RE: Shed of the Week: Mercedes 190E
Discussion
Had a 190e 2.0 litre in 1999 for as long as it took me to sell it after I'd bought it thinking that that famous MB build quality would provide me a reliable car. A few days in the prop coupling failed, then the ignition barrel jammed, this is in the dashboard not on the steering column and was an absolute pain to repair. There was literally always something wrong with it until I sold it about 5 months later. It was monumentally slow and the seats had a springiness that was akin to an old mattress. Still glad to be rid of it even after 17 years.
0a said:
dbdb said:
Maybe because I'm more of a Jag/British car fan than a German car one, but the appeal of the Sparta-Spec completely escapes me! I would always choose a six over a four (particularly since the Merc 2.6 is such a smooth engine) and velour or leather over cloth. I don't like to wind my own windows or to heave my bodyweight to adjust the seats! I also like to have A/C! I must be shallow, but I don't get less-is-more! 
I thought that, but am now tempted by the spartan approach. Perhaps it helps that I have 2 w124s, an r129 SL, and a Jaguar XJ! The appeal for me is their build quality, comfort and dependability. No fuss, no bling, just a focused machine that does what it does incredibly well. I want it to be slow and relaxing - the opposite from my other cars.
A six cylinder car with too many extras spoils it for me.
SidewaysSi said:
0a said:
dbdb said:
Maybe because I'm more of a Jag/British car fan than a German car one, but the appeal of the Sparta-Spec completely escapes me! I would always choose a six over a four (particularly since the Merc 2.6 is such a smooth engine) and velour or leather over cloth. I don't like to wind my own windows or to heave my bodyweight to adjust the seats! I also like to have A/C! I must be shallow, but I don't get less-is-more!
I thought that, but am now tempted by the spartan approach. Perhaps it helps that I have 2 w124s, an r129 SL, and a Jaguar XJ! The appeal for me is their build quality, comfort and dependability. No fuss, no bling, just a focused machine that does what it does incredibly well. I want it to be slow and relaxing - the opposite from my other cars.
A six cylinder car with too many extras spoils it for me.
0a said:
dbdb said:
Maybe because I'm more of a Jag/British car fan than a German car one, but the appeal of the Sparta-Spec completely escapes me! I would always choose a six over a four (particularly since the Merc 2.6 is such a smooth engine) and velour or leather over cloth. I don't like to wind my own windows or to heave my bodyweight to adjust the seats! I also like to have A/C! I must be shallow, but I don't get less-is-more!
I thought that, but am now tempted by the spartan approach. Perhaps it helps that I have 2 w124s, an r129 SL, and a Jaguar XJ! whatleytom said:
Bought a 2.6 manual one of these many years ago for £900. Great fun for what it was. Ended up with a HGF on it, found a redone engine for £30 online and swapped them over. Good fun.
That looks good - and a very pretty house too.Edited by whatleytom on Friday 11th August 18:40
J4CKO said:
I agree, dowdier the better for some inexplicable reason, perfection would be a 2.6 Auto, with nothing else in Nato sludge green or Beige, all the performance these could muster with the utilitarian nature that suits them best, dictionary definition of a car, alloys, lowering, chrome, leather and whatever just detracts for me.
I can see that it is the functional nature of the car at its most undiluted. These old Mercs are excellent cars and I do see the appeal of them and it pleases me to see them on the road occasionally and being appreciated here. Each car is a compromise: what gives is down to personal emphasis and taste. Where Mercedes of this era excels is in the details. The instruments are superb. There are no sketchy parts to spoil the ambience and break the spell. The 190 and W124 are very complete things.
My Jag is different to that. You can tell it was designed by a very small number of people with a tiny budget. There are areas in which it truly excels, way surpassing anything Mercedes achieved. The suspension control for example. It is a much more characterful car which much more design flair - and overall a good quality one too.
But, there are noticeable shortcomings in the design - and particularly in execution, that you would never see on an older Mercedes. The centre console may work well, but it has all the visual and tactile appeal of the front of an '80s ghetto blaster. It sits uncomfortably by fine hand made inlaid veneers. The look and feel of the switch binnacle by the steering wheel would be disappointing on a Binatone clock radio. The air vents are laughable. Yet the seats, the actual switches themselves, everything else really, is excellent. You don't have that sort of shortcoming on an '80s Mercedes. An XJ40 with Mercedes instruments and switches and detail assembly would have been a wonderful thing! I guess I am answering my own question with this: I do understand the appeal and rigors of the of Spartan way more than I realise. I just don't choose it!
dbdb said:
I can see that it is the functional nature of the car at its most undiluted. These old Mercs are excellent cars and I do see the appeal of them and it pleases me to see them on the road occasionally and being appreciated here.
Each car is a compromise: what gives is down to personal emphasis and taste. Where Mercedes of this era excels is in the details. The instruments are superb. There are no sketchy parts to spoil the ambience and break the spell. The 190 and W124 are very complete things.
My Jag is different to that. You can tell it was designed by a very small number of people with a tiny budget. There are areas in which it truly excels, way surpassing anything Mercedes achieved. The suspension control for example. It is a much more characterful car which much more design flair - and overall a good quality one too.
But, there are noticeable shortcomings in the design - and particularly in execution, that you would never see on an older Mercedes. The centre console may work well, but it has all the visual and tactile appeal of the front of an '80s ghetto blaster. It sits uncomfortably by fine hand made inlaid veneers. The look and feel of the switch binnacle by the steering wheel would be disappointing on a Binatone clock radio. The air vents are laughable. Yet the seats, the actual switches themselves, everything else really, is excellent. You don't have that sort of shortcoming on an '80s Mercedes. An XJ40 with Mercedes instruments and switches and detail assembly would have been a wonderful thing! I guess I am answering my own question with this: I do understand the appeal and rigors of the of Spartan way more than I realise. I just don't choose it!
