Mercedes-Benz W123 (1975 – 1985) At A Glance

Beautifully made, classy and practical, estate version useful too

Undervalued, which makes expensive repairs financially unviable

Ask Honest John

Why does my 1982 Mercedes-Benz E-Class struggle to start?

"My 1982 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W123) auto doesn't like to start when the engine reaches normal running temperature. It has a K-Jetronic ignition system."

This could be down to a number of problems - mainly related to fuel pressure. So check the warm up regulator and the fuel pressure accumulator first, before going after leaky injectors.

Answered by Keith Moody

Where can I sell this 1980 Mercedes-Benz 280TE?

"I have been asked to dispose of a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 280TE auto estate in white, which has been stored for many years un-run (it was bought new by my now disabled 80 year old employer). I have the keys and log book but have been told this model not very desirable? So was thinking of listing it on eBay for spares or repair. I would very much value your opinion of the best way to dispose of it. "

Sadly, from the photo you sent it looks riddled with rust. The specialist in these W123s is Mark Cosovich at www.w123world.co.uk

Answered by Honest John

Will my Mercedes-Benz 220D benefit from Shell V-Power diesel?

"I have been trying to decide whether my C-reg Mercedes-Benz 220D, extremely well looked after by a Mercedes specialist family in West Hampstead, would benefit from using Shell V-power diesel. Cost would rocket, but would it be worth it?"

I can tell you that after using Shell V-Power Nitro+ in my Mazda my fuel economy improved by 9 per cent for an extra outlay of 5.7 per cent, so it makes sense on running costs as well as long term costs.

Answered by Honest John

Which was the last turbodiesel Mercedes-Benz model without an ECU?

"Can anyone recall which year and power output was the last non-ECU turbodiesel Mercedes-Benz? I'm looking for a low-tech, powerful diesel, with five or six cylinders for a 'project'. The less wires the better - maybe mid 1980s? "

W123, so about 1985.

Answered by Honest John

More Questions

Driving Mercedes-Benz W123 (1975 – 1985)

Honest John is invited to drive a spectacularly low-mileage Mercedes-Benz W123. With little more than delivery mileage, this minty-fresh 230E is a wonder to behold.

But does it stand-up today as a modern classic you could use like a new car?

Classic road test: Mercedes-Benz 230E

When Mark Cosovich of W123 World invited me to drive an unused 1986 Mercedes 230E I could not resist. We’ve all heard of cars being imported, then sitting unregistered for years, but not for 26 years. All this car has on it is a delivery mileage of 1948km (1217 miles).

They certainly don’t build them like they used to. Germanic solidity abounds everywhere. Yet this is no lumbering heavyweight. At 1360kg, it’s no heavier than a modern car the same size.

It doesn’t have quite the power we’d expect from a modern 2.0 litre engine, though. Just 136PS and 201Nm torque, enough to pull it up to 60 in 12.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 109mph. The strange thing was how natural and how good if felt to drive. I didn’t have to move the seat or the mirrors or anything. Just got in and shifted it around for the various shots in the film. Then took it out for a short drive.

The steering requires a bit of re-acclimatisation, because the wheel is massive and requires quite a lot of turns. But instead of electrically applied resistance, you can actually feel it turning the wheels and can feel the road under its tyres. It actually corners very well.

It doesn’t actually feel ‘tight’ as you expect a new car to. But the fact that a 26 year old Mercedes can drive and handle as it did 26 years ago is testament to Mercedes Benz old slogan, 'Built Like No Other Car In The World'.

Back in the early 1990s I had to commute fairly regularly to Amsterdam; sometimes for a day, sometimes for a week and W123 230Es were the taxis that used to take me to the airport. The drivers reckoned to change the oil every 5000 miles, and change the timing chain every 70,000 miles. Treated that way, the cars would be good for 175,000–200,000 miles.

Of course, they weren’t always treated that way. A friend wrecked the engine of his beloved 280TE and faced a massive bill. And it’s the diesels that clock up the mega miles. These were true compression ignition diesels. No electronics. The only electrics were the glow plugs used to get them started (and after that the only way to stop them was a kill switch).

