1985 Mercedes-Benz 230TE (T123)
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Highlights
- Matching numbers example
- Fully mechanically restored, with a very rare automatic transmission
- Bodywork in fantastic condition
The Appeal
Mercedes-Benz took a long time to get over its inherent suspicion of the estate-car market. After all, in the UK, a Benz was seen as a vehicle for private, wealthy individuals who required a luxurious means of transportation, so Daimler-Benz AG felt it had an upmarket image to project… Whereas in Germany, these were seen as nothing more than a posh van.
The 230 T (for Tourism and Transport) is renowned for its reliability, as well as being arguably one of the best luxury estates that were available on the market at the time without going above and beyond with your wallet, as the 280 model had a wickedly higher price point.
That particular example presents itself in absolutely stunning condition inside and out, having undergone some recent paintwork such as the front hood and the tailgate, and the rear right fender and door have been restored. The vehicle has also been fully mechanically restored, and the (extremely rare) automatic gearbox is in fantastic health too.
Truly well deserving of becoming part of a collection, being in the presence of this boxy Benz is like taking a step back through time and seeing one roll out of the dealership ready to be driven away.
The History and Paperwork
- Vehicle manufactured in 1984
- Vehicle first registered on 30/08/1985
- Dutch origin
- The mileage of the vehicle cannot be confirmed
- The number of owners the vehicle has had cannot be confirmed
- ASI Registration with CRS complete
- Import documentation complete
- Purchased by the current owner in 2021
- Partial dealer service history
- Recent mechanical restoration
- Government test not possible currently as the vehicle is not registered for road use currently, however the recent mechanical restoration will see no faults here
- Extremely well kept by previous owners, and it shows
The Interior
- Completely original interior in beautiful condition
- Headliner present and in great shape
- Beautiful tan leather throughout
- Carpets all present and in great condition
- Wooden veneer trim along the middle of the dash
- Clear and original gauge cluster
- Centre console controls in great shape with symbols clearly visible
- Locking glove compartment
- Pioneer gain and frequency controller
- Door cards all original and very well presented with just minor patina
- Spare tyre in the boot compartment with original cover
- Two additional rear seats which fold out from the rear floor
As the saying goes, aged like fine wine. Due to the inability to confirm the true mileage of the car, it makes it even more difficult to pin a mileage on the vehicle when taking into account how well presented the interior of this Benz is, considering that it’s completely original here.
Opening the drivers door we’re welcomed with a gorgeous full tan leather interior, perforated seats, leather door cards and tan carpets. You’d be right in thinking it seems like a lot, but given the exterior colour of the vehicle you really couldn’t have a better spec than this - and we absolutely love it! The leather seats present themselves in fantastic condition barely showing any signs of wear at all, the only thing we’d be able to pick at is the stitching on the passenger seat has come away very slightly on the lower cushion near the front on one of the pleats, but it’s such a minor thing to notice.
Directly in front of the driver seat, the original Mercedes steering wheel sits in front of the original dials wearing their distinctive yellow needles. The steering wheel itself seems to be in good shape as does the airbag cover wearing the Mercedes badge proudly. The centre console controls remain in place and the screen printed symbols on the control buttons all appear clear as day with no fading. The vendor tells us that the air conditioning currently doesn’t work, but this will be fixed before the sale and will be completely functional as it should be!
The rear seats present themselves in a similar manner - wonderfully with seemingly very little use. All of the stitching back here seems to be intact and the door cards remain beautifully maintained, as does the brightwork surrounding the handles and the arm rests. This wagon also has a nice trick up its sleeve, if you move into the luggage compartment and lift up the floor, you manage to snag yourself another two seats in the rear. These hidden away seats, again, are very well kept and only have a couple of impressions left in them from the belt retainers in the middle.
Overall, the interior of this wagon is a beautiful place to be - and considering the mileage listed on the vehicles clocks, it’s very easy to tell that whoever owned this car throughout its lifetime has pampered it endlessly and cherished every moment with it - just like any new custodian would.
