RE: SOTW: Mercedes-Benz 190E
Discussion
Is this the best one available? Priced to match, mind you.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
mr2j said:
I'm considering getting one of these for my girlfriend to learn in but I'm not sure I could justify the running costs. Is that an urban myth these days? How easy are the mechanical bits? Can a dabbler change the belt by themselves?
I do all the spannering on my 124, which is similar to the 201- they're pretty straight-forward if you're a competent diy-er... parts are mostly reasonable new and there's plenty of used spares out there too.By the belt do you mean serpentine belt? The engines are chain-driven so no cambelt to worry about.
Trouble is these old Mercs take abuse really well so you want one that's been looked after and maintained properly.
Blackpuddin said:
Is this the best one available? Priced to match, mind you.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
I did a thread about these being undervalued early last year, look like they have embraced that sentiment whoileheartedly.http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
That company seem to find nice examples to be fair but generally price them at twice the market value of a decent example, I should imagine moving something on after buying it form them could result in a bit of a shock.
urquattro said:
I know it is its big brother, 1984 W126, 4.9 V8, but 13 years owned and love it and it never given grief, apologies for keep ramming its picture down your throats. 
Lovely as ever!For me, these are the 190's main problem. If I was to get an older Mercedes it would be a W126. I still like the 190 though.
Top Shed pick this week - well done PH. Like so many on this thread I had one of these. Mine was my first car buy after going self-employed and handing the keys back on the company wheels. Four year old 190E 2.0 auto, facelift model (post 88 you got cladding on the lower body side panels and a fraction more rear leg room.) Gold, leather, official MB lowering kit and FMBSH. After three years I sold it to my wife and bought my first Porsche. We kept it as the family car for another three and only sold it after madame got company wheels. Later on I helped my son check over a 190E with the 2.6 six cylinder engine, which he bought. Better top speed & a great long-distances hauler but the front/rear balance on that model is a bit too nose heavy; the 2.0 engine gives it balance & sweeter handing.
They can be hustled down a B road surprisingly well if the suspension is all in good order. A bit like a 2CV, if you keep the throttle planted and concentrate on line and balance then it will surprise anyone following you.
They are still around in private hands & if you can find one from a middle class home that has been kept right & with all the bills it will be a great buy. I only regret they never made an estate version, because if they did I'd still be running one now and not a C-Class estate. Great car. Very possibly the best "non-exotic" that MB has ever made.
They can be hustled down a B road surprisingly well if the suspension is all in good order. A bit like a 2CV, if you keep the throttle planted and concentrate on line and balance then it will surprise anyone following you.
They are still around in private hands & if you can find one from a middle class home that has been kept right & with all the bills it will be a great buy. I only regret they never made an estate version, because if they did I'd still be running one now and not a C-Class estate. Great car. Very possibly the best "non-exotic" that MB has ever made.
Gentlemen, this is not helping!
I've had a growing 190 itch for a long time now and I fear the Gods themselves are conspiring against me. It all goes back to about 1988 when a friend's dad had one. Now growing up in Motherwell you didn’t see a lot of flash cars, in fact pop's Orion Ghia was pretty much as good as it got. However Ralph's dad was a manager for Mercedes Benz trucks and as such had a brand new 190D every three months or so. Oh god how I lusted after it, it was just so damned classy and understated. Of course I now know that an automatic four cylinder diesel 190 would leave rice pudding skins firmly untroubled, but that matters not a jot. Mind you I don’t think he actually had to put any of his own diesel in the thing.
Anyway I digress, nearly 25 years on and I still lust after these things in a quite unhealthy way. I know it's going to be slow, thirsty and dull handling but that matters not, I'd be happy just watching that pantograph wiper in action. I do the usual gawping at them on ebay / retro rides / Autos
te, but two weeks ago one came up at Anglian Classic Car Auctions which I go to. I have to admit I was all raring to go, but when I got there and looked at it, it just didn’t say anything to me. Not helped by someone gluing an extra a LE badge on the boot and just a general air of not being cared for. Now this comes up on SOTW and it turns out not only to be a peach, but it's been owned by various members of the Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps. Even as an atheist I'm starting to think this is a sign from the Gods…
I've had a growing 190 itch for a long time now and I fear the Gods themselves are conspiring against me. It all goes back to about 1988 when a friend's dad had one. Now growing up in Motherwell you didn’t see a lot of flash cars, in fact pop's Orion Ghia was pretty much as good as it got. However Ralph's dad was a manager for Mercedes Benz trucks and as such had a brand new 190D every three months or so. Oh god how I lusted after it, it was just so damned classy and understated. Of course I now know that an automatic four cylinder diesel 190 would leave rice pudding skins firmly untroubled, but that matters not a jot. Mind you I don’t think he actually had to put any of his own diesel in the thing.
