my dad is on his 8th W123... 5 sedans, 1 wagon and 2 coupes... the only car he's ever driven since 1978... besides keeping a work truck around the house ... all have gone over 500k miles. The best car ever!

$5k seems very reasonable for all you put into that Merc. I also feel it was worth it because it is such a good and solid car. I would have also not had someone restore the interior as I usually do that work myself.

@Aaronhouston33

8 ай бұрын

I was thinking maybe the voltage regulator could of fixed the old alternator

Run a 5 man shop in west Tennessee. People really have no clue at the extra we do on people’s vehicles for absolutely nothing. And people self diagnosing and trying to explain it to me for 10 minutes and are almost 95% are wrong. Gotta love the general public. Put air in there tire for free and the next day they come back talking about the AC isn’t working right since I put the air in the tire. 😆. Keep on keeping on wizard. I’ve learned a lot from you my friend. God bless

Credit to the customer for spending that amount of money to save the car. I can imagine there are many happy family memories wrapped up in it.

Back in the 80s, Mercedes really were something special. Now they are nightmares. I worked for an attorney who could afford any car he wanted but 30 years later was still driving the 300d he bought new in 1983.

The OM617 is one of the most amazing, best sounding engines ever made! So happy this project is done. Great work, Wizard!

@Slacksfifth

3 жыл бұрын

OM603 is even better

Owning an old Mercedes is a labor of love. You’re absolutely correct that having a shop do all the repairs can be VERY expensive. If you can take care of some of it yourself, it’s not too bad. Nice work getting the old 300D back on the road again safely. It should be ready for another 171k. The owner should be very pleased. Those cars are tanks and with routine maintenance will go forever. Thanks for sharing.

@entlim

3 жыл бұрын

I had a 250 LWB .overhauled the transmission and the head... pulled like a racer, and loved it till I eventually had to let it go.. absolute brilliant car.. far better than what I replaced it with.. dead easy to get original and OEM parts... and oh so reliable

@Aaronhouston33

8 ай бұрын

The MB shop near me chargers 140$ and that’s a independent shop

@garybulwinkle82

8 ай бұрын

Too bad he's giving it to his daughter! She's going to hate that car and abuse, neglect it! Young girls don't like these types of cars; they like little gas cars like a Celica or Prius.

@Stevanavich725

5 ай бұрын

@@garybulwinkle82It might just be a story, but he said in the other video that she was doing it for the sentimental connection to her grandpa.

*Simple answer: because this beauty deserves it!* 💗

@jonss1948

3 жыл бұрын

I've spent AU $7000.00 so far on my 105 series Land Cruiser. As a daily drive its very good even though it's 14 years old. Trouble is; to get it to where I want it I've gotta spend around AU $3000.00 more. Seems the more I spend, the deeper my love for her becomes.

@pbgd3

3 жыл бұрын

Problem with these w123 is the thing probably was running and driving even with all that busted.

@928gto

3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely

Simple answer: because this beauty deserves it!

Lovely car. Thinking a label on the fuel door saying diesel only would be useful. This will still be going strong in another ten years

@Durabo

3 жыл бұрын

i think you are underestimating this old boi, it will bury us all with proper care

@johneldepresso

3 жыл бұрын

Ten years?! Ha! this can easily go for another 25 years

@MigySaan

3 жыл бұрын

Haha i agree, but hopefully she understands that given that she wants this car in the first place

@pfsantos007

3 жыл бұрын

There was a label from factory. I believe on the inside.

@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge

3 жыл бұрын

Funny how different things are in america and here in Europe. Over here the gas station attendants always reach for the diesel pump when I come in. A 30 year old car that ISN'T a diesel is practically unheard of here.

5K is dirt cheap for resurrection budget. Even adding a donor car. For that kind of money, the work is immaculate. It looks like old factory, and thus tripled itself in the value of the car. Good investment.

@AlexHardtAnimation

3 жыл бұрын

I'd also say that they'd probably added another 20 years to this cool car. So sub 10K on a good commuter car that will last post 10 years sounds pretty good to me.

@AlessandroGenTLe

3 жыл бұрын

@@AlexHardtAnimation they are justifiable only because they wanted that specific car to be on the road again. A couple of years ago I got an immaculate "showroom ready" Mercedes C 220 CDI Sport Edition from 2006 with 43kkm (less than 30000miles) and all the yearly maintenance done in Mercedes, for 8500$...

@tw157059

3 жыл бұрын

agree, 5K is a bargain, if you do it yourself, and have to source each part by ebay, which may or may not fit, without donor car, would easily set you back that amount. And sure you can buy a running car for that money, but still that would need lots done. This car now is worth substantially more.

