Took Home My Ebay 190D today

[Amphicar770]

Hi all,

Brought home my eBay 190D 2.5 that I had been asking questions about earlier.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220072077774
Almost did not wind up completing the deal but all worked out in the end.

I took the train over to seller's town and he met me at the station. Initial visual impression was positive as he pulled up in the 190. However, the first thing he says to me is, "We have a problem. I just discovered it this morning, if you do not want the car I understand".

Turns out that as he got the records together he discovered the discrepancy between title and mileage. The original odometer was replaced way back when at aprox 35k miles. Thus, vehicle actually does have closer to 190k then 155k.

I considered just walking away at that point but since I had come that far I figured I might as well check it out. Like any old car, it has some good points and some bad.
The good stuff:
- Body is very solid, clearcoat on paint is poor but the only rust is indeed surface where paint has peeled at jack points (I probed with screwdriver).
- New tires and brakes all around.
- Runs out very well. Smooth & quiet except one moment where she seemed unusually loud (more on that later).
- I brought some fuses with me and thus fixed the defective fuel/oil/temp gauge cluster which seller had disclosed. The oil pressure and temps are in the sweet spot. Fuel was near full.
- Interior is overall very clean and in good shape.
- The glow plugs work fine. He had never noticed the existence of GP light until I showed it to him.

The bad stuff:
- Did notice some oil dripping but on further investigation found weeping fuel line dripping into belly pan. My hope is that most of the drips are caused by fuel mixing with pan crud, I tighthened clamps and will replace hose.
- The climate controls seem slow to respond but the functions do work (at least I think they do, MB controls have always baffled me).
- I presume the A/C power switch is bad as there is a hack whereby compressor clutch is direct wired to fuse box so that it is either always on or always off. (clearly not a dealer fix).
- Travel of the mono-wiper is correct but it parks itself about 6" too high. I assume there is a way to adjust.
- Discovered that the bolt on right side motor mount has vibrated loose (it was just sitting there). I will have to realign motor to mount to get it back in.
- Hood insulation (whats left of it) is shot.
- Crack in one headlight housing.

Anyway, the seller did seem genuinely remorseful that he had not known about (or disclosed) the odometer discrepancy. I tend to believe him as he is indeed a guy who owns a slew of nice cars and I think he bought this one on impulse from original owner but then never really used it himself. Seller said that if I do not want car he would refund my deposit or if I do decide to take it that he would let me have if for $2,000. I hope these words do not come back to bite me but I figured, "for $2k I really do not think I can go wrong". Besides, given what I have read about the failure rate of VDO odometers I suspect that this is probably not the only 190 off by a few miles!

Drove it home approximately 100 miles. It seemed to do very well. At one point, after stopping at a toll and resuming on highway (65 mph), it seemed that it was "too loud" and I wondered if there was an exhaust problem. But that was just temporary so maybe it was my imagination, maybe the rogue motor mount allowing too much vibration in. (Checked exhaust, it seems solid). The 190 is not as quiet or quick as my old BMW 524TD but that had a turbo and one extra cylinder. I am not sure yet if I smell diesel fumes in the cabin or if it is me who smells like diesel from poking around in engine compartment.

In any event, the next few days/weeks should quickly tell me if I got a sweet deal or a lemon. Will change oil, tranny fluid (it is pink), fuel lines, clean up the engine bay, etc. and go from there.

[RobTheMod]

I really wouldn't worry one bit about 190k vs 155k miles.

If we were talking about 54k vs 254k, that would be quite different. Once they're over 150k I treat VDO odos as a suggestion anyway.

I bought my 300SD with 226k showing; if someone were to prove that it actually had 241k I wouldn't have been upset. I don't really see how it affects the material value to any notable extent.

[vstech]

PINK!!! plan on a new radiator... the tranny cooler must be leaking.
drain that fluid QUICK! water and glycol in the tranny will destroy the clutches!
John

[winmutt]

Huh? Isn't all tranny fluid red/pink?

[TX76513]

I believe he is referring to a pink tint in the radiator overflow reservoir near the neck - maybe picture fluke also

[BobK]

I say ya probably did fine. Mileage difference means very little to me. Exhaust may be leaking at manifold to downpipe. I think that is a common site. Give her new filters, fix the leaks, change the fluids and off ya go. And I've never been 100 sure how to operate the climate control on a 201 either and I've had two. Still, might mean a vacuum leak or weak vacuum pump. It's an old car. I always figure to need to replace the battery and exhaust system anyway at the very least. I'm keeping my eye out for one or two 190Ds myself.

[Amphicar770]

No, I mean the tranny fluid on the trans dipstick is pink/red rather than brown or black.

No pink tint in the coolant which also looks good.

But thanks for raising the question. Better safe than sorry.

