What its like to drive a 1977 Mercedes 240 Diesel 

Nice car. I've got a 79 240D 4-speed manual with 300,000 miles that I'm selectively restoring. Basically, most of the rubber suspension components are gone after 40 years. My car is the only W123 I've ever seen in the states with rear seat headrests. Anyway, I was watching a Pierre Hedary MBCA video the other day where he made the point that the W123 is the last car to be completely "analog" and computer free. One more reason why these cars are tanks and deserve their reputation. Happy motoring.

Years ago, I owned a 1983 300 D sedan and was hit from the rear by a guy doing 55 mph. The truck collapsed upon itself and did not protrude into the passenger compartment. The seats held firm and the car saved my life. No gas tank explosion and just a bit of a sore neck for a few days. I bought the car when it had 350,000 miles and I put another 100,000 miles before I had to total it from the accident. Best car I ever owned and a total pleasure to drive. Today, I own a 2017 Mercedes S550 that is so powerful, quiet, and smooth to drive but I'd take the old Mercedes back any day of the week. Thanks for an enjoyable review!!

These cars have a unique feel and driving pleasure due to their quality of construction and efficiency. Owned a w115 240D with an excellent manual gearbox that never let me down, then a w123 300D automatic (no turbo). If they made them again, I would gladly spend $100k for a new one of either model, their durability is next to none, perhaps only rivalled by a Toyota Landcruiser.

i feel your passion! i have owned many...still daily drive my 78' 300d

I have an '82 240D stick and have driven a friend's Euro, stick 300D.. The best of both worlds is a base-spec Euro 300D with the manual 4-speed or the very rare 5-speed!

I love how you drive around in traffic, blatantly using your phone, no seatbelt and dog roaming around the car 😂🐾

You and i think alike! I have a 300sd and building a ranger with a 240d engine (om616) we need to bring these diesels back. Lets go back to the diesel days!

Beautiful cars indeed.. Thank you for sharing..

The interior colour is "Bamboo". I had that colour in my 1977 240D as well. I truly loved that car, but I loved my 300D even more because of the extra power, and additional accessories, automatic air conditioning, power windows, nicer trim. I truly miss having them. The equivalent quality of the drive cannot be found in anything today. I could drive all day, and not get fatigued (but not 24 hours, tried that, and I still needed to lie flat)

Hi, thank you for reinforcing my love for these cars, in half a year I will turn 18 and once I get my licence here in germany, I will buy one of many beautiful maintained 200d or 240d for around 10k euros, thankfully here in germany, there are still a good ammount of them to be found in great condition😁

Love the car, I have an '83 240D 4-speed in Russet Brown. I'm not sure our US cars even got 71hp... I think we got 64(I could be wrong). Glad to see another survivor being appreciated!

Good stuff. I love my ‘83 300D

Here in Australia and in India, American cars with left hand drive controls are well treasured. They come out on the streets only on special occasions. Otherwise, owners don't mind keeping it safe, well polished and looked after in their garages.

I’m seriously considering one with 325k miles, but the most perfect red leather seats you have ever seen in an old car. The owner made sure to constantly treat the leather and the drivers seat is COMFORTABLE! Of course, I know jack about car repairs and have never gone beyond changing oil so… it would be a learning project. Three out of four windows don’t work. AC is gone. I’d have some work ahead of me, but for 2 grand? Thinking about it.

nice video( extremely informative thank you.

Beautiful color. Enjoy !

There's something very charming about a diesel car,namely the sound.I always liked the sound of them,really appealing,seriously.I like them alot!.John M Guinto

Awesome video. They were certainly built to last. I couldn't agree more with your comment on today's car manufacturers expecting you to come back in 5 years for major repairs. I'm toying with the idea of buying one of these. I work at a Mercedes technician and we still have old special tools for these things that we aren't allowed to throw away surprisingly. Good video

I currently have a 1983 240d it's an awesome daily driving machine with little problem... Also it runs forever.

I liked both of one !. Manually one , that's good !..

❤️❤️will be having soon 👍

My dad had an 81 300d when i was a kid. I get it!

You’d never get out a junction in London in that

Beautiful car, that acceleration on the highway makes me feel like I’ve got a Ferrari in my mk4 Jetta 2.0L

My first car was a 1978 240D. Loved that car and you’re right, they are slow. I currently have a 1961 190D… now a 240D can outrun that. Lol. Love to find me a W123 diesel again for a daily driver.

1979 240D owner here with the manual. The key to driving it is to maintain momentum. My only complaint is that third gear is too low (although it was intentional as to be used as an in town gear). The Euro five speed would fix the issue!

Two things killed the old 240D's. Rust in salt belt states in Winter. And auto trans that literally unraveled the engines after so many years because most people that drove them were impatient and held their foot to the floor and let it scream in each gear when they should have bought a 300D turbo instead. I rebuilt the engine in an 82 240D 5 years ago I planned to drive for years. It wasnt running when I bought it. Once I put the engine back in I took it for a drive and was so disapointed with that trans even after I dialed it all in. I sold it and have been looking for a stick shift one since and have found a very clean 1980 locally with 106,000 miles but they want $13k and Im not ready to spend that for a right lane car.

One thing I noticed was the colour options for leather were basically a rainbow, at least in my 80s s class that was the case. Nice cars

Well said, best cars on the planet

Nice car

Nice I have a 77 240 and it’s yellow and Carmel interior

Great cars, my neighbour had a 250

I have a dark blue 1984 w123 200D, it has an outstanding 59hp, 4 speed manual, euro specs and square headlights. Sadly you don't have the OM615 in the US market as I'm aware of. It is slower, but it is more bullet proof and it has a huge reliability. I know too many of these 200D that made 1 million Km (620K miles) and they are still going with a factory closed engine.

Hi nice videos 😊 Can you do some videos about your's boat and jet ski please 😊 See you on the French road

Iove classic 👍👍👍👍👍👍😍

If you want to make it go faster you can tune it up a little bit. It will not be a get up and go right off the bat in a race to finish first but the short delay and you will be taking off and will have the endurance

How many miles?

Thank you for this video as I am contemplating "simplifying" my life. I am debating the 240D, 300D or E300d🤔🤔

My Fried has a 77. It’s been sitting since the pandemic. Automatic. I’m debating getting it. He says it’s been sitting and battery dead. Might need to clean tank. Should I just put a battery in it and try? It was originally well maintained. 290k now. How much is getting fuel tank done at a Mercedes shop? If it needs it. Sunroof needs a seal. He never opens it.

Im very glad that i can buy for cheap mercedes that i saw in Miami vice 😊😊😊. Because Ferrari is very expensive 😢😢

If the engine is original, you got 64 hp. The power upgrade came in 1978.

One thing you have to do is check valve adjustment on it about every 12,000 miles on it

If you have a manual 240D, adding a Turbocharger to it will make it feel a bit more like a naturally aspirated 300D with an automatic.

Wunderbarr

I have an 83’ 300D Turbo with 280k miles on it. The weird thing that it used to run on biodiesel

😂 4:17 German accent attempt lololol

Is the seat height adjustable for a shorter person. I assume not given the age?

I didn't know the 240d has an automatic. Is it's slowness ever been hazardous to your safety on road?

I agree with you. I've always owned 300D's, never wanted a 240D because it would be slower, right? Well, I recently acquired a 1982 240D and I absolutely love driving it! I like the way it feels like it's working hard to do 65mph. There is something more endearing about it, the little diesel that could, the underdog! But, it's just a little more querky and a little more fun to drive than my 300D's. Of course, I wouldn't part with any of them.

How rare is this?

Nice car but dont let the dog on the sits