High Roller: My lucky find: A pristine, one-owner 1978 Mercedes-Benz 240D with over 450,000 miles on the clock
Article and Images Sid Arya
Serendipity often comes into play when stumbling upon interesting vintage cars; certainly, that is the case here. We have all heard the stories about the venerable W123 range of cars: durable, easy to fix, comfortable, overbuilt – the list goes on.
I am fortunate enough to own two W123 models, the first a 1980 300CD in rare Inca Red with Palomino interior, completely original and unmolested with only 72,000 original miles (see The Star, March-April 2017). For me, this was the pinnacle of what the series could offer … strength, with grace. My second amazing W123 would come soon after.
A fateful U-turn
As someone who always keeps an eye peeled for well-preserved, original-condition Mercedes-Benz cars, it was a considerable surprise that I recently saw a pretty, light-yellow 240D parked outside of Marx Mercedes Service with a “For Sale” sign on the windshield while driving in Costa Mesa, California.
The car was very dusty, but it was easy to see through the grime – even as I was driving past the lot at speed – that this car was loved during its life. I made that fateful U-turn, went inside the shop to inquire, and discovered some astonishing news: This car had been with its original owner since 1978. The shop’s proprietor, Steve Marx, has known the owner since the car was new and was personally assisting her in its sale.
The first owner drove this car as her daily driver back and forth from her garage to a parking structure at the government building where she worked for 40 years. During the past two decades, she had entrusted Marx and his team with all the car’s regular maintenance, insisting on OEM parts only. What’s more, she had complete records of everything; upon review, it was clear that no item of maintenance was too costly to be overlooked. The car was without any major needs whatsoever.
Typically, when I inspect old cars, I try to pick them apart, mainly so I don’t end up adding another vintage car to my already-full home garage. Usually, I quickly find some obvious fault and walk away, but this 240D kept revealing its incredible condition everywhere I looked. I desperately hoped that some dent – some missing component, some large rust bubble – would appear to ease my conscience, so I could just walk away.
Astonishing condition
Incredibly, no major fault or blemish could be found. There was not even any sun damage or decay, common defects on California cars. I had to pick my chin up off the ground when I realized that, after 450,000 miles and counting, this car looked sensational. I knew I really was in trouble after a test drive. The car, with its working heater and air conditioning, no creaks or rattles, a beautiful uncracked dash and perfectly preserved interior trim, was an honest and true keeper.
Through Marx, I quickly worked out a deal with the owner and brought the yellow 240D home. Further assessment over the following weeks only added to the good news.
I had this miraculous W123 inspected again by Rod at Dan’s Automotive Service in Costa Mesa, my personal preference for vintage Mercedes-Benz repair; Rod, too, was impressed. He found some very minor oil leaks and worn brake pads, but really saw no other pending issues to address. Rod recommended a thorough engine steam cleaning, and detailing inside and out, which was completed by local detail shop, Doctor Detail. The 240D came back in astonishing condition: the wheel wells and undercarriage still had all their original undercoating and painted surfaces intact – showroom new. The looped carpeting, headliner and seats all seemed to glow, without rip or tear. This W123 had truly been loved.
Going further, I had the car inspected by the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Mercedes Classic Center in nearby Irvine. The gentlemen there, including the shop foreman, were all equally impressed by the car’s original condition despite its mileage. Data-plate information was obtained and the Classic Center confirmed the car to still be in its original color with all its original options and equipment intact. Since then, the only modification I have undertaken was to swap in an original period-correct Becker Europa radio with two OEM factory rear speakers and grills to replace the existing aftermarket models.
Built to serve
The more I drove the 240D, the more I realized that the manual transmission suits this car well, giving the 240D its best chance at keeping up with modern traffic. I even enjoy the harmonics of the 4-cylinder diesel engine, which sounds distinctively different from the 5-cylinder model in the 300-series diesels. While it’s true that the 240D’s engine is slightly more agricultural, it is fitting for a base model car, and never truly obtrusive. The doors still shut with vault-like authority, manual windows work nicely, and all interior features work as they should.This car is clearly ready for many more decades of faithful service.
