My 1984 Mercedes Benz 300TD, reviewed

"Harrycarry250" (Harrycarry250)
05/21/2014 at 09:52 • Filed to: Mercedes, w123, review, wagon

The discerning buyer who needs to fit many dogs in the back and four people up front in the lap of, mid-range, luxury. That is who buys a Mercedes 300 wagon. Fitted with a turbo and adorned with the finest vinyl to keep the backs of the occupants firmly adhered to the MB-Tex as to avoid falling out of the seat. Mercedes knew the side bolsters wouldn't keep them in place through the bends, and you're sweating because the A/C doesnt work so well. That is what the Mercedes 300 Wagon will do for you, but now you must ask, what will you do for it?

(Full disclosure: Mercedes-Benz wanted me to drive the 300TD Wagon so badly that I was told to make out a check for about 6,000 dollars and hand it to a man who I don't believe has any affiliation with Mercedes-Benz. I also received a title to the car in the process, I guess I get to keep it now. Right guys? Some spare parts and unpaid easy pass tolls came with the deal.)

I was contacted by Mercedes-Benz in a rather unorthodox manner, through the way of a service called Autotrader. Upon becoming aware of the vehicles presence I was flabbergasted that Mercedes-Benz, by the way of a random man, had me drive this car for the purposes of a review.

The 300 wagon is something of a departure from Mercedes's usual offering of powerful luxury saloons, suvs, and wagons. For this car, while still a Mercedes is not what you would expect from the automaker today. The car is wildly comfortable, somewhat quick, and not too nimble. All traits you would expect from a standard W123 Mercedes from this era. Yet this car has one more trait, something all other consumer Mercedes to this day lack to this day. Sheer utility, utter practicality, one more trait I'll save until the end.

Exterior 8/10

The Mercedes 300 wagon features classic lines and a look that everyone recognizes. The little pieces of aluminum brightwork that line the doors shine in the sun, the rubber and metal trim that swoops along side of the body gives the glorious metal work a more pronounced curvature. The only problem keeping this car from getting a 9/10 is the American bumpers and headlights. Otherwise, this car is a masterpiece of pure practicality wrapped in beautiful body work by the genius Bruno Sacco.

Interior 6/10

About as often as I have to top up the oil on the 300, I read a review on a new car and invariably there are complaints about the quality of interior materials. All I have to say about that is Mercedes had got it right the first time around. Even the W116 and W115 feature impeccable interior materials. The steering wheel is laughable in size but you will be happy about it in the unlikely event of power steering loss. The seats, while there, are woefully un-supportive and at 300,000 miles they have lost much of their firmness. Despite the mileage and age, the MB-Tex Vinyl is as soft as ever and there is not a single crack in it. Truly stands the test of time.

The dash simple and the binnacle serves it purpose. The A/C controls are equally straight forward. A spinning wheel controls the supposed temperature of the air coming out. There are four buttons that all seem to serve the same purpose, make air come from the vents. Lastly, there are three buttons on the right that control how much noise the blower motor makes; loud, louder, and loudest. The radio works, just and is more complicated than a graphing calculator.

Acceleration 4/10

"Don't pull out"

That is a term you will get very used to if you let friends drive your car, especially if said car is a om617 based Mercedes passenger car. I love giving my friends the experience of driving the wagon, it is truly a pleasure to behold. Despite this car being the top-of-the-line turbo model it is still geologically slow. Yet, it still seems to handle the New York City traffic just fine and if you time if right you can pull out into traffic. You won't win any stop light drag races but you can cruise on the highway all day long without it breaking a sweat or requiring a direct tap into the Keystone XL.

Braking 5/10

Brake fade is an understatement. See those letter on the gear selector? If you think there is a hill coming up and you have you go back down it you better put on your trucker hat and call yourself the "Snowman" because get ready to engine brake.

-Engine brake?

Yeah, engine brake...

-You'll cook your brakes faster than you can ask for a smokey report on channel 19, don't expect a response there friend.

On a more serious note, the brakes work very well but only if you have not been riding them hard for about 15 minutes beforehand. They have wonderful feel and are easy to modulate, but being un-ventilated solid disks they heat up quite a bit. Otherwise I love them.

