*** Interested parties should note, this vehicle was subject to a CAT D insurance loss in 07/2013***
Highlights
- Originally owned by Mercedes-Benz (UK) Ltd.
- In single ownership from new until 2015
- Only four registered keepers across its 30-year-life
- One of the most meticulously kept service records we have ever seen
- Sold with a fresh MoT
The Appeal
We’re not the first to say it, but we’ll repeat it because it’s probably true: in the event of a global nuclear apocalypse, the only things still going will be cockroaches and old Mercedes. Mercedes of the 1980s and ’90s were handsome in a soberly Teutonic sort of way, but they are known more than anything for being built like tanks, which is why there are so many still going strong in regular service.
The 200TE was built on the W124 platform, a medium-sized platform introduced in 1984 which was probably one of Mercedes’ most versatile and adaptable, since it underpinned everything from high-powered coupés and glamorous convertibles to dependable diesel workhorses.
The vast array of engines, body styles and trim levels made for a bewildering array of models, but a W124 estate was produced from 1985 to 1996 and the 200TE variant with the two-litre petrol engine was sold from 1986 to 1993. Needless to say, thousands were sold around the world during this time of which are large number are still in day-to-day use both in the city and the country.
This example is a rather exceptional survivor, having lived with its first private owner from new until 2015. He was the archetypal ‘one careful owner’ character, who never missed a service and took whatever measures were necessary to keep his car in good health. Having been in regular use for such a long time, it has acquired a superb patina which it wears with pride, while mechanically it drives as well as any car a quarter of its age.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered as J582 LRP on 1st March 1992
- The first owner, according to the service book, was Mercedes-Benz (UK) Ltd. at Mercedes-Benz Centre, Tongwell, Buckinghamshire
- We presume the car was used for some interesting purposes during this time, as it was so well-travelled, receiving its first inspection on 16th March 1992 at a Liverpool Mercedes centre and its second inspection on 29th April in Ulverston, Cumbria
- By September 1992, the car was with Malaya Mercedes-Benz of Crawley, West Sussex, which sold it to Mr. F. J. Fudge of nearby Pound Hill
- Mr. Fudge purchased the private registration A14 FJF and kept his 200TE in constant use, always making sure it was serviced annually
- It was the subject of a Category D write-off in 2013, but was repaired
- It remained in Mr. Fudge’s ownership until 2015, when it was acquired by a new owner in Dover, who in turn sold it in 2017 to an owner in Margate
- Paperwork includes the most recent V5, the original owner’s wallet including the owner’s manual and service book with full service history, a number of invoices and a selection of recent MoT certificates
The Interior
- Luxurious walnut trim
- Fitted with a more modern radio
- Will seat a total of seven people with folding seats in the boot
Mercedes-Benz has always been known for high-quality cars, but for much of its life there has been an emphasis on luxury and exclusivity, such qualities as would ensure that Mercedes were the car of choice for everyone from totalitarian dictators to fashionable celebrities like Peter Sellers. The marque’s ethos during the ’80s and ’90s was a little different, and if you can come to appreciate then you’ll understand why the W124 was really one of the best cars of its time.
The interior, a mixture of blue plastic with cloth upholstery, is attractive and tasteful, but it doesn’t make any show of opulence or wealth. What sets it apart from other cars is just how well-made everything is – the durability of the fittings and the toughness of the seat fabric. This is a car which you could fill up with bags of shopping, your sticky-fingered offspring and the family’s muddy-pawed golden retriever, and it would be in its element.
Mileage records show that Mr. Fudge did not shy away from using his Mercedes and we’d be very surprised if it didn’t complete more than a few shopping trips and family holidays. And yet it really isn’t much the worse for wear.
What’s more, it is still luxurious, just in a modest way. You have power windows and armrests, while the walnut trim adds a touch of class. Better still, this one was supplied new with a desirable electric sunroof.
One has to open the boot, though, to find the party trick. Removing the plastic luggage tray reveals two rear-facing seats which fold up from the floor.
To assess the condition, we would say it’s excellent, by which we mean that it has nothing more than superficial blemishes, as far as we can tell. As one must expect with a 30-year-old family car, there are marks on the seats, with one section of the driver’s seat showing some surface damage, light marks on the walnut trim and some scratches affecting plastic parts such as the door pulls and glovebox lid.
However, we did not observe any tears or splits in the upholstery, nor did we see anything which had actually broken. The sunroof and front windows are all in working order (so, presumably, are the rear windows, but we did not test them), and the sound system has been upgraded with a modern radio-CD player and a Parrot Asteroid Mini.
The Exterior
- All-original paint and trim
- All brightwork and glass in good condition
- Thirty years of patina cannot be replicated or replaced!
Patina: you either get it or you don’t, but this car has it. If you like your cars to sit in a garage, all polished and shiny, this probably isn’t for you. It’s a workhorse, and it has been used as such, and it may continue to function as such for as long as anyone has a mind to keep it going.
We’ll be up front about its more rugged attributes: there are scratches, a couple of which are deep, and other blemishes on most of the panels; there are a couple of small dents, one in the nearside rear wing and one just below the nearside front indicator unit; there are scrapes and one or two small splits in the plastic bumpers; there are marks on the wheel trims, and the rim of one has become slightly bent out of shape. Possibly the only fault which may need to be addressed for the sake of usability is that the offside door mirrors lens is loose in its housing.
Despite all that, we can’t help thinking that it’s never looked better. Like the favourite tweed jacket which is frayed and patched, but still gets worn after 20 years in your wardrobe, it has a special, unique character which no new or restored car can match. Moreover, it proves that the 200TE is tough enough to take a few knocks, and yet still keep soldiering on regardless.
The Mechanics
- Full service history from new
- Starts, runs and drives beautifully
- To be sold with a fresh MoT
Of all the paperwork with this car, there is not a large number of invoices for new parts or work completed. While money has obviously been spent to keep it in good health over 30 years, the limited number of invoices isn’t that surprising; the W124 is chiefly regarded for its exceptional durability, and in all likelihood it probably hasn’t required much attention, especially as the service record shows it has been regularly and properly maintained.
We do know that the top end came apart for a head gasket replacement in 2008, while in recent years adjustments have been made to the headlamp aim and fuel mixture, a new water pump and exhaust silencer were fitted in 2018 and in 2021 a section of the exhaust had a repair welded.
As far as driving goes, it starts on the button and settles into a very healthy-sounding idle. There is nothing easier than operating the automatic gearbox, and it glides away smoothly. The ride is comfortable, the brakes are efficient and the power-steering makes it more manoeuvrable than one may expect such a long car to be. When all is said and done, the mechanical condition of this 200TE is a real credit to Mercedes engineering.
The Summary
Relatively few things are capable of survival on every continent of the earth (bar Antarctica) but the W124 Mercedes certainly is. It may not be the everyday sight which it once was, but there are still plenty of them ploughing steadily onward across Europe, America, Africa, Asia and the Antipodes.
The two-litre estate 200TE is one of the most practical variants, and this one is a wonderful sight to behold, patinated after 30 years of use but still in excellent mechanical health, with many more miles left in it. With much of the world sadly adhering to a throwaway, materialist culture, here is a way to enjoy motoring stylishly and sustainably, and its possibilities are endless. No matter, when or where or what you need to do, this Mercedes will faithfully get on with the job.
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