I attribute a large part of this car’s astonishing condition to two major things the original owner did: She always kept the car garaged or in her office’s parking structure and practiced a no-holds-barred approach to servicing and maintaining the car with OEM parts. Through her careful maintenance, she was paying an incredibly low cost per mile for her transportation simply because she really had no need to purchase a new car for 40 years. I was told she only decided to sell this car when her family insisted she go for a more modern electric car to ferry her grandchildren around.
The 240D has made me a believer in thorough maintenance, and it proves that there are people far more obsessive-compulsive about their cars than I am. This car must have felt like part of the owner’s family, so I was shocked that no one in her family or circle of friends was interested in keeping it. Perhaps people see the extremely high mileage and run, but Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts know that with regular care, these cars won’t skip a beat. This truly is a vehicle you can drive daily, in safety and comfort. My son will be 16 in 2030; this underpowered, manual-transmission classic will be the perfect first car in which he can learn to drive.
The best in the world
The W123 was beautifully overbuilt, with quality parts proven by previous generations of cars, such as the extremely durable W114 range. With regular maintenance and frequent oil changes, the OM616 diesel engine is nearly indestructible. I use a Redline Diesel Catalyst additive with each fill-up to improve lubricant levels of the fuel for longer engine life. Early cars like this 1978 model have a climate-control system that is less prone to failure than later W123 systems. W123 owners are fortunate that parts are readily available, and the Mercedes Classic Center is a fantastic resource to help keep a car like this one on the road.
I firmly believe that from the 1950s to the late 1980s, Mercedes-Benz was building the best cars in the world. My father, a physician working in Orange County, California, in the 1980s, drove a silver-blue W123 300D sedan. He noted that parking lots at physicians’ offices were filled primarily with Mercedes-Benz models. These buyers understood and respected quality, regardless of the price. As I drive the car these days, I never tire of the compliments I get on the 240D’s incredible condition. Yet even more than its overall condition, I marvel at the surprise on people’s faces when they see the odometer and take into account the car’s originality. When are they ever likely to see an American-made car that looks new after it has traveled nearly 500,000 miles?
I hope this car’s condition can serve as an inspiration to other Mercedes-Benz owners to always park their vehicles in well-sheltered spots, demand the highest quality detailing work, insist on the most fastidious servicing and above all, to give their car the best gift any vehicle could ever receive: Driving it regularly.
SPECIFICATIONS
1978 Mercedes-Benz 240D (W123)
TYPE: Four-door, five-passenger sedan
ENGINE: OM616.912 2,404cc, inline 4-cylinder diesel
DRIVETRAIN: 4-speed manual fully synchronized, rear-wheel drive
HORSEPOWER: 62 at 4,000 rpm (SAE) TORQUE: 97 lb-ft at 2,400 rpm
LENGTH: 190.9 in
CURB WEIGHT: 3,210 lb
FUEL EFFICIENCY: 27 mpg
PERFORMANCE: Zero-60 mph 19 sec (est.)
TOP SPEED: 86 mph
BASE PRICE (1978): $14,041
Captions
This 1978 240D exhibits flawless paint, straight body work, lustrous trim – even factory undercoating and underbody paint – all a testament to the car’s original build quality and dedicated care by a single owner.
TOP: All in the family: Sid Arya’s 240D meets his Inca Red 1980 300CD. ABOVE: The 240D’s showroom-fresh fuel door with stickers, spotless trunk, rust-free spare-tire well, and simple, reliable 4-cylinder diesel engine.
Notwithstanding its role as a no-frills, bottom-of-the-range vehicle with manual transmission, MB-Tex and basic carpeting, this 240D remains as beautifully engineered and built on the inside as it is on the outside.