Luxurious One-Owner Wagon: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300TE
One of the family-hauler designs I miss frequently spotting on the roads is the tried and true station wagon, with Mercedes-Benz being no stranger to this marketplace. The company produced its fair share of fine offerings over the years, such as this nicely preserved 1990 model 300TE, which looks considerably younger than its age of nearly 35 years. On some autos that feature a letter or more in their name, I often wonder if these truly stand for anything, or if their primary goal is mostly to sound prestigious, with “Z” being a popular example. However, in this case, there is meaning, as the T indicates a touring wagon, with the following E representing einspritzung, the long German term for fuel injection. With the condition such as it is here, I’m guessing the current bid of $2,650 is going to increase considerably before the gavel drops on this one.
The seller tells us this is a one-owner wagon and has been driven 167,000 miles, which might be a concern for some vehicles from this period. However, with the excellent engineering that Mercedez put into these 300-series models combined with the stellar build quality, many seasons of fun and reliable vacation trips probably remain here. The black and silver combo paint seems to still be holding up well overall, and I’m not spotting any significant body issues, other than just a few minor cosmetic scrapes here and there.
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of traveling many miles on numerous occasions in a company-owned E320 wagon, and I can vouch for how many hours the comfort lasts in a Mercedes interior. This one probably got detailed before the photo shoot, but it reveals what a high level of care this one’s had since new. The seller mentions premium sound, which starts with an aftermarket Pioneer stereo unit in the dash. There are 3 rows of seating when you want, and although things look roomy inside, a roof rack also sits on top, just in case some extra space for additional luggage is needed.
Under the hood is a gas-powered 3.0-liter engine, with everything in the bay appearing to be in good working order. If this motor has been properly maintained, it’s likely got years of service left, as these have a reputation for longevity. If you’re already envisioning taking this 1990 Mercedez-Benz 320TE out on the highways of America this summer, the station wagon is located in Joppa, Maryland, and can be found here on eBay. I’m not spotting a whole lot to find much fault with here, how about you?
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Comments
165K is relatively low mileage for a S124 model. The M103 is a really good engine with head gaskets being its only Achilles heel. Also you are better off getting one without the 4matic system which is complex and costly to sort. These are great cars but they need an owner who is dedicated to good maintenance and to keep on top of repairs. OEM parts are starting to dry up for this series and making do with aftermarket parts will lead to more frequent repairs.
“Fuel injection” is longer than “einspritzung” by one letter, and also by one syllable. Just saying…
Yeah but it’s 2 words lol.
A prize for the new owner. Had a chance to buy one but the MB dealer wouldn’t budge off of their asking price. My loss I guess as we were $1,800 apart back then, circa 2004.
I’m curious to see where the gavel drops. Back in 1990, these were a truly high ticket item – far more expensive than the 300 sedans. If memory serves me right, where the sedans were in the mid $40,000 range, the wagons were well into the $60-65,000 range, putting it almost in line with the S-Class. However, there were far more rare than either the 300 sedans or S-Class cars. And this was the time where wagons were still fairly popular as the SUV craze hadn’t really started yet. I believe 1990 was the first year of the Ford Explorer.
Two collisions reported. Should keep the bidding low. GLWA!
Sweet wagon too bad its a slushbox. ‘Im DD’ing a 01 BMW E46 wagon….with a factory 5 speed…….wouldn’t take a new SUV in trade!
I dont know if these came with a 4 or 5 speed. maybe you can convert it. Regardless imho buying this beats spending 40 K on an SUV…that tracks you :)
Good luck to the buyer
I can admit now due to the statue of limitations with my mom. This car will beat a 1987 Nissan Z and also boil new michelins