I bought one a year ago for $2750, stick. I was feeling nostalgic as it was my first car. No rust, pretty clean, 240k miles. It had been parked, driven maybe once a year for the last 10 years. Test drive went great, then after it went to the shop no less than 5 times in 2 months. Comically, twice it broke down leaving from the shop. Got it all sorted and $4000 later, I haven’t had an issue in 10k miles. All issues were really related to it sitting, ie. fuel, seals, bushings, etc. Beware the deal, even on a driving car!

Sold a black on palomino manual 240d two years ago for twice what I had in it. Never regretted anything more in my life. I’m about to drag a crusty 77 Caledonia Green 4 speed out of the woods to help me get over it.

Bought one for 750$ with 370k on the odometer. It's been almost a year I drive it daily, still goes 80 on the fwy every day and besides a molly purge and an oil change it's still kicking hard. I'm amazed. Yeah my driver's seat is bad my rear trailing arm sounds like a bag of glass bottles rolling around but in a pinch I've burned avocado, sunflower uses veggie and both uses engine and transmission oil in it and I never get tierd of the shock in people's faces when I'm at the Ralphs with three bottles of sunflower oil and funnel filling her up. Next to my 99 ls400 it is the best car I have ever had.- Fred south central LA 1977 MB 240d 4speed om616.9 naturally aspirated nick named the wrotten tooth due to the hefenblitzen paint color

I have a 240D automatic, it's been bulletproof. I changed the transmission fluid and filter last year for the first time in several years and everything inside was very clean. A well maintained automatic is nothing to be afraid of--mine has about 330,000 miles on it. Clutches are wear items, too!

I bought an 81 240D on Cars & Bids in April. ChIna Blue over navy MB-Tex. 4 speed auto. 60K original miles on the clock. Immaculate paint. New tires. I paid 14,700 at Auction before shipping to California. People told me I was insane. My mechanic says it’s the nicest 240 he had seen in his career. I changed the fluids anyway but everything ran clear. Perfect vacuum. I daily it in heavy Silicon Valley traffic. Yesterday at the gas station someone offered me 25 on the spot. The market is bonkers for these. I absolutely love it.

I got my manila beige manual 240D December 22. 10 year barn find. Now on the road for the last month after I sorted it and detailed it. I love it.

I am so lucky to own a '81 240D and 280E. Both automatics. Every time I have a question about these cars, Pierre has been very helpful. Thank you for answering my emails.

My 1979 240D has been off the road for a while because after 40 years, the rubber bits of the suspension components are gone. The OEM components from the dealer were two grand but worth it. I’ve owned the car since 1994 and don’t plan on selling. It is also the only US spec W123 I’ve ever seen with factory rear seat headrests.

Got one for $100 last year and it’s been nothing but fun

Nice info.

I recently bought a 1982 240D automatic for $2500 just up the road in Jacksonville. Of course, it needs a few things done, mainly fluids and filters, valve adjustment, and one rear caliper is sticking. But the rubber underneath and suspension are like new and the car is tight. It's runs and rides incredibly smooth. I never thought I'd like a 240D as well as I do my 300D's, but I think I like driving it more!

Very interesting info Pierre. Thank you. Love to see you discuss the W124 Diesels and their history/buying guide. It would be fascinating for sure.

I subscribed, great videos and talking points on the old diesels. Thank you for sharing you knowledge. I'm back in the Mercedes diesel world with an 83 300D, only 135,000 miles and mint California family owned car. I used to have a 116 turbo diesel but sold it like an idiot. Who knows, I might need your help someday with mine.

Well, you read my mind. Tks.

I own a 1981 stick shift 240D among other cars. Love the car. Can not find a place to paint it though.

Interesting video... I've ALWAYS maintained that a 240 was the best and last true economy car ever made. Built to last a lifetime and easy to maintain. So I can understand why people would want one...or two or three. I had a customer at my dealership who bought one for each of his 3 kids. Mind you, this was in the early 1990s, and the cars were pretty cheap back then. Now I'd be careful, especially of a later version with all the vacuum stuff. Still a great car, especially a great FIRST car: good brakes and suspension and crash worthy, but not fast enough to get into very much trouble! And the cost is relative. Say you find a sound car and spend $4-6000 on it to bring it up to pristine mechanical condition. You might then have $15K in it, but what does $15K buy anymore...and the 240 should be a MUCH better place to put your money than a new Honda or Toyota. Just as an aside, I used to see reasonable Mercedes parts coming from Mexico and Brazil, things like brake rotors, water pumps, even cams (a 240 weaakness). What happened to those parts sources? Keep up the great videos.

