The BEST and WORST Mercedes! W123? R107? W210?!  

A comparison between a W124 and W123 would be fantastic

For me the w123 estate is peak Mercedes

W123 still in use in the third world in great numbers. Highly prized and rebuilt over and over again. Truly a permanent car.

It has to be W123 for me. Everything is more robust on them compared to the W124. My rule of thumb: if it still has the grease fittings on the door hinges, it's a real old school Benz.

I think the W123 is the greatest platform ever built by any auto manufacturer. However, I think the Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 is the greatest vehicle Mercedes ever built.

You're both wrong! The W126/C126 is not just peak Mercedes - they are peak CAR full stop! Beloved by oligarchs, film stars, dictators and heads of state the world over: when a car is so good that the Sultan of Brunei has to have one of each in every colour of the rainbow, and Patrick Swayze jumps one over a fence in Roadhouse - HOW can there be any argument, that the stunning Bruno Sacco designed 560SEL or SEC is not one of the greatest cars ever to grace the tarmac? (Plus my Dad once had a 420SE, which he once let me drive at the age of 17! 🤣🤣)

I would have to vote for the W126 as peak 'Benz. Shame there wasn't one there to look at

If we're speaking pinnacle of engineering, then r/c107, w123 w124 and w126. For me these are iconic MB design as well. I have all of these and daily drive each of them.

I’d say the w124 as it is just that bit more refined then the w123.

There are plenty of comments about which model might have been better than another, but the general consensus appears to be that 'Peak Mercedes" was sometime in the 1980's!

Peak Mercedes- in terms of technology and luxury, 600 Pullman. In terms of style, 190SL and Pagoda. In terms of practical classic car ownership, W114/W115 and W123. I drive W124. My childhood dream as a little girl was "having a fur coat, polished black heels and big Mercedes". At 31 I made it.

I had the W123 coupe with a fuel injected 2.8 litre twin cam engine. Not a drag strip racer but smooth torque. The engine purred like a kitten.

124 is a surprisingly good car to drive. Back in 2005 a friend gave me a go in his rs6 estate... I couldnt wait to get back in my 1990 230te.

The W123 was a really good car. The only serious problem I had with mine was the springs that would break in sub-arctic conditions.

I owned and drive W124, W123,W126 & W140...love them all....🎉😂😅

You are correct, I would say the best and most reliable, easiest and cheapest to maintain is the w123, but the w124 is a better more modern feeling, usable car. It's softer and quieter but it has some more complex suspension parts and engines aren't as serviceable as the w123. Love them both and I have had plenty of each

I own a W124 E320 Coupe a superb car.

Comparrison between the 123/124 would be great. Especially if they were the exact same models. ie 230E's or 200's, same transmission, same options etc.

I could watch this Channel all day long. When I discovered it, I certainly went through the back catalogue of videos.

Drove a W123 in the 80s.Felt like it was hewn out of solid granite🤣🤣🤣

I have owned 6 older Mercedes in NZ between 1978 and 2011. The first was a 1963 220Sb and the last was a 1987 420SEC. In that mix I also owned a 1977 W123 250, but I didn't like that car so much because of the engine. The twin carbs were always going out of balance. However, I am now living in Colombia and I own a 1993 W124 E320 saloon. The car has only done 107,000 miles - it was originally sold new in the US and came to Colombia before it was 12 months old. I have had some issues due to "deferred" maintenance but am gradually (after 2 years!) getting on top of those. The worst problem occurred just recently when a transistor in the Engine Control Module blew, but I managed to obtain a 2nd. hand one from the US and I think I have now found someone here who can repair the original. If that is successful I will have a spare. These ECM's were only used after about 1991 and to me they potentially spoil an otherwise superb car. New ones are just about impossible to source which is disappointing because as these cars age, they will fail after a time. MB support these cars with most parts, but so far are not handing this item. Unfathomable because they are anxious to demonstrate MB longevity generally and the 124's are the cars that epitomise this MB quality. My 124 will probably be the last car I own and I fully expect that, with proper maintenance, it will see me out!