Anyway I digress, nearly 25 years on and I still lust after these things in a quite unhealthy way. I know it's going to be slow, thirsty and dull handling but that matters not, I'd be happy just watching that pantograph wiper in action. I do the usual gawping at them on ebay / retro rides / Autos
te, but two weeks ago one came up at Anglian Classic Car Auctions which I go to. I have to admit I was all raring to go, but when I got there and looked at it, it just didn’t say anything to me. Not helped by someone gluing an extra a LE badge on the boot and just a general air of not being cared for. Now this comes up on SOTW and it turns out not only to be a peach, but it's been owned by various members of the Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps. Even as an atheist I'm starting to think this is a sign from the Gods…joncon said:
a couple of years ago, helped my son purchase one to take to the le mans 24hr, aged 21 , his insurance was 280 quid including euro breakdown cover , it never missed a beat , great car for wafting around the roads of france...oh and it was the 2.3 16v cosworth !
fantastic car !
My dad did the same thing for me when I went round Europe with a few mates, very fond memories of the car. That is until the head gasket went 5 miles outside of Dover on the way home at 1am. Still, at least it had the decency to do it the right side of the channel! We got a new head put on it and a nice guy from Camden purchased it, it was a great car to drive. As mentioned above by someone else it was such a laugh to drive in the snow. So well poised and controllable. fantastic car !
I had one of these in the 90s that I could not afford at all as I was a student but I loved it, very pimp and in racing gold no less! Yes it did help pick up girls and was roomy enough to be practical for that purpose if you know what I mean, sadly it had to go as I could not afford to drink while I owned it, no matter how hard you try and how cool the car, if you can't afford to buy a girl a snakebite and black at the student union then you're getting nowhere...
Strange the snow thing. The last W124 I had - an 185,000 mile E220 - was great in the snow. Incredibly easy to drift, even in really heavy stuff. Went passed all sort of four wheel drive cars, merrily getting the most crazy angles. As long as you don't stop... The W210 I've got now is utterly abject in snow. You know, I've put a brave face on having this W210 - it's good car, and stunning value for what you get, but... no sense of occasion. No style. Me and my lady friend (Who drives the 190 most of the time) came home from a drive on Sunday, parked the car, looked at each other and she said "I don't like it..." - I had to agree. Back to the W124/W201/W126 - Even if I have to pay a fair few grand for a decent one.
J4CKO said:
I think it is the sense of solidity and permanence these cars in a world of disposable trinkets festooned with gadgets, Merc arent immune to this now and they go where the market is, the luxury in the past was more from the engineering than the gadgets.
Good point, but to be fair back in t'day a well built car probably WAS a luxury as you could actually buy bad new cars, so just building it properly was something that set you apart in the market. Now I'd say all new cars are "adequately" built. Of course, built to a budget, but you wouldn't expect to be replacing the sills 5 years down the line on a Kia/Dacia/Hyundai, whereas you may have done on a Marina or Mini. So what else can they do do stand out from the market?I do love these mercs though. I think I need one in my life.
Had a 2.0 manual 190e in jewish racing gold for a road trip round europe last summer. It saw a fair few thousand miles use at home before we went and then finally gave up the ghost right at the northern tip of Poland in a city called Bialystok - Input shaft bearing went on the gearbox.
Absoloutly loved it though, and will definitely be buying another one.
When we first bought it it was on steelies and budgets which meant if wet you ended up drifting (whether you planned to or not) but was mighty easy to catch and control.
Also on paper they aren't too quick, but as already said can really hustle down a B road (we fitted some alloys and decent tyres eventually). Also once moving was quite quick to pick up its feet - went picking it up with my mate in his Audi A3 1.9TDI with a 6 speed box and chasing down the by pass on the way home he couldn't get rid off me. Kept up the entire way.
In the back there was quite a bit of room we thought too, enough for my mate jak to be more than comfortable the entire time (he couldnt drive).
On the trip we got 40mpg out of it as well (all on a motorway at 60/70ish) and the windscreen wiper never got old.
Outside work
In berlin
Absoloutly loved it though, and will definitely be buying another one.
When we first bought it it was on steelies and budgets which meant if wet you ended up drifting (whether you planned to or not) but was mighty easy to catch and control.
Also on paper they aren't too quick, but as already said can really hustle down a B road (we fitted some alloys and decent tyres eventually). Also once moving was quite quick to pick up its feet - went picking it up with my mate in his Audi A3 1.9TDI with a 6 speed box and chasing down the by pass on the way home he couldn't get rid off me. Kept up the entire way.
In the back there was quite a bit of room we thought too, enough for my mate jak to be more than comfortable the entire time (he couldnt drive).
On the trip we got 40mpg out of it as well (all on a motorway at 60/70ish) and the windscreen wiper never got old.
Outside work
In berlin
chazola said:
I do all the spannering on my 124, which is similar to the 201- they're pretty straight-forward if you're a competent diy-er... parts are mostly reasonable new and there's plenty of used spares out there too.
By the belt do you mean serpentine belt? The engines are chain-driven so no cambelt to worry about.
Trouble is these old Mercs take abuse really well so you want one that's been looked after and maintained properly.
Oh brilliant - wish I'd done my homework before asking the question but that's good to know. Of course, it wasn't that long ago I was looking for a 560 SEC but I've still nowhere to put something that big. A 190E sounds worryingly feasible now.By the belt do you mean serpentine belt? The engines are chain-driven so no cambelt to worry about.
Trouble is these old Mercs take abuse really well so you want one that's been looked after and maintained properly.
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