Mercedes w123

gyppo

Thinking of delving into an older car, and the Mercedes 200 w123 series was always a car I fancied.
Late ones around 84/85 are making about 600 to 800 £s sterling on Ebay.

What should I be looking out for as a buyer?

MercMad

Rust.....rust and more rust !

UK cars will be bad particularly around rear wheel arches. its expensive to get any bodywork done properly on these older cars.

Nothing really goes wrong with a W123, just the usual mechanical checks as per any second hand car !

Ensure you get an automatic though, and some a quite thirsty !

Max_Damage

Maybe you should consider getting a diesel model, they are known to go pretty much forever, I've seen a few on the internet past the half a million mile mark, and they are quite user friendly to work on. They will also run on straight sun flower oil as well.

PaulK_CCI

MercMad wrote:

Nothing really goes wrong with a W123, just the usual mechanical checks as per any second hand car !

one of the thing to watch out for in a 123 is the steering box: that is an awfully expensive item to replace so make sure the steering is tight and without play!! If you go for a "T" (estate) make sure the self levelling suspension is in good order, so if it's sagging at the rear...

mike65

The rear gas system can be replaced with standard dampers can't it?

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=6087

Mike.

3ps

but then it's not original.....

AsphaltRisin'

He might want a mixture of solid condition/useability over the much perspired over goal of "originality", it's nice to see an all original spec car but one can hardly expect every car to be kept in concourse condition if it's going to be actually used

8~)

I've had and used several W123s as a daily driver for the last few years. They're great cars.

Main issue, as stated already, is rust. Check everywhere. For more specifics, google or post back here. The underseal on these is very thick and can hide a lot - some cars look great but could literally be held together in places by just the underseal.
Mechanically they are very strong. Ignore mileage and buy on condition. The 230 petrol injection is generally regarded as being the best performance/economy compromise and, having driven most engine varieties, I agree.
Regarding the rear self levelling rear on estates - forget aftermarket dampers. The rear is not the problem some make out. I've had 5 estates and not one has had significant issues.

Generally the post '82 cars are better rust proofed.

gyppo

Hi lads,

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I fell in love with these after a holiday in Morocco a few years ago. The w123's were very plentiful and being used as taxi's and most had astronomical miles up.

I remember being in one where the driver had excellent english. He showed me the odometer of the car, with somewhere around 500k miles on it.
He then told me the odometer packed up about 4 years previously:D

At the mo, just toying with the idea of going for one of these.
Had spotted this on Ebay - dear, (was asking 1,395 sterling) but looked good. Though you cant really tell until you would see it in reality.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=019&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=290083103779&rd=1&rd=1

Beekay

well if you do eventually get one, and you have any problems with it or need parts i recommend this guy http://www.lichtenberg-classics.ie/
He really knows what he is doing and practically lives and breathes classic Mercs!