The inside of the cat is a honeycomb material that breaks down over time. I certainly won't pass inspection, and it certainly won't run optimally like that, but it won't "hurt" it to do so. Normal cats run $200-$300 then installation on top of that - I don't know exactly what a 190E cat costs, but I'd guess you'll need $400-$500 to get a new one on.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600