Classic as Daily?

[gpw5150]

Controversially, I would recommend either:

Saab 900 2.0i -the older late 80’s ones surprisingly bullet proof and there are a few low milers out there - doctors and dentists tend not to travel too much

Alfa Romeo 155/156 or GTV - The engine and gearbox will be fine, the drive will be fun, the rest of the car will keep you tinkering

Audi b2 - the old square one, if you can get the 2.0 or 2.2 5 cyl, enjoy the off beat warble and familiarise yourself with rust prevention.

There are some low mileage, bullet proof wonders out there that are fun, cheap to drive and easy to fix.

**W124’s are great too, though my 300d was a bit of a pain…..!

 

[alabbasi]

Non turbo Saab 900's are so slow, you might as well drive a W123 200D

 

[ChrisHGTV]

Controversially, I would recommend either:

Saab 900 2.0i -the older late 80’s ones surprisingly bullet proof and there are a few low milers out there - doctors and dentists tend not to travel too much

Alfa Romeo 155/156 or GTV - The engine and gearbox will be fine, the drive will be fun, the rest of the car will keep you tinkering

Audi b2 - the old square one, if you can get the 2.0 or 2.2 5 cyl, enjoy the off beat warble and familiarise yourself with rust prevention.

There are some low mileage, bullet proof wonders out there that are fun, cheap to drive and easy to fix.

**W124’s are great too, though my 300d was a bit of a pain…..!

I used to run my V6 GTV as a daily and a 2 litre before that. They are reliable (more reliable than my S212 for sure) but winter driving can be painful. Door locks and handbrake freezing gets tiresome! The earlier Alfa built cars seem to fare better against rust than the later (post 2000) Pininfarina built cars. 156s seem more prone to rust.

 

[neilrr]

They’re a bit dull, but it’s hard to think of the LS400 being 35 years old now - where has the time gone!?

The days are long but the years are short kinda sums it up for me.

 

[Flyinspanner]

Lexus 600 with the RSR pack - back seat leg rests like a longhaul club seat

 

[BlackC55]

Id but a 140 S Class. Nothing will touch it for comfort.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Id but a 140 S Class. Nothing will touch it for comfort.

Stumbled across this the other day.

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[Pontoneer]

I currently have my second W205 c250d which I really like but I am getting bored. I don't travel for work any longer so my mileage has decreased to around 25k per year much of it motorways. I really fancy a classic from maybe the W124 era but wanted to know whether my mileage would prove a problem. If not a 124 what would you suggest. I am fine with either petrol or diesel but do need a back seat for the family. I was also looking at maybe a CLS? Would a classic stand up to 25k? TIA
James

I’ve done exactly that for almost 50 years now .

Started off with my dad’s old W115 which my dad had bought new and handed down to me when he replaced it with a new W123 . Seven years old when I got it , I ran it for about four years until it was written off in a crash which was not my fault ( a drunk driver in a stolen car came round a bend overtaking a lorry and hit me head on : I owe my life to two things - firstly I was wearing my seatbelt , it wasn’t compulsory in 1978 , and secondly I was in a Mercedes , from which I stepped out with only a shard of glass in my eye . The other guy who was trapped in the Ford Capri which folded up like a pack of cards had three broken limbs , broken ribs and a broken nose from going into the steering wheel , and facial lacerations from going into his windscreen ) .

Replaced that with a W114 280E which I kept for 11 years and covered 250,000 miles in , the only non consumable part was the small electronic ignition box on the near side front wing , and three clutches at roughly 100,000 mile intervals .

In between then I had bought my Ponton , which was for a number of years my daily driver , but most of my 38 years with it were using it at weekends , or at least as a second car .

I had too many W123’s , W124’s and W201’s to list , also had every generation of S Class from the W116 to the W140 .

Favourites , after my Ponton , would have to have been my 5 speed manual 280E , my W126 500SEL and my R129 300SL-24 ( that engine just loved to be revved , and gave of its best in the upper ranges , a bit like the M110 , which alas was thrashy at the top end , unlike the M104 ) .

I also had a Fintail W111 220S , bought as a project , which I got running but sadly never road legal due to terminal rust , each time I fixed one bit , I found more elsewhere , the poor thing was riddled with it , but I bought the car as it took me back to my childhood since my dad ran one as the family car in the sixties : I still have fond memories of him racing Flying Scotsman down the A1 where it ran right alongside the east coast mainline approaching Dunbar and , after finding the train drawing alongside , my dad sped up and paced it for the couple of miles the road and rails ran alongside , horn tooting and the train whistling back , with the driver waving to my sisters and I in the back of the car !

I’m currently running a W124 estate which I’ve had a little over two years now , having covered a little over 20,000 miles without any trouble and the odometer now I think around 206,000 miles , the car has not given any trouble , although I replaced the front brakes last year and also the rear section of the exhaust , plan to do the back brakes this year , and also I fitted a new battery when I got the car .

As long as you keep on top of maintenance , little goes wrong with these cars . I bought the best rust free one I could find at the time and it has proved to be practical, comfortable and reliable .

