1993 Mercedes 190e Manual - Late Reg Madness.
Discussion
So, after 18 months of hankering, I finally pulled the trigger on the car I wanted as a 6 year old boy. In fact, I'm chuffed to say that 26 years later, I still have that matchbox toy car.
The reason it took so long? Indecision. Do I buy a nice one, because I spend so much time in a car - Or do I buy a cheap one, because I do so many miles in a car. Do I buy a diesel and save a few quid on fuel, or do I buy a petrol and stay on talking terms with the neighbours (I leave for work at 4am each day).
In fact, I'd spent so long looking for one that I ended up talking myself out of it. However, this car sort of found me. For the first time in 6 months, I actually looked at the PH classifieds and saw a lovely 190e in Malachite in my home county of Suffolk. The story goes that the vendor bought the car ahead of moving to England (from Australia) but the move was now no longer happening. He loved the car so much that he even thought about having it shipped to him in Aus, only to find costs prohibitive.
Having learnt that good cars sell quickly, I pounced and went to see the car 48 hours later - even offering a deposit to secure 'first dibs'.
This was the first time I laid eyes on it.
Here are a few pictures from the advert.
From what I can gather, it's a very late car indeed (September 1993). It's pretty well spec'd with full leather and factory 'Behr' air conditioning.
History is good: Every MOT certificate is present from 1996 to Now, and what looks like a full book of stamps. There's a pleasant wedge of invoices, but nothing that I'd call "full". I may go to the Merc dealers to see what they can provide, but I'm not hopeful owing to the cars age.
Plans at this stage include a full service (so we're starting with a clean slate) and a really good clean inside.
I'm also trying to clear the mystery of the indicators and the wheel trims. The vendor was pretty adamant that they are originals, even though I was certain that the trims are from a W124 E Class and the indicators likewise. It might be that I'm wrong, it might be that the vendor is wrong, and it might just be that this was some kind of "Dealer Special" as the car is a late example. Any help with this would be appreciated.
Anyway, it's off to the garage on Tuesday before commencing daily duties soon.
I hope you like it, I think it's absolutely beautiful. I've totally fallen for it.
The reason it took so long? Indecision. Do I buy a nice one, because I spend so much time in a car - Or do I buy a cheap one, because I do so many miles in a car. Do I buy a diesel and save a few quid on fuel, or do I buy a petrol and stay on talking terms with the neighbours (I leave for work at 4am each day).
In fact, I'd spent so long looking for one that I ended up talking myself out of it. However, this car sort of found me. For the first time in 6 months, I actually looked at the PH classifieds and saw a lovely 190e in Malachite in my home county of Suffolk. The story goes that the vendor bought the car ahead of moving to England (from Australia) but the move was now no longer happening. He loved the car so much that he even thought about having it shipped to him in Aus, only to find costs prohibitive.
Having learnt that good cars sell quickly, I pounced and went to see the car 48 hours later - even offering a deposit to secure 'first dibs'.
This was the first time I laid eyes on it.
Here are a few pictures from the advert.
From what I can gather, it's a very late car indeed (September 1993). It's pretty well spec'd with full leather and factory 'Behr' air conditioning.
History is good: Every MOT certificate is present from 1996 to Now, and what looks like a full book of stamps. There's a pleasant wedge of invoices, but nothing that I'd call "full". I may go to the Merc dealers to see what they can provide, but I'm not hopeful owing to the cars age.
Plans at this stage include a full service (so we're starting with a clean slate) and a really good clean inside.
I'm also trying to clear the mystery of the indicators and the wheel trims. The vendor was pretty adamant that they are originals, even though I was certain that the trims are from a W124 E Class and the indicators likewise. It might be that I'm wrong, it might be that the vendor is wrong, and it might just be that this was some kind of "Dealer Special" as the car is a late example. Any help with this would be appreciated.
Anyway, it's off to the garage on Tuesday before commencing daily duties soon.
I hope you like it, I think it's absolutely beautiful. I've totally fallen for it.
I get the full service history joke.
Looks even better now I've seen the interior and read about the spec.
The trims may be original; I seem to recall some late models had these trims, which came in on the facelift 124 in 1993. The indicators definitely not: 190s always had amber—and this one needs them! I have some old, used amber indicators if you want to do it on a budget, you can have them for free. The classic trims are about £40 each new (but come up used on Ebay all the time for peanuts); the classic fifteen hole wheels about £100 each new (which makes buying off Ebay uneconomical).
As for service, they are very cheap and easy to do. One tip: I would use a Mann oil filter rather than a genuine MB item. MB filters used to be made by Mann but no more and, as in so many things, they have gone for something cheaper and inferior presumably to increase their margin. How far you go beyond that is a matter for you, but consumables on this car are not expensive, especially if you buy OEM (e.g. ATE for brakes, Lemförder for suspension/steering links, Sachs for shocks).
