In the early summer of 2023, I took a drive to North Chesterfield, Virginia to look at what appeared to be a very nice Mercedes 240d. It was an earlier version (1977), but seemed to be in good shape for its age (nearing 50 years).
The owner was nice enough to hand over the keys and told me to take a nice, long test drive to see what I thought. It actually drove rather well, albeit slowly. These cars were never quick vehicles in their non-turbo state, and this elderly vehicle was no exception. Records held by the current owner showed the car had been outfitted with a new engine and transmission at 200,000 miles (364,000 currently on the working odometer).
The deal was made, and I became the owner of this classic W123. I had the car transported home just to be safe, and immediately had it taken to a renowned shop specializing in older Benz’s, located in Virginia Beach. After multiple visits (and untold $$), the car was in pretty good shape to be driven regularly. We were even able to resurrect the A/C (granted, as slow as the car is, running the A/C is only for very hot days, and only when you are at highway speeds). However, it should be noted the car does get very comfortable with its aged A/C system.
It’s fun to drive, but I can honestly say I’m not sure it’s a car meant for everyday use, and not for long highway trips as the engine noise is pretty stout at highway speeds.
These cars are iconic for their longevity. Many of these vehicles are still on the road, especially in 3rd world countries, used as daily taxi’s – many with over 1-million miles on the odometer.
The car’s original Becker radio was not working, so I had it shipped off to BeckerSound (located in New Jersey) where they freshened up the internals, added bluetooth and even put a new chrome bezel on it for me. Works beautifully now, although it doesn’t compare to today’s auto sound systems. It is very much a product of its time.
The final update planned for the vehicle will be to have the driver’s seat reconditioned. Its original support and upholstery are “tired”, and for comfort’s sake, it needs attention. Other than that, the car is about where it’s going to stay for a while – driven weekly, and enjoyed.