190 on wheeler dealers
Discussion
Suddenly struck me when watching wheeler dealers re run when they did the 190 2.3 16v, what a nice looking car it still is. Watching the rear view accelerating away it somehow looks very complete.
I may be looking through rose tinted specs as the 1st decent car I ever drove was my mother's black duchatelet 190 (modykit central - but it was the 80's!)
I do wonder if driving a 2.3 16v would be a dissapointment after other exotica i have been fortunate enough to drive since.
I may be looking through rose tinted specs as the 1st decent car I ever drove was my mother's black duchatelet 190 (modykit central - but it was the 80's!)
I do wonder if driving a 2.3 16v would be a dissapointment after other exotica i have been fortunate enough to drive since.
my son has recently sold his 190 2.3 16v, through pistonheads classifieds
i think he's already regretting letting her go.
the car , although 23 years young, was a pleasure to drive.
acceleration always put a smile on your face, and is there a better sounding 4 pot engine , revving up to nearly 7000 rpm, it just sings .
he took her to the le mans classic last year, in our convoy of tvr's and vxr's , it kept up without any problems. easily cruise at 90mph . only thing missing was aircon !
i used her as my everyday car for 2-3 months, and i enjoyed driving to work !
great car , a pleasure to own .
only reason he sold her was he fancied a bmw 3 series coupe next !
i think he's already regretting letting her go.
the car , although 23 years young, was a pleasure to drive.
acceleration always put a smile on your face, and is there a better sounding 4 pot engine , revving up to nearly 7000 rpm, it just sings .
he took her to the le mans classic last year, in our convoy of tvr's and vxr's , it kept up without any problems. easily cruise at 90mph . only thing missing was aircon !
i used her as my everyday car for 2-3 months, and i enjoyed driving to work !
great car , a pleasure to own .
only reason he sold her was he fancied a bmw 3 series coupe next !
Get one while you can, they won't be cheap for long.
There are less than 600 2.5-16's left in the UK, even less 2.3-16's. Hundreds of these are on SORN so may never get back on the road. Also there are few nice ones left, very few.
Let's not forget a few points why we should preserve these cars;
Still holds FIA speed records round Nardo.
Won the 1992 DTM championship.
Senna won the (then new) Nurburgring Grand Prix Circuit opening race in a 2.3-16.
There are less than 600 2.5-16's left in the UK, even less 2.3-16's. Hundreds of these are on SORN so may never get back on the road. Also there are few nice ones left, very few.
Let's not forget a few points why we should preserve these cars;
Still holds FIA speed records round Nardo.
Won the 1992 DTM championship.
Senna won the (then new) Nurburgring Grand Prix Circuit opening race in a 2.3-16.
Blue Black and Smoke Silver are commen compared to quite rare Astral Silver and Almadine Red.
They are quite well specced from standard so it's just a question of leather or half leather and aircon or not.
Look for rust under all parts of the bodykit, rear screen, jacking points etc. While under the car check the SLS is still there, if it is check it's operating correctly. The valvers are always tappety but check the service history for evidence of the tappets being re shimmed, if not budget to have this done.
They are quite well specced from standard so it's just a question of leather or half leather and aircon or not.
Look for rust under all parts of the bodykit, rear screen, jacking points etc. While under the car check the SLS is still there, if it is check it's operating correctly. The valvers are always tappety but check the service history for evidence of the tappets being re shimmed, if not budget to have this done.
I still miss mine - had some numpty not parked himself in the rear, I'd still have it tucked away.
Even at 98k miles, the handling on my car was superb - adjustable, predictable, taught - as good as my Caterhams. OK so you do have to rev them (I had a 2.3-16) but that's not a chore.
I think another poster summed it up well - choose a totally standard car - personally I'd buy a manual, the 'box isn't a pain (but then I did come from a history of driving 911s). A 2.3 is really just as good as a 2.5 - I believe it is a sweeter engine. The all leather sports seats front and rear are well worth finding - I held out until I found a car with those.
Rust is the enenmy, around the body kit, rear lights, boot floor...but also check the manifold hasn't cracked - they aren't cheap to replace. Chains need replacing at 100k miles too - shims need doing and are often neglected - this head work can rack up costs...
Will they ever appreciate in the same way the E30 did? I don't think so - the E30 has all the pedigree and cult status - the Merc has that pedigree too but it doesn't seem to be so visible or accepted by the market. Which is good news for those who might have aspired to an E30. the Merc certianly isn't 25% of the M3....as its price would suggest.
Buy right and it won't depreciate, that's for sure.
Even at 98k miles, the handling on my car was superb - adjustable, predictable, taught - as good as my Caterhams. OK so you do have to rev them (I had a 2.3-16) but that's not a chore.
I think another poster summed it up well - choose a totally standard car - personally I'd buy a manual, the 'box isn't a pain (but then I did come from a history of driving 911s). A 2.3 is really just as good as a 2.5 - I believe it is a sweeter engine. The all leather sports seats front and rear are well worth finding - I held out until I found a car with those.
Rust is the enenmy, around the body kit, rear lights, boot floor...but also check the manifold hasn't cracked - they aren't cheap to replace. Chains need replacing at 100k miles too - shims need doing and are often neglected - this head work can rack up costs...
Will they ever appreciate in the same way the E30 did? I don't think so - the E30 has all the pedigree and cult status - the Merc has that pedigree too but it doesn't seem to be so visible or accepted by the market. Which is good news for those who might have aspired to an E30. the Merc certianly isn't 25% of the M3....as its price would suggest.
Buy right and it won't depreciate, that's for sure.
If the gearbox is 'notchy' then the gearbox links and bushes need adjusting/renewing. An often overlooked job.
The manifold issue is only on the 2.3-16's and by now nearly all have been sorted. A lot of them were done under warranty 'back in the day'.
I think they will be as valuable as the M3, ur quattro, Sierra Cosworth ect. It won't be long until demand will outstrip supply. At the rate that they are still being scraped, it won't be long.
The manifold issue is only on the 2.3-16's and by now nearly all have been sorted. A lot of them were done under warranty 'back in the day'.
I think they will be as valuable as the M3, ur quattro, Sierra Cosworth ect. It won't be long until demand will outstrip supply. At the rate that they are still being scraped, it won't be long.
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