is a w123 a practical everyday classic. help and opinions pls

[jimjamiejames]

first of all hey everyone. been reading through the forums an decided to join up. im seriously considering a change of car an love the idea of a classic. only trouble is it will be my every day transport an need it to do everything my current car does.

id really appreciate the opinion of the knowledgeable ppl on here so i can make my decision.

been looking at getting a w123. dream car would probably be a sl but seen as i cant afford the running cost or the car then ive had to be reasistic. my head is telling me that a w124 would be a better choice as its a more modern car but im much more drawn to the w123.

how does a w123 perform on the motorway?? are they capable of decent speeds and longish distance??



thanks

 

[pookie]

Hi,
good to see you joining the forum!
I don't have any advice about the w123/w124 cars as I've never owned either.
Recently tho, I had the same idea as yourself and so sold my 'newish' car and invested in a '78 mercedes. Which has been great! Anyway, the things I looked for when buying was a structurally sound car, and evidence that the car had been well looked after throughout its life.
I've not been disappointed after going for a classic - not in performance or practicality - its more fun! The good thing is also a lot less depreciation and the feeling you're driving something unique and different in a way.
I guess the only other advice I could recommend is going for the best you can afford but keeping a little back in case something comes up or for improving upon what you have.
Enjoy!!!

 

[jberks]

Yes the 123 is a great motorway car. We've had 2 over the years and done big miles in both. Big comfy cruiser. They do rev more than modern stuff as they don't have a 5th but the engines are nice and soundproofing good.
But, do remember, these cars were bult in the days when fuel economy wasn't a big issue! 20mpg isn't that unusual.
It is amazing the advances manufacturers have made over the last 25 years but provided you're not expecting modern touches, then yes the 123 is a great classic - if you get a good one. Get a bad one and you're in for a lot of time and money restoring it.

 

[television]

As JB above, do bare in mind that the 124 is a more refined car and is nicer to drive than the 123 I have had both and the are both good cars

 

[jimjamiejames]

thanks ppl sounds like i should be ok.

i more thing am i right in thinkin that there isnt much performance increase from the 230 to the 280 an that they arent really worth the extra running cost??

 

[television]

thanks ppl sounds like i should be ok.

i more thing am i right in thinkin that there isnt much performance increase from the 230 to the 280 an that they arent really worth the extra running cost??

In a nut shell the 280 that I had out performs the 230 by a long way on the power to weight ratio, but uses a little more petrol

 

[MBZ560]

thanks ppl sounds like i should be ok.

i more thing am i right in thinkin that there isnt much performance increase from the 230 to the 280 an that they arent really worth the extra running cost??

A 280 produces 185 BHP compared to the 230's 136BHP. 50BHP in the same body shell makes a big difference when hauling heavy loads or overtaking.

 

[jberks]

Never drove a 230. We had a 250 which was 150bhp so faster and that wasn't exactly lively. Our 280E however was nice and quick. 6Cyl and dohc - much nicer. You're not exactly looking at an economy car anyway so go for the 280!

 

[240D 3.0VNTi]

Since turbodiesels were less common outside the USA except for the turbo 300TD, I'd say go for the 280. The non-turbo 300's only had 88hp and the 240 only had 62hp.

 

[television]

Since turbodiesels were less common outside the USA except for the turbo 300TD, I'd say go for the 280. The non-turbo 300's only had 88hp and the 240 only had 62hp.

Its a shame that there was never a 300TD in the uk, the steering column was in the way

 

[pugboy]

I can tell you first hand that W123 is a beutiful long distance motorway cruiser as I (and a couple of pals) drove about 2500 miles across Europe in an '84 280E and it was a doddle. Steering a bit on the vague side for my liking but other than that, no problem. Ours had had a hard life so used a fair bit of oil (about a gallon on the trip) but this is probably not typical for a better cared for example. Fuel consumption, we'd get aroud 16-18 round town and about 25-27 on the motorway, but again I expect this would have been better with a better maintained car.

You will not regret buying a W123, they are a beautifully engineered car.

Cheers

Chris

 

[Matts123]

i have a 1985 w123 200T and use it as my every day car. it is great on the motorway, can handle cruising at 85mph and it has 5 gears. it has much better looks than the w124 and is becoming a classic, and wont lose its value if you look after it well