Ride 9/10

This is where the Mercedes shines. Whether you have the boot packed full of 1,500 pounds of cheese or 1,500 pounds of feathers (cheese is heavier, duh) the car rides like a dream. Don't worry about bottoming out either as the rear suspension is fitted with the magical SLS system and always rides level. Axle travel on this car rivals many soft-roaders on the market today, the springs are soft and the shock absorbers up front are what Mercedes describes as comfort shocks.

The last winter season in NYC wrecked the roadways but it was an odd situation because I saw the holes but I never felt them. The axle travel, 14 inch wheels, and forgiving suspension basically yielded all pot holes null and void.

Handling 3/10

-Body roll?

Yes I have it, I have some to spare as well. Care for a bit of body roll? Seriously have some, because I have too much. Please, please take some... Ok thanks bye...

Its seems in this day and age no body cares for a bit of body roll. I'm not saying Mercedes 300TD wagon levels of body roll but a bit makes the driving experience a bit more fun. The wagon rolls like a rolly polly, uncontrollable roll that rearranges your idea of the way a seat is supposed to be sat in. That said, the car does not really handle up to par with today's standards.

Gearbox 6/10

Give it about 30 minutes to warm up and it is the smoothest transmission you will ever experience. Yes it is an Automatic and yes, I love it.

Once you get the vacuum system sorted out and make sure there are no leaks in the web you will experience automatic transmission nirvana, circa 1984. The transmission is flawlessly smooth, it is surprisingly responsive, and has great gear ratios that give you solid pick up at any speed. Fourth gear goes from 50 mph to 100 mph, yeah there pretty tall.

Here is some butter, because that is what the transmission feels like.

Toys 5/10

That score is only accurate if you A/C works, so I am being optimistic here.

You have a radio that can tune to both FM and AM frequencies, you have cruise control that removes the pedal from underneath you, A/C that works in the winter, and power steering. What more could you ask for in a car? Oh wait, did I mention it has a turbo...

Audio 4/10

The radio seriously sucks, but that doesn't matter since you can hear it above 75, nor can you carry on a conversation with anyone in the back seat. Unless that person is Barry White.

The Engine note however is surprisingly pleasant, a lobey 10 valve diesel is the last car I would ever think has an engine sound that is remotely acceptable.

Value 7/10

There are other station wagons that will do the job that they Mercedes does but will you be in a Mercedes, no. You may ask, why am I including brand exclusivity in the value of the car? Well I am actually not because car comes from an era of Mercedes that were built like well... the way a Mercedes should be built. Cars from this era of Mercedes set the standard that they are is still trying to live up to this very day. A Toyota will be more reliable and a BMW will be more sporty, but neither will ride like the Mercedes or give you a wonderful feeling inside your gut saying "This is something special."

The longevity of the Mercedes plays a big part in the value score, you can neglect this car beyond belief and it will still treat you well. Since buying the car I have not touched a drive train component. The practicality of this wagon is has no comparison, when the rear seats are folded flat you have enough room for a refrigerator. With the seats up you have enough space for five passengers and all their clothes for a week of travel. If you want you can even pull out the rear facing third row and put seven people in this car, seven people and all there junk. If you want more space you'd need a extended cab pickup truck.

All in all, I recommend the W123 wagon to all people I know, It has no modern alternative that gives you more and has no modern alternative that will last as long as the Mercedes 300TD wagon. One more factor that is intangible and entirely non-physical is soul. This wagon has more soul than the distilled essence of every episode of Soul Train combined. It wants to be driven, it wants to haul big heavy stuff it probably should not because it may over-cumber the delicate hydraulic suspension, it wants to take that corner and all the body roll that comes with it, the wagon wants to brake hard and deal with fade later, it wants to go fast on the highway even though the engine is turning 4000 revs. Yet those are all activities that you have to do, it won't do them by itself.

What can you do for the Mercedes 300TD wagon...

57/100

Engine: 3.0 Litre L5 Turbo Diesel

Power: 125 Horsepower

Transmission: 4 Speed automatic transmission

0-60 Time: 19.9 seconds

Top Speed: N/A

Drivetrain: Rear wheel drive, open differential

Curb weight: Roughly 3,400 pounds

Seating: Seating for 7

MPG: N/A

MSRP: N/A

DISCUSSION (100)

Scary__goongala! > Harrycarry250
05/20/2014 at 18:52

Kinja'd!!!

