Opinion for 190DT please

[Zubinell]

I just purchased a 1987 190DT with very low mileage. (<120K) It was never used for any long travels and mainly around town stuff of a few thousand miles a year. The Engine and transmission appear to be in perfect condition save for a radiator leak and IP seals. There have been many new parts installed recently including glow plugs, alternator, ball joints and tires. Service and oil changes have been done regularly. I have all of the service records since the day it left the showroom. Basically, I am very happy with the car considering that I was not looking to buy it but at the price, I could not be turned away. The unfortunate issue is that the car has spent its life in salt road country and never enjoyed a garage. It has suffered significant rust harm on the rear wheel wells, rocker panels and trunk wells. In years past it has suffered a poor paint job. Several panels have minor dents. The interior demonstrates signs of neglect as well, not to mention the interior is a less than handsome color. I have a couple of opportunities to pick up donor cars with bodies in much finer condition than the body on my 190DT. If it were not for the future classic potential of this car I would consider it to be a no brainer to do an engine swap into a prettier car. If I were to leave the engine in this car it would need rust repair and a full paint job along with an interior swap. What would you do?

[layback40]

welcome to the diesel forum. 6 years as a member without a post! you must have been good at searching the forum or had a good run with your other MB.
I have seen cars with much more rust. Its up to you how you proceed. A good rust free body would be my choice.

[bigblockchev]

I have much the same dilemma I have a high mileage 190dt with a bit of rust but lots of age related issues. I can work away at them but they will never go away completely. I just spent 2 days under the car changing the transmission. Driving it reinforced the feeling that I have that this is one of the nicest Mercs that I have owned. I would not make a hasty decision about the car. I have seen locally several very nice 190e 2.6 gassers in the $500 or less range with blown engines or transmissions. This would make the ideal swap candidate but has the result would be a nice daily driver but have little collector value. On the other hand it would be expensive but not impossible to repair the rust. Pretty much a frame off resto would be required. What would the vehicle be worth when you are done. $6000 ? $8000? perhaps but my experience is that Mercedes diesel guys are forgive me quite cheap! On the other hand if you were to stop the rust with Rust Mort or some other product and do a half assed bondo job maybe a bit of metal patching , paint the ugly bits reasonably well Maaco or some such, you would have a fairly nice looking daily driver for at least 5 years at which time you could re evaluate your commitment to the vehicle and do a better job or just clean it up again.
I am looking at some variation of this strategy for myself. I have had a half dozen 190s gas and diesel in the last couple of years and the 190dt pretty much hits the nail on the head as a really nice daily driver. You would be hard pressed to find a more practical fun Eurodiesel. Cheers and good luck Dan

[vstech]

Chad, and Roy are good members to get info on this one. Roy is currently dealing with rust in his two 190's chad did a pictorial about rust repair for a friend's TD, great thread with lots of pics and such!
I'll see if I can find them, but PM Whunter and see if he's got any pointers for ya on this!

[JimmyL]

First and foremost, 190D-what?
Second, I wouldn't worry about "future classic potential".
Third, the rust will never go away. You will never fix it enough. It is car cancer at the cellular level.
Find a suitable donor, maybe even a 300D 2.5 with a bad engine. It is a nice engine/tranny combo you have there, with scads of mileage left......

[Zubinell]

Yea, pretty funny, heh Layback? I guess I just kinda been lurking around and checking for info whenever I need some. Actually this is my 5th MeBe. I have given up on being bothered with anything if it does not say MB. I kinda feel like BBC, I would like to keep it complete and do what I can to arrest the rust. JimmyL.. you can stop the rust but it does require cutting out all of the panel and welding in fully new. I could do that w a donor car. I think that might be my first choice. I can fit the donor metal but I would need to have the welding by someone else. As for the paint job, I can do a better job on my own than what I have seen come out of the Maaco shops around here. My first job as a kid was doing paint prep on weekends at a body shop owned by a family friend. I learned alot there and can prep and paint well enough to make more sense then letting anyone else do it. My sheetmetal welding talents are not to be trusted however.
I am not really so concerned about the classic potential. What really excites me is the idea that if I save this car I could have a real nice daily driver that is young enough and durable enough to last the rest of my life and it is rare enough that none of my neighbors will have one. I can be 80 years old driving a 50 year old car that will last for my family after I die and get smart car mileage. To be entirely truthful, I have not yet been all the way under this car and I will get it in the air next week. I have worries about what condition the floor pan, box rails and sub frame mount perches are in. That will likely determine my final plan.

[vstech]

4 rust free 190's at charlotte. pnp

[t walgamuth]

Another alternative if the rust is under the car is to patch with sheet metal, screws and black goo. The main structural parts of these benzes don't tend to rust away, so cheap fixes can keep you on the road for years.

[diesel friend]

No offence please but feel the 190DT is nothing special as it also was sold in other countries. I like the idea to look for a newer W124 300D 2.5turbo with a busted engine. In the 190 rear space cramped and suitable for small children only. Trunk space also better in the W124.

[vstech]

but the 190 has great economy and performance. and it's still a mercedes. it's no s class or anything, but it's a fine automobile! (I don't like the hood strut though...) if you are adept at welding sheetmetal, repairs are simple, but replacement is simpler still.
the 190's are plentiful, and cheap.

[Zubinell]

The combination of opinions and input rounds up to right where I started. Everyone is of a pro/con opinion just like I have been. I really do like the W124 body and I am keeping my eye open for a nice piece to head my way. BUT a W124 would not fly as a family car for me.. or rather my wife. She fell in love with 4matic and I have no desire to deal with the older 4matic design. It does seem as if there were no W124 styles outfitted as "CD" (2 dr diesel coupe) in North America. As to any cars at PNP in Charlotte.. too far. Between me and Charlotte, there are probally 1000+ rust free 190's that are closer to me. I am going to be using this car just for me. I have a W210 for the family car and a Sprinter van for all other things but the 190dt would be mine. Not needing anything larger the 190 is perfect size for a daily runner. I do not needing it to serve me right away and I could have it in the garage for whatever time it takes. Besided it was almost free. I have a problem turning my back on things that are almost free. Shopping for free W124 with OM602. (I Might ever make a trip to Charlotte for one)

[rscurtis]

A friend of mine has had one since new, it has been virtually trouble free. Still looks like new too, as it has less than 100K miles on it, and has always been garaged.

[chasinthesun]

This car looks like the previous owner used it during the hard winter months to save their other cars from salty road syndrome.It might be best to treat this car as its been treated ,make use of a welder to make solid whats been wasted away and treat and paint the rest.Youll be a winner until you dump to much money into it .Think of it as a well built snow mobil with some guts and a radio.

[Zubinell]

Chasinthesun.. I pretty much feel the same. No, the previous owner used it as a 12 month thing and used the garage for other stuff. The replacement vehicle is a C class and is destined to endure the same fate. Although it never had the pleasure of being garaged, I do have all reciepts showing regular oil change every 3-5K miles and engine service always being tended. But c'mon, rear wheel drive MeBe's make pretty poor snomobiles once the snow is 1/4" deep.
Ah yes, t walgamuth, screws, sheetmetal and the infamous and allways elusive "Black Goo". I tired to search the PeachParts store and found no such goo. Is this akin to the black goo I scraped off of the block of my 735iL after if blew the second head gasket? Or is this special goo? I feel the same about the undercar fixes.. I find that a large highway directional sign (something like "George Washington Bridge" car patch an entire floor and sometimes two.
Always accepting donations of Goo.

[vstech]

one of my customers in town has a 124 CE... lovely vehicle... I've not seen a 124 CD though.