After 12+ years of daily use, and a total of 315K miles, my W123 may be done. Still runs great, transmission shifts great, good shocks, brakes, power steering, heat, defroster and sunroof, power windows work, etc., etc.
What fell the beast? An upper torsion bar broke off close to the upper control arm on the driver side. Apparently this is common enough to warrant the production a fix as opposed to replacing the entire torsion bar, which runs under the cowl and behind many components.
The part is $125.00, plus maybe an hour of a competent mobile welders time to install. Problem is, SWMBO is leveraging this as an opportunity to be rid of a car she doesn't particularly like. I'm not wanting to put up too much of a fight either...But I'm saving the argument for later anyway. For now it can just sit for a bit.
Shipping details? Fly and drive possible?
mattmacklind wrote:
The part is $125.00, plus maybe an hour of a competent mobile welders time to install. Problem is, SWMBO is leveraging this as an opportunity to be rid of a car she doesn't particularly like.
It doesnt seem like it would make financial sense to sell it for a parts car price when it could be fixed to be a driver for much less than the increase in value would be. If its not rusty it would probably sell for over $2k fixed, but otherwise under $1k sounds more likely.
Yeah, we've replaced that piece on cars that most people on this forum would scrap because of rust. You wouldn't scrap the car because it needed tires, would you? Tires are more expensive than that.
Well, of course it doesn't make financial sense to sell or break the car over this as an isolated event. Hell, I tried to sell this car on the classifieds here over two years ago for $2200 or offer with no dice. Had it on the Craigs with no calls for $1800.
Sure, I can fix this fairly easily, It also needs a new set of tires and maybe rear shocks. Sorry, no pics of the break, but on the ground the weight of the car compresses the torsion bar into the control arm, so the break is hard to detect without lifting it. Just did the rear brakes. Its really more of totality of the circumstances. I'm ready to either let a new owner have it and deal with the time-to-time issues (while no one wants to buy it) or simply have it removed. If it were in the kind of shape my MG is in, I would keep it no doubt, but it isn't and since I have had it it never was-it was rusty when I bought it and although it hasn't spread much it still is. It certainly isn't worth 2K in bodywork either.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/selling-my-w123-2200/47216/page1/
Everyone has to make this decision when it comes to older cars; do you keep it and pay for the occasional repair or is it time to move on. This is also the first time something has happened that could have actually been dangerous if it happened 30 seconds later than it did.
The W123 is a cool older car, but, as SWMBO says, and I actually agree, only if its in good shape, otherwise its just an old beat up car. Further, I don't need to replace it, so it lightens our load in the meantime. What pains me is the motor and transmission are in good working order, as well as MB-tex seats and interior pieces, etc. When I bought this car I thought I would keep it for two years, I didn't even really want it that much.
This is tempting ... How much do you want for it and do you know anyone local to you that could fix it?
I have a local welder with a bid of $100, maybe less. Part is $125. Don't really know what I want for it, but would love it to sell to someone who will have a use for it. One hick-up. I want to keep the grill...
Just fix it, its an old benz, deferring things is about all that will kill it.
In reply to iceracer:
The second best production sedan ever.
Looks like it's in nice shape. That's an easy $2000 car here in the Portland area.
iceracer wrote:
what's a W123 ?
Arguably the most proven Benz E-class of all time.
SlickDizzy wrote:
iceracer wrote:
what's a W123 ?
Arguably the most proven Benz E-class of all time.
It's like a W126, only with less dictator appeal.
