W124: Profile of an Oldtimer

What was your favorite car when you were a kid? Mine was a Ferrari, the Testarossa to be more precise. I was so in love with that car, and despite the insane performance that newer cars have achieved, the "sheer driving pleasure" and reliability of the old ones are hard to match.

I drive a 2004 Audi, and sometimes I wish I could afford to trade it in, but then I see how unreliable the newer models are, so I'm content with mine. I've never owned a Mercedes, though...

A friend of mine is now the proud owner of the beauty in the following pictures, and I have to say, it screams reliability and connection to the road. It's a W124 Mercedes CE220 with a 2.2-liter petrol engine producing 150 horsepower. While it's not blazing fast, it's indeed a great cruiser.

The interior is quite basic, I bet it was quite fancy back in 1994 when it rolled out of the factory, but the comfort is great, and you don't get the background noise that you often find in newer models. The leather smells like leather, the wood looks like real wood, and the insulation is top-notch.

I would change the rim color, though. Other than that, I like the car. It could use a fresh coat of paint and some touch-ups on the interior, but for a 30-year-old vehicle, it's held up remarkably well.

Would I pay around $10,000 for such a car? I'm not sure... I'm not really an old-timer fan, but I do recognize value when I see it, and this car is definitely a great value, considering the quality of the materials and the overall driving experience.

Thanks for your attention,
Adrian