1985 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series

Wagon

3.0 litre, turbocharged inline five cylinder

Automatic

WDBAB93CXFF041037

Clear

Diesel

For your consideration, on offer today is my 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TD wagon. Finished in Marine Blue over Navy MB-Tex and showing just shy of 338K miles on the odometer, this example runs and drives very nicely and presents extremely well for its age and mileage. This car has been in the hands of three owners, including myself, for its entire life, and the end result is a well maintained, well-documented example of one of Mercedes’ finest works of engineering which has never been run on bio or waste oil. If you’re reading this, you are no doubt aware of how these wagons have escalated in price in the past several years, with mint, low-mileage examples fetching upwards of $20K on the market, no doubt fueled by the fact that these cars were built to last and are so simple and straightforward to maintain that many people have realized the merits of owning them. Most certainly, W123s are a classic which can be used day-to-day without the need to have a tow service on standby, and are still practical and safe enough to take the entire family out in, particularly in estate form, as we have here. Now, before you return to your main search, having been scared off by the odometer reading on this car, let me mention the fact that it has had a factory longblock installed by a Mercedes dealer, at around 191K miles which is documented with invoices from them nearing $8,000.00. More recently, I have put the car through my workshop, which is an independent Mercedes-Benz only service garage, and have gone through it stem to stern, freshening up the front and rear suspension systems, as well as having performed a major ‘E’ service on the car which entailed a complete replacement of all fluids and filters in the car as well as a valve adjustment and a host of other jobs, which I shall outline below. Additionally, I would invite any interested parties to please contact me on (513) 519-7302 if you wish to discuss the car over the phone or have questions relating to anything which I have not addressed here. Now, on to the particulars! EXTERIOR: Finished in DB900 Marine Blue, the exterior of this car shows very well with average patina which one would expect on a car of this vintage. The paintwork does appear to be entirely original and still retains a nice finish throughout. Up close, you will see some “crows’ feet” and checking of the lacquer, namely on the hood, however this isn’t visible at anything further than an up-close glance. There is no damage on the body save for two dings, one on the right front edge of the hood and one on the left front fender, visible in photos. All panel gaps are factory correct and the doors, hood and tailgate open and close with the superb factory feel that this generation of Mercedes was known for. The rust is very minimal on this car, there being a spot at the trailing edge of the right rear wheel arch and some bubbling under the paint on the bottom edge of the right rear front fender, along with a spot at each end of the front lower air dam, which is a very common area on these cars. There are also a couple of small spots underneath, confined to the driver’s side floorpan, one spot where the accelerator pedal pivot attaches and one spot behind the rear seat where the metal makes an upward curve. Beyond that, the car is extremely sound and both rocker panels are free of holes. Additionally, there is no rust whatsoever on any of the doors or the tailgate. And speaking of the tailgate, new hatch struts were fitted during the car’s service visit. INTERIOR: The interior, finished in Navy MB-Tex is in nice condition overall with the main wear being confined to the bolsters on the driver’s seat. The remaining seats, carpets and door panels are all in nice shape with the only flaw otherwise to be noted is a spot in the rear cargo area where the carpet is worn thin. There is no evidence of the car ever having been smoked in and it still smells as a ‘new’ Mercedes of this vintage should. The blue dash has the typical cracks running along the top surface however there are molded covers available if this bothers you. I personally don’t like those so I just live with the cracks. All glass throughout the car is in good shape and original. The timber on the dash and center stack is in overall good condition however there is some lifting of the lacquer on the trim surrounding the shift console. Lastly, as the bottom spring box of the driver’s seat was broken down, we rebuilt it with reinforced springs so it is nice and firm and supportive now and is very comfortable on long journeys. ENGINE: As stated, the original OM617 was replaced by a main dealer at around 191K miles with a factory longblock (documented with receipts), so the engine has only about 150K or so miles behind it. It starts and runs well with minimal smoke and no stumbling or roughness. As this was originally a California-spec model, we removed the ox-cat from underneath the turbo and fitted a specially made bypass pipe as well as removing the EGR valve and fitting a custom machined blanking plate in its place. All relevant vacuum lines were capped and the air recirculation valve on the turbo housing was also disabled so the car is essentially set up to federal specification now and makes good power with plenty of off-the-line boost pressure. During the car’s service, we performed a valve adjustment as well as cleaning, lubrication and adjustment of all throttle linkage to factory spec as well as a check and adjustment of IP timing, and I will note that the ALDA has never been tampered with. Additionally, the non-functioning overboost protection valve on the firewall was replaced with a new item. While the turbo was off, we checked its functionality along with the wastegate, and also replaced the turbo oil drain seals and oil pan gasket as well. To cap things off, an oil and filter change was performed with Mobil Delvac 15W-40. TRANSMISSION/DRIVELINE: The transmission is in good condition and engages all forward ratios normally, along with reverse. A fluid and filter service was performed as well. The remainder of the driveline was scrutinized and found to be in fine condition and there are no untoward noises or vibrations to note. The gear oil in the rear diff was drained and refilled with fresh Agip 80W-90. BRAKES: The braking system was gone through and all flexible hoses were replaced, along with replacement of the front rotors, pads and sensors, cleaning and re-packing of the front wheel bearings and replacement of the rear pads. The parking brake shoes were inspected and adjusted at the same time. Finally, a complete fluid flush was performed using German Ate ‘SL’ DOT 4 fluid. Needless to say, the brakes haul the car down cleanly and evenly with no pulling or vibration and should be good