The Mercedes W123 was a huge seller for Mercedes, over-engineered at the time meaning they enjoy a reputation for legendary reliability and build quality. Subject to the harshest of long-term tests ever levied at an automobile with them being taxi’s, these cars proved themselves time and time again in the trial of fare collecting and mass people transport. Few examples then lived easy lives but some did and when examples come to market that have been exceptionally cared for like this one it’s a pleasure to see them live on. 

This car was purchased by the current owner from a specialist dealership who had the car in stock after it had been imported to the UK from a previous owner. The car was sourced by the current owner to be used for trips to Spain and was chosen due to its fantastic condition, however with the legislation changing for cars being taken out there since ownership that plan is no longer feasible. Instead of having the car sat there not being used, the owner has decided to free up some space and move the car on.

There is an abundance of paperwork that comes with the car, all neatly organised in a binder giving a sense that this car has been looked after well by its UK and South African custodians. The maintenance booklet is present and has been stamped regularly, there are also invoices that show the car has had some light mechanical refurbishment since being in the UK whilst with the first UK owner. The folder also contains the MOT certificates and the import documentation, even showing the inspection sheet and the South African registration.

The interior of the 230E is fantastic, not only for its gold/caramel colour but also in terms of its condition, the seats bolster sections for example are not worn down, but the upholstery has little to no wear, almost as if every time the driver got in and out, they did so with great care. The carpets have over mats on them to protect the carpets from any dirt or moisture, the headlining is in great condition with no sagging or stained areas and the trim around the interior has also survived exceptionally well. The only area needing pointing out in the interior is the front passenger door pocket plastic which has a small crack, something we’ve showcased in the gallery below. Otherwise this is a stunning interior in terms of colour and condition and somewhere you could easily see yourself doing thousands of laid back and relaxed miles cruising.

The Mercedes certainly catches the eye, and that gold colour is so quintessentially 80’s Merc it’s a perfect colour for this car. The trim around the car is in great condition and the Mercedes stylists were conservative with the level of chrome and we think the amount sets off the gold perfectly. The wheels and tyres are all in great condition also and the matching colour hubcaps really tie in the aesthetic. The owner thinks that the grey plastic front grilles were that colour from the factory as opposed to being bleached by the UV rays from being in a hot dry climate. We’d have to agree that it would perhaps look odd with black front highlights, but we cannot confirm this to be the case. You’ll perhaps notice all the shots of the ‘nooks and crannies’ of the Merc in the photo gallery but we wanted to show as best we could just how clean this car is around those known problem areas from UK vehicles. 

Something a bit harder to showcase was the paint work, it’s in great original condition with minimal wear and tear/stone chipping etc but there are a few scratches here and there. There were no obvious dents we could see however so we’d imagine some time cutting and polishing the paint would bring it up to near concourse condition. We have provided photo evidence of the great condition all round including the paint so please take some time to go through the gallery.

Visually under the bonnet, everything seems clean as a whistle with no signs of fluid leaks or split hoses or electrical wires. During the photoshoot, the engine fired up with no issues and the car moved around with no unwanted noises or other worries. The manual box selected gears smoothly and engaged without issues too. The history file indicates that small items around the mechanical/drivetrain have been sorted such as missing ball joint gaiters and other such small items. This suggests that the mechanicals have been kept in good condition since its original purchase and the regular services would back this statement up. The owner informs us that they try to source the very best cars they can when purchasing and we’d have to admire their choice with this one from what we saw.

This 230E is an overall wonderful example of the model and with it benefitting from being a South African import, it does away with a lot of the common UK domestic cars of that era. This one is a high specification example with A/C, cruise control and has a manual box. The owners of this car have clearly loved it for it to be in such a condition and we’re sure that the next custodian will treat it with the same respect it deserves.

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