Considering buying a 190 to replace Focus

[pajd100]

I am considering buying a 190 or 190e to replace my new Focus which is costing me around 200 quid a month plus insurance at the moment. I have a maximum budget of £2000 to spend and then I am willing to put aside up to £100 per month for maintenance and bills etc.

I want a reliable car that isn't going to cost me a fortune every month like my focus does at the moment. Do you people think I will be able to find a decent example for £2000? Obviously for this money I am going to be buying a fairly old high mileage car so is there anything in particular I should look out for on an old 190?

One final question, Are all the engines four cylinder? I think the 2.0 would be my choice if they are and I also prefer manuals over automatics, I presume they are slightly cheaper?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Aletank]

Do a search on http://www.autotrader.co.uk/ and see whats available in your area.
You should get a J or K reg in nice condition with 80/90,000 miles on if you look around.

 

[jack-n-gill]

Get one. Get one. Get one!

Aletank
I bought a 1989 190, 2ltr manual, face lift model with 122K recorded, with part service history and a wad of bills and all the previous MOT's for £800.
So far I've spent £44 on a new tyre (15" was cheaper than 14"??), £25 on a refurbished clutch master cylinder, 99p on a bulb, £2.99 on a bottle of colour restorer and £9.99 on polish. Replaced the fluids and oil filter for about £25.
Now for the bad bit. It will need a new exhaust soon as the old one is getting a bit thin, but as it's a carb model with no Cat Converter it isn't so expensive.
I've checked all the steering joints and they're built to last, brake pads are nearly new.
It's great, smooth, comfy, with a turning circle drivers of front wheel drive motors would die for, and people give you respect.
Expect higher fuel bills than the Focus, but servicing is simple and DIY jobs are fine with a workshop manual to help you.
Best part is that at motorway speed the engine is running at 3000 rev/min and is virtually silent.
Had it for 9 weeks now and I love it. :lol:

 

[Aletank]

Jack -
You certanly have that Mercedes feel good factor don't you
I know exactly what you mean and I'm sure every one else here does too :wink:

 

[steveperry]

Re: Get one. Get one. Get one!

It's great, smooth, comfy, with a turning circle drivers of front wheel drive motors would die for, and people give you respect.
Expect higher fuel bills than the Focus, but servicing is simple and DIY jobs are fine with a workshop manual to help you.
Best part is that at motorway speed the engine is running at 3000 rev/min and is virtually silent.
Had it for 9 weeks now and I love it. :lol:

I agree...

the fuel comsumption will be slightly higher than modern equivalents but the cars are a smooth drive. The turning circle is awesome on most MB's certainly the ones I've driven and the 190 is no exception.

The auto does 3,500rpm in 4th gear at 80mph or at least my previous car did that still equates to a silky smooth motorway cruise though.

pajd100,

I would say more but I have a feeling you already know what I have to say

S.

 

[willydog]

padj100 what is wrong with your focus? as you say it is expensive to run?

Merc 190s are really nice cars! I have run one for a year and a half now and nothing has gone wrong with it. It has been even been cheaper to run that my previous car, a Peugeot 106 as I spent over £1,000 a year on repairs to keep my Pug going :-( as parts just kept on going on it every month.

I have only spent £150 for an annual service for my 190e 1.8 this year & 2 new tyres £45 each, although it is heavy on petrol as it struggles to do more than 30mpg

As for engines: 1.8, 2.0, 2.3 are 4 cylinder 8v (I think they are more reliable than the 16v ones and more economical)

the 2.6 is six cylinder, and I think there is a high performance 2.3 four cylinder 16v engine for the 190 Cosworth

If there is a "E" afer the 190 this means that it has fuel injection rather than carb and is more economical

there are quite a few for sale in ebay and they usually go for about £1,000
although I would not bid for a car without a test drive. other tips I would say is to find one that has service history as a high mileage merc is nothing to be afraid of as long as it has been well maintained, mine is approach 100K and still feels really solid. If it has a cat make sure it is ok as they are expensive to replace although mine is still on its first cat at 100K

Just take your time finding a good one as there are lots around so be choosy!

