Cars for the tall: Peugeot 504?

[jonathan_dyane]

My weekend of pain contemplating the generous legroom a Mercedes offers has led me to wish to scratch the itch I have to experience the rust, glacial performance and underwhelming fuel economy of an old merc estate, namely a 240TD. In the unlikely event that anyone stumbles upon one for sale, I am very much in the market...

[Guest]

Good luck with that, hope your pockets are deep and flush and your arms long.

I was after one about a year ago and they are going for silly money for average guff, if you look at Charles Ironside's site you'll see there's clearly a 'Chelsea set' type scene.

 

Oh and errr not wishing to sound like you know feck all but you know TD is Touring Diesel not Turbo Diesel?

[jonathan_dyane]

Fucksticks, I certainly realised that TD was not turbo, but I did not realise that they had become *shudders* popular and hence expensive. Perhaps I should get a nice Maxi instead...

[flat4alfa]

W123 was always a middle-class oddball motor. Nothings changed there, but any of the diesels will be worth plenty since the veg-oil ability went viral. About 7ish years ago I helped convert one, using straight forward single-tank method with a pre-heater. Ran it on sunflower oil from a cash and carry. The 300TD is the one to have, but even back then the values on 1) estates 2) diesels went daft. Looked at a few. All tired rot boxes for up to £2k. And that was that.

[fotorabia]

 

Regurgitation!..i was ridiculed by a member on this for paying 900squid for my 300D saloon....and mine aint a rot box by any means...im hoping that the TD above will languish for a while longer!..its in the middle of nowhere-Holden-Ford country..so im in luck!

[dollywobbler]

I don't think W123 saloon prices have gone silly yet. Estates usually disappear overseas rather quickly. The diesel saloons aren't massively popular because while they will chug away merrily on veg oil, they're horrifically slow. I had a 300D auto and once got overtaken by a pigeon. On foot. 88bhp is not a lot to shift a car that huge. It also only did about 27mpg.

 

A W124 is much better bet, especially as some of those had turbos.

[Lacquer Peel]

A W124 is much better bet, especially as some of those had turbos.

 

Only LHD models.

[dollywobbler]

A W124 is much better bet, especially as some of those had turbos.

 

Only LHD models.

 

Ah. Thought they'd sorted it out by W124 but apparently not! They did have a bit more power though.

[fotorabia]

withdrawn and apology..aint worth it

[Bobthebeard]

 

..the expert speaks...their definitely vastly unpopular..hence why i see W123s nearly everyday...and the brand new 300D taxi unearthed recently that sold for 50000euro..piece of shite...the 1000s of Arabic taxis..their living a lie...and if u have to prematurely ejaculate at every single traffic lights..yes...they cant be driven by wankers...geddit!

 

Errr, no actually. Don't geddit at all....

Eh?

[willswitchengage]

Here's one I found in Bristol a few months back

 

B447 FUJ 1985 Mercedes-Benz 240D by willswitchengage, on Flickr

 

This was on the bay before Christmas, showing that rougher examples are still "affordable"

[HMC]

My 300td estate I had a couple of years ago, complete with a 3 litre 5 pot producing a thumping 88bhp. A fantastic car that I took across europe, averaging 30-32mpg. Would have another tomorrow.

[jonathan_dyane]

Thanks guys!

This was on the bay before Christmas, showing that rougher examples are still "affordable"

 

Although it looks nice from a distance (but last photo looks a worry) I think this is further evidence one of these chaps is out of my league; I've never paid more than £450 for a car and for £1000 I'd want a belter

 

So seriously, Maxis! Would one cope with everyday use and would it use unleaded? Probably would be similar fuel economy to the 240D

[dollywobbler]

I think a Maxi would be fine. Not sure they're that happy on unleaded but you might as well run it on the neat stuff and sort out an unleaded head if needed. After 30,000 miles with our Mini, we decided it was probably ok. I'd love a Maxi myself but something needs to be sold first. Possibly the saved BX estate...

[barefoot]

I seem to remember that Maxis are thirsty 27 mpg ish.

[flat4alfa]

Who's been editing? The thread was about W123, so where did Maxi chat turn up?

 

 

My 1750 Maxi wasn't clever, on a run. It was low mileage, sweet running (well, for an E-series) and peachy so not an old smoker by any means. But it did seem like fuel mileage from the era before it.

 

I could get similar fuel mileage out of my twin-weber Alfa 33, which was hard to drive frugaly.

[fotorabia]

Who's been editing? The thread was about W123, so where did Maxi chat turn up?

 

 

My 1750 Maxi wasn't clever, on a run. It was low mileage, sweet running (well, for an E-series) and peachy so not an old smoker by any means. But it did seem like fuel mileage from the era before it.

 

I could get similar fuel mileage out of my twin-weber Alfa 33, which was hard to drive frugaly.

 

Because DW considers a Maxi a far more important vehicle of international standard and practicality than a W123..i bet you i could drive from Australia to Germany..and parts would never be an issue..of course...there are millions of after market parts available for Maxi's...my garndparents had a new green Maxi...my garndfather being an engineer..i never knew a car to be so instantly disposed of than that one..

