Good evening or Good weekend everyone

Please could you assist me.

I am looking at buying an 1986 W123 Mercedes Benz.

There are two issues that need to be sorted out.

1.) As you can see the wood panel is missing and I'm not sure what else. It's this something as I can easily replace?

2.) The Sunroof was siliconed closed as apparently the rubbers needed replacing. Is this a big job to correct in light of the short cut that was taken?

I'm trying to work out if I should walk away or not. Everything else on the vehicle is in great condition.

Thanks for any advice!

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This must be a 1985 Model, as the W123 car ended in 1985. The wood panel for the console can be replaced. The sunroof seals can be replaced. If you are good and have good technical skills you can do the job your self. I believe a complete set of sunroof seals from the MBZ Classic Center is around $200. There are a lot of wood console panels on EBay or you might check the parts for sale on this forum. Good luck.

Is it a 280 or a 280E? What country are we talking about?
If the sunroof was leaking there may be a problem with the drains. There is one in each corner. The seals are not meant to keep out all water.

Hi Rick

I think it's the 280. The car is in South Africa. I'm in Botswana so it's not easy to get there. Trying to get a friend to go look.

Understood about the Sunroof so it shouldn't be too major then.


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Thank you Sir! That's good enough for me

I am a land rover owner so I no stranger to repairs

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From my experience with Mercedes so far (since Dec 30th, 2017), there are two types of Mercedes owners... the ones that fix the car, and the ones that patch problems and ignore others. The patches are done when parts seem a little expensive, and other minor issues are just left alone.

My wagon had a hole drilled in the console panel and a toggle switch installed that was wired with undersize wire of various sizes to the main climate control power supply. This was done to avoid buying a $200 fan regulator. The central lock system did not work, because the pump had burned up... another $200 part. The engine would not idle. the injector boot had been imporperly installed and was leaking air. $40 boot, which revealed the leaking $300 EHA and other parts, totaling almost $2000 to properly replace and renew all the bits. Getting the engine running right led to discovery that the transmission was missing 2nd gear, another $2000. I have about $5500 in my 92 wagon right now, but I now have a good solid, reliable car with only 145,000 miles on it and I know everything is fixed right and new.

Point being, that siliconed sunroof alone would be enough to send me running away in horror, besides the rest of it. This is a patch job owned car.

Thank you for that response.

This is how I have been feeling and funny enough the central locking isn't working.

Last thing I want to buy is a cheap headache!

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Well, with the sunroof siliconed shut, you know 99.999% that the sunroof DOESN'T work. You say you also know the central locking doesn't work. A lock pump is $180-350. No idea what a sunroof motor and/or cable costs, but I'll bet it is as much or more for each. I could see those parts alone costing 1/3 as much as the car is worth, with you doing the labor. If you have it done at a shop, it could be half the cost of the car or more.

No telling what all else you might find after you get it.

Lock pump on a 123 gasser?

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Mercedes-W123/74-BODY-Vacuum_Lock_Accuator_Replacement/74-BODY-Vacuum_Lock_Accuator_Replacement.htm

yes.

The article generalizes that all 123s have an engine driven vacuum pump. No US 123 gasser (77-78 230, 77-81 280E) has an engine driven vacuum pump. That’s a Diesel thing for brakes. I’m 99.44% sure ROW 123 gassers don’t have an engine driven or electric pump for central locking. An ‘86 280/280E is very late production and might have a 124/126 style electric pump. If it has an electric pump, central locking will work from the passenger door and trunk. Which you can’t check if the central locking system doesn’t work (facepalm).

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

And chances are, if central locking isn't working.... as has already been stated.... that the pump, and/or the lines are shot. Point being, a car with neglected things like this and the inop sun roof can get insanely expensive really quick.