Here is my 83' sedan. On the highway you should be able to get about 25mpg. Top speed for them is 105mph. I got mine up to 95 and stopped because that lofty suspension is not confidence inspiring at those speeds. I actually like the US headlights but not the bumpers. I almost have my A/C working, but my rear windows don't work and neither do the automatic locks haha

Harrycarry250 > Scary__goongala!
05/20/2014 at 18:54

I have spent ages on the vacuum system to get it working. Now, everything works great! Love the door locks.

Harrycarry250 > Scary__goongala!
05/20/2014 at 18:58

Very nice!

Scary__goongala! > Harrycarry250
05/20/2014 at 19:01

It really just bothers me because I can't lock my driver's door at all. Plus I need to get the windshield washer fluid system working. I can't find how the hoses and connections need to be layed out. If I was not about to put it up for sale I would fix everything.

Alex Murel > Harrycarry250
05/20/2014 at 19:46

Kinja'd!!!

Here's a cover photo

Agrajag > Harrycarry250
05/20/2014 at 22:28

Great review. I need to do a 0-60 test on my 240d. I didn't think even mine was that slow.

Harrycarry250 > Agrajag
05/20/2014 at 22:52

Thanks!

Harrycarry250 > Alex Murel
05/20/2014 at 22:55

Ohhhh very nice, thank you!

Sn210 > Harrycarry250
05/20/2014 at 23:07

awesome write up, well done

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Harrycarry250
05/20/2014 at 23:24

FYI, wagons get the"S" designation, as in S123. Sedans are "W".

Harrycarry250 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
05/20/2014 at 23:26

Never heard that before. What about the Coupé W 123's?

Spoon II > Scary__goongala!
05/21/2014 at 00:31

Always wanted one of those!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Harrycarry250
05/21/2014 at 01:13

c123. Convertibles/cabriolets are "A", A209. Roadsters are "R", R129. long wheel base is "X", X204 (glk) or X166 (gl). They say "V" refers to "limousine" and they use it for S-class, V222. Those are the most common ones. There might be one or two more that I can't remember right now.

GRawesome > Harrycarry250
05/21/2014 at 10:01

I think every kid growing up in the Northeast in the 80's had one of these wagons. Myself included.

The thing was a damn tank, survived my mom skidding in snow and taking out a stone pillar (evidence of the rebuilt pillar is still visible in Englewood, NJ) and my dad side swiping a semi on the highway.

Ultimate car for the 4 child family of the 1980's!

offroadkarter > Harrycarry250
05/21/2014 at 10:01

I didn't know these cars were worth so much

Chris Clarke > offroadkarter
05/21/2014 at 10:39

I had the same thought.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Harrycarry250
05/30/2014 at 22:04

Kinja'd!!!

Official picture of Oppositlock.

dr861 > Harrycarry250
05/30/2014 at 22:49

Lol great satire. Nicely done.

pfftballer > Harrycarry250
05/30/2014 at 23:26

I had an 85 model back about 10 years ago. Moderate body rust and all but nothing to serious from the aesthetic standpoint. I was letting my sister drive it and I was in the passenger seat trying to hook my seatbelt and it was stuck. (This car never carried passengers as I just drove it to work and back while I had it) I gave it a good jerk in frustration and the entire lower belt assembly broke free from the chassis, as to say the freaking thing was so rusted out from the inside that the seat belt mount failed at a mere tug. Closer inspection revealed that the plastic plug was missing from inside the rear fender well and allowed water in and it rotted from the inside. Great car otherwise, but if buying one, make sure those plugs are in place!

Sir-Loinington > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 00:17

Isn't this the car that was on bringatrailer?

Anyway, great review! I fully intend to buy one of these asap, its essentially my lifetimer of a dream car.

Nevermind, it'll live to see my great-grandkids.

Sir-Loinington > offroadkarter
05/31/2014 at 00:18

They are worth more in even better condition. This is standard for something like this. get a pristine example and itll set you back 15-30k.

Ike B > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 07:40

Very well written. I can copy edit this for you if you'd like. It has a lot of errors.

