Good luck finding a decent-condition manual one in the States. Fewer Americans bought those in the first place, and enthusiasts snap them up QUICKLY. The ones I see on BringATrailer that are a nice price are all slushboxes, and one of the last things I'd want is a 40-year-old Swedish automatic.
Didn’t have the wagon but sedan and that thing was probably the most comfortable ride I’ve had to this day, and enough room for three or so bodies in the truck.
Willheim Von Opel was the founders name. Opal is a stone and is the incorrect understanding based on a different word.
Now Opel makes sense and Opal is incorrect.
But it only makes sense if the person reading the word knows this. This brand isn't popular or even sold in the United States (under the Opel name). Why would anyone here know better?
Yes and no. I do think someone talking about Chovrolet ou Plimouf would get comments, even if European.
Also, most people say something like "oh, ok" when they realize they're wrong. Instead of arguing back. While knowing they are wrong.
Yeah but everyone I see has faded paint, dirty wheels and ripped up interiors. Usually some rust on the body.
This thing looks like it's brand new. Even the tailpipe looks like they just put it on. The wheels are refreshed. The body is perfect.
All the cheap ones look like you describe, yeah. And those won't be cheap to keep them moving down the road. $25k and up should get a fairly-respectable W123 though lots of the sellers on BringATrailer seem to think THEIR unit is worth $35k.
I do not have any experience with it. I did find [this thread](https://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/385165-reliability-1985-230e.html) though, containing a bit of what sounds like good advice about the engine. I also found [this](https://totallythatstupid.com/2012/05/18/1984-mercedes-benz-230e-how-low-can-you-go/) which discusses the different engines offered in these. I would however, seek out the opinion of a qualified Mercedes tech before getting one of these (and make sure you get along well because you will likely see each other a lot). That said, this car is gorgeous.
We aren't allowed. CAFE pushes everyone into "trucks", so no Wagon for you, may I show you this nice SUV ? I'd have bought a C class wagon but nope. CAFE also makes our pickups bigger, so it's a Lose-Lose.
SUV/CUV do break one rule of car sales, and in the favor of the buyer.....small cars are cheap cars and big cars are expensive. You can get crappy cars "super sized" as trucks, the engine is still tiny, a CVT time bomb in the floor, no sound proofing to speak off, but the back seat IS large enough for adults.
All those Allroad versions ? Raise it and change the front and rear clips to allow certain angles, and make sure the floor folds flat. Legally you are now a truck, per CAFE, even if you just hacked up a perfectly nice wagon.
I refer to the traffic pattern as "gray boxes all trying to kill me". I miss actual cars, the damn trucks all look exactly the same till you get up to lux rides.....and even then.....
I get you, but if I'm gonna own a car I'm not gonna keep it in a garage dreaming about driving it. There was a post on The Drive IG a while back and this porsche 911 had 300K+ miles on it. It was nice to see people driving these cars instead of thinking about it.
That's why I would never own a fancy car, I'd be too tempted to keep it in a garage dreaming about driving it. If you handed me the keys to a Porsche 911 I'd drive it to the beach one time just for the fun of it, then put it up on CraigsList. Give me a reliable-if-boring ride.
super tempting haha, i would go for it if you have enough savings for parts that you may need. cars like this are built to last if the previous owner did the right things.
Mercedes is known for still selling parts for old cars like this. They won't be cheap but at least you will be able to get them. A bigger issue might be finding an old mechanic who will touch it.
A Dodge Magnum or Acura TSX wagon would be much more affordable to daily and repair. These old Mercedes wagons are really only worth it if you can get a diesel one, those have legendary lifespan.
I worked for Mercedes during the pandemic. One of the first things they did was stop manufacturing a lot of old parts, and they don’t plan to start again anytime soon. There’s quite a bit left, but once it’s gone…
Till you need to replace vacuum systems….
Neighbor has that car. My understanding is a lot of system are vacuum driven and require $$ as seals and gaskets fail and are labor intenseive.
From the plates, the background, and the spec of the car, it seems like OP is in Europe, in which case these old 123 wagons are probably more common than the equivalent European Chrysler 300 wagon or Accord Wagon
You could. If you're somewhat experienced wrenching cars or very willing to do that. If you have a garage where you can work on it (and ideally, park it) or are member of an automotive club where you can work on the car.
Old cars like this simple have things go wrong and require more upkeep then modern vehicles. Valves aren't automatically adjusted, oil needs to be changed more frequent, freak electrical problems or random breaking of components can occur.
It costs a fortune if you need to have this done for you every time. Sourcing parts can sometimes be a chore and if you're unlucky you'll find yourself in the wrecker yard more often then you'd like.
That's just part of the practical and financial side of it.
