Im toying with the idea of buying one but they seem really thin on the ground. Are there any good ones left?
Were there any issues with these models? How much should you pay for a good one?
Oh and yes I know they are dog slow but economy is measurably better than the petrols and thats more important to me.
One thing that I found curious - I got quoted virtually the same price for insurance on one of these as for my Fiat Seicento - whats going on there?
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good car in their day
i cant get comfortable in one as the steering wheel is set too low to your legs and is not adjustable
they do rot
they are slow
try before you buy after a little fiz bomb sissy im sure its not for you
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Im guessing if they rot, buying the latest model possible is best?
Slow is really fine with me, I dont drive the Fiat very fast at all and its zippy nature is rather lost on me, I just like its small size and economy.
I still just have this nagging desire to own a 190, its the car I always promised myself after driving both a 190 E auto and a 2.6 auto. I was besotted with the 2.6 although cant afford one of those.
The only other cars that I have a soft spot for are the Montego diesel ( just love the economy ) and the Volvo 460 ( I owned one and for some reason it just struck a chord with me, one of the few cars I always thought id buy another ).
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One thing that I found curious - I got quoted virtually the same price for insurance on one of these as for my Fiat Seicento - whats going on there?
Fiat Seicentos are high-risk because of all the boy/girl racers who drive them - they're a popular first-car. Same with Citroen Saxos (would've cost the same to insure a 1.1 litre saxo as I paid to insure my 1.4 litre Almera).
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my sister has a 2.0 auto 190 that she bought new on a J plate.
it has behaved very well from new and only needs a little money spent on it at service time but has never had any large bills. thirsty though at about 25mpg in town and 34 on a run.
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I have been thinking about getting a CLK and found these two forums really helpful and friendly:
www.mercedesclub.org.uk/
www.mbclub.co.uk/
Funnily enough, my husband may be moving jobs so we might be thinking about a diesel Merc instead. I would be interested to know what you buy.
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i have a 2.5 190 merc auto derv , it regular returns 160 mile for 20£ of derv, do not go for the 2.0 version they are very very slow , the 2,5 is no racer but does the job , your hardest bit will be finding a good one theyre mainly snapped up quickly by those in the know .
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>i have a 2.5 190 merc auto derv it regular returns 160 mile for £20
of derv <
Thats only mid 30's mpg which isnt great - there are petrols that do better than that!
>do not go for the 2.0 version they are very very slow<
I really dont care about a car being slow as I rarely do more than 50 mph except on a long journey and Im notorious for taking my time, so a car that takes its time is ok with me.
Id rather take the 2.0 and have the few extra mpg that make a diesel worthwhile.
I do get the feeling that the diesel esp is rather hard to find as you say, maybe the 1.8 petrol is worth a look? They any good on fuel? How about the larger 200/250? Are they anymore numerous and do they cost much more to run? I presume they have same running gear as the 190?
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so we might be thinking about a diesel Merc instead.
You could get a diesel CLK. CLK 270CDi is a good all rounder.
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the 20 pound of diesel to 160 miles figure i gave you is for a 16 mile commute the vehicle does a day never goes over 45 mph ,on a run the figure obviously increases , you say 2 litre derv but you will find your foot is further down and you actually get less mpg , remember the car weighs a fair chunk and its auto .
There are mpg figures in a book, and real life figures given by people like me .
Mines done 100,000 mile, and the engines not worn in any respect so these are true mpg figures.
i also drive slug like , but, the 2 litre can be dangerous in todays traffic, people tend to get aggravated when you set off from a junction and then they can overtake dangerously in front of you .
if you do end up buying one or searching for one , the diffs whine , they rust [reject these] the front ball joints actually seize rather than wear , this is noticed by a creaking coming from front or steering refusing to return after a corner , [ and the mot man doesnt notice this because theres no actual play] basically as any car, buy the lowest mileage you can find and be prepared to travel to view at a moments notice .
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I dont much think slow cars or driving slow are dangerous - what I do is stick a tartan blanket on the parcel shelf along with a straw hat, then wear my own floppy sun hat - this fools people into thinking your an OAP which seems to placate them no idea why!
Ive found people who drive dangerously do it whatever speed I drive at so id rather slow down and watch the plonkers go through the hedge, giving me time to drive around the result. Its worked for the last 8 years :-) - the moment you show any reaction to how those behind you drive, they get the idea they can affect how you drive and try harder.
I havent seen many 190's with less than 80k on the clock so I imagine they are rare. I think Im going to look at the larger 200/250 aswell as insurance seems to be similar as is mpg.
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We have a budget of £5-6k, so finances (or more correctly tightness) won't run to a diesel CLK. They do look nice though.
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I have a 2.2 Merc derv and get over 4ompg if I drive sensibly and the performance isn't bad either.
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what i want to know barney is does it have holes in the floor aka the flintstones?
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Very few decent 190D's about. They were mostly purchased by people who wanted economy because they covered big miles - so worn out now.
All the usual 190 attributes. Check for obvious rust and also around the jack tubes in the sills (pop out the covers in the plastic sill trim and have a look).
Suspension can wear a bit, but parts are quite cheap now.