@AlessandroGenTLe

3 жыл бұрын

@LAFOLLETTER for sure. But also a lot less probability to have something else going wrong on a perfectly manteined 12yo car than on a savaged 40yo one. Not speaking about the quality of the drive :)

@zeroceiling

3 жыл бұрын

Alex Hardt's Animation ..in 20 years it will not be allowed on the road because it will not have the ability to plug in to the 5G autonomous driving system that will be required on every major highway.

Wow, rough crowd here in the comments. I spent a too much on my W123, but I really enjoy it. It does pay to learn how to maintain these yourself, but the lift to get it back on the road can be overwhelming. This is in a great place for a rolling restoration now. My guess is that the swapped alternator will beat the auto part store one any day. Thanks Wizard, this was fun! I really appreciate it!!

This is why I'm glad my father showed me how to work on cars I've saved so much money

@imnotarob0t1984

Жыл бұрын

Why do you think he didn't film himself doing a lot of the mechanical work, then someone could just watch the video and not bring the car in to him.

Sounds like the wizard started filming after someone was trying to haggle on their bill...

@chuckm5874

3 жыл бұрын

I think you’re right.

@steveawesome9538

3 жыл бұрын

He sounded pissed after he got out of it. His body language was also telling. You may be on to something. Might have even been the owner of the car, upset about going over budget twice. I was under the impression, the donor car had a set price, and anything in it could be used. I do understand the labor costs and time with pulling the part off of the donor and then checking it out, then replacing it in the customer car. Instead of just pulling a new regulator out of a box and slapping it in.

@jjmac3561

3 жыл бұрын

Sounds like he grossly underestimated the amount of hours involved in doing the work, even though he showed that he didn't actually do the loom changeover as he had said he was going to do in a previous video. That time should have been the biggest part of the bill, not some wires getting spliced and wrapped with electrical tape.

@shoobiemaboobie8946

3 жыл бұрын

He's genuinely pissed off with the owner of this car.

@secondopinion6654

3 жыл бұрын

No, the owner started reading the comments on here from the W123 cheapskate hacks who maintain their own DIY rattletraps and are whining about the bill. Meanwhile none of them are anywhere close to as roadworthy as this car came out and a dealer would have charged $9k.

Hello from England, Car Wizard is my favourite garage program. Here in England near to me in Birmingham we have Cottage Garage run by Jim. He is a good honest mechanic, he has been looking after my cars for many years now. He reminds me so much of Car Wizard.

Mr Wizard: The bill just keeps going up Hoovies Bentley in the background : Am I a joke to you?

@darkiee69

3 жыл бұрын

That's the car that'll pay for the yacht.

@One_Bar

3 жыл бұрын

darkiee69 the yacht was $6000 so I think that’s already happened 😂

@Poopsticle_256

3 жыл бұрын

Chris Pofahl Jesus Christ, $6000? I could buy a second gen Prius from a used car lot for that. That’s cheap as hell

@MigySaan

3 жыл бұрын

Poopsticle_256 i know right ! $6000 for not only the yacht, but the trailer as well! The trailer alone is $3000 so that only makes the deal better! He said onces its ready to be docked, the trailer is being sold so $3000 boat

@One_Bar

3 жыл бұрын

Poopsticle_256 yep. Of course he’s having to do engine work so that’s gone up, but the initial purchase was $6000 😂

This engine looks enjoyable to work on. Compared to most modern crammed engines...

@lesstyranny2695

Ай бұрын

I've owned a number of cars with this engine and still do... it's an awesome engine to work on because besides basic maintenance you almost never have to do anything to it!

"The reality of the situation". In other words do the work yourself that you can on these old cars and only use shops for things you cannot do, thankfully older cars like this are a lot more simpler then new ones and there are plenty of videos out there on repairing and restoring now.

@blueridgerennsport

3 жыл бұрын

A lot of people don't have the time, tools, space, patience, ability/skill, or inclination to do the work themselves. The same reasons I didn't build my house or pave my parking lot or do my own dental work. Sometimes it's better to pay someone who knows what they're doing to handle it...

'So, I'll carry on leaving it like that' spoken like a true car dealership!😃🤣

You made a good point. The customer wanted THAT car brought back to life. And you did it.

Very nice to see these cars being saved. One day we really gonna miss them.

I think 5 grand is a bargain to have all that work performed by an honest man who really knows what he is doing ! 👍👍👍👍

@Daniel-wx3qn

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed

@imnotarob0t1984

Жыл бұрын

It is, you're not going to find a 300d in that condition for 5 grand

Great video. It sure would have been nice to hear it run and see it drive to show why all that work was worth it. I have an almost identical car except mine is a 1983 with 116,000 miles. The only reason why I keep putting money into it is because the driving experience is so unique and the sound of that engine is beautiful.

The ‘84 Merc is a tank. His daughter is in a safe car.

