At $15,499, Would You Impress The Neighbors With This 1994 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet?

While it’s impractical to drive an actual military tank on the roads, the tank-like build quality of Mercedes’ W124 E-Class, like today’s Nice Price or No Dice E320 Cabriolet, makes that a moot point. Let’s see how much cash that honor should rightfully require.

It’s a very rare occurrence for a car company to change its name. British Leyland tried the old switcheroo with the U.S. introduction of the Sterling line, seeking to redress the poor quality of the earlier Rover models sold in the states. Sadly, the Sterlings were no better. The most successful renaming so far has been Nissan’s 1980s abandonment of the Datsun name here in America in favor of its home-market branding. 

Undertaken over several years and with interim models denoted as “Datsun by Nissan,” the renaming worked because nobody really cared all that much about what the cars were named, as long as they could still get their Zs. We looked at one of those post-transition Zs yesterday, a 1987 300ZX with T-tops and a stick shift behind its V6. At $8,500, it didn’t seem to matter what name was on the hatch, as you all named it a good deal with a solid 65% ‘Nice Price’ win.

Have you seen the streaming show called “Your Friends and Neighbors”? That’s the one with Jon Hamm (bad name for an actor) playing a smug and smarmy rich guy who loses, in order, his wife, his house, and his job. He doesn’t, however, have to give up his fancy-pants Maserati or his country club membership. As one of the show’s characters notes, those visible trappings of wealth allow him to keep up appearances and save face. Oh, and he also embarks on a minor crime spree to make ends meet. It’s a fun show.

While likely not requiring a life of larceny and thuggery to afford, the 1994 Mercedes-Benz E320 Cabriolet we’re looking at today does possess the class and credentials for a raised eyebrow or nod of appreciation at any country club. With reasonably low mileage (102,000) and a very stately presentation, save for the somewhat-aggressive wheels, it suggests good taste and achievement without getting all obnoxious about it.

This being a W124 also speaks volumes about its solid build quality and probable longevity. Behind the traditional Mercedes grille and three-pointed star stand-up hood ornament sits a 3.2-liter M104 straight-six. The twin-cam 24-valve engine came from the factory with 217 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque. Behind that sits a five-speed G-tronic automatic driving the rear wheels. According to the seller, everything on the car works as it should, right down to the often finicky hydraulically actuated convertible top.

That top looks to be in great physical condition, too. Additionally, it matches well with the rest of the exterior, as the paint is shiny, the bodywork unmarred, and the extensive plastic trim laudably unscratched or suffering any wonkiness. Convertibles, by nature, tend to suffer interior issues from prolonged sun exposure, but this Benz seems to have kept its SPF at max. There is some noticeable wear on the center armrest from offending elbows, but that seems to be the extent of the complaints found in the cabin. It’s also wonderfully stock, right down to the working seatbelt extenders and the factory Becker stereo. We should also note that this generation of W124 has Mercedes’ wicked-cool articulating windscreen wiper, which is super fun to watch in action.

One issue that plagued Mercedes models of this era was a supposedly eco-friendly wiring loom that, when exposed to the heat of the engine bay over time, started its descent into its primordial components. Happily, the seller of this Benz notes that its engine bay loom has been replaced with a revised edition that won’t suffer such an ignominious fate.

That’s pretty much the only major issue owners of the W124 series faced. Sure, these are still old German cars, with the quirks and problems that affect almost all older cars—only with a German twist—so it’s best to buy the best one you can. This E320 comes with a clean title, two key fobs, the factory wind deflector, and a set of tires with very few miles. It also looks to be in terrific shape, right down to an impeccably clean engine bay. Should work need to be done here, at least it will be relatively clean going.

So let’s say you’ve joined one of those country clubs where the well-to-do and those stretching their credit cards thin to hobnob with them co-mingle. Would this E320 still make an impression with its enduring class and panache? More to the point, would the monied folk turn up their noses at it when they find that it only cost $15,499?

What do you think? Does this Benz still have what it takes to impress? And if so, how impressed are you with that $15,499 asking price? Does that seem like a prudent financial investment? Or is that too much cash for a country club contender?

You decide!

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Hat tip to MrMikus for the hookup!

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