1996 Mercedes-Benz E220 Cabriolet

With 3 previous owners, the current owner has had this E220 Cabriolet for 12 years. It was first registered on the 1st of August 1996 and has since only covered a total of 76,500 miles throughout its 4 owners. So, a low mileage, low owner car for its 25 years of on road service, this Mercedes Benz, it’s clear to see, has been looked after by its custodians. It is also now being auctioned with No Reserve, there's confidence.

The current owner has used the car regularly but sparingly for local trips, hence the low mileage. A house move means that the car has nowhere to be parked and therefore must be moved on.

The car has the 2.2L, M111 engine, which is a 16-valve, inline 4 producing 150bhp and 162 ft. lbs of torque. A perfect engine for a leisurely, luxurious, open-top cruiser. The addition of the 4-speed automatic 4G-Tronic transmission is a plus with this Mercedes, as its widely regarded to be the most reliable transmissions ever built by the company with some examples exceeding mileage of 300,000 without major issue.

The ‘Tourmaline Green’ exterior of this car is well presented and straight, the car sits very handsomely on its wheels, which are in good condition. Starting from the front, the grille and ‘Tri-Star’ emblem sit pride of place on the face of this Mercedes, with no corrosion or fading or even a slat missing in the grille. The front headlights both work well, and the driver’s side lens does have a small stone chip which has let some condensation in. Otherwise, the front bumper has some very minor stone chips, which is to be expected with all second-hand vehicles, however it is not severe and could be solved with a small touch up pen. The bonnet and front wings look to be in good condition with the front wings having being replaced and repainted in the past. The windscreen is also good with no stone chips.

Moving round the sides of the car, the doors sit snug, which is something we’ve come to expect of Mercedes build quality over the years, the bottoms and edges of the doors look to be free of corrosion and the paperwork shows that the doors have been repaired, painted and protected in the past, so they should be good for years to come. The rear quarters are in good condition as are the rear arches, which show no sign of bubbling corrosion coming through the paint work. The sill jacking point covers are still present which is a plus point as they can let a car down when they go missing. The wheels have no lacquer peeling, curbing or damage of note and the matching tyres look like they have plenty of life left in them with regards to the quality of the rubber and the tread depth as they are only a few years old.

Finally getting to the rear of the car and those iconic rear lights of Mercedes capture your attention as they contrast against the green. The boot lid is in good condition with only one small scuff which does not look to have gone further than the lacquer. There is a small mark on the passenger side of the rear bumper, a small scuff which could be drastically remedied with some cutting and polishing. The rest of the bumper is good however and finishes off the rear of the car nicely. There is also a very small section just underneath the keyhole at the back where there seems to be some corrosion.

Lastly the hood of the Mercedes, the black accenting the green, is in great condition for an original 25-year-old item and has been waterproofed and coloured a couple of times during the owner’s time. Everything works as it should with the folding operation, and the folding structures are smooth and quiet - feel the engineering integrity. The fabric of the hood is in good condition as well, with only some small scuffs and no leaks. There is a glass rear window, and the fabric is not mould ridden or discoloured, a testament to Mercedes and the owners of this car for their care. Important point to note as well is the car comes with one working key.

The interior of the Mercedes is a luxurious cream leather, which, considering how hard it must be to keep clean, has lasted very well indeed, and compliments the tourmaline exterior very well. The dash is in fine condition with no cracks, colour fading or dents of scratches. The dials light up as intended showing the correct mileage. There is an intermittent fault with the fuel gauge where it sometimes shows half-a-tank-full when there isn’t, this is due to a dry joint in the cluster as opposed to the fuel sender in the tank which has been investigated and found to be working. All vents, buttons and switches in the control panel work as intended too. The interior light is currently not working but the electric heated seats and electric mirrors work as intended. The steering wheel looks to be in good condition with no damage, discolouration or fraying of the stitching. On the centre console, the Pioneer head unit works as do the heater buttons and the wood veneer is in remarkably good condition. The gear selector, which is another major touch point in the car has fared just as well as the rest of the front section of the interior, with no major damage or wear to speak of.

The plush beige carpets in the car show no signs of staining. The leather in the upholstery has fared very well indeed during the car’s life, another mark for the quality of Mercedes and the dedication of the owners. There is one section on the driver’s side bolster that has worn through. This could be taken to a local trimmer for repair and cleaning, or the cover could be replaced, depending on what the buyer chooses. We suspect though, with a thorough deep clean and a bit of leather feed, the upholstery could be brought back to near new standards as the foam in all the seats has retained its shape and firmness.

