I have had several W201's, always upgrading until I now own a very nice one. It's a '93 190E car that has been converted to a 2.5Turbo engine from an '87 and a 5-speed from an '85-ish car.

My 2 cents - only buy a W201 if it is completely rust free. If it has rust around the jack points or in the footwells, don't buy it - wait until you find one that is rust free.

Everything else simply bolts on, but the main unibody must be rust free and straight. When you have that as a basis, you can have a really fantastic car.

Steve.

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'93 190E/D 2.5 Turbodiesel 5-speed (daily driver)
'87 190D 2.5 Turbo rustbucket - parts car
'84 Dodge Rampage diesel - Land Speed Record Holder
'13 Ram 2500 Diesel
'05 Toyota 4Runner