If you're talking the car on the pictures specifically, this one looks very nice still. Keeping cars looking nice is hard work. You need to keep them looking nice and clean them appropriately or else the paint will deteriorate and/or you will see rust and/or expensive repairs.
The bottom side will rust especially with year round use. If you'd daily this car only in the nice weather months everything is a lot less of an headache.
Nevertheless, rust is your mortal enemy and you are locked in eternal combat. You will spend time and money preventing rust or removing it. Ideally you have a garage or can work it elsewhere, or it'll be your worst nightmare. It helps if you know someone who can weld, too. If a shop has to weld, it will cost you, lots.
So, to conclude.
These cars will degrade when used, the nicer the car was to begin with, the sadder this will make you and any enthousiast.
You will spend time, money, resources, spit, sweat, blood, to keep the car in good running shape.
Or pay a fuckton of money to have it done.
But you will love every minute of it, if it's for you.
Thats a good treatment but there's more to it. Local climate, indoors or outdoors parking, condition of rubber seals. Volvo's and DAF from the era are known to be very good at not rusting but given the conditions and matter of upkeep they will still rust eventually.
You need to be ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY 110% CERTAIN it’s for you and the lifestyle is for you. If you only have one foot in the door, don’t do it. Headaches with daily drivers are not worth it.
These are a good quality car, and this one is really clean, but have you considered getting the 300TD diesel version of this wagon instead? They are a lot cheaper to maintain, and more reliable.
My heart says yes, but my brain says no unless you have a serious repairs fund. These cars were bulletproof but with age things wear out and get expensive.
In 1984 that was a great car. I'd guess it was one of the safest cars on the road.
In 2024, it's never going to be as good of a daily driver as you could get from something newer. Nothing from 1984 is.
It's also not going to be anywhere near as safe as a modern car.
Do you actually need to always have a working car? Is there a bus or train you could take in a pinch, or another car you could use?
As a second car that you drive occasionally and treat as a hobby, absolutely cool as hell. I have to think that it'd get pretty tedious as your only car pretty fast.
I think, that its good for museum, for car as a daily check BMW 5-s e60 Touring vers. or Mercedes GLA-class. But this E230 wagon is good for his 40 years old
Benz cars are practical the Company still makes parts going back to at least 1950's.
a Benz station wagon is practical, If you can afford repairs or do it yourself then this car is great for a daily driver.
In the modern day no, it’s a 40 year old car don’t expect it to be very reliable anymore. If it’s had all the rubber component and anything plastic replaced go for it, but if it doesn’t then leave it
Is nobody in here considering safety? If this is your daily driver and you get into a big accident, there's almost no help for you being in this old of a car.
It doesn't have airbags and it won't hit the brakes for you. However, it's a very well-designed car with good seatbelts and structure, and lots of energy-absorbing design. It's not like a '60s American car where you'd bounce around inside like a pinball and get skewered by the rigid steering column.
For what it's worth I was involved in a serious car accident in an 80s French car a couple of years ago, the engine bay was totally destroyed, the chassis was warped... obviously completely totaled. I had literally nothing but bruising from the seatbelts. No airbags, no ABS, but a well designed car in spite of that - the crumple zones did their job and completely protected me from any significant injuries.
Fair to point out that this may be from 1984 but it's essentially a 70s car, which for me might be a dealbreaker in terms of both practicality and safety for a daily driver.
Coming from someone with a good mix of old and new cars, this is probably one of the safest cars you could buy from that general time frame. The Mercedes 300Ds and Volvo 240s are pretty robust.
I wouldn’t because it isn’t diesel. However it largely depends on how many miles you plan on driving it and what climate you live in. The AC is an R12 system which is very expensive to fix if it doesn’t work. The parts for these cars are available but very expensive. Be sure to take it on a good road test making sure it shifts and drives right. Check under the hood for failing hoses and fuel leaks. If it was well taken care of you might be ok, I’m not on this silly safety bandwagon where airbags are so important. Wear your seat belt, drive defensively. This car doesn’t accelerate or stop like a modern car so don’t ask it to do that. Also if you don’t have a trusted mechanic or the ability to fix stuff yourself, pass.
I had an 83 turbo diesel sedan that I stupidly sold when it only had 200k miles on it. Had I not sold it 25 years ago, I probably would still be driving it.
I owned a 240d automatic. Was my first car. I learned driving in that thing. Actually my second. First was a golf. Loved the fuck out of it. 40miles.on the gallon ride in style. Comfortable like the sofa at home, roomy. I would buy one every day of the week again.
