I want a Benz!

Hi there!

I hope I'm not out of my league here, but I was hoping for some good advice on the best older Benz my money can buy. I've had a love of German cars since before I could drive and I'm on my second VW (1996 Cabrio & 2000 Jetta) now, but I want to trade up!

I don't have a lot to spend, $5K or less would be great. I only have a 3 mile commute to work (highway) and I have a young daughter that makes the drive with me every morning. Safety is a priority, I need some pep (I've read more than once that the 240D is a bit on the slow side), and I want room without having trouble parking. I love the look of the W123, but I'm having trouble learning the ins and outs of each type.

Does anyone have any advice on the best W123 for the money or a source that I can do some more research on? I live in North Texas and the selection of older MB seems pretty good, I just need to narrow my search decide what to look for.

Thanks in advance for the help!!
Melanie