Mercedes-Benz 300D Turbo W124 (U24)

Name: Mercedes-Benz 300D Turbo W124
Brand: Mercedes-Benz
Availability: OutOfStock

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Mercedes-Benz W124 3.0 5dr Estate Automatic Diesel

2002

40,239 Mls

Diesel

Auto

3.0L

Estate

Silver

236 g/km

145 BHP

36 MPG

Vehicle Description

Cult Classics & Detailing are proud to present for sale, this very rare in the UK, 1 owner from new, W124 Mercedes 300TD Turbo Estate.

History

Our Mercedes started its life in Belgium where it was purchased from Europa Mercedes in Brussels by an English Doctor who lectured at “La Sapienza” University of Rome. He took the car back to Italy where it lived until 2002.
We assume that the Doctor owner was a keen skier as there were a collection of Swiss vignettes adorning the windscreen and a set of genuine Mercedes snow chains in the boot! How fantastic must it have been to take the Merc on that road trip up into the Swiss Alps from Italy from time to time!
So, fast forward to 2002 and our Doctor is returning home and rather than sell his now 10 year old Mercedes in Italy, he brings it back home to London with him and registers it here in the UK.
For the next 10 years it was in fairly regular use, clocking up 2-3k miles a year, then in 2012, there was obviously a change in the Doctors circumstances but still he could not part with his beloved Mercedes so it went into storage at a classic car storage facility where it stayed until August last year, accumulating just over 1k miles in that 10 year period.
We fear that the Doctor had become ill at this point as there is a letter from him authorising his brother to sell the car on his behalf and so at the end of last year the Doctor and his Mercedes were parted after 30 years of custodianship.

The Car

To the car itself, it is a 1992 Mercedes 300TD Turbo (“T” for Tourimus und Transport and “D” for diesel) She is finished in Brilliant Silver (744U) with Black leather. Those who know a bit about W124 Mercs will know this model was never sold in the UK, plenty of them in the US and mainland Europe but a very rare car here in the UK.
Powered by the bombproof 603960 3 litre straight six Turbo Diesel it produces a healthy 147 HP and 273 NM of torque which is quite enough to progress the old girl down the road in a very pleasant and purposeful fashion.

The Exterior

The outside of this 300TD still looks very fresh with no significant damage or corrosion. There are some scratches to the O/S rear ¼ panel and boot and there are a few minor battle scars commensurate with a 1 owner, 30-year-old practical vehicle. Panel gaps and shut lines all look good and all the badges and trim are present and correct. The lower plastic trim panels and bumpers were looking a tad scruffy when we acquired the car, so we had them all repainted, including the sill covers, interestingly, our body shop expressed almost disbelief at the total lack of corrosion behind the covers when they were removed!
The Merc rolls on its original 8 hole alloy wheels (which we believe were an optional extra?) They are all in very acceptable condition and are wrapped in a matching set of Continental Conti Premium Contact 2 tyres, all in excellent condition

The Interior

Inside the Mercedes is quite exceptional, considering its age, we hate the term “time warp” but it almost fits as a description!
There is absolutely no evident damage or undue wear, the dash pad is intact with none of the shrinkage cracks that you might expect on a 30-year-old car. The leather upholstery has a lovely gently aged aesthetic and all the carpets and trim are clean and damage free. The Burred Walnut wood trim is all in lovely condition as is the 390mm sports steering wheel.
The original Becker Grand Prix 2000 RDS radio / tape player is still present and powers up with the automatic antenna but on testing we couldn’t get any sound from it. Gauges all seem functional except for the fuel gauge which is quite intermittent, the manual climate control all appears to be working with even some cold air from the air conditioning!!
The electric passenger mirror works perfectly as does the electric sunroof and all 4 electric windows.
All in all the interior presents exceptionally well.
Moving to the boot, the carpets are all clean and damage free, however the gas struts no longer hold the tailgate up. The rear load cover is present and undamaged and it also has an addition retractable cargo net to prevent items entering the passenger compartment. There is also the original tool kit, unused first aid kit and an amazing 90s 12v vacuum!

Conclusion

It is fair to say, the W124 saloons and estates were the last Mercedes-Benz cars built to a quality rather than a price and this is evident when you see the condition of this 300TD after 30 years.
The engine starts on the button after a brief warm up of glow plugs. It drives, brakes and handles well with everything feeling much tighter and quieter than you’d expect from a car of this age. It would make an ideal daily driver classic, able to transport kids, bikes and all manner of equipment with reliable elegance.
W124 are becoming more and more desirable and the fact that this model is so rare in the UK the value is only going to go one way!
As with all cars in our “Everyday Classics” collection, we have described our Mercedes honestly and with transparency, drawing attention to the good points and the imperfections equally, allowing you to make an informed decision.
Viewing is highly recommended and can be done at our Tewkesbury HQ, Monday to Saturday by appointment.
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us, either via our contact button, Email sales@cultclassics.uk or give us a call on 01684 210915 or / text / whatsapp on 07920 851312

Print Details

Technical Details

Performance

Engine Size 3000 cc

Top Speed 126 mph

0-62mph 10.9 sec

Power 145 bhp

Dimensions

Height 1498 mm

Length 4765 mm

Width 1884 mm

Emissions & Performance

CO2 236 g/km

Combined 36 mpg

Extra Urban 38 mpg

Urban 30 mpg

Image Gallery

Vehicle Performance

145

BHP

201

Torque

10.9

0-62

126

Top Speed

Running Costs

Fuel Economy*

Combined

36 mpg

Extra Urban

38 mpg

Urban

30 mpg

Vehicle Tax**

12 months

£415

6 months

£228.25

CO2

236 g/km

Band K

Insurance

Insurance Group

Fuel Type

Type

Diesel

* MPG figures are obtained in laboratory testing and intended for comparisons between vehicles. Please be aware they're not intended to represent real world efficiency.

** Vehicles with an original list price of more than £40,000 registered on or after 01 April 2017 must pay an additional £410 a year.