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HOW TO BUY A…
Deal breaker
An exclamation mark indicates key areas
where you have the greatest bargaining
power. Use them to your advantage.
Practicality
What does it do well?
BUYING GUIDE
No. 162
The W123 is a superb family
classic. There are safety features
galore, and with rear seatbelts
it’s ideal. The diesels offer good
economy, as does the 230,
which gives a better
compromise between
performance and mpg than
the 280. The estates are
vast, and if you find a good
one it’ll be an excellent
load-lugger. Seats are far
more adjustable than
other cars of this age,
the driving position
offers great visibility, and
there are all sorts of
features you wouldn’t expect to
find on a car this old.
What can’t it do?
Umm… well, I suppose you’d
have to say the 280 is a bit
thirsty. Talking of fuel, some
sources say the engines aren’t
keen on regular unleaded, but
other owners have said they’ve
had no problems.
How to buy a…
Mercedes W123
Take your time to find a good one, and this could
well be the ultimate classic saloon.
Production
Timeline
This will get you an excellent
low-mileage saloon that’s been
properly looked after – either
original or restored. Genuine ‘as
new’ examples can be twice
this amount, though.
Condition 2 – £2000-£4000
Should get you a solid, usable
car, but it might need minor
work in the near future.
Condition 3 – £500-£1000
Potential basket cases that
might only be worth whatever
someone thinks they can sell
the parts for. You might get
lucky, but you’re better off
spending more in the first place.
Possible upgrades
Such was the development
behind the W123, there’s very
little you’d want to do to try to
upgrade them, and so there’s
not much in the way of extras
on the market. Sensible options
are powdercoated components
such as rear trailing arms and
battery trays.
All standard annual maintenance
can be done by a DIY enthusiast.
Access to the engine bay is
superb, and the systems on the
W123 are pretty straightforward.
The 280 models are slightly
more difficult to look after, being
a DOHC six-cylinder engine with
lots of tappets to sort out.
The fuel injection system’s
reliable enough but you might
want to go to a specialist to
check the flow pressure. It’s
worth using Mercedes filters
when you carry out servicing.
They’re only slightly more
expensive than aftermarket
ones, but you’ll have greater
peace of mind over their quality.
Oil changes should happen
every 4000 miles, with the
timing chain needing to be
changed every 50,000 miles.
Brake fluid should be flushed
regularly to avoid corrosion in
components. Replacing calipers
and the master cylinder can
quickly get expensive.
TECH SPEC
Mercedes 280E
■ engine 2746cc
straight-six
■ transmission
Four-speed auto or manual
■ FRONT
suspension
Independent, double
wishbones, coil springs,
telescopic dampers,
anti-roll bar
■ rear suspension
Diagonal swing axle, coil
springs, telescopic
dampers, anti-roll bar
■ tyres 195/70 HR14
■ economy 21.7mpg
■ top speed 124mph
■ weight 1460kg
■ dimensions
Length 186in, width 70in,
height 56in
Function and form – W123
design was led by engineers
rather than stylists.
Why you'll love it
● Timeless styling.
● Practicality – would make
a great family car.
● Refinement makes it feel
newer than it is.
● Superb build quality
servicing is easy.
downhill from the W124
onwards. It was inevitable – to
go on building cars in the same
way as the W123 would have
become prohibitively expensive.
But while they’re beautifully
engineered and the build quality
is outstanding, these cars are
now all more than 25 years old,
and they’re by no means
immune to degradation. And
being an expensive car when
they were new means they’re
expensive to restore now.
However, as long as you keep
your wits about you and don’t
blindly assume that ‘it’s a W123,
it’ll be fine’, you could bag
yourself a classic that still offers
superb value for money.
January 1976
August 1977
September 1977
Long-wheelbase models launched.
Could be ordered as a saloon – or
serve as the basis for a hearse…
Condition 1 – £8000
Servicing and
maintenance
across the range.
was a car designed by engineers,
not stylists. It’s clean, functional
and elegant. Take the instantly
recognisable rear lights, for
instance. They were designed so
that dirt wouldn’t cover the
light, as it can on a flat lens.
After the W123, though, the
beancounters got involved and
quality slowly started to go
The W123 is introduced as a
four-door saloon. Larger body than
W115, but engines carried over.
Market overview
● Routine DIY
Words by JAMES PAGE Photography by Gez Hughes
M
Mercedes W123
A 280CE won the London-Sydney Rally in 1977;
a 280E came home in second place.
!
ercedes reached
a peak with their
W123. Following
a seven-year
gestation period, they launched
a car that remains a benchmark
in terms of engineering. In fact,
everywhere you look on the
W123 it becomes clear that here
HOW TO BUY A…
DID YOU KNOW?
