1983 Mercedes-Benz W123 230CE Coupe from UK and Ireland - Comments

When I have done a short journey from cold, I try to start it again and it doesn't want to. It does eventually start, I suppose you could call it a characteristic.

You cannot take it through a regular car wash. Due to the way the windows part in the middle, some water leaked in and left a watermark on the seats. I learnt from that and only hand wash now.

On the driver's seat the cloth has become a little worn on the lower edge of the back rest. I expect this is down to the car being 18 years old, and used regularly.

I have only had this car for a short time now and it is definitely the car for me.

It is the most comfortable ride I have had for a long time. The seats are more cushy than the ones in my lounge.

It accelerates very quickly for a heavy car and is quite good around corners, it does wallow a little but I don't mind. If I wanted good handling I would have bought a Mini.

I didn't really know much about this type of car before I owned one. It's the small things which make you realise you are driving a Mercedes, like the driver and passenger sun visors which both contain light-up Vanity Mirrors. The First Aid kit on the rear parcel shelf has never been used. The carpets are of a fine quality that even after 18 years still feel like new.

There is only one thing I'm not sure about with this car - the size of the steering wheel. It makes you think you might be driving a bus.

Something I have to mention about the car are the looks it gets. Never before had Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar and Land Rover drivers glanced at me in my old Triumph 1500, let alone let me pull out in front of them at a junction.

This car makes you feel special.

When you mess about with the windows - which puts on a good show - making the front an back slide together so smoothly looks really nice, You do hear the odd "oh look at that" which makes me even more smug!

I love this car and have only had good comments from others too.

That starting problem you've got -- I take it your car may have a K-Jetronic injection. I had a similar problem with my '85 Audi and the car electrician found it was a hairline crack on a solder on the fuel pump relay.Comes with age. Give that a try.

I've got one too - only done 77,000 and my windows don't leak, though the front ones are a little reluctant to close properly - perseverance usually does the trick, somtimes lowering the back one a little helps. Whilst the sun visors do have light up vanity mirrors, they are the worst sun visors in the world! They don't fold right back onto the screen, as the shape of the roof-lining stops them, and they obscure too much view to be safe in use.

I love this car - it's a real car in a world full of computer generated clones. Watch out for ignition ECU failures - mine just went and they're not cheap (though very easy to change) - keep the backplate greased regularly with a heat dissipant grease to ensure a long life.

I also love the toothed bar to tighten the fanbelt. it's so simple that a man with one arm could change a fan belt on this car.

I will recommend you to replace the stuff in the first aid kit if it never have been replaced... In 1994 I had to use the kit from a 1985 W123, and it was practically worthless... The first aid kit gets old with time... And it is pretty good to have a working first aid sometimes!

Spookily familiar comments - my ECU went last year, and the sun visors are bafflingly strange - I tend to leave them slightly angled to just shut out the sun when necessary, but I can't help thinking they'd bump your head a bit in he event of an accident whilst in that position.

Moving to the windows, it pays to ensure that the runners are well lubricated (with a spray grease suitable for plastic/polyurethane) and you should also adjust the runners to take up any slack (especially the rear ones) and ensure that all the bolts inside the doors that support the window mechanism are tight - they can work loose over time. Once this is done your window will close much better - the reason they are slow to close is that they can rock slightly within the runners and jam slightly.

I have made the recent purchase of a 230ce and had the misfortune of requiring the use of the first aid kit. I found the kit to be original and as such it was completely useless. Definitely needs to be changed.

I also have found problems with the windows whilst going through a car wash. I found the rubber seals were perished even though they looked OK from the outside.

The 230ce is a lovely car to drive and unlike many cars of today this car has real character.

Have just bought one of these fine cars, am now to be seen driving around with a big grin on my face at all times!

What a car, drives superbly, handles well enough, not too hard on petrol and the build quality deserves its legendry status. Only problem to date was the short rubber pipe leading to the fuel pump, smelled fuel and when I looked underneath there was a very slow drip. Give the pipe a rub to see where the leak was and right away I had a very fast leak. Had to run for a collection of plastic drums. Luckily theere was only 3 gallons in the tank at the time. The rubber pipe had perished, and there were no signs of any hose clips on it. Simple fix.

Drain channels leaked on the previous owner and he was horrified by the price quoted by Mercedes to replace them, so he sealed the sunroof with sealer. This was 12 years ago and its never leaked since. (he is a engineer on a submarine base, so the sealer should be good!)

So if your in the Cavan area of Ireland and you see a bright red 230ce, that's me! dearjohn@eircom.net.

Oh My God!! The first comment sums this car up perfect! My windows also leak and I have complained about the steering wheel since I first drove it, it's so incredebly oversized. This car really does draw more attention than I ever thought possible, and it didn't take long for me to fall in love with such impecable styling, the two door coupe with square headlights sets it apart, I've yet to see such beauty in any of the other older benze stateside models.

I am one of the few in the u.s. who owns a 230ce, it was imported here in 1983, and it currently has 230K MILES, not kilometers!! I also have full documentation on the entire cars life, right down to the name and address of the original owner in Germany, along with many others, all of whom obviously took care of it as the interior and exterior is near flawless. I also have over $12,000 usd in receipts throughout the cars life, though I am most certain that the engine rebuild receipt at 120k was a ripoff and it is still runing untouched internally w/230k. Other than general maintenance it has had quite a few alternators recently, like 3 within 2.5 years! though I am told this is because of not using Bosch alternators. Also, the hot restart problem is --without a doubt-- caused by a faulty 'crank angle sensor' which is located inside the distributor. It happened to me and left me stranded for an hour or two several times, I finally figured it out after checking many other things first, so I replaced the distributor with a junk yard one for $25 and it fixed it for about 2 months, then it happened again so I shelled out almost $200 for a rebuilt one and it has been fine ever since. I love the car, but hate the steering wheel, high prices of parts and its hard to get some parts for (grey market car for me) Oh and for some reason the tannish interiors stay in BRAND NEW CONDITION FOR EVER!!

