There are three words we really like in the PistonHeads office. ‘Fancy another tea?’ are probably our favourite three, but ‘big Merc coupe’ always go down particularly well too. We had a W124 a few weeks ago as our Shed of the Week but this is the W123 and in my opinion it’s an altogether classier motor. These cars used to be a fairly common sight on our roads but have rapidly begun to disappear. If ever you wanted a future classic this surely has to be it. To look at it is not difficult to see that this is a Mercedes from the Seventies. The upright grille and headlights make this Merc look more like a purposeful cruiser rather than an autobahn screamer. Although the W124 was sleeker, this model is more elegant. It is also better made than later Mercs and had an undeniable solidity, that's why in four-door guise it made the perfect Euro taxi.
The 2.3 litre four cylinder engine had 136bhp, wafting this Merc battleship to 110 mph and from 0-60 in just under 13 seconds. The 280CE might be quicker and have a couple of extra cylinders but the 230CE shared the coupe’s party trick – the pillarless windows. Lower all windows and you are left with an uninterrupted opening that gave these large Merc coupes a unique opulence. Not many manufacturers have bothered with this feature, and there’s probably a good reason why. Making the whole thing wind and water proof is far trickier than sticking a pillar in the middle, and hopefully you won't get a nasty surprise the first time you take your old Merc through a car wash.
This car cropped up on eBay with bids starting at just £600, and you can drive it away for £850. It’s green, a colour you oddly don’t see on many cars these days, and has a set of original-looking alloys. The bodywork looks in very good condition, there’s a claimed 96,000 miles and some service history. The seats look like half leather and the seller says they do need a good clean. Nine months MOT sounds good too and it looks like as good an example as any for less than a grand.
It’s not difficult to imagine a decent, clean low-mileage CE, not unlike this one, going at an auction for at least two or three times more than that in a couple of years, maybe more. And as if all that wasn’t enough there might be an added bonus. There’s a cheeky 32-year-old Triumph Toledo on the same eBay listing that the owner seems desperate to get rid of and he may even throw it in if you ask nicely. Now that’s what I call a bargain.
Ad says: This auction is for a 1982 Mercedes 230 ce. These cars are becoming more and more rare, especially finding one in good condition. This auction is for serious ebayers only as car must now go before Christmas. The interior of this car is not in mint condition although what I mean by this is that the seats are in desperate need of a clean, but with no rips. She is a very good runner and does have at least 9 months mot left. Bodywork and paintwork in good order for the year. This is pretty much all I can tell you at this time as I do not know much about these cars, and I am selling for a friend. Please mail with any question/offers, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
NOTE: THERE IS ALSO A PICTURE OF A 32 YEAR OLD TRIUMPH TOLEDO. ONE FAMILY OWNED FROM NEW AND NOW TAX EXEMPT. RUNNER, BUT COULD USE A LOVING HOME.