Estate (denoted by ‘T’ in the model
name) introduced at Frankfurt
Motor Show.
January 1979
Diesel models gain more power:
59bhp for 200D; 71bhp for 240D;
and 87bhp for 300D.
June 1980
New Type M102 4-cylinder petrol
engines introduced. The new 230
powerplant gains fuel injection.
September 1982
All models facelifted. Power
steering standard across range.
Optional five-speed manual.
November 1985
W123 production ends. Most
common model was the 240D,
with 455,000 built.
January 1976-November 1985
110 CLASSICS MONTHLY APRIL 2010
APRIL 2010 CLASSICS MONTHLY
111
HOW TO BUY A…
HOW TO BUY A…
DID YOU KNOW?
Mercedes W123
Mercedes W123
The W123 was a rare car in that it had a waiting list
all through its production life.
Interior
CM says…
Engine
The W123 came with 11 engine
options. All last well, particularly
the diesels, but you’ll need to
check the paperwork to ensure
that the oil’s been regularly
changed and that the timing
chain has been replaced at the
correct intervals.
A cylinder head overhaul for a
280 will be expensive, but if the
worst happens an engine rebuilt
using Mercedes parts and coming
Seals
Check the rubber window seals all round for
cracking and degradation. They often fail,
allowing water to leak inside. Replacements
for the door glass are about £25 apiece, and
will help save the doors themselves.
with a warranty will cost about
£2500 from W123 World. Check for
evidence of oil leaks, and look at
the condition of the hoses.
All diesels will smoke slightly
when cold, but it shouldn’t be
excessive or continue once the
engine’s up to temperature. They’ll
sound like a typical diesel of the
time, so they’re not quiet, but any
hollow knocks or rattles are signs
of potentially expensive problems.
Mercedes fine-tuned the
exhausts on injected models for
the best performance and noise
deadening. They were also made
from 14-gauge steel. Aftermarket
ones generally rattle, the back
pressures aren’t right and they
don’t fit properly. Basically, don’t
fit a cheap one – or a stainless
steel one. They’re too thin, the
noise resonates inside, and they
also don’t fit very well.
Trim
There were five trim options: MB-Tex,
velour, leather, half cloth or full cloth.
Interior trim is very hard to find. It’s not
worth your while buying anything
needing a retrim. For example, new
original MB-Tex covers from Germany
are nearly £2000 – plus fitting.
The widely adjustable seats are generally
comfortable and were designed to be
relatively firm. However, a collapsed
driver’s seat is a common fault, and can
make the car’s handling feel ‘wallowy’
when it isn’t.
!
When the W123 was new, the
paint was an industry
benchmark. However, it isn’t
available in its original form
anymore and it’s difficult to
match. The paint finish is one of
the most critical and expensive
areas if you want to restore a car
– it’s where all the hard work
can be lost.
All the original panels are still
available – a front wing is £260
from Mercedes. While you can
get a pattern wing for £50, they
don’t fit and rust badly. Cars built
from 1976-81 used recycled
steel so they rust worse than
later ones.
Sunroofs can leak. Lift the
carpets and check the condition
of the floorpans. The drain pipes
coming down from the sunroof
rust out, so water gets into
places it shouldn’t. Getting a
replacement sunroof is £1200
– it’s a three-man operation that
involves removing either the
front or rear windscreen.
112 CLASSICS MONTHLY APRIL 2010
ng
buyiip
t etrol engines
Mark Cosovich,
W123 World
Safety and security
Collapsed driver’s seat is a common
problem on all W123s.
■ Childproof door locks.
■ Front and rear crumple zones.
■ Collapsible steering column.
■ Dashboard designed to
concertina and absorb impacts.
■ Airbags optional on cars built
from 1982 onwards.
■ Rear seatbelts.
■ Disc brakes all round.
■ ABS optional from 1980.
New wheel embellishers are £120 each.
The W123 is amongst the UK’s
most targeted vehicles to steal
due to enduring demand
overseas. You’ll want to keep it
garaged, especially if you live in
the South East.
DIY friendly
Value for money
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21/25
We like…
Superb build quality and
elegant styling. Extremely
practical and perfect family
classic. At less than 10 grand
for a minter, they’re top value.
Or try these…
Specialist’s view
Steer clear of a car needing a retrim,
especially if it’s MB-Tex material.
Practicality
Economy
Spares
We don’t like…
Might be cheap to buy but
they’re not cheap to keep on
the road. The 280 is thirsty,
and parts for all models will
be expensive.
