With 2023 at a close, time for another fleet update. Like last year, I will cover the highlights and lowlights for each car, major worked performed, how much I used them and plans for the future. In 2023 I managed to drive my classics almost 18,000km. Classics need regular use or they deteriorate badly, so I’m glad I was able to drive them so much. I would sell a car I don’t drive regularly, unless there was a specific reason preventing it. The cars are listed in order of their use in the year. It’s not exact, as I note down the odometers after each fuel up, however it evens out.
I don’t own a modern car, so I use the logbook days across all my classics any time I need to go somewhere.
Highlights and Lowlights
The big highlight was the Concours Run, my road trip to Melbourne and back the scenic way. I passed 20 years of ownership with the 450SLC, and It was also a highlight finally getting to the bottom of the issues with the 250SE. While it was sad to see the the 300SE and 280SE go, it was a good first year with the 300TE.
Fleet Changes
I sold two cars in 2023. The first was my 1986 300SE W126. I was sad to see this car go, as it had been a great daily driver for the four years I owned it. With my kids growing up, the 1990 300TE is going to be a better choice as a car that is used for family duties. Therefore, I sold the 300SE and bought the 300TE. My 300TE is a 1990 model and so far proven to be a great car.
I also sold my 1979 280SE. I’m glad I was able to get that car on the road and running so well. However, the opportunity to buy the W116 I have always wanted presented itself, so I’ll be unveiling the replacement soon.
Both cars have gone to great homes, so I’m really pleased with that.
1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC
It was a very eventful year for my 560SEC. I took the car down to Melbourne for the MBCV concours, and to Canberra for the MBCACT concours. The car did very well on both trips, although I did have to limp it home 500km with no alternator. In order to have the car ready for so much usage, I had the transmission rebuilt. The car drives so much better now. Since I returned from Melbourne, I’ve noticed the car is losing coolant, so I will need to get the bottom of that.
- KM Driven: 5,400
- KM on Odometer: 174,500mi (280,500km)
- Spend Level: High
- Availability: Very good
- Highlight: The concours run
- Lowlight: Losing my alternator on the concours run
- Work this year: New speakers front and rear, rebuilt transmission, rebuilt alternator, drag link and alignment.
- Plan for 2023: Work out why it’s loosing coolant.
1990 Mercedes-Benz 300TE
My 300TE was a new addition at the start of the year. It replaced my 300SE. It has proven to be a really good versatile family car. I prefer it to my wife’s newer S211 E350. So much so that I took it on a family road trip to Tasmania, where I still am as I write this.
I had a few things to do to the car this year, but overall I’m happy with the purchase. I also got to know a great group of hands on W124 owners.
- KM Driven: 4,500
- KM on Odometer: 379,500km
- Spend Level: High
- Availability: Excellent
- Highlight: Taking the car on a family road trip to Tasmania.
- Lowlight: Not being able to get the ignition barrel out.
- Work this year: Misc improvements, fitted factory cross bars, Fan clutch, thermostat, Becker radio, tailgate struts, refurbished the instrument cluster, front and rear speakers, center vent and various prep for the Tasmania trip.
- Plan for 2023: Fixing the tailgate soft close
1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL
It was a fairly uneventful year for the the 560SEL. I used it on quite a a few good club events this year, like the Amazing Rally and the Berry car show. It also saw quite a lot of use as regular transport. I had planned to take it to Sacco day, but the drivers side window regulator failed in early November, and I’ve not had a chance to look since. I’m very close to passing 340,000km which will be a good milestone for the car.
- KM Driven: 2,200
- KM on Odometer: 339,500km
- Spend Level: Negligible
- Availability: Good
- Highlight: I took the car on some great club events this year.
- Lowlight: The drivers window regulator failing the night before Youngtimer Sacco Day.
- Work this year: Rebuilding the Hirchmann power antenna.
- Plan for 2023: Fixing the drivers window regulator.
1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC
This year there were no major trips in the 450SLC like last year. I used it on a few club events and quite a bit as a driver. I’m really enjoying having the Becker Mexico in place, I should have done this years ago. The car had a major service this year and in March will have the timing chain replaced.
- KM Driven: 1,800
- KM on Odometer: 312,000km
- Spend Level: Medium
- Availability: Good
- Highlight: Fitting my Becker Radio
- Lowlight: Having to pay for another motor mount job after the genuine mounts failed so soon.
- Work this year: Becker Mexico installation, major service, blinker flasher unit, lug bolt replacement.
- Plan for 2023: Timing chain, guides and camshaft oilers.
1965 Mercedes-Benz 250SE
I continued to battle the running issues that have plagued the car for the last 18 months or so. Finally, they seem to be solved with a 123 Ignition distributor. I took the car on a couple of night drives and displayed it at the German car show before the power steering pulley broke.
Given all the time the car was running poorly or unavailable, I’m surprised I managed to drive as much as I did.
- KM Driven: 1,250
- KM on Odometer:
- Spend Level: High
- Availability: Poor
- Highlight: Finally fixing the running issues
- Lowlight: Losing my power steering pulley when the car was running so well.
- Work this year: Fitted a 55A alternator and a 123 ignition.
- Plan for 2023: Replace the power steering pulley and fix leak in the heat exchanger.
1965 Jaguar E-Type
No major issues with the E-Type this year. The E-Type gets used the least as everyday transport as compared to the other cars. I find myself using it for many of the test runs for the Mercedes Club night drives. It is in its element on the twisty roads we prefer for those drives. I think I detected a hint of noise in the clutch throwout bearing this year, so I may have a clutch job in my future.
These cars got a bad reputation for reliability, but I find mine to be very reliable.
- KM Driven: 1,100
- KM on Odometer: 70,850mi (5 digit)
- Spend Level: Negligible
- Availability: Excellent
- Highlight: Trouble free drives
- Lowlight: none
- Work this year: none
- Plan for 2023: Nothing specific.
1970 Citroen DS21
I actually used the DS quite a lot this year. I just didn’t take it on any long trips. I think I ended up with 40 entries in the logbook. Most of these were fairly short trips, hence only recording 600 km on the odometer. It was a fairly trouble free year for the DS, I just had some work done to the spheres to fix the ride quality.
- KM Driven: 600
- KM on Odometer: 18,000km (5 digit)
- Spend Level: Low
- Availability: Very good
- Highlight: None
- Lowlight: None
- Work this year: Regassed front spheres and rebuilt rear spheres
- Plan for 2023: None planned.
1979 Mercedes-Benz 280SE
I sold the 280SE this year, so only had access to it for the first few months. Since selling the car, I’ve seen it a few times at club events with its new owner. It now has even more work done and is looking great.
- KM Driven: 450
- KM on Odometer: 223,000km
- Spend Level: Negligible
- Availability: Excellent
- Highlight: The car went to a great home
- Lowlight: Selling the car.
- Work this year: Fixing the sunroof switch and adjusting the SLS.
- Plan for 2023: N/A
1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SE
The 300SE was sold first in the year, which was the main reason the KMs were low this year. Since I sold it in January, I drove it pretty much daily until I sold it, as I knew I would not get an other opportunity to do so.
- KM Driven: 450
- KM on Odometer: 298,500
- Spend Level: None
- Availability: Full until sold
- Highlight: The car went to a great home
- Lowlight: Selling the car
- Work this year: None
- Plan for 2023: N/A
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