1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SE

First registered on the 3rd of November 1988, this wonderfully imposing Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a second-generation example, so benefits from a bit more power as well as a selectable automatic gearbox that offers the driver the choice of Standard (S) or Economy (E) modes.

Finished in black over grey leather, this W126 reinforces the reputation Mercedes used to have for over-engineering some of the toughest cars in the world.

In need of only light cosmetic fettling, a few hours and a modest sum of money would see the old girl fighting fit once more and ready to conquer another 32 years with the same aplomb as it watched over the birth of the Internet and the collapse of the Iron Curtain.

Still looking sharp and imposing, the first thing you notice about the car is the way it all hangs together; it might be well into its fourth decade but you’d never guess from the shutlines, panel alignment or chromework.

Nor the paint; black is the hardest colour of them all in that it shows every flaw and blemish, and the fact that this one still looks utterly magnificent reflects very well on its previous keepers. Sitting fore-square and reeking of Germanic menace, it’s elegant and stately and every inch the sort of heavy 80’s metal that gets our pulse racing.

And, the sunroof seals properly, and opens and closes as it should. Its lining, along with the rest of the headlining inside the car, is also good.

Fitted with a new set of matching 205/65VR15 Powertrac tyres, the standard alloy wheels are still in a very good condition being free of scuffs, scrapes and other damage.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Work to do? Well, it’s clearly had some work in the past and while the paintwork has been applied good and thick, there is a hint of orange peel to the finish, so we can see the new owner might want to have someone flat it back before machine polishing it.

The bonnet also has a couple of wobbles on the outer raised edges (photos #43 and #106 refer), there’s some bubbling to the chromed front bumper (#184, #189 and #190) and there’s a dink in the side trim on the driver’s door (#99). None are terribly obvious but they are there and they will need sorting at some point.

Oh, and while the base of the roof-mounted aerial is there, the mast is missing. Still, fitting a new one would be a case of just screwing it on. (A second aerial has been fitted to the nearside rear wing.)

The grey leather interior has weathered the past 32 years very well. Yes, there’s a hole on the outer bolster of the driver’s seat and some other significant wear in a few places but any half competent trimmer could sort that out easily enough - or you could source a good secondhand one if that sounds like too much trouble - leaving you free to admire one of the most bulletproof interiors of the 20th century.

That’s not to say it’s perfect of course; this is a 32-year-old car with 134,000 miles on the clock. But, even so, the wear is considerably less than almost any of its contemporaries would show and what there is is nothing more than a light patina.

Sitting at the top of the Mercedes-Benz range, the S-Class is also fitted with all manner of goodies including heated front seats, electric windows all round, that selectable gearbox, and air-conditioning. Acres of wood, too.

The boot is pretty good. Home to the (somewhat dented) alloy spare wheel, while the metal floor is utterly solid and free of corrosion, some of the trim is cracked and the carpet a little stained and jaded; it’s not terribly bad but given how good everything else is we can see the new owner might like to freshen it up a little.

Other problems? Well, there are a few screw holes in the nearside edge of the centre console, almost certainly a relic of the days when our mobile telephones were actually less mobile than we thought.

The driver’s door card is also a little too worn for our tastes, there’s a short crack in the top of the dashboard and the nearside rear door card, and part of the electric seat adjuster is missing from both the driver’s and the passenger’s doors.

It was fitted with new rear brake discs and pads in 2015 as part of a comprehensive service that included fresh coolant, a gearbox filter and new oil and an engine flush.

It also had a rear drop link fitted in February 2020 and there are receipts for engine and transmission oil in 2016 and an alternator in April 2015 among many others.

The engine bay is pretty well ordered and there’s nothing there to worry about at all. A fastidious owner might want to give it a bit of a clean but that’s a job for another day rather than something that’s going to nag at you until it’s complete.

The underside looks to be strong and solid and in need of nothing other than admiration; after all, few of us looked this good at 32…

We’ve also taken it for a quick test drive and can report that it drives well. It starts promptly too, and ticks over and revs as it should.

There is a spare instrument binnacle in the boot plus a couple of rear light units.

The Mercedes’ MOT certificate is valid until November 2021. It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this paperwork.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

Every hard-nosed car enthusiast has an Achilles’ heel, and for us this is it. A wonderfully original, beautifully preserved slice of Germanic heavy metal offered in what is a suitably regal and menacing colour.

And while you might think you want a low-mileage example, you really don’t, not if you are going to be using it on a regular basis. What you want is a car like this, one that has been exercised regularly and has had consistent heat cycles put through it because nothing kills a car faster than inactivity.

And yet, for all its considerable charms this delectable slice of late eighties’ gold isn’t going to be expensive; while the price of some of its (lesser) contemporaries has soared, that of the W126 Mercedes range has been more of a slow burn.

With this in mind, we think it will only sell for between £3,000 - 6,000 so you might be able to snaffle a real bargain…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.