Mercedes-Benz 300TE 4Matic | Spotted
Need a sturdy, four-wheel drive estate for the winter weather? Here's just the thing - from 1991
Nowadays, a 4Matic Mercedes E-Class isn't notable - both AMG models have four driven wheels as standard (albeit with a drift mode in addition), as do the more powerful regular diesels and petrols. The all-wheel drive cars exist just as extra models in the line-up, much as they are for xDrive BMWs and similarly configured rivals. The technology has reached the point now where the impositions previously placed on buyers - in terms of cost, complexity and weight - have been greatly reduced. Why wouldn't you go for the car with more traction when there's so little penalty?
Not so long ago though, all-wheel drive asked for a more significant compromise, with systems that were often expensive to add on and inefficient to run. It was a more conscious decision to opt for four driven wheels, usually dependent on a use case more significant than 'it might snow'. You'd imagine, too, there was less demand for four-wheel drive before the SUV rose to prominence.
Or was there? Because here's a Mercedes-Benz W124 estate, a 300TE no less, with optional 4Matic all-wheel drive fitted. And a roofbox too, for all the adventures you and the family might have to tackle. It's full lifestyle spec, albeit from a time when a weekend away with the family was to the seaside. And not Ben Nevis. It sometimes seems that there's nothing left to say about the W124, given its reputation as the archetypal big Benz, the last bastion or Mercedes quality and the car that was never properly replaced - but this one is quite clearly different to the rest.
Because, to return to the point, there surely can't have been many 4Matic cars sold back in the late 80s and early 90s, especially in the UK. There just wouldn't have been the need for it. Especially given the more modest power outputs of the day - somewhere around 200hp for the rear wheels to contain in a top of the range saloon is a lot less intimidating than double that. Nevertheless, this car came with it, an option introduced in 1987 for the more powerful petrols and diesel in saloon and estate form. If anyone has any further information on the 4Matic cars, it would be great to know, because they clearly always were hard to come by; howmanyleft reckons just 20 are left taxed on UK roads, split between manual and auto, against 216 rear-wheel drive cars.
It's hard to imagine a W124 of any stripe being quite as good as this one, though. In Brilliant Silver over grey leather, it appears like so many others of the era, but look a little closer and the differences become evident. It was subject to bare metal respray last year, meaning that silver is factory fresh; and £8,500 was also spent on uprating the factory sound system for improved performance (while keeping a period look) as well as "anything that needed attending to". As such, despite 113,000 miles and 30 years of use, it's one of the most immaculately presented '124s we've seen in a while.
Which also means it's one of the most expensive. In a world of £20k four-cylinder cabrios and £65k 500Es, it's hard to imagine being surprised by a W124 asking price a quarter of a century after production finished. The very cheapest on PH is £7,000. Even so, the £30k asking price for this 4Matic is probably more than many would have expected. On the other hand, a lot of money has clearly gone into its upkeep recently, and the family will look no cooler than when it's packed into a four-wheel drive W124. It might not be the most cost effective way into classic Benz ownership, but it also isn't hard to see why someone might be one won over by this exceedingly rare TE. Only problem now, really, is that it seems far too nice for all this snow...
SPECIFICATION | MERCEDES-BENZ 300TE ESTATE
Engine: 2,962cc, straight-six
Transmission: 4-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 180@5,700rpm
Torque (lb ft): 188@4,400rpm
MPG: 24ish
CO2: quite a few
First registered: 1991
Recorded mileage: 113,000
Price new: £N/A
Yours for: £29,850
And here is a note to modern manufacturers - if you want a big grill put a star on top - I swear I went off Mercs when the grill became all modern and the star a rarity yet the new huge grille would surely suit one?
In so many ways these were brilliant - but people seemed to want a hard ride and toys rather than quality, so they seemed to be classified as dull - which is odd as for a time in Germany keeping one of these required a bank vault - they were so often stolen for export.
The glory days before the shrimp had his way...
It's a typo surely? Someone put the decimal point in the wrong place 
Easy mistake When ropey old Merc estates are apparently worth 30 grand ? Its not even that low mileage, its been fettled so its not 100 percent original, its a nice example, dont get me wrong but would have to find a grade A lunatic willing to part with 30 grand for it.
Woo, its got 4wd, it was a big deal back then, but now, just more to go wrong and cant imagine parts are exactly numerous. 30 Grand will get you a nice Biturbo E63 estate
Car prices are ridiculous, slightly sketchy looking 996 Turbos and people want 60 grand for them ffs, is anything selling at these comedy prices ?
I think we over eulogise W124's, they are nice old things but having driven a couple, yeah I get the solidity and quality but its a bit of a slow old barge in most forms and even the legendary quality is stretching things these days, they are all knocking 30 years or older.
Buy that, then sell it in a year and see what bids you get, guessing it wont be half of whats asked now.
I had to explain it was the asking price for a poxy old Merc that had caused my apparent near-demise, at which point she gently and lovingly shoved her chubby little foot (she is, it seems, related to Mrs Shed) and used all of her not insubstantial weight to facilitate same.
Anyhoo, nice cars, usual ‘built like a panzer’ phrases are descriptive and accurate (although I prefer the cloth seats as they appear to be one of the only things, other than a cockroach, that could survive a nuclear blast).
‘If’ it had a thorough mechanical refresh and ‘if’ all the restorative work carried out to the bodywork was duly recorded by way of photos as well as bills then it might, just might, be worth 2/3 of the asking price.
Otherwise, half the price and.... it would still be a cheeky asking price.
t that's expensive.If the work is to a high standard by someone reputable I will happily make a reasonable offer for it then.
As previously posted it worth £10-15k if the mechanical components are original and £15-20k if the oily bits have all been rebuilt.
We can’t tell the pre restoration state of the metal from the ad so it could be full of filler and deteriorate very quickly, or it could have been solid but dull. I would personally be happier if they had spent the money doing a mechanical overhaul on a solid but dull example and left the new owner to respray it.
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