The W124 Mercedes-Benz coupes have been desirable cars since they were new. In period road tests the 300CE was often referred to as one of the best cars in the world with reviewers praising the coupe’s styling, performance, comfort and build quality. Among Mercedes collectors and enthusiasts many consider the 300CE as the last of the truly great Mercedes cars. The only car in the era that bettered the quality of the 300CE was the 560SEC, a car that cost $10,000 more than the $53,340 300CE cost when new.
One of these world class coupes is featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, a 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300CE.
The seller states that this 300CE is a one owner car from new and has been well cared for its entire life. It is powered by its legendary Mercedes 3.0-liter inline-six fated at 177 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque and is paired with a four-speed automatic transmission.
The car spent its entire life in Arkansas and received over $5,000 in engine and suspension updates in 2011. Equipment includes automatic climate control, a Becker radio, woodgrain interior trim, and Continental tires. It is finished in its original Mercedes Anthracite Gray paint and beige over a tan MB-Tex vinyl interior, this C124 300CE is now offered by the selling dealer with service records, a clean CARFAX report, and a clear title.
Other features include fog lamps, headlight wipers, a hood ornament, a mono-blade windshield wiper, a pillarless roofline, accent pinstripes, 15-inch Gullideckel alloy wheels with correct size 195/65R15 Continental tires, and a power sunroof. The seller notes that there is minor paint discoloration on the left side of the roof, which can be seen in the photo gallery in the listing.
The car has VDO-branded instrumentation that include a 160-mph speedometer, 7,000-rpm tachometer, clock, and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and fuel economy. The six-digit mechanical odometer reads 98,750 miles, but the seller states the odometer is not functional. The last mileage figure logged in the CARFAX report in October 2011 was 90,840 miles. So it may have a few more miles than it reads, but it looks like a very nice and clean car. I personally would have the odometer fixed as soon as I purchased the car.
The CARFAX report starts in September 1989 and shows no history of accidents or damage. The seller has provided a walk-around video in the listing that shows a start-up, a 360-degree tour, and a demonstration of the electronics. Service records will come with the purchase of the car.
And now for the best part of this spotlight. This stunning car is being offered at no reserve. This means that the highest bid gets the car regardless of price. These coupes are true world class GT cars, think of them as a sort of pocket Bentley coupe built in Germany and you get the idea of just how great they are. If I had the time this year, I would buy this myself and drive it to Monterey for car week. It would be more than welcome at events that week including RADwood and Legends of the Autobahn. Not to mention it would be a nice way to travel from event to event during the week.
The online auction for this 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300CE ends on Friday, June 30, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery
Nice writeup on a peak Bruno Sacco era Mercedes, Andy. You’re letting your readers in on a little secret that many of us were able to take advantage of before 80s-90s Mercedes values started drifting upwards. And, imagine how much more desirable the later versions of the W124 E Class became, when in 1993 they introduced a handsome Cabriolet version, with the same crisp roofline, a triple insulated top with a full glass rear window, and an uprated 3.2 Litre DOHC inline 6 cylinder. Shhh! Whisper quiet.
Great article I sold Porsche Audi cars in 1976 fed up with the greedy Pontiac dealer Porsche was always my goal Audi’s great in the snow replaced Porsche 924 demos every winter the Audi 100LS was a bomb. Paul Moria bought low mileage 300 CE and CD Coupes and a Met.Brown/Palomino 450SEL