With you on the W124, Sam! I'm fortunate to have owned a 190E 2.6 (W201) and a R129 SL500 but love my E420 W124 most of all.

For me the W123 280e/230e, W124, W126, R107 is peak Mercedes. Rock solid.

I don’t think you can make a video like this without including the S-Class models 116, 126, 140. It’s true that you cannot run any of these three cars in a shoestring like say a W124…but that wasn’t a requirement in this test (to be fair you can’t run an SL on a shoestring either and the cost of restoring that R107 we saw would be eye watering). But surely in terms of Mercedes driving, art, elegance, and solidity the S-Class needs to be in the mix. Best wishes to all, Johnnie

I have a W140 S280. I recently drove this from Blackpool to Rome and Back 3 up with luggage for 2 weeks. Solid as a W124 handles well, goo fuel economy 20mpg. Huge boot awesome turning circle.and easy to work on.

I could not choose between the W123 & W124 so yes it would be great to see a comparison video. I was pleasantly surprised that you did not slate the W210 being an owner of both an E320 and an E55 wagon. They were bought cheap on a bangernomics basis but and are still going strong after 12 years and 8 years respectively of ownership.

All great cars - the W123 coupes win for me though; the C123 280CE is a work of art.

Great presentation

For me W126

Bought a left hand drive W123 in London many moons ago imported second hand from Germany. A 230 Auto. Never had any problems with it. Unfortunately, the day I had to put it up on a lift the sills crumbled from all that winter salt it had gone through in its earlier life. Shame. I moved on and had many other cars since but still remember it fondly as one of the most comfortable. It was a well thought out car. I loved how cleverly they’d designed the front seats to rise as you moved them forwards for drivers of lesser stature for example 😀

W123 280ce or 230ce is the without doubt the finest design, practical and beautifully built. Not many left now and no issues other than rust.

my '82 280 TE was a fantastic car!!! comfort, silent, smooth...🥳

W123 and w124 are the peak Mercedes. But I would say due to its multi link suspension, options installed and fuel injection in most models I think it is the peak MB.

A comparison test between the W126 & W140 would be great

Dempsey and make peace was on in New York in 1986.❤awesome show

W126.....

First generation R129 with its solid engineering timeless design zinc coated body,without doubt is peak Mercedes. I have owned one for over 20 years,all original,still has it’s original exhaust system. Every thing works as it should and having done many thousands of summer miles in the uk and abroad it’s never let me down.

W111.perfection.

w124 is a great car, but I would go w126.

Beautiful content ? My peak and my love is the w124

W140 / C140 - 600SEL / SEC

My preference is W108/109 and W113.

Have an '84 W123 230TE and it has been brilliant. Parts are now very expensive and take some searching out but I would never sell it.

W124 for me it is still modern enough to be a daily driver. It is also when Mercedes was over engineered as a Mercedes should be.

For me personally, the W123 is peak Mercedes. I would put the W124 as a VERY close second. Having owned 2 W210's previously, I really like them a lot, despite their willingness to dissolve. I currently run a W203, and yes rust issues on them too. Just a little disappointed there was no mention of the W201. That car did a lot to bring the Mercedes brand to a larger percentage of the car buying public.

W201 and W124 is peak Mercedes for me

My Dad had a 1979 W116 450SEL 6.9 litre 😊 Big as a house,more expensive than a house and a petrol tanker constantly filling the tank as you were driving it but even now we'll into his eighties he still says it was the best car he ever had. So for me but understandably not for everyone this is my peak Mercedes of choice with childhood memories of going to the lsle of Wight for holidays etc. 😊😊😊

I agree about the cramped cockpit of the 107. LIterally about one inch less seat travel than I need in order to have an optimal driving position ruins it for me.

