Any experience of Mercedes W123/W124 models?

[wildoliver]

I'm pretty certain there are a lot of people on here with experience of these cars.

I'm backwards and forwards between here and abroad and while having some very nice cars do like a cheap and cheerful runaround to pile the miles on, sadly at the moment this mileage is being put on a classic Audi which while a pleasure to drive is taking it's toll and costing a fortune in fuel (20v 2.3 engine not economical!). This is due to my last cheap runaround digesting a valve while driving (Audi 80 TDI).

I'm currently torn between either a large diesel estate/saloon or a small petrol runaround, obviously the big car is more practical and better on long distance and the small car nippier and possibly cheaper tax etc.

If I'm being honest I just can't see the small car working so it's a toss up between 2 cars, Audi 100/A6 2.5 TDI or Mercedes Diesel.

I love the W123 models (even though my other half hates them) but can't help but feel they are getting on a bit for the purpose I have in mind, so ideally a W124.

So any experiences of the 3.0 diesel W124 in estate form? I'd prefer an estate as saloons are a pain for my life, I regularly carry loads of odd shaped lumps around and trying to slide them in to a long thin boot is just hassle I don't need, although I suppose an estate will cost more.

My budget is ideally no more than a grand and I don't mind sorting little issues, but as a car are they as reliable as myth and legend suggests? Also timing chains are fitted to these I believe?

[Morningside]

Timing chains are fitted but from a chap I know who onned a few they can make a swishing noise and are a NIGHTMARE if need replacing.

[wildoliver]

Were it a diesel Bedford I'd probably be very interested (as I really do like the 123) but I can't justify another thirsty petrol on the fleet!

[wildoliver]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Hmm thats maybe decided it then, 124 it needs to be, I understand that while not quick the 3.0 TD engine is brisk at least.

[bp1]

Not sure they put a turbo diesel in the 124. Maybe some of the very last ones. I have the 2.5D in the 190 and its slow. Quite happily get upto motorway speeds but takes a while. You start hating people that pull out on you and make you slow down

Generally the 300TD ones you see are the Touring Diesels, not turbo diesels.

[GC8]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Me too, a 240. Itd only do 60mph; but itd do it all day

[wildoliver]

The highly informative and almost always wrong wikipedia suggests a 3.0 TD was fitted, going off their performance figures it doesn't look too slow either, I'm not after a rocket ship just something comfy, super reliable and not painfully slow with a practical boot and ideally room for 4 people to travel 1k plus miles.

[excel monkey]

What about the A6 TDI? I don't have any experience of them myself, but the TDI engine is well proven, and the overall shape has aged well.

Presumably a bit cheaper than the equivalent aged W124 Merc, as well

[RB26DETT]

Watch out for rust, rust and rust.

[GC8]

wildoliver said:

The highly informative and almost always wrong wikipedia suggests a 3.0 TD was fitted, going off their performance figures it doesn't look too slow either, I'm not after a rocket ship just something comfy, super reliable and not painfully slow with a practical boot and ideally room for 4 people to travel 1k plus miles.

240Ds are the most common and pretty awful by todays standards. The rarer five cylinder 300D is far nicer. A 300TD will be a 300D estate (T), which does still confuse some people.

[rfn]

I've got a '89 W124 250D auto estate. It's got 90bhp I think and takes some 18 seconds to get to 60. However, it seems pretty bulletproof. Fully working electric everything (except the sunroof), and it is so comfy to drive, in those massive armchairs.

I'm heading down to the Gatwick in a few weeks to see some friends, and I'm tempted to take the Merc instead of the '5, just because of how comfy it is. It will quite happily cruise at 80/85 on the motorway (and it quite responsive at those speeds, though it does take some time to get there!)

[chrisr29]

Had a W123 230e manual for a few years. Mechanically tough as old boots....would return high 20s on a run. Timing chains easy (just done the one on my 190 2.5 16v with no probs). Biggest prob is rust.....rear arches, chassis members etc. Fab cars, just bear in mind the rot!