@getchasome6230

3 жыл бұрын

Its everyone else who's in danger. 🤣🤣🤣

@davidbusch8912

3 жыл бұрын

$5K well spent

@MangoVisionn

3 жыл бұрын

I mean crumple zones are technically safer.

@AttilaTheHun333333

3 жыл бұрын

That's bs. Sorry!

@vibingwithvinyl

3 жыл бұрын

It's safe for the era but not anywhere near modern cars. It's slowness makes it safer though.

My Aunt had one of these, along with a 300SD, and it stood up incredibly well to her abuse and lack of maintenance. I have a lot of good memories of going places with her as a kid in both cars. Glad to see one made road worthy again. She neglected both cars horribly and both still ran like new close to 400k miles. One mechanic told her the body would rust away completely before the engine ever quit running.

$5,000 g might buy an '84 benz, but'd bet it's still need beaucoup buckes to make road worthy. I think owner got a great deal

@andrewallen9993

3 жыл бұрын

500 Dollars US last year bought the 1964 Mercedes w110 heckflosse 200d I drove 300kms today (max speed 70mph).

@longdonglarry

3 жыл бұрын

nah for 5k you get a really nice one with better paint and interior at least here in europe. A collectors car in like new shape maybe 6-7k. But it's a car you have to work on yourself and which is actually the big advantage of the W123. Lots of stuff you can do on your own. Not a whole lot of electronic mess you have to worry about. Plus even if you pay 8k for a perfect one. What modern car you can buy for 8k that will outlast a W123?

@netrioter

3 жыл бұрын

Not at all. You can grab a late 80s 300TD wagon for 3 grand here in Indiana...and it's a daily.

@BadaBing.UCF30

3 жыл бұрын

@@longdonglarry a 2004 Lexus LS430

@300DBenz

3 жыл бұрын

I bought my ‘85 for $3500.....since then I’ve spent at least $8,000 on it over the 15 years I’ve owned it.

$5K is a steal - especially with that great video included courtesy Mrs. WIzard. Most shops can't fix 300Ds, Rolls Royces, and Ferraris - and film it at the same time. I'm impressed.

Driving this beauty behind an upside down MB STAR on the wheel would drive me batty!!!!!!!!

Here in the UK, if you're caught using red diesel on the road you will have a very bad day.

@1963TOMB

3 жыл бұрын

and also the red dye stays in the fuel system for ages so that the relevant authority can determine that it was used in the past and thus back charge you for the unpaid tax!

@formatique_arschloch

3 жыл бұрын

Same here in Finland. Would be extremely expensive. Thousands at minimum.

@daviddundas4140

3 жыл бұрын

Whats the difference between the 2?

@formatique_arschloch

3 жыл бұрын

@@daviddundas4140 At least here in Finland the red diesel has lower tax on it and it's about 30% cheaper than regular diesel. It's meant for agricultural machines, tractors and so on. It's illegal to use it in cars. Color and taxes are the only differences.

@dodgeplow

3 жыл бұрын

@@daviddundas4140 "Off road" diesel is dyed red for use in construction vehicles, generators, and anything that does not operate on a public road. it is untaxed.

“We are not going to do things without being paid” 17:31 Couldn’t you at least center the badge on the steering wheel😂

@wevel963

3 жыл бұрын

And get rid of the rats nest in the spring - sloppy.

@moehoward01

3 жыл бұрын

He said that the owner would handle the interior, paint and other cosmetic details.

@rayrobinson3015

3 жыл бұрын

Make sure the horn works...15 minutes labor at $95 per hour.

@petrosaguilar8916

3 жыл бұрын

That's the mantra of the American car mechanic. Then they'll rant up and down that the customers are the problem.

@moehoward01

3 жыл бұрын

@@petrosaguilar8916 They often are.

Wish we could have seen a test drive video for the Mercedes.

@shawnalonzo5968

3 жыл бұрын

Great video!!!!

@ricardomierz8467

3 жыл бұрын

Like he said that this channel is not about that, its about constantly yapping by a boring weeble.. That's the reason why I left,,

Well said. As commodities go, I was taught at PSU, "77", time is more valuable than money, because money can be replaced. Damn right get paid for every minute.

So pleased to see that old Mercedes will live again. I always find it sad to see perfectly good cars scrapped for the sake of a few dollars (pounds here in the UK). Yes, it may cost a little more to put a car back on the road, but you know exactly what has been done (and what may still need to be done) to it and you have the peace of mind that comes from not being worried about future nasty surprises that might crop up to bite you. I recently bought an older (2003) Camry from its original owner. It was/is in beautiful condition, but needed some expensive items to be sorted out to make it roadworthy. I bought it and spent the same amount again on putting it right. From a purely financial standpoint, I should not have done what I did. However, I now have a car that looks half its age, has only 80,000 miles on it and should last me for many years if I look after it. As far as I'm concerned, I've come out on top, even if I did spend more on it than it is technically worth.

