1989 Mercedes-Benz 230E Automatic (W124)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Full years MOT
  • Driven less than 50 miles in the last ten years
  • Kept in a heated car sales showroom with ventilation
  • Beautiful soft tan leather interior 
  • Full-service history

THE APPEAL

The Mercedes W124 range arrived in 1985 and brought with it the first use of the E Class name. 

This fine example of the 230E we have here is a 1989 model with its trusty four-cylinder petrol engine, which a lot of people claimed was ‘hewn from granite’ because of its ability to clock up huge miles. 

The 230E can be easily serviced, is a delight to work on and it’s got more than enough power to keep up with modern traffic.  This is a car to simply waft you along in comfort as the smooth four-speed automatic transmission does all the work. 

Well looked after and regularly serviced examples such as this can repay the owner with reliability and comfort on a budget you can afford.

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THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK

  • Bought from Patterson Trucks in Dungannon
  • Owned for last ten years and driven less than fifty miles
  • Full-service stamps from 3 main dealers in London and Northern Ireland
  • Used as a chauffeur vehicle for many years in England

The current owner bought the car over ten years ago and, in this time, has covered just about fifty miles. The rest of the time this lovely 230E sits pride of place in a heated car showroom where it has always attracted attention.

There is a full-service book of thirteen stamps from three different Mercedes main dealers and it’s apparent anything that the car needed it got, to keep the car in tip top condition. 

This car has been used with a chauffeur vehicle at some point in its life too and with the looks of the rear sticker it has travelled to Singapore at some point between services.  There are booklets for the radio code and user manuals.

THE INTERIOR

  • Electric front and back windows
  • Electric sunroof
  • Rear centre armrest
  • Zebrano wood dash and door capping’s and centre console
  • Unopened Mercedes first aid kit
  • Unused Mercedes warning triangle
  • Rear reading light
  • Electric steering column
  • Immobilizer
  • Beautiful tan leather upholstery

Inside this 230E is a delight in quality and refinement. All the dials and switches are in excellent condition with very little sign of wear. The carpets and covers are all excellent and the headliner is tight and smoke free.

The leather seats feel soft and of a very high quality with no discolouration or sign of wear on the driver’s side edge. The two leather pouches on the rear of the front seats are clean with the elastic edges in perfect condition with no sagging.

The stitching on the seats is sublime, and the armrests are clean and in excellent shape.

The interior lights work well, and everything feels so well put together and solid. We didn’t get a chance to test drive the car, but we have been assured everything works well and the driving is tight with no noises other than of the silky engine tone. 

THE EXTERIOR

  • Original paintwork
  • Plastic trim as new
  • Clean alloy wheels
  • Swooping single windscreen wiper mechanism
  • Chrome work in fine condition

The black paint is in original condition and has a very understated metallic tone to it.  There have been a few touch up dabs on the bonnet to protect a few stone chips. There are also a few small scratches on the passenger wing near the bonnet which were probably caused by a mechanic wearing overalls. It is only surface scratches and not gone through the paint. There is also a slight crease on the front bumper and boot top. 

All the wheel arches are in excellent condition with no signs of aging or damage which can happen if there is a build-up of dirt in the crevices. To us this indicates the car has always been well cleaned underneath after use.

This 230E introduced some great safety features on its release. It boasted advanced crash protection, such as a bodyshell structure that crumpled progressively in certain areas. And active safety made a huge leap forward with this car, thanks to the adoption of anti-lock braking as standard.

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THE MECHANICALS

  • Anti-lock braking
  • Four speed switchable automatic transmission
  • Power steering
  • Multi point central locking
  • Independent anti-roll bar front and rear suspension. 
  • Disc brakes all round

The key to keeping and running the car such as this on a budget is down to servicing and preventative maintenance, both of which have always been meticulously adhered to. If the same attention is paid to the vehicle in the future, it should give years’ worth of trouble-free motoring.

The engine bay is tidy and dry, and the underside is in exceptional condition. The suspension is firm, the exhaust is new looking, and the underseal has protected the welds and edges from any corrosion that we can see. The sunroof works and the seals are in good shape with no signs of water ingress to the interior.

SUMMARY

This amazing Mercedes 230E package is a lot of car. At the moment 230E’s appear to be one of the more affordable classics, this will soon change when people realise what a bargain they are right now. 

Splendid, quiet, refined, ergonomic, economical and easy to work on.

It’s a car that still knocks most modern cars into a cocked hat with its solid quality feel and refinement.

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All items in this listing are sold on an “As Is - Where Is” basis. Photos and listing descriptions should be used as a guide only.  Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information in this listing and Car & Classic performs a level of due diligence prior to the auction, we do not warrant the accuracy of the listings. The seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Inspection is highly recommended prior to bidding. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion.

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Vehicle specification
  • Year 1989
  • Make Mercedes
  • Model 230E
  • Colour Black
  • Odometer 85,175 Miles
  • Engine size 2299
Auction Details
  • Seller Type Trade
  • Town Derry
  • Location Northern Ireland
  • Country United Kingdom
Bidding history
42 bids
  • jp•••• £7,200 23/09/22
  • Ra•••• £7,100 23/09/22
  • jp•••• £7,000 23/09/22
  • Ra•••• £6,900 23/09/22
  • jp•••• £6,800 23/09/22
  • Ra•••• £6,700 23/09/22
  • jp•••• £6,600 23/09/22
  • Ra•••• £6,500 23/09/22
  • jp•••• £6,400 23/09/22
  • Ra•••• £6,300 23/09/22
Message C&C Auction Team

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