Just bought a W123 coupe - now scared!

[Deleted member 11979]

I've just bought what I think is a lovely W123 coupe, 1983, pale blue metallic 230CE, had a jolly good look over it and all seems very presentable, a bit of welding has been done well to the floor, and that's the only blemish I could find on the car.

Now, post event I've read the buyers guides - bugger, wish I'd not bothered, are they really that expensive to run? I'm worried I've bought a money pit with hidden rust and all kinds of ridiculously expensive to fix minor ailments waiting in the wings ready to kick me in the goolies?

I couldn't find any faults with the car save interior dash lights not working.

Tell me they're not as bad as all that, been used to the simplicity and reliability of W124s and W126 for years, and assumed a W123 would be the same!

Who is this Mark Cosovich chap as well, seems to be a name that crops up again and again, a real doom monger! If the cars are so brilliantly engineered, why is he so negative about them?

 

[bpsorrel]

They're beautiful cars. If it looks anything like this one, it's a treat!

I've come to the conclusion that owning any MB is expensive, the 123 is probably no better or worse than most. At least it doesn't have all the stuff that made my CLS such a stupidly expensive beast to run!

Edit: Seems Mark Cosovich is a bit of an expert on these as he's written a book about them. Doesn't seem that negative to me.

http://www.w123world.com/
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/mercedes-benz/mercedes-benz-w123-230e-1986-road-test/

 

[trapperjohn]

Lovely looking car. Best of luck with it. And thanks for the PM

 

[Charles Morgan]

Buyers guides are the distillation of every fault that has ever happened to a type of car, put together without weighting for probability. Mark Cosovich runs a business restoring them and his cars are inevitably without stain of sin or fault, unlike all the other ones out there. They are not that complex, it's rust you need to look out for.

I hope you enjoy it, they are lovely cars to see on the road.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Who is this Mark Cosovich chap as well, seems to be a name that crops up again and again, a real doom monger! If the cars are so brilliantly engineered, why is he so negative about them?

Lovely car. Just look after it and enjoy it at the same time.

 

[SG1]

Congrats! I have had a 280CE for a few years and they don't seem too expensive to maintain, or so far anyway!

 

[Deleted member 11979]

Here she is, I bought it without the number plate, so it will have it's original "A" plate back on.

Mercedes Coupe SOLD (1984) on Car And Classic UK [C394381]

Thanks for the reassurance

 

[IanA2]

Very very nice, Well done

 

[Deleted member 37751]

To me, the W123 was the last of the 'proper' Mercs and it looks like you've got a beauty there.

And I wouldn't worry too much about reliability and just drive it, I doubt that a car that's circa 30 year old hasn't been looked after...

 

[grober]

Looks the BIZ! The 4 cylinder engines are reckoned to last longer than the 6's. Valve stem O rings and the single timing chain are the only weak spots I am aware of. The valves seats might appreciate leaded petrol not sure if they are hardened or not?

 

[ianrandom]

Here she is, I bought it without the number plate, so it will have it's original "A" plate back on.

Mercedes Coupe SOLD (1984) on Car And Classic UK [C394381]

Thanks for the reassurance

That is gorgeous.

 

[Scott_F]

Here she is, I bought it without the number plate, so it will have it's original "A" plate back on.

Mercedes Coupe SOLD (1984) on Car And Classic UK [C394381]

Thanks for the reassurance

I couldn't help noticing this when I viewed your advert:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 230 Amazing Service History! Petrol Blue Automatic | eBay

Some people !

 

[w124nut]

I ran from new, a w123 230E for 11 years and the only problem I had with it was a rusty battery tray and rust to the rear window frame n/s.

Your car looks in good condition but do look out for water ingress / damp in the footwells as this will indicate problems elsewhere.

My 230E drank about 27 mpg during non-rush hour journeys and the tyres lasted around 20,000 miles.

You may find that your coupe will be the subject of conversation at petrol stations etc and expect to get offers to purchase from strangers.

Enjoy.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Lovely.

You'll have no problem keeping up with the traffic coming back from Truro!

 

[mejermy]

My first MB was a brand new 1983 230CE manual. Super car. I sold my father's (he was long deceased) 1987 W123 saloon a couple of years ago. It had remained in the family from new and that never gave any trouble. If it's in good order now it will be no dearer to run than a modern tin box (fuel excepted possibly) and there's hardly any electrickery to go wrong as already stated.