Having owned a few of each, I think W123 is the best one qualitatively, while the W124 is a better car to drive. But we should not forget the W126 either. Would love a comparison film for sure, and even better with one film for coupe, one for sedan and one for the touring. There should be enough interest for that out there I think.

W124 for me, would love to have a S124 as a daily car in the future.

W212 - the pontoon sides and a huge car - the station wagon will age very gracefully, and an enormous amount of modern features including all the radar safety features

I still have a 210 e55 estate.. it is amazing on B roads... as were the 320 and 240 I had before.

W123s & W124s are great Mercedes cars but you forgot the most iconic of them all : *The Glorious W126s !!!*

The gullwing in the lobby at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands is gorgeous. The gun-sighted 123 is M-B's signature car. But what do I know? I drive a R171...

Peak Mercedes was the W124 IMO. We had a 88 230 TE. 4-spd manual, central locking, sunroof, towbar, rear seat headrests and ABS. That was all the luxury you got. It was definitely comfortable and solid and lasted about 25 years/350.000 Kms before it became uneconomical to repair, primarily rust. The mechanicals were still good, even the self-leveling rear shocks that were standard on the Estate. Although the spheres for them had to be replaced at about 20 years! Wasn't that expensive though. Fun Fact: The spheres are are known as "Bulleneier" in Germany - Bulls Balls 😃 So much for Gemans supposedly having no humour! I personally preferred driving the Volvo 740 2,3GL saloon we previously had. It felt more direct and responsive, the Merc made you feel like you were being driven. It made you feel quite aloof. And the manual gearchange was kind of crap tbh. 7:50 Please show more of that 77-78 Toyota Celica ST Liftback! My dad had one from new here in Germany. I later found some paperwork and he part-exchanged it to get a 1981 Toyota Cressida DX Estate. He did 180.000 KMs in 2 years and 11 months! Our neighbour had a 2000GT for decades and later a friend got an '81 2.0 Auto in the early 90's which sadly suffered transmission issues. They had a great, proper cockpit which made Capris and Mantas look kind of sparse and cheapskate. Especially concerning the centre console.

W124 coupe peak - timeless style and design with bulletproof quality.

I have owned W201. Brilliant car.

I remember Jeremy Clarkson saying on Top Gear that Mercedes had had board meeting and decided to increase profit at the expense of reliability in the early / mid 90s. I guess if you're wealthy enough to buy a Mercedes then you can replace it as soon as it's out of warranty or just lease it.

Loved my petrol blue, W123 280cc 6 cyl. ❤

The W123. They were at that point where they had perfected making a car good to drive, look at, ride in and be long lasting and fixable. The W124 was never quite as good and the W210, whilst mechanically excellent, was a rot box. The 2000's onwards stuff proved that they could design clever things but were unable to make them reliable like the Japanese. Those SL's, CL500's and anything with a 7Gtronic or an OM642/M27* engine are just a massive invoice waiting to happen.

As an w123 owner i start to get more and more attracted to an w124.. might switch sooner or later

Peak Mercedes is W126 but W124 is on the plateau

Regarding Mercedes quality - asking several buddies who work(ed) at Mercedes they pretty much all said "Don't buy a Mercedes from between 1996 - 2006".

I drove a W124 Estate for 27 years, the car was then 30 years old. I replaced it with a W212 Estate (Facelift version).

Great.. but the elephant in the room is the massively over engineered compact Mercedes, the brilliant W201, 190 series.

I had several w123s which i really liked except for the first series, mine rusted through within three years. I have only had one A124 which i bought in 1993, I have never seen anything I want to swap it for so still got it. The biggest repair was hydraulic cyclinders for the roof at 2200 after 30 years, otherwise most years there is nothing outside routine maintenance. However I would be tied between the W126 (which you didn't cover at all) and W124 series as Mercedes' peak.