 

Ok..ill go away now...but i just met the owner of this W123..a David High formerly of Reading..who played professional football for the local team [10 years] and was capped for England in 1958..he was a very polite and thoughtful 75 year gentleman who had owned this car for 27 years....he equally admired mine....but his was near mint!

 

He paid $26000 for it originally..and although he knows its not worth much..he said that he would have to die first before he replaced it.

[vulgalour]

Maxis are a car I considered before getting the Princess and, from what I learned, much the same is true for both cars. Engine can be a bit thirsty, you'll be lucky to get anything above 37mpg out of it (from what I'm told, not personal experience). They're very comfortable both on the suspension and seats side of things. They're very practical, what with the insta-dogging seat system and the capacious tailgate. The classic car fraternity embrace them, usually, and spares aren't too bad. Rot around the headlight end of the wings and the sills and the door bottoms seems common. I like the earlier ones best to look at. They're a car I'd like to try out properly one day, I think I'd get on with them, certainly more so than a Teutonic barge.

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Er, it was the OP who changed the topic to Maxis, not me. I've owned a W123 and it was a bit of a hopeless, wobbly ol' barge. Had charm for sure, but a Maxi has a very different kind of appeal. Slightly hopeless in other ways but much nicer to drive.

[flat4alfa]

insta-dogging seat system

Very good

 

 

Having owned both W123 230E and Maxi 1750 (Hydralastic), the Merc is the most comfortable by some margin, especially for passengers. It would be fairer to compare Merc Wagons with Granada Wagons. And Maxis with Renault 16s. Probably.

 

The Maxi had a certain likeable and twee charm, but fit and fittings were brittle. The Merc was hewn from granite.

 

Besides, there is no Perkins in a Maxi. The OP defined dervness in the title. Vegoil for the win!?

[Rocket88]

insta-dogging seat system

Very good

 

 

Having owned both W123 230E and Maxi 1750 (Hydralastic), the Merc is the most comfortable by some margin, especially for passengers. It would be fairer to compare Merc Wagons with Granada Wagons. And Maxis with Renault 16s. Probably.

 

The Maxi had a certain likeable and twee charm, but fit and fittings were brittle. The Merc was hewn from granite.

 

Besides, there is no Perkins in a Maxi. The OP defined dervness in the title. Vegoil for the win!?

 

I wonder if a Maestro Perkins cuold be made to fit..............

[dollywobbler]

 

I wonder if a Maestro Perkins cuold be made to fit..............

 

Well, I'm sure I've heard of people cramming M-Series engines in. Not saying it's a piece of piss like - there's a gearbox in a sensible location for a start - but if you can put a K-Series in a Mini, why not?

[jonathan_dyane]

At the risk of further enraging fellow Autoshiters, I again move the goal posts.

 

Whilst sitting in traffic in the Audi of pain, legs aching, I gave some further thought as to the problem. I am 6'6" and my legs are long between the knees and feet, and this tends to cause my knees to be sticking up and forced into an awkward position either side of the steering wheel. As well as making my legs twisted, this also tends to make my lower back uncomfortable because I am not sitting normally in the seat; my arse is in contact with the cushion but my legs are not.

 

Although the W201 I had was certainly tolerable, the lowness of the seat when moved right back coupled with a low and large steering wheel served to make things less than ideal. Unfortunately the w123 300D I looked at over the weekend was similar in this regard.

 

It strikes me that I would be better suited to a car with a high seat, which may allow my legs to fall to a more sensible angle which avoids the steering wheel. The only car I recall sitting in where this was the case was a Citroen DS which has an upright seating position. Alas the DS is both out of my price range and rather unsuited to 20000 miles a year.

 

Obvious choices of perhaps suitable vehicles would be vans, 4wd vehicles and MPVs. Unfortunately I'm not keen on moving in any of these directions unless forced.

 

I prefer more shite-based vehicles which date from before ABS and electronics became in vogue. Diesel is pretty much a must. Suggestions as to what may suit are most welcome.

 

I remember some years ago travelling as a passenger in an Argentinian Peugeot 504 taxi in great comfort, and wonder if our resident 504 enthusiast could advise as to whether it has the high seats I hope? I have heard tell of a 504D estate for sale at the other end of the country that despite seeming overpriced has me interested. I'm reluctant to travel hundreds of miles however to look at something that may be also unsuitable...

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Howsabout a Japanese mini-MPV like a Nissan Prairie, Mitsi Space Star or Daihatsu Gran Move? They're all petrols, but I don't think they'd be too bad on fuel.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

The Mitsubishi I was thinking of is actually the Space Wagon- Space Star is the newer version.

[hairnet]

omega

e34

audi 100

[Richard]

I don't have any experience of 504s but I drove a lot of miles in 505s when I was a taxi driver in the early 90s and they gave me sciatica, which has never really gone away.

[Lacquer Peel]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-CITROEN- ... 0880415351

[Volksy]

I may be persuaded to part with my Audi 100 Avant,

 

It's a 1.8 on LPG, so costs buttons to run.

 

 

Could do with a couple of minor jobs doing, namely a handbrake cable and the exhaust bandaging up.

[garethj]

504s seem to be ££££, that's even if you can find one

 

Seems to have more front legroom than a DS though, 28.8 inches compared to 24.4 of a DS

 

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/passenger-c ... afari.html