Mercedes-Benz 190 (1983 – 1993) Review

Mercedes-Benz 190 (1983 – 1993) At A Glance

Smart and compact Mercedes-Benz, excellent performance in six-cylinder form, and good value

Cramped in the back, sluggish performance in diesel and basic 2.0-litre forms

Ask Honest John

Should I buy trade my Mercedes-Benz 190E in for a newer S-Class?

"I do one trip of about three non-winter months in the UK per year where I keep my Mercedes-Benz 190E (no problems) garaged. I am considering replacing it with a W221 S-Class. The car is home garage stored for nine months of the year. My budget is £8-14k. Is this a bad idea?"

I think you're asking for trouble, to be honest. An S-Class is a complicated car that won't like being stored for nine months of the year. I'd be tempted to keep the 190E - not only is it a much simpler car that'll be okay left for long periods, but it will also appreciate in value with a bit of care.

Answered by Andrew Brady

Should I import a classic from Japan?

"I want to buy a classic car and keep my day to day car, my wife doesn't agree. She thinks that because we're retired and do around 4000 miles a year, a good useable classic would cost less to run than two cars and be enjoyable to drive and look after. I've found a garage that imports Mercedes-Benz models from Japan, they say cars in Japan are very well looked after and have low mileage, the climate means rust is not common either. I've seen a Mercedes-Benz 190E with low mileage. Is there a drawback to buying such a vehicle? What should I be careful about?"

Your question raises quite a lot of points, so I'll do my best to deal with them one by one and offer some advice. Whether or not you can rely on a classic depends entirely what you're planning to use the car for and what kind of classic you buy. If you're not doing many miles, then in theory you could rely on a classic. But what sort of miles are they? Older cars don't really appreciate very short trips to the shop. Do you have to travel to see family? Or a holiday abroad? In these cases, you might appreciate creature comforts such as air-con and a good radio as well as improve fuel economy that modern engines offfer. And what's the plan if the worst happens? The garage that looks after your modern car may be just a few miles away and able to offer a replacement courtesy car. But which garage will look after your classic? And how will you get about while it's being looked after? These are old cars and you need to budget time and money for TLC. Classic cars are a great hobby. And if you choose something mechanically simple like a Morris Minor or Triumph Herald, you'll have the added pleasure and satisfaction of being able to tinker with it... if that's what you want to do. There's also an excellent social scene around them. Clubs that cater for MGs and Jaguars (just two examples from) have lots of events and meets you can attend. Will both your wife and you attend? Or will she need a car on days/weekends your away with your classic? As for importing a car from Japan, it's true these cars are often more rust free. But with a car like the Mercedes 190, which was well rust-proofed to begin with, you really shouldn't have any trouble finding a good one in the UK. Remember, low mileages aren't always a bonus with cars. We've had plenty of old cars that have caused more than their fair share of headaches because they were low-mileage. For example, if it's not been stored correctly, the fuel tank could corrode through lack of use causing rust flakes to gum up the fuel filter or get into the engine and cause problems. Insurance-wise, you'll find that most classic policies are competitive. This is because many impose mileage restrictions (which shouldn't bother you) but also because they expect you to have another car to do some of the heavy lifting.

Answered by Keith Moody

Where should I sell a Mercedes 190E?

"A friend has a 1992 one-owner Mercedes 190 1.8 automatic with very low mileage (under 50K). It has hardly been used for the last 11 years and was last started at least five years ago. Before then it ran perfectly well. It has been garaged in the dry all its life and has no accident damage. It has no MoT and is on a SORN. How and where should she go about selling it? Should it be sent to auction as it is or overhauled and MoTd first?"

While this is definitely an emerging modern classic, values are currently on the low side. If your friend can do the work themselves, then a runner will be worth more and be more attractive as a sale proposition than a car that's being sold as a project. If not, they could always get the car to a local garage for an inspection and a full quote of what's needed - in some way this may not be a bad idea as at least then any potential buyer will have an idea of what's required. In terms of selling, it depends on how much time your friend wants to invest. Maximum value will be achieved by placing adverts for the car on sites like eBay, Car and Classic... and we also have our own cars for sale listings. Social media is also an increasingly popular way of advertising cars and there is also traditional print titles: weeklies such as Classic Car Buyer and Classic Car Weekly, and an array of monthlies. As you can imagine, such wide coverage will generate a fair few phone calls. And, if the car stays as a non-runner, then there will be plenty of questions to answer (so try and cover off most of these in the advert listing). Sending it to an auction will reduce the hassle factor, but remember there will be a cost to include it in the sale and the auction company will take a percentage of the final price (or a minimum amount if it's low value). You'll also have to pay to get it transported.

Answered by Keith Moody

How much is my 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190 worth?

"I've got a tatty 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190 with a full MoT (though it has some advisories) and full service history. It has a rust hole in the front offside wing, a dodgy paint job on the rear nearside passenger door, and a crack in the windscreen. Any ideas what it might be worth? Would it make any difference if I got the door repainted and the hole in the wing fixed?"