for many tens of thousands of miles of service with no worries. SUSPENSION: The front and rear suspension systems were gone through and given a freshening where required. At the front, new lower ball joints and upper control arms and bushings were fitted and at the rear, new accumulators for the SLS were fitted and the hydraulic system was flushed and refilled with fresh Febi Bilstein hydraulic oil. Additionally, an alignment was performed by Performance Alignment, the best suspension shop in Cincinnati, so the car runs straight and true down the road with no tramlining or pulling and handles reassuringly in all conditions. TIRES: The tires are matching Michelins at all four corners. They have about 4/32 treadlife remaining and should be good for about another 5,000-7,500 miles before requiring replacement. My plan was to run them until the first snowfall and then fit snow tires to the car, which you may wish to do as well. The original spare is present and is fitted with a good Bridgestone tire and the factory jack and tool kit are also stowed alongside the spare. EXHAUST: The exhaust system is totally stock and in good condition with no corrosion or damage to note. The hangers were replaced during service as a matter of course. ELECTRICAL: Most all of the electrical items are in proper working condition—everything from all interior and exterior lighting to the instruments (and clock) and all warning lamps and buzzers are operating as designed. The only things still needing sorted out are the rear pane wiper motor and the left rear window motor (I will supply a replacement). The original Becker Grand Prix is in good working condition along with the original Hirschmann electric aerial. The climate control system functions properly, giving ice cold air conditioning and good, hot heat, as well as proper air distribution including the all-important center vents on the dash. The monovalve insert was replaced along with the auxiliary cooling fan to ensure complete reliability and efficient functionality. Although the locking system is vacuum operated as opposed to electric, it does function properly on all doors, the fuel filler flap and tailgate and holds for weeks without leaking down. The cruise control works fine as well and engages immediately and does not hunt for the correct speed when set. SERVICE: Here is a recap of all service performed on the car within the past three months… -Oil and filter change using Mobil Delvac and a Hengst filter. -Coolant flush using Zerex G-05. -Air filter element replaced (Hengst). -Wiper blades replaced (Bosch). -Brake fluid flush using German Ate ‘SL’ DOT 4 fluid. -Rear axle gear oil drained and refilled with Italian Agip 80W-90 oil. -Transmission fluid and filter changed using Castrol Dex/Merc ATF and MANN filter. -Valves adjusted and valve cover gasket replaced. -Fuel filters replaced using correct Mahle and Hengst items. Red Line 85+ dose added to fuel system. -Hood insulation pad replaced (OE Mercedes fabric item with foil heat shield). -Front lower ball joints replaced (Lemforder). -Front upper control arms and bushings replaced (Lemforder). -Rear self-leveling accumulators replaced (Febi). -SLS hydraulic oil flushed and replenished with fresh Febi hydraulic fluid. -All brake flex hoses replaced (Pex). -Front brake pads, rotors and sensors replaced, wheel bearings cleaned and re-packed (OE Mercedes rotors, Textar pads). -Rear brake pads replaced (Textar). -Rear tailgate struts replaced (Stabilus). -Auxiliary fan replaced (Bosch). -Oxidation catalyst removed and replaced with custom bypass pipe made by Timevalve. -Complete alignment performed. -All door hinges and latches cleaned and lubricated. -Hood hinges and latch cleaned and lubricated. -Sunroof sliding rails cleaned and lubricated using special MB ‘Gleitpaste’. -All throttle linkage disassembled, cleaned, lubricated and adjusted. -Overboost protection switch replaced on firewall (Pierburg). -Injection pump timing checked and fine tuned for smoothest running and performance. -Monovalve insert replaced (OE Mercedes). -Oil pan gasket and turbo drain seals replaced (Reinz). SUMMARY: I believe that is everything to note on the car. In short, if you are looking for a well-sorted and usable classic which is also practical enough to take the family on a trip in, here’s your car. The W123, in my opinion, is one of the finest cars to ever emerge from the gates at Sindelfingen, and with continued care and maintenance, this car should run for another 400K miles and prove quite reliable. I feel that it is my mission in life to keep these cars on the road, so everything needing attention on this example was attended to with the intent of another three decades of trouble free and reliable service. I have priced this car quite fairly given the time and work that has gone into it, and I believe that the next owner will be quite happy with their purchase and I would encourage any potential buyer to hop a flight in to Cincinnati and drive this car home, whether it be six hours or twenty six hours away, I have utmost confidence in this car and would trust it on any length of trip in a heartbeat. Thank you for taking the time to read all of this, and please, if you would like anything else addressed, I invite you to reach out to me directly on (513) 519-7302 and I’ll be more than happy to discuss the car in greater detail. TERMS: A deposit in the amount of $500 is due no later than three days after auction end. Remainder of balance due no later than seven days after auction end. All payments to be made using either certified check or federal wire transfer or cash. The clear title and vehicle will only be released to the new owner upon completion of all payments due. The vehicle is being sold as-is and has been described to the best of my ability and I assume no liability for any unknown defects at the time of, or thereafter this listing. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have the vehicle inspected independently or personally and to make sure they are completely satisfied with its condition prior to bidding or committing to purchase. I welcome and encourage all pre-purchase inspections which may be done at the buyer’s expense. I would just ask that you please give me a 24 hour notice of an appointment so that I may make appropriate arrangements in my schedule in order to get the vehicle to the shop of your choice. Shipping is the responsibility of the buyer, however I will of course assist in any way possible to help make this a smooth, pleasant transaction. If you would like to fly in to Cincinnati, our airport code is CVG and I will be happy to pick you up there so you can drive the car home if you wish. Alternatively, I work with a local carrier who runs a two car flatbed trailer and will deliver anywhere in the US for very reasonable rates, so please let me know if you would like me to get a quote for you. Thanks again for looking and good luck in the bidding!