the cluster would support being well garaged or at least out of the sun. The needles are still very orange.
Or the cluster has been replaced.
Thanks for all the input folks. I didn't feel bad about buying that Ridgid table saw that was on sale today becauese I'm not about to drop some cash into another car. Thanks for saving my wallet
I also spent some time with my 190 last night, replacing the blower motor, lubing the wiper mechanism and the night before I swapped the window regulator. Things I haven't had time to do for the past few months. Now that all of those things work really nicely I'm in love with the car again and I think I'll just keep it until it dies, I've put a lot of time and money into it. Wish it was pretty but oh well.
It's one of those things .. you see an ad, the pics look mint, the car is described as mint and you get really excited! (and post a bunch of pics online) Once the excitement of the initial fantasy wears off though the reality sinks in. I appreciate the level heads.
It is a nice colour combo though, I really do like. If anything it's solidified my lust for a nice one.
The milage on the car may be correct, but it was not taken care of. As mentioned, the gauge needles are still bright which you usually see in cars that are garaged and not exposed to the sun for exteneded periods. The problem is the car probably had a number of short distance drives which put more wear and tear. My biggest concern from looking at the pictures is that the car appears to be driven hard and put away wet.
Vehicle: '84 Euro 500SE, '85 Euro 2.3-16, '51 Euro 170S, '97 Jeep Wrangler Sport, '08 BMW Z4 3.0si, '09 E350
Location: San Antonio, Texas/Pensacola, Florida/Neustadt a.d. Aisch, Deutschland
Posts: 3,319
If you've got the patience, and the cash, hold out for a nice Euro, with the right bumpers, that's been well-cared for.
I would have NEVER bought a W126, ever. I could never get into the NAM bumpers, but one day I found mine locally here on CL, Eurospec with a neat history, and I had to go see it. After the test drive I bought it right on the spot.
In 11 days, he'll be a 29 year old car, and I've done very minimal stuff on it because it's all pretty much good to go.
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'85 Euro 190E 2.3-16 "Valvy" - Driving from Cali in June
'84 Euro 500SE ~96k miles *Duriel, the desert prince*
'51 Euro 170S *Being reborn*
'97 Jeep Wrangler Sport ~40k miles
'08 BMW Z4 3.0 si ~14.3k miles
'09 E350 ~48k miles
Had a closer look at those picstures. It appears that the car may also have had a repaint/respray at some stage.
Probably explains the paint bubbling near the left front fenger/guard.
The 190E 2.6 is a great car. I've owned a Cosworth and looked after a 2.6 w201 for a few weeks. For driveability the 2.6 is likley the better car over the w126. People say that the w201 was subjected to the same build quality as the w126. I'm not so sure about that but both the w201 and w126 were subjected to the same Engineering and Design.
This is similar to what is happening today where a car is Engineered in Germany and assembled/manufactured in another part of the world. If the Engineering and parts manufacturing is spoton then any monkey can assemble it and end up with a reasonable product.
What I am saying is that your current car is an extremely well engineered machine. With proper care and quality parts replacement it will last and give you lots of pleasure. Now the w126 IMO is on slightly higher level plane from the w201.
They generally require more maintenance, attention to detail to parts replacement and more overall care. BUT, find a good one and it is worthwhile keeping. Also consider a 420SE and/or a 420SEC.
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Location check: Auckland, New Zealand
1990 560SEL 220kw/300hp 199 Optimus Black Pearl baby !
Rear Blind, ASR, AMG OZ 3 piece
Parts to fit : AMG Kit, Custom exhaust system, Eibachs, Bilsteins, AMG steering wheel.
Blackson (Son of Optimus Black) 560 SEL LHD w/m119 for parts
Non MB 72 Porsche 911 Carrera RS rep, 66 VW Kombi, 67 VW Beetle
Thanks. I like my w201 a lot but it needs a paint job and I wish it were bigger, I have an old sailboat so moving stuff around is a bit of a pain. The car I most want is the w124 wagon but it's unrealistic around here, most of them 4matic and pretty well all of them with rust issues. If my car was perfect I wouldn't be straying but it's my first car and I kind of just dove into it because the car was on the road and cheap. It's been a great car but for the amount of time I put into working on it I kind of want a nicer car, and a safer car. I might keep the 190 as a winter car, I have the tires for it and I'de hate to drive a nice w126 in the salt.
Vehicle: '82 Euro 500SEL, '84 Euro 500SEC, '86 Euro 500SEC RUF 200KW,
Location: Acton, CA / Kingman, AZ
Posts: 6,386
There was one 420SEC offered for sale in Texas earlier this year and it is the only one I have ever seen in the states.
__________________ "I know you think you understand what you thought you heard me say, but what you thought you heard me say is not necessarily what I meant!"
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