"classic" for a year

[junkyard_kahrs]

I've owned both a W108 (1973 280SEL 4.5) and a W123 (240D; same chassis as a 300D with a fairly anemic power plant). I was very fond of the diesel- I actually bought it in Massachusetts and not long afterwards took about a month it drive it cross country to Northern California, where I've stayed ever since.

With a 123 chassis you're experiencing the some of the golden years of Mercedes in terms of build quality, materials and chassis integrity. There is something about the eighties- such a heft and satisifying feel to everything. The sheet metal is thicker than other cars of the time (and of their own cars now). The chrome is almost buttery. The MBtex vinyl wears like iron. Interior fit and finish is hard to beat even today. The doors shutting, the counterweights hidden in the door mechanism, the unflappable mass and rigidity of the chassis at highway speeds, all the while the clear, analog simplicity of the instruments before you with the star out front guiding the way . . . all these things add up to an experience may not be immediately obvious, but grows on you over time, it's one that other cars simply can't match. In time you find yourself really bonding with a car that wasn't even their flagship model. And that's just what you can see and feel. As you cruise along, unseen in the crankcase of the swiss watch diesel engine are oil jets that squirt lubricant on the walls of the pistons as they round out the bottom of their stroke between massive crankshaft bearings, just one detail of the robust engineering that is the reason a few hundred thousand are still driving happily around today.

You can probably tell I miss my 240D.


As for the 108- I remember the day I picked it up, I parked it, looked back at it and thought, "That is just way too magnificent to be driving around on a daily basis!" But I got used to it quickly. As for the materials, it's very similar to the 123, the build quality is similar, but overall it's not nearly as granite-like with the chassis stiffness. And things like the window channels and soundproofing are a little less refined. But what you get in return is a great, king-of-the-road feeling with the massive steering wheel, perfect proportions and ergonomics, all the wood and chrome and the old-world design vibe, inside and out. Those cars and all their details are just part of another time of grandeur that is more or less gone now. The Paul Braqc time. The time of the 600 Grand. And while outside of a '72 280SEL may look perhaps like it was built 10 years earlier, the drivetrain technology, with the excellent fuel injected engine and suspension components feel more like a car that was built ten years later. They were basically fitting the next generation technology into the later runs of the previous generation. When the shocks and mounts are up to snuff on these cars they will naturally find 80mph shifting crisply on the way, and stay there all day effortlessly. Especially the 4.5 with it's lazy rpms at highway speeds. I once got a speeding ticket going 93 on the lonely straights of I-505 in northern California. I had been going 93 for a half hour already and the car thought nothing of it. The officer was both annoyed and perplexed.

There still seems to be a good supply of 4.5's out there, many with low miles that have been really looked after. But now they're really starting to go up, I've noticed. For a fully sorted 108, 5 grand may not do the trick as easily as it used to. On the other hand, finding a low mileage 300D seems even harder, and with diesels so in vogue these days, the prices are going up for 123's as well.



Bottom line, for the specified mission, I'd get a 4.5.

jk

[Tomguy]

Being the owner of a 4.5 I'd have to agree...

I drove my 4.5 every day for about 3 years. Before that it was parked for about 6. Before that it was driven every day for over 10 years. Before that it was parked for over 10.

What had to be done to keep it running? Not much to be honest. I was a perfectionist and running wasn't enough, but I think most of us here are like that. If it was 2004 though, and I was still using the 4.5 (still had it roadworthy, and on the road) then I would not hesitate to drive it to California and back twice. Of course, 93 was under $1.70 a gallon! I drove it to A/C and back - supposed to be a 3+hr trip - in under 2h 30m... in a snowstorm. When I first drove the 4.5 on the highway I was used to my Cherokee, and taking the 4.5 out I got over 80MPH on the highway the first time before I noticed how fast I was going. It felt like 50 so I was still accelerating. I'm not going to lie and say it's the most powerful car I have ever driven, but it is something that I desire for modern traffic environments where nobody is considerate enough to move into the left lane when you're trying to merge onto a highway. You need to squeeze in between cars because not a soul will let you in, and you can do it easily with the punch the 4.5 has.

[NutmegCT]

Veering slightly off course here - and maybe worthy of starting a different thread -

Once you've narrowed down the list of models, where do you start looking?

I'd assume long-time contributing forum members who place cars in the For Sale area are the best bet, but wondered what other sources you recommend.

Or not recommend.

Thanks.
Tom