Diesel Coupe: 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300CD
The Mercedes-Benz W123 lineup has long been celebrated for its reliability and overbuilt qualities, but not necessarily associated with earning its driver major style points, and certainly nothing to do with speed. The W123 turbo diesel coupe aimed to change this, offering car shoppers a handsome pillar-less coupe design with a far zippier powerplant than the non-turbo’d diesel sedans. The coupe was produced in far smaller numbers than the sedan, and while plenty of W123s are still running around today, the coupes appear far less often. Find this sharp two-door 1984 Mercedes 300D here on eBay with bidding at $13,060 and no reserve.
Reading this ad, it sounds like this 300CD is listed by a longtime owner rather than a dealer or a flipper. The colors aren’t exactly sexy – white over tan – but it’s in great shape, based on the provided photos. The chrome bumpers still present well, and the same goes for the lenses and the glass. The 300CD will come with a clear California title in the seller’s name, and the original California dealer plate frame is a nice touch. Other details, like two keys and all associated factory manuals, are additional examples of long-term care and attention from previous owners. The “Turbodiesel” badge lets you know this 300CD isn’t as ponderous as its lower-output siblings.
The interior is in great shape, with no evidence of dash cracks that can plague W123s by this point. Mileage is low for a W123 but not time-capsule low, registering a tick over 131,000. To me, the biggest highlight of the interior is the wood trim that remains in exceptionally nice condition. I’ve seen plenty of W123s with lower mileage and sporting console and dash wood trim that’s completely blown apart and cracked, so seeing wood in this sort of shape in a car with over 130,000 miles is a treat. The seller mentions that other areas are just as clean, including the headliner, carpets, and door panels. No mention as to whether the air conditioning still works, though.
The seller doesn’t specify details about the Mercedes’ maintenance history, other than noting it’s been properly looked after and this becomes clear when you go for a drive. It supposedly does 85 miles per hour all day long while returning 27 MPGs. The W123 is one of those rare cars that still feels entirely up to the task of hanging with modern traffic despite its age and diesel powerplant. The coupe bodied W123s are an ideal blend of old-money conservativism and surprisingly sharp styling with the turbodiesel engine answering the typical question about performance in a diesel Mercedes of this vintage. The engine bay is detailed nicely just like the rest of the car, and bidders seem be hungry for this survivor-grade W123.
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Comments
I know where I can get a silver one, but I don’t think it’s diesel. It sits gathering dust under a carport. We are friends with people who live across the strret, and they say I could probably have it for a couple thousand. I’ve been tempted but leary of costs related to flushing fuel, boiling gas tank, etc. since it has sat for years.
Kevin, there will be a considerable amount of time spent on the CIS fuel injection but if the car is in good shape you should consider getting it. I much prefer the gasser over the diesel. It would have the nice twin cam M103 engine which is a good runner and just about indestructible. The coupes bring strong money and if I had the opportunity I would jump on it. Another possibility is talking to the owners and showing your interest. That way when you are ready they know you want it.
If everything but the fuel system is nice, grab it and invest the time. Value will just go up. You’ll regret not getting it…
This guy is def a flipper despite what the write up says. I’ve been following him on eBay for the last 20 years. He’s used several aliases. There are about 8 places where he photographs the cars he sells so it’s easy to spot one of his products. On the w123’s (which he has sold a lot!) the center wood around the shifter is always new. Most often the seats have been re-dyed. I’ve run into a few people who’ve bought from him that didn’t know better and ended up paying a premium for a car that needed a lot of work. Seems like this one is a good starting point but any buyer should know they will likely have to put $$$$ into it.
In 1982 I had a 300D 4door, china blue over a white interior. It was a slug, but boy, what quality. After trading it in on a 1986 300 SE I regretted getting rid off it. Were I to live in the USA, I´d be all over this one, boy, what a find, a turbo Diesel Cp. It doesn´t get any better than this in my world.
Same mpg as my 2019 crew cab eco diesel 😎
I had a 300D. I remember the speedometer went to 90 mph, but this was the only car I’ve owned where you could go the top speed indicated and not crap your pants.
I owned one as traveling salesman for a few years. Sold it only because, since there were no grease fittings on the front steering and suspension joints, when they wore out the entire assembly had to be replaced, for thousands of dollars. And, they were about worn out at 150,000 miles. So yes, it’s a great road car, good speed and even acceleration for passing, but a buyer of this one is looking at a new suspension very shortly,
SOLD for $13,060.
The California cars always command higher prices. The one depicted would have warranted a more in depth inspection if anyone was interested. Interest in these cars is steadily increasing. In the USA, these also came with the non-turbo 5 cyl. diesel engine from 1978-1981, also the very fine M110 6cyl double overhead cam gasoline engine for a couple of years. In the rest of the world, various 4 cyl engines like the 230C(M115) and the 230CE(M102) engine, along with the 6cyl M110 were available. Once someone that knows what the W123 chassis is, and owns one of these, it can become a long term love affair. There is no other vehicle ever manufactured that compares for quality, longevity and reliability given proper maintenance. They are a true classic.
Lack of grease nipples on the front suspension is also a problem with BMW´s. The expenses are considerable when one has to replace these bushings.