http://planetvids.com/html/Mercedes-Crash-Test.html

Pretty neat W123 crash test video, from factory.

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http://www.betten.mercedescenter.com...n_banner_1.jpg
1976 300D
190,000 Miles
Colorado Beige

1975 300D
Parts Car
78,000 Miles
Rustbucket
Also Colorado Beige

1984 190D 2.2 (Dad's)
156,000 miles
Champagne Metallic Clearcoat

That's pretty cool. I didn't know any w123's came with airtbags!

It looks like they hold up pretty well, but that doesn't surprise me. Now what would really be interesting to watch is a collision between a w123 and a modern-day plastic car. Or maybe one in a demolition derby.

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Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...

I'm always impressed with the design of the W123 and how well everthing works and functions together. To see that they incorporated an entire safety system into the car, and everything still works together perfectly is simply amazing.

Did anyone see how far the seat compressed as the airbag went off? It was practically flat. Also note how the steering wheel/column doesn't go straight into the drivers chest on the overhead shot.

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1976 BMW 2002- 100k
1995 BMW 325i 175k
1984 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbo Diesel- 270,000 mi

1981 Mercedes Benz 240D- Estimated 300,000+ mi Returned to the earth

I think I'll show that to my daughter. She's in the market for a car and I'm trying to steer her towards an MB of her own. Dad's are particularly appreciative of cars like that for their kids!

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

it's certainly reassuring... i'd like to see an american or japanese car from that era with that kind of resiliency.

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1980 240D, 197580 miles - "The Stuttgart Stomper"

Look at the dummies, not the sheet metal.

In an accident, the "rigid is better" school of thought is terrible erroneous! You want the car to absorb the impact, not transmit it to your soft innards.

While I will never argue that a w123 is an unsafe car-- it should be said that modern plastic ones really are designed to handle accidents better-- because of the w123's safety innovations, we have safer cars, yes.. but it is not a benchmark anymore.

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http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...Untitled-1.jpg

In fact, the car did crumple, as intended. If it were rigid, it would not.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

iNeon,
The w123s were specifically designed with crumple zones to absorb the impact of a crash - true there are better computer designed cars now, but I still feel safer in a w123 than even a newer car with airbags. The engine and tranny are designed to slide under the car, the trunk and hood will crumple to the cab without intrusion. You can see the roof integrity in the video.

When I was a kid, I would sit in my Dad's office at the Mercedes dealership and watch those crash videos for hours on end it seemed. I love the tapes of the test drives and crash dummies. It's stuck with me for all these years and is one of the reasons I love these cars.

John

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John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

Crumple zones are nothing new Ineon, they've been around since the 60's. And the W123 did crumple, didnt you watch the video?

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi