1982 Mercedes-Benz W123 240D review from North America
"A simple, safe, high-quality car that will last forever"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
New rear end (CV axles, CV boots, CV joints, differential oil).
New front shocks (old ones were mushy).
New fuel lines (old lines were leaking).
Injectors tightened (they were leaking causing a diesel fuel odor)
New W124 wheels. Old wheels were in bad shape.
New tires (old ones were badly worn).
Alignment done
All 4 hubs were re-threaded (worn out).
Parking break adjusted (car would roll when parked on a hill).
Tune up (valve adjustment, oil, filters etc...)
Headlights adjusted.
General comments?
It's a great driver. It gets great fuel economy (up to 30-33 mpg) highway which is remarkable for a car this age. 4-cylinder Diesel, non-turbo, 4-speed manual transmission. Fun to drive around, smooth as can be. Pretty reliable so far. Had some work done to it recently to make it safe to drive since the previous owner neglected it.
It has a few things that need to be done here and there, but it's a great car to own, stylish, simple, and safe. The doors have that nice bank vault sound when you close them. It's built like a tank.
It only has 75bhp so it's slow, but the fuel economy is outstanding for a 3,300lb car. I don't need to drive fast so the slow acceleration doesn't bother me. However it would be nice to have an extra cylinder for getting on the freeway on those short on ramps.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1982 |
| Year of manufacture | 1982 |
| First year of ownership | 2008 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.4L diesel OM616.912 Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 97308 miles |
| Most recent distance | 97604 miles |
| Date of Entry | 5th February, 2009 |