I have to admit that I’ve never considered a big Mercedes-Benz sedan, diesel equipped or not, an “environmental choice,” but that’s the seller’s suggestion regarding this 1984 300 TD. What I do know is that these are well-engineered and built automobiles and their understated but formidable elegance has always been a draw for me – and the condition of this 153K mile example (barely broken in!) is not to be denied. Los Angeles, California is where you’ll find this beige beauty and it’s available, here on eBay for a current bid of $2,650 with eleven bids tendered so far. There is a BIN price of $26,995 available too.
This 300 TD is one of many iterations of Mercedes’ W123 platform, a design that spawned more than 2.5 M vehicles over eleven years from ‘86 to ’96. ’76-’86. The 300 TD, offered from ’81 to ’85, put up about 75K units of output. Most were four-door sedans, though station wagons and two-door coupes were also part of the mix. These are considered E-class or executive cars though the wheelbase is moderate at only 110 inches (135″ for the stretched limo version). The seller tells us that the finish is actually code 473, which is “Champagne” which he claims was a one-year-only available hue. He considers this Benz to be “museum quality” and I’ll admit it looks great but I’d have to see it in the steel to support such an assertion. One encouraging aspect is the condition of the numerous black plastic/rubber components – they all appear to be fresh and not sun or age-deteriorated. Yeah, this one’s a looker and you can see for yourself with this video.
Power is provided by a 123 HP, 3.0 liter, in-line six– five cylinder diesel engine feed with the help of a turbocharger. The seller suggests, “Runs like a sewing machine” and the four-speed automatic transmission, “is shifting smooth and strong.” This is probably the cleanest 153 K-mile engine compartment that I’ve witnessed.
The interior is about what one would expect, it mimics the exterior in terms of its condition and cleanliness. And it’s not just the seating upholstery, it’s the entire environment including the door panels, carpet, dash, very Germanic instrument panel, and headliner. With the exception of the clock (no surprise there) the seller claims everything works as intended including the cold A/C.
The seller makes what I would consider the outsized statement, “Possibly the most environmental choice of car purchase you can make today… These beautiful cars are already here so there is zero environmental footprint in the manufacturing of them…These cars run on bio fuel.US farmer friendly no war required.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, so forth and so on. This is a fine automobile in excellent condition and I imagine it has a lot of life to give a new owner, and I’ll leave it at that. OK, how about that BIN price of $26,995, what’s your thought, priced right or not quite?
Thank you Jim for the write-up. I don’t know anything about these cars but I will comment on the ad.
The paragraph you noted sounds “AI” to me. Brash, over-the-top, exaggerating. Now, contrast that with the rest of the ad, which has mostly single-sentence, simple, bullet-style entries. Although, credit to the seller for quite a bit of info.
I’m of the opinion that a well-crafted ad, complete with many high-quality pics, helps make for a successful sale and purchase. Which means what we often see on Marketplace and Craigslist is very frustrating.
Good observation Bob, I hadn’t thought about it to that extent. While the listing is informative it’s what I would call peripatetic. It wonders all over the place as opposed to being organized, or compartmentalized into areas such as the car’s history, exterior condition, mechanical condition with improvements, driving characteristics, interior, and then the closing pitch. Perhaps that too, is the result of some non-human intervention.
Thx,
JO
This commentary is too analytical for me, however I’m from Iowa and like the simple approache because to me owning this car would be like adding a special member to my family.
The W123s were built from MYs 1976-1986, not 86-96. And that engine is a 5 cylinder, not a six.
I know, I fat fingered it and now it’s fixed.
JO
And while we’re at it, this isn’t a 300TD. For Pete’s sake, there are clear pictures of the “300D” badge on the trunk lid! This is a 300D with a turbocharged engine. A 300TD is a station wagon.
I’m no rabid environmentalist, but “most environmental choice” is an interesting stance to take, particularly considering the amount of particulate and NOx emitted by this car with each mile driven. There was no urea injection system or particulate trap in 1984.
Precisely what makes it appealing.
Fox Owner, these are amongst the cleanest engines I’ve ever worked on. After 50 years (and counting) of working on Diesel engines, I can safely say that the crap they’re putting on engines today only give you the illusion that they’re cleaner. It’s just another “smoke screen.”
Fox owner this thing burns cleaner then the gas cars from the same era so YES it is a good choice for environment
Great cars. Nowhere near 27k great but great nonetheless
It is a lovely car that appears to be in excellent condition that I would DD in a heartbeat even today…………at the right price but not at 27k ??
15k would be the magic number for me but 27k = No way Jose or Hose B.
My ex-wife was the office comptroller for a major MB, Volvo dealership in the city we lived in at the time of that mistake.
If you plan on keeping your main mode of transportation you buy a Benz. Period. Just remember to do all the maintenance that MB recommends. These cars are built and balanced in places that most other automobile manufacturers don’t know even exist.
