I would like to improve the performance of my
190e. Because of the cost this will have to be a step by step process. I was told to start with tires and rims. The standard tire size is 185/65/15 v and have been told that
a 195/60/15 could be used on my stock rims. I've been told I could up grade my rims to
16'' and use 205/50/16 or 17'' rims and use
215/45/17. which would be better?. I have to drive this car everyday. I've all so been told not to waste the money on a v rated tire
and drop down to a h rated tire. Then i was told to upgrade shocks and suspension parts. The third was engine and exhaust. I would like some direction. or a place that i could get some good information. I'm not a racer but i would like to kick some honda butt <grin> thanks

Ps. what rims would be best? the cost range
on rims run from 100.00 to 500.00 each. How can tell if a rim is anygood?

"How can tell if a rim is anygood?"...get something that is TUV approved if your really picky. Otherwise, most stuff from Tirerack is pretty good. Ditto for the AMG, Brabus, and Renntech gear. You will get the biggest gains (per dollar) from the tires you run. Personal tolerance/preference for ride harshness is hard to specify. I might just get the 17's. Especially if your top proirity is handling sharpness. If you have the option of a H or V rated tire in the same size/model then get the H. But don't avoid a V simply because it is a V. Get the best tire you can, worry about speed ratings later. For a bevy of 190 upgrades you should check out http://www.bekkers.com For the wheels/tires give Tirerack a buzz. They have sales reps who have pretty detailed info on what sizes work with what models in what applications. Not to mention you can see what your prospective wheel will look like on your model car. http://www.tirerack.com

Shocks and suspension are something you need to think about what you want to do. Beware a "halfway" race setup. You wont be competitive at the track and will be uncomfortable on the street. Going to Bilstein "Sport" shocks works well for going up one notch past stock. A set of H&R or Eibach "sport" or "pro-kit" springs should compliment the Bilstein Sports nicely. Adrian Eckenrod or MB DOC are the real gurus of 190 tuning/racing here. I welcome their input on this if I've missed any "hot tips" for the 190.

I've never seen exhaust make significant enough gains on a mostly stock engine to warrant its cost and headache. If we are talking a heavily massaged engine, all bets are off. If you want a sportier sound then go for it, just don't expect huge gains off a muffler swap on a stock motor.
There is always the 2.6 twin-turbo kit... I'm sure if you searched the Shop Forum archives you would find some interesting info on that system. Should be okay for a daily driver provided you don't go loco with boost.

Hope this helps...Lee

Thanks Lee,
So far after reading the different postings in MB doc I think a 16'' rim with 205/50/16
tires would be my best bet. (for rim protection and a little better ride). I went to bekkers web site and found springs, shocks
anti-roll bars and the engine stroker kit $$$
I think that shocks and new anti-roll bars would increase handling? Not to sure about springs (don't want my car to ride like a truck)as far as the engine thats alot of money aprox 10,000 for a increase of about 75hp. I would be happy with about 20 to 40 hp
any ideas. what about weight reductions, are
most rims TUV approved?

Thanks for your help

I wouldn't go too far overboard with weight reductions. If we are talking ITS racer, then gut the interior. I doubt that is the case so just leave pretty much as-is. You might try removing the spare tire and backseat during an autocross but that gets a touch extreme. TUV approval is a european criteria. No chrome wheel will be TUV approved as the chroming process weakens wheels by about 30%. For cost-no-object get a tuner wheel or something from BBS. For good quality and a budget you can try Borbet. Lighter wheels are always helpful.
When you say you want a certain amount of extra power...consider percent more than actual numbers. 75 extra HP is a HUGE percent on a 2.6 motor. 20-40 HP gain...wait for Conforti to get something for Adrian's 190. Once he is doing MB then you can get a big chunk of your gains right there. K&N's are easy but not big gains. You get to a point on most of these cars where it is better to either trade up, do the "big" upgrades (turbo, stroker, NOS, etc), or just live as-is. If I remember correctly the twin-turbo is about $7500 bucks plus 20hrs labor to install.

Hope this helps...Lee

Also check out http://www.************************ and get their free catalog specializing in 190 stuff. Their number is (800) 243-1220. A 215/50/16 tire may be a better fit, it gives you more tread and less speedometer error than a 205/50/16 tire.

ok, I would like to increase engine hp by 10 to 15%. Are borbet wheels lighter than stock mb wheels? Are standard borbet wheels lighter
than chrome borbet wheels. Is it worth the trouble to add anti-roll bars and new shocks.
who is conforti, what are K&N's. will 215/50/16 fit without rubbing...thanks again

Chrome wheels are not what you want if your looking for performance or track time. As I've said before the chroming process weakense the wheel itself by about 30%. As far as weight of any given wheel vs stock, that depends more on design. An airy 5-spoke Borbet will be lighter than OEM 8-holes. When you get into forged stuff or multipiece wheels, such as BBS, they will be lighter all things being equal.

Conforti= Jim Conforti He is the best chip tuner for BMW's bar none. He is one of the few who has successfully reverse engineered Bosch code/electronics. Since both BMW and MB use Bosch heavily... He has stuck to only BMW's in the past but MercedesShop and some of its members (Adrian Eckenrod) are trying to get him into the MB aftermarket. We are having limited success so keep your fingers crossed. He is currently working on something for Adrian's 190 2.3-16. His stuff will be worth waiting for as I have not found ANY really good chip tuners for MB.

K&N is a brand of low-restriction air filter. You get a 1-2% gain in power but you must maintain the filter to protect your engine. (clean and re-oil every 1000 miles or so) You also get an increase in engine noise at the same time. Don't mess with underhood cones, only get the ones that go in the factory airbox.

Call Tirerack to find out for sure if that (or other) tire sizes will fit. http://www.tirerack.com

Hard to say if it is "worth it" to add rollbars and shocks. Your car's forte is really handling, not acceleration, so enhancing the suspension will play to your strong suit.

Hope this helps...Lee

Thanks again for the information.
looks like I will replace my stock rims with
borbet rims and work on the correct tire size
now i have to decide if i should add anti roll bars and new shocks. then wait for somebody to break to code for a power chip.
thanks again

If you do like the 190 model why spent so much $$$ on it to get it sportly ? Compared to a 'normal' 190E a 190E 2.3-16 may be a good choice for you. The stock 16V is lower, it has 15" ALU rims, the steering is more direct, the stick-shifted ones have a 'sports-layout', the bodywork is very different and attractive and it has a bit more power than the 2.6.
May this help you... :-)
Good luck, Robert Z '86 19E 16V

Thanks robert, but my 91 2.6 only has 36k on
it, and the last 16v I found was about 17k and had over 125k miles. I'm just trying to
update my handling. I just don't have the knowledge yet to do it. But am learing quick
by reading this site and others. Thanks again
maybe I might find a 16v one day

Goodquest,
I am using 205/50-16 on the front and 225/45-
16 on the rear with no problems and they are the same OD. The new Dunlop W-10 is a great
tire for the $$. Also for inexpensive sway
bars look into upgrading with OE: the front
bar on a 2.6 Sport is 25mm. All you need is the bar and bushings, a lot less than Eibach,
AMG or other kits and you will know it fits.

Just a suggestion....

Tobias,
300SE
300CE
190/5.0

tobias MB thats a great idea to use oe sway bars, I will check into the dunlops. Thanks for the great advice. Do you have any more? <grin>