Finally, our carburated 190, used almost exclusively for rush-hour commuting 25miles in and out of Newcastle upon Tyne gives 31mpg; your fuel-injected car should do even better (though the air con will increase consumption).
Happy motoring!
Looks even better now I've seen the interior and read about the spec.
The trims may be original; I seem to recall some late models had these trims, which came in on the facelift 124 in 1993. The indicators definitely not: 190s always had amber—and this one needs them! I have some old, used amber indicators if you want to do it on a budget, you can have them for free. The classic trims are about £40 each new (but come up used on Ebay all the time for peanuts); the classic fifteen hole wheels about £100 each new (which makes buying off Ebay uneconomical).
As for service, they are very cheap and easy to do. One tip: I would use a Mann oil filter rather than a genuine MB item. MB filters used to be made by Mann but no more and, as in so many things, they have gone for something cheaper and inferior presumably to increase their margin. How far you go beyond that is a matter for you, but consumables on this car are not expensive, especially if you buy OEM (e.g. ATE for brakes, Lemförder for suspension/steering links, Sachs for shocks).
Finally, our carburated 190, used almost exclusively for rush-hour commuting 25miles in and out of Newcastle upon Tyne gives 31mpg; your fuel-injected car should do even better (though the air con will increase consumption).
Happy motoring!
Thanks very much for your kind words.
The amber lights are an absolute definite job to do, and if you don't mind I'd love to take you up on your kind offer of the 'Gingercators' R129. I'll send some money for postage if you could PM me details?
I definitely want to do something about the wheels. I really DO like the 'manhole cover/flying saucer' trims - but I wonder whether a car with such a good interior spec really ought to be complimented with some nice alloys. It's the inner battle of Originality vs Personal taste. I'll think a bit longer about that one.
The amber lights are an absolute definite job to do, and if you don't mind I'd love to take you up on your kind offer of the 'Gingercators' R129. I'll send some money for postage if you could PM me details?
I definitely want to do something about the wheels. I really DO like the 'manhole cover/flying saucer' trims - but I wonder whether a car with such a good interior spec really ought to be complimented with some nice alloys. It's the inner battle of Originality vs Personal taste. I'll think a bit longer about that one.
This looks good - I especially like the colour combination. I also remember seeing very late 190s with these wheel trims when new, so I think it probably came with them too. I fully understand your preference for the earlier type though - they're much nicer.
Interesting knowledge on the air filter. My Jaguar also has a Mann filter which people buy in preference to the 'Genuine Jaguar' item. In the case of the Jaguar it is completely identical (the Jaguar one just says Mann on it - no Jag sign!!) and is slightly more expensive.
Interesting knowledge on the air filter. My Jaguar also has a Mann filter which people buy in preference to the 'Genuine Jaguar' item. In the case of the Jaguar it is completely identical (the Jaguar one just says Mann on it - no Jag sign!!) and is slightly more expensive.
The Merc oil filter is shorter and, crucially, cannot be removed using the Merc oil filter removal tool. It's a pig to get off as a result (I have twice had to resort to the old screwdriver through the filter trick, which I never like in case I still can't get it off). The Mann filter, by contrast, is taller and is shaped to take the tool. My mechanic told me the Merc filter used to be the same but they changed it recently. I find quite a lot of Merc parts are pretty cheap these days.
Anyway, we digress.
15 hole wheels for me on this car. It is a high spec car and deserves alloys. The 15 holes are original fitment so totally appropriate. Otherwise I too prefer the earlier wheel trims.
Anyway, we digress.
15 hole wheels for me on this car. It is a high spec car and deserves alloys. The 15 holes are original fitment so totally appropriate. Otherwise I too prefer the earlier wheel trims.
That's really lovely and a great find, exactly the kind of thing that will be my next purchase. I am even warming to the idea of a 4 cylinder rather than finding one of the 2.6s. There is something so right and simple about these in a world of disposable diesels, or 500 bhp AMGs.
I agree with the above comments about the 15 hole alloys - they would take it back to a period look.
My father asked my mother this weekend whether she would like one, that's progress!
I agree with the above comments about the 15 hole alloys - they would take it back to a period look.
My father asked my mother this weekend whether she would like one, that's progress!
Just to add that I too think 15-hole aloys would be good. The ones on my 190 are a little tatty but they're a classic wheel for these.
I have the same green, although with a tan MB-tex interior rather than that really nice-looking leather you have, and I think it looks great. When clean, it really comes up nicely and seems to have a real depth to the sheen. Definitely ginger-it.
How do you find the manual box?
I have the same green, although with a tan MB-tex interior rather than that really nice-looking leather you have, and I think it looks great. When clean, it really comes up nicely and seems to have a real depth to the sheen. Definitely ginger-it.
How do you find the manual box?
Edited by CharlesdeGaulle on Monday 31st August 16:38
I've just spent another hour 'tinkering' with the car - as I always try to bond with a new addition quickly.
