Buying my first Mercedes - Benz 190E

[jabe]

Hi folks ,

First post , and so many questions !

Deffo gonna get a 190E but auto or manual box ? Is one stronger than other or both the same . What will last to a higher mileage as im looking at cars with 120000 miles + ?

The 1.8 I take it is the base model .
does this mean that the 2.0 is of a higher spec e.g elec windows ?

Looking at 92/93 k plates of around £1700 , is this a fair price ?

Hope you can help me out ,

Thanks in advance !

Jason

 

[mike65]

Buy a manual if going for typical milage, the autobox will proberly be in need of major work by 150,000 miles. The spec of Mercedes Benz back then depended on what the first owner wanted, so a 2.0 model might have full spec by UK standards (windows x 4, mirror, alloys, electric sunroof etc) but equally it might have none of the above. That said late 190s proberly had some toys as standard to keep the model selling. The price sounds about right but you might pay alot less or more.

http://www.exchangeandmart.co.uk/motoring/classifiedindex/

http://www.190revolution.net/forum/index.php

Mike.

 

[flagstaff]

if you're looking around 92-93 then my advice would be to get a 92J plater, as these (although they possess one) do not have the cat tested for MOT.

go auto - every time! i run a 1.8l model, and it does 42mpg on a run and 28 in town. obviously this will not apply if you have a heavy right foot ... although i don't take it that easy, just normal speeds.


service history is great if you can get one - and often you can. the fewer previous owners the better. performance/economy-wise, best car is probably the 2.0E auto, all things considered. if you want out-and-out performance, choose one of the 16V models rather than the 6-cylinder variant. for out-and-out economy, the 1.8l manual (without any heavy or power-sapping stuff like air con) would be the choice.

engine work on all models comes up as a serious subject around 100k miles. if the example you are looking at has gone beyond this, then you need to see evidence of work done - timing chain, tensioner, water pump, rocker gasket, sump gasket, ovp and fuel pump relays, worn cam lobes, worn cam lifters.

other concerns might be: have the lower front suspension arm balljoints been replaced? this can be a big cost affair, depending on how well-equipped your mechanic is ... rear shock absorbers and springs ... propshaft couplings and bushes ...

check whether the rear differential whines, on a test drive. you don't want it to - it will whine forever before it breaks but you will go mad in the meantime

there's plenty of other stuff to check, some one else is bound to add to it

 

[flagstaff]

and you should get one as soon as you can :wink:

 

[jabe]

Thanks again guys !

Found a nice one 92J 190 1.8 .
101000 miles full history.
Its red not the best colour but looks nice .

My mechanic is gonna check it today .

Fingers crossed ,

Thanks

 

[mike65]

Reds a good Merc 190 colour- just keep it this nice -

Owned by shovel

Mike.

 

[jabe]

Unfortunately the red one had at sometime been in a front smash .
Didn't fancy any hassles that may have been lurking .
So im still looking ,

jason

 

[neileg]

I had a 1987 2.0 190E auto. I sold it at 190,000 and the gearbox was absolutely fine. I don't think the engine had any major work either, though it had a tapping camshaft/lifter problem. I had driven it reasonably hard, including towing rusty W114 Mercs on a four wheel trailer!

I got around 23mpg around town/commuting, 30mpg on runs.

More important than the gearbox is rust, particularly round the rear jacking points. Water gets in here from above and they rot out. On the 190, the sill panels are a continuation of the floor pan, so replacement is not easy. I did have mine repaired with some pattern parts and it was OK, but not an invisible mend. I also had some rust on the inner wings.

Mine had half leather trim and electric sunroof, but manual windows.

I'd suggest two models to avoid, the 190 2.0 carb and the 2.5 diesel. The 1.8 injection is a much better bet than the 2.0 carb, though these are often poverty spec junior managers cars. The 2.5 diesel is just so slow!

 

[jabe]

Carb / injection

Am i right in thinking all 190E have fuel injection wether 1.8 or 2.0 ?

 

[mike65]

Yep, if its an "E" is injected.

Mike.

 

[jakmeticklerpaper]

I am an old fart engineer and started my Merc owning career with a 190E. I can't recommend them highly enough but having read the comments above, it's obviously a case of "one man's meat is another man's poison"
I personally would not touch a manual car, MB automatics are much better and take high mileages no problem. I also would not touch one of the smaller 4cyl engines (1.8/2.0) which are sluggish in such a heavy body and suffer high fuel consumption because they are working hard all the time. My old 190E 2.6 (straight 6) sang like an angel, went like stink, was utterly reliable and averaged 26 mpg even with my heavy right foot! Listen to the voice of experience.

 

[sunil sood]

i have owned/driven a 190e-1.8 auto-k- reg-1993.-done 118k miles

good points are-superb reliabilty,build quality

easy to service.

parts reasonably priced,

bomb proof

likely to last a long,long time if serviced regularly.

mine has a cat converter-original one as far as 1 am aware.

replaced the rear exhaust box at 100k plus miles.

i prefer the the auto as practical in town driving.

bad points-1.8 litre car is underpowered ,i would prefer a 2 litre -

 

[willydog]

i own a 190e 1.8 manual J (93) reg 102k

i would agree with sunil, i have had no problems with my
car and still on it's original cat

the 1.8 is a bit under powered but economical, i would go for
a 2.0 if i was to by another

i think i would consider a auto as the manual box is a bit sloppy
and does not like to rushed, a auto suits the laid back characteristic
of the 190

 

[13022]

I've had my 190E (2l petrol manual) for 6 years and 85,000 miles. Its now covered (at least ??!!) 185,000.

Crawling through Dublin's evil traffic it averages 29mpg. On a long journey on decent roads (by definition, almost impossible) it averages abt 40mpg.

Tappets are a pain. They wear out. They rattle. It builds up slowly into a crescendo and then stops.... they drive you mad! Get them fixed and get over it. Its not such a big deal so long as you can find a decent mechanic (or do it yourself). (Best thing I ever did, after putting it off for ages!)

Rear suspension tends to sag with age... but springs n shocks can be replaced easily enough.

But, the car is built like a tank overall, except maybe for the boot lid that's pressed out of an old biscuit tin for some reason!

Generally maintenance from a good independent mechanic shouldn't be too expensive - these cars easy to work on and designed to be maintained into their old age. MB dealerships (at least in Dublin) like to charge lots of money for things. After all, you're wearing out a handwoven carpet and breathing in air-conditioned air and sir isn't buying a new S-Class??!! [Eyes roll to heaven] ...Its Julia Roberts in that boutique in 'Pretty Woman' all over!

Bad points:
-> Driver's seat was designed by the Gestapo as an interrogation device. Find a good osteopath before you buy the car, that's my advice.
-> Steering wants to go with the camber whether you like it or not.
-> MB were also too mean to move the handbrake for the rhd models. See above re osteopath!
-> Steering, accelerator, backlash in transmission are all an acquired taste. I thought it was a lot like learning to ride a horse, maybe not as hairy.

 

[mike65]

But, the car is built like a tank overall, except maybe for the boot lid that's pressed out of an old biscuit tin for some reason!

Thats what struck me when I bought mine, the doors clunked deep and
solid then the boot went "clang"!

Mike.

 

[willydog]

i like your comment on the boot lid , did they run out of money for designing the boot lid? :cry:

more bad points:

>why is the steering wheel so big? it keeps on rubbing against my thigh that i ended up changing it to a slighty smaller one.