I have a 1987 190e 2.6 with possibly 200+k miles and the only major problems I've had are slow oil leaks, heater core failure and ac problems and this is after five years of hard driving and non maintaenance.

I believe there are no major differences in the 1987 190e and the later models.

It's a very reliable car and I've only been stranded once(ran out of gas) in the five years I've had it. It doesn't have the wiring harness problem either, from speaking to mechanics and other owners the common problems they seem to have are AC failure but you might get lucky, make sure you test the AC.

It's very tight in the back and definitely not a family car in my opinion, but it should be fine for kids, it's a coupe with four doors if you ask me. There is limited space in the engine bay on the 2.6 compared to the 300e so you might want to take that into account.

Good luck, don't forget to check the AC and look for oil leaks