I work at burback motors in portland and what you said is very accurate, we have a customer who wanted a brand new, 300td wagon. He bought the car before restoration for around 14k. Now were here, coming up on a finished product and more than 100k into it. People still want these cars!

Two years ago I bought a 1981 automatic for $1000. With a new set of Michelins on it! My third 240D, but my first automatic. Tranny doesn't want to shift (have to let off the throttle to let it shift each time), but otherwise, it's in pretty good shape. Good body, very minimal rust (as these cars were prone to), not a single crack in the dash, exceptional interior, and even the vacuum door locks and clock still work after 42 years! Needs a lot of little things taken care of but even though I'm not a fan of the automatic 240D, I'm going to keep tinkering on it and get things fixed one piece at a time. Took care of the motor mounts a few days ago (they were totally roached). Previous owner broke both the front manual window regulators (long story), so I've fixed one, and have to do the other, but otherwise, I think this little car will last many more years. Odometer only works part-time, (showing 222K right now) but I have a local VDO vendor/service center that will overhaul it for me here in NC. I've been driving W126 and W123 diesels for the past 27 years. It's funny all these years later, now that they're so much older, that everywhere I stop, someone has to compliment the car and ask questions about it. Great video. They don't make 'em like they used to. Never will again.

My '84 240D has manual everything, even the sunroof is manual. When the brakes gave out, so did the clutch so watch those two items on the 240.

have had a 1981 240D with manual transmission for about two years now. Needed some work then and still needs a little more. Did the usual fluid changes, diesel purge, vacuum locks, etc. Then some cosmetic stuff and speedometer repair and new brake calipers and pads, and more. Did your know that you can buy low cost ($1.65 a foot) piping material to repair the “B” pillar fabric under the plastic piece? Probably a California car its whole life so very little rust. Might have had a front end crash with less than perfect paint job on the hood BUT this car is just the best! It’s the perfect daily driver. Go to the grocery store or the hardware store and it just sits there in the parking lot as anonymous as can be. Nobody pays it much attention. Perfect! Sometimes I get caught up in the W123 wagon madness but the $5000 - 7000 ones need a lot of work and the $20000 ones are too nice to drive anywhere. Besides they are all automatics. Ugggg! Real cars don’t shift themselves!!!

About a year ago I put in a bid of $1081.81 on an imported GERMAN, not a US model, 1981 240D at an estate sale. They were asking $5200. Nobody else bid on the car so I won it much to my wife's dismay. It runs but needs TLC and rocker panel rust-through repair. My daughter-in-law ask me TODAY(8 OCT 23) to will it to her. LOL!!

Pierre I would like you make a video on the W123 200D and 220D. Not sure if you guys got them in the states, though.

I have an ‘84 Euro 240d with 315000. It’s a 5 speed. Been driving it since 2008 best most reliable car ever

I ve a 1983 240D looking for a forever home

Tragically I had to scrap my 81 240D stick back in March when it grenaded on me. Now I drive a Chevy Spark. Cheapest car in America. I'm actually fine with it for what it is. I don't have unrealistic expectations and I don't care wether I can reach 100MPH or not, not that I ever could have done in a 240D either... I will have another classic Benz in the future, but I'm not sure what it will be yet. Might be another 240D but maybe some form of 107. I agree with the observation that restoration may be a necessary path moving forward. There just aren't enough pristine cars that are more than 40 years old any more. Problem is that for a private individual restoration isn't necessarily an economical option. Not everybody is a mechanic with access to their own workshop and the necessary tools. So costs can add up fast.

In Australia and my 81 240D was not cheap. Body has no rust and looks immaculate, engine has good compression + low mileage (

Bought our 1980 240D 4 speed manual with AC 2 years ago for R100 000($6250) with 97 000kms at the time, now almost 120 000kms, very light on diesel(13km/l easily), if something needs to be attended to, I do so asap, enjoying every mile.

I need more leg room, and have a 190D and a 240D. Since no airbags can the seat be re-mounted several inches aft (towards the rear)?