Ike B > Agrajag
05/31/2014 at 07:57

Oh you'd be surprised. That said, having driven your own car I'm sure you wouldn't.

I'll never forget my first and probably only "240 vs. other kind of 240" race in my 107hp Volvo 240 wagon vs. my friend's Mercedes 240D sedan. It was the only car that my wagon had ever outran, and it just absolutely destroyed it. It was just bizarre, like a rocket racing an aircraft carrier. I took my wagon to the drag strip and it ripped off maybe a 17.8 or so in the quarter.

Then I turbocharged it and that time dropped to about 14.5. Good times.

Ike B > GRawesome
05/31/2014 at 07:59

You lived where rich people lived.

Simplecar > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 08:48

Modern merc's (especially post 2007) have seriously gotten better, and the latest one's are seriously reliable IF you maintain them properly (just get it serviced at the manufacturer specified intervals and you'll do fine).

I haven't heard any serious problems in their standard C/E/S class models post 07 (this is my opinion purely based on my interactions on forums and service centers here). Mine is almost 7 years old now, and holding up phenomenally well. I have put just over 15k miles on it btw:), and even the battery hasn't given up on me.

I agree that the old gen one is very well built, but I would say the newer one's atleast now, are just as good.

P.S. I have friends whose new merc's have had issues, but most of them were due to faulty diagnosis at the service centers. In all cases, only one component was faulty which was duly replaced under warranty after my intervention. Post that, never had to visit the service center for any trouble.

Cheers and enjoy your ride. I won't deny I am jealous.

KSEGGFTW > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 09:03

Beautiful W123 Harry!

Matt Hardigree > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 09:07

This reminds me of my old 300D. That's right... non-turbo. Take of a point for acceleration.

Aaron K > Scary__goongala!
05/31/2014 at 09:12

drivers door needs to be locked with the key.

duurtlang > Sir-Loinington
05/31/2014 at 09:55

I never realized they were worth that much. Is there a price difference between gasoline and diesel powered cars? Any idea how much a very nice but not pristine Euro-market w123 (or s123 as I read above) 230 TE (gasoline 136 hp, wagon) with something like 150k miles be worth?

Roundle79 > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 10:00

Very sweet ride. Due to cheaper road tax on cars that are 20+ years old, there are a lot of these babies (in coupe and estate form) here in The Netherlands. They seem to weather extremely well. If you get tired of the 0-60 time, consider this DIY upgrade: http://www.lsxtv.com/news/swap-insa…

AMGWTFBBQ > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 10:22

Value: 7/10?

You've got a car penned by one of the greatest designers in history, it's a diesel, a wagon, and will outlive your grandchildren. Do you have any idea what it would cost to build a car like this today? This is a 14/10 for value at least.

ohh-75 > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 10:30

I love this era of mb. My grandparents had an 85 sedan that was just as wonderful. That said the modern car that comes closest to this in terms of usability is a subaru outback. Which I own. It does not, however, match the old benz in soul or cache.

Chris Perkins > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 10:32

Awesome review! I admire your objectivity as much as I admire your car! Let me know if you're ever looking to sell....

teh_d3th_st4r > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 10:33

I love the 300td!

I used to have a W123 in blue from 1983, but it was sold years ago.

Got my heart set on a 1987 W124 300td wagon... in black. I'd also to swap in a 5-speed and a third pedal because the bastards only got imported as automatics.

Kinja'd!!!

ZeGerman > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 10:39

I dig these cars, and used to work in a biodiesel lab, but holy god I hate driving behind old diesel Mercs. Always funny when you see environmentally conscious bumper stickers on the back of these cars, as the owners clearly have no clue how damaging the absurd amount of particulate matter belching from their tailpipe is, regardless of being biodiesel or regular petroleum based diesel.

Scary__goongala! > Aaron K
05/31/2014 at 10:58

the key won't even turn the lock.

Vzwolf > Simplecar
05/31/2014 at 11:06

Im happy to hear you are having a great experience with your modern Mercedes. My 2009 s class likes to stay stuck in first gear once a week, parking sensors decide when they want to work so I dont rely on them anymore, my rear automatic sunshade keeps breaking, my sunroof will often not close, but I still love this car. My uncles 02 s class has left him stranded at least 4 separate times, so based on that Ill have to agree with you.