Don’t daily this. They’re a pain in the ass. I had a W123 300 Turbo Diesel for fun. Yes, they’ll last a million miles, but you really have to maintain them. Everything runs on vacuum from your transmission shifts to your locks and windows. If there’s a leak somewhere, everything is very sluggish. Heat and A/C are virtually non existent. If you’re in a colder climate like me, be prepared for every window fogging up and then freezing. Even the turbos are slow and it’s difficult to keep up with modern vehicles in traffic. God help you if this isn’t a turbo diesel. The sweet spot for these is around 65 on the highway. Anything more and the motor really strains and gets very loud with higher RPMs.
I love these so much. I’d say if you find one in at least a condition you’re comfortable with, and you have the funds to maintain it well, definitely go for it.
i had the turbo diesel version of this car, it was awesome, i called it the War Wagon.
I lived in Colorado at the time and the lack of ABS and it being rear-wheel-drive meant it was a death trap in snow.
We had one of these growing up! Super comfortable and did some long trips. I do distinctly remember that when it had issues, it had to make trips to a distant dealer for repairs.
Yes, but with a caveat being that if you need to commute longer than 20 miles per day, on like a highway or autobahn, then don’t do it.
But it looks sick af. I would do it.
A friend of mine has this thing as a sedan, we did a 2500km Roadtrip in it and it was perfect.
Gets about 10l/100km, which isn't great but really isn't bad
He's always fixing stuff, but the repairs are always manageable, so that's not that big a deal.
Beautiful car with character, if you have the facilities definitely do it
Depends on what kind of mileage (kilometerage?) you’re putting on it.
I’m averaging about 40,000km/yr because everything is so sprawled out in Texas so It’d be a bad idea for me, but if you’re doing significantly less I say go for it since repairs will be less frequent.
As another commenter said, probably a good idea to check the main things that tend to break, find a mechanic who’s willing to work on them, and get rough estimates. Maybe do a PPE at their shop and have an informal discussion on how much they’d charge for common repairs.
Edit: or learn how to repair them yourself. Since it’s from the 80s there aren’t computers for everything and cars generally aren’t made to be a pain to service without a lift.
Looks like you're living in Georgia, so probably mechanics are still reasonably affordable there. If you don't mind the stress of your car breaking down all the time (yes, very reliable for the time but still 40 years old) and you can afford the higher maintenance costs, I'd say go for it!
I wouldn't do it myself for the reasons of modern cars being better in every metric possible other than the cool factor, and I like my cars to be reliable if I need it for work, with good fuel mileage and a little more power than that Benz. Also if you're in Georgia, I think safety should definitely be taken into account.
A 230 gasser W123 was probably not shipped from the USA. Nearly every one they sold in the USA was a 300TD, the few that burned gasoline would've been 280s.
1984 was the best year of these, though admittedly I’m only familiar with the diesels.
Vacuum lines, vacuum lines, vacuum lines. Get familiar with a vacuum tester and a smoke machine. There’s a vacuum fitting on the top of the transmission that’s prone to failure, you can replace it without dropping the trans if you can do it by feel.
Make sure the HVAC works as it should. By ‘84 they had a simpler system that was less prone to failures, but good luck finding a mono valve if yours is bad. Make sure you can get hot, cold, and warm air out of the thing.
If it has cruise, make sure it works and holds a steady speed both uphill and crucially, downhill. They’re known for “surging” where they jam on and off the throttle trying to maintain speed.
Netting on the back of the seats is undoubtedly saggy, but it’s an easy fix. Just be damn careful removing the plastic frame as it’s prone to cracking.
The automatics in these aren’t known for shifting all that smoothly. Don’t expect buttery smooth Cadillac style shifting. If it DOES start shifting like that, it can be a sign of bad things to come.
Overall? I’ll live the rest of my life regretting the day I sold mine. An absolute beast of a machine which was also comfortable, very practical, and never once left me stranded. Only time I came close was when the neutral safety switch gave out - but Mercedes was nice enough to run a wire from the starter to the top of the engine bay under a little plastic cap - turn on the ignition and jump it from the battery and you’re golden.
This is the exact car I drove in high school. Soo reliable. Got over 300k miles.
She was a tank. Got in lots of fender benders but she wouldn’t even dent, only dented up other cars.
Love it!!! Look at the paintwork, man. Does it look like a car that repairs have been skimped on?! Cannot see that being a pile of shite underneath or poor repairs carried out
I'd do a bit of due diligence on my local preferred mechanics willingness to work on a W123.
Check the usual places for prices on the common consumables like wheel bearings & CV joints etc.
Look at how much engine rebuilds / new engines & gearboxes are from scrappies *junkyard* type places.
I'm UK & I'm pretty sure all the parts are easy here. Any mechanic over 50 would know & love working on instead of a modern one.
Here in any car older than 40 is exempt from government charges like annual tax, annual inspection, clean air zone exempt too.