124 series Mercedes-Benz is probably one of the top 10 best cars ever made! I've had both 124, 123 and W111 and though W111 was probably the prettiest (it was a coupé) then 124 is both classic and the styling was actually ahead of its time. Just look at other cars made in that period of time and perhaps the next 10 years after. 124 still looks relatively young - and it is damn reliable 😉

Black W140 LWB :-) Best Mafia Car Ever

Though disagree with some of the sentiments like the Mercedes must have a 4 door version that leaves out stuff like the SL especially the pagoda and R107 and stuff like the gullwing

W123 rock solid. I drive the 280 coupe version. Yes I’m a little biased, but prefer the older style look.

For me, W124 is peak Merc, simply because it's just as good as the W123 but with 80s technology rather than 70s. Plus it's just that bit more "under the radar" in looks.

W124 500E

W124 coupe for me. Perfect car.

280 s .....stack headlight .... come on not a mention

The W223 looks like a brothel and falls apart the moment the warranty expires

Great video. Although I disagree that R107 prices continue to go up. They seemed to reach a peak somewhere around Covid time and you never see them now at the asking prices of those times (SL Shop aside, but rightly so!)

280 se ❤

The Pergoda SL is peak Mercedes for me, from this range of options.

123 turbo diesel

I use to own 123 model, unfortunately a rust bucket.

I’ve a 1999 R129 SL320 in line 6 bought in 2010 with 48k miles. Now she has 60k on her. Beautiful

I’m torn. Love the 124 (a 320ce please), love my C123 280ce, but my R129 still feels and looks modern today.

New mercedeses pure junc compared to early models that were real quality

for me it is W116 all the way. 6.9 450 SE.L Drivet one on the Aurobahn baby!!! Hard to beat!!!

We've had 4 W124s, all bought used, the only model we haven't had was the convertible, still have the '96 E320 coupe we bought when it was 6 years old and i must get round to putting it back on the road. Don't get carried away with how reliable they are, the higher in spec you go the more there is to go wrong and they can. H reg E230 saloon, the first, had CHG failure but was otherwise OK, that was the only pre facelift and i believe were better painted. Our fairly basic facelift '95 Diesel saloon was the most reliable by far also the simplist, an excellent car. The E320 estate was a nightmare, had the whole file from the day the first owner bought it, he spent £thousands on repairs over the 10 years he owned it and the dealers who serviced and repaired it repeatedly for the same items did him no favours whatsoever, £££££, unreliable continued in our short ownership, CHG failure finished that one off and yes they all do that sir apart from the Diesels. Our coupe has also been expensive to keep in good condition and thats with me doing much of the donkey work. Engine wiring loom on E320 (and W129 fitted with the 3.2 6 cyl) degrades which then causes coil shorting which then spikes the ECU. CHG failure just over 100k (common theme here), whilst it was stripped we had the timing chain and oil cooler replaced as preventative work, no engine wear to speak of at 110k. Bottom ball joints are a welded in part of the wishbone on E320s so expensive replacement costs, on lower spec models its a replaceable ball joint which costs buttons. Coupe rear screens deliminate, ours is on its 3rd. Drivers door window regulator can fail, circa £400 in parts, someone handy with sheet metal and a lathe could probably replicate the worn parts. Rust can be an issue, front wings mainly but bonnets and the underbody where subframes etc are mounted need checking. Keep a spare overvoltage protection relay in the car, OVP can die at any time. On the good side, astonishingly fast for its day, once up to about 80 its like someone has fired up another couple of cylinders and it wants to fly, handling is amazing can take fast bends at very high speed without drama, brakes are really good, very comfortable. Most maintenance is simple enough though, parts haven't been an issue but the dealer parts desk people sometimes don't realise (hmm) that often the part that is worn is available individually, ie the very end piece of the seat belt presenter wears and can crack but can be bought without the rest of the mechanism. Personally i prefer the saloons and estates, the higher roof line and slightly longer wheelbase give more headroom and obviously more space in the back seats.