Mobilitea > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 11:16

Great article. Had a 1983 for 24 years with over 225,000 miles. Solid, beautiful machine. Always started easily. Loved it. Only nasty problem was that vacuum system and some water leaks. it burned biodiesel beautifully which got rid of the big black smoke issue when the turbo kicked in. 25 mpg hwy! I miss my 300 Teutonic Diesel.

Harrycarry250 > Ike B
05/31/2014 at 11:18

I am looking to improve my writing skills so I really appreciate the criticism. Could you point out some of the more glaring problems. Thanks!

Harrycarry250 > Sir-Loinington
05/31/2014 at 11:20

If you want to seem some very high dollar W123 Mercs check out a shop called Mercedes Motoring

Harrycarry250 > AMGWTFBBQ
05/31/2014 at 11:23

I would have given it a high score but properly maintaining one of these cars can be a bit pricey. I only trust MB parts as well so that doesn't help.

Harrycarry250 > Chris Perkins
05/31/2014 at 11:25

Thanks I appreciate it. If you're in NYC you are more than welcome to stop by and give it a go.

Harrycarry250 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/31/2014 at 11:26

Ah back when I had yellow fogs. I have since installed driving lights.

Harrycarry250 > teh_d3th_st4r
05/31/2014 at 11:27

Get that 124 and then throw an m117 under the bonnet. You got yourself a hammer.

Harrycarry250 > ZeGerman
05/31/2014 at 11:29

Haha! Yes! The egr systems are almost always failed on these cars and who thinks a 30 year old 3 litre diesel motor will run clean??? This ain't no bluetec or whatever Mercedes calls it these days.

teh_d3th_st4r > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 11:33

It would be a beast.

But, there's something extra special about squeezing a shit-load of power out of a diesel inline six. Wouldn't mind doing the m117 swap to a TE wagon, though. It was gas powered to begin with, so I wouldn't be defeating the purpose.

Harrycarry250 > KSEGGFTW
05/31/2014 at 11:35

Thanks a million

vulcan300 > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 11:42

I enjoyed your review and now really want to add a roly poly Merc wagon to the collection. However, I do have one request. Please proofread what you write next time. "There" does not mean the same thing as "their" and "they're" and shouldn't be used as a poor substitute. There are also more than a few other mistakes that also detract from an article that is very good otherwise. Let your writing shine by polishing it before publishing it.

Bad72AMX > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 11:44

How can you engine brake in a diesel?

bloodyhands > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 12:06

the sls system make me want the car more!!!

Doctor-G-and-the-wagen > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 12:16

Kinja'd!!!

I'm sorry but these floor mats are an automatic 10/10.

Doctor-G-and-the-wagen > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 12:21

I wonder how easy it would be to improve the braking and handling, since that seems to be the only real let downs of this car which is probably just a result of its age.

beerdrinker > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 12:39

Braking 5/10

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

LIFE PRO TIP:

Replace your W123's pathetic unvented front brakes with late (86+) W126 V8 front brakes. The rotors and calipers are direct bolt in. You will have to switch to 15" wheels but its well worth the vastly improved braking ability.

Your current W123 front rotor.

Kinja'd!!!

Late W126 rotor.

Kinja'd!!!

&imagekey=2035196-0&width=500

Andrew T. Maness > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 12:56

I will be taking you up on that and bringing my 4k digital film camera as well...

G-Gore > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 12:58

Great review - I learned how to drive on my uncle's 300D :-) Always wanted wagon - maybe some day. Till then I religiously watch this YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Kz0…

Harrycarry250 > Andrew T. Maness
05/31/2014 at 13:03

Shoot me an email. harrycarry250@yahoo.com

Harrycarry250 > Bad72AMX
05/31/2014 at 13:06

The official operations manual recommends engine braking through the use of the "L" and "S" gear settings. L locks the tranny into 1st and 2nd. While S locks it into third. D will give you fourth

Harrycarry250 > Doctor-G-and-the-wagen
05/31/2014 at 13:07

Yeah that was my first buy for the car.