Seats
Bodywork
Mercedes 280E
£500-£8000
“I bought my first
W123 in London in
1979. It was one
year old and cost £6650 when
a new house in Swansea was
£10,000. The taxi driver said ‘but
a Mercedes isn’t like buying any
other car’. I’ve owned, hired,
serviced, dismantled, and now
fully restored every model over
the past 31 years.
“They’re wonderful cars. Sadly,
prices of new original parts are
now equally wonderful. They’re
tough, and quite easily the finest
engineered car of the 20th
century – they had no real
competitors at the time.
“If you buy a restoration
project, it really has to go to a
Mercedes specialist – preferably
someone who’s already painted
one – and always see some of
their work first. I can’t emphasise
that enough.”
Running gear
wp
.
Crossflo ed from 1980
were fitt ore powerful
m
They’re nomical than
and eco four-pots.
earlier
The bottom spring mount on
the trailing arm can fill with salt
and debris and rust through. To
sort that out, the whole assembly
will have to be removed. To
replace that section, which also
carries the hub, will cost in the
region of £1200, while the
crossmember that also forms part
of the rear suspension will be
about £300-£400. Removing the
rear wheel bearing involves the
use of a special tool.
Check the rubber suspension
bushes and the driveshaft
rubbers. However well put
together a car is, rubber degrades,
and any failures here could be
disastrous. The estates models
have self-levelling suspension,
which involves
different dampers.
Despite being much the same
layout otherwise, replacing them
is very expensive – budget for
about £2000.
There were seven different
springs for the W123 depending
on the spec of the particular
model. If you need to replace
them, it’s not an easy job to begin
with, but don’t be tempted to buy
a cheap aftermarket ‘off-the-shelf’
spring. It might be for a W123, but
a fully loaded automatic 280
instead of a manual 200. If so, it’ll
be miles out and will ruin the way
the car drives. Check the part
number and fork out for the
original components.
BMW e28
£300-£5000
All engines should last well if
regularly serviced.
The 230E is a good all-round buy.
Contacts & books
■W
123 World
Great driver’s car with smooth
engines. Expensive to run and
not as well built as Merc.
Rover SD1
£300-£2500
Starting to come into their own,
but not many around due to
rust and poor build quality.
01792 846888
■M
ercedes-Benz Club
08456 032660
www.mercedes-benz-club.
co.uk
■M
ercedes-Benz W123
ISBN: 978-389-880-2543
German language
www.amazon.com
Ford Granada Mk2
£500-£2500
Blue-collar choice. Lots of toys
on Ghia models, and the V6
engines perform well.
Turn over to P115 for your W123 quick view checks
APRIL 2010 CLASSICS MONTHLY
113
HOW TO BUY A…
DID YOU KNOW?
Mercedes W123
Famous owners included John Lennon, the Queen
Mother, Franz Beckenbauer – and Bonnie Tyler…
QUICK VIEW Checks
10
Essential
Reminders
Key areas to inspect carefully. Your final offer price should reflect their condition.
Tick off our vital checks
for peace of mind
Steering box
! 2
3
Electrics
Excessive play in the
steering box can point
towards refurbishment or
replacement. If it’s the
latter, it’s very expensive.
Suspension
The more upmarket models
came with plenty of toys.
When you’re sitting in the
car, take the chance to
prod everything to make
sure it all works.
! 4
Get underneath the car and
check the condition of the
trailing arm – the spring
mount can rot through. The
fuel pump’s in the same
area – check the hoses.
5
Rear dampers
‘Bounce’ the rear
suspension to make sure
the dampers are in decent
condition. If you need to
replace them on an estate
car, it’ll be incredibly costly.
Look for signs of leaks.
2
9
5
1
Engine
Listen for untoward rattles
and look for excessive oil
smoke, which could point
to valve guide wear.
Cut out
this page
1
6
8
cut along dashed line and take this guide with you on the daY of viewing
10
4
6
Battery tray
3
! 7
This is a common spot for
rust to take hold –
powdercoated trays are
available. If rot strikes, it’ll
spread to the bulkhead if
not dealt with.
7
8
Jacking points Spare wheel
These can rust out – it’s a
common MOT failure. The
plastic covers should be in
place, and a conscientious
owner will had added
some cavity wax.
This is a natural water trap.
If it’s allowed to gather
here, it’ll soon rust out.
9
Rubber seals
! 10
These will perish over time,
and if they’re not replaced
water will get into places it
shouldn’t. If it’s window
glass, the doors will rot. If
it’s the windscreen, it’ll get
into the interior.