Consider a 190E 2.0 manual. Quicker than the auto, and high 5th gear for economical cruising - I have managed to squeeze 35mpg out of one without trying too hard. Decent manual change quality if you use the correct oil ('ATF type A suffix A' - NOT Dexron III - which is what everyone puts in and then complains!!).
1.8 petrol offers no advantage over 2.0.
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obvious rust?
front wheel arches
rear arches
everywhere underneath
other faults?
switchgear
central locking
would i buy one?
no
too old now unless you find a corker with the straw hat still on the back shelf
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Given the issues people have with cars half the age, I dont think its age so much as condition.
I will be spending about 2 grand, so I imagine that should buy a pretty good car if I can find one worthy of the money.
My other options could be an Audi 80 of similar age, not sure how good they are durability-wise?
I was reading the list of potential issues for a Peuget 306 - its as thick as the bible!
What i want is a really nice quality car, one thats not hugely expensive to run ( mpg/insurance ) but has that built in engineering that Subaru do so well today. Id like something that can get up to 45mpg on a steady run also. The 190 diesel epitomises these ideals but what else is there?
BMWs always seem a little stark to me and they arent very good on fuel unless you go for the tiny engines.
I did also think Saab and Volvo, but neither offered anything remotely economical back in late 80's, early 90's. I have a soft spot for the Saab 900.
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>> One thing that I found curious - I got quoted virtually the same price for insurance on one of these as for my Fiat Seicento - whats going on there?
Fewer of them, boy racers don't tear round the town on a saturday night in them, generally owned by more mature careful drivers.
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Nice one here
tinyurl.com/2wsb5c
madf
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Nice one madf tinyurl.com/2wsb5c
looks just the job that one
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I must admit, the mercedes in the autotrader advert does have a very 'retro' interior. Reminds me when I was 12 visiting my relatives with their mark 1 volkswagons. Same interior.
Wonder what the mileage is?
I think £2000 is a little bit too steep. For a 1992 car - I think the fact that these Mercs were known for their reliability and longetivity reflects in this high price. I can't actually remember if the E class of this year had the same engine. If it did, these cars must be very good if looked after.
Have you considered a camry? Very similar cars, prabably as economical, and are very refined. My dad has a 1987 one, and I can say without doubt it is comparable to the new cars built today - no joke!
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Sounds like we like similar cars, Stu. I love the c900, having had two turbo versions, but they are heavy on petrol. Had you thought about a Volvo V70 diesel? May be too big, but they seem well-liked by owners. My neighbour has an 'S' reg, 170k miles and looks great, full leather interior, very comfy.
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Im not much for the newer cars really, I prefer late 80's early 90's as it was when quality medium cars in my opinion, peaked - Saab, Volvo, BMW and Merc were still selling cars that represented their own values which I love.
I cant really afford something as new as a V70 anyway - id rather find a great cond older car than a higher mileage newer car.
What i can afford is whatever my Fiat Seicento would sell for privately which despite being only 4 years old, really isnt alot.
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What i can afford is whatever my Fiat Seicento would sell for privately which despite being only 4 years old really isnt alot.
I'd hold onto the Seicento to be honest. As much as I dislike a lot of Fiat products, the Seicento is a good (if not basic) little car. If the revving problem you had hasn't come back, then I'd just enjoy the economy, and come to terms with finding a Fiat which wasn't rubbish! I saw a L-reg cinquecento the other day, so those litle Fiats can be long-lived if looked after. Might even last till 8y/o by which time some BR members would consider it a banger! ;-)
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Well Im holding onto it at the moment until I can save up a little more to put towards my fun car. It should give me more options hopefully with another couple of thousand in the bank.
Im doing 10k per year in the Fiat so its certainly getting good useage.
The revving problem is there on occasion but its not so annoying that it cannot wait until its service next spring to be looked at.
I just really want an old Merc and its an idea ive never shaken. It all started with a 1982 230CE coupe in red - I thought it was the prettiest car I have ever seen when I was 18 and to this day I can still picture it.
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It was a metallic-red W124 Coupé in the early 1990s that convinced me too, so I bought one (smoke silver) a few years later and then found one that had the colours I would have chosen as new. I've now had that for seven years, it's great, and I can't envisage selling it.
The 190 (W201) has a great reputation for being bullet proof. All 10-20 year-old cars will have their weaknesses, but they are now so well documented that, with a bit of research, they are predictable and manageable. Another good thing is that there are plenty of independent specialists around, plus the GSF/Euro factor if OEM parts are too pricey.
I had lunch yesterday with someone is on his second W124 diesel estate. At 177k it's as sweet as a nut and free of corrosion. His son is pestering him to get a new car, but he won't because he is deeply satisfied and also unconvinced by all the complications and bells & whistles that characterize later cars, not to mention the MB quality collapse after the mid-1990s.
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I saw a nice W124 estate on a M plate the otherday, facelift model in a mettalic red, most timeless. A mate had a 300TD wagon, non-turbo 3.0 diesel, dog slow, though a 6cyl petrol ot turbo diesel would be fine.
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If you want to read about the 190D in forensic detail (albeit USA spec) see www.kenrockwell.com. Also stacks of info on the R129 SL500.
There wont be many nice 190D left now. Worth checkng out Mercedes Enthusiast mag for private ads and the dealers who specialise in older mercs made before the build quality became carp
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