Harrycarry250 > vulcan300
05/31/2014 at 13:08

Ok thanks man. I'll keep track of those next time

Harrycarry250 > bloodyhands
05/31/2014 at 13:09

It is ab amazing system. Just takes weigh like nothing else. Great for a bank robbery.

v0lv0 > teh_d3th_st4r
05/31/2014 at 14:31

looks nice. Hate the tint and wheels are horrible.

v0lv0 > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 14:32

Try hard and uncomfortable piece of junk you over paid for to look hip and different. Got it.

Harrycarry250 > v0lv0
05/31/2014 at 14:36

Thanks man

ranwhenparked > GRawesome
05/31/2014 at 14:39

In the late '80s, you couldn't throw a stone in a parking lot in Bucks County, PA without hitting either a W123 or a Volvo 200. There were some MG Bs in there too during the summer. My parents never had one, but they really were everywhere. Made such an impression on me that this is still the default image in my mind when I picture a generic Mercedes.

AMGWTFBBQ > Sn210
05/31/2014 at 14:44

I know all too well. Just messing with you homie. Great buy.

Orson > teh_d3th_st4r
05/31/2014 at 14:59

Looking at these too…why an '87 if they were built all the way up to '95?

Orson > teh_d3th_st4r
05/31/2014 at 15:00

never mind… you want the diesel, duh

teh_d3th_st4r > v0lv0
05/31/2014 at 15:14

I also hate the wheels... but the tint is fine.

This is just a reference picture for the black W124 I want.

teh_d3th_st4r > v0lv0
05/31/2014 at 15:18

Hard? Uncomfortable? The W124 is neither of those. It's quiet, comfortable, acceptably quick, inexpensive, easy to work on, reliable, cheap to insure, and it's a Mercedes.

Whats not to like?

Daniel Leigh > Matt Hardigree
05/31/2014 at 15:35

I was under the impression the "T" part didn't stand for 'Turbo' on these old Mercs, wasn't it short for 'T-Model', which is what they called wagons?

Daniel Leigh > Ike B
05/31/2014 at 15:40

Don't be 'that guy'.

sixsixtysix > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 16:35

Easier said than done. M117 swaps into the M103 or OM603's location takes a fair amount of work, mainly beating the firewall and trans tunnel into submission and dropping in an entirely different wiring harness and transmission. Not saying it can't be done, but you're better off sticking a twin turbo setup on the M103 which can give you about the same 380ish HP of the M117. Again, not easy since aftermarket turbo parts from 20 years ago are extremely rare, but it's still easier than the M117 engine swap.

Source: Working on my own "Mallet" wagon right now.

Kinja'd!!!

Dino > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 17:05

My 2012 C class, isn't all electronically savvy or anything. Got some nice features like Bluetooth,navi etc. but it has a standard suspension, Nice, hydraulic, power assisted steering, none of that electronic nonsense. It looks pretty good with what I've done too it, is quick and has a great sounding 4 cylinder turbo. It does all the turbo woosh and bottle opening sounds lol. It definitely doesn't ride like your awesome old mercs though, it's rough and BMW like, handles nice though. Mercedes went down in the late 90's and early 2000's. But I push the hell out of mine, and I have a lot of family that are starting to convert from BMW/Lexus/Audi back to these, and they've been super reliable. I take mine to the canyons weekly, push it real hard and with 30k miles hasn't even given a bad smell. Loves to get beat up, I love Merc because of it. My 2009 A4 lasted twice in the canyons before giving up on me, lol. I love your merc and tbh, mine too.

And I only paid 1k down and 300 a month for it, 24 months, pretty good for a merc if you ask me

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 17:06

Where did you get your score badge thingy?

Maxaxle > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 17:59

Kinja'd!!!

I don't normally like fake wood, but this looks really nice, actually.

Maxaxle > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 18:00

Kinja'd!!!

So maybe get them cross-drilled?

MrFondue > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 18:39

You have to start calling it "Bauernmercedes". I'm pretty sure it's MB's official production name.

JayR727 > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 20:02

Kinja'd!!!

Why can't American cars have the nifty parking light options offered by M-B decades ago?!

Jeff Glucker > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 21:06

LOVE LOVE LOVE the blue color. I was actually hoping to find a blue one when I purchased my wagon.

Oh how I am bummed that I had to remove the SLS to make this engine swap happen.

