The Mercedes-Benz W123 is known to be an incredibly durable machine. Overbuilt from the factory, it has been used by privateers and businesses alike to be put through grueling conditions, from simply the rigors of daily driving to acting as a taxi across the Sahara region. In sum, its exploits are well-documented, which is why you still see them being used today and showing up at your local auto recycler like any other 10-year-old Hyundai. That’s why when a car like this 1980 Mercedes-Benz 300TD shows up here on craigslist as a project for $2,500, it seems quite manageable for almost anyone to get back to daily driver condition.

The seller notes that the Mercedes was his daily driver for a few years before being parked. This is the kind of car that even when a small repair crops up that makes you think twice about using it for a long drive, you don’t get rid of it – you keep it handy until you can either fix the issue or keep using it for safer, shorter trips. The 300TD shown here is a pre-turbocharged version, which makes it particularly pokey and generally speaking, worth a bit less in the eyes of people willing to daily drive an old diesel. The wagon body checks the desirability box, however, to keep hope alive for this down-on-the-farm W123.

The 3.0L OM16 diesel engine is virtually unkillable like most Mercedes motors. Whether you find a diesel in a Unimog or a sedate sedan, you can rest assured that even if the body rots out around it, the mill under the hood could be used to power other equipment in your jurisdiction. This car, however, has some impressive signs of use, most notable in the driver’s seat condition. The original MB-Tex upholstery is typically in mint condition no matter the mileage, but this car shows some very real signs of use. I can’t recall seeing a driver’s seat in this condition in a W123 that wasn’t already in a junkyard; fortunately, you can swap in a replacement without much of a struggle.

With close to 250,000 miles on the clock, this W123 is just getting warmed up. The 5-cylinder diesel makes around 90 horsepower with 127 lb.-ft. of torque to help it get off the line. You will never accelerate briskly in a car like this, which is why the later W123s with the turbocharged 5-cylinder tend to be worth more and more sought-after by enthusiasts. However, if this 300TD is rust-free, that’s a significant argument on its own for restoring this wagon back to good health, as these older Mercedes aren’t immune from the tin worm. Would you restore this wagon and get it off the farm? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Chuck Foster for the tip.