Every diesel cars needs picked up and destroyed. None should have ever been sold. No cars in history have ever polluted the air that we breathe like these. Their exhaust was BLACK! What does that tell you? They lost all of the lawsuits against them. They are still going on in Europe. The car companies deliberately cheated on the EPA tests. They lied. All of their results were lies. There is no such thing as a clean diesel. It’s a lie! Again, these cars all need picked up and crushed. Recycling is the best thing that they could do for the environment!
Wow Dave. Ever wonder how all of the interstate highways were and are built and maintained?
Ever looked around a heavy equipment construction site?
Gasoline engines do more permanent damage to the upper atmosphere than every diesel engine that has ever been built.
Do your homework, sir.
P.S., ..Ever watch a train going down a track?
Well, Dave, that’s quite a rant. Diesels can emit black smoke if they are not maintained. Because they are so reliable, many owners imagine they don’t need to be serviced. Black smoke tends to result from a poor air/fuel mixture, a clogged air filter or a clogged EGR valve. Worn rings too, but that is rare. Car companies that cheated on air-quality tests did so a decade and a half after this car was built.
LOL I’ll be rolling coal down the road with my 6NZ Peterbuilt laughing my ass off thinking about this comment. You have no idea what diesel engines are in use to deliver our food and living products. Take away the diesel and you’ll all starve into a mad max world.
Rolling coal? Maybe the definition of that is starting to be used more loosely (?). That’s the term used for smooth brains that illegally modify their trucks to increase exhaust particulate, blowing black soot everywhere. If your Peterbuilt is rolling coal by this definition, there’s a problem.
Oh my goodness! It looks like this has turned into a major debate instead of commenting on a vehicle.
IMO, I love this car. I would prefer the 5-banger that came before it. Just too many gadgets to look after on the six. And it was just the gadgets that failed, not the engine.
Now for all the naysayers, you worried about CO2? Plant more trees; they LOVE CO2! Particulates? Carbon—C—soot! Fertilizer. Your campfire at the lake pushes out more C and as much CO2 as this MB car does on a trip up the Pacific Coast highway…
I had an 81 300 TD (wagon). I loved the car and it ran flawlessly the entire time I had it. At the time, to be able to buy a luxury car that got good (for the era) mileage would have been considered a good step for the world’s health. However, step on it and smoke poured out the tailpipe like you were in a James Bond movie.
About that clock: we had a 1961 190D from about 1965 way into the 1990s, bought used by our father as the family’s second car. The used Mercedes was about the same price as a new VW. Four children all learned to drive in this vehicle, slow and safe. The youngest brother eventually took it with him to LA. It had way over 300,000 miles on it, with nothing but more or less regular maintenance, no major overhauls, and then it was T-boned in an intersection by a school bus. My brother was unhurt. The clock still worked.
These things can be run on filtered frying oil, so the environmental claim is not too crazy.
The exhaust smells like french fries when they do.
Jim- fat fingers or not, the article still shows an incorrect model designation, and 6 cylinders instead of the 5 it actually had.
As gently as possible, I would suggest more cautious proofreading-
Awesome car. I owned an “83 300D Turbo with a quarter million miles on it. Still was a totally dependable auto.
Well, the damn thumps up thingy is on the fritz again..or most of you commentary masters would all be getting trophies from me…ya’all noticed I said “most”, right?
Enjoy our deep freezer weather !!
In addition to the other responses about what color the tailpipe emits, even though it looks worse, the smoke from a diesel is much better in comparison to the exhaust from a gasoline engine.
Newer diesels have an exhaust filter that collects that soot, then once built up- burns it all at once. Referred to a a “regen”. Accomplishes next to nothing but at least people don’t see the black smoke constantly…
Might do a tiny amount of research before a screaming rant about smashing all diesels without understanding what the issue is (or isn’t)
Diesels are amazing for mileage, torque and emissions, whether in US or EU (or anywhere else) capable of burning petro-diesel or reclaimed cooking oil, personal or commercial vehicle from a tiny kei to a freight train
What you call a regen is a diesel particulate filter that periodically burns off the collected particulate matter (PM). It actually does a lot By capturing the exhaust PM it allows the engine to emit cooler exhaust which greatly decreases NOX. Both PM and NOX are dangerous air pollutants
I want to say thanks to the Staff at Barnfinds. I am grateful for all that yall do. I look at this site everyday and dream. I always wanted one of these cars but have always been to rich for my wallet. I wont say i will get one when i win the lottery because when i win i will forget about these and get a classic car with an old school Lunati Cam in it. Keep up the great work Staff. I am very impressed with this site since it started and still today.