CW, are you allowing the owner to keep the donor car? It seems that there’s lot that can go wrong in the future having the parts available would be a blessing.

Cars cost their owners loads when they gain sentimental attachment status but what can you do....

@louisrauzi3872

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly, it's the 'if I have to explain it, you won't understand it anyway '. I spent more $$ on my dad's hunting rifle than it's worth. It's emotional. Not what it's worth.

@christopherconard2831

3 жыл бұрын

Nostalgia is a very common brain disorder. It makes us overemphasize what was good in the past. Like thinking about an ex, while forgetting why they are an ex to begin with. We also forget why we got rid of many of our older cars. Of course, knowing all that, I still regularly scan through Craigslist and other sites to check out the availability of early 90's Celicas.

Wizard I am sure you did your best on this car, I am driving my 5th MB since 1970 ! I am sure the engine bay of this car would be worth a $.30.00 motor wash. 1st. to see any new leaks right away and second to see a smile on the customers face when picks up his car !!!!

I couldn't have left the crap inside the spring, but no one's paying for my time

@E34Benzin

3 жыл бұрын

@Ariel Falk Yeah, he also said he test drove it, so the crap shouldn't be there if any of that was true.

@davidharris1530

3 жыл бұрын

that crap is probaly where the mouse lives

@gautamgoraya

3 жыл бұрын

@@davidharris1530 hahaha funny and probably true as well!

What a great review! I love the old W123’s, they were taxi cabs back in the day when I was stationed in Germany.

@longdonglarry

3 жыл бұрын

they are still driving as taxis in many parts of Africa. one million kilometers on such a diesel engine is totally doable.

You can pay the money and have the car, most of us watch your videos and have a good dream, that's fun too, You have to be honest with people when it comes to costs of repairing old cars. I enjoy watching the journey, well done.

I helped the owner of an import cars repair shop to sell her business few years ago then understood a lot about an import car repair shop biz then become a friend of the new owner who was one of technicians at the shop! Enjoy watching your videos! still have to find out the best way to have my 79 Alfa Sprint Veloce (I bought new when I was in college having 75k original miles) roadworthy thanks for the idea of a donor car!

Hi from the UK, I have been working on these cars for the past 30 years, and it looks that you have done a very thorough job recommissioning this vehicle, changing steering joints etc and the replacing rear driveshaft gators and possibly the cups (they have usually rusted out at this age in England) having to remove the rear plate from the differential to get them out - which is a time consuming job to strip down and rebuild with new parts as you say , but just wondered at about 12.45 you commented on changing the fluids in the transmission, it also has a filter to change if you remove the pan - which doesn't look as though it has been taken off, I am not familiar with American automatic transmissions which may or may not have changeable filters, so just for the record Mercedes do - which we usually change at 36000 mile intervals. Best Regards from across the pond.

Restorations NEVER stay on budget when you're restoring automobiles

@jjmac3561

3 жыл бұрын

It is hardly a restoration. He was supposed to have worked it out and given out an estimate for swapping over the wiring loom etc. He obviously didn't do that in the end, instead he essentially cobbled together some wiring repairs. A lot of them more obvious than dogs balls. Not impressed, especially with all his bleating about it and even failing to remove a rats/mouse nest from the front spring. Despite working on the shocks. For basic health reasons it should have been removed before any work was started on the car. The exhaust hanger rubber isn't even under any strain, the exhaust should be 'hanging' off it.

@oveidasinclair982

3 жыл бұрын

@@jjmac3561 Mechanically he did do a lot of restoration, I work with my dad on an 89 Toyota Supra, we fully restored it, but half the job was mechanical. The Wizard did the majority of the mechanical work that NEEDED to be done, automotive restoration is no small operation and you almost never stay on budget.

@imnotarob0t1984

Жыл бұрын

They can it's just about how much of the work you're willing to do. You can save alot of money if you're willing to put effort it.

Smartest thing. Grandad's car restored by father. For the grandchild. Helps that the W123 is, objectively, the greatest car ever made. So $5,000 of Wizardy = another 200,000 miles. Makes total sense. And feels so good.

Wizard.... I'm not going to lie... Car's from OUR era. the 80's... They need that second chance of life. There were some AWESOME cars back in our era. They were so SIMPLE to work on and. Just... Fun cars to fix. She looks good man. I hope the young lady who gets dad's old car is going to be happy.

Tbh that's actually a bargain for the amount of work that went in. Will be a nice reliable tractor now once again, good job!

