The Mercedes-Benz 124 series was a range of mid-size cars made by Daimler-Benz from 1984 to 1997. The range included numerous body configurations, and though collectively referred to as the W-124 -official internal chassis designations varied by body style.  From 1993 the W124 series was officially marketed as the E-Class. It was succeeded by the W 210 E-Class in 1995. 

Renowned for their hard wearing longevity many E280s spent their lives as taxis, racking up astronomical mileages. There is an example in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany that has covered over a million miles without breakdown or the replacement of any parts other than consumables! 

This W124 has the M104 2.8 litre 24 valve engine putting out 190bhp through a smooth 4 speed automatic gearbox. Having had just three owners from new the last owner, a solicitor, purchased the car in 2006 when the Mercedes had covered 125,000 miles.  

Over the following 15 years he has added a further 86,000 miles and many pages to the already substantial folder of bills and receipts that document the mileage and expense.

There is a full Owners pack with the Mercedes, including a Service book with stamps up to 149,000 plus plenty of oil changes noted. There are a large number of old MoTs stretching back to 1998 when it had already covered 82,000 miles.  

The current MoT is valid until July 2022, having passed in 2021 once a couple of bulbs were changed and the engine idle speed was reduced.  There are also 4 sets of keys with the car.

Overall the interior has aged well, and for a car with this mileage it is in exceptionally good condition; a testament to the quality of the original materials and the build.  The blue leather seats have grey centre inserts that help give the interior a nice airy feel.  They are all in good condition, the rears are exceptionally good.  

The driver’s seat has the odd mark here and there but no holes or rips to the leather. The matching dark blue carpets are clean and unmarked, and show only minor wear confined to the front; the rear is like new.  The smart wood veneer panels on the centre console, dash and doors are in surprisingly nice condition, with only some minor cracking around the window switches on the centre console, probably due to the sun.   

There are a few areas of minor damage; a small burn on the passenger side rear door panel, some sun related damage to the blue parcel shelf material.  The door sills show signs of wear, and the driver’s sill in particular shows some corrosion and a few blisters.  In general however the interior is outstanding for its age and mileage.

The boot is clean, and under the carpet the spare wheel and jack are present although there is surface corrosion around the spare wheel well.  The warning triangle is still mounted within the boot lid.

The exterior of the Mercedes has not fared quite as well as the interior, although it is still presentable for a car of its age.  The white paint has a few blisters here and there but again it’s a testament to the quality of the build.  It appears the wheels come from a later Mercedes, possibly a 2002-07 W203.  They are 15” aluminium 6 spokes that have been painted or powder coated white to match the exterior.  

They are in good, uncurbed condition, with partly worn tyres; Yokohamas on the front and Kumhos on the rear.  Although the exterior paint would probably respond well to a good polish there are a couple of areas to note.  

The front passenger door trim has been attached using pop rivets, and there are some small rust bubbles at the base of the A pillar and the passenger side front wheel arch. None has cracked the paint.  The fit of the front bumper looks to be a little awry but in general the condition of the exterior is good.

The Mercedes also has a useful tow bar fitted

The big, fat folder of bills and receipts shows that plenty has been plenty of expenditure over the years to keep the Mercedes running smoothly and looking good. Starting easily and moving around without any problems during our photography session it appears to be in good health.  Under the bonnet the engine bay is showing its age in places and could probably do with cleaning, but there is no evidence of leaks.  

The radiator support has areas of corrosion, and there is a bit of dirt and grime as you would expect given the miles covered.  The underside has surface rust on the running gear and on various suspension components as noted as advisories at last year’s MoT, but appears to be structurally sound with no obvious issues.    

As we all know Mercedes-Benz has a well-deserved reputation for the longevity its four door saloons, especially examples from this era.  With plenty of examples still munching the miles years after other marques have long since disintegrated it is likely that this one has the capacity to cover many more without a murmur. 

Offering exceptional value for money and interior comfort we think this will prove to be a bit of a bargain for someone!