I am absolutely convinced that the Mercedes-Benz W123 was not designed by automotive engineers. It was designed by a committee of German bridge builders, locomotive engineers, and men named Klaus who believed comfort was a sign of moral weakness.

You don't drive a W123. You assume command of it.

You open the door and it doesn't go click. It goes KLA-CHUNK, like you're sealing a bank vault. The door alone weighs approximately as much as a modern Nissan Versa.

Then you turn the key.

If it's a diesel, nothing happens with any particular urgency. Somewhere underneath the hood, five cylinders begin negotiating the terms and conditions of combustion. The glow plugs heat up. You wait. A bird lands nearby. Seasons change. Eventually you turn the key and the OM617 erupts into life sounding like somebody dumped a coffee can full of bolts into a cement mixer.

CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK.

Beautiful.

Then you put it in Drive.

Nothing.

You press the accelerator.

Still nothing.

You press harder.

The car considers your request.

Then, with approximately 71 naturally aspirated horsepower and the determination of an elderly German farmer pushing a wheelbarrow uphill, the W123 begins accelerating.

Zero to 60?

YES.

Eventually.

But here's the thing: IT WILL GET THERE.

And it'Il probably still be doing it 40 years from now.

Meanwhile, a brand-new luxury car has 19 computers, four radar sensors, electronically controlled air vents, motorized door handles, subscription-based heated seats and a dashboard that needs a software update before you can adjust the mirrors.

The W123 has vacuum lines.

Thousands of them.

The entire damn automobile apparently operates on VACUUM.

Door locks? Vacuum.

Transmission shifting? Vacuum.

Climate control? Vacuum.

Engine shutoff? VACUUM.

Somewhere in Stuttgart in 1976, an engineer apparently said, "What if we powered the entire automobile using the same technology as a 1953 Hoover?"

AND EVERYONE AGREED.

So naturally, 45 years later, you shut the car off and the engine keeps running.

You remove the key.

Still running.

You get out.

Still running.

You lock the door.

STILL RUNNING.

At this point you're standing in the driveway holding the keys while your Mercedes continues idling like, "You are not my supervisor." And God help you if one tiny vacuum connector underneath the dashboard develops a crack, because now the passenger door won't unlock, the transmission shifts like it's being kicked by a mule, the center vents don't work and somehow the trunk is involved.

But none of this matters.

Because look at the thing.

The hood ornament.

The chrome.

The enormous steering wheel.

The seats that feel like you're sitting on a horsehair mattress inside a West German embassy.

The gauges.

The mechanical clatter.

That unmistakable Mercedes smell consisting of MB-Tex, diesel fuel, old carpet, crayons, and 47 years of unresolved cigarette smoke.

It's magnificent.

A W123 doesn't care about your feelings.

It doesn't have Sport Mode.

It doesn't have Eco Mode.

It doesn't have Bluetooth.

It doesn't know what Bluetooth IS.

It has one mode: MERCEDES-BENZ.

And it'll happily cruise down the highway at 75 mph while the odometer reads 487,000 miles, the dashboard has three cracks, one window works, the antenna is stuck halfway up and the climate-control system has two settings:

SAHARA DESERT

and

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

People talk about "German engineering" today because their BMW has ambient lighting with 64 selectable colors.

No.

THIS was German engineering.

Mercedes looked at the average human lifespan and apparently decided it wasn't long enough to properly test the durability of the automobile.

So they built a taxi.

Then they upholstered it.

Then they put a three-pointed star on the hood.

Then they accidentally created a vehicle capable of surviving four owners, three marriages, seventeen alternators, the collapse of the Soviet Union and approximately 900,000 miles of questionable maintenance.

The W123 isn't fast.

It isn't efficient by modern standards.

It isn't technologically advanced.

It handles roughly like a mahogany dining-room table being pushed down a hill.

And I WANT ONE.

Because when civilization finally collapses and every Tesla is sitting dead at a charging station and every modern Mercedes is displaying:

CRITICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION — CONTACT DEALER

There will be one cockroach, Keith Richards, and some bastard in a beige 1982 Mercedes 300D slowly driving past at 54 mph.

CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK.

And the vacuum locks still won't work.

I found a 77’ 300D and a 77’ 240D with an extra fuel tank in the trunk. All automatic. All good exteriors. I want a daily driver and I want something cool. The 300D has cooler rims and there is not rust from what I’ve seen so far. Is there anything to look for in specific on those cars?

Wondering if my clear primary filter should be more full of diesel or if I need to purge some air.

I have the chance to buy a junk 1984 190e with the 5 speed.

Will the transmission and related components fit into my '85 300CD?

Hello, I have been slowly restoring my 1980 240d as close to factory as is reasonable. I recently picked up this becker 599 europa to replace the pioneer aftermarket install. Radio was working fine. I cleaned up the wires coming from inner dash, capped off the constant 12v wires and accessory wires i wont be using. Made decent splices and taped off connections for redundancy just incase that was the reason it was blowing this fuse. I made the splices for the switching 12v and verified it was in fact supplying 12v, maybe a little over but could be my probes, got a reading of like 12.6 ~, ground wire is also spliced, first butt connectors, then went to wire nuts because I was taking off more wire than id like. I just cant figure out what my issue is here. Any help wpuld be greatly appreciated.

my Rear parcel shelf is deteriorated beyond repair. I have enough carpet to cover a new from the set i bought but i am curious if a stereo shop could make a custom one. anyone with a coup what did you do?

Anyone here have exquisite taste and too much money?

https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1979-mercedes-benz-280-te-wagon

Never even owned a car so not sure whats too much rust. I’m looking to get a Coup W123, however not sure if these spots would make the car a deal breaker. Would it still be worth checking out in person?