OMG when he said take your budget and times it by four, I just did I thought my trans for the 01 xj8 would have been a simple $650 to replace, well it required a new radiator (750) and fluids (180) then labor (1200) so yeah wizard was right. :D gotta love how easy that was to apply , sad part is its still got more labor to be done (struts all around , wheel bearings all around, and diff fluid)

@seftonhornby5069

3 жыл бұрын

Ih

My dad bought a 1988 300ce for my first car for 2500 expecting it to be perfect if he spent 2000 to paint it and 2000 to fix it, he tried doing it the cheap way and ending up spending probably 6000 and it still doesnt run and its not painted, and i dont have a car now. This series really hit home thanks for making it car wizard

I actually own one of these but it’s an 83 that I’m currently kinda resto-modding with factory Mercedes parts. I also have a 71 220D and a 92 300D 2.5 Turbo, I absolutely love these cars.

It's like an infomercial with the list of work needed. "But wait, There's more!"

Perhaps you should say, "thank goodness for that donor car, it made me a lot of free money!"

@EmyrDerfel

3 жыл бұрын

Not really, the customer was paying for the labor to remove the part from the donor, on the basis that would be cheaper than getting a part shipped from a breaker's yard or paying premium for a NOS part. If this customer wasn't incurring that labour, he could have charged another customer to work on their car instead. Probably Hoovie.

@ossitreutler4863

2 жыл бұрын

@@EmyrDerfel and he did pay for the donor car as well.

@danadamczyk3295

2 жыл бұрын

I know isnt capitalism wild??

I agree with you, people just fail to understand that buying a car is just the first step. I always budget for maintenance throughout the year, not just servicing but fixing the unexpected, particularly with older cars. Therefore the total cost of ownership need to be factored in to the price of the purchase. I've learned this lesson from experience. Now I'm much better prepared. Great Video, Mr. & Mrs. Wizard. :-)

In the 90’s I used to have a golden1982 230 e, automatic with sunroof and brown leather interior. One of the best cars I have ever owned! This W123 reminds me of it and bring back fond memories.Thanks Wiz!

So great to see it alive! Nothing beats sentimental value. I know it's uneconomical financially, but nothing beats having *the* car driving and roadworthy again.

@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL

Жыл бұрын

It's extremely economical, compared to a new car.

Yes we know you are charging for this car repair. We have also seen what happens when the customer gets that bill courtesy of Hoovie.

The reality of these MB's is they are WORTH putting this kind of money into! Thanks Wizard! I have an 82 300 SD with 300K + miles on it that I Lovel and would love to have made new!

I've seen these in Morocco with over a million kilometers and running. These were made back when Mercedes cared about giving you a rock solid product that would last for generations. I'd say it is totally worth it to put in another 5K to fix it aesthetically too, especially considering the sentimental value. Great job as usual!

I love how you seem so proud to point out every little thing you charged the customer for, seems a bit off putting.

@regazzoni6972

3 жыл бұрын

I agree!

@eziux

3 жыл бұрын

Rather than being proud about ripping someone he's being informative and honest. So when people bring junk cars to the shop they know how much it takes to bring them back on the road again.

@teenaramsay2469

3 жыл бұрын

It's a PSA. Dreamers, this is your reality check.

@E34Benzin

3 жыл бұрын

@@eziux Yeah, but focusing so much on the subject seems suspicious. The donor car was a piece of junk, completely shot, yet he points out loud every single piece that he's taken from the donor mentioning that he's gonna charge the customer for it. Of course the labour doesn't come free nor did the donor car, we all know how it works, but pointining it that way doesn't sound very good. How much is going to last a radiator from an old car that was abandoned? Not a very good restoration to be honest.

@philiplee7604

3 жыл бұрын

I completely agree... no professional would ever instal an old radiator in this car. Any cooling related parts like water pumps, thermostats, radiators shouldn’t be used as they could fail at any time! ( not good shop practice at all ) absolutely ‘ false economy ‘

5 hours for CV joints boots seems a lot to me...I had mine replaced last year on my 1993 W124 400E in 3 hours ( both sides)

@doublezero7852

3 жыл бұрын

Christophe Zydek If you notice, he said it “pays about five hours”. He didn’t say that it takes five hours.

@ChristopheZ

3 жыл бұрын

@@doublezero7852 I have a great mechanic..He charges me "book time" even if the job takes more...and actual time when the job takes less than "book time"..LOL :)

@shaneb1313

3 жыл бұрын

Not all the same! Some take longer than others. Do one yourself sometime, you’ll soon realize!

@TheXmas100

3 жыл бұрын

I would prefer someone taking more time but doing it right than someone rushing the work

@mhoskins555

3 жыл бұрын

I was wondering about that too since I've replaced my own CV shafts on one of my cars (not a W124) in my garage. With his lift, all of the tools, and plenty of room down there it seems like it would be easier.

