The Best Merc?

[phal]

I am in the market for an older model Mercedes but still undecided on which to choose. I am looking for longevity, value and simplicity. Which model have you owned that possessed these qualities?

Mine? I have not yet owned my first Mercedes but in 1992 paid $2000 for a 1984 Olds 98, put 140,000 miles on it with zero maintenance and gave it to my mother. She and my father Logged 100,000 miles and then were hit in a mall parking lot and rewarded with $1000.00 insurance settlement. After removing my shoes and socks, I cyphered that the vehicle cost came to less than a half cent per mile, maybe a little more if you count the tires. Not bad for Detroit Rolling Iron.
Thanks....Phal

[Silver Boat]

You will not find a Mercedes that you can do that with, regardless of price. Mercedes are finely crafted machines and require a great deal of maintenance to keep them going. Most of the maintenance should be done to other cars as well, but the Mercedes will not tolerate being neglected. Things like brake fluid flushing that other cars do not have on the maintenance list should be done to both. If you are looking for a car that will go 140,000 with no maintenance, especiallly a used one, I think you are far better off with a Toyota. Not that a Mercedes needs to be pampered, it is just that maintaince can be involved and expensive. The driving experience is totally different between an Olds 98 and a Mercedes. Don't get me wrong the Olds 98 was a nice car, my grandmother had one before she died and I wish I had taken it. The Mercedes allows you to participate in the car to a greater extent. This goes from the driving to the maintenance. If you want a car to ignore and just drive, then go for something Japanese or perhaps American.
IMHO

[phal]

No, the olds I think was a total fluke anyway. I never expected to duplicate it with a Mercedes. I am just looking for something reliable that is not a moneysponge...Thanks for the reply..phal

[Mark DiSilvestro]

What do you consider an 'older Mercedes'? As the owner of a '60 Fintail for the past 3 & 1/2 years, I'd vote for a good-condition 6 cylinder '60s Fintail or square-body W108 sedan. These have the best combination of performance, handling, ride, quality materials, simplicity, and they're under-valued compared with the coupes and convertibles. The W108 and later Fintails have disc brakes and power steering to make them more suitable as daily-drivers. Stickshift versions are more fun and less complicated than the early automatics. The 'New-Generation' W114 and W115 sedans and W123 240 Diesel are among the more recent 'older Mercedes', that are still relatively simple, though they're more of a mass-production car, lacking some of the hand-built quality of the '60s models. None of these should be considered maintenance-free, nor would I suggest one as an only car (winter snow & salt will eat them up!). Good owner DIY skills are recommended to prevent being gouged by shady or incompetent 'mechanics'. Past the early '70s, most later models were complicated by V8 engines, emmissions equipment, electronic fuel injection, safety regulations and gadgets, such as power windows and automatic climate control, which make DIY repairs more difficult. It's best to find a well preserved or restored example, as the cost of fixing up a poor sedan will certainly exceed the restored value.

Happy Hunting, Mark

[300SDog]

And what sort of budget are you working with?

At somewhere around $7K you can get practically anything you want. Figure about $3-$5,000 for well maintained, trouble free vehicle and another few thousand for something major like cylinder head work, suspension rebuild or unforseen problems in the first year of ownership. At any rate, semi-annual tune up and maintenance will be at least $1,200 per year...... periodic flush of fluids, wheel allignment, tires, misc parts, etc.

Meanwhile most people just pick *any* particular model or series that they'd like to own - irregardless of year (1960's, 70's or 80's) - then they shop available sources for purchase.

Sources for me would include word of mouth, private sales and auto mechanics. NOT used car sales lots, NOT ebay or internet sales sight unseen.

Hell, you can even collar owners on the street and ask them if their car is for sale...... or knock on doors if you see one in a driveway apparently not being driven that looks like it might be bought. Am not joking!! I've bought several 'unadvertized' specials this way over the years.

If you liked the Olds 98, then practically any MB will fill the bill...... 350SL dragster, 280CE coupe or 450SEL sedan.

Engine block integrity on these vehicles is the last thing you need to worry about. It's the accessories, fiddly bits, bells and whistles that cause most problems.

Numerical value = engine displacement 3.5, 2.8, 4.5 litre.
"E" = fuel einspritzen injection; "S" = deluxe; "L"= long wheelbase.

