Nice old Mercedes wagon:

[speeder]

The w123 chassis diesel wagons have really taken off in value over the last couple years, they are great cars and it's one of the models that people in Germany and other far-away countries really want. These have always had a following but they keep getting hotter.

I collect and restore older Mercedes on a small scale, I have (2) w123 wagons. One is in worn condition, (but still very solid and driveable), and the other is a low-miles creampuff.

My friend bought this one recently and I've had it the last couple days to do some tuning and small stuff on it. I thought I'd share here in case anyone else likes these cars. She bought it from a collector, it's the nicest one I've ever seen. It has 90k miles and was owned by some elderly person or couple in Fla. I'm not sure what parts were restored, some of it looks new but as though it was done at the Mercedes Classic Center. It's that nice. It looks, drives, smells and sounds like an almost new car.

[speeder]

This one is a 1985, last year of the model. It's a turbodiesel and came originally with alloy wheels, she and many others prefer the look of steel wheels and hubcaps which were offered on the 1980 and older models.

[Jrboulder]

Wow beautiful w123!

I have an 83 380SL with 99k miles.

[LeeH]

This one's for sale here in Phoenix for $3500. '85, Gas, Euro import:

1985 Mercedes 230TE W123 Wagon **Euro-Spec, Gray Market Import**

[petrolhead611]

Those wagons were strong. 3 different au pairs had accidents in my sister's 280TE, knocked down a brick gatepost, tailgated another car, drove through end wall of garage and then down a 3 foot drop, and each time the car was still driveable if a bit crumpled. She just kept getting it fixed, had it for a dozen years or more, cos it was unbreakable.

[NY65912]

My '85 300TDT was an absolute tank. A little slow on the pick up (turbo lag) but got going pretty good after that.

My fondess memory was on a 4 hr trip up to Cape Cod. The alternator destroyed itself about 30 miles into the trip from Brooklyn. No worries, did not shut the little diesel off until I got to my destination. I then drove it directly into the dealer in town and a day latter back on the road.

Great cars. They can have a rust issue in the rear well areas, the hydro pnuematic suspension can be a pain and the steering boxes are not "tight", but overall a tank! 275,000 miles and ran as strong as the day it was made.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Awesome Denis. I love that body style of MB.

[slow&rusty]

I would love a 280TE with a 5 speed and I really like the W124 wagons as well.

Great pics Denis, thanks for sharing.
Yasin

[targa911S]

isn't that the car that save Shauns life?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by targa911S

isn't that the car that save Shauns life?

I think he was driving a W124, the next body style of MB wagon.

[greglepore]

Wow. If I didn't have a 124 wagon already, I'd be all over something like t hat. The TD's we see on the east coast are usually hammered. I didn't realize they were collectable now.

[pavulon]

Speeder,
Is that one for sale?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by pavulon

Speeder,
Is that one for sale?

No. She loves it and it her DD.

[Tobra]

My cousin had one of those that was a diesel. Picked it up when he was working in Quatar, or some sandy country. Great car, same color as the one pictured

[speeder]

Originally Posted by greglepore

Wow. If I didn't have a 124 wagon already, I'd be all over something like t hat. The TD's we see on the east coast are usually hammered. I didn't realize they were collectable now.

Most of the ones around are heavily used at this point and any rust seems to make them $8.00 cars. They were never exotic or special in any way when new, sort of the equivalent of a pricy SUV or other suburban truckster today.

The diesel versions sold in the U.S. have had a rabid following for years and 5-7 years ago they were going for maybe $7500 in clean, rust-free condition w/ low miles. (Say under 100k). The pricing today is not linear at all, IOW, a perfect dry car goes for a fortune and one that is 80% as nice does not go for 80% as much. It goes for 40% as much. Completely unlike early 911s, where pricing is somewhat linear. There is always a bump or premium for really exceptional cars, but not extreme like these old Benzes. People in Germany will bid on them on eBay if they are top cars but not bid at all for anything with a spec of rust or needing restoration.

Here is an auction from a week ago for a restored, euro 300TD. Strange car, manual trans and no A/C + roll up windows, totally euro...all U.S. cars were delivered with A/C, power windows, sunroofs, etc. :

Mercedes-Benz : 300-Series Station Wagon in Mercedes-Benz | eBay Motors

[speeder]

I don't know what my friend paid for the one in the OP but it is worth much, MUCH more than the eBay car above. Close to double.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by LeeH

This one's for sale here in Phoenix for $3500. '85, Gas, Euro import:

1985 Mercedes 230TE W123 Wagon **Euro-Spec, Gray Market Import**

Denis - I know this is a gas model, but what do you think about the price and its Euro-ness?

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by LeeH

Denis - I know this is a gas model, but what do you think about the price and its Euro-ness?

I know you asked Denis, and I'm sure he'll answer, but......

313K miles

Complete repaint

Front core support has been out of the car

Slow-as-molasses 2.3L 4 cylinder gas with automatic





However, it's certainly priced right!!!



And despite their advertised claim, it is NOT federalized in it's current configuration. It may have been at one time, and got the EPA/DOT releases, but the bumpers, headlights, and taillights are euro-spec. More desireable, but not technically legal.


I'd want to know why it was painted

[speeder]

I agree with Kaisen for the most part, it probably has rust that has been spackled and painted over. That's my guess. They rusted like crazy in most parts of Europe, which has a similar climate to the rusty parts of North America.

It's a cool looking car with those bumpers. It's not collectible in the least, nobody wants a gas engine w123. It's a strange reversal of the usual marketing where the gas engine was only available in ROW and diesel only in the USA.

[LeeH]

If I get up toward Scottsdale I may take a look at it just out of curiosity. The 313K figure is kilometers.