I owned an 84 300SD with the same 5 cylinder engine about 20 years ago. I had traded it for the monster 69 300SEL 6.3 Mercedes. What a relief! The 300SD is just a little longer and different than the 300D seen here. The smaller ones with the same engine were a little sportier and lighter. But my car was much easier and less costly than the 6.3 gasoline engine with its big mechanical fuel pump and air suspension. My wife did not like the minor diesel “noise”, so we sold it to a young couple who were thrilled. I had tuned it so it ran great with a little over 130,000 miles. The emissions from a diesel engine are different than gasoline, and the newer diesels are even cleaner, but can we afford the newer MB’s? Back to my current Ford and Lexus, both bought used. And I did sometimes run the 300 SD on filtered cooking oil. It was a thing back then. People were getting it free from behind restaurants at one point. Did smell like french fries!
My first thought right now anyway would be did it survive the current situation going on in the LA area and if so are you able to get to it otherwise it’s a nice little car with a comfortable ride personally I think it’s a bit steep on the price but these things have always been on the high side
I sold my 300SD in almost as good condition to the young couple for $4,500, but that was about 20 years ago.
This commentary is too analytical for me, however I’m from Iowa and like the simple approache because to me owning this car would be like adding a special member to my family.
Diesel fan here. Diesel is more efficient than petrol. Diesel engines last longer than petrol engines. Diesel engines have low rpm torque right in the sweet spot where most driving is done. I have owned several diesel passenger vehicles. Liked every one of them. I intend to keep my current diesel Mercedes as long as possible. Crush my diesel indeed, sir. I think not. The subject vehicle is a dandy. Should it sell, the new owner will definitely not regret their decision. GLWTS.
I remember well, late in my parents’ long lives, when they bought a brand-new 1978 Oldsmobile 98 Vista Cruiser with a Diesel engine. What an unending nightmare! For one thing, it was hard to start in cold weather. For another, it had a most annoying “clatter” when it was running. And that diesel SMELL — like a passing BUS or TRUCK. If they wanted a diesel, they should have invested in a Mercedes Benz!
Must have been a “Custom” Cruiser as the “Vista” variant was phased out in 1977. The Olds diesel was hit or miss with a lot of people. New diesel owners didn’t understand them. Our 81 Cutlass 5.7 performed well. We had “farm” diesel which helped. Changed oil on time and most importantly–let it warm up for 2-3 minutes before driving. Drove it for 3 years until 123k miles and traded in for a new car.
I’ve owned many of these plus CD’S and SD’S. I believe the ask price is way off but hope someone gets it at a reasonable price.
There are certainly many comments on this post. That must tell you something about these cars! I had one of these 123’s. It was an 84 gray market 240D ( four cylinder diesel for those who don’t know) with a stick shift. The color was Baby Sh** Brown! Mercedes people know the color. No A/C (fine with me). It ran great, got 30 MPG, wasn’t very fast but with the stick it was fun to drive. One time on the Garden State Parkway (NJ) 25 years ago, I decided to see what the the top end was. I pegged it and kept the pedal to the floor……. It hit a whopping…… 83 MPH…. bhah, bhah, bhah…….. and that was it! If you had to pick one vehicle that had to last you for the rest of your life, these 123’s are the ticket… they can last forever if you are happy with the same ride. It was the only one I ever had and it was a nice solid (if not spectacular) ride!!
I think these are a better choice for the environment for reasons stated in several previous comments, and personally I’d really like to own one but not at that price. A couple decades back I had a friend in Sedona who was in a “diesel club” and they’d go around to the local restaurants and get their used cooking oil and filter it, so they had free fuel, and it was a win-win for them and for the restaurants, and for the environment as well. Oil that would have been thrown out was being burned instead.
John, when I had my 300SD I was buying ultra filtered cooking oil for about the same price as diesel. It was supposed to be better for the engine but not quite as good mpg, not sure if true or a rumor. Like you said I heard that restaurants at one point were saving money by giving away their oil, but then they got wise and sold it to entrepreneurs that did the filtering and sold to us. Not sure that this is still as popular. Remember in the early 70’s when diesel sold for less than regular gasoline?
I don’t know if it’s happening any more either Dave. I haven’t talked to my friend for a long while, and in the interim I know he bought an older Tacoma, so he wouldn’t be doing it now anyway. As far as charging people for it though he did tell me the restaurants in that area had to pay to get rid of it, so they were more than happy to give it to him and his friends. I still love the whole idea though regardless.
Probably the best ride Mercedes Benz ever built! That is a Museum price and that may be hard, but for someone this is the holy grail and it will be interesting to see if it sells at the asking price. I own one and it has just turned 340,000 miles. Another 200 to go!
Dave Brown is currently working for the wonderful governor of the once great state of California. He knows everything about automobiles and hot air.
That body color was available for several years for the w123 on all variations. Although the lighting makes it appear a shade brighter than factory. This is def way overpriced. More like a 12-15k car. The seats do appear to be covered in the rare leather option. Most are MB-tex. I would agree it’s more environmentally friendly because you are essentially recycling instead of sending it to the junkyard.