[tosbt]

The 126 is really a great car and you can get a really good one for under 5K. You will need to spend money on the fix it up things, perhaps some wood, ect. The 126 is a modern car and like many have suggested will, being a Mercedes, cost you some money. No more than most though, parts and the people to work on them are abudant. Now the 108/109,THE CLASSIC, 4d sadan is another matter. You will spend more money on it but 5K should find you a solid car and depending on where you want to go with it parts are out there and can be somewhat costly. If I were you on either type I would spend the "extra cash" and buy the best you could find, like someone suggested you can buy others money and efforts for a lot less than what it will cost you to do it yourself. Good luck.

[lee polowczuk]

I think the 108 is the most classic car you can buy for the dollar..... I once owned one for 12 years.....averaged 1k a year in repairs and maintanence, and sold it for 700 dollars less than I paid for it.....

that said...... i fed it premium and it rarely got more than 13-14 mpg in mix driving.... I had the 4.5.... I don't know what the 2.8 six got...

it only broke down on me once..about a block from my house...kingpin issue..

you can't drive them through water however..... heavy new orleans flooding type rains, took out two low mounted starters....

I have never owned a car where everytime you fill it up, people literally walk up to you to look at the car....

[Mark DiSilvestro]

The sixes can average 3 or 4 mpg better than the V8s, with the stickshift versions adding perhaps 1 or 2 mpg to that average. Compared to the V8s, the single-cam inline six is a pleasure to work on, especially on older, simpler models, like my '60 Fintail, which are uncluttered by AC and emmissions controls. Carbureted engines are lower on the collector list, but (in my opinion) are an easier DIY proposition than the FI engines.

Happy Hunting, Mark

[250C/8 + 230SL]

DieselDogg:

At what point in time did the "L" go from meaning Light to Long-Wheelbase.

[wbain5280]

SL = Sports Light

SEL = Super Einspritz Lang (Long)

It depends on the model.

[Ara T.]

Originally Posted by lee polowczuk

I think the 108 is the most classic car you can buy for the dollar..... I once owned one for 12 years.....averaged 1k a year in repairs and maintanence, and sold it for 700 dollars less than I paid for it.....

that said...... i fed it premium and it rarely got more than 13-14 mpg in mix driving.... I had the 4.5.... I don't know what the 2.8 six got...

it only broke down on me once..about a block from my house...kingpin issue..

you can't drive them through water however..... heavy new orleans flooding type rains, took out two low mounted starters....

I have never owned a car where everytime you fill it up, people literally walk up to you to look at the car....

I love 108's but the oldest MBZ I have driven is my 1985 W123 and have driven a 1986 W126. Are the 108's still pretty solid after 30 years, do the interiors/door panels etc generally rattle a lot or what? Anyone around Santa Rosa wanna give a ride in a 108?

[250C/8 + 230SL]

Originally Posted by wbain5280

SL = Sports Light

SEL = Super Einspritz Lang (Long)

It depends on the model.

Man these little letters are more confusing to me than you'd think.

[Stevo]

Originally Posted by phal

I am just looking for something reliable that is not a moneysponge...Thanks for the reply..phal

The W 123 240D (77-85) with a manual tranny is my choice for the following reasons.
Theres a zillion around, parts are cheap and plentiful,

They have to be the simplest car to work on ever built, which doesn't do you allot of good UNLESS you can do it yourself, they require maintenance like adjusting valves and keeping up with vacuum problems but its all pretty straight forward.

They, of course, wont keep up with a turbo MB but are surprisingly zippy for 67HP

I really like the fact that the hood goes all the way to vertical, which makes engine removal a piece of cake.

I think it depends on your skill level as a mechanic, but the W123, 240D is a nice ride and easy to keep on the road.

[450slcguy]

The late 70's thru 85 123 chasis's are reliable, easy to work on, have excellent handling, get good mpg, cheap abundant parts, strong bodies, great ride, classy looks, roomy interiors and come in all sorts of body styles and engine configurations (my personnel favorites are the 280ce,240d,300td, these cars were the pinnicle of what Mercedes used to be, all downhill since then in my opinion.

[300SDog]

What you say about the 123 is probly true for most people on account of its superior durability at fending off rust. Also the cockpit is extremely well insulated making it one of the most sound proof Benzes from the era of more than 20 yrs ago.

But I'd trade my 123 for comparably equipped 114/115 in identical condition any day of the week just because the earlier car outhandles the later version. It's got tighter steering radius, weighs about 500 lbs less, has lower center of gravity with trunk floor mounted fuel tank. And it has manual heat controls too.