Art of Gears
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This 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300E Has Over 800,000 Miles

By Paulo Acoba

Photo Credit: Reddit user wsdmskr
Photo Credit: Reddit user wsdmskr /
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A 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300E with over 800,000 miles on the clock popped up on Reddit.

To call the Mercedes W124 platform ‘built well’ would be the biggest understatement of the year. They’re downright indestructible and this example is testament to that. According to Reddit user WSDMSKR, his father’s 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300E has over 800,000 miles on the original engine and transmission. This particular W124 would’ve already hit one million miles, but a 2013 C300 was bought three years ago. Check out the exclusive album of this awesome car below. You may find yourself scouring your local Craigslist looking for one.

"Dad’s 1989 300E"

According to the owner’s son,

"At the time I took these pics, the car was at 743 and change. He’s since crossed the 800k mark.It’s the original straight-six and transmission.The only major replacements outside of wear and tear are the windshield, the driver’s seat bottom, and the Becker radio."

Despite all this mileage, the car still exhibits many of the features and characteristics that defined the car when it was brand new.

"The car really is incredible. The steering wheel has less vibration when on the road or at idle than just about anything I’ve ever driven. Uses a bit of oil, but nothing crazy, and the doors still “thunk” closed after 27+ years and 3/4 million miles."

More from Art of Gears

2016 marks the 32nd anniversary of this first w124 leaving its Germany factory bound for global showrooms. Germans have always had the reputation for building some of the stoutest and most reliable products in the world. Up until the 1989 Lexus LS400 was introduced, the W124 reigned supreme.

Designed and built under the leadership of Bruno Sacco, the W124 pioneered innovative automotive technologies that would later be incorporated in cars since then. For one, it had one of the lowest coefficient of drag’s for its time. The W124 was one of the first Mercedes car’s to undergo computer crash simulation. As such, it’s passenger cell is one of the best ever made being rigid with front and rear crumple zones.

The engines stuffed under all W124’s were built from scratch and improved upon over the years.This particular 1989 Mercedes Benz 300E probably came with their M103 straight 6 that made an adequate 188 HP and 179 lb-ft paired to a 4-speed automatic.

The design of the W124 is so robust that it’s still being used today, albeit underpinning a Korean body in the SsangYong Chairman. And the W124’s built-in Indonesia didn’t stop making E220’s and E320’s until 2000, 5 years after the W124 was discontinued.

The saying, “they don’t make em like they used to” can be cliche, but there’s definitely a bit of truth in that.

More cars: This Second-Generation Toyota Prius Has Close To 600,000 Miles

And if you were wondering, the owner of this 1989 300E has already 120,000 plus miles on his 2013 Mercedes C300.

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