Due to popular request, we are proud to introduce our new, w201 of the month thread. We will be picking one w201 per month to feature in this thread. To be considered for w201 of the month simply send an email to w201ofthemonth@gmail.com
Your email must contain your BenzWorld username, first name, and location (state, province, etc. is fine). Also, your email must include a paragraph that will be included in the thread, as well as several pictures.
Paragraph: The paragraph you write should tell something about you, your car, or preferably both. Don't be afraid of making it too long, we can always cut some of it out if we absolutely have to.
Pictures: We want a few specific pictures and angles, these are...
Front
Side
Rear/side angle
Interior from driver's side
Engine Bay (optional)
And 1 owner's choice picture, this can be any angle that you think really shows off your car, or maybe a specific modification that you are especially proud of, this is where you get to let your artistic side show.
Submissions will not be selected strictly based on the condition of the car, but rather on the quality of the paragraph, picture angles, and most likely, by the flip of a coin....
For each upcoming month the drawing will be held on the last day of the previous month. All submissions are accepted up to 3 weeks before the new month.
If you make it as car of the month you are not allowed to submit for the following two (2) months.
We look forward to your submissions and to showing off our member's cars.
Thank you,
-Kynyption / n0alpha
With thanks to ridinsmooth for his ROTM thread in the w123 section
And the FIRST w201 of the month for January 2007 goes to roncor! Congratulations.
Username: roncor
Name: Ron
Location: Chicagoland
Car: 1993 190E 2.6 Sportline, Limited Edition, 53,000 miles
I purchased this car from my parents in 1998, as they were the original owners. Of course, I have the original window sticker, sales brochures, letters from MB, and all maintenance records. I have entered the car in numerous car shows, and have brought home several trophies. It is, of course, categorized as a "garage queen", and is stored every winter. It has only been through one midwest winter, and that was enough! In its original state, it had two-tone cladding (gray on bottom) and 8-hole wheels. I decided to modify it, and over the years have done quite a lot...
Painted lower cladding and bumper areas, matching black, Zender side skirts, experimented with various grills before settling in on an avantgarde. Customized lower front valance panels and cut-out holes for fog lights. Euro lights and clear corners, tinted widows, smoked tail lights, pin stripes, white face guages, wheel skin steering cover, Remus exhaust pipes, cross-drilled/ slotted rotors, painted calipers, Mille Milglia 15" wheels, Michelin 205/55's front, 225/50's on rears. Various cosmetics to engine compartment, larger throttle body, Optima battery. And, am always experimenting with some modification or another! Some pics....
Our Winner For February Is 190Evoluzione!! Congratulations Niel!
Username: 190Evoluzione
Name: Neil
Location: London, UK
Car: 1993 W201 190E 1.8 Automatic in 568 Signal Red, European RHD, 117000 miles
Details:
The car was first registered in August 1993, making it one of the last 190s out there. I purchased this car from my father just over 2 years ago, he had purchased it used in July 1997. I am the fifth owner of this car and have only recently unearthed most of its early history. It appears that this car did 55,000 miles in the first 3 years of its life, and between July 1995 and July 1996 it covered 20,000 miles!
My father really enjoyed this car as he had always been given mediocre company fleet cars as part of his job - however, the time came for him to buy his own car and at the age of 55 he bought his first Mercedes for £13,000 GBP cash. The car was apparently around £24,000 GBP new, despite being a 1.8 Auto with Black cloth interior and manual rear windows & sunroof!
In the 2 years i have owned it, i have spent much time getting the original glow of the Signal Red paint back, as well as restoring the natural darkness and finishes of the various interior and exterior trim surfaces. The car was originally rolling on 15x6.5J 8-holes, but one wheel was irrepairably damaged in the snow! So another set of slightly wider 8-holes was sourced, until i came across a used set of 16x8J Evo-1 / R129 rims. I knew they would look perfect on the car, period-correct. I wasn't looking for a set of 'statement' rims, just a tiny degree of aggression & purpose.
