Comparing 142s to 144s, it's easy as a layperson or enthusiast to say that the 142s should be first in line for the acetylene torch, as the worst of the Pacers are definitely 142s: the MerseyTravel examples.
On the other hand, 142s have only been written off in crashes whereas two 143s have spontaneously combusted, and the centre car of 144023 spent a long time out of traffic after a fire and was supposedly close to being written off at one point. I've lost count of how often I've been on a 3-car 144 with an engine out... and I don't think they have an "eco-mode" like the 185s!
Idle thought: how possible would it be to restart the 144Evolution programme? Could a "bare minimum requirements" version be rushed through on a few 144s before the end of the year?