I have tried later models but have found them to be troublesome in respect of unreliable electronics , and also diesel injectors giving trouble at high mileages .

 

[SomersetJim]

I’m a bit biased but a classic G wagen would be a good choice for a daily driver if you are happy to travel in one. If you find one before the electronics stepped up to having a centre console and a Sat Nav screen in the centre from around 2001 then you’d be in a well made and long lived vehicle.

Areas to look out for are rust around the rear suspension components. Body rust around the rear panels leading to the boot and around the front windscreen and wiper spindles. As long as this is ok and you look after it then it will give many good years of service.

My 1999 G500 has given us 4 years of trouble free service.

 

[alabbasi]

Replaced that with a W114 280E which I kept for 11 years and covered 250,000 miles in , the only non consumable part was the small electronic ignition box on the near side front wing , and three clutches at roughly 100,000 mile intervals .

You had a manual gearbox W114 280E? I think I'd sell all my cars for one of those. Especially if it was a signal red 5 speed 2nd Gen car.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I’m a bit biased but a classic G wagen would be a good choice for a daily driver if you are happy to travel in one. If you find one before the electronics stepped up to having a centre console and a Sat Nav screen in the centre from around 2001 then you’d be in a well made and long lived vehicle.

Areas to look out for are rust around the rear suspension components. Body rust around the rear panels leading to the boot and around the front windscreen and wiper spindles. As long as this is ok and you look after it then it will give many good years of service.

My 1999 G500 has given us 4 years of trouble free service.

Wonderful cars but I wouldn’t fancy doing 25,000 miles per annum - mostly on motorways - in a classic G Wagen. That’s hard core

my mileage has decreased to around 25k per year much of it motorways.

 

[Pontoneer]

I’ve done exactly that for almost 50 years now .

Started off with my dad’s old W115 which my dad had bought new and handed down to me when he replaced it with a new W123 . Seven years old when I got it , I ran it for about four years until it was written off in a crash which was not my fault ( a drunk driver in a stolen car came round a bend overtaking a lorry and hit me head on : I owe my life to two things - firstly I was wearing my seatbelt , it wasn’t compulsory in 1978 , and secondly I was in a Mercedes , from which I stepped out with only a shard of glass in my eye . The other guy who was trapped in the Ford Capri which folded up like a pack of cards had three broken limbs , broken ribs and a broken nose from going into the steering wheel , and facial lacerations from going into his windscreen ) .

Replaced that with a W114 280E which I kept for 11 years and covered 250,000 miles in , the only non consumable part was the small electronic ignition box on the near side front wing , and three clutches at roughly 100,000 mile intervals .

In between then I had bought my Ponton , which was for a number of years my daily driver , but most of my 38 years with it were using it at weekends , or at least as a second car .

I had too many W123’s , W124’s and W201’s to list , also had every generation of S Class from the W116 to the W140 .

Favourites , after my Ponton , would have to have been my 5 speed manual 280E , my W126 500SEL and my R129 300SL-24 ( that engine just loved to be revved , and gave of its best in the upper ranges , a bit like the M110 , which alas was thrashy at the top end , unlike the M104 ) .

I also had a Fintail W111 220S , bought as a project , which I got running but sadly never road legal due to terminal rust , each time I fixed one bit , I found more elsewhere , the poor thing was riddled with it , but I bought the car as it took me back to my childhood since my dad ran one as the family car in the sixties : I still have fond memories of him racing Flying Scotsman down the A1 where it ran right alongside the east coast mainline approaching Dunbar and , after finding the train drawing alongside , my dad sped up and paced it for the couple of miles the road and rails ran alongside , horn tooting and the train whistling back , with the driver waving to my sisters and I in the back of the car !

You had a manual gearbox W114 280E? I think I'd sell all my cars for one of those. Especially if it was a signal red 5 speed 2nd Gen car.

It was a 1975 limited

You had a manual gearbox W114 280E? I think I'd sell all my cars for one of those. Especially if it was a signal red 5 speed 2nd Gen car.

It was one of the final edition cars made right at the end of production ; not only was it a 5 speed manual , but it was the close ratio box where 5th was a direct top and not overdrive . It was blue metallic and came with five mexican hat wheels . It was advertised in the UK as a limited edition model . Mine was a metallic light blue with blue cloth interior .











Also found some pictures of my W115 , both before and after the crash that wrote it off .

That was the car I learned to drive and passed my test in .

 

[Pontoneer]

Wonderful cars but I wouldn’t fancy doing 25,000 miles per annum - mostly on motorways - in a classic G Wagen. That’s hard core

I'm sure it would be preferable to the Land Rover Defender I had as a work vehicle and used to drive all over Scotland !

 

[AnnasMerc83]

View attachment 166884

I was born in the wrong era.
Royally disappointed with the crap produced today

I’m only on my second car and it’s older than me!

 

[alabbasi]

It was one of the final edition cars made right at the end of production ; not only was it a 5 speed manual

I remember seeing one like this in Ealing back in the 90's. Also a manual trans 280E. For me, it has to be a signal red... why? Because the wee fella in the mario bros outfit is me.