I will NEVER NEVER NEVER complain about my MB mechanic! He does NOT charge for simple things that were charged here because he does not rape the owner! WOW! In fact, my Bentley/ Rolls Royce dealer guy doesn't charge like this! I'm BLESSED! Revealing video for sure! Valuable! Also, sometimes a rough looking car (like the donor car) is in better mechanical shape than one that looks ok! This 300D was never serviced evidently!

Big thanks to your and hoovies videos, i had the balls to get myself a nice car from an auction and i actually knew roughly what it would cost to fix it up properly. Happy to say that i'm still on budget and spent less than what it would've cost on a used car lot. Also i'm now a nicer customer to my local shop than what i used to be, so i get better service too. It was quite clear that shops around here are apprehensive to new customers and don't order parts without a deposit, clearly nobody has a clue what it costs to get their car fixed. After i OKd all the jobs, the costs and paid without flinching - the shop guys really try to keep me happy and i don't have to bother with any deposits anymore.

Do you dream of money? I know it’s what we all work for but you do hammer it.

@E34Benzin

3 жыл бұрын

Half of the video is just: money, money, money. We didn't even hear the engine, that part was skipped. Is this about cars anymore??

@Ermy1996

3 жыл бұрын

@@E34Benzin is how it works. Is work in a shop.

@philiplee7604

3 жыл бұрын

It’s about monetising the channel and shop cars to the Max !! While watching the video, I had Pink Floyd’s track “ MONEY” playing in the background.

@cypeman8037

3 жыл бұрын

I recall one of his comments that sums up David's MO. "If the book says 4 hours and I do it in 1, I'll charge you 4" Couldn't be any clearer.

@shaneb1313

3 жыл бұрын

He SHOULD! Successful people DO! That’s why they’re successful! (Edited)

5K to give dads car a second life is so worth it... and it's the wizards handy work... win/win!!

I met a man where I live that spent (“don’t tell my wife if you ever meet her) almost $16,000 restoring one of these. It was his favorite car of all time. He said he’d rather drive that car than any other. I got to see it one time, and it was truly phenomenal.

I had a couple of these old W123s 15-20 years ago. The veggie diesel craze in 2007-2008 killed a lot of them off. Yes, it'll run on french-fry grease, but once the diesel pump gets gummed up,. you might as well drive it straight to the scrapyard.

Props to Junior Mint for all the hard work he put into this mechanical restoration!

i wonder if it would have been cheaper for the owner to just purchase that donor car instead of paying for each individual used part from the donor in order to fix his car. The car may have been $500 and the parts may have added up higher than that as an example.

@shaneb1313

3 жыл бұрын

Well, you certainly can do that, no one’s stopping you! But don’t for, that’s always a GAMBLE too. You might spend 1500$ on a donor car & only need 3 parts. Then that’s not a good investment. But, you might need 15 parts, & it’s great! YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN EDUCATED GUESS! There’s nothing GUARANTEED!!!

@midwestfarm757

3 жыл бұрын

He said the car being repaired was the father's old car, so nostalgia. It isn't about buying a newer one or fully restored one.

That donor car was a definite life saver. I've always wanted to own one of those. Everyone I know who has or had one said they are reliable and built like a tank as long as you keep up on maintenance. Glad to see that you got that one running nicely again.

With a W123, even $20000 won't be too much to get it back to factory condition. I'd spend that in a heartbeat. In fact, I'm currently working on restoring one myself! My dad's old 1978 model 230, absolute tank.

It's mechanically a great job, undiscutable, congrats!! But, a great wash under the car and the engine, taking out all dust, would result in a better job value, and more pleasant to the daughter. Even before all the service, a good cleaning and lubrication would reveal more about the car.

@shaneb1313

3 жыл бұрын

HA🤣 you think a girl’s EVER GONNA LOOK UNDER THERE? For god’s sake!

@pitecusH

3 жыл бұрын

they alteady were a thousand bucks above budget. what do you think a full in and out detail job would have cost on labour and materials? (soap, lube, water).

@EFPianist

3 жыл бұрын

@@shaneb1313 LOL for she drive this car with this design, she MUST love cars.

@EFPianist

3 жыл бұрын

@@pitecusH my point is that a good engine and lower washing would cooperate with the job. It's easier to find leaks and to add value. It's a couple bucks that anyone can do.

@EFPianist

3 жыл бұрын

Who will be the courageous one that will put the hands to clean underneath and the engine of this car now, knowing that it might cause a lot of new problems and defects. In my view, the right time to do this is before the maintenance. It will soon be nest for new rats... they will feel the smell of the old nests.

