What should I "look out for" when shopping for a 190D?

[dieselnonuthin]

Hello, and Howdy:
I am considering getting a 190D for its good fuel milage (~36mpg?) and the chance to experiment with SVO/biodiesel fuel. I hope to use it as my daily driver and save a little money in fuel expenses.
However, I don't know that much about diesels, Mercedes, and the combination of the two (other than what I have read in this fine forum).

Can anyone give me some advice/hints concerning matters of which I should be wary when buying one of these automobiles?

Thanks,

Nonuthin

[Jim Anderson]

A caution about the ignition switch: if it starts acting funny, change it. Its easy to take out if the key turns, very difficult (expensive) if it doesn't.

[cornblatt]

Hi,

I bought a 1984 190D last year. I'm biased toward the 190D-2.2 5-speed (since that's what I bought), but here's some general advice...

In North America, they sold a 2.2L 4-cylinder in 84 an 85, a 2.5L 5-cyl from 86 to 89, and a 2.5L 5-cyl turbodiesel in 1987. I've posted the brochure for the car on my website at http://www3.telus.net/cornblatt/mercedes

You may also come across a European model, which has a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine. European models generally have manual windows, a manual sunroof, and manual climate-control, which makes repair easier when things break (but I'm told that parts are harder to get).

            2.0 (4)   2.2 (4)   2.5 (5)   2.5T (5)
hp          72@4600   74@4200    90@4600  122@4600
tq (ft-lbs) 90@2800   96@2800   113@2800  167@2800

1) I haven't heard of any consistent or recurring flaw or design deficiency with the 190D models. So, there's nothing major to watch out for, other than the usual things to check on a used car, like looking for leaks, funny noises, things that don't work, etc. There's an insulating panel beneath the engine and transmission, so you'll have to remove this (I think they're 8mm-head bolts) to check out the underside of the car. This is inconvenient during car shopping, since the panel will conceal any leaks that might exist.

2) Get one with a manual transmission. With the exception of the turbo model, it's not a fast car, and with the automatic, I would guess that it would almost be a traffic hazard...

3) If you're interested in fuel economy, get the 190D-2.2 with a manual transmission. The following table is from information obtained at www.fueleconomy.gov. It's not necessarily accurate as it depends on driving style (I get 39-40mpg hwy, 36mpg city), however since all cars are tested similarly, it will let you compare between them to determine relative levels of efficiency.

      1985    1985    1987    1987    1987
      2.2 M   2.2 A   2.5 M   2.5 A   2.5T A
Hwy    39      33      37      34      32
City   31      30      29      30      28
Comb   34      31      32      32      30

4) Spend the extra $1000 it takes to get a car that has been meticulously maintained, with all records. It will save you a ton of $$ overall. Run away if anything looks suspicious, or if there's even the slightest indication that the previous owner didn't take perfect care of the car. As someone else here says, "there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes-Benz." For every obvious thing that's wrong with the car when you test-drive it, there are probably 3 or 4 additional problems that you don't see (yet...)

5) If you intend to service it yourself, the 2.2L 4-cyl is smaller and slightly simpler than the 2.5L 5-cyl engine, so there's more room in the engine bay, which makes it easier to work on.

That's all I can think of for now...

[joel price]

These 190D 2.2 5spd cars are truly good cars but if you are looking for quick acceleration from a stop light with the A/C on --forget it . I watch my rear view mirror closely when starting from a stop light as cars behind have a tendency to almost rear end me I believe an automatic would be even slower

[73MB280SEL]

Howdy,

I own one too ('84 190d 2.2 5 speed). These are pretty good cars. They aren't terribly slow with the 5 speed, but you do have to press the "turbo" button (turn off the a/c) when getting on the highway. Still, that's not much different acceleration-wise than a generic econo-box car.

These cars are more nimble than the 123 240D cars, but they do have more things to go wrong. You'd be hard pressed to find one without power windows or an automatic climate control system. If you like smaller, more nimble cars, these have alot to say for them.

As far as what to look out for: (1) you should ensure that the engine doesn't have blown a head gasket. These engines have aluminum heads which will warp if you overheat them and blow head gaskets. This is more prevalent in the 6 cyl 124 diesels, but it can happen to the 4 cyl cars also. Mine had been repaired before I got the car and I've had no problems since. If the coolant looks oily, it needs to be addressed. But, if it has been fixed, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd make sure that you run it hard and see if the car overheats.

(2) the climate control must work or you'll be working on it for sure. Turn on the A/C and look at the site glass. See that it runs and cools properly or you'll be working on it. If it has been converted to R134, you should lower your expectations on its cooling efficiency, but it still should work well.

(3) Rust: These cars are less prone to rust than their predecessors, but they are getting older and you should ensure the body is rust free. You should look at the jack points, under the battery, in the trunk, and in the wheel wells.

The shifting on the 5 speed cars isn't as nifty as a modern car. If it is solid, I wouldn't worry about it. The shifting action should feel firm and go pretty solidly into gear. If it feels a little mushy, it probably needs shift bushings, but this is a pretty easy DIY. The clutch action is similarly firm. If the clutch isn't firm, you might have a slave cylinder going bad.

These cars stop extremely well, so if the brakes don't cut it you should make sure and carefully inspect the hydraulic system. If the hoses look old, or the fluid is not clear, you will eventually have to do some work on the brakes and clutch (as I did).

Overall the 201 cars are really a really good choice. I probably average 35 but can easily get 40 mpg. They do handle pretty well and still have that older Mercedes feel.

And, the parts are pretty easy to get. I think the 123 cars still have parts avaliable, but the 201 body parts aren't too expensive.

Here's one more quick thing to check: You should look at the rubber Diesel return lines that loop from one injector to the next. If they are old, brittle, or cracked, they will have to be replaced. While these are very easy to replace, if they are bad, it shows you that the previous owner didn't know much about the maintenance of his car.

Sholin

[Gilly]

These cars are less prone to rust than their predecessors

I highly disagree with that, for up here in the rust-belt anyways.
If you're in an area where road salt is used, you have to carefully inspect the front spring perch area, and even then trouble is possible. I've seen many break.

In general I'd put 190's in the "to avoid" category.

Gilly

[lietuviai]

If you're over 6'-0 like I am then you will certainly feel cramped in one. I tried sitting in one and my knees kept hitting the steering wheel everytime I had to push the clutch or brake pedals. They don't have much leg room.

[dieselnonuthin]

Thank you all for your input. I will be sure to keep you advice in mind as I search. You've been a big help.

dnn