The Best or Nothing - Mercedes-Benz W124 300TE Review - Shooting Brake

The Mercedes-Benz 124 estate has always been an iconic car, owing to its beautifully proportioned design and unparalleled build quality - but what's it actually like to drive in 2023? We took this well specified 1991 S124 300TE around South West London to find out.
If you like the look of this Mercedes, or you're looking to sell your own enthusiast car, head over to shootingbrake.com/

[@FeeneyStephen]

I had a 1994/5 M reg E200 7 seater estate, which I bought in December 1999. It was my first Mercedes and it was like a 4 cylinder bus, which I am ashamed to say I neglected. I kept it for 16 years and I treated it so poorly and left it out in the rain while I ran around in it. The drive was marvelous and it was a magic carpet ride in my wearing out seats. I eventually got bored of it and let it go at 149,000 miles, for £300, to a bloke who told me it would get a new life in Africa. I hope they replaced the thermostat, which had started to be a problem. I got a newer C320 and kept that for nearly ten years. But this shape of car was amazing as you describe.

[@ghaleboncars]

Really enjoyed reviewing this 300TE. Hard to overstate just how special it felt to drive - a calming antidote to modern life & motoring. Whoever buys this will be a lucky person!

[@shootingbrake]

Couldn't agree more!

[@x0xDarthWyylokx0x]

My dad had one of these and the 2l diesel but the 300te will always remain a nostalgic favourite. So many cruises across the country. The transmission went and it was a very sad day.

[@jamesfpianist1168]

1993 Mercedes 300TE just rolled 250,000 miles on odometer while driving to work today in our Southern CA storm/flashflood today. Felt safe as I powered to work in a car that feels like it was designed specifically for this type of weather. I've always felt that the car drives better in bad weather. 🌧

[@schmitthok]

Thanks for the video. I too own a '91 300TE, 260k KM on it. It's in the shop and getting much deserved love. A LOT of new bodywork and welding is needed caused by rost....a new rear axle & gas tank. But it'll be so worth it. It even got a travel calculator (SA245) in it. The drive is so unbelievable relaxing and calms me down. Can't wait to drive it again. It's my first car and I'll never sell it.

[@shootingbrake]

We had the exact same experience of the 300TE being an extremely relaxing car to drive!

[@richardelson3261]

Lovely. I am based in London and surrounded by generic SUV computers on wheels with plastic looks and Tonka toy wheels. My neighbours have Tesla which they used to take the kids kids to school and go shopping and they think they are being carbon neutral. For low mileage Leisure driving makes much more sense to buy something like this does buy a new Tesla.

[@shootingbrake]

Agree, the most sustainable car is the one that's already been built!

[@amirhashm1]

Big want of this after watching. What a car

[@shootingbrake]

Plenty of time left to bid 👀

[@nehuge]

Did this year have the self close tailgate? I went through 3 motors in that and ending up disconnecting the wires to it for good. Now I can slam it and not worry, just like yours did in the video it just goes "boom" which is very pleasing. I put a reed magnet switch in the tailgate jam too and wire it to the wires in the hatch so that my dome lights go off and on when I shut the hatch.

[@MancCrypt]

Amazing video!

[@shootingbrake]

Thank you!

[@adebrade172]

That car didn't look out of place driving amongst them multi million pounds houses.

[@ibrahimcivanoglu2758]

What would you rather have? A 300TE or a 300TD?

[@jasonknight5863]

320 TE i just got one a 95’ with 55k on the clock. I prefer it over the 300 TE because this has 219bhp versus only 177 bhp on the 300 TE. The 300 TD only has 109Bhp so that would be a noisy (long lasting) slug to drive.

[@colinfuller2271]

Slight exaggeration £34k in 1991 is 73k in 2023 not nearly 100k but hey its only 27k . But they are extremely nice cars to drive.

[@shyltgt4426]

…not if you’re using a 10.7% rate of inflation for 2022 and (trailing) 2023.

[@carart713]

Yeaps W124 good var and Om603 is th best engine

[@jamaljacksonjr2652]

94 95 E320 motor was better IMO

[@peterjanvanbijnen226]

mercedes w124 were the last good build mercedes