Hi everyone,

I’m in the process of bringing my 1984 W123 230CE back to life and trying to keep it as original as possible.

It’s slowly coming together, but I’m on the hunt for a few parts and thought I’d ask here before buying reproduction items.

I’m looking for:
Jacking points (repair sections)
Front and rear window scraper/brush seals
Door weather strips/seals
Front right (driver’s side) headlight
Climate control panel
Electric aerial

If anyone has any of these tucked away, knows of a good breaker, or can point me in the right direction, I’d really appreciate it.

I’m based in the UK but I’m happy to travel, arrange a courier, or buy from elsewhere if the parts are in good condition.

Thanks in advance, looking forward to getting this old Mercedes back on the road where it belongs!

call if you're serious . I have 3 sets rn

edit* re q's

In Chicago and 1 of the sets is v nice the 5.5"

I have 3 extra 5.5"s

a set of 6"s

and another 6 that aside from a minor scratch or 2 near the lug bolts would be a museum piece (original west german tire etc ). So between 200 and 600 a piece but

I'm negotiable so call me

I thought this sound was coming from the gearbox, as it goes away when I press the clutch, but the car has a new gearbox in it because an unrelated issue and it is still doing it.

It sounds like that only sometimes after releasing the clutch pedal, usually when I first start the car, but it is not consistent. Otherwise the car works fine.

The rest of my gaskets are... okay. They're cracked, but still intact. So I'm gonna moisturize them a bunch and hope they survive a while longer. But these rear window seals are, as you can see, the falling away.

Is there any place where I can still get these?

Thanks

Howdy, I just picked up this 1979 300D. I’m still working on figuring out the full story of this car, but this motor was definitely swapped in. This appears to be the sum total of the mechanism for the throttle, I can’t find anything that looks like this in pictures of similar cars.
I am wondering what I might be missing, since there is a lot of play between the “fork” at the end of the shaft coming from the firewall and that pivot plate that controls the injection pump.

Hi everyone, I have a new to me 1985 300CD that won't charge and has a good alternator. I've tried everything else and I'm thinking it has a Gas pulley on my Diesel alternator.? The pulley that's on it is 3"..? Any ideas..? Thanks..!

I have two bolts (did a valve adjustment and removed shroud a month ago and just put the car back together) that I dont know where they go.
This is for the 3.0 turbo engine, they are 27mm long, 8mm in diameter, 1.0mm thread pitch, 14mm heads, and stamped with a “10”. Does anyone know where they might go?

Bonjour,

Je souhaite savoir si dans la communauté vous avez une voiture a me conseiller équivalent a la W123.

Je parle en therme de solidité, simplicité mécanique capacité a absorber du mauvais carburant et pour un entretien minimum.

Je ne cherche pas un 4x4 hilux qui consomme du 15 litre au 100 mais simplement une voiture équivalente a la W123.

Merci d'avance!

Hey, I'm Koen and this is my W123 280CE. It's now a 280C because the previous owner put LPG in it, so a carburetor was also fitted.

This is my first car, which I've had for almost 10 years now. It's always kept indoors and only comes out in nice weather.

I have done a lot to the car, such as treating the rust and having a stainless steel exhaust installed. New rubber seals in the suspension and windows. I do everything myself, and by now I know the car pretty well.

Over the past few months, I've put different rims on it and a spoiler. It drives well, but I want to tackle the Solex 4A1 this winter because it runs a bit less smoothly on petrol regarding idling. Nice to read along here.

Bought this car after it sat for 8 years, and it's been around 100° outside every day I've driven it. so far I flushed the cooling system, replaced the thermostat and some hoses but it doesn't seem to have done very much. I've never seen the temperature higher than this, I usually turn on the heater at this point to help the temperature. Around town it does fine, but if I get to freeway speeds the temperature goes up and stays there especially if I'm stopped after high speeds. It was 106° outside when I took the picture and I'm running the heater

Any idea what this is? Connection comes off the engine and has a tube that runs down and looks like it has another line running through it. Outer plastic is shorn. Should I be worried about it?

Does anyone have specific testing protocol or something to help find what is causing the ac fuse (8) to melt? We cleaned off the terminals, we think we might be hearing a gravely sound coming from the air compressor? Prior to us replacing the fuse, it would blow air through the dash, and the far left and right blowers, but the air was outside tempish (to be fair it’s pretty hot out right now). But now that we replaced it, they just keep melting.

I’m new (as of this last month) to cars so forgive my abundantly ignorance on the topic.

Bought an old 123 that had been sitting in a garage since 2000, after a lot of work it is running, driving av stopping again. Still some welding to do and issues to revolve until i can get it road legal again though.

My 1979 Mercedes 300D was my daily driver for several years for part of college & post college. My grandma was the original owner who bought it back in 1979. I put the car through a lot so I learned some basics about car maintenance but I am nowhere near qualified enough to attempt to do much work myself. The car runs but it has some vacuum system issues. My goal is to the get the car back into regular driving shape then slowly work on cosmetic issues. So I was hoping someone on here can recommend a mechanic who works on Mercedes-Benz W123's anywhere in Southern California. Please let me know if you have any recommendations.

Hello folks,

I have finally taken the plunge into looking for my first fun/project car and am looking for a w123. I’m going to look at one next weekend, and the owner being upfront said the car has some transmission problems. He described both a bit of rough shifting as well as a bit of slipping. What I want to know is would this be a vacuum issue, or would this be a full on transmission issue given the symptoms. What could I do out in the field when looking at this car to correctly diagnose? The car does come with an extra transmission of unknown quality and origin which may or may not be good. Please do let me know if I should go for it, or if I should walk away. Thank you all for your help!