1979 Mercedes-Benz W123 240D 2.4 diesel

Summary:

The best car I've ever owned!

Faults:

At 240,000 miles the vacuum system began to leak causing the automatic door locks to not work, the cruise control to fail, and eventually the engine to not shut-off. It became necessary to shut the engine off under the hood.

The fuel lines clogged after allowing it to run completely out of fuel.

A/C failed after approximately 220,000 miles.

Leaked oil excessively after about 200,000 miles.

The front seats eventually began to lose their straw-like stuffing into the rear floorboard.

General Comments:

What a car!

This car is a tank! You can't kill it even when you try.

This car is absolutely remarkable, and remarkably slow. It's 0-60 MPH time is over 19 seconds. So it's definitely not the modern AMG hotrod Mercedes of today. It does however have a great running gear and will run at 90+ MPH all day long, even with it's 60 something horsepower. The interior of this car is luxurious and comfortable, trimmed in wood and chrome. It has an old fashioned sense of luxury and charm that can no longer be found in todays high-end cars.

This car does something to your soul. It becomes like a member of your family. I sold this car at 275,000 miles and the last time I saw it (2 years later) it was running liike new. This was the best car I've ever owned. If you find one with low mileage, jump at the opportunity to own one of these machines.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd February, 2005

8th Apr 2006, 23:54

Good review. I'm sorry that yours was an automatic. That must have been painfully slow. Ours was a manual, and it was slow enough. Great car though, tremendously reliable and it was fun to own, ride in, and drive.

13th Oct 2009, 13:00

Sounds good! I just bought a 1978 240D automatic with only 89,000 miles, it was a little old lady's car. Also I think the 0-60 time is more like 23-25 seconds, with the 240. I am not sure how yours went 90mph? The owners manual says top speed 83mph.

19th Apr 2011, 21:27

I have a 79 240d and plan on keeping her. A quart per eighty miles... Burning it. Lotsa oil smoke on deceleration, in gear. 60 plus and she burns more. If I keep her on the side roads, she'll burn less. Runs amazingly good and fires right up in the coldest temps that are here so far, and that's in the low 30s, which isn't that cold, granted.

I would sure like to find a 300d engine and do a swap...

Drives like a couch, and will darned near turn any turn at top speed!

Bug splats on the rear wind screen.

Don't know if I could drive her daily if I lived in San Francisco, you know??

This car is designed to be worked on, and it shows. You must maintain these cars! Someone let mine get low on oil too many times and that shot the rings and scorched a couple of the cam lobes... Noticed that when I did a valve job..

Looking forward to 100,000 more miles of oil burning cruising!

1979 Mercedes-Benz W123 240D 2.4L, Natural Aspirated

Faults:

Replaced water pumps myself twice.

Replaced drive line universal joints once.

Replaced brake rotors only once.

Rebuilt the front seats once.

Replaced door gaskets once.

General Comments:

As an engineer myself, I have to say that this car is the best engineered vehicle that I have ever owned.

While it is not a fast car, its reliability has been beyond that of any other cars I know of, therefor I have to give it a top rating in the overall performance area.

I would only purchase a new car if it is diesel powered, and if I could be certain that it would be as reliable as my old 1979 Mercedes 240D diesel.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 27th September, 2002

13th Jan 2005, 11:32

I have an 88 BMW and I'm wondering how you replaced the you joints considering that the joints are staked in place, and run on a balancing machine. please email me at sjcrail@hotmail.com.

18th Nov 2006, 15:55

I own a 1981 240-D purchased in 2004 with 131,000 miles on it. Yes, it is slow, but a great car. I've gone 31,000 trouble free miles. One problem: In 30,000 miles, I'm on my sixth alternator. I've been replacing with re-manufactured units, but the most miles I've gotten on an alternator is 7,000 without it failing. Any ideas? Should I bite the bullet and buy a new alternator? Any ideas are appreciated.

8th Jun 2007, 21:42

Six alternators in 30,000 miles suggests that you have a bad voltage regulator. Have you tried replacing that?

29th May 2008, 21:10

I think the alternators are prone to getting soaked in water splashed up by the front wheels.

3rd Jun 2008, 08:42

Yes I think you right. If I go over a deep puddle the battery light comes on for a few seconds in my 83 240d.

3rd Jul 2008, 12:45

Spray the back of the alternator with wd40 or similar. The alternators are in a bad place. Sometimes at low speed my battery light comes on when going over puddles.

15th Sep 2008, 09:13

I just bought a w123 240D, great car but fuel consumption is a little excessive and have observed that it's producing whitish smoke.

Anyone knows why please email me on dyonsl@gmail.com.

However, it's a very stable car, very powerful and the take off is okay with me as I'm in Zimbabwe no need for speeding, fuel is expensive here.

Radiator was leaking and this tended to affect the alternator on some occasions. Fuel consumption approx 10km/litre, is this okay or it should do better.