Back from the days when Merc's and all the other prestige cars were classy,not just flash.Lovely looking old classic

@b4804514

3 жыл бұрын

The 1980 MB corporate moto was quality at any price. I would not own one now. The corporate moto now is suck'a we got you now $$$$$

Wizard as my momma taught me, you can't get something for nothing. A shop costs a lot of money to run and people don't consider that when they hear $95 an hour rate. If you don't want to pay it either don't buy the car or learn how to do it yourself. If you do it yourself your time is your own but remember parts and tools cost money and you have to have a place to do the work. I think its a great service you and Mrs. Wizard are doing telling the truth and not sugar coating it. God Bless.

I hear you Wizard, my first rebuild 30 years ago was a Triumph spitfire, I bought it thinking I fix it up and sell it make some money. I kept a log of all my hours I would’ve been better off flipping burgers at McDonald’s. Also another note as someone who’s owned many boats good luck. Have you checked to see how much water has been slopping around the haul.old fibreglass with foam I found about a bazillion pounds of water soakedfoam and rotted beams. 60 hours later on a 19 foot power boat. So pay more for a good car or boat that has been taken care of. As someone who grew up in the USA , but now lives in Canada I worry . Wishing you are the best .

Nice video. Glad that you were able to make the classic road worthy again.

Wizard spent too much time trying to justify the cost and gives the impression that he's a penny pincher.

@mfcharron

3 ай бұрын

I agree. Everything that was spent was totally worth it to get this beauty back on the road. I would have spent even more because of the family issues with this car. It is now a safe car for his daughter. The cosmetics can be tackled on a piece by piece basis over time. It really gets old listening to him trying to justify the cost of everything.

@artomarkkula674

3 ай бұрын

Maybe you do not belong to the target group, you know what the name of the game is. On the other hand, those who do not know, they do not look these videos.

@sunnyta619

Ай бұрын

Beautiful car…..

@mfcharron

Ай бұрын

Agree. Of course things need to be paid for. Wizard, you don’t need to justify what you charge. You are very fair. If I was anywhere near you I would use your services.

‘86 560sl Owned 25 years, 80K on odo and in really good shape. Half it’s life in the Northeast was not kind so most repairs are due to old age, not overuse. Maintaining A/C and all Vac actuated vents working properly is extremely challenging on these cars. Engine bulletproof though. I DIY what I can. Final resting place is So FL. My other car is an Audi ‘01 A6 bi-turbo which I alone maintain and you know how hard that is. Keep the great videos coming Mr & Mrs Wizard!

i had two w123 back in the 80s/90s. a 230d and a 240e. loved them. and to this day have not found a car as comfy or reliable and would have another in a heartbeat. truly beautiful cars 👍👍

My dad never keeps one long enough to wear out the factory tires. But he has all his window stickers and I cry every time I looks at the 64 impala ss tri power and 69 nova ss .. and he is like ehh they were ok.

@getchasome6230

3 жыл бұрын

They were "just cars" back then bro

@velvetjones1856

3 жыл бұрын

If you knew what cars of that era would be worth today, they would have been saved better than they were resulting in those cars not being worth as much because they would not be as rare.

@fastinradfordable

3 жыл бұрын

What a waste

@getchasome6230

3 жыл бұрын

@@fastinradfordable yeah, how dare people go buy awesome cars and drive them for a year or two and trade it in so someone else can buy a badass car for 1/3 less than a new one?? The audacity

@S.carr.c

3 жыл бұрын

BMW M2 and that would be awesome

Poor effort at 17.40 min. Wizard!!! It really costs nothing to bring the "Star Logo" back into position. This ruins the whole video....Viele Grüße aus Deutschland.

@johnnypk1963

3 жыл бұрын

The restore wasn’t cosmetic, Wizard said that multiple times. Nothing was ruined SMH

@ZorroMS

3 жыл бұрын

@@johnnypk1963 sure, but that would have been really NO BIG DEAL -cushion off, logo out, back in position, cushion on wheel, done, labour-time 45 seconds.

@daszieher

3 жыл бұрын

My shop in Germany swapped out rusted screws holding the headlights without asking and without charging a cent. It's the little details that count, when you lay down thousands to do an engine swap...

@ZorroMS

3 жыл бұрын

@@daszieher N.I.C.E :-)

@gabrielhardman9998

3 жыл бұрын

to be fair if the customer specifically said not to worry about the interior or cosmetic then I don’t think it’s a big deal

One of the Wizard's best, most satisfying projects to date. $5K is a bargain for the amount of work and parts involved. Money well spent. Wouldn't even consider taking on a resto on a newer MB (or any other German make), they're nothing but plastic crap and computers. This car is from the tail end of Mercedes' true quality era. Owner's daughter will stand out from all her friends driving cookie cutter SUV's. Well done!

