Mercedes Benz 500 SEL - £9,995
Inspected Price: £9,995 
Year: 1986
Transmission: Automatic
Mileage: 67000
Colour: Orient Red
The W126 is a remarkable machine. Even today it is as well equipped, comfortable, quiet and capable as many new executive saloons and the build quality is in another league to the majority of what manufacturers now put together. In 1986 it must have felt like something from another world and instead of time dulling the appeal, the years have added real character to this superb car.
This example was delivered new to its one owner/driver on the 7th March 1986 the West London main dealer Normand (Mayfair) Ltd. It was originally registered to the company of which the owner was a director on the registration number 'F8' which stayed on the car for the 12 years that he used it regularly. In 1998 a new Mercedes replaced the SEL and the registration was removed, putting it to an age correct 'C' prefix, but the owner could not bear to part with the car and he placed it in to storage with the rest of his collection in a heated garage. And there it remained until now, when the need to move house meant he finally had to part with the SEL after 25 years. It was taken directly from storage to a specialist who carefully recommissioned the car at a cost of over £2000, including converting the air conditioning to modern gas, to ensure that everything works perfectly.
The car has covered 67,000 miles from new with a comprehensively stamped service book from it's PDI in February 1986 and its first service 630 miles later to its semi-retirement at 63,103 miles in 1996. It is supplied with all of it's original paperwork including the neatly ticked 1986 Mercedes inspection sheet and two hanging cardboard tags that were originally on the rear view mirror, one reminding you of the first 1000 mile service and another describing the intricacies of cruise control. The only change from factory specification is the addition of a Pioneer CD player, fitted at a time when most folk didn't know what a CD was.
As can be seen, the condition is superb. The car appears to be in all original paint, so it is not entirely free of minor marks, but it seemed best to us to present it in untouched condition. If a buyer were looking to enter concours it could be detailed accordingly, but to see it this way demonstrates that it's a carefully looked after car, not one that has been quickly smartened up for sale.
Everything works perfectly; the air conditioning, cruise control, heated electric reclining rear seats, heated electric memory front seats with electric lumbar adjustment, electric sunroof, switchable two tone town and country horn - everything. The car drives with a grace, comfort and character that simply hasn't declined with age. It's not super-fast by modern standards, but the 228bhp 5.0 litre engine propels it along at a thoroughly respectable rate, 60mph supposedly comes up in 8 seconds and the top speed is said to be over 140mph.
1980s motor cars are beginning to see significant growth in popularity and we suspect this car, kept in this condition, ought to prove a very shrewd purchase for the future.