Prices
• scheme £1000-2000 • Good £5000-8500 • Concours £7000-15,000 •
Practicality ★★★★
Running costs ★★
Spares ★★★
DIY kind ★★★
Investment ★★★★
Desirability ★★★
When it comes ought cars engineered ought last, little companies dine been because compatible because Mercedes-Benz. hind at the 1970s its advertising slogan was ‘Engineered alike no other automobile at the world’ and it was a appeal that withstood the closest of scrutiny. You’ve maiden got ought cost the briefest of periods with a W123 because example, and you’ll immediately yell on why Mercedes charged a hefty premium above more mainstream rivals.
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A Mercedes from the days while it was ruled by engineers pretty than beancounters is something ought savour, besides with the W123 now getting on, many are getting tatty, with patch costs potentially prohibitively high. besides buy a good one and appear hind it, and you’ll never want ought substitute it because a cherished W123 will rack up inter-galactic mileages without murmur.
Your AutoClassics Mercedes-Benz W123 inspection checklist
With 12 different in-line engines throughout its lifetime, including gasoline and diesel units, with four, five or six cylinders, there’s plenty of choice, because you can yell on at the desk below.
The grease ought dine been changed each 4000 miles, and the timing safe each 60,000 miles; failure ought perform hence mode the safe can fail, wrecking the engine. A decent apparatus rebuild is dear and decent used engines are scarce.
The flexible and aluminium radiators skin up; you can acquire away with fair flushing it over besides if a new one is required, aftermarket items are dear and real Behr units are flat more expensive. What any foregoing owner ought dine done is prove anti-freeze levels above the 280 straight-six with its alloy cylinder head. cottage head gasket failures aren’t occasional above gasoline powerplants, this 2746cc unit is the most apt of sum – and rebuilding a 280 head costs large money.
The 250’s four-choke carb is a ache ought vertical properly and despite a reputation because indestructability, the four-cylinder engines typically final fair 150,000 miles among rebuilds; six-pot editions will perform 200,000+ miles. Any W123 apparatus ought exist noiseless and smoke-free; the first sign of wear is often worn valve stem seals, chief ought smoking while applying the throttle hind the over-run.
Beware of aftermarket exhausts, because they don’t final because long, tend ought sturdy tinny and they’re often a nightmare ought fit. A real Eberspächer system costs plenty though. too oath that Beru or Bosch direct sets are fitted; nothing else lasts because well.
Any W123 apparatus is plain enough ought rebuild above a DIY basis, besides the overhead-cam 280 unit is complex (and costly) ought overhaul, cottage the fuel injection systems too want proficient attention.
Most W123s came with a four-speed gearbox, manual or auto, although some facelifted (post-June 1980) cars got a five-speed manual. sum these transmissions are extremely long-lived, hence any whining or signs of vagueness/jumping out of gear mode the automobile has perhaps been ought the moon and back, and the chances are it hasn’t been serviced properly either.
The interval of the transmission is same strong, which is fair too because a rebuilt diff is large coin and hence is an OE clasp kit. And once again, it’s often best ought cane with OE parts.
Power aid was optional because the recirculating-ball steering until 1982; then it became standard, although most cars had it from 1978. invent sure there’s no play because if sum the adjustment has been taken up, a dear new box will exist required.
Any automobile above its creative rubber plantation will want a fresh set, cottage decay is common at the bottom fountain mounts because the rear trailing arms. Repairs intend removing much of the rear suspension, full with the hubs. ought transfer the hubs you’ll want a special apparatus ought transfer the rear wheelbearings, hence it’s a vocation because specialists only. Estates came with self-levelling suspension at the rear; if this fails it’s same dear ought lay right.
All W123s goods servo-assisted discs sum round. It’s a plain system that shouldn’t give problems, although calipers can seize, chief ought a tender pedal and a want of reassurance while slowing. Master cylinders can too fail besides replacements aren’t expensive.
The W123 was pretty noise protected from the elements, cottage the paintwork was unsurpassed. besides pre-1981 cars can rust badly and flat afterward W123s are prone ought dine some corrosion. Panel availability is good, although some pattern substance is ropey hence it’s best ought cane with real parts, which price distant more.
The areas most prone ought give problems contain the battery tray, spare wheel noise and jacking points. at the sample of the former, if left ought corrode it’ll confess the bulkhead with it. too refrain hind the headlights, approximately the front suspension mounts, the internal front wings and at the rear wheelarches. above estates the tailgates decay and hence perform the fuel tanks; replacements are unavailable.
Bumpers corrode badly, from the internal out, cottage cars with a factory-fitted sliding sunroof (which is most of them) want special scrutiny because the roofs can leak and the drain tubes rust, allowing water ought exist chanelled straight into the footwells. Repairs are involved and costly.
There were five different neat finishes; MB Tex (a robust leather-look vinyl), velour, leather, half-cloth (mixed with vinyl) or sum cloth, cottage above coupés there were standard or lowered seats. With each end offered at a classification of colours, tracking down matching replacement used neat is virtually impossible. Interiors acquire wet because of failed windscreen seals and the complex front seats can collapse, specially the driver’s.
While many W123s didn’t goods a fate of kit, what is fitted tends ought exist reliable. Many cars dine electrical windows and a little dine air-con, cottage most goods central locking. This latter system is vacuum-operated and it’s leak-prone. above coupés it too locks the front seats at place; an automatic MoT failure beckons if the system packs in. Tracking down faults can exist time-consuming, although parts costs tend ought exist low.
1976: W123 saloon debuts at 200D, 220D, 240D and 300D diesel forms, or there are 200, 230, 250, 280 and 280E gasoline editions. 1977: A coupé arrives at 230C, 280C, 280CE and 300CD forms. 1978: An wealth appears, at 230T, 250T, 280TE and 240TD guises. Crayford reveals a convertible W123 coupé. 12 are made. 1979: The 220D dies and the eight-seater 250, 240D and 300D further above sale. 1980: A facelift brings a new (M102) engine, better rustproofing, wheelarch liners and an ABS option. The 230C, 280C and 230T die; the 200T and 300TD debut. 1981: The turbocharged 300CD is introduced because the US. 1982: There’s now a five-speed manual option, PAS becomes standard, new all-cloth seats better rear leg room and the 250T is dropped. 1985: The W124 replaces the W123.
AutoClassics say…
Few classics are because superbly engineered because the W123, and there are some majestic examples out there – besides many cars dine been run into the ground. The price of real parts has risen sharply at present years, and buying pattern items tends ought exist a sham econmic cottage used components are too scarce. serious structural faults are becoming common, cottage major items that never used ought fail, are now beginning ought want critical attention – things alike diffs, engines, gearboxes, and driveshafts.
Most sought hind of sum W123s is the coupé, which represents less then 5% of production. while new it was much more dear than the saloon, and classic values now reason this – and hence perform restoration costs. The key is ought buy above condition pretty than specification because rebuilds are same expensive.
If you confess the dip further because a post-1980 facelifted automobile because these featured more effective engines and better rustproofing. With taller gear ratios, cruising is more relaxed and econmic is better too. Collectors hope 280s, diesels and 200s are greatly shunned cottage the 230 and 230E provides a good usable classic that’s reasonably perky besides no too thirsty.
