190e, '92 Buy, Or Avoid ...

[acapulco36]

Considering A Purchase Of A '92 190e ( 114k ) Seller States New Valve Cover Gasket, Head Job, Alt, Batt, A/c Charge +. At A Shop, Sort Of Seems To Be A Rebuild Or Possible Mechanic Lein Situation.

Probably Can Pick Up For 2800 - 3k, For Daughter To Use For School.

In The Past I Had Heard The 190 Was Not So Good.. I Am A Ml & Clk Owner So Have Not Seen The Forum Thoughts On The 190e. Would Appreciate As Much Quick Feed Back As Possible, Need To Move Pretty Quick.

Can It Run On 87, Or 89 octane fuel With No Issue. What Are Owners Experience With Mileage Adverages. Any Major Or Known Mechanical Issues ??

Under Consideration: 190e, Camary, Or Nissan (sentra, Altima); Prefer The Benz, But Want The Durability And no Head Aches.

Thanks For Answers

[Snibble]

The 190E is a pretty durable car and a very safe one, too. I'm assuming its a 2.3 190E and not a 2.6? The 2.3 is pretty good with mileage and the engine is very easy to work on. The 2.6 offers better performance, but at a price of a little worse mileage. The 190E/190D is still used as taxi's in some parts of Europe to this day.

[ozawa]

camry or accord if this is for your daughter. far fewer potential headaches than an old 190e.

[tivoliman]

I've enjoyed the car

It has (never) rarely stranded me.

With that said - some parts of the engine are near impossible to get to. Replacing the water pump requires a special socket wrench that bends around parts.

My air conditioning is broke and the radio crackles.

The body and chassis are in great shape.

I just bought the 300E, but am considering keeping the 190E for my daughter.

The Toyota may be an option, as posted earlier.

I'm thinking the car is solid, and in the case of an accident, my daughter will walk away. Besides, it has a new water pump installed (by an indy).


Final Answer:
After 10 years and many miles, I am glad I had the car.

BTW - the 300E has the same engine - just more work space. Just shows the 190E is a good choice - in essesnce I just bought another (only larger).

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by acapulco36

Considering A Purchase Of A '92 190e ( 114k ) Possible Mechanic Lein Situation.

Probably Can Pick Up For 2800 - 3k, For Daughter To Use For School.

Under Consideration: 190e, Camary, Or Nissan (sentra, Altima); Prefer The Benz, But Want The Durability And no Head Aches.

Thanks For Answers

It is your daughter. Her health and safety are far more important than gas mileage, or anything else. There is only one choice. Get the 190e, on the basis that it is SAFE, light years ahead of the other contenders. The crash tests videos and actual accidents show the INCREDIBLE safety of these cars.

Nissan, Camry, Hyundai, are tin cans. Hit a tree in one at a good speed and they will split in half. I've seen it many times. Reliable tin cans, but tin cans nonetheless.

Not even close. There is nothing else to say - the active and passive safety DEMANDS the 190e.

The subordinate question is whether the particular one you are checking out is in good condition, has a reasonable price, and is not the victim of a prior wreck, and is rust-free, with a clean title.

[blackmercedes]

We have a 1990 190E 2.6 with 510,000kms on the clock and the engine has never been opened and the trans is original too. Now, the top end is getitng soft and the suspension is all pretty much shot, and the total bil to bring her back far exceeds its value, so its days are numbered now. But, the AC still works, as does the cruise control! One of a kind, eh?

So, its been a very good car providing hundreds of thousands of good kms, but not without some headaches, that's for sure. However, having driven other products to high odo readings, I think the 190E is probably no more troublesome as the miles pile on. One problem is the lack of inexpensive jobber parts. Our old long-gone 88 Mazda 626 lasted many years on very inexpensive jobber parts, keeping the cost of long term service very low. The 190E uses mostly MB parts exclusively.

Usually for the same money as on old 190E you can get a much newer Civic/Corolla that will cost less to operate.

[lee polowczuk]

got my son a 300e. he's concerned about the fuel economy. I am concerned for his life.

he just has to drive less, i guess..

it's been a great car for about 2 1/2 years. i hope it gets him through his final 3 years of college.

i woulnd't hesitate getting a 190e, but cramming that 2.6 in it could make for some interesting challenges around the radiator, fan, water pump. I hear its easier just to take off the entire front bumper when doing that work.

Originally Posted by Jim B.

It is your daughter. Her health and safety are far more important than gas mileage, or anything else. There is only one choice. Get the 190e, on the basis that it is SAFE, light years ahead of the other contenders. The crash tests videos and actual accidents show the INCREDIBLE safety of these cars.

Nissan, Camry, Hyundai, are tin cans. Hit a tree in one at a good speed and they will split in half. I've seen it many times. Reliable tin cans, but tin cans nonetheless.

Not even close. There is nothing else to say - the active and passive safety DEMANDS the 190e.

The subordinate question is whether the particular one you are checking out is in good condition, has a reasonable price, and is not the victim of a prior wreck, and is rust-free, with a clean title.

You have seen a Camry "split in half" when hitting a tree?

I would bet nearly anything I own that an impact severe enough to cleft a Camry in two would be severe enough to do the same to a 190e.

Either way it's not a good scenario, but let's not get carried away here. MBs are great, but to claim that a 15-year-old car that is what, a 25-year-old design is safer than a modern Japanese sedan simply makes no sense. A more modern car is likely a safer car.

[Funky_Mad]

Originally Posted by mrhills0146

You have seen a Camry "split in half" when hitting a tree?

I would bet nearly anything I own that an impact severe enough to cleft a Camry in two would be severe enough to do the same to a 190e.

Either way it's not a good scenario, but let's not get carried away here. MBs are great, but to claim that a 15-year-old car that is what, a 25-year-old design is safer than a modern Japanese sedan simply makes no sense. A more modern car is likely a safer car.

I'll just add my two cents here:
Yes and no.. with the accidents I had in my Golf, compared to my friends who have Hondas and such.. well, my Golf was much tougher. A little bump into a Honda and you just screwed up the whole wing/fender, while with mine I barely lost some paint.

So this doesn't really relate to MB, but it's to give you an idea... MBs are much tougher than VWs, no?