1989 W126 260SE 5-speed manual One owner from new

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[FONT=&quot]1989 W126 2.6 litre 5-speed manual. One owner from new. Very rare car.[/FONT]






[FONT=&quot]For sale due to bereavement. Ordered and collected from Germany in 1989 by Lancashire textile engineering company owner and long-established Mercedes-Benz Club member, Ron Nisbett.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Ron treated this car like a baby and it was the subject of an article I wrote for the Gazette in 2008, shortly before Ron was taken very ill. Sadly, he died last year and the family has asked me to sell the car on his behalf. Ron was a highly skilled engineer who traveled the world installing and repairing delicate and complicated textile machinery. He always said that compared with textile machinery, working on cars was a doddle. The mileage is 143,000, all driven by Ron. Not a lot in 24 years.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]He changed the oil himself every 2-3,000 miles in a purpose built, well-equipped double garage, complete with inspection pit. The gearbox and diff oil and have also been renewed a good many times - by Ron. A new water pump, distributor cap , fuel pump and fuel filter were fitted at 129k miles and new brake pipes at 132k miles. The service book shows over 35 oil changes between 1989 and 2002! Ron used to change the oil on my car before his illness and I can verify that he was absolutely meticulous.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]When Ron was taken ill, the car stood in the garage for several years, covered in dust sheets, just as it always was. Last week, I fitted a spare battery and the car started first time. The engine oil looks like it was changed last month, although it obviously wasn’t. It was driven to my local Mercedes specialists, Lime Tree Garage (who Ron also thought highly of) for a new MOT and a thorough check. The brakes were stripped and rebuilt but that was all that was required to give it a clean bill of health. Ron Waxoyled the car regularly, so underneath is as solid as a rock. Ron fitted two sets of seat covers from new, which are still there, so the original cloth seats genuinely look like they’ve never been sat in.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Ron was an instructor for the Institute of Advanced Motoring. When ordering the car from Germany, he specified a manual gearbox and the silky smooth six cylinder 2.6 litre M103 engine – options unavailable to UK customers. The car has no air-con or even a sunroof and is fitted with steel wheels. Ron liked to keep mechanical things as simple as possible. He proved to the IAM that he could achieve 34mpg on a 100 mile run as no one believed such a big Mercedes could be that economical.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Structurally and mechanically, the car is first class. It has a few very minor cosmetic paintwork blemishes, notably a couple of scrapes on the (vinyl) bumper ends and a very small dent in the front offside wheel arch. Ron scraped the arch on his garage door and hand-painted the scratch some years ago, but the wing itself is still very sound. All the chrome is untarnished.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]With very little work, this car could be absolutely immaculate once again. The family would like it to go to a genuine Mercedes enthusiast. It has a private plate (bearing Ron’s initials), which is included in the realistic sale price of £2450. The car (diamond blue metallic with grey cloth interior) is located in Morecambe, still in Ron’s garage, and can be inspected by appointment.
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[FONT=&quot]I have a copy of the 2008 Gazette article, the original sales receipt for £22,869.10 and the service book. The handbook and tool kit are still in the car. I realise this is not a car for everyone, but it is a very rare opportunity to own a one owner car (probably one of a kind in the UK) in truly excellent condition, built in the days when the W126 was considered to be the finest car in the world.
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[FONT=&quot]I have known and admired this unique car for many years. Please PM me with your e-mail address for further information and recent photographs.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Thanks for looking.
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[FONT=&quot]Steve
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The original purchase receipt for Ron's car, ordered via Bob Byrne, who specialised in buying new cars in Germany and supplying to UK customers. Ron caught the train to Germany, collected his brand new car from the dealership and drove it 260SE back to Lancashire.