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Why 190 fits you?

2K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  sranjesuper 
#1 ·
When I first decided I was headed for Mercedes land, I began driving every thing I could get my hands on. 500sel, 420sel, 300se, 300e, 300d anything I could find. I was addicted to feel, the smell and the fun. Why did I choose the 190e? Well it was a night after I drove a restored 420sel and it was a dream. Everything about it said big lovely luxury car. I went home and counted my cash, it was mine! Then I found a 190e for half the price and though. Ha I should go drive one of those just for fun. I drove up and noticed her at once, smaller, still all benz but looked a little more sporty. I got in and turned the key. Suddenly as I shifted her into drive, the seat wasn't an ez chair any more, like it had been in the s420, no this was a drivers seat! This gas peddle wasn't a means to an end but yet the beginning to a spirited drive. These breaks:thumbsup::bowdown: became a reason to want to drive faster, because it would stop faster and this car became a reason drive because I was driving it. It was NOT driving me. 190e the reason I made the change to Mercedes.


I why did you choose the 190?
 
#2 ·
It was my dream car for almost 11 years and when I found mine and have it restored (after 3 years of owning it) I can say, I will sell my '99 E320 but keep the W201
 
#4 ·
Still sexy after 20 years..... can't find such chemistry
 
#6 ·
why the 190?

A few reasons:

First: The euphoric feeling i get everytime i drive it. I was born in Beirut....anyone who has travelled there will tell you, the only cars in circulation are 190's and 300's. Driving it keeps me in close touch with my childhood!

Second: The unbeleivable pedegree of the mark, the racing heritage, and unbeleivable build quality and reliability.

Third: Its a Mercedes that i can actually afford at my age.
 
#8 ·
My grandpop and my dad had a variety of these cars over the years, including 3 190's, 230e, 300e, 500e, and a w140 s500. I wanted a 190e ever since I could remember, just something about the car. When I found one, manual, I knew I had to buy it. Ever since then, through thick and thin, she's been good to me. I will probably never sell it.
 
#10 ·
Back in High School i wanted a SUV/New car. I couldn't make that happen and slowly worked my way down the cheap car ladder. Next thing you know I end up with Mercedes, the 190E fell into my price range. The first picture i saw of the Evo2 I knew i wanted to build that car someday. Fast forward to now I found some guy who owned a replica Evo2 and the rest is history.
 
#11 ·
Since the 190E 2.3-16 is listed in the top 10 greatest-ever Mercedes build, there is nothing else left to say to the testament of the car’s history and how much it's still loved. Not even my 1992 500E has received the same praises as the 190E in the history of Mercedes models and to have the 190E mentioned in the same sentence with a Gullwing is priceless. My co-worker is dying to find a good 190E 2.3-16, and no wonder.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Why did I go for the 190?

Cliffs: 1st car, like the size, reliable, affordable, good ride, looks classy as hell, mpg, it's a Benz I could buy.
At 18 I had about $2500 to spend on a car and had been looking for a car on cars.com for months before a purchase. I looked at cars with good mpg that appeared reliable using edmonds, consumer reports and owner reviews to find problem spots. Everything seemed to point to Japanese cars like Honda/Toyota, but there was no way in hell I was about to buy a rice beater - they hold their value too long and the ones in that price range had high mileage.

I wanted a Mercedes or BMW bad because no one I knew had one. I like being different. After searching I found a 94' BMW 3 series coupe with 60k miles I loved for 4k, but parents wouldn't drive to Virginia to pick it up. Next I found an Astral Silver 84' 190D. The 190 had excellent reviews - the 190D specifically sounded incredibly reliable with some people getting 400k miles before needing an engine rebuild. That was excluding the 34mpg for the 2.2L model.

I wanted it BAD after google image searching it. Problem - the car was also in Virginia, northern tip. I took the cars.com page and photoshopped the distance to appear closer and called the buyer. The car had 77k miles and the price was $2200. So I managed to grab that somehow despite the seller receiving tons of calls after I called.

The car wasn't in the best shape with a cracked dash, us spec head lights, brake pedal hitting floor, damaged a/c vents, but by the end of owning it the car looked incredible with euros, clear corners and s600 chrome grille and a nice polish. I loved that car so much other than the 72hp, the ride was incredible, it handled well, looked classy after 25 years and was my baby benz.

After 2 years of ownership I ran into some age related problems which my financial situation at 18 didn't allow. So it was a forced sale. The same year after getting back on my feet I upgraded to an 86' 190e 2.3-16 as a 'fun car'. I could have gotten any car really, however wanted the w201 back - I just adore the model
 
#22 ·
AMGViper,

Still on 51K miles?
 
#23 ·
Still on 51k. The guy I bought the car from noted a rough idle problem. I changed the spark plugs, wires, rotor and air filter thinking that was the issue. While removing the spark plugs I recall seeing the tips of the plugs covered in oil and the air fliter box having oil gathering in the lower corner. After having the car inspected my mechanic said the car has low compression in 3 out of the 4 cylinders. So I haven't really driven it since, I'm about to yank the engine and do a rebuild. Thinking piston rings and or valves
 
#24 ·
I drove up and noticed her at once, smaller, still all benz but looked a little more sporty. I got in and turned the key. Suddenly as I shifted her into drive, the seat wasn't an ez chair any more, like it had been in the s420, no this was a drivers seat! This gas peddle wasn't a means to an end but yet the beginning to a spirited drive. These breaks:thumbsup::bowdown: became a reason to want to drive faster, because it would stop faster and this car became a reason drive because I was driving it. It was NOT driving me. 190e the reason I made the change to Mercedes.


I why did you choose the 190?
You make it sound like you were driving a 16v!
 
#25 ·
i didnt really choose mine by choice. I sort of bought if off my dad because he bought it for my mother and then my mother got a new job downtown so she stopped using it. Then it became mine.

Now 5 years later, i still drive it and love it more than 5 years ago. The thing can take a beating no doubt. Burnouts, 200km/h, drifts, all kinds of bad driving and it just doesnt give up. I rebuilt my whole engine and now im loving it more than ever. next project is to convert to EFI, nice CAI, and that should give me some good power and mpg increase.
 
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