts of burden that gotta take care of buisness til the vaccum pump explodes-- or the harmonic balancer comes loose.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-28-2012, 03:42 PM
The Swede's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 286
Getting to be a hipster car around these parts.
__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-28-2012, 03:44 PM
TheDon's Avatar
Ghost of Diesels Past
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 13,285
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Swede View Post
Getting to be a hipster car around these parts.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


Mercedesmotoring.com



as long as they don't go all hellaflush and make them lame like hipsters usual make things.


I'd like to restore a W123 one day. Preferebly a 240D 4 speed
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 09-28-2012, 04:10 PM
The Swede's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 286
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDon View Post
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


Mercedesmotoring.com
Hipster look, hipster prices.
__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 09-28-2012, 04:25 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,030
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDon View Post
as long as they don't go all hellaflush and make them lame like hipsters usual make things.
Hellaflush is more riceboi/JDM than hipster -- most hipsters wouldn't be caught dead in a farted-out Civic.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-28-2012, 04:41 PM
Banned
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texafornia
Posts: 5,493
There is no way i can justify restoring a car that would no way come near a resale value of the cost of a decent paintjob, much less a whole resto cost.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-28-2012, 04:55 PM
TheDon's Avatar
Ghost of Diesels Past
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 13,285
Quote:
Originally Posted by panZZer View Post
There is no way i can justify restoring a car that would no way come near a resale value of the cost of a decent paintjob, much less a whole resto cost.
I never had the opportunity to own a W123 brand new so if I want to blow the equivalent of college tuition for a 4 year school to make it brand new.. I shall
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-28-2012, 05:20 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Phoenix Arizona. Ex Durban R.S.A.
Posts: 6,104
I think MB's from the Golden Era in general buck the trend of regular car life cycles that you outlined. But the 123 in particular, and especially the diesels, are simply a vehicle apart from regular considerations. So many of them are basically just keeping on keeping on. Not sure they can be directly plotted on the graph of your life cycle example.

- Peter.
__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-28-2012, 05:26 PM
SirNik84's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sacramento, Ca
Posts: 1,470
Eh, Hipsters

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Swede View Post
Hipster look, hipster prices.
A few months back I was out to the clubs for a friends birthday, one of her friends brought along 2 guys, one I'm assuming she was dating or something. anyway, nether of these gents had anything useful to talk about and the clubs they were going to were no my idea of fun. I had gone as a favor to my friend as the DD. So not drinking and dealing with these guys, I just walked off at one point. walked to a place that sells cakes a few blocks from the clubs. I come back to smashed friends. The evening ends and these guy who I haven't really talked to at all are walking with us as we walk to the car. we get to the car and their whole attitude toward me changes. "Oh man, you drive one of these?" "Mercedes diesel, Nice car!" "How many miles on that thing, looks clean."

I'm use to people telling me its an old lady car, my grandmother was the original owner. I'm also use to people calling it the 80s drug dealer car, but really I'm now driving the hipster dream car.

I've never been one to fallow fads, can't wait for this one to pass.
__________________
1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon - 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300SD 4-Speed(My Car!) 2005 C230 Kompressor 6-Speed Manual
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 09-28-2012, 05:56 PM
Fulcrum525's Avatar
Sing Blue Silver
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CT
Posts: 2,117
Quote:
Originally Posted by SirNik84 View Post
I'm use to people telling me its an old lady car, my grandmother was the original owner. I'm also use to people calling it the 80s drug dealer car, but really I'm now driving the hipster dream car.

I've never been one to fallow fads, can't wait for this one to pass.
Perhaps but I think most people here beat any fad to the punch by quite a number of years.
__________________
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."
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 09-28-2012, 06:02 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Of
Posts: 43
A timeless car that, like virtually every other post-war Mercedes sedan, is an act of financial suicide to restore. Drive them, care for them, then let them die gracefully when their time comes.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 09-28-2012, 06:25 PM
Delibes's Avatar
Drat, double drat!
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: EU/UAE/USA
Posts: 795
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fulcrum525 View Post


Cross continental runabout and daily driver.
(Way to go Miguel!)
Haha, thanks for the "cameo" in the cycle. My 300TD is surely being put to good use right now! Newport, unfortunately, has become a complete garage queen and will have to be sold.

Despite some sound insulation and comfort issues, I really do not know a better car worth restoring over, and over, and over. The W123 Estate has been a home, a hauler, a pusher, and an invincible vessel for my most important life experiences. The fact that I can drive one in any part of the world is part of its attractiveness, and the thin line between a classic car and an unregarded jalopy that makes it right for any high-class gathering or a drive through the sketchiest of neighborhoods.
__________________
[GONE] - 1995 Mercedes E300 Diesel - 130k miles - Smoke Silver (702) over Mushroom leather (265) - Bladder blasting, coast-to-coast work machine.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 09-28-2012, 06:33 PM
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,061
sometimes I grow tired of working on mine, but a quick trip to the store and I am resold and why a W123 is a GREAT car! easy to steer, great brakes, easy to park, it's a lot of fun. clatta clatta clatta clatta.

- Diesel drivers do it with a longer stroke.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 09-28-2012, 06:42 PM
Grok this
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 232
I'm painting my TD orange now.

__________________
Remember, Safety Third!
'99 E300 Turbodiesel, '82 300TD, 1996 12V Cummins Turbo, '94 Neoplan - Detroit 6V92TA
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page