﹒Rare modern classic
﹒Good runner
﹒Effortlessly stylish

﹒MOT’d and ready to enjoy

When the apocalypse comes, the scorched remains of the earth will most likely be populated by cockroaches and 124-series Mercedes. These things were built solid and made to last; it’s not uncommon to hear of die-hard owners getting stratospheric mileage from well-maintained examples – huge numbers beginning with a two or possibly even a three. It’s well-known that Mercedes-Benz pumped colossal amounts of money into product development in the 1980s (the entire development cost of Jaguar’s XJ40, for example, wasn’t far off what Mercedes spent just on the rear suspension of the 190E), and the 124-series in its various guises is standing the test of time remarkably well.

Various guises? Why yes, there were many different versions. The W124 name is often used as a catch-all, but that actually just refers to the saloons, many of which you’ll find still in service today as taxis across Europe and beyond. Elsewhere in the range we find the S124 estates, A124 cabriolets, V124 limousines and, most relevant to our interests here, C124 coupes. With a multi-link rear axle and extremely low drag coefficient, these were cars crafted by world-class engineers, clothed in stylish bodies; technological marvels that also happened to be very easy on the eye. And the coupe was a masterpiece of packaging – appearing relatively compact and alluringly sporty from the outside, it still retained impressively saloon-like interior space along with, naturally, all the toys you’d expect. So it’s handsome, solid, practical and clever – it’s an intriguing proposition, isn’t it?

We’re sure that this car has many tales to tell, although it’s keeping them all rather close to its chest. This C124’s past is largely unknown, given that the current owner bought it along with a number of other modern classics from a deceased estate; the former owner was a collector, by all accounts, and while most of his other cars had very low mileage, it’s reasonable to assume that this 300 CE was the regular workhorse given its higher miles. What we do know is that it’s a good runner, all of the mechanicals appear to be in decent working order, and it’s a thoroughly pleasant thing to look at. Having got it all road-worthy, the seller is now ready to pass the Mercedes on to its next custodian.

Paperwork is perhaps not this car’s strongest suit, being supplied only with the current V5. We can see from the online MOT history that the Mercedes was taken off the road in 2012, until which point it had been in regular use. Furthermore, we see that was all that was required to get it through its MOT in October this year was some minor welding to the front of the chassis on either side, plus some front tyres; the current certificate has no advisories.

124-series interiors are extremely well designed in terms of layout, and are generally very hard-wearing. Naturally you’d expect a reasonable level of wear on a car which has covered over 148k miles, and that’s the case here. The most noticeable element is a rip in the passenger seat base, although being at the front edge it mightn’t be too tricky a task for an upholsterer to replace the centre panel alone. The seats are otherwise in good order, particularly the tidy rear bench, and the front seats both tilt and return correctly to allow rear access. Beige/tan is perhaps not the most sympathetic shade for day-to-day use over a period of decades, which is why the carpets are rather less than clean, although they’re all complete and should clean up nicely with a good shampoo. A former keeper has applied a sticky-back vinyl covering with a faux carbon fibre effect to the centre console, and frankly it’s not a brilliant job, but it shouldn’t be too hard to peel off with a hairdryer or heat gun to return everything back to standard. The dials are all in good working order, as are the electric windows, and the heater works brilliantly.

An interesting feature of this model is that there’s a ‘seatbelt butler’ on either side; an electronic arm that senses when you’ve closed the door and extends to hand the seatbelt to you without you having to reach back over your shoulder – clever stuff, although unfortunately with this car the passenger-side butler is sometimes reluctant to retract itself again after it’s done its job, and needs pushing back into its housing by hand.

Everything is solid inside the boot and the spare wheel and tyre brace are in place, although it’s worth noting that the boot floor carpet is absent. The lining of the bootlid has also come loose on one side, but just needs sticking back in place.

The design of the C124 is handsome indeed, and as you can see from the photographs it cuts quite a dash in urban environs – a classic and timeless shape. All the correct details are in place, such as the asymmetric wing mirrors (the passenger-side one is meant to be stubbier and less protruding) and the fold-back three-pointed-star badge. The model was facelifted in 1989, and the upgrade features what marque aficionados refer to as the ‘Sacco planks’ (Bruno Sacco being the car’s designer); these are the body cladding panels that run the full length of the lower half of the car, and these are all in place here. The panel gaps all appear straight and true, aside from the driver’s door which hangs ever-so-slightly low – this would most likely only require a minor adjustment to finesse it – and the bootlid sits very slightly lower on one side. Part of the nearside headlamp wiper arm is missing, although these things are readily available.

The body shows a little surface corrosion inside the driver door shut (presumably where the slightly misaligned door has rubbed the paint away), and a small patch on the rear quarter next to the boot shut, but none of this looks advanced or hard to sort. Overall the paintwork is good and the car is really quite handsome. Some usage wear from its 148k miles, sure, but this is only to be expected.

Being a 300 CE, this car is equipped with the M103 3.0-litre straight-six, serving up a thoroughly decent 185bhp. While it’s true that 148k is a significant number of miles to cover, you’ll always be able to find Mercedes-Benz aficionados who will wryly quip that such a figure means that it’s barely even run in…

Naturally this car is something of an unknown quantity in some respects, given that it’s been laid up since 2012 and the history is absent, but the owner has given it a decent service and is confident that it’s all running as it should. From our photoshoot and test drive, we can confirm that the engine starts happily and settles into an even idle, there are no warning lights on the dash, it runs smoothly and accelerates keenly, and the auto ’box is a smooth shifter with no worrying noises. It all feels as solid as an eighties Merc can; we’re assured that there’s very little slackness in the steering, the ride is comfortable with no noises from the suspension, and the brakes work effectively. And most importantly, given the savage winter we’re experiencing, the heater works very well indeed…

If you’re looking for decent bang-for-your-buck, 124-series Mercs with advancing miles are where it’s at. These sturdy and robust cars just keep on going and going if they’re properly looked after, and the quality mechanicals are backed up be an entertaining and reassuring drive. And the most alluring variant of all is the C124, the coupe: just look at it, it’s a particularly handsome machine isn’t it? The proportions are spot-on, it looks effortlessly stylish, and there’s all the space you could wish for inside – it’s part luxury wafter, part GT. The car runs sweetly, and it’s ready for you to jump in, drive and enjoy. Yes, you could draw up a list of improvement jobs to carry out if you were so inclined, but the reality is that this could very well make for a satisfying and affordable cruiser right away. Selling at no reserve, this will most likely be an absolute bargain for its next owner. 

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