1990 | Mercedes-Benz 420 SEC

An extremely nice 420SEC in Beryl Blue/Green with Mushroom leather, air conditioning, cruise, electric/heated seats.

Sold new in March 1992 by Rybrook of Oxford, right at the end of the 126’s production life.

This is a car that’s been in long term ownership – the last owner 11 years and the previous 14 years. Crucially, it has evidently always been scrupulously maintained and evidently always garaged.

The service book contains 31 stamps and there is a folder full of bills going back 25 years. In recent years it has benefitted from new Bilstein dampers, new engine mounts, new exhaust, a new steering box and much more. The engine has also just had a new timing chain/guides/tensioner and valve stem seals, which are critical jobs on this engine.

The bodywork is in very nice condition with well-finished Beryl paintwork, the bumpers/Sacco panels remain in their original contrasting colour, and the bumper chromes show no signs of corrosion. The all-important parcel shelf area that’s so vulnerable is in excellent rust-free and original condition as shown on the photos. This alone is very rare to see today.

The underside is extremely clean, free from rust or previous repairs.

There is a little delamination to the rear left of the rear screen as is often the case.

The wheels are in superb condition and wear matching Michelin tyres all round.

The interior is exceptionally good and shows no UV damage that so often mars these cars. The Mushroom leather is lovely and supple and doesn’t show any wear. The walnut panelling is in excellent original condition, and the instrument needles remain very orange indicating they haven’t faded.

This SEC drives beautifully and is a testament to the proactive maintenance this car has received. The V8 offers ample performance and wonderfully relaxed gait at speed, it rides beautifully and is as crisp and tight as any we have driven. The A/C is cold, and the cruise control holds the car at speed correctly.

We have been after another SEC for a while now, but these are not easy cars to buy today. However, we found this example was refreshingly original, well-maintained and stored, and we have carried out the timing chain replacement as part of our preparation giving additional peace of mind to its next owner.

In summary, this is a lovely example of Mercedes’ most handsome car of the 80s. Perfect for the buyer who’s looking for a sensibly priced example to drive and enjoy.