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Looking at getting one as a winter daily. Needs to be an auto as I gather the manuals are curse word,either 1.8 or 2.0, and want an injected/190e, not an earlier carb'd/190. Found a 1.8 auto, 120k, clean, solid, MOT'd for well under a grand which I am sorely tempted by  What are the pitfalls, what should I to look for, good and bad points, spares availability and cost, and in particular what are they like on fuel? I do a fair bit of motorway driving, average about 120 miles a week over the year. What are they like to live with? |
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Definitely steer clear of manuals.
I picked up a low mileage, one owner minter locally a couple of years ago. Was really looking forward to using it, but the manual gearbox was horrendous. One of the very worst cars I’ve ever driven.
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 Specialist Bodyshop & Fabrication Classic, Retro, Prestige & Custom Small Repairs to Concours Restorations Mechanical Work Vintage to Modern |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,712
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Tell me about 190e Mercs.....Dez
@dez
Club Retro Rides Member 34
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Surprisingly cramped inside. Bad on fuel, even on motorways (felt undergeared). That was a 2L auto. About 25mpg, don't think it ever got as high as 30.
They hide rust literally everywhere, especially the facelifts with extra plastic trims. Parts availability is ok but some bits are very expensive. Quite heavy for a car it's size , probably why performance and economy is underwhelming.
I got mine fully expecting to love it, but tbh it was quite a disappointment. The 2L auto w124 estate I had previously was a much better car.
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Last Edit: Jan 6, 2018 16:20:39 GMT by Dez
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I have to admit, my 1st drive of a 190E put me off Mercedes totally for 15yrs! It wasn't until I drove an E class, that I had to have one. Had a Merc almost continually since. 190's feel heavy and bus like rather than wafty in my opinion. Dan on here has a lovely looking one so ask him. If I were u, I'd try an E class 1st. If u r near Surrey, you are welcome to try mine for size n feel
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96 E320 W210 Wafter - on 18" split Mono's - Sold :-(
10 Kia Ceed Sportwagon - Our new daily
03 Import Forester STi - Sold
98 W140 CL500 AMG - Brutal weekend bruiser! Sold :-(
99 E240 S210 Barge - Now sold
02 Accord 2.0SE - wife's old daily - gone in PX
88 P100 2.9efi Custom - Sold
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chandlergti
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,188
Member is Online
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They are cheap, cheap to run and pretty well put together. I’ve had three 2.316v and a 2.3 8v. My brother had owned at least one 190 since 99. They modify well also. We didn’t get manual versions in the US really so I don’t have experience with those.   |
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I had one moons ago and it was half dead but kept going on despite the breathers chuffing more gasses than the exhaust. I’ve had every c-class since and apart from the rust habit of late 90’s and 00’s the only moan I have is the noise the 4pot stuff makes! Petrol or Diesel, they all sound like a depressed donkey! Also the seats of that eara take some getting used to, the fronts are a bit like a gymnastics spring board, very comfy in practice though
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Tell me about 190e Mercs.....Mercdan68
@forddan68
Club Retro Rides Member 68
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Ive driven a W202 as a daily had seven years and love it It’s 250 turbodiesel Recently bought this 190E as a bit of a project Not on the road yet so I can’t quote petrol consumption yet I’ve owned W210s too and love them too  ![]() [/img] |
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Last Edit: Jan 6, 2018 20:13:16 GMT by Mercdan68
Fraud owners club member
1999 Jaguar s type
1993 ford escort
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brc76
RR Helper
Posts: 1,107 
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I had the total opposite of your suggested spec, a k-reg diesel manual and loved it. I found it comfy wafty but very very slow (2.0 non-turbo) I loved the way it was built, essentially like a tank. As mentioned above they can be thirsty and rusty. But well cared for ones are totally different from the well worn and neglected ones.
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steptoeshaw
Yorkshire and The Humber
4 Rover SD1 V8's and an MG Midget. The rest of my cars aren't retro yet
Posts: 148
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Used to own a 2.6 190e. Built so Well and that engine.....perfect for the car. I love them, had 3. Stay away from manuals though. They spoil the driver appeal.