Regarding the brakes, apparently the W126 brakes are very nearly a simple swap in and reduce fade massively.

Beautiful car...

Jeff Glucker > duurtlang
05/31/2014 at 21:07

If you sell it in CA, it would be worth a ton.

I've seen very high mileage examples (of 300TD) going in the mid teens.

Mike_Smith > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 21:10

The MB-Tex in that picture looks... icky. I'm sure the materials have gotten better, but IMO there are only two proper materials for seats in a German car. Real dead cow leather, or tartan cloth (for GTIs only).

Jeff Glucker > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
05/31/2014 at 21:11

Isn't the more of a Euro designation though?

I thought all vehicles sold in the US (and Japan) were considered W123 vehicles, and then the body style was designated by the make description (i.e. 280TE, 300C, etc)

Harrycarry250 > Mike_Smith
05/31/2014 at 21:16

Sorry mate but I beg to differ.

MB-Tex is straight up iindestructible

/thread

Mike_Smith > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 21:18

"/thread"? Who the hell made you the boss of... anything?

/thread

Harrycarry250 > Jeff Glucker
05/31/2014 at 21:18

You can't pull the SLS pump off the old motor and retrofit it to run. Maybe belt driven? Worth a shot

mike in So Cal > Maxaxle
05/31/2014 at 22:37

it might be real... MB used to use a very thin slice of wood bonded to aluminum

ThePro > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 23:13

0-60 Time: 19.9 seconds

Merging on the freeway must be fun.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Jeff Glucker
05/31/2014 at 23:16

Not at all actually. They are internal designations. Whereas the descriptors that you mention are technically called sales designations. Believe it or not, there is an online training module that every new hire with Mercedes must go through that talks about all of this.

Deucenberg > beerdrinker
05/31/2014 at 23:18

Would this upgrade work on a W116? I just bought a 1980 300SD a few months ago and the brakes are due to be replaced soon because one of the rear calipers has been sticking.

TobleroneTunnel > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 23:25

Nice write-up, I've been on the hunt for one of these for some time. One question, out of curiosity: I have never seen a steering wheel like yours, ever, in any Mercedes. Do you know anything about it?

Titus > Harrycarry250
05/31/2014 at 23:55

This car is an icon of an entire generation. I have spent many of my days driving in one of these classics. It is hard to believe how far the Mercedes Benz has gone... http://www.cariseasy.com/mercedes-benz/

Jeff Glucker > Harrycarry250
06/01/2014 at 00:54

donated all the SLS components to a fellow wagon owner and swapped in the conversion kit

Harrycarry250 > ThePro
06/01/2014 at 01:22

Fun for other motorists, yes.

Harrycarry250 > TobleroneTunnel
06/01/2014 at 01:23

I'm sorry man. I have no info on this wheel. I know its a momo wheel and that it. I bought it from the Netherlands.

d3v > Harrycarry250
06/01/2014 at 01:35

Kinja'd!!!

Such a disappointment, especially when you can have one of these with the 4 speed manual box with the dog leg reverse.

d3v > Harrycarry250
06/01/2014 at 01:44

Kinja'd!!!

This makes me happy that, when my dad bough his W123 (diesel, but not wagon) back when I was still in high school, he got the European spec rectangular headlamps.

Simplecar > Vzwolf
06/01/2014 at 02:15

I am sorry to hear your troubles, but in general if you have good relations with the dealer, you may still get the gearbox problems sorted out with the help of factory. Rest of the problems, well.. you just need to invest some time, and dig into the problem. If you don't have the time, well.. find an honest mechanic. It's worth the trouble. If you have found a honest and good mechanic, and still haven't been able to sort out the trouble.. well then I am truly sorry. I guess Lexus still thrives in U.S. for a good reason.

About your uncle.. it's a 02 model. I can totally understand.

seanmwestcott > Harrycarry250
06/01/2014 at 10:16

I wish I still had it but my favorite car ever was a 1979 300sd turbo diesel if I could I would get another one in a heartbeat

You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" > Harrycarry250
06/01/2014 at 11:28

With the wording he used, it seemed like he gave marks out of 5 instead of 10

dpurc1 > mike in So Cal
06/01/2014 at 11:47

It's real.