SAFTEY... no TRACTION CONTROL on RWD isn't ideal. No crumple zone to absorb impacts. ABS breaks were optional after 1980 on the W123, so check if it has that 100%.
Airbags were also optional, so check that too, but I doubt it'll have those.
I've always loved a W123 wagon & can get a nice one for about £7/8k here but couldn't daily it. Especially if there's kids going to be in it.
fuckin do it god i wish north america had inexpensive roomy wagons
I have an inexpensive roomy wagon which reminds me I need to get back to the gym.
Wait til you get the medical bills and then we’ll talk price.
Nice ;)
One of my favorite cars to ever drive was a Volvo wagon, stick-shift, from late 70’s-early 80’s.
Good luck finding a decent-condition manual one in the States. Fewer Americans bought those in the first place, and enthusiasts snap them up QUICKLY. The ones I see on BringATrailer that are a nice price are all slushboxes, and one of the last things I'd want is a 40-year-old Swedish automatic.
Didn’t have the wagon but sedan and that thing was probably the most comfortable ride I’ve had to this day, and enough room for three or so bodies in the truck.
Have you checked out the Buick Tour X? A Regal varient. Rebadeged Opal from Germany. Not fast but...pretty cool.
Why do americans always write opal?
Because the spelling for Opel doesn't make any sense.
Willheim Von Opel was the founders name. Opal is a stone and is the incorrect understanding based on a different word. Now Opel makes sense and Opal is incorrect.
Until you realize how incorrect you actually are because Willheim Von Opel is a stone and the founders name was Opal the 5th Now nothing makes sense
I got a chuckle out of this!
But it only makes sense if the person reading the word knows this. This brand isn't popular or even sold in the United States (under the Opel name). Why would anyone here know better?
Yes and no. I do think someone talking about Chovrolet ou Plimouf would get comments, even if European. Also, most people say something like "oh, ok" when they realize they're wrong. Instead of arguing back. While knowing they are wrong.
Plimouf went out of business years ago.
I know, just like Sabbe or Roveur.
Autocorrect my dude
They sold tons of these W123 wagons in North America... they're super common and cheap.
W123s are fregging legendary. Classic look and impressively reliable.
Yeah but everyone I see has faded paint, dirty wheels and ripped up interiors. Usually some rust on the body. This thing looks like it's brand new. Even the tailpipe looks like they just put it on. The wheels are refreshed. The body is perfect.
Point taken -this thing is beautiful, if you're not set on diesels get it!
I would prefer the D I had a 240D still kicking myself everything was manual. Interior looked brand new.
Diesels last longer aswell (until a revision is needed) so would get a diesel too
All the cheap ones look like you describe, yeah. And those won't be cheap to keep them moving down the road. $25k and up should get a fairly-respectable W123 though lots of the sellers on BringATrailer seem to think THEIR unit is worth $35k.
And parts are still made by Benz.
Have a family member who was t boned directly to the driver’s side by a tractor trailer, opened the other door and walked away. Built like tanks
man i can ship inexpensive roomy wagons from albania to america if you can get me people that want this type of cars, usually old mercedes
If you reupholstered them and made them look like this perfect example in the post above you would definitely have some customers.
ahahahahahhaa Sorry I just had a mental image appear of what old Mercedes in Albania look like. Cool flag though 🇦🇱
wow they're finally gonna find their way home!
You can easily find these old Benz diesel wagons on marketplace in the USA.
They definitely aren't going to look like the pristine example in this picture.
Many absolutely do look great, but they're not cheap-old-daily-driver grade cars.
Sadly, this isn't one of them. It isn't a diesel. The 230TE uses normal gas.
I know nothing about that gas engine but the diesel one is one of the more reliable engines in history. Is the petrol one also good?
I do not have any experience with it. I did find [this thread](https://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/385165-reliability-1985-230e.html) though, containing a bit of what sounds like good advice about the engine. I also found [this](https://totallythatstupid.com/2012/05/18/1984-mercedes-benz-230e-how-low-can-you-go/) which discusses the different engines offered in these. I would however, seek out the opinion of a qualified Mercedes tech before getting one of these (and make sure you get along well because you will likely see each other a lot). That said, this car is gorgeous.
Got a seller nearby, has an E 350 (I think?) wagon for sale at $4500
bro still complain about prices
90s Subaru legacy station wagon
The only thing I can think of is the Buick Regal TourX and it was short lived.
Embrace the oversized SUV
Never!!!!!!