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Tell me about 190e Mercs.....Mercdan68
@forddan68
Club Retro Rides Member 68
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I’ve not seen a rotten 190E yet
Mines totally rotfree and I was at a merc breakers today
Four 190 there all partially stripped, but not rotten at all
The yard owner runs one as a daily and said he loves them as well as his W124
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Last Edit: Jan 6, 2018 20:10:50 GMT by Mercdan68
Fraud owners club member
1999 Jaguar s type
1993 ford escort
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A guy we knew many years ago had a 190E and continually complained about the fuel injection system never working quite right. Probably didn't help that he'd had a lot of different mechanics with no real Mercedes experience attempt to tune it without success then fiddled with it himself while stoned.
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Last Edit: Jan 6, 2018 20:42:16 GMT by igor
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Garage near me used one as a courtesy car for a while in that pink colour.
I used to enjoy smoking round in that, not a care in the world. Comfortable, slow as molasses and pretty much went everywhere at 25mph because it felt right.
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brc76
RR Helper
Posts: 1,107
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New England roads do use a lot of salt.... so that may have something to do with it.
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Issues: Rust, then again the youngest is 25 years old. Suspension, most if not all the bushes, spring & shocks are in need of replacement by 80K miles plus ball joints and steering linkage. Rear subframe & engine mounts etc also. Time not just mileage will have an adverse effect too. Head gaskets can go at 100k + miles and timing chains can become sloppy but these tend to be be affected by lack of coolant and oil changes. Diff's whine and leak but suspect the whining is again due to lack of oil changes.
General parts are cheap, even buying Lemforder parts.
They make a very good daily driver considering their age and a nicer cruiser than a E30. The 2.0L auto would be my choice at a minimum. But ideally the 2.6 auto is the way to go as it's simply far superior all round.
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Last Edit: Jan 6, 2018 23:14:17 GMT by Woofwoof
Still learning...still spending...still breaking things!
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Manual is OK once you get used to it - new bushes in the shifter linkage definitely help.
Unless you get a 2.6 (or a Cosworth), they are slow... But set up properly, you don't care, you just end up wafting about.
Not that much room, but then I'm on the very limits of reasonable at 6'4".
Carry a spare OVP relay in the boot and you're golden.
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steptoeshaw
Yorkshire and The Humber
4 Rover SD1 V8's and an MG Midget. The rest of my cars aren't retro yet
Posts: 148
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Yeah the over voltage relays were a weak point, usual tell take sign they were shot was abs light on and won't start or struggle to start and run like curse word. Used to replace loads. Replaced one last year on a 2.6.
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Superb things, i've a 190d 2.5 auto. The build quality is tremendous, feels like it will just last and last. The 5 cylinder diesel is great, not quick off the mark but goes beautifully when up and running. Peak torque is quite high in the rev range, the engineers knew this and geared it correctly so that it feels as comfortable/quiet at 85-90 as it does at 55. Much more comfortable at high speed than my similar age 740. Mine only does 1k per year but mums has a 1990 w124 estate that she bought new, lives outside and still runs the way it did 28 years ago, apart from a bit of paint on the 2 front wings its been bullet proof.   |
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8tee8
Part of things
Posts: 288
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Do the diesels use a different manual box to the petrols?
The box in my 2.5D is quite nice to use and gets me 40mpg average and 45 on a run. They also run on anything vaguely oily. It can be a struggle getting your left leg under the bus like steering wheel but they are very well thought out and built
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Have you considered the W202? They're A bit newer, in more plentiful supply and more refined than the 190e whilst retaining the retro square benz styling. They are at the bottom of their value curve now, hence cheaper and less complex than the later W203 and arguaably better value for money than a 190e. The bad bits though: They are prone to some quite alarming rust issues, early cars were fitted with biodegradeable wiring looms and they do have the benz pedal/handle type handbrake which frankly is a pain in the  ! (The 190e has a conventional setup) I have an S-reg C180 sport estate manual as a daily. 150k with good service history. Its a bit rusty but if it can do a couple of years I'll be happy. Gearchange is not nearly as smooth as my E28 BMW but it certainly doesnt strike me as curse word or broken. Absolutely no nasty clonks, bangs, shimmies, rattles or squeaks and its extremely comfy. Not as spacious as my old Sabb 9-5 but certainly much more economical, it can average high twenties and more on a run. Its not nearly as fast either but Personally I think its swift enough for a daily hack. It was also extremely cheap to buy. Less than a years tax! Worth it just for the numberplate    |
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1986 BMW 628csi, 2003 Alfa Romeo 147, 1992 Jaaaaag XJ40, 1982 BMW R100 cafe racer.
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