Mercedes Bentz W124 EL-CLASSICO - Classic Merc, reliable daily / project, Helsinki

🚗 El Classico – Mercedes-Benz 300 TD, 1993 model 🚗

Now for sale: not your typical van — this is a Mercedes Bentz W124, registered as a van, but a classic W124 Merc known for its durability and driveability. Registered as a commercial van, the annual tax is €367.92.

I have owned the car since 2013. I believe I was the third owner — and the ownership chain is great. Bought in Tampere from an 85‑year‑old gentleman who originally acquired it from a vet in Rauma, who bought it new. This car has more history than many a Netflix series.

Mileage at purchase: 380,000 km
Mileage now: 545,394 km
And yes — this example does not shy away from numbers.

Service history is in order. A comprehensive service book exists and the early years it was serviced at Veho and Auto Astrum. I recall inspections up to around 360,000 km. I did not continue the official dealer tradition, but the car has been serviced regularly and all work is recorded. Parts have mainly been sourced through Merteil; brake parts, springs and other wear items replaced as needed.

The gearbox was serviced and strengthened in 2014 by Siekkinen. Siekkinen is known as one of Finland’s best Mercedes gearbox specialists, and the workshop comment stuck with me: “the body will come off before the box breaks”. That says a lot.

The feed pump has been adjusted slightly to make the car livelier and increase torque. You can feel the improvement on the road.

At the time of listing the rear shock absorber is being replaced. One side was replaced last year, so these will be sorted.

The right front wing was replaced and painted when the lower control arm broke a few years ago. There was rust on the lower edges of the front doors by the trim and I braced for the worst, but the reality was modest. I even bought sill panels just in case, but returned them. The surfaces were nonetheless attended to.

The car has been registered as a van for my entire ownership. The seats are in storage and have hardly been used. I used the car as a dog transport vehicle, so it has been used rather than merely stored.

Since 2020 the car has been parked in summers because I bought a summer car; it has been driven in winters. Sold with a valid inspection, taken straight from running use.

Original paint is still visible in the valve cover — a small but nice detail showing the engine bay hasn’t been unnecessarily tampered with.

Known faults (honestly):

• Central locking does not work. A few years ago there was a fault with the boot lock and one system had to be removed. Locks still work normally with the key.

• The windscreen wiper arms were once twisted in a car park, so the wiper arms have been removed completely. This way the car passes inspection cleanly.

• A piece is missing from the lower edge of the front bumper; it was damaged during towing when the lower control arm broke and the car was pulled onto a transporter.

This is not a new car, but it has soul, history and still plenty of kilometres left.

It would make an excellent candidate for museum registration. My original plan was to do that myself, as it would significantly increase the value. Plans have since changed.

Suitable as a reliable daily for someone who values durable engineering and the driving feel. But above all, it’s for you who see the potential and want to restore and increase the value — or make a stylish summer golf car.

The only question left is who will continue the story.

Total percentage of replaced parts: 0.5% (rear seat base removed = 0.5%)

Vehicle must be collected within 7 days of the auction end unless otherwise agreed - Huutokaupat.com.