Minneapolis Street Sighting: Mercedes 300TD

I am a staunch Mercedes fan, but I am picky about which Mercedes I like. While some people narrow it down to model years of bodycodes, I narrow my likes and dislikes down to color and wheel combinations as well--and the W123 is proof of that.

To me, the W123 is the best modern-classic Mercedes; it's new enough that there are still quite a number of them on the road, and finding a used example won't break the bank. On the flipside, these W123s are old enough that finding a nice one can be a tad tricky.  In exceptional condition, bodywise,yeah, but mechanically, I am pretty sure that all of these are solid and won't die. After all, Mercedes products made before the DaimlerChrysler merger are solid vehicles and the W123 is one of the best cars around. Period. Want proof? The W123 has been featured on Wheeler Dealers, and its used as a current taxi in several countries where cars garner tons of abuse, such as Turkey, Botswana, and Iraq and Iran.

This example of one of Mercedes' most timeless modern-classics is a rather nice one; obviously, its dirty, but that's the only real problem with it. I didn't notice any rust, and all the trim is in place. While I don't like the stock wheels on these at all, these wheels are used on everything from late-1960s Mercedes, to these, and they don't look good on anything. To be a perfect wagon, it needs color-matched hubcaps with trim rings, not these godawful disaster-pieces.

I also much prefer the European headlights as well, but honestly, aside from those two nitpicks, this 300TD represents the breed well. Worn, sure, but it probably has quite a bit of life left.

While these are still sort of common, I do shoot them every now and then, and I'm glad I shot this one; it has since been involved in a wreck, but it still chugs onward despite a blue front fender and lack of a bumper. As I said earlier, this generation of Mercedes' midsize car is unkillable.