The Exterior
- Manila Beige paintwork
- Partially repainted including the bonnet and tailgate, as well as the rear right fender and door
- Straight and true body panels with factory panel gap fitment
- Brightwork in excellent condition
- Roof rails
- Paint-matched hub caps for the wheels
- No signs of rust or corrosion on any panel
- Badges and model designation present and bright
There’s just something about wagons that are timelessly cool, and this Benz is absolutely no exception, beautiful boxy body lines which are in line with the cars era have aged wonderfully and it remains to look as good today as it did back in the eighties. And the colour - what a beauty! There aren’t many Manila cars out there, never mind one in such outrageously jaw dropping condition.
Starting at the front of the vehicle we see the all-famous wide chrome grill wearing the Mercedes-Benz symbol atop like a piece of jewellery, all of the fins on the grill appear straight with no signs of damage. Just below, the chrome bumper remains in good condition as does the plastic in front and behind. The headlights appear to be in lovely condition too, showing no signs of any cracks, water ingress or even signs or any fading.
Moving around to the side of the wagon, we get our first glimpse of those beautiful colour coded hubcaps and the fantastic boxy shape with the sloping tail and swooping rear arch shape. All of the body panels here remain in factory condition with no signs of any damage or corrosion, the panel gaps all appear to be that of factory fitment. All of the chrome brightwork surrounding the windows is in great shape and the roof rails are much the same, as are the mirror caps. The wheels themselves are beautifully presented, very well maintained brightwork and the painted portions of the hubcaps have just a gentle and welcome hint of age in the form of light scratching and fading, it suits the car perfectly! The tyres the wheels are shod in however will require replacing as they have been on the car a long time and may be unsafe for proper road use.
Around the rear of the vehicle, paintwork remains in gorgeous condition and the panels are seemingly perfect, the Mercedes badge and the model designation remain in place with their chrome work dazzling in the sunlight - this goes the same for the brightwork surrounding the rear window too. The chrome rear bumper remains in great shape with no signs or dents or damage, and the silver exhaust peeking out from under the bumper gives a glimpse of just how pampered this car has been!
Overall, it's very difficult to comprehend that this car hasn’t undergone a complete restoration - it really is just that good, and that’s hard to come across for any vehicle, never mind one as rare as this.
The Mechanics
- 2299cc 4 cylinder engine
- Rear wheel-drive configuration
- Very rare and sought after automatic transmission
- Power output of 130hp (97kW)
- Completely mechanically restored
- Matching numbers example
Would you believe us if we told you that mechanically, this car is as good as (if not better than) the rest of it? Well… It’s true. This car has been treated to an extensive and no expense spared mechanical restoration.
Outfitted with a 2.3L inline 4-cylinder engine powering the rear wheels through a very rare automatic transmission, the car certainly is no slouch with its 130hp output. It may not sound like a whole lot, but that was some proper numbers in the 80’s, and even today it won’t feel underpowered.
The owner tells us that the vehicle retains its matching numbers for engine and gearbox but each and every component has been overhauled or replaced, so this car performs flawlessly, and the automatic gearbox provides for a smooth and luxurious ride while also giving any new custodian great peace of mind that the car will perform like this for years to come and many happy and enjoyable miles.
Summary
Truly a vehicle that is worthy of anyone's collection, presented in fantastic condition inside and out with incredible mechanical workings to solidify its worthiness. Beautiful colour specification and majorly original bodywork shows that this vehicle has been loved through the ages, and will continue to be for a long time yet!
Notice to bidders
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
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Vehicle specification
- Year 1985
- Make Mercedes
- Model 230E (T123)
- Colour Beige
- Odometer 155,927 Miles
- Engine size 2299
Auction Details
- Seller Type Trade
- Town Milan
- Country Italy
13
bids
from 8
bidders
- Mi•••• €9,300 26/08/22
- ma•••• €9,200 26/08/22
- Mi•••• €9,000 26/08/22
- ma•••• €8,700 26/08/22
- qu•••• €8,500 26/08/22
- ma•••• €8,000 26/08/22
- Mi•••• €7,900 25/08/22
- ja•••• €3,300 25/08/22
- ro•••• €3,000 24/08/22
- Sh•••• €2,500 24/08/22
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|---|---|
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