Apart from the black grille insert & wheels, this car remains standard. No engine or exhaust mods, and no interior mods whatsoever. The plan this summer is to get the engine bay looking as sharp as the exterior. I love the timeless elegance of this car, and feel good about driving it - most of my friends are pretty jealous and assume that this car is worth much more than it actually is!
Our Winner For March Is LeftCoastBias (LCB)!! Congratulations JP!
Username: LeftCoastBias (LCB)
Name: JP
Location: San Diego, CA
I actually purchased this car from another member, here, on benzworld. I had been passively looking for the right 190 for about a year. One of my buddies from bimmerforums/tehdriven.com posts by the name “Chivas” here on benzworld. He had this amazing Sportline LE, and was always pointing out 190’s for sale in and around the west coast.
He saw the “for sale” thread for my car and sent me the link. It only took me a few seconds to decide this was the 190 I was looking for. The previous owner is about the best type of previous owner any car nut could buy a car from. He was meticulous in keeping the car’s condition top-notch. He and his wife emigrated from Germany along with his father-in-law, who just recently retired from owning his own Mercedes repair shop. They went beyond simple preventative maintenance and really kept this car driving as if it was brand new. The motor has been overhauled and rebuilt, the transmission is fresh and new, and the rear axle was replaced and rebuilt just because it was starting to make a bit of noise. Except for a bit of A/C irregularities and the cracking wood around the shift knob, this car is just like driving a 1991 190e… in 1991.
Current mods are light and include cut OE springs and evo II 17 x 8.5 “ wheels on 215/40-17 Dunlop’s, painted lowers and impact strips, painted grill (yeah, that counts… right?), and magnaflow exhaust with custom tips.
I’ve just ordered Intrax lowering springs and Bilstien Sport shocks, and they’ll probably be on by time you read this post. Also planned: 300e or 400e brakes, 35% tinted windows (rear 5), and maybe going back to the non-painted front and rear impact strips. I will also be replacing the stock speakers and head unit (the current pioneer unit is quite dated). I also have my eyes on a 16v steering box someone is holding onto for me.
Our Winner For April Is rjb190e!! Congratulations Bob!
Username: rjb190e
Name: Bob Beckage
Location: Georgetown, De
1990 190e 2.6 Cabernet Red Metallic Clearcoat, Navarrarot Metallic (Trim) Black MB- Tex Interior
I picked up my car in April of 2006 from an e-bay auction sight unseen with 68,422 (currently 84,000) miles. I spoke to the original owner prior to bidding. My car was registered in New Jersey in 11/89. It was a 40th birthday gift the owner gave to herself. She provided a well documented history of service from Mercedes-Benz of Cherry Hill. She even kept receipts for car washes. Bidding was a no-brainer, especially since there was no reserve.
This is the first M-B I have owned. I have had several other Euro cars including VWs Saabs and an Audi or two. Before my ride home I have never even driven a 190. It was somewhat of an impulse buy. Was I shocked at how smooth a 16 year old car felt. I knew at once this was a great vehicle.
Since I acquired my 190 I have tried to maintain a high level of commitment to keep my car roadworthy, trustworthy and aesthetically pleasing with tasteful updates. I put a great amount of time, energy and resources replacing things on my car that were OK, but I felt were somewhat of a ticking time bomb when you consider they are 16+ years old.
Mechanically, I have done (or my mechanic has done) the following: Radiator, hoses, belts, uninstall after market alarm, full brake job, wheel bearings, sunroof motor, window regulators, belts, belt tensioner, full exhaust, full tune up, all fluids replaced, alternator, gaskets, filters... and the list keeps going. I still think it’s a good idea to maintain AAA+ towing insurance, free towing for 100 miles ‘cause ya never know. I have no plans to keep the engine and driveline anything but stock.