 

[Pontoneer]

I remember seeing one like this in Ealing back in the 90's. Also a manual trans 280E. For me, it has to be a signal red... why? Because the wee fella in the mario bros outfit is me.

View attachment 166892

I only ever saw one other 5 speed Limited Edition , for sale in a garage in Edinburgh , not so long after I got mine ; oddly enough it was yellow !

The Limited Edition was a run of 400 cars with various added extras , perhaps to use up stock , or simply to shift outgoing cars before the W123 series came in .

Having driven 4 speed automatic ones , what I can say is that the manual ones were substantially quicker , and being around 20 when I got it , that was important to me at the time !

 

[alabbasi]

I only ever saw one other 5 speed Limited Edition , for sale in a garage in Edinburgh , not so long after I got mine ; oddly enough it was yellow !

The Limited Edition was a run of 400 cars with various added extras , perhaps to use up stock , or simply to shift outgoing cars before the W123 series came in .

Having driven 4 speed automatic ones , what I can say is that the manual ones were substantially quicker , and being around 20 when I got it , that was important to me at the time !

I have a 72 Euro 280CE (Italian spec) with a 4 speed manual. I also had a Euro W123 1980 280TE with a 4 speed manual (Taxi spec). They're quick through the gears but I swear they're doing 4000rpm at highway speeds. Somewhere in my shop, there's a Euro R107 280SL with a 5 speed manual but I've yet to drive it as the PO tried to take the fuel distributor apart and launched half the springs across his garage.

Funny story about the 280TE is that I sold it to a young kid in his early 20's and after throwing a rod, he put in a BMW M52 2.8i from an E36 with a 5 speed manual.

 

[Pontoneer]

I’ve done exactly that for almost 50 years now .

Started off with my dad’s old W115 which my dad had bought new and handed down to me when he replaced it with a new W123 . Seven years old when I got it , I ran it for about four years until it was written off in a crash which was not my fault ( a drunk driver in a stolen car came round a bend overtaking a lorry and hit me head on : I owe my life to two things - firstly I was wearing my seatbelt , it wasn’t compulsory in 1978 , and secondly I was in a Mercedes , from which I stepped out with only a shard of glass in my eye . The other guy who was trapped in the Ford Capri which folded up like a pack of cards had three broken limbs , broken ribs and a broken nose from going into the steering wheel , and facial lacerations from going into his windscreen ) .

Replaced that with a W114 280E which I kept for 11 years and covered 250,000 miles in , the only non consumable part was the small electronic ignition box on the near side front wing , and three clutches at roughly 100,000 mile intervals .

In between then I had bought my Ponton , which was for a number of years my daily driver , but most of my 38 years with it were using it at weekends , or at least as a second car .

I had too many W123’s , W124’s and W201’s to list , also had every generation of S Class from the W116 to the W140 .

Favourites , after my Ponton , would have to have been my 5 speed manual 280E , my W126 500SEL and my R129 300SL-24 ( that engine just loved to be revved , and gave of its best in the upper ranges , a bit like the M110 , which alas was thrashy at the top end , unlike the M104 ) .

I also had a Fintail W111 220S , bought as a project , which I got running but sadly never road legal due to terminal rust , each time I fixed one bit , I found more elsewhere , the poor thing was riddled with it , but I bought the car as it took me back to my childhood since my dad ran one as the family car in the sixties : I still have fond memories of him racing Flying Scotsman down the A1 where it ran right alongside the east coast mainline approaching Dunbar and , after finding the train drawing alongside , my dad sped up and paced it for the couple of miles the road and rails ran alongside , horn tooting and the train whistling back , with the driver waving to my sisters and I in the back of the car !

You had a manual gearbox W114 280E? I think I'd sell all my cars for one of those. Especially if it was a signal red 5 speed 2nd Gen

I remember seeing one like this in Ealing back in the 90's. Also a manual trans 280E. For me, it has to be a signal red... why? Because the wee fella in the mario bros outfit is me.

View attachment 166892

Just looking at that picture , are you sure that car was a 280 ?

One of the distinguishing features of the 280 ( and indeed the 250 ) was the long rear bumper which wrapped all the way round to the rear wheel arches . The red car in your picture clearly has the short rear bumper , which suggests a W115 , and it has the ribbed tail lights , which point to a post facelift car ( although , in fairness , M-B did sell the ribbed lenses to replace the earlier smooth light lenses as a safety upgrade for earlier cars ) .

Alas , most of the recognition points between pre and post facelift cars were at the front , so it is hard to be certain from that photo , but my guess would have been that car was a 230.4 .

 

[alabbasi]

Just looking at that picture , are you sure that car was a 280 ?

No, that car was a 250 with parchment MB tex, 4 speed manual and a/c. Finding a gen 2 250 is next to impossible and I would rather have a 280E.

I'll more than likely have to build one as the fuel injected models never came to the US.but I have a power train from another 280CE euro car, also with a 4 speed manual and D jetronic.

 

[Pontoneer]

If you are looking to build one you might find this useful : it is the data card from my genuine 1975 factory original 5 speed manual car . Maybe it would help you to identify original parts for the car ?