I went out to the junk yard this morning to do some reconnaissance on various potential parts in anticipation of a half price sale coming up next weekend. There were no MB diesels in the yard. This is the first time this has ever occured. Historically there have been 6-12 617/616s available. There were lots and lots of MB gassers of various types but no diesels.

I'm thinking that instead of considering the junk yards as a ready source of parts to be sourced as needed, it may be time to start being opportunistic and grabbing stuff as available and keeping them in stock for the future use.

Have we reached a tipping point?

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

I mean....These cars are getting old. The junkers are all pretty much gone, and those that still exist are mostly in the hands of enthusiasts who will hold on to them.
There is going to be a time when these cars will disappear from junk yards, and I'd assume that after 3 decades, that time is now. Not too surprising, I think.

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"The MB W123 is so bulletproof, you can drive them forever. Which is a good thing as it takes that long to get anywhere."
Betsie: 1984 W123 300D (hobby, 280k miles)
Myrla: 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0 ES 5spd (daily driver, 130k miles)
The Turd: 2007 Toyota Camry (wife's car, 118k miles)

I reached that point around here about 5-7 years ago. I haven't seen a w123 in a yard around here in year and years. Lots of w126's and even more w124's though. We were just starting to see w140's and w210's in the yards before the last decent wrecker near me closed down....

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2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

The yards hit that point a few years ago here in sunny South Carolina. When I first got involved with MBs, circa 2008, there were always three or four "new" W123s in the local yard, and keep in mind they bring in fresh blood every 60 or so days, and those hanging out for more than 60 days were headed to the crusher any moment. Now, a few have popped up, but other than those, it's been a dry spell for around two years.

California finally catches up with the rest of the country. Welcome to 5 to 7 years ago here as well.

The strange classification of people none of us actually know who send a complete mercedes diesel to the yard without stripping it has dried up.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I have not seen any for the last 10 yrs. here in N.W. In. I was lucky to find a 126 with the motor in which I grabbed a few months ago and am very happy with the motor when I called back 2 weeks ago to get more parts they said it was crushed and gone. What a shame as there were a lot of valuable parts on there yet. It is getting rare to even see these on the road any more as they are 30 yr. old antiques. People all want to drive new trouble free cars.I do think there are more of these cars in the southern and western parts of our country but going fast.

More in the southern and western areas? I dunno about in the west, and maybe it's different somewhere like Atlanta, but in the North Georgia/Chattanooga area there's not a W123/W126 to be found in a junkyard that I've ever seen. For years I've been on this board listening to people talk about "Well, just pull a spare banjo bolt from a yard" and things like that with sheer green envy.

I know of three or four others besides mine out on the local roads, but not in the yards.

Soon, the sum of the parts will be more valuable than the whole. There is an '83 in my local yard with the engine and transmission (attached) in the trunk (diesel). I got what I wanted off of it.

Good observation. I noticed the lack of MB's in the local PicknPull with in the last 1-2 years and just figured it was them tightening their inventory. They always had 3-4 gassers at this location...always... and an occasional diesel.....now nothing. Mach4 i think your analysis is on to something.

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'89 260e (212K Mi.), '92 400e (208K Mi.), '92 400e (not a misprint) (146K Mi.), '95 C220, '81 240D--Sold

We generally have a couple - for now. As stated, they're getting old and the tap HAS to run dry eventually. Can't find any Studebakers, either.

Just checked - 2 ea. 300D's, 1 is a 1980, the other is (IIRC) a 1986.

Dan

Back in the fall of 2013 our big pick and pull here in Albuquerque had a bunch of W123s and four W115s. When I arrived at the beginning of the month, I thought I'd go to the yard and get some parts for my 220D but they have none. I think two W123s then a bunch of W124s and W126s. They even have a 190D, which I've never seen there.
Anyway, I'm hoping to find a source for some rust-free sheetmetal, some window hardware and a few small items here & there.

Phil Forrest

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1972 220D "Trudy," named by a friend.

"The 220D sounds good... I suspect it is the only car that you need a calendar for, rather than a stopwatch, when doing acceleration tests."
Tom Abrahamsson

I know your pain because I was in San Diego just 3 weeks ago and thought of checking Ecology, but you have to go there to see what they have. A year before, I hit their Chula Vista yard on a 1/2 off day, and there were ~6 1982-85 300D's (with a few others hovering over them, incl. 2 guys who drove up in a 300TD). Anyway, I wouldn't worry. I still find 1963-1966 Mopars at PickNPull in Sac occasionally, and I have ample parts for those cars. PickNPull has a website (Row 52) where you can search and see photos, and over the whole country if you want. One problem is they don't distinguish 300D & 300SD, so I don't bother unless there is a photo, and most are 300SD. I don't know if they sold more or people give up on them sooner. Also, most trim & interior parts I need are usually as degraded on JY cars as on mine. I need those parts from a less sunny region. Maybe I'll hit a yard when I am in FL or GA again.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

The Pick-n-Pulls around Portland seem to have a decreasing number of diesels but I do see "non running" w126s go through auction for $500 every few weeks. I've been considering buying one just to see if I can turn a profit on parting it out before taking the scrap to the junkyard. I've been waiting on a 88-92 w126 with good grey interior come to auction and figure it'd be worth about $1000 to me, not running, after I take the parts I want, sell others, and then scrap what's left. That's not even considering the possibility that it is "non running" because of a $3 part somewhere, which would not surprise me.

It certainly seems like time to start thinking about how I'm going to get parts 5-10 years down the road for my 82 300SD. Two or three parts cars look like a better and better idea.

If you can buy em non running @ auction, and have space to store or warehouse em, I would do just that. Sell for whatever you can after cannibalizing them.

A colleague of mine that's been into Corvettes for 50 years, has had over 150 Corvette wrecks on his property as parts cars for years. He's got 25 rural acres to do it though.

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'06 E320 CDI - PEWTER/CHARCOAL
'17 Corvette (C7) Stingray Vert /M7-speed manual trans/3LT/MSRC/FE2/Z51 19"-20" Blk wheels - Arctic White / Jet Black Napa leather interior

Exaaactly.

It's really something if a w123 shows up with anything useful left on it, at a pick and pull in this area. There are exceptions (friend scored a restored fender for me off one a month ago, but that's almost freakshow rare these days).

It's now getting to be a cottage industry, for those with the commitment and patience to scour the backroads for the inevitable farmers and other wannabe WVO types who bought the car(s) then never got around to doing anything with them. Or tried and could not find anyone with half a clue to wrench on them. Not only to find them, but then to talk them out of the weeds.

The problem with those folks is that they all figure their rusted parts cars are worth a grand. Ever tried to buy something from a farmer? LOL

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22