1985 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC

Supplied new to a Jersey-based owner in June 1985, the vendor, friends of the original keepers, has known the car since it arrived in the Channel Islands.

It was used sparingly in Jersey and in Marbella, Spain, where the car’s first owners had a second home.

In 2006, the SEC was deregistered in Jersey and sold to its current owner when the holiday home in Marbella was sold on; it acquired an age-related British number plate, B694 HFE, in 2009 and has remained in their classic car collection ever since.

The Benz needs a new home as the vendor has retired and is losing space for cars to be stored. Commensurate with a Jersey car, its mileage is low – 39,910 on the odometer – and has covered fewer than 1900 miles between 2006 and 2022, as recorded on subsequent MoTs. Incidentally, the current test is long, expiring in 14 March 2023; the vendor states that, since taking it on, it has given them no problems mechanically. It has two keys with a third blade supplied, and comes complete with owners’ manuals, service booklets and a build sheet. A car cover can be found in the boot.

A late pre-facelift car, the SEC presents well, its Pajett Red Metallic paint holding up well considering its age; sparing use has preserved it. There appears to be no visible corrosion in the usual SEC trouble spots: around the bulkhead, on the corners of the front wings above the bumper, and on the inner and outer lips of the rear wings, either. The outer sills also look umblemished, and there are no witness marks around either windscreen, suggesting that their seals remain up to the task. The steel sunroof works with seemingly no issues in and around the cartridge itself, though the paint on the leading edge of the panel has rubbed off in places.

The filler cap and flap look free from corrosion (the tyre pressure chart is still present), as well as the door apertures and door bottoms. Door fit for a B pillar-less car is good; the very fussy may want to have the nearside adjusted slightly, but it’s still well within tolerance. There are few issues with the exterior plastics and brightwork either: the grey plastic nut caps on the headlamp wipers have faded in the sun, and there are light marks on the offside and nearside plastic bumper trim.

A small rub on the nearside bonnet near the wing is all that we could see amiss at the front; otherwise, the bonnet itself looks free from chips; ditto the headlights and fog lights.

The 14-inch, 15-hole baroque alloys seem smart and free from kerbing, though the nearside front wheel nut appears to have surface rust on its head. While the 205/70/14 Federal Super Steel tyres have legal tread, their sidewalls are beginning to perish on all four corners; this has been an MoT advisory since 2020.

Well-specified from new, this SEC has velour, rather than leather upholstery; the first owners chose this décor owing to the hot weather between their second home in Marbella and their base in Jersey.

Decoded, there were several expensive options fitted: an electric sliding sunroof (option 410), Tempomat cruise control (option 440), air-conditioning (option 580) and a nearside floor mounted fire extinguisher (option 682, still fitted). A Becker Grand Prix head unit was fitted from new; complete with instruction manual, the vendor had it overhauled two years ago.

Befitting its low mileage, the cream carpets, headlining and seat upholstery look lightly used at best; contrasting black over mats are fitted over the cream lower mats. The pillarless windows raise and lower correctly into their apertures, but wood trim around the cabin will need attention soon – the offside piece running the width of the dashboard has lifted, and the centre console timber has worn around the edges of the switches and gearbox selector (but has not cracked).

The boot floor looks intact and the familiar Mercedes-Benz warning triangle is included inside the boot lid; a full size alloy wheel is included. Ip front, the 5.0-litre V8 looks more than serviceable, with no obvious corrosion around the battery tray. Recent looking Continental Contitech drive belts, and a modern Lion battery also point to diligent maintenance. The under-bonnet sound deadening is missing, with glue residue on its underside. An emissions test for the MoT in 2022 showed that the engine was running cleanly and well under age-related limits.

Highly original, there’s little corrosion underneath the SEC bar surface corrosion on nuts,coil springs and smaller components. Crucially, the inner arches, chassis legs, floor pans and boot floor look solid.

Minor defects on the last MoT mention nearside rear inner ball joint covers; similarly, the inner and outer equivalents on the offside will need replacement soon.

Ditto the rear lower back boxes – while serviceable, their casings have split lengthways and have been an MoT advisory since 2020.

There’s witness marks from a minor leak on the left bank of the engine, and this has gone down the block and is visible on the lower arms. The sump gasket also looks like it will need attention soon too, but no leaks are visible.

ABS (option 470) and a limited-slip differential (option 256) were specified from new; an ABS fault was repaired in 2013 and to date the system remains functional; ditto the ‘slipper’, which seems oil tight. A slight steering box leak was reported on a 2013 MoT, but was attended tot.

Delivered new to Jackson’s Garage, St Saviour, Jersey, on 10 June 1985, that garage performed all of the documented servicing in the SEC’s early life, performing interim and full fluid changes until 20 March 1996, the last recorded date in the booklet.

The car will also come with a selection of old MoTs and an emissions test report from its most recent ticket.

Seldom used and well maintained rather than cosseted, this SEC has a lot of life left in it.

A new set of tyres, and a light front end overhaul would future proof this car for years to come. Having barely covered 2000 miles since 2006, a light recommission would quickly bring it back to life, allowing a new owner to revel in its carefully preserved interior and exterior. As a late example of a pre-facelift SEC, before facelifts changed the C126 further, it arguably has the best balance of performance and fuel economy without the crippling fuel bills of the (admittedly faster) 560. Not only that, but the velour interior will be quieter than leather on the move; the cabin needs very little save for attention to the woodwork.

The C126 achieved something the later C140 never did – it hid its bulk and excess brilliantly, and was cutting-edge without the expense and complication of its successor.

While prices rise for the former car, values of the latter are appreciating at a far slower rate, a reflection of the C126’s desirability and usability.

Our estimate for this car is £21,000 - £26,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.