I have had my Mercedes 230e coupe for three years having purchased it from my uncle, who as a retirement present, treated himself to this luxury car - brand new. Despite being one of the earliest models it is a joy to drive. The only problem, which seems a common one, is the leaking windows which I had to get repaired at a rather daunting cost.

I have only 46,000 genuine miles on the clock and every service to prove the mileage is genuine.

Unfortunately, somebody drove into the back of it some three months ago. My insurance company stated that the cost of repairs was greater than the value of the car. However, my love of this machine prevailed and now it is on the road again - meeting admiring comments - and I am a very happy bunny.

Hi there

I have owned 2 230E saloons which were both fantastic cars and have now treated myself to a 230CE that has had a 240 diesel conversion. The 240 was always a bit of a slug, but I love the bombproof relaxed pace and grace with the benefit of great economy. I agree with the steering wheel comments and have replaced mine with a smaller one from a later Mercedes 190 which retains the original feel, but is much more practical and feels right for the car. I have had terrible water ingress problems and have replaced front and back screen seals, door seals and side window seals at a whopping cost of £1400 (supply only) but felt the car is well worth the expenditure to get it dry. My drivers side bulkhead was also rusted through slightly due to the water drain under the bonnet getting blocked causing water to enter the foot-well, this is a common fault on these cars and they should be cleared regularly. Although a common problem on these cars the sunroof drain tubes are fine on my coupe, but I did have to fix them on my saloon which is not a hard job although you do have to lower the front part of the roof lining. On mine the steel spouts had corroded where the rubber tubes push on and I was able to cut an inch of the steel tube off and had enough slack to pull the rubber tubes up and push back on with some sealer for good measure.

The steering wheel design, from what I can gather, is a throwback to the days when cars did not have power steering. I was shocked when I got my first used 3 series BMW and the wheel was so large.

Obviously, power steering has been available for decades, but some traditions lingered. The funny thing is if you look at Mercedes and BMW steering wheels today they are actually SMALLER than other cars.

Personally, I don't mind the steering wheel once you get used to how to operate the car (fitting in to the car's ergonomics). This same thing happened when I first drove a Porshe, 1990 911. The ergonomics made no sense until I drove the car.

I had owned my Mercedes Benz W123 230ce since July 2000, and we had great moments together.

I got mine from an uncle, who had lavished the car with complete engine rebuild, body respray and transmission rebuild at our local Mercedes dealer. Not because it was broken down at that time, as it had only 103k km on the speedometer, but because he wanted it to drive like new..

However, after seeing the total bill coinciding with cash flow problem, he offered it to me at a fraction of the price he had paid for the total rejuvenation..

Continuing the tradition and being car crazy myself, I had put a stereo and CD system that is more in time, a petri sport steering that doesn't make you feel like driving a bus, 18" Lorinser look alloy wheels that enhanced the ride experienced, new front headlamp with clear front blinker, new speedometer and new floor carpeting. The rest is still stock.

Oh.. did I mention that the the car was originally bought in the UK by a diplomat, who then after his tour of duty in 1987, brought it back to Brunei Darussalam where I reside. To date I had seen less than 10 units on Brunei roads, and in my eye none looks as good and as well cared for as mine.

I am only using the w123 as a weekend car, hence the low mileage of 40k km (new speedometer).. I love the car and hope someday my sons will enjoy it as I have..

Afternoon!

I am currently driving a 1982 230 E automatic, very clean car which I have had for 8 years, this baby rocks and drives like a dream, also very trouble free. I am going to look at a 1985 230 CE during the week. I have read all the above articles which contain good to know information! Can anybody tell me if the engine is the same for both years or is the 1985 type much different as the 82 engine is the "bomb",also the CE I'm looking at is manual, were their any issues with manual transmission that I should know about? On that note thank you in advance for any reply and happy motoring, long live the W123.

I have a 230ce which I have to say I love I love the look I love the drive however I seem to be having some problems with my power steering I have checked the fluid which seems to be fine. Is there anybody out there that may have any other ideas before I send it to a garage? ps please be very basic I'm a muppet when it comes to cars (that's why I have a merc they never really go wrong)

cheers

graham.

Hi all - it's making me very excited to read this as I am about to go and buy a 230 ce after having a beautiful 230e which I slightly regret letting go. Hoepfully this will make up for it. It brings a smile to my face and a sense of comfort that there are people out there who took the time and had the ability to design and make cars like this. They drive like a rolls, look fabulous and you feel a million dollars when you're in one. Just looking down the bonnet at the 3-pointed star and you are elevated from mr average joe to feeling like a star. When I first got the 230e I used to walk outside at all times of day or night just to look at it. Fine, but I'm 37...

I am about to purchase an 81 230 CE white that looks and rides brand new. I had driven before a 220 S 1958, a 200 1967 and a 280 1980. There was superb machines for me, specially the old 220s ponton, the best car I ever had (I drove it in the 90´s, when it adjusts 400k in its clock). Thanks for your positive comments on this lovely coupe.

Here in Colombia the car costs around a third more than in Europe, (and in a weak money), but there is lots of W123, spare parts and good service. (By the way, it's the only good survivor from the 70´s, escorted by Russian Gazes or American Willys. And this is certainly a hard country to drive). However, could be not too sensible to invest a considerable amount of pesos in such an old car. But I think in a few years it will be a classic and its value will rise. Your comments helped me to take my decision.