You are lucky in the USA. There were many w123 240/300d imported. In the UK there are not many to choose from RHD uk spec. The reason is that very few were imported to the UK because of the very unfavourable GBP Deutschemark exchange rate in the 70s and 80s.

I must confess I don't get the appeal of the 240D when the 300D is the same thing except with more usable power. The only advantage I can see with the 240Ds is that on US-market cars they had manual A/C controls.

Is 5000 a good price for a 76 240D automatic with just over 73000 miles on it?

What is a good place to get my 240d stick service? Want to start restoring it but need a reliable and knowledgeable place or guy. I can do a lot but need a lot of orientation.

Just bought a very decent cosmetically 1980 240d auto last night for a friends … $2800 Drives pretty good. Slow. New tires and lots of work done on brakes it looks like. Hopefully it will be good 👍

off topic. will your company refurbish my 1976 & 1974 MBZ 280C's rear differential?

i just bought 1977 240d with 31250 original mile automatic mint condition one oner i paid $10370

I'm looking at a 1983 204D automatic for sale for $750. How can you check for oil consumption? Car is located in Nevada and apparently no rust.

I currently have a 240d

Would love to watch more, but the audio distortion makes it hard to listen to.

Only one listed in Canada as of this comment is 35 000 CAD with 144 000 km on it. Dang, even my "affordable" dream car is now nothing but a wish. Sticking with my Toyota matrix xrs w/ a 5 speed for now.

Have a 1980 240 D stick with 103K MILES!California car purchased by previous owner in Germany at The Factory.Very good condition and I had it shipped To Upstate NY.Great car!!contact me as I may consider selling it!!

how much should I pay for EU '83 240D with 197K KM with original 5speed and no rust

Few want an automatic transmission 240D since so slow and changing one to a manual transmission is expensive, thus stick-shift 240D's are expensive. Even my 1985 300D w/ 5 cyl turbo-diesel doesn't accelerate fast, though acceptable. The W123 has some nice designs like the connectors are large and robust and can be easily re-wired. Even the window switches can be taken apart and cleaned. Other designs are strange, like the analog auto-climate control which is always quirky and fails. The EGR is a cluttered mess with weird things. Ex. if the over-voltage relay which protects the EGR box fails, the tachometer stops working and the AC compressor won't actuate. Earlier models with simple manual climate are better and the non-turbo engines are likely the ones which got the "1M mile engine" reputation. My turbo-diesel engine failed at 330K miles (replaced it myself). Still, paying >$10K seems more for nostalgia than practical, since a new Prius is $24K and gets 58 mpg.

I bought my first w123 last month... $1700

Isn't a pre turbo 300D a nice substitution for a 240D. I have my eyes on a metallic brown 1978 300CD

The beeping in the background and the horrible mic make this hard to watch I’m sorry. Good information but the audio quality makes it almost impossible to listen to

I have a 240 d and when it rains passenger side trunk well fills with water ! How and why does this happen ?????

I'm currently shopping for a 240d (auto) at this very moment (Nov. 2022) in Los Angeles. Shoot me a reply if you have a decent driver for sale within 500 miles of LAX.

Please talk a little about the w123 230e (mines 1984) I’d like to know about the engine (I think it’s a m102?) and what other models I can pull parts from if need be. I plan pulling general 123 parts for cosmetics (trim, head rests, window cranks, etc.) but since it’s gas I don’t know what engine I can pull parts from. It’s starting and running but I dropped the gas tank as I’m cleaning it along with the fuel lines. Tbh we hooked up a diesel distributor because I couldn’t find another 230e one anywhere. Hope it runs flawlessly when I put her back together! She’s got 132k miles on her in automatic, no rust, no dings, what do you think she’s valued at?

Last year I bought my 240d off a collector for 1800. And the same guy dumped all 14 of his w123s for 16,000

I almost bought a new Mirage in 2018 discounted for $9500 end of the year. $15,000 seems like crazy $$?! On another note; a friend has a 77 automatic 240DL sitting since the pandemic. I can buy it Cheap. Its not turning over, just clicking. I am wondering anyone on You Tube wants to come assess it, help out, I pay for any parts needed, and do an episode? Or more? It was well maintained before sitting last 3 years. 360k miles. Any You Tube channel’s interested?

My neighbor has one sitting in his yard who wants to give it me for peanuts. I'm thinking about it...

Absolutely nothing. It’s a death trap in today’s standards no matter how much love you can have for that thing.