As for the look of my 190 I am going strictly OEM Euro. As of now I have euro headlights, corner lights (darker orange), taillights sourced, front impact strip with Brandenburg plate, cubby on the inside, triangle in the trunk. Also replaced was anything in the interior that was broken and showed wear (door cards, vents, wood etc.). My latest install are a set of E-Class 16” wheels with 205/50/16 tires. I just like ‘em. In the future I will install the euro headlight switch and rear fog light. Maybe a trunk spoiler and I’m still kicking the paint idea around too.
Most people can’t believe the age of my car and are shocked when they find out it’s over 17 years old.
Our Winner For May Is arnoldp!! Congratulations Arnold!
Username: arnoldp
First Name: Arnold
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Here's the essay...
My car is a 1987 190e. It was originally sold as new through Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories in Beverly Hills, CA. It was first sold as a new car in 1988. BHMA was one of Southern California’s Authorized AMG dealers during those times. I remember going there and seeing the car in their showroom. I also vividly remember the recurring dreams of owning the car. The dream of owning that car, parked in my garage with the license plate AMG 3.2. Unfortunately, I could not afford it at that time.
Let’s fast-forward five years. 1993. I was working the graveyard shift, browsing the LA Times Auto Classified add. Not particularly to find and buy a car, but to keep myself well informed of the current prices of the vehicles I would like to own. Then I saw IT. The add reads “MERCEDES 190E AMG 3.2, 555-1212”. That’s it! That one-liner made my heart beat faster. Come 8:30 am the following morning, I called the number. I talked to the owner and she verified my suspicion. It was the same car I’ve been salivating for in the last 5 years. Apparently the car was given to this girl as a high school graduation present. Now that she had graduated from college, her dad gave her an SL500. Needless to say she sold me the car for a price no one can refuse. I bought the car that very same day. When I was trying to get the personalized plates of my dreams, it was already taken. I had to settle for 3.0 AMG.
What’s in the car? What’s so special about the car? Well, it was not a true production AMG car, but AMG, USA did all the modification on it. First, they placed a 300E engine in it. Full AMG Exhaust, Full AMG Body kit, Full AMG Suspension and Full AMG Brake kit. The car up to this point only has 123,000 miles on it. It used to be only a Sunday 5-mile car until my daily driver got totaled (a 1984 Porsche 944). The car, I must say still runs strong and continues to be reliable even as a daily driver. I’m now in the market for a Porsche 911, so I can restore my 190e and make it my Sunday 5-mile car again. I have always been a w201 enthusiast, and I will always be a w201 enthusiast. Here are some pictures.
Our Winner For June Is Ruudje!! Congratulations Ruud!
Username: Ruudje
Name: Ruud
Location: California, USA
Car: 190e 2.3 WDBDA28D5PG069753.
Details:
Proudly presenting my trusty fellow in daily traffic – WDBDA28D5PG069753.
I bought it in the summer of 2003 from my sister in law who was told by her stealership that her ride needed extensive engine repair, due to a corroded head caused by cheap coolant. Instead she approached me and asked if I’d be interested in buying it for a good price – did not have to think about it for a long time. I was still living in the Netherlands at the time but my fiancée (now my wife) was really helpful in talking to one of her friends (who is a certified MB mechanic and still looks after my car) who parked the Benz in his backyard and built it back together. He finished the rebuild just in time for me to hand it over in November 2003. The original owner (a local other lady of Dutch descent) dressed the Benz up nicely with chrome rims, headlight wipers, a car phone (took it out of course) and the windows were tinted a bit darker than stock. I think it still looks awesome, especially when parked next to a lot of newer cars. And indeed stock fits well enough. I only shaved off the trunk badges and added some trinkets in the interior like cubbies, a storage tray in the console and those rear head rests. I was planning to do a lot more after a nice detail job in late 2004 but then … we bought a house. That meant the budget would be spent a lot differently. I still want to have it detailed again (although parking indoors helps a lot) plus the engine will need some more work. But hey, it still does between 300 and 400 miles a week in absolute comfort and style. All my clients love the fact than I am not driving something stodgy like a Camry or Accord.