 

[leicesterboy15]

190e buying tips

pajd100

I've owned my 1988 190e for about 13 months, it was on 173k when I bought it and its now on 185k. I love it, its the first merc i've had and i agree with everyone here, they are great cars, a true example of over- engineering. I even persuaded my girlfriend to buy a CLK (she has more money than me!!) and she now loves mercs too. Hers is a 98 2ltr car on 120k and is still perfect. I have had no problems with mine at all in the last 12k.

Basic things to check are for oil leaks in the engine (check the engine bay for traces of oil on the engine), also check for smoke when the engine is under load (high revs up hill or something). You can live with a slight leak but not a major one. Check the oil level maintanis a good pressure, it can drop when idle but should go up when accelerating. Also, when the car is started from cold, check the pressure goes right up.

Theres not much else to check in the engine (other than standard checks - engine ticking, overheating etc), they are pretty strong and reliable as long as the oil has been changed regularly so a service history is recommended - will also help the resale value. If you can check a service item (remove a spark plug or air filter cover and see if the condition of the item corresponds to the time the owner says they had it serviced).

Also check for back axle whine and make sure the diff is not leaking. As far as I know, its not a big job to sort but it makes you wonder what its been through.

The interior is durable and hard wearing - my drivers seat is still immaculate even after all those miles. Check the electrics - not usually a problem area but you never know. Leather is desireable - get it if you can. The roof lining should not be sagging and the dash should been in good condition (generally does not suffer from warping or cracking).

Check that all the panels fit well and are in line, with the exception of the very early (83-84ish), high mileage cars, any major rust on a 190 and you have to question why its there (poor crash repair??) These cars do not rust if looked after. The most common rust point though is by the rear jacking points, water leaks through the bottom of the rear window and hits the metal below the parcel shelf, this eventually seeps down to the metal under the rear seat cushion and it sits there rusting the floor - this is where the rear jacking points are. If you can, remove the rear seat cushion to check the floor- there are two clips at the front of the cushion, from memory, I think you push these clips in and the seat cushion should pop out, check the floor and refit the cushion by pushing it into place until it clicks locked.

A tip for combating this problem is to paint hammerite onto the metal floor of the car where the water sits below the rear seat so the water does not come into contact with the metal. This will rust proof the painted area for up to 5 years. Check on a small area to make sure the hammerite does not react badly to the cars paint (shouldn't normally be a problem). Because the area is hidden, the paint does not have to match the car colour or be done professionally.

Check the wells in the boot on either side for rust, try peeking under the plastic covers. Check the spare tyre wellfor water.

Try getting a car with alloys, leather and plenty of electrics - a good colour and the right mods are also a bonus - some 190s can look terrible (either really boring or poorly customised) and others look fantastic. This is very important in the newer cars and is key when it comes to resale.

Sorry for going on - bored at work!! I may have missed some stuff out (...??) and this info is correct as far as I know, if anyone knows different let me know, I can take it!!

Raks

 

[shovel]

Mine's a 190E 1987 2.0L Automatic.
Bought it 20 months ago for £1200, no service history etc. and 120000mile showing.
Replaced the following;
Engine,propshaft couplings,exhaust and brake pads.
Changed these parts to upgrade:
Cosworth bodykit, Cosworth leather interior,electric windows,good stereo system,steering wheel and window tints.
No doubt I could have bought a top money dealer serviced car for less money but I would have been bored with that as I love tinkering, even with the engine blowing up and the prop couplings I haven't regretted buying this car as I love it and how it feels to drive

 

[Rob77]

Nice job shovel.

It makes a difference you can do the work yourself though. It surely would've cost any normal human a fortune to do all that.

And it seems like you forgot to mention a respray, lowering and new wheels, no?

 

[shovel]

The car was already lowered and had these wheels on it when I bought it, I always liked the way it sat before but since putting the bodykit on I've began to think I want 17" rims, I just can't decide as wheels can make a big difference.
I was quoted £300 to paint the bodykit, **** thought I, so set to and painted it myself. It cost me £70 for paint/plastic primer/thinners etc. Mind you what a ball ache of a job (all that rubbing down etc) If you ever think you would like a bodykit I think it would be better getting a car with one already fitted!! On second thought - you don't know then what's behind the plastic!!
There's no way I could afford any of this if I had to pay garages etc to do the work so in that way my "sickness" is good for me Ha,ha.

 

[duncanda]

pajd100

There's a buyer's guide to the 190 in the October issue of "Mercedes Enthusiast". Along with the good advice given here it might help you. Good luck in your search.

David