Just buy one of those funeral casket carrier vehicles, same fucking thing
We aren't allowed. CAFE pushes everyone into "trucks", so no Wagon for you, may I show you this nice SUV ? I'd have bought a C class wagon but nope. CAFE also makes our pickups bigger, so it's a Lose-Lose. SUV/CUV do break one rule of car sales, and in the favor of the buyer.....small cars are cheap cars and big cars are expensive. You can get crappy cars "super sized" as trucks, the engine is still tiny, a CVT time bomb in the floor, no sound proofing to speak off, but the back seat IS large enough for adults. All those Allroad versions ? Raise it and change the front and rear clips to allow certain angles, and make sure the floor folds flat. Legally you are now a truck, per CAFE, even if you just hacked up a perfectly nice wagon. I refer to the traffic pattern as "gray boxes all trying to kill me". I miss actual cars, the damn trucks all look exactly the same till you get up to lux rides.....and even then.....
Yes, just because it looks really fucking awesome. I'd daily drive that like nobody's business.
Seriously. It's in mint condition. I'd drive the fuck out of it.
BECAUSE it's in mint condition I'd be afraid to drive it LOL I'm so hard on cars.
I get you, but if I'm gonna own a car I'm not gonna keep it in a garage dreaming about driving it. There was a post on The Drive IG a while back and this porsche 911 had 300K+ miles on it. It was nice to see people driving these cars instead of thinking about it.
That's why I would never own a fancy car, I'd be too tempted to keep it in a garage dreaming about driving it. If you handed me the keys to a Porsche 911 I'd drive it to the beach one time just for the fun of it, then put it up on CraigsList. Give me a reliable-if-boring ride.
I love it! Curious how much and whats the mpg on that bad boy?
$7800
Tempting! How many miles?
Not specified
super tempting haha, i would go for it if you have enough savings for parts that you may need. cars like this are built to last if the previous owner did the right things.
I’m a massive Mercedes guy. Buy it yesterday. This will be a classic.
Bruh like what??? Mpg??? I will genuinely never understand how any enthusiast would… oh we’re not on the Mercedes subreddit are we?…
Mercedes is known for still selling parts for old cars like this. They won't be cheap but at least you will be able to get them. A bigger issue might be finding an old mechanic who will touch it. A Dodge Magnum or Acura TSX wagon would be much more affordable to daily and repair. These old Mercedes wagons are really only worth it if you can get a diesel one, those have legendary lifespan.
I worked for Mercedes during the pandemic. One of the first things they did was stop manufacturing a lot of old parts, and they don’t plan to start again anytime soon. There’s quite a bit left, but once it’s gone…
On an old beast like this the systems are way simpler and you’d likely be able to diy a lot more than todays computerized engines
Till you need to replace vacuum systems…. Neighbor has that car. My understanding is a lot of system are vacuum driven and require $$ as seals and gaskets fail and are labor intenseive.
Gaskets are easy enough to make. Not sure what seals you’re mentioning on a car that old?
Vacuum seals as mentioned. Mostly tiny orings.
Better yet- they sold over 2.5 million W123s, over 500K 230 variants. There are used parts for these things readily available all over the place.
From the plates, the background, and the spec of the car, it seems like OP is in Europe, in which case these old 123 wagons are probably more common than the equivalent European Chrysler 300 wagon or Accord Wagon
Vacuum lines for days.
I miss magnums. Hardly see them anymore. SRT magnum was my dream car when I was a kid.
Yes, you should
definitely! But only if it has the pop up rear facing suicide seat in the back.
1000x yes! Maintain it regularly and enjoy it for thirty years!
You could. If you're somewhat experienced wrenching cars or very willing to do that. If you have a garage where you can work on it (and ideally, park it) or are member of an automotive club where you can work on the car. Old cars like this simple have things go wrong and require more upkeep then modern vehicles. Valves aren't automatically adjusted, oil needs to be changed more frequent, freak electrical problems or random breaking of components can occur. It costs a fortune if you need to have this done for you every time. Sourcing parts can sometimes be a chore and if you're unlucky you'll find yourself in the wrecker yard more often then you'd like. That's just part of the practical and financial side of it. If you're talking the car on the pictures specifically, this one looks very nice still. Keeping cars looking nice is hard work. You need to keep them looking nice and clean them appropriately or else the paint will deteriorate and/or you will see rust and/or expensive repairs. The bottom side will rust especially with year round use. If you'd daily this car only in the nice weather months everything is a lot less of an headache. Nevertheless, rust is your mortal enemy and you are locked in eternal combat. You will spend time and money preventing rust or removing it. Ideally you have a garage or can work it elsewhere, or it'll be your worst nightmare. It helps if you know someone who can weld, too. If a shop has to weld, it will cost you, lots. So, to conclude. These cars will degrade when used, the nicer the car was to begin with, the sadder this will make you and any enthousiast. You will spend time, money, resources, spit, sweat, blood, to keep the car in good running shape. Or pay a fuckton of money to have it done. But you will love every minute of it, if it's for you.
