Hello to all!
This might not be the best place to ask this but here goes. I am a long time Benz fan. Only older models though. I currently own a 74 450scl. Love her lots! I previously owned a really nice 88 300se, and an 87 420sel. Got rid of both of those for a 99 e430 sport. Nice car but nothing like the old 126! So I'm thinking of going back. Then I started looking at 123s. I've never owned a diesel but from reading forums like this it seems diesel owners are a lot like me, like to do their own work and always looking for new ideas. Here's where I need advice. I'm trying to decide between two cars. The first is an 83 300 turbo diesel with 165k. The second is an 85 380se with 204k. Both are rust free with average interiors. The 300 is a one owner car that needs some suspension work (ball joints) and a paint job, no dents just faded. The 380 needs brake work and also needs paint but not as faded as the 300. It runs and drives well but I have no idea of it's history. It's for sale at a local shop. They are both priced at 1200. I've always loved the solid feel of the 126 cars. I drove both cars and I think the 123 feels pretty solid also. Which one do you folks think would be the better buy??

Personaly I wouldn't touch a 380SE/L. They suck gas yet lack the punch of the 5L and have a weak single row chain. I would only consider one if you have records of the chain being converted to the double row style. Don't box yourself in to two cars. If you want a gas W126 I would look for an 89-91 560SEL. Their cheap right now, have a strong engine and have nicely updated interiors. $5k-$8k should get you a very nice clean example with around 100k on the clock. Or their are many good diesel W126's out their.

But in a 380SE vs a 300D the 300D has a better engine. Front end work will run you about $1,200 for a complete rebuild. But probably much less.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Thanks Hatterasguy for your input. I'm looking at these two cars because they're both inexpensive and I primarily want a project car. To me the whole point of this project is to bring whichever car I buy back to it's former glory. It's also a form of therapy for me. As I work as an air traffic controller, tinkering with old cars relaxes me! It won't be my primary transportation but a hobby. I was just asking opinions on which would make a more durable project. From what I've read here it seems like the diesels are almost bulletproof if properly maintained. And that's what I want. I don't mind the upkeep if I have a good, solid platform. Your comments on the 380se were pretty much what I expected. I guess I just wanted a little confirmation from others. So thanks, and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Just another reason why forums like this exist. By the way this is the only one I've found so far where people like to get their hands dirty and can discuss topics other than what type of air freshener works best! I hope to be a member for a long time!! Thanks again and I'll be asking more questions once I acquire my project in a couple of weeks!!

If you are looking for a project car to clean up the W123 diesel makes even more sense, parts are cheaper. I have been finding this over the last year with my SDL. I passed on a very clean 85 300D before I found my SDL. The 300D would have been much cheaper to bring back.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200