Vehicle Description
With new Mercedes-Benz cars creeping closer and closer to
six-figure territory almost across the board, vintage Mercs like
this 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300CE coupe are suddenly red hot. With
incredibly durable and strong Straight 6 engines, handsome good
looks, and loads of new-found collector appeal from younger
enthusiasts, '80s Mercedes-Benz automobiles can be great collector
cars or awesome daily drivers. And given the way this handsome
coupe looks and drives, you might just want to drive it every
chance you get.
Wearing a period-appropriate and handsome two-tone paint job, this
early W124 is straight out of the '80s, but features a timeless
Astral Silver Metallic over Gray paint job that never seems out of
style. That's a good thing, because these cars are virtually
indestructible and are arguably the last Mercedes-Benzes built by
engineers rather than the marketing department. Styling is
conservative, especially when you consider some of the gaudiness
you see coming out of Germany today, but the smooth profile is
slightly raked and makes it look sporty, and the coupe is vastly
more desirable than the more common sedans and wagons (and rarer,
to boot!). That's original paint and showcases the quality
workmanship that the three-pointed star represents, because it
still shines up nicely and looks great as a top-end driver. It's
not perfect after all these years of course, but it's very
presentable and the car still has that rock solid feel for which
Mercedes-Benzes are famous. Someone has obviously loved this car
all its life and it hasn't spent any time in the snow or salt, so
the bodywork should last as long as the engine... which can be
many, many years yet. These are VERY hard to kill.
Inside, it's typical Mercedes-Benz luxury with supportive bucket
seats that are still in great shape with Code 277 Burgundy leather
upholstery that's as tough as iron yet all day comfortable. The
giant steering wheel and simple instruments with big, white letters
are trademarks that were part of the Mercedes mystique for decades
and it all works properly. The light wood paneling is in fact real
wood and the carpets are plush to help control noise from the
outside world. The only deviation from stock is an upgraded Kenwood
AM/FM/CD/AUX/Bluetooth head unit in the center of the dash, and it
actually sounds pretty good. Like any Benz, it comes loaded with
amenities including cold factory A/C (although the center vents
aren't currently blowing), power windows, locks, mirrors, and
seats, cruise control, and a big, comfortable steering wheel
mounted on a tilt column. The doors close with a heavy THUNK and
going down the road the car feels indestructible, so even with its
somewhat modest performance (compared to modern Mercedes), it still
represents the very top-of-the-line of '80s excitement. The back
seat is comfortable enough for a pair of adults and the spacious
trunk will carry just about anything you need on a long road
trip.
The 3.0 liter inline-6 engine is legendary around the world for its
reliability, torque, and spirited acceleration up and down the
throttle. It's been a symbol of mobilization all across the world,
from the richest of the rich to the emerging and developing
nations, because everyone knows it won't leave you stranded. As
long as there's fuel and air, it'll run. It looks complicated
packed in tight under the hood, but it's not, and with a little
experience, you should be able to keep it in top condition for many
tens of thousands of miles. It shows about 143,000 miles, which are
believed to be actual, but in Mercedes-Benz terms, that mean it's
only been broken-in, so don't let the numbers scare you. And you'll
be shocked by the fuel economy on this one, turning long highway
drives into an endurance test between the car and your bladder.
Ride quality is German firm and commanding, power steering is
precise, and power 4-wheel disc brakes are highly effective, and it
cruises serenely at high speeds without any real effort at all. The
4-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly through each gear,
and the exhaust note is very familiar and even has the catalytic
convertor still in place. Underneath, you can see there's no
evidence of this car ever being rusty and it sits on classic
Mercedes-Benz alloy wheels and 205/65/15 Michelin Defender
radials.
Nicely documented with lots of maintenance receipts, this is a
rather unusual find that's affordable, practical, stylish, and
sooner rather than later it will be very much in demand. Call
today!