Although Mercedes-Benz 190 make a great choice for a modern classics, they've still got a lot of ground to make up when it comes to prices. As such, projects can be had for as little as £500 while on-the-road examples in need of TLC tend to go for about £1250 - £1750. Head over to a dealer and you'll be paying £3000+ for the best examples. Have a look at some vehicles similar to yours and get some quotes in for the work you need. You might find that you'd be better off trying to sell it as it is - or you might find that investing some money in it now could pay dividends when the time comes to sell.

Answered by Keith Moody

More Questions

Driving Mercedes-Benz 190 (1983 – 1993)

Even by today's standards, the Mercedes 190 is quite a car. Sure, it might not have bluetooth, air-conditioning and an expensive stereo. But it is quiet, comfortable and competent. It's modern enough to feel familiar with five-speed gearboxes fitted to later cars, along with an 'E' badge.

The 'E' stands for Einspritzung - or fuel injection. Another feature that gives this upcoming classic its modern feel. And just because it's getting on a bit, don't think it's slow. Fuel-injected versions of the compact car from Stuttgart can hit 60mph in 10.5 seconds, so they're more than capable of keeping up with modern traffic.

Early carburetted models will celebrate their 35th birthday in 2017, but despite their age they still feel solid and well bolted together. In fact, this model is legendarily over-engineered with plenty of tales of models covering 500,000 miles before needing major work.

Indeed, Mercedes has a 190E with more than 200,000 on the clock which still looks and feels as fresh as the day it left the dealer - although it has benefited from excellent TLC, no doubt. But the point remains - look after these cars well, and they'll look after you.

That's especially true, should the worst happen. Anti-lock brakes were optional, but the 190 also came with airbags and seat-belt pre-tensions. And, well, just look at it - it's hardly the kind of car that's going to crumple (unless rust has set in).

What's it like to drive? It's exactly as you'd expect - a solid-cruiser. More than capable of covering considerable motorway miles in comfort. The steering is easy to work with (or light and vague), which doesn't inspire you to press on over B-roads, but it's perfectly likeable all the same.

If you want something to really rival the BMW 3-series (E30) in terms of dynamics, you'll have to look towards the top of the range. A six-cylinder 2.6-litre was available while 2.3-16 and Cosworth models are still quick - but very expensive.

But if you're looking for a modern classic that doesn't cost the earth, is reliable and easy to work on, and a car that you can use every day while happily taking the family out at weekends, we reckon you can't go wrong with a 190E.

Mercedes-Benz 190 (1983 – 1993) Buying Guide

Good

• Build quality, solidity, door latching system.
• 14' 7" long by 5. 6" wide and from 1,080kg.
• Takes age and mileage very well indeed if properly maintained.
• 1989 model-year facelift brought more legroom in back.
• Hard, flat seats like those of W123 are longest-lasting seats I know.
• Good autoboxes.
• 190 2.0 carb engine has 90 bhp, 1.8 injection 113 bhp, 2.0 injection 122 bhp. Was a 136 bhp 2.3 injection in Europe, LHD only.
• Better built than C Class that followed.
• Lots of 200k + mile examples around, still in very good shape. MB single indicator and lights stalk on right of steering column where it should be.
• www.mtsv.co.uk is a highly recommended specialist both for buying ans selling at fair prices.

Bad

• Hard, flat seats not comfortable for everyone.
• 'Simplex' timing chains on pre-1989 model-year cars prone to snap at around 60,000 miles.
• Some facelift cars (with lower body side-moulding) used up old stocks of 'Simplex' engines.
• Tinny boot lid.
• Clumsy manual gearbox.
• Mechanism of single arm wiper needs freqent greasing and is not included in normal Mercedes service schedules.

Watch

• If buying an 'F' or 'G' four-cylinder 190 or 190E, open the oil filler cap and look at timing chain underneath. Single link = 'Simplex'; Double link = 'Duplex'.
• If buying high mileage, make sure service records show 5,000-mile oil changes.
• 190s more than 10 years old may have started to rust.
• Clonking autoboxes.
• Noisy rear axles.
• Power steering leaks.
• Kerb damage to front suspension (look for uneven tyre wear).
• Clocking of these cars is rife so a full service history with receipts and old MOTs tells you a lot more than that the car has been properly serviced.
• 16-12-2011: If single arm wiper starts to slow down, lift the flap on the bottom of ther arm and lubricate with graphite oil.
• Clocking.
• Uneven tyre wear a particularly bad sign on this one as could have been crashed.
• 190 2.3 Cosworth was single chain 175bhp, changed to duplex on 2.5 version.  Simplex chain needs changing every 70,000 miles.

Running Mercedes-Benz 190 (1983 – 1993)

• Club: www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
• Usergroup linked to 'Mercedes Owner' magazine www.mercedesclub.org.uk
• Useful online forum: www.mbclub.co.uk
• Specialist: www.mtsv.co.uk

Mercedes-Benz 190

Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16