Mercedes-Benz W123: The Ultimate Classic - Carfection 

Great video ! My father had a 1980 230E when I was growing up, and at one point I bought a 230CE , so two w123's in the family at one time ..love them. My father ran his into the ground and sold his in the end, and I had to sell my coupe in 1996. I regretted it totally. So now , 25 years later I bought myself another 230CE , a 1983 one owner from new vehicle. Finally ,I can sleep in peace once again and this one is a keeper.

This really is the most classic Mercedes-Benz. REALLY good looking, elegant and well-propotioned. Today, the wheels are getting bigger and bigger, it's ridiculous. 17" wheels on a Ford Fiesta. This Mercedes looks great with 14" wheels!

A classic Mercedes. So much better than what they produce today, in many ways. It has class, simply. Please come back to this, Mercedes-Benz!

I own the car featured in the video, (there's just a single video of the same car doing a 0-60 mph sprint against my username) I bought it just under a year ago for about the same money you'd pay for a basic spec 7 year old Ford Focus. It's my daily driver and is kept on the driveway all year round happily dropping oil. It has been ultra reliable but it is far from perfect and has a few quirks. It puts a smile on my face each time I see it and is so comfortable to drive. Its biggest drawbacks are its thirst and the gearbox; with the auto you'd love it to change up to another gear at 50mph but sadly that gear doesn't exist. Its thirst is the second problem, it averages only 19 MPG. There are many other 'ultimate' classic cars I'd sooner own but for this price range, practicality, reliability and steady increase in value I love the old girl... :-)

I quite like it. Nothing too shouty, nothing too ghastly, just simple clean lines. A humble Mercedes if you will. From where I come from the W123s are cheap to run, their parts are pretty much everywhere. I'd love to have one myself ^^

I currently own 5 of these beauties... always looking for the next one!

Back in 1992 I hitched a ride in a 300D from Weimar to Berlin. It was just so silent and comfortable and the owner was cool. The massive sunroof was also deeply impressive: not the letter boxes you get on today's cars. I knew I had to own a W123 one day. In 1998, living in Germany, I bought a beat-up 230E and loved it. The first of two. Supremely comfortable on long journeys - you actually looked forward to getting back into the car the next day. Back in the UK I bought another 230E for £500 (this was 2004). Rusty front wing but otherwise all working. Totally reliable for 3 years! The ride in particular was superb, no doubt due to the considerable weight. Sadly had to sell it when I moved abroad again....I've also had two Merc 190Es, smaller, faster and wonderfully engineered, but without the 123's character. Not sure about their value as investments, but obviously they ain't makin any more of them. Best wishes to all W123 owners, wherever you may be.

W123 the undying car

I have a 1984 300D. I agree with everything he says, it's not fast, but it's very enjoyable to drive

w123 is a car faithful to his driver . w123 in my opinion is the best car built in the whole world . when you want to look to a real Mercedes design well look at the w123 . my father own it since 1982 before my birth I don't remember any day she stoped on the side of the road . we owned several Mercedes but the w123 is a special experience

I'm 18 but by far this is my favorite Mercedes ever

I just bought one with extremely low milage manganese brown at skyhigh price. After a month of ownership the money is well worth. Very solid car 280CE the rumble of the engine when accelerating is music to the ears. Comparable to if not close to the sound my MGB roadster make when overtaking! Great car!

An old Mercedes is just special to sit in, the seats have springs so you kinda bounce in them while driving, the interior feels nice with all the wood and of course there is that satisfying solid door closing sound. A modern Mercedes lost all that.

I’ve recently bought and got roadworthy a beautiful brown w123 200 petrol. It is the early version with the non cross flow head. 4 speed gearbox, and you can change along to 4th in less than 30 mph . I agree it could do with a 5th gear. I bought it because I liked the hub caps.

the timing of this video is pretty good - i just got my 240d manual back on the road with the 3 liter turbodiesel swapped in this week

my heart pumps blood so fast by just looking at this ice gray color, everytime...

Stunning video, as always. The host is also very cool to watch and hear.

Wow great video. It's funny growing up (I'm 21) I've seen so many of these on streets that I didn't think they were special at all. This video actually made me want one. Beautiful car indeed.

Old Mercs are the backbone of 3rd world industry development - Well, these days. Not kidding, look where most of them drive nowadays, It's Africa and Arabia. Full of old Mercs. Another thing is when you have a Mercedes-Benz is that no matter where you live, you get every single part new, original and within 48 hours.

I got nothing but love for this car.

Owned a W123 for many years and loved it. Would have another, thank you!

I have watched this video so many times dreaming of one day owning one. Well, dreams do come true because last night I purchased a C123 280CE in the same colour as this one but a manual gearbox. I guess we will see what comes next.

My dad had a '94 C220 diesel (not a W123 I know, it was a W202) which did 660k km without any major problems before he took it to the wrecking yard. It still drove okay but it had had its best days to say the least. God I loved that car, they're absolutely bulletproof motors. I'd really like to own one of these W123s myself in part because of the reasons you mentioned.

