Ah the W123 Mercedes-Benz. Always a favorite here at GCFSB and a favorite, no doubt, of many of our readers. With about a decade of production and a number of engines and model variants to choose from, there’s almost one W123 for everyone. However, certain models, especially late model estates, have been gaining serious traction in the marketplace. I believe it’s a combination of fuel economy and nostalgia for the rock solid build quality of Mercedes-Benzes of yore that is driving this craze. However, in between, there are some often overlooked models that can still be had for enthusiasts on a budget. This 1981 300D for sale in California is one such example and it’s a nice one, having covered under 60,000 miles during its life and on offer for around the price of what a new Nissan Versa will run you.
Tag: Mercedes Benz
The supercar market has always been a bit perplexing to me; get past the glam and the glitz of these showstopping performance machines, and they generally are seldom used toys that depreciate quickly. You don’t hear about someone having saved money their entire life and walking down to a McLaren dealership to buy a P1, for example. That means once they’re no longer grabbing headlines, the well-heeled owners move on to the newest, biggest and best thing to impress their friends. Back up a decade and there was a massive showdown in 2003 between the Porsche Carrera GT and the Mercedes-Benz McLaren. With nearly equal power output, price and performance, one would have presumed that in today’s market they’d share equal value. Both were and are very special cars, and similar production numbers made it to the United States. But today a good Carrera GT will set you back half a million dollars, while you can grab the McLaren for less than $200,000 today:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2006 Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR Renntech R1 on eBay
9 CommentsWhile it looks very similar to the models that have been rolling out of Germany since 1979, most of the G-classes we see in the US are of the W463 variety, an update that ushered in the 1990s. While the 11-year run of the W460/461 chassis probably seemed long at the time, I don’t think anyone could have guessed that the W463 would still be produced 25 years later. While the actual aesthetic differences are few, I much prefer the older W460/1 models as they very rarely look like soft-roaders and usually carry a little more patina, history, and toughness.
Today’s flat-black with green canvas top looks pretty mean and would likely be unstoppable off-road, but the devil is in the details. While the owner claims it has covered just 8,000km or 5,000 miles, the close-up pictures show some rust hidden under the too-easy black respray. Combined with a weak description, its potential is overwhelmed by more questions than answers and a terribly optimistic price.
Click for details: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 240GD on eBay
3 CommentsAs I was winding down what was quite a long week Friday evening, I happened to catch the original Thomas Crowne Affair on one of the upper cable channels. This was a fantastically scripted movie with one vehicle featured prominently throughout: a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2-door sedan with coachwork by H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd. Built in very limited numbers, this was a gentleman’s express of epic proportions, with vast amounts of wood and leather to ensconce those fortunate passengers inside and a pushrod V8 under the bonnet with “adequate” horsepower. This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Coupe for sale in California could almost be considered that car’s contemporary, but with a decided German slant. Even though it might look a bit classic, it was thoroughly modern, with a 4-speed automatic gearbox, Bosch fuel injection and four-wheel disc brakes. Want to be the envy of the forecourt at the country club? Here’s the perfect coupe to do it in.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Coupe on eBay
1 CommentWhile I’m sold that it’s worthwhile in most cases to buy a top condition car from a careful one owner home with a spotless record and no miles on the clock, there’s something that’s at least romantic about the idea of restoring a lesser example back to driving quality. In the case of some older German metal, this is certainly possible; it’s not necessarily the least frustrating way to do things, but one can take a certain amount of pride in resurrecting a car from neglected status back to the road. Today’s example is a great case in point; a W126 Mercedes-Benz is a well build, solidly engineered thing of beauty. Add the pillar-less SEC coupe to the mix and the end of the run 5.6 V8 and it’s a great combination, only heightened by the right sprinkling of AMG and Euro bits. And with a low “Buy It Now” price, this 1988 has me dreaming of a winter project: