They don’t build cars like they used to, and if ever you needed proof than the Mercedes-Benz W124 Series is it. Introduced in 1986, the mid-size executive saloon was aerodynamically styled and wonderfully over-engineered.

It also helped position Mercedes-Benz as one of the most desirable executive car brands, with its traditional construction and fabulous engineering.

This example is a 1991 230E from midway through W124 production – a mid-range model with a 130bhp 2.3-litre four, giving reasonably lively performance.

The vendor bought the car with the traditionally bubbly W124 front wings and has recently had it in the body shop for new wings, as well as a respray to the bonnet and boot lid at a cost of almost £2,000.

Any doubt you may have about this car being a tired and down-at-hell example are blown away by its history file, which is hugely comprehensive and includes all sorts of documentation back to the factory build sheet.

It also has the Mercedes-Benz owners’ manual and original service books, showing the car was supplied new by Jim Russell Mercedes-Benz in Downham Market, Norfolk, in 1991.

The service book is stamped all the way through to 2011 when the car was with its first two owners. Thereafter, there are invoices from private garages in Middlesex, where it went next.

There’s also a receipt for the recent bodywork repairs totalling almost £2,000 at a well-respected body shop in Essex.

One of the key appeals of the W124 is its very traditional cabin, which has an old-fashioned high seating position and firm, well-sprung seats. 

It all feels very sturdy and well-made, with chunky controls and Mercedes’s famous single-stalk control for the wipers and indicators.

There’s a small amount of wear to the driver’s seat side bolster where it has been rubbed by the seat belt over the years, but it hasn’t worn all the way through and would be a relatively straightforward repair.

The W124 has a reputation for longevity and with just under 80,000 miles on the clock this one is barely run-in. It stars on the first twist of the key and registers strong oil pressure.

The vendor reports that it drives very well with no known or declared faults, and that the automatic transmission kicks down as it should and engages sport mode properly.

The W124 is the ultimate modern-ish classic – beautifully engineered, relaxing and enjoyable to drive, capable of holding its own in modern traffic and classically elegant, it’s one of the best cars of its era and was once one of the very best cars in the world. It still is. 

This one is barely used. 

It’s a fabulous example and the recent body overhaul means it should remain immaculate for many years to come.