A comparison between the W123 and W124 would be interesting. Not that it hasn't been done before. I think the W124 sits beautifully between the "now" "Old School"/Youngtimer Mercs best represented by the W123, and the newer, more Hi Tech Mercs post W124. Of course the W126 coincides pretty much with the W124 and is a fine car, tho BIG: one feels one should be driven rather than drive it. And the W201 is a fine car, tho much more cramped than either the W123 or W124. For sheer durability - bar the cracking of the dashboard - the W123 will triumph every time over a W124. But the 124 seats are more comfortable and the dash layout is super on a W124. The seats in a W124 wear much less well. And the cladding around the windows and map pockets tends to lift. The drag coefficient in the W124 was amazing for its time. And speaking of drag, if you wanted speed, the E500/500E was no slouch, but all LHD, and out of financial range for most people.

I seem to remember reading many years ago that the W124 didn't get off to a good start and disgruntled German taxi drivers demonstrated outside the factory gates! However, I do believe now that its bombproof reputation is justified. You missed its smaller sibling the 190E; that was engineered like no other as the MB advertising line used to go. I believe even MB itself realises it can't justify that any more.

I like the first one presented. I'm not much of a Mercedes person, as I think they look a bit sad and too serious. I prefer a Jaaag!

I have restored many older Mercedes. It depends what your criteria for ‘Best’ is but the W201 190 Series (not seen in this video) makes the strongest case for it, IMHO! The W124 is actually the ‘son’ of the W201…not the other way round, as many people seem to think. A W124 is, in many ways, just a bigger and roomier W201. I have had many W201s and W124s. Mercedes invested an absolute fortune into the development of the W201 and when you get to know these cars intimately well, by working on them, you see how they are true masterpieces of design and engineering! Their design and engineerings cues are also present in arguably the ‘best’ SL - the R129. Going back to the 190, you only have to search videos of far flung places with the harshest environments like Mauritania or Western Sahara and see how many out of the total numbers of cars on the road are W201s ! They may be battered and not look pretty anymore….but they’re still going! 😅. That’s because they made with few faults and those that are common are either easily fixable or just cosmetic and don’t matter. I don’t have one at present…in fact, the only Mercedes I have now is a R230 SL…but for me the W201 is the high-point. I’d go so far as to say that as a mass-produced car, no car has ever equalled it! (I don’t classify the Toyota Hilux as a ‘car’. It’s a pickup truck or a mobile heavy machine-gun mount 😅)

If you want an opinion as to what was the best Mercedes model,you cant beat the opinion of the Taxi Drivers in Cyprus.I visit there a lot and 99.9% drive Mercedes Taxis.All have said that the model that put food on their table in terms of reliability and costs,was the Mercedes 123.They also mentioned that all the windows had mostly wind up manual handles so less electrics.You heard here first from the experts,Mercedes 123,either the 230 or 280.

I remember riding in the back of a W124 taxi in the early 2000s and I was incredibly impressed at how nicely it rode, how refined it was, how well made it was and how comfy it was. I can't remember being in a better sorted car. Probably had done about 300 thousand miles as well!

Peak Mercedes was everything from 1886 to the W124/126/129/140. Everything after that was the beginning of the slide into total crap.

I used to have a w123 230CE and I miss it dearly, fabulous car

exactly right - 124 and 140 are peak Mercedes....

Biased me would agree with the W124 (well C124 given I have a 220CE) - but the 280SL is a dream car. BUT - the W124 is not quite a bulletproof - given age - in my experience. Eco wiring looms, and rust are an issue.

You missed the 201 ok so no wagons coupes or cabriolets but it got the company into works racing since the 300SL and it was the first AMG car sold and warranted via MB dealers. Drives like 126 with joggers on, frugal and bomb proof

W114 / W115 were better built than even the W123 in my opinion. The folding roof on our SLK R171 is just fine at 17 years old thanks .

Very sensible. (I slightly prefer the W201 "190E" - but only because I live in the city and it makes more sense for me.)

For a self-avowed sedan guy, how could you choose anything other than the 116 4 door saloon car, particularly the 6.3 engined Autobahn burner?

1955 Gullwing