1980 Mercedes-Benz W123 300D review from North America
"Best kept secret in used cars"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Broken window regulator.
Air conditioning compressor seized.
General comments?
A very comfortable and amazingly solid automobile.
On the downside, it is rather slow and noisy. In a way, I like this, as it forces me to just relax and take my time.
For its size, the running costs are about as low as any car I've ever owned.
I only paid $1,200 for it and put another $1000 in cosmetics, maintenance and repairs for almost 40,000 miles. I figure that with fuel, insurance, and all expenditures this car can't be costing me more than.10 cents to.12 cents a mile. A new car easily can cost.35 cents a mile.
And it still looks as nice as the day Benz made it. Back then, Benz made a great car.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1980 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 5 cylinder diesel Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6 / 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 | 199000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 237000 miles |
| Previous car | Jaguar XJ6 |
| Date of Entry | 17th January, 2003 |