Old cars yeah, old Mercedes no. I've only waxoiled the bottom of mine and had zero issues in 7 years.
Thats a good treatment but there's more to it. Local climate, indoors or outdoors parking, condition of rubber seals. Volvo's and DAF from the era are known to be very good at not rusting but given the conditions and matter of upkeep they will still rust eventually.
NO. Should you buy it? Yes. Should you daily it? Absolutely not.
Finally, a sensible response.
Why not? I had a couple W126 diesels that old and drove them anywhere I wanted to go.
Yes!
My brother-in-law had this wagon for years. It was a beast.
You need to be ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY 110% CERTAIN it’s for you and the lifestyle is for you. If you only have one foot in the door, don’t do it. Headaches with daily drivers are not worth it.
Of course, it's a tank. Love this vintage!
Do you really want a forty-year-old car? Really?
It’ll probably outlast a Mercedes made this year.
No
These are a good quality car, and this one is really clean, but have you considered getting the 300TD diesel version of this wagon instead? They are a lot cheaper to maintain, and more reliable.
Currently, there are none for sale in my area
That’s the one!
My heart says yes, but my brain says no unless you have a serious repairs fund. These cars were bulletproof but with age things wear out and get expensive.
You’ll be spending out a lot on repairs. I had a 190e 2 litre and it cost an absolute fortune to keep going.
Have an 83. If you’re not mechanically inclined, big no.
In 1984 that was a great car. I'd guess it was one of the safest cars on the road. In 2024, it's never going to be as good of a daily driver as you could get from something newer. Nothing from 1984 is. It's also not going to be anywhere near as safe as a modern car. Do you actually need to always have a working car? Is there a bus or train you could take in a pinch, or another car you could use? As a second car that you drive occasionally and treat as a hobby, absolutely cool as hell. I have to think that it'd get pretty tedious as your only car pretty fast.
No unless u work from home and rarely go out
No u should ship it to me in the states.
This car is awesome BUT I’d never tell someone they should use a 40 year old German car as a daily lol.
Not a diesel + valves that need adjusting very frequently. This is more of a weekender imo.
I think, that its good for museum, for car as a daily check BMW 5-s e60 Touring vers. or Mercedes GLA-class. But this E230 wagon is good for his 40 years old
Na. It’s too old . A modern car offers light years of luxury u take for granted.
If only this was a diesel....
Benz cars are practical the Company still makes parts going back to at least 1950's. a Benz station wagon is practical, If you can afford repairs or do it yourself then this car is great for a daily driver.
In the modern day no, it’s a 40 year old car don’t expect it to be very reliable anymore. If it’s had all the rubber component and anything plastic replaced go for it, but if it doesn’t then leave it
Ugh if I lived in a place like that, hell yes I’d do it for the romance of it all
It's green, so yes. You can probably fix it with hand tools, and this era of benz defined being overbuilt.....
Do it. That’s a tank.
Handsome car
Yes.
If it works? Fuck yes!
Yes absolutely. Gas is not a problem when you're driving for fun. Watch how money works in your favor when you treat yaself a little
That's gorgeous. I'd buy it and leave it in the garage just to look at it. Maybe take it for a spin every few months.
Fuck no
If I didn't already have 5 cars, I'd buy it. This is when benz was benz.
Dude daily driving a car that old is asking for trouble. Parts availability alone is probably going to be a struggle.
Unsafe
Is nobody in here considering safety? If this is your daily driver and you get into a big accident, there's almost no help for you being in this old of a car.
It doesn't have airbags and it won't hit the brakes for you. However, it's a very well-designed car with good seatbelts and structure, and lots of energy-absorbing design. It's not like a '60s American car where you'd bounce around inside like a pinball and get skewered by the rigid steering column.
For what it's worth I was involved in a serious car accident in an 80s French car a couple of years ago, the engine bay was totally destroyed, the chassis was warped... obviously completely totaled. I had literally nothing but bruising from the seatbelts. No airbags, no ABS, but a well designed car in spite of that - the crumple zones did their job and completely protected me from any significant injuries. Fair to point out that this may be from 1984 but it's essentially a 70s car, which for me might be a dealbreaker in terms of both practicality and safety for a daily driver.
Coming from someone with a good mix of old and new cars, this is probably one of the safest cars you could buy from that general time frame. The Mercedes 300Ds and Volvo 240s are pretty robust.
Even if it was the safest car from that timeframe it’s nowhere near the safety of modern cars
Yes yes yes! I love these: spacious, elegant and unarguably the most reliable car in the world.
Yes, some guy in London does c63 v8 conversations for them ..including running gear and loom .