Originally Posted by TX76513

I believe he is referring to a pink tint in the radiator overflow reservoir near the neck - maybe picture fluke also

[babymog]

190 HVAC ('87-up):

Center vents are fresh or cold, no heat.

All other vents are heat/cold.

Recirc. button (arrows) closes outside air flap temporarily (timed)

AC button enables A/C compressor for cooling

Demist button enables A/C compressor for dehumidification.

Temp wheel adjusts temperature

Horizontal row of buttons: Off is off, Defrost is high-fan and defrost, other buttons have fan speed switch enabled and just select vents for heat/cool.

If your blower cycles on/off or won't come on, probably aux. pump. Remove CCU and look at back-side of plastic case, if one spot partially melted then it has overheated due to shorted aux. pump.

[justinperkins]

Originally Posted by vstech

PINK!!! plan on a new radiator... the tranny cooler must be leaking.
drain that fluid QUICK! water and glycol in the tranny will destroy the clutches!
John

Just happened to me. Cost me a transmission rebuild and new radiator

[Amphicar770]

Well, I have discovered I have a significant tranny fluid leak somewhere.

Drove it home the other day about 100 miles and it seemed fine. Went to drive it today after it sat for 48 hours, put it in gear, and tranny was not at all happy. Checked the fluid (which was fine when I picked up car) and it is not showing on the dipstick. Added two quarts of ATF, drove her a mile to test things, and she now seems OK (although I do not see any trail of ATF). I have not yet had her up on a lift so I hope it is just a leaky cooler line or output shaft seal. I'll be really bummed if tranny is shot. Besides the cost, I simply do not know this car well enough yet to even know if rebuilding tranny would be worth doing or not.

I do not believe this to be the case but how would one tell if tranny cooler is leaking and/or coolant is mixing with tranny fluid?

[riethoven]

Originally Posted by Amphicar770

Well, I have discovered I have a significant tranny fluid leak somewhere.

Drove it home the other day about 100 miles and it seemed fine. Went to drive it today after it sat for 48 hours, put it in gear, and tranny was not at all happy. Checked the fluid (which was fine when I picked up car) and it is not showing on the dipstick. Added two quarts of ATF, drove her a mile to test things, and she now seems OK (although I do not see any trail of ATF). I have not yet had her up on a lift so I hope it is just a leaky cooler line or output shaft seal. I'll be really bummed if tranny is shot. Besides the cost, I simply do not know this car well enough yet to even know if rebuilding tranny would be worth doing or not.

I do not believe this to be the case but how would one tell if tranny cooler is leaking and/or coolant is mixing with tranny fluid?

This must be a common item on these cars. I have been trying to buy one in Brooklyn for a few months that the lady insists is worth 4 to 6 K. The tranny is shot and it has other problems, but I was able to crank it right up after it had not been cranked for a year. These are true cult cars with the 2.5 engine so I think it would be worth rebuilding the tranny. Watch out for tranny shops because they are notoriously crooked.

[kerry]

Originally Posted by Amphicar770

Well, I have discovered I have a significant tranny fluid leak somewhere.

Drove it home the other day about 100 miles and it seemed fine. Went to drive it today after it sat for 48 hours, put it in gear, and tranny was not at all happy. Checked the fluid (which was fine when I picked up car) and it is not showing on the dipstick. Added two quarts of ATF, drove her a mile to test things, and she now seems OK (although I do not see any trail of ATF). I have not yet had her up on a lift so I hope it is just a leaky cooler line or output shaft seal. I'll be really bummed if tranny is shot. Besides the cost, I simply do not know this car well enough yet to even know if rebuilding tranny would be worth doing or not.

I do not believe this to be the case but how would one tell if tranny cooler is leaking and/or coolant is mixing with tranny fluid?

I may be wrong, but I don't think a leak is any indication of a totally failed transmission, just a leak somewhere. Makes me wonder about how much the seller disclosed.
A leak that bad should be visible somewhere, either in the radiator/coolant or externally. Drive for a while, put a clean sheet of cardboard under the engine/tranmission and see where drips are visible.

[Amphicar770]

Originally Posted by kerry edwards

I may be wrong, but I don't think a leak is any indication of a totally failed transmission, just a leak somewhere.

I am optimistic in that it was performing fine and seemed fine again after adding 2 quarts of ATF. Will be away for a week so can not really look into further before then. Did not see any fluid where she was parked for 2 days but by then she was probably very low.

I just hope the leak is not at the tranny pump seal or something internal. I already ordered the hoses and rear shaft seal. At 20 yrs old I figure they should be replaced regardless.

[captainmonk]

glad to see someone properly using the word regardless

[Ether]

Originally Posted by captainmonk

glad to see someone properly using the word regardless

You mean instead of the oft used "irregardless"? That one chaps me too.