Nice post.Each car is a compromise: what gives is down to personal emphasis and taste. Where Mercedes of this era excels is in the details. The instruments are superb. There are no sketchy parts to spoil the ambience and break the spell. The 190 and W124 are very complete things.
My Jag is different to that. You can tell it was designed by a very small number of people with a tiny budget. There are areas in which it truly excels, way surpassing anything Mercedes achieved. The suspension control for example. It is a much more characterful car which much more design flair - and overall a good quality one too.
But, there are noticeable shortcomings in the design - and particularly in execution, that you would never see on an older Mercedes. The centre console may work well, but it has all the visual and tactile appeal of the front of an '80s ghetto blaster. It sits uncomfortably by fine hand made inlaid veneers. The look and feel of the switch binnacle by the steering wheel would be disappointing on a Binatone clock radio. The air vents are laughable. Yet the seats, the actual switches themselves, everything else really, is excellent. You don't have that sort of shortcoming on an '80s Mercedes. An XJ40 with Mercedes instruments and switches and detail assembly would have been a wonderful thing! I guess I am answering my own question with this: I do understand the appeal and rigors of the of Spartan way more than I realise. I just don't choose it!
J4CKO said:
SidewaysSi said:
0a said:
dbdb said:
Maybe because I'm more of a Jag/British car fan than a German car one, but the appeal of the Sparta-Spec completely escapes me! I would always choose a six over a four (particularly since the Merc 2.6 is such a smooth engine) and velour or leather over cloth. I don't like to wind my own windows or to heave my bodyweight to adjust the seats! I also like to have A/C! I must be shallow, but I don't get less-is-more!
I thought that, but am now tempted by the spartan approach. Perhaps it helps that I have 2 w124s, an r129 SL, and a Jaguar XJ! The appeal for me is their build quality, comfort and dependability. No fuss, no bling, just a focused machine that does what it does incredibly well. I want it to be slow and relaxing - the opposite from my other cars.
A six cylinder car with too many extras spoils it for me.
Like this a bit! I sold my 1989 190e 2.0 manual back in 2000 for £1,575 so nearly a shed 17 years ago! 
Metallic blue/black with 4 electric windows, electric roof and rear headrests - a great car!
Replaced it with a C280 Sport - probably the most disappointing car I've ever had.
No more Mercs for me - straight 6 BMWs now!
Metallic blue/black with 4 electric windows, electric roof and rear headrests - a great car!
Replaced it with a C280 Sport - probably the most disappointing car I've ever had.
No more Mercs for me - straight 6 BMWs now!
Back the day (mid 1980s) the 190E and 320i (E30) were the chariots of choice for up and coming solicitors and accountants in the UK. Back in those days most bigger British companies had strict rules on what you could and couldn't have, and most of them absolutely forbid us to have anything with a German or Japanese badge, or list price. Despite the fact that leasing crap like the Austin Montego, Vauxhall Cavalier or Peugeot 405 could actually be more expensive due to the high rates of depreciation (annoyingly the great to drive Ford Sierra was off out list as the list price was 10 quid too high despite all vehicles being leased). The 190E was always a much better built bit of kit than an E30.
The last time I rode in a 190E was about 6 years ago. It was a 20 year old car, and it was still relatively rust free and without any rattles. The only problem is that back seat, and fuel consumption (which is high considering it's modest performance by current standards).
Top shedding in a proper (small) Mercedes.
The last time I rode in a 190E was about 6 years ago. It was a 20 year old car, and it was still relatively rust free and without any rattles. The only problem is that back seat, and fuel consumption (which is high considering it's modest performance by current standards).
Top shedding in a proper (small) Mercedes.
SR almost certainly means Stolen/Recovered - I suspect any downsides of that have been lost in 10 years.
Anyone reading SoTW who finds the idea of a previously damaged vehicle worrying - is frankly reading the wrong thing entirely
Salvage Categories are probably a BONUS at this end of the market - frankly...
Anyone reading SoTW who finds the idea of a previously damaged vehicle worrying - is frankly reading the wrong thing entirely
Salvage Categories are probably a BONUS at this end of the market - frankly...
nickod said:
J4CKO said:
SidewaysSi said:
0a said:
dbdb said:
Maybe because I'm more of a Jag/British car fan than a German car one, but the appeal of the Sparta-Spec completely escapes me! I would always choose a six over a four (particularly since the Merc 2.6 is such a smooth engine) and velour or leather over cloth. I don't like to wind my own windows or to heave my bodyweight to adjust the seats! I also like to have A/C! I must be shallow, but I don't get less-is-more!
I thought that, but am now tempted by the spartan approach. Perhaps it helps that I have 2 w124s, an r129 SL, and a Jaguar XJ! The appeal for me is their build quality, comfort and dependability. No fuss, no bling, just a focused machine that does what it does incredibly well. I want it to be slow and relaxing - the opposite from my other cars.
A six cylinder car with too many extras spoils it for me.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=97...
I missed a lovely 300E 124, old boy down the road had it when we moved here in 98, he died last year and I never registered my interest.
Would make a great sleeper for me, fit a more powerful engine and a few supporting mods, keep it sludge green or doom blue, not talking 500 BHP but say 250 to 300, sort of Do a Singer treatment on a 190.
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