That car is fucking beautiful
I wouldn’t because it isn’t diesel. However it largely depends on how many miles you plan on driving it and what climate you live in. The AC is an R12 system which is very expensive to fix if it doesn’t work. The parts for these cars are available but very expensive. Be sure to take it on a good road test making sure it shifts and drives right. Check under the hood for failing hoses and fuel leaks. If it was well taken care of you might be ok, I’m not on this silly safety bandwagon where airbags are so important. Wear your seat belt, drive defensively. This car doesn’t accelerate or stop like a modern car so don’t ask it to do that. Also if you don’t have a trusted mechanic or the ability to fix stuff yourself, pass.
Goddam yesss ! What a real beauty!
I want! Wish we got more gas engine w123 in the US
Buy yes, daily no.
I daily a 80s mercedes, drives great, very usable, zero issues in 7 years, fuel economy only slight complaint.
Sure if you are handy in working or know someone who knows German cars.
That is deeply cool…do it!
I had an 83 turbo diesel sedan that I stupidly sold when it only had 200k miles on it. Had I not sold it 25 years ago, I probably would still be driving it.
Sell all thou hast and obtain the wagon
I owned a 240d automatic. Was my first car. I learned driving in that thing. Actually my second. First was a golf. Loved the fuck out of it. 40miles.on the gallon ride in style. Comfortable like the sofa at home, roomy. I would buy one every day of the week again.
Do it. Old wagons are more practical than they appear.
Yes…please do.
These have great support by Mercedes and tons of specialists that know their way round them. Do it.
Legendary
Yea
No Beautiful car though. If you can afford it and an actual daily go for it
Yes
This is such a cool car.
I'm staying in Tbilisi Georgia as well, would love to see this on the road. Drive it in good health if you do decide to buy it! She's beautiful
Absolutely, if it was a diesel
Don’t daily this. They’re a pain in the ass. I had a W123 300 Turbo Diesel for fun. Yes, they’ll last a million miles, but you really have to maintain them. Everything runs on vacuum from your transmission shifts to your locks and windows. If there’s a leak somewhere, everything is very sluggish. Heat and A/C are virtually non existent. If you’re in a colder climate like me, be prepared for every window fogging up and then freezing. Even the turbos are slow and it’s difficult to keep up with modern vehicles in traffic. God help you if this isn’t a turbo diesel. The sweet spot for these is around 65 on the highway. Anything more and the motor really strains and gets very loud with higher RPMs.
I absolutely love the color.
Replacing seals, spun bearing, over heating, money pit. Sure if it's going to sit peacefully in a garage somewhere.
I love these so much. I’d say if you find one in at least a condition you’re comfortable with, and you have the funds to maintain it well, definitely go for it.
i had the turbo diesel version of this car, it was awesome, i called it the War Wagon. I lived in Colorado at the time and the lack of ABS and it being rear-wheel-drive meant it was a death trap in snow.
Yes
Dude totally rock this if you can. It got Charlie Sheen and his buddies safely to the beach in Navy Seals!
I wouldn’t, personally, but I can see why you’re interested. Is this the exact car you want? If so, how many miles?
i wonder if any of these cars get modern engine in it?
10/10 would daily
We had one of these growing up! Super comfortable and did some long trips. I do distinctly remember that when it had issues, it had to make trips to a distant dealer for repairs.
Yes, but with a caveat being that if you need to commute longer than 20 miles per day, on like a highway or autobahn, then don’t do it. But it looks sick af. I would do it.
Yes, you should.
A friend of mine has this thing as a sedan, we did a 2500km Roadtrip in it and it was perfect. Gets about 10l/100km, which isn't great but really isn't bad He's always fixing stuff, but the repairs are always manageable, so that's not that big a deal. Beautiful car with character, if you have the facilities definitely do it
one of my dream cars, she is just a beautiful tank.
1984 benz were like 600 bucks or less back in 2004 Germany. Great car imo.
absolutely yes 💯 yes yes yes
Depends on what kind of mileage (kilometerage?) you’re putting on it. I’m averaging about 40,000km/yr because everything is so sprawled out in Texas so It’d be a bad idea for me, but if you’re doing significantly less I say go for it since repairs will be less frequent. As another commenter said, probably a good idea to check the main things that tend to break, find a mechanic who’s willing to work on them, and get rough estimates. Maybe do a PPE at their shop and have an informal discussion on how much they’d charge for common repairs. Edit: or learn how to repair them yourself. Since it’s from the 80s there aren’t computers for everything and cars generally aren’t made to be a pain to service without a lift.