They may not have been very quick. And in fact the four-cylinder non-turbo 200Ds were actually painfully slow. But they would go on for ever, and are still doing so in parts of Africa. Many showing several million kilometres.

Mark Cosovich has compiled the definitive book of the Mercedes Benz W123 to be published soon. More details of the book and of W123 World maintenance and restoration services at www.w123world.co.uk

• Thanks to Mercedes Benz World for the use of its facilities.

Video road test

Mercedes-Benz W123 (1975 – 1985) Buying Guide

Good

• The last beautifully-built working-class Mercedes. Solid as a rock. I've seen them with 350,000 miles still looking almost like new. The seats don't sag.
• 136bhp 230E the most popular. 72bhp 240D slow, but goes on for ever. 5-cylinder 88bhp 300D slightly faster, with similar longevity, less likely to have been a taxi. 185bhp 280E fastest. Handsome, useful estates.
• The diesel was a pure 'compression ignition' diesel, requiring no electrics or electronics to run apard from the glow plugs to start it.
• W123 230E Prices from DM 25,221 to 31,749 
• W123 E23 Type M102.980 4-cylinder 2,299cc K-jetronic petrol fuel injected: 136PS; 201Nm torque at 3,500rpm. 230E automatic: 0-60 12.3 seconds; top speed 109mph; 22mpg combined
• 4-speed torque converter automatic transmission
• Length: 4,725mm
• Width: 1,786mm
• Height: 1,438mm
• Weight: 1,360kg
• Gross Weight: 1,880kg
• Luggage capacity: 0.5 cubic metres
• Braked towing capacity: 1,500kg
• Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres
• Road Test and Video
• Specialists: www.123world.com also have cars for sale on display at West Hampstead Motors, London NW5 4AY, together with Stahlwille Classic tool sets and the best selling book on the Classic Mercedes W123 written by Martin Buckley.

Bad

• Old cars now. Petrol engines don't take well to plain unleaded. Must have 3,000-mile oil changes and a new timing chain every 60,000 miles or 5 years whichever comes first.
• 1984-85 230Es tried to go unleaded and suffered premature valve guide wear.
• Slow gearchange manuals best avoided.
• Don't buy without a sunroof.
• One specialist advises avoid the 250 six-cylinder engine because its badly engineered. Essex Merc W123, who owns one, disputes this.
• Note an all-new engine for a 280E is £6,000.

Watch

• They do rust and diffs do go.
• Most of the good ones were bought up by 'private hire' and minicab operations who will have serviced them pragmatically but run up a mega mileage and don't let them go until they're knackered.
• If the big bumpers are damaged it means a heavy impact which may have deformed the structure.
• Find out when the Simplex timing chain of 4-cylinder engines was last changed.
• Listen for rattles and look for oil smoke signifying valve guide wear.
• Listen for noisy, clonky rear axle. Bounce the rear suspension to make sure shocks still absorb. Estate car rear shocks are very expensive. Look for oil leaks underneath.
• 16-9-2012: Information from Mark Cosovitch: Simplex chain fitted to M102 Motors 1980-1986. Fine if changed at service interval 70k miles. Mostly never done, so can break, usually in cold weather when Hydraulic chain tensioner does not have time to take up the slack (oil thick) and if oil not changed regularly. No big problem to change a chain. Usually done by joining the old one to the new and wind them in, rejoining with a special tool by Jewis the original chain supplier. ( Chains from us £35) About 2/3 hrs labour.
• Engineers in East London plant S.A. redesigned the front fn the engine to accept a Duplex chain and bigger spin on filter in 1985 as cars in Africa do huge milages and have a very hard life with native mechanics.
• M102 was first of new generation of Mercedes-Benz Motors to produce a lot of power and be light in construction. Engines have been known to do 200k miles on original chain.

Running Mercedes-Benz W123 (1975 – 1985)

• Mercedes-Benz Club

Mercedes-Benz 230CE

Mercedes-Benz 230E