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Ever hear the old joke “he’ll be late for his own funeral?” That adage refers to the people who were driven in to their funerals in a Mercedes-Benz 240D hearse – because this thing is so slow, they literally were late to their own funeral. The W123 240D produces 67 horsepower which is slow enough in the standard sedan. Add in a hearse body (as well as a real body inside a heavy casket) and a farm tractor is starting to look like a more expedient option. This 1979 that is heading up for auction in New Mexico is a curious car with some odd things and interesting stories, so let’s try to make sense of this funeral coach.
When I consider the slew of new cars for 2016, my mind keeps circling around one question: just how long could you keep one of these machines on the road? My guess is not for long, with the plethora of electronic devices that are bound to go wrong as time marches on. In this era of leasing, it seems that new cars are becoming throwaway items, cast off for those wanting the newest and shiniest thing. This 1979 Mercedes-Benz 240D for sale in California is the exact opposite of the disposable vehicle. These cars were built to last and over three decades on still make for a sensible daily driver.
We feature a lot of low mileage cars here at GCFSB, but one particular car that comes up in the rotation a lot for which mileage doesn’t seem to matter is the venerable W123 Mercedes-Benz. There’s been a few I’ve seen that have over 200,000 miles yet still appear as if they’ve rolled off the showroom floor. A testament, then, to good engineering and quality materials. This 1982 240D won’t get you there fast, but you could have fooled me that it has covered upwards of 150,000 miles. This particular example is from the southern US, has all its service records and has been regularly garaged.
Last week I wrote up a very clean, well-traveled BMW 524td, and commented that its looks and efficiency might help it supplant the Mercedes-Benz W123 diesels as my stinking and smoking cruiser of choice. While I did like that car, I think I’ll keep my E28s loud and fast and leave the highway trundling to the Benzes, especially when they can cover mileage like this one. Having spent its 33 years with a single owner in Florida, it’s covered an incredible 432k miles. Everything about is a testament to why these are some of the most revered automobiles in the history of the machine. Top Gear may have shown the indestructability of the Toyota Hilux, and I’m of that tribe as well, but holy cow these things are incredible. 80s BMW interiors rarely look like this with a quarter of the miles. With no reserve and a great history, it’s a fun idea to think of DDing this intrepid traveler in pursuit of a million miles.
In the realm of German motorcars, it seems within each marque, a favorite has emerged as the standard bearer of each manufacturers’ virtues. The air-cooled Porsche 911s appeal to those hardcore P-car nuts who deem rear-engine sports cars as the only acceptable vehicle to don the Stuttgart crest. The BMW E30 has become a symbol of greatness and what initially drew thousands to the company in the first place: the ultimate driving experience. And for Mercedes, few classics capture the imagination more than the W123. Perhaps the most durable Mercedes-Benz ever, this car combines restrained good looks with over the top engineering that had customers coming back into showrooms for more. Admittedly, this wasn’t very often when you built a car that could easily cover half a million miles at a clip.