Thankyou thankyou thankyou carfection for showcasing one of my alltime favorites!

This car is very common in my country. Very reliable, comfortable, very durable on terrible roads.

i wish i could afford one of these. the C123 has been my all time favourite classic from MB. coupe looks, reliability, practicality. dark colour, creme interiour, 15 inch fuchs wheels. holy moly, i'd drive this, and only this, until the end. maybe one day...

for the same reasons roughly, I have a bmw 1996 e38 740i and i love it. Keep on trucking !

This is so refreshing. Great video !

Having owned and driven a W123 in the early 90s (pre-Cat 230E saloon), I'd instantly buy one if I was looking for an everyday classic today. One of the most "solid"-feeling cars I ever sat in, super-comfortable and quiet. To this day, I still remember how quiet the engine was at idle - so quiet that you could hardly even hear it after you turned the key. I also know tons of stories about the car's longevity and reliability. I rode in a W123 diesel taxi in Portugal back in 1990, and the driver told me it was still on its first engine and had over 400,000km under its belt. That said: The 230E was one of the few cars that scared me in the handling department. On a wet autumn-road (covered with leaves) you could *easily* get the car to oversteer and spin even at lower speeds - happened to me on a couple of occasions. But hey.. it was never meant to be sporty and if you didn't try to drive it like your pants are on fire, it was a highly capable and comfortable long distance cruiser.

Still owning a 41 years old 123-230 in very good shape with almost 500000km covered,, I believe its the most reliable car of it's time.-

Great video! The W123 is one of my favorite Merc body styles of all time.

I need one of these, so bad.

I owned a 78 240D 4 speed. Slowest, most base model you could buy in the states, but still a great car. Got offers and compliments on it all the time. Super practical, great fuel mileage, easy and relatively cheap maintenance, a classic look, and all for $1900

Idk how I came here exactly, but.... This car has a very classic design, it reminds me of old taxis too! It seems very well built & reliable indeed!

the w123 mercedes, and all those classics, are legends. some of the mercedes engines like th om603 diesel is used in so many countries, 2017 im going to start my classic mercedes benz collection.

Well done sir. A true gentleman's car. And in the ever increasing age of disposable trends, an absolute gem to the eyes all these years later. Yeah, I want one

200D has short gears and can keep up with modern city traffic fairly well. I feel limited only on highways, because this car doesn't really want to go faster than 90-100 kph (or 60-65 mph). If I had 5th gear, I might be comfortable at 110-120, engine has enough power at lower rpm.

w123 Mercedes-Benz at their best, the blinged up plastic garbage they build now is shameful in comparison.

Had one (280E) in the early 80s. Same silver as in the video. Loved the car. Still regret that I sold it !

Absolutely wonderful vid. I have a 300D that I drive everyday. Great vid!

Great video, absolutely spot on about the qualities of the car, and in general of ‘70s/‘80s Mercs. The car in the video is however not a W123 but indeed a C123

Looks good and it is a great car. But my favorite is and always will be a W124.

Before the W124 and the BMW E34, Germany's best TANK was the W123 ! Love those RWD bricks !

Nothing goes down the road like a W123/124. Not even current Mercedes models

This is a gem on my Classic bucket list ❤️

I have one of these, the 300CD, and you are absolutely right. It’s an amazing car with all the right perks and none of the annoyances of driving a vintage car. However, I also have an MGB and I wouldn’t insult that car if I were you. It’s an incredibly different driving experience and I have them both precisely because they are both an absolute joy to drive in completely different ways. Still, the W123 is my daily driver, and the MGB gets use mostly in Spring and Autumn when it’s absolutely a thrill to drive. Love these cars!!

Great video !

The w123 pillarless coupe was my favourite old merc but like most people in the eighties could only watch and admire,adorable cars that were only affordable to the few but again admired by the many.

Lucky we have the square headlights instead of the US spec ones.

Nicely done !

Just bought a pretty rough 240D 4 speed for really cheap, how fun it is to drive coupled with this video makes me want to fix it up a bit, or like buy a better one.

I love old mercs. This is a great looking car. Great video. I'm sure the 2.8 is a great engine with many positive aspects but I can't help but wish the MB engineers would have stuffed a V8 in one of those. Easily my favorite video from carfection.

I've owned an '85 300TD now for 3 years. A friend bought a new Volvo and asked me to sell her MB. I didn't want to but I took it and fixed the odometer, clock, radio, power antenna and fell in love with the car so I bought it. I'm the 5th owner and did a forensic look at all the records and every owner changed the oil every 3000 miles. It's a darling!

And it is probably the best car ever built ?! Not sportcar or supercar, just car !

I’ve got a 1984 300D that I daily drive. It’s got a little over 300,000 miles on it and it still feels pretty solid. I’m 19 and it’s my first car. It was my grandfather’s and he gave it to me. He didn’t think I’d like it and I’d get something new later on, but I’ve been driving it for 3 years now and it treats me great. I have no plans to get rid of it, and I’ve fixed every problem that’s come up on it. Anyway, the W123 Mercedes is a greatly engineered car.

these classic car episodes are the best. please do more of them!!!!! like the Porsche 993 for example. or the Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider.

another excellent review

I have W123, 230 CE -82 still in use. Well, only in good weather though, but works fine. Nice car to cruise with dignity.