The rear of the cabin looks fantastic also with both rear seats looking as though they have not seen many passengers. The door upholstery all round is in great condition, with the plush ruffled padding adding to the luxury you come to expect from Mercedes products. The rear parcel shelf behind the rear seats is free of damage, discolouration and fraying. The underside of the roof is in remarkable condition and is not sagging or torn. The boot is also in good condition, with the carpet not having any stains or discolouration, and revealing underneath the spare wheel well, with no water pooling or corrosion. There is also the original wind deflector.

To summarise then, the interior of this Mercedes is very much in keeping with the ethos of Mercedes today, retaining that level of quality and luxury. Apart from the one small section on the driver’s seat bolster, the interior is very good.

Looking underneath the Mercedes, the underside of the car is in good condition for 25 years on the road. There are some small patches of corrosion starting to show, however, this is mainly on the parts of the underside that has the most contact with the salted roads and in areas most vulnerable to stone chips. The corrosion, however, appears not structural. The exhaust system has a bit more corrosion throughout length of the pipes, but again it has not caused a hole in the system and considering this exhaust could be the original 25-year-old item, it has done extremely well sat underneath the car. The suspension on the face of it looks to be in great condition with the springs and dampers doing their intended purpose well as the car drives without issue.

In the engine bay, the condition of the components and structures look to be great. The chassis legs are straight and free from corrosion in the bay. The hoses and wiring looms in the bay are in good condition with no splitting or cracking or exposed wires. The rocker cover has started to lose a bit of its covering but remains in good working order. The bulkhead still has its heat protection and sound deadening and shows no signs of corrosion in the metalwork. Overall, in the engine bay, it is a very clean example of the M111 engine.

As honest and genuine as you would hope to see.

This Mercedes comes with a fantastically comprehensive history file, clearly showing it’s been cared for and maintained responsibly throughout the owner’s time with the car. Looking at the service book and the MoT history, the mileage would appear to be genuine and there are no significant gaps, showing that this car appears to have led a continuous, but gentle life.

Below is a brief overview of some of the main works:

Regularly maintained and stamped service book

Replacement offside coil spring – ‘Vehicle Surgeon’ – 07/07/2020

Alloy refurbished – ‘AW Smart Repairs’ – 27/02/2017

New water pump, drive belt and coolant flush – ‘Deben Transport Repairs’ – 25/04/2016

Offside rear quarter panel and bumper paint refreshed – ‘Martlesham Body Repair Centre’ – 16/06/2015

X2 wings, supplied, painted and replaced, doors repaired and repainted - ‘Martlesham Body Repair Centre’ – 13/10/2014

Offside rear brake pipe replaced – ‘Chapel Works’ – 07/07/2014

Replacement steering damper - ‘Chapel Works’ – 04/08/2011

New crank sensor fitted - ‘Chapel Works’ – 11/03/2011

New fuel pump relay - ‘Chapel Works’ – 08/03/2011

Replacement front anti-roll bar bushes - ‘Chapel Works’ – 07/07/2010

Door panel repair & new offside front window regulator - ‘Chapel Works’ – 25/06/2010

Repaired and repainted offside front bumper section and centre section of rear bumper – ‘AW Smart Repairs’ – 12/03/2010

Replacement aux belt tensioner damper & Waxoil applied to all wheel arch lips - ‘Chapel Works’ – 23/04/2009

This relatively unexciting and unexceptional list, alongside regular servicing, shows how these W124 Mercs just run and run when not abused.

The W124 is placed very well to become an appreciating future classic. The saloon may not be the most stunning Mercedes-Benz visually, but this cabriolet/convertible has a sense of restrained elegance missing from the 'flashier' designs of today. And a cracking colour combination too. Undoubtedly, the level of craftsmanship and design excellence that Mercedes poured into this chassis is something that will put it in good stead for years to come with regards to price and a loyal fanbase.

This convertible is a great example for someone to take on and add to, to give it more value and to tuck away as a second car or summer cruiser. Or seeing as the car has only done 76,500 miles, by Mercedes standards, it's barely touched even half the mileage that these cars would achieve trouble-free so should be well placed to give thousands of miles more of reliable motoring. 

Our estimate for this No Reserve auction is £5,000 - £8,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, 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’.