I noticed on the 60 mile journey home that the anologue clock didn't work, nor did the radio or the interior light. It turns out that the previous owner pulled the fuse in order to save the battery, and repatriation promptly brought interior illumination, entertainment and time keeping.
Whilst the back of the car is pristine, the front hasn't fared quite as well. Having read the car's history last night, it accrued miles quickly to begin with (76000 in 3 years) before slowing down to about 5000 a year there on. I can only imagine that the car was a company vehicle to begin with, before being sold on at a later date.
The oily bits require attention before the cosmetics, but nonetheless I really did want to have a go at cleaning it up before spending any money on a full valet.
After 10 minutes on just one mat, I think replacements are in order!
The car's come up pretty well with just some shampoo, hot water and a scrubbing brush - but will still benefit from a proper shampoo in time.
I'm not a purist, but this radio set will have to go. I need handsfree and USB on the go, so will look at some options that won't break the bank. Also, the electric aerial doesn't seem to move, but it might just not be wired correctly to the current unit.
The boot is absolutely box fresh. There's a small amount of rust under the spare wheel which will get attention before the winter.
One thing I only just noticed: No "swingometer" for economy on the manual cars.
Finally, it was a rather disappointing to spend an hour inside the car, to discover just 2 items left behind by the previous owner. I'm not sure who the funny little man is, but I'm pretty confident it's the bearded one from ABBA. Was her name Agnetha?
Looks like there is a small oil leak in the engine bay, and whilst I'm not mechanic I think it's probably a rocker cover gasket that needs replacing. I'm not worried - I'd rather get things done and know they've been attended to, rather than take someone at their word that work has been done.
The manual gearbox? Nick Froome is right - they take a few minutes of adjustment, after which it's not really an issue. What you notice immediately is reverse is in a daft place (left and back) and 5th isn't quite where you'd expect it to be. It's almost as if you need to push the stick right and then up towards 1:00 rather than 12:00 if you follow. The clutch has an awful lot of feel, and is worlds apart from modern cars. I'm sure it'll get easier with time, but I spend so much of my life in 5th on the open road that it shouldn't be an issue. The car is doing approximately 2,700 RPM at 70mph - so I'm hopeful the extra gear will help with economy. In reality, I could never have made an Automatic work for me financially, so fingers crossed for some good fuel economy numbers.
Thanks for your kind words. The car's off to the garage tomorrow, so fingers crossed!
I noticed on the 60 mile journey home that the anologue clock didn't work, nor did the radio or the interior light. It turns out that the previous owner pulled the fuse in order to save the battery, and repatriation promptly brought interior illumination, entertainment and time keeping.
Whilst the back of the car is pristine, the front hasn't fared quite as well. Having read the car's history last night, it accrued miles quickly to begin with (76000 in 3 years) before slowing down to about 5000 a year there on. I can only imagine that the car was a company vehicle to begin with, before being sold on at a later date.
The oily bits require attention before the cosmetics, but nonetheless I really did want to have a go at cleaning it up before spending any money on a full valet.
After 10 minutes on just one mat, I think replacements are in order!
The car's come up pretty well with just some shampoo, hot water and a scrubbing brush - but will still benefit from a proper shampoo in time.
I'm not a purist, but this radio set will have to go. I need handsfree and USB on the go, so will look at some options that won't break the bank. Also, the electric aerial doesn't seem to move, but it might just not be wired correctly to the current unit.
The boot is absolutely box fresh. There's a small amount of rust under the spare wheel which will get attention before the winter.
One thing I only just noticed: No "swingometer" for economy on the manual cars.
Finally, it was a rather disappointing to spend an hour inside the car, to discover just 2 items left behind by the previous owner. I'm not sure who the funny little man is, but I'm pretty confident it's the bearded one from ABBA. Was her name Agnetha?
Looks like there is a small oil leak in the engine bay, and whilst I'm not mechanic I think it's probably a rocker cover gasket that needs replacing. I'm not worried - I'd rather get things done and know they've been attended to, rather than take someone at their word that work has been done.
The manual gearbox? Nick Froome is right - they take a few minutes of adjustment, after which it's not really an issue. What you notice immediately is reverse is in a daft place (left and back) and 5th isn't quite where you'd expect it to be. It's almost as if you need to push the stick right and then up towards 1:00 rather than 12:00 if you follow. The clutch has an awful lot of feel, and is worlds apart from modern cars. I'm sure it'll get easier with time, but I spend so much of my life in 5th on the open road that it shouldn't be an issue. The car is doing approximately 2,700 RPM at 70mph - so I'm hopeful the extra gear will help with economy. In reality, I could never have made an Automatic work for me financially, so fingers crossed for some good fuel economy numbers.
Thanks for your kind words. The car's off to the garage tomorrow, so fingers crossed!
Edited by BorniteIdentity on Monday 31st August 18:59
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