Exhaust
Manifolds can crack. Don’t
be tempted to fit a cheap
aftermarket system. They
never fit as well as the
originals and can affect the
car’s performance.
APRIL 2010 CLASSICS MONTHLY
115
HOW TO BUY A…
Mercedes W123
Glovebox
Wizard
Our vital, take-with-you guide. It could save you a lot more than money.
Tick off our vital checks
for peace of mind
Overall condition, originality and
completeness should dictate the
price you pay.
Glovebox Wizard is designed
to act as a timely reminder when
viewing, drawing your attention
to areas it’s easy to forget or
which an unscrupulous seller
might try to distract you from.
Begin by judging the overall
appearance of the car. What are
the panels gaps like? Is the
engine original? Resprayed?
Pre-viewing questions
Glovebox Wizard can also be
used to ask questions
confidently whether via phone
or computer before you commit
time and incur costs to view.
Knowledge is power when
buying any car so arm yourself
from the start and get the best
deal possible.
Caveat emptor
If the deal is too good to be true
then look carefully for the catch.
Buyer beware.
Identification
Engine
Interior
❏ Chassis ID plate
Cold and off
❏ Dry carpets.
❏ Electrics all work.
❏ Driver’s seat feels firm.
The main one is on the front
slam panel and will start ‘WDB’,
then W123 followed by a series
of digits. Any part you order from
a main dealer will need it due to
the variety of models produced.
It’s also stamped into the front
bulkhead below the windscreen.
Alongside the VIN plate is the
paint/trim code plate. It identifies
the colour code and the original
manufacturer of the paint, which
is no longer available in the UK.
❏ Ask to see service history.
❏ Check for evidence of oil and
coolant leaks.
❏ Check radiator.
Cold and running
❏ No excessive smoke.
❏ No untoward noises.
Hot and running
❏ Pulls well through rev range.
❏ Bigger engines should feel
quick – suspect trouble if not.
Bodywork
❏ All wings.
❏ Door bottoms.
❏ Floors.
❏ All pillars.
❏ Rubber seals.
Do
✔ Buy on condition not spec.
A rotten 280 will be a
money pit. You’ll be better
off with a solid 200.
✔ Talk to a specialist such as
Mark Cosovich at W123
World before buying. The
Mercedes-Benz Club also
offer good advice.
✔ Drive plenty of them so
you’ve got the chance to
see what a good one
should feel like.
✔ Take into account the cost
of any work that’ll be
needed. Don’t blow your
entire budget on a car and
then discover it needs a
few grand spending on it.
✔ Make sure you press
everything electrical to
check it works.
✔ Have a look underneath
the carpets to check the
floorpans. You don’t want
to find evidence of leaks.
Test drive
Don’t
The W123 isn’t as ‘boat-like’ as
some people would have you
believe. A good one should be
precise and accurate in its
handling. Only if a car’s been
neglected will it feel vague and
sloppy – a combination of worn
dampers, tired steering box, and
even a collapsed driver’s seat will
take their toll. If you need to
replace a steering box (a worn
one is a major MOT failure), you’re
Mercedes it’ll be solid and
bulletproof. You still need
to buy carefully if you don’t
want to end up with major
resto bills.
✘ Expect fireball performance
from the diesels. They’re
built for comfort and
durability, not speed.
✘ Let a seller convince you
that ‘they all handle like
that’ if a car feels sloppy
and vague.
✘B
uy online without seeing
the car. You really have to
be able to get underneath it
to check it properly.
✘ E xpect to run a W123 on a
shoestring budget. You can
work on them yourself, but
parts can be seriously
expensive. Saving money
by buying pattern parts is a
false economy.
✘B
uy a car that doesn’t have
plenty of paperwork that
shows the correct service
intervals have been
adhered to.
✘ Assume that because it’s a
A good W123 will feel like
a modern car to drive.
116 CLASSICS MONTHLY APRIL 2010
probably going to have to source it
from Mercedes, which will cost you
£1830 plus VAT.
Mercedes never fitted budget
tyres to their models. The W123 is
a lot of car, and if you’ve got a
cheap tyre on there it’ll also harm
the handling. Decent rubber can
transform a W123. The front
anti-roll bar mounts can be
affected by rust in the bulkhead.
If that gets too serious, it’ll be
another thing contributing to poor
handling. If a car’s structurally
solid and it’s been set up correctly
using the right tools, it’ll be
nothing like the usual tired
examples you see for sale.
Automatic gearboxes should
shift smoothly, and while the
petrol engines go well enough,
the smaller diesels are genuinely
slow. If you’re after performance,
you’ll need the 280.
cut along dashed line and take this guide with you on the daY of viewing
Viewing a W123