I've got an w124 300d in pristine condition with 117k km and FIVA certificate that it is roadworthy and still i find lots of things to change because they're old cars and if you want to keep'em running you have to bite the bullet. I just put 1000 usd on regular maintenance, few rubber bushings for the shifter, a relay and serpentine belt and tensioners.

Love you Wizard, but if these types of job almost always exceed the budget then I would suggest you might revise your estimation techniques.

@jjmac3561

3 жыл бұрын

Yes exactly, he is stretching credibility with all the 'stories' about the repair costs and people not thinking they have to pay for labour. He is also getting paid with revenue from the video uploads.

Can you please please please do test drives after you fix cars? That’s the thing that excites me the most about a video. Maybe show how the car is driving and what it feels like

Great project. I've loved these old Mercedes since working at an Audi dealership when these were being traded-in. Great second car.

Thank you. There is a 300D next door to me that's been sitting since 2014 according to the tag. I kinda wanted to save it but def not in my budget.

I switched off when the wizard when on and on and on about the hourly labour charge and cost...

I'm sure his dad would be proud seeing it running and his granddaughter driving around in it. Well done all 😀😀

It's a pleasure to see a master at work, bringing these vintage cars back to useful life in good working order. Such a beautiful car.

@petrosaguilar8916

3 жыл бұрын

A jack of all trades is a master of none.

My father had a Mercedes 300D. When he got rid of it, the engine was covered with oil or diesel. It needed the type of thing The Car Wizard does. My Mom had a 1966 250SE Coupe. Foolishly I sold it when she died. It was in great shape.

Would be nice to hear those jobs where the "Book time" gives the shop a bonus and those where it's hard to meet the time.

@philiplee7604

3 жыл бұрын

He said on a video a while back “ if the book time says 1 hour and I do it in 30 minutes, The customer still gets charged the full hour labor”.

@antn537

3 жыл бұрын

@@philiplee7604 True, but to be fair he also said in that same video that if the book time says x amount and he's over by 50 - 100% he will still charge book time. So in the end it balances out.

@dumbwaiter3644

3 жыл бұрын

@@philiplee7604 But if it takes longer ?

@hotpuppy1

3 жыл бұрын

@@dumbwaiter3644 Shop loses money, if they are honest.

Sounds like the owner should have brought the donor vehicle.

@1949coupe

3 жыл бұрын

Owner should at least have understood that even with a donor car, the parts aren't free. First you have to disassemble the donor car to get to the part, test and clean the part before installing it in the other car. That means parts aren't free even if the donor car was.

@kgisabeast

3 жыл бұрын

At that point it really depends what he’s charging this guy for the used parts which are already worn to some extent, it may have been smarter to just buy new parts, unless he was charging him very low prices for the donor parts

@hotpuppy1

3 жыл бұрын

@@kgisabeast Some of the parts are not obtainable new or cost a fortune.

@cedarsland

3 жыл бұрын

Remember It takes time to remove the parts too Mechanics would rather have delivered....

@blueridgerennsport

3 жыл бұрын

@Mike Me neither, unless they are completely new performance upgrade parts from a *reputable* manufacturer or distributor that I don't have a relationship with. That's my only exception.

Great work as always Wizard. At 18:05 you start talking about something that I also really relate to and that is: doing a job properly takes time, money and expertise, no way around that.

That turned out great. Nice that it is that sentimental to them. It adds up so fast when you aren't doing the work yourself. I am 20k into 73 Chevy K20 build right now and will need another 5k+ to finish it more or less. For a mediocre build. To do it right would be at least double if not more.

I bet that old Merc drives really nice, now. A bit of a tidy up and it’ll be a perfect driver for decades to come...and a lot more interesting than the Tupperware most people drive.

Hoovie must owe you 2-300k then!!!

I have an 82 240d that I have driven 47,000 miles, mostly on a 70 mile round trip commute for a couple years. It is retired now, like me.I am familiar with most everything you spoke of.on these cars. I appreciate you discussing costs, even where I disagree occasionally, being upfront is all you can ask of a mechanic. No one is perfect, and I feel free to no longer require your services if I feel dissatisfied. That’s it!

By far my favourite Mercedes and more character than a carpark full of new their crap and you have no idea how happy I feel to see this beautiful old girl back in rude health and totally agree that a donor car was without a doubt the best way to keep this girl supplied with parts. Great video and well done Wizard!

It also takes time and labor cost to take parts off of the donar car.

@golden.lights.twinkle2329

2 жыл бұрын

Good point.

awesome work at a very reasonable price, congrats to Junior Mint who probably did most of the hard work ;)

After watching this 300d content from the Wizard I hopped over to mercedessource to see what they've been up to. Seems they won the 300d lottery. They just picked up a beautiful example that's obviously been well loved. Check em out!

Y'all did beautiful work to this car, and it was a decent base to work with even with all the stuff that needed to be fixed in the first place