All The Cars I’ve Ever Bought
Mercedes 230TE (W124)
WHY DID YOU WANT ONE?
I’d been spending quite a lot of time behind the wheel of brand-new cars in 2009 and was rather losing sight of what really powers me – which is old, cheap and interesting cars.
I spotted this gem on sale in the backlot of a local dealer. It was obviously a trade-in and in need of a loving home. And although I didn’t need it, this Mercedes-Benz W124 appealed to the classic car nut in me – the dealer was clearly treating it as an old scrotter to be sold at trade to the first unsuspecting punter who happened to glance at it as they walked by.
Priced at a very reasonable £795, this 230TE didn’t have rusty front wings, nor was the driver’s seat worn out, and although its gold metallic paint looked tired, it was clearly still very much in one piece. I had to have it, even though I’d never owned a Mercedes-Benz before. And I’d yet to consider myself middleaged – even though I probably was…
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO LIVE WITH?
I took real pleasure in getting the dealership owner to drop the price. Mind you, that wasn’t too difficult, given that the car was reluctant to start, the exhaust was blowing and the dreadful noises it made on the – very short – test-drive.
I wasn’t too bothered. I knew the poor starting would be easy to sort, and the noises were due to the springs being a bit tired and the mudflaps rubbing on the ground while negotiating a roundabout a little too keenly.
We haggled down to £650, and I drove away one of the most endearing and likeable cars I’ve ever owned. Once home, I was delighted to find one of the most comprehensive service histories I’ve ever encountered; and after a wash and a polish, it looked fantastic. The lazy starting was soon sorted by a new coldstart valve and a quick service; and a £20 weld on the exhaust had it performing as well as I’d expect it to. The rubbing mudflaps? I just removed them.
All that done, it was a delight to run – and I kept it for more than a year (that’s long- term commitment for me) before selling it reluctantly to an antiques dealer in Bristol for £1500. It seems to have only lasted another couple of years, sadly.
ABIDING MEMORY OF IT?
For me, it was a reliable load lugger that simply swallowed anything I threw in the enormous boot. That car helped me move a lot of stuff during an office relocation and was one of the most comfortable barges (my beloved Citroëns included) I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning.
The four-speed auto ’box was sweeter than honey, and although you had to nail the throttle to the firewall to make it go quickly, it was a pleasure to drive. It was as quiet and refined as a modern car and would cruise all day at 70mph.
Everything worked as it should, and the build quality was out of this world. I concurrently owned a Saab 900, and the Swede seemed cheap and flimsy by comparison. Praise indeed.
It’s one of those cars I wish I’d kept – and even now, I still sneakily search the classifieds, looking to recreate the great times I had with it.
TOP TIPS FOR BUYING ONE?
These four-cylinder Mercs are highly reliable if you look after them well. Timing chains on cars such as mine need 60,000-mile replacements and 3000-mile oil changes – this interval is improved on the later 260s and 300Es.
The main enemy is rust. Despite having bank-vault build quality, panels are surprisingly susceptible to corrosion – so when evaluating a potential purchase watch out for badly patched wings and sills, as well as bubbling around the rear windows. If the auto gearbox isn’t slurring its changes nicely, check the fluid – and walk away if it’s not a healthy red colour.
Don’t pay over the odds for one unless it’s mint and low mileage – great quality and a large number of survivors mean there are lots to choose from.
Keith on his best – and worst – classic buys. This week, the first Mercedes-Benz he ever took home