In the 80's I owned the 300CD version of this car and it was built like a vault. Traded for a 190e and still wish I hadn't done it.

My 1980 280CE is near identical to that featured in the video, 76k miles but with a different blue interior, walnut console/ dash inserts etc. Previously owned by my dad who bought it in 1988, can't wait to finish restoring it and go cruising.

Mercedes Benz W123 is an awesome car! I love this car!

I own a 1984 w123 turbo diesel. It's by far my favorite car . Has 313000 miles and still runs great! Also it does have more personality than any other car I've ever owned. The only car that comes close to having that kind of personality is a Volvo 240 in my opinion .

One of my all time favourites, suave, panache, my kind of reserved style, great looks, superb pedigree.

its unbrakeable , best quality and a Legend !!!

I daily my 280ce. Such a beautiful car inside and out and a driving experience like no other!

Very very nice! Great video

Man I miss my W123. I need to get another one some day.

These reviews keep getting better! The outro music needs to be changed, though.

I have a 230e in my garage, that has been in daily use until the beginning of last year, when my father bought new car. Its been in the family for 34 years since new. We have never had any problems with it whatsoever. If you're looking for a good, reliable, and great looking classic, the w123 really is a great choice.

The 123 is an absolute masterpiece of the automotive world.

I just picked one up for 300$ and got it registered today. 81 Mercedes-Benz 300d 5 cylinder sedan. I expected it to be slow but it gets up to speed quick. Kind of scary to drive but also very smooth ride just need to do work on the car

love it!

I Love this.

It's GORGEOUS

QUALITY 👑

I had one in the past and it was amazing car

Beautiful! I have an ‘89 300CE.

Awesome video of a legendary car... Thank you! BTW what the song title in the end?

I love this car!

I’ve owned a few in my time but by far my favourite was the manual 230CE

This and the Volvo 242 are affordable classics that I've lusted for. The w114's not bad either. The sedans are beautiful.

My father had one painted in Maroon. He absolutely loved that car. And it's not hard to see why. Can you please do a review of the W126? That's the one I have.

Very fine video, with truthful information. Ive got 5 years ago 1979 made year W123 2.0 gasoline, with automatic transmition ( 109 hp), what a fine car that was, I install a LPG system on it, so 100 km cost 6-7 EUROS. I tune up a litle bit sound isolation materials on it, ou... what a smooth ride and comfort this cargot.. Most interesting is that, when i drive with my SKODA OCTAVIA 2014 year made 200km, after i came out, i need some minute to sterch, when i drove my MB W123, i came out after 200km ,same comfy as is sit in, very very advised and ergonomic seats it have, this car is with soul and handmade, not like now, computer designed and robot completed.. like a empty can of PEPSI.

agree ... a future classic still afordable ( now ) to buy for an average people ( like us :-) ...

Why is is everyone so butthurt over the subaru comment. All he meant is that if you want straight line speed, there are plenty of low cost options available i.e. a used subaru impreza just as an example! His point is this Merc has a lot more character which is subjective of course but i would agree. At no point, did he say that subaru drivers lack souls; don't be so sensitive!

Great video I love 280 ce

Best mrecs ever build ! Specialy the 280 with twin cam shafts was a marvel of engineering ! Love these cars !

Chilling in one of these right now, comfy seats

Great video! Do the R129 next!

a good looking car this

ICONIC ⭐

Back when MB made quality cars...

My father gave me his old Benz. I never did an oil change, no brake jobs. The car is a tank. It was manual transmission and as a kid I learned to drive myself and I use to burn the clutch by leaving my foot on the clutch and gear on in traffic. Multiple road trips. Never broke. I’m looking to sell my Supra and buy a real classic. I may get this car

5:42 - 5:48 I don't understand, why pick on Subaru? They have such a rich history in motorsports.

I personally love the W126 500SEC. I really want to own a good example one day.

Would love to see a piece on the Pagoda!

I have a 1981 Mercedes 240d diesel with a 4 speed manual. It is a master piece of engineering.

NICE ONE

Such a beauty

36 years ago I used to get lifts in a 230CE then a 280CE ..I can compare well because the driver drove hard all the time.. and previously he had a 2.8is police spec Granada. The 280CE was vastly more powerful lusty and accelerative even with an auto box. That engine used to sing up to high revs it was far more torquey than the Granada and felt bulletproof. That really was Mercedes golden hour thé build quality was a marvel of engineering no compromises! The 2.8is was never as fast as advertised I know because I was passenger when it was used for standing start’s and held flat out to maximum speed for long periods. The Mercedes 280CE was always revving out working hard but so cultured and smooth I guessed it had another 10 mph top speed over the Granada which back in the 1980’s was fast.