Added the 250,000 km badge last week…..here parked in the garage next to our A4 1.8T
In the driveway – it still has that “preferred owner” sticker from the stealership – helps me in getting a free carwash every now and then ;o)
The white paint inside the wheel wells is still visible. Yes I love to keep my baby clean!
Same story here….
Despite it being a daily driver I try to not eat and drink (other than water) in here….cubbies, storage tray, phone bracket and upgraded speakers make it a great place to commute in.
Hopefully in a year or two this bay will be filled up by something called SR20DET. This means that there will be a need for more mods than just the engine, but we will see…. So far the good old 2.3 does his job, but most probably it will need another head job at around 200,000 miles (in exactly two years from now – am about to hit the 160,000 mark)
Been slacking so the ROTM for July AND August is Hamada128! Congratulations!
Username: hamada128
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Car: 1993 190e 2.3 (WDBDA28D0PG058675)
Details:
I have been looking for my first Benz for about 8 months and i was looking especially for the 190E model, finally i found this one owner beauty with 241K miles on the cluster(now reads 246K), but the previous owner took well care of it and gave me a Full history record since day 1, most repairs done by the dealer he even kept the car wash receipts, wax and detailing service records.
Gertrude
Mercedes Benz 190e 2.3
I bought the vehicle from Rallye Motors, Inc.(Mercedes Benz) in 2000. At the time it had 79,000 miles, and presently I have 135,000. I bought the care,because I always loved the MB190e, and someone totaled my 1996 Jetta. The Jetta was a fun car to drive, but once I got the 190e, their is no comparison. Many years before I owned a 1980 BMW 320i and the Benz brought back some fond memories of my 320i. The Germans have mastered the art of the road car. The cars look great, are functional, and the best of all it is a fun car to drive. Oh also very durable, when you replace a part, you will not have to replace that part for a while. My car was all original from assembly plant in Germany... Until it was rear ended while parked on September of 2006
I have made many upgrades and modifications to the car, but tried to keep its original beauty.
I have done the following:
Audio & video upgrades:
GPS: Hawkeye 2.25" x 3.0" high-resolution color touch-screen display and voice prompted guidance
Head unit: Pioneer DEH-P3800MP 50Wx4, CD,MP3,WMA player, Text,SAT Radio ready, wireless remote
Front dash: Infinity Reference REF3012CF 3-1/2" two-way
Front doors: Infinity Reference REF4012I 4" two-way
Rear deck: Infinity Reference REF6012I 6-1/2" two-way, two 2 inch port holes to the trunk
Trunk: 6in Boozka tube powered by Legacy Series II MOSFET 300 watt amp bridged
Monster Cable 304 XLN
It sounds very clean, and not too LOUD!
New complete paint job 6/2007 Mercedes Benz Artic White.
Premium tinted windows 30 or 40% (don't remember).
New MB chrome Grill with chrome grill inserts.
Clear crystal head lights (Taiwan).
Clear crystal corners (Taiwan).
Clear crystal tail lights (Taiwan)
X-Pel clear protective head light shield.
New hood pad.
MB spark plug wires.
Bosch copper spark plugs.
K&N Performance air filter.
Magnaflow hi-flow Catalytic Converter,
Magnaflow hi-flow mid (center) muffler.
Polished Stainless Steel Muffler 3" Dual Tip DTM
KYB Gas-A-Just rear shocks
KYB GR-2 front struts, boots, & mounts.
Brembo cross drilled rotors front & rear.
Pagid break pads front & rear.
Falken ZIEX ZE-512 (195 55 15)
Original Mercedes Benz 15" Aluminum rims.
Linear Mode