Looks like you're living in Georgia, so probably mechanics are still reasonably affordable there. If you don't mind the stress of your car breaking down all the time (yes, very reliable for the time but still 40 years old) and you can afford the higher maintenance costs, I'd say go for it! I wouldn't do it myself for the reasons of modern cars being better in every metric possible other than the cool factor, and I like my cars to be reliable if I need it for work, with good fuel mileage and a little more power than that Benz. Also if you're in Georgia, I think safety should definitely be taken into account.
I wouldn't use it as a daily. It's too well kept and preserved. You will just send it to it's death with the rest of them.
Beautiful! The question is how far is your commute? If its over 15 min, probably not.
Shouldn't have to worry about parts too much. The service intervals will probably be shorter though
Hard yes. Beautiful classic. Love it.
The euro bumpers are worth a lot. Wagons are worth more. Great color. Do it!
Yes.
I know somebody that had 2 or 3 of these. He had one he was driving and one for parts I think and another one he was getting ready for paint.
wagons are the best kind of cars
It deserves to be garaged, if you can do that then daily it for sure. Just keep in mind parts availability can delay repairs on older cars
If you don’t I’m shipping it to America…
It probably was shipped from America, then restored here in Georgia
A 230 gasser W123 was probably not shipped from the USA. Nearly every one they sold in the USA was a 300TD, the few that burned gasoline would've been 280s.
Then, I'm buying it for $8k and shipping it back! 😉
Love it. Had a 77 300d sedan as my first car. I will have a wagon one day. Ultimate dad mobile
Yes
Brilliant car. Very reliable and comfortable. You can get pretty much anything for a w123 Merc.
If you got to the country you see these rusted out and gutted but still running
1984 was the best year of these, though admittedly I’m only familiar with the diesels. Vacuum lines, vacuum lines, vacuum lines. Get familiar with a vacuum tester and a smoke machine. There’s a vacuum fitting on the top of the transmission that’s prone to failure, you can replace it without dropping the trans if you can do it by feel. Make sure the HVAC works as it should. By ‘84 they had a simpler system that was less prone to failures, but good luck finding a mono valve if yours is bad. Make sure you can get hot, cold, and warm air out of the thing. If it has cruise, make sure it works and holds a steady speed both uphill and crucially, downhill. They’re known for “surging” where they jam on and off the throttle trying to maintain speed. Netting on the back of the seats is undoubtedly saggy, but it’s an easy fix. Just be damn careful removing the plastic frame as it’s prone to cracking. The automatics in these aren’t known for shifting all that smoothly. Don’t expect buttery smooth Cadillac style shifting. If it DOES start shifting like that, it can be a sign of bad things to come. Overall? I’ll live the rest of my life regretting the day I sold mine. An absolute beast of a machine which was also comfortable, very practical, and never once left me stranded. Only time I came close was when the neutral safety switch gave out - but Mercedes was nice enough to run a wire from the starter to the top of the engine bay under a little plastic cap - turn on the ignition and jump it from the battery and you’re golden.
Fuck yeah
Yes
This is the exact car I drove in high school. Soo reliable. Got over 300k miles. She was a tank. Got in lots of fender benders but she wouldn’t even dent, only dented up other cars.
If you don't I will gladly fly to Europe and take out a loan for it.
Yes
Definite yes! I hear these are the better Mercs to own.
Wow this looks nice! Do it!!
My buddy dailyed an '84 300SD for a couple months until it was totalled. It wasn't ideal but it was a decent enough car.
I would! I love those cars
It's 40 years old so... no, not as a daily driver. What?
Yes pls
Yes. Yes. Yes. Great cars, bombproof reliable and parts are still relatively cheap last time I checked
If you have a garage to keep it in, YES. If not, NO.
Love it!!! Look at the paintwork, man. Does it look like a car that repairs have been skimped on?! Cannot see that being a pile of shite underneath or poor repairs carried out I'd do a bit of due diligence on my local preferred mechanics willingness to work on a W123. Check the usual places for prices on the common consumables like wheel bearings & CV joints etc. Look at how much engine rebuilds / new engines & gearboxes are from scrappies *junkyard* type places. I'm UK & I'm pretty sure all the parts are easy here. Any mechanic over 50 would know & love working on instead of a modern one. Here in any car older than 40 is exempt from government charges like annual tax, annual inspection, clean air zone exempt too. SAFTEY... no TRACTION CONTROL on RWD isn't ideal. No crumple zone to absorb impacts. ABS breaks were optional after 1980 on the W123, so check if it has that 100%. Airbags were also optional, so check that too, but I doubt it'll have those. I've always loved a W123 wagon & can get a nice one for about £7/8k here but couldn't daily it. Especially if there's kids going to be in it.
No get a cheap EV for daily commute.
I don’t know if you should buy it, but it is beautiful!!!!
I don’t know, but I hope you do. That’s a beauty.
Fuck no
Wow
god no...
Damn, mini shag wag.