Another CE - you're gonna get sick of me soon!

[Levismerc]

Hello again

After lots of help from you guys and seeing lots of cars - some dogs, some overpriced, some 'just not right' - I'm off down south to see this ol' W123 CE.

It's a five owner car, FSH, MOT 'til Feb and a book full of receipts. It has electric windows/roof, leather, 133k and is a 1983 car. From previous advice I know pretty much what to look for but I'm just asking if there's anything particular about the 2.8 motor that I should look out for?

The condition is said to be fantastic with no rot and good window seals etc

The guy wants £2500 for it - fair price? Seems it to me...

I'd also just like to say thanks again for all of the help and advice given to my previous posts and thanks for being patient.

Hopefully my pillarless quest will be over soon!

Cheers

Levi

 

[jaymanek]

you cant give a book price for a clean W123 anymore... i know people who have paid £15K for clean W123 coupes... its horses for courses..

I looked at these but then decided i could get a W126 SEC for the same money...

 

[grober]

Not sure if the engine will run on unleaded if it hasn't been modified?? Other things to look out for are cylinder head gasket, worn timing chain (tho not so likely on a 280 twincam engine as the 200 and 230 4 cylinder engines) worn valve guides valve stem seals--- blue smoke on the overrun. front discs work hard on the 6 cylinder cars. things like exterior/interior trim and seat condition are important since replacements can be expensive.

 

[television]

Not sure if the engine will run on unleaded if it hasn't been modified?? Other things to look out for are cylinder head gasket, worn timing chain (tho not so likely on a 280 twincam engine as the 200 and 230 4 cylinder engines) worn valve guides valve stem seals--- blue smoke on the overrun. front discs work hard on the 6 cylinder cars. things like exterior/interior trim and seat condition are important since replacements can be expensive.

Hard question the fuel bit, hard to find much info or anyone that has had problems, I think that you just run it and see, if a valve problem manifest itself then not that hard to change the seats.

My LHD 280TE was made for unleaded, I must have changed the front pads at some point, and the fuel enrichment stuck on, a common fault in Sweden through some reason, I did not touch the thing other than that the build quality was MB at its best. No where near as refined as the 124 but a great car

 

[jaymanek]

1983 wil definately run on unleaded... all the M102 engines are fine on unleaded, it was only the old M115's and before that you had to worry about..

 

[ET4]

I've just bought a 79' 280 CE about 4 weeks ago. Some have been converted to run on unleaded by fitting hardened valve seats, I use a petrol additive. Check for rust at the bottom of the doors. £150 each second hand to replace if they're gone. The sills and floorpans you should look at too, the bloke I bought it off paid £1200 to have them replaced. Inner wings, sunroof edge, rear arches all trouble spots too.
Wouldn't worry about the engine or gearbox unless there seems to be something amiss, slipping box excessive rattling etc. The engines and gearboxes are good for 200K + before any kind of work providing they've had regular servicing.
Service history is preferable.
Steering is a bit vague but should'nt be too excessive.
The engines are tappety, this is nothing to worry about.

Looks good !

I paid £1400 full service history, 120K, 3 owners, in good condition.
£2500 is'nt bad, they're on the up in prices all the time.
Could be a good investment.

Good luck

 

[grober]

M110

1983 wil definately run on unleaded... all the M102 engines are fine on unleaded, it was only the old M115's and before that you had to worry about..

Trouble is that altho the 4 cylinder models use the more modern M104 engines as you say the 6 cylinder coupes used the older M110 twin cam design hence the uncertainty?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W123

 

[jaymanek]

is it a 280 he is looking at?

 

[grober]

I was going by :-
It's a five owner car, FSH, MOT 'til Feb and a book full of receipts. It has electric windows/roof, leather, 133k and is a 1983 car. From previous advice I know pretty much what to look for but I'm just asking if there's anything particular about the 2.8 motor that I should look out for?

 

[jaymanek]

I still think it should be ok, at worst he will have to change the valve seats which is not the end of the world...

 

[television]

I still think it should be ok, at worst he will have to change the valve seats which is not the end of the world...

Can you still buy the additive to compensate

 

[jaymanek]

yes you can....

this car will have been running on unleaded for over 5 years now... hardly worth the worry as if it was to go wrong it would have by now..

 

[Levismerc]

Thanks yet again for the replies.

I'l take your points on board when I go to see the car on Wednesday hopefully.

I'll give a report when I get back.

Cheers

Levi