Beschreibung
I have reluctantly decided to sell my 1991 300SE, and I hope the car will go to someone who will care for it, as I have for the past 5 years. You can pick up a W126 for £5-£10k but, at that price point, you will be endlessly searching for replacement parts and attempting to diagnose problems. This is a car that has been properly maintained, and will provide hassle-free motoring for years to come.
My W126 is a RHD automatic, original UK car, and one of the last to come off the line at the factory in Stuttgart. The car has had 3 previous owners, all of whom are well documented in the comprehensive history file, which also includes the original bill of sale.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts have been fitted to this car in every case that they were available. On the rare occasion that I was not able to source an original part, OEM parts were used, such as Bosch or Bilstein. Included in the paperwork are the receipts for every single part fitted to the car. Over one thousand individual parts were purchased directly from Mercedes-Benz in Milton Keynes.
Since I have had the car, the following work has been carried out:
Bodywork
Rust was cut out of the panel below the rear window (a common rust area on these cars) and also the rear wheel arches. Two new front wings were fitted, and the car was resprayed to the highest possible standard, in its original factory colours of 888 - Beryl Blue bodywork & 6250 - Lagoon Green lower panelling. This is an extremely rare colour combination, with only 17 RHD cars having left the factory in Beryl Blue. New seals were also fitted to the boot, the rear window, and rear lights.
Since this job was completed in August 2020, the car has not seen a drop of rain. The bodywork is entirely rust-free and in absolutely immaculate condition. Of course, I am able to provide photographs of the bodywork restoration at each stage of the process.
Underside
There has never been any welding or replacement panels on the underside of the car. A full nut & bolt restoration has been carried out on the front axle, and many other parts have been replaced or refurbished. To list just a few of these:
Brakes: All hoses, discs, pads, sensors, calipers and hand brake shoes.
Suspension: All springs, shocks, control arms, brake support brackets, ball joints.
Steering: Wheel hubs & bearings, steering knuckles & arms, tie rods, damper, idler arm bushes.
Drivetrain: Propshaft centre bearing, front & rear propshaft flexdiscs, Rear diff resealed & mount replaced.
The underside restoration was completed in February 2022, and the car has only done 300 miles since then. During this restoration, a custom-made upgraded rear sway bar was also fitted, for improved road handling and stability. As before, I can provide detailed photographs of every single part of the restoration.
Engine
The engine has never given me any issues, but as part of maintaining a car of this age, the following parts have all been replaced at least once since I have owned the car:
All spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, rotor arm, camshaft driver. All fuel injectors along with holders and seals, fuel pump & fuel filter, thermostat. Battery, battery tray, rocker cover gasket, voltage regulator, coolant reservoir, air & oil filters, drive belt.
Engine exhaust manifolds have been ceramic coated, with new exhaust manifold gaskets fitted, and the car has a custom-made stainless steel exhaust. It sounds wonderful, with a deep tone, but not particularly loud. I much prefer a discreet rumbling, rather than a screaming spectacle! Mind you, if you wanted it to be loud, I?m sure the guys at Haywood & Scott, who built and fitted the exhaust, can modify it for you.
The engine mounts and engine shocks were all replaced during the underside restoration. The engine runs perfectly at all RPMs, and there is no vibration of any kind. There is a slight weep from the rear cylinder, as is always the case on the M103 engine. Mileage is currently just under 97, 000.
Transmission
The transmission was completely refurbished with all new seals in 2019, and the shifter-rod bushes have been replaced, along with the transmission mount.
Interior
The interior is in excellent condition. I have fitted new front & rear speakers and a radio with USB port. I also had a USB point put in under the steering column for phone charging. The car had been very well looked after throughout its life, and had clearly been garaged before I owned it. A tell-tale sign is with the instrument cluster still having orange needles, and not faded yellow ones. Another common indicator of inadequate storage is when the rear panel that houses the interior light is warped. There are no such issues with this interior.
Original first-aid kit and factory tool set are with the car, along with the original key and original spare key in its factory leather holder. Factory extras are as follows:
580 - Air Conditioner (Now converted to 134a and runs like an ice box)
265 - Mushroom Leather Interior
731 - Burred Walnut Root Interior Wood Trim
221 - Left Front Seat Electrically Adjustable
222 - Right Front Seat Electrically Adjustable
543 - Sun Visors with Illuminated Vanity Mirror L & R
412 - Electric Sliding Roof with Tilting Device
440 - Cruise Control (Tempomat)
341 - Additional Indicator Lamps (Wing Repeaters)
592 - Heat Insulated Glass all around & Rear Window Heater
600 - Headlamp Wiper/ Washer
615 - Door Courtesy Lights
It should go without saying, but just for the record, everything on the car works correctly. Every button, every switch, every bulb inside and out. Actually, I have replaced most of the bulbs with LEDs. This model originally came with a steel wheel as a spare, but this has now been replaced with an alloy to match the others on the car. All alloys were refurbished in 2019. The tyres on the car are Continental Premium Contact 5s in excellent condition, including the spare. The MOT was renewed in February 2023, obviously without any advisories, but a new one can be provided if the buyer prefers.
There has quite literally been no expense spared, and the car runs, drives and feels even better than when it left the factory. The car will hold up to any level of inspection, and I am confident that the first person to see the car will buy it. Please note, I will not take the car out in the rain, or on roads that have been rained upon, so any viewings will be dependent on the weather.
When I bought this car, I used it often. But since it has been restored, I hardly drive it at all. In the winter months it gets taken out once every 3-4 weeks for a 30min run on the motorway, to make sure it doesn?t sit idle for too long. Given the condition of the car, it has become somewhat impractical for routine use - I certainly would not want to leave it unattended in a supermarket car park, for example. I also have another W126 that I use as my daily runner, so that is the reason I have reluctantly decided to sell the car. I know I will be sorry to see her go.
The car is in North London, so if you would like to arrange a viewing, or have any other questions, please contact me.
