Blogging 16v Ownership
Discussion
PH'ers -
For anyone interested, among the topics covered on the car blog I run with a fellow car geek is my 190E 2.3-16 ownership experience. This will be supplemental to bimonthly running reports in Mercedes Enthusiast magazine - starting with the November issue.
Most recent post here: TotallyThatStupid
Anyway, just wanted to share with the community, and feel free to check out other blog posts and leave feedback for us, too!!
Thanks for looking.
-Reed
'86 190E 2.3-16 NAm
'93 300CE Cabrio
For anyone interested, among the topics covered on the car blog I run with a fellow car geek is my 190E 2.3-16 ownership experience. This will be supplemental to bimonthly running reports in Mercedes Enthusiast magazine - starting with the November issue.
Most recent post here: TotallyThatStupid
Anyway, just wanted to share with the community, and feel free to check out other blog posts and leave feedback for us, too!!
Thanks for looking.
-Reed
'86 190E 2.3-16 NAm
'93 300CE Cabrio
I have a 1990 model, which is 2.5 instead of 2.3 although I've driven both and they feel basically the same.
I originally had another car to accompany it but later became confident the Mercedes could handle everyday use and so sold the other car.
I have been proven right so far. I've had mine 7 years and I doesn't get boring although I get to drive a lot of faster and more modern cars frequently.
Using it everyday, I expect (and enjoy) a level of patina. It means I can relax when I am using it for everyday work. If it gets a knock, it doesn't matter. Eventually it will get to a point where it's worth redoing all the bodywork, but that time is not yet. There is a highly rusting rear wheel arch, a little by the sunroof, and the rest is solid. I keep an eye on rust as you hear about it on all cars of this age and even much newer cars. But I like the fact I can properly use the car when it is like this. There will always be garage queens and museum pieces to look at which are lovely, but those will never be driven. I get to drive mine every day and I know I will look back in 30 years time and know that that was the right decision to make.
Interior-wise I just have a tiny rip on a seat and the usual daily dirt and some leather scratches. I just treated it to a new gearknob for a crazy £150!
I spend more on the mechanical bits, the amount spent in the last 7 years adds up to a lot, but that's because I like it to work properly for this everyday use. I just had new front dampers which massively improves front-end confidence, I was really surprised.
I could have bought a more expensive better condition car in the first place but I have enjoyed all the work I've done on mine and learnt a lot in the process, so I can understand you doing the same. I also traced all the previous owners which was interesting. The owner in 1991 had 2 16vs, and now has a Gallardo. The value of mine has stayed about the same I guess, so overall it's been a cheap car. Mileage was 90k and now 131k.
Shopping for a replacement at the moment (Porsche Cayman) but I know I will have another of these, probably in black instead of the silver I have now.
I do like to read blogs about people working on cars and their experiences, so keep posting back here as you update it! You will get a much better response to a post like this in the 'readers cars' section where people post blogs of their cars - cars of all backgrounds.
I originally had another car to accompany it but later became confident the Mercedes could handle everyday use and so sold the other car.
I have been proven right so far. I've had mine 7 years and I doesn't get boring although I get to drive a lot of faster and more modern cars frequently.
Using it everyday, I expect (and enjoy) a level of patina. It means I can relax when I am using it for everyday work. If it gets a knock, it doesn't matter. Eventually it will get to a point where it's worth redoing all the bodywork, but that time is not yet. There is a highly rusting rear wheel arch, a little by the sunroof, and the rest is solid. I keep an eye on rust as you hear about it on all cars of this age and even much newer cars. But I like the fact I can properly use the car when it is like this. There will always be garage queens and museum pieces to look at which are lovely, but those will never be driven. I get to drive mine every day and I know I will look back in 30 years time and know that that was the right decision to make.
Interior-wise I just have a tiny rip on a seat and the usual daily dirt and some leather scratches. I just treated it to a new gearknob for a crazy £150!
I spend more on the mechanical bits, the amount spent in the last 7 years adds up to a lot, but that's because I like it to work properly for this everyday use. I just had new front dampers which massively improves front-end confidence, I was really surprised.
I could have bought a more expensive better condition car in the first place but I have enjoyed all the work I've done on mine and learnt a lot in the process, so I can understand you doing the same. I also traced all the previous owners which was interesting. The owner in 1991 had 2 16vs, and now has a Gallardo. The value of mine has stayed about the same I guess, so overall it's been a cheap car. Mileage was 90k and now 131k.
Shopping for a replacement at the moment (Porsche Cayman) but I know I will have another of these, probably in black instead of the silver I have now.
I do like to read blogs about people working on cars and their experiences, so keep posting back here as you update it! You will get a much better response to a post like this in the 'readers cars' section where people post blogs of their cars - cars of all backgrounds.
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