1994 Mercedes-Benz W124 E280TE

With just three owners from new, this is a rare opportunity to get your hands on what is in our opinion the best engine/body/colour combination for a very reasonable price. The first registered keeper had the car for three years before passing on to a gentleman in East Sussex who kept it for just one. He then sold it to a lady in nearby Lewes, who then kept it for the next twenty.

The slight catch is the mileage, which is near-200,000 miles or a little over 8,000 miles a year. However, we would humbly point out that if any vehicle can shrug off the equivalent of travelling eight times around the world it is a well-serviced W124 – and this example has been very well serviced indeed. And look at those photos and point out any that scream 198,000?

And, in case you’re still wondering whether to pop a cheeky bid in or not, the seller tells us that it was fitted with a replacement engine less than 10,000 miles ago. So yes, you should.

Straight doesn’t even begin to describe the condition of the sober metallic silver bodywork; if we were to tell you that this is a 2014 car we doubt you’d be able to tell the difference. The paintwork is still shiny and smooth, and the panel shutlines are as tight and even as the day they left the factory.

The electric tilt-and-slide sunroof still fits well and seals tightly, remaining watertight and quiet at speed and the roof rails are free of chips and other marks, so it is unlikely that the car has ever had a roof rack fitted to it.

The steel wheels are still fitted with the original hub caps and are shod with matching Pirelli P1 Cinturato tyres.

Sure, there is the odd parking scuff and stone chip here and there (most notably on the plastic trim of the nearside front door and a paint blow-in at the top windscreen corner - bothe photographed) but it is utterly rot-free and extraordinarily sound, something the online MOT history confirms; not a single MOT tester has ever found cause to raise concerns about the old girl’s structural integrity.

Oh, and the number plates? Sure, they might be a bit scruffy but they’re original and prove the car has never had a serious front or rear-end accident. Nice, huh?

The Market regulars might recognise this car from earlier in the year so will expect a little more information and explanation; we are only happy to oblige. At auction end, the seller noted that there was a slight oil leak onto his driveway and correctly undertook to fix it. Some oil pipes were ordered direct from Mercedes (£150 invoice included in the Gallery) and fitted. Whilst there, the garage discovered that the rear subframe mounts were weak. This is a known design flaw of these W124 Mercedes but one that is usually missed - this car passed its MOT just weeks before. Since then the seller has bought the parts from Mercedes and instructed a specialist to complete the works at a cost of several hundred pounds (invoices in the Gallery). Now it returns to a fresh auction in even better condition than it was before. And we all now know of another place to inspect before we buy a W124 Estate...

The condition of the seats belies the mileage, as do the leather steering wheel, gear lever, switchgear, and pedals. The seller also advises there is not a single rattle or squeak; this thing is way better inside than a built-down-to-a-price Mercedes from the noughties looks and sounds like after 20,000 miles…

The leather seats show only the very gentlest of patination with no holes, scuffs or rips, and the Zebrano wooden veneer trim is free of cracks, chips and delamination. The headlining is clean and taut, the sun visors are tight and remain firmly in place, and the ruched door trims, which are very period, are in excellent condition; we salute the car’s previous owners, who have clearly driven and used the car with care.

All the electrics work as they should, including the air-conditioning and the electric windows. The vacuum-operated central door locking works on all the doors, including the boot and petrol filler cap. The car also comes with two keys.

Faults are limited to a blown bulb in one of the heater controls and a bald patch on the driver’s carpet around 2” x ½” in size.

The boot is still fitted with the rare retractable luggage space cover and integral dog guard and, being a five-seater, has the full complement of under-floor cubby holes. It has also retained the Mercedes tool-kit.

The rear load space is in excellent condition with none of the sort of scuffs scratches or bite marks that come from having carried a dog. Oh, and the cigarette lighter and ashtray are original and unused, which means it has probably never been smoked in, either.

The fuel-injected, straight six engine fires up on the button and runs as smoothly as any you’ve ever driven. Many think the 2.8-litre engine is the best compromise between performance, drivability and economy and this is one of the very best on sale today.

The seller has been using this car for the last few weeks and advises that it drives beautifully; the engine pulls well and without hesitation, the gearbox changes smoothly and quietly with no clunks, the brakes are powerful and progressive and the suspension still works perfectly, which would be a boon for anyone who wants to use it to carry heavy loads or tow on a regular basis.

That it is in such good mechanical condition is a by-product of old school Mercedes over-engineering and a careful regimen of servicing, by Mercedes main dealers until 2005 and 137,911miles, after which it was pampered by a Mercedes specialist garage. The service bills from the ten years the latter has looked after the car tot up to almost £8,000 – and that doesn’t include the cost of the replacement engine…

The seller has contacted the specialist garage to find out more about this replacement engine. Apparently the previous owner brought the car in complaining of poor running, which the garage identified as a fundamental engine issue. The Mercedes' fantastic condition meant the garage recommended a replacement engine rather than scrapping the car. The owner agreed and sourced a unit that arrived at the garage clean and in a crate and was duly fitted with great results. The garage believes it was a reconditioned unit, but there is unfortunately no invoice to back this up. 

That care is supported by a large number of invoices and a fully stamped service history booklet, plus a spreadsheet printout that lists every major service: 27 in all – PLUS the replacement engine. It also comes with a thick sheaf of old MOT certificates. (The online MOT history is similarly impressive…)

It also comes with the original owner’s manual and the genuine Mercedes wallet to keep it all in. It is HPI clear and has an MOT until November.

Please visit the ‘Gallery’ section of this listing where you will find the invoices and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has one of the most impressive service histories.

RESERVE LOWERED. 02/05/18

The W124 is currently in high demand, being bought by discerning, fastidious enthusiasts who want one of the last ‘proper’, analogue Mercedes estate cars. However, they do tend to fall into one of two camps: bangers, or low-mileage museum pieces. The trouble is that the latter are too good to use as an everyday driver, and the former are just too much, er, trouble..

This example neatly bisects the two, being reliable enough to be used as a family car but not too nice that you’re scared to use it for the weekly shop or to tow your classic racing car to weekend meets. As a result, we don’t think it’s going to sell for a few hundred pounds - but then nor do we expect it to reach five figures, either…

We estimate this remarkable, time-warp car will reach around £2,500, which is an absurdly small sum for such a fine example of the much sought after W124 estate; remember, if the odometer read under 100,000 miles, we’d be asking – and would get – three times as much.

Yes, bidding on any car with 200,000 miles on the clock is a risk, but buying a really tidy  W124 with a full service history is much less of a risk than it would be with almost any other vehicle.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen near Canterbury – and the seller has such confidence in the vehicle that he’d happily wave the new owner off on a lengthy road-trip home in the sure and certain conviction that it would complete the journey without complaint.

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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.