[190E2.6]

The 190 is Mercedes-Benz' first compact sedan. It was thought up in the early 70's when the oil crisis struck and Mercedes needed a fuel efficient car that was low in weight and appealed to single drivers.
The car's design was finalized in 1979 and production started in 1982 for Europe. If you all remember that year, the 190 was introduced and hailed as a technological masterpiece for Mercedes and it was an instant hit. For model year 84, the first 190's came to the U.S. as model 2.3
The 2.6 was introduced later in the late 80's. For 1988, they got lower plastic panels. The last 190's were sold in early 1993 as the newer C-Classes took their place.

 

[Ed Mclass]

190 D 2.2 and 190 D 2.5 Turbo

Athough not as common the 190 Diesels were the MOST fuel efficient of the 190 series. The 190 D 2.5 Turbo was only produced in 1987 but is now a most sought after version. Speed and simplicity personified!

 

[MercedesMax]

I'm one of the lucky few [:D]

Yep, have to say I've never regretted the decision to buy my 190D 2.5 turbo. Amazing economy (800km per $25 tank), breathtaking performance (I never dreamed a diesel could go sideways around a corner from a standing start [}]!), beautiful to drive. What a wonderful vehicle, and how unfortunate it is there are so few of them. I am led to believe that I have the only blue one ever delivered to my province (I'm told there were only 3 delivered to BC in total). Makes me feel like my 280SL is hardly a collector!

What is even more unfortunate is that MBNA are too stupid to see there is a market for new turbodiesels (which are available in the rest of the world as we speak). I often wonder, when (if ever) my 190 eventually dies, what would I replace it with? There has been no such car for 15 years now.

 

[190E2.6]

I've been out a lot and I have never seen a 190 Diesel. How come current Mercedes models d...

I've been out a lot and I have never seen a 190 Diesel. How come current Mercedes models don't offer diesels here in the U.S?(and Canada). Don't worry, I am pretty sure that your 190 will NEVER die, its one of those cars built to last forever. What's the mileage on it right now? I hope I can get another 190 but those are all old and hard to find by now. These are reliable compared to my newly purchased S-Class.
One question: How does your 190 drive in snow? Mine feels a bit shaky and I have been told to add weight, get winter tires or not use it at all. What's your reccomendation?

 

[Ed Mclass]

190 Diesels

The Diesel 190 was indeed an instant classic. The ones that have survived are keepers. One of my close friends has two of them, both of them fully restored. Find one of them and hold onto it! MercedesMax is lucky to have held onto the Turbo as they are quite rare!
[]

 

[MercedesMax]

reply to 190E2.6

Yes, they are a bit rare. My turbo is the first and last I've seen in North America, but I have seen them overseas. In fact, I'm led to believe in Europe almost half of the Mercedes sold are diesels, even now. I was recently in Portugal & Spain. My little Opel rental was flat out at 170km/h. I was constantly passed by new C Class 220 CDIs doing about 200km/h (120 mph for you Americans []). So there is no shortage on a worlwide basis, it's just here that's the problem.

As far as being rare in US/Canada, I believe it's likely two reasons. Recently, California (in their usual brilliance along with sealed beam headlight laws etc?) have attempted to outlaw diesel vehicles. Fortunately for the diesel lovers like myself, the whole scheme has backfired. They placed new emissions requirements on diesel cars they thought would be impossible to meet. Naturally, Daimler Chrysler went back to the drawing board and in no time had a motor that could exceed the new specs (aside from the fact they burn less fuel, new diesel emissions are much less harmful than the emissions from petrol motors - this could explain why pollution is much less of a problem in Europe than it is here in NA?). The second reason is that MBNA are under some illusion that new diesels won't sell (because MB should be a luxury vehicle here, and luxury vehicles are not diesel?). So perhaps one of the morons at the MBNA head office could explain why there are so many Jetta TDIs on the road? In other parts of the world MB diesels are available in everything from A Class, to M Class, to S Class to G Class. If you are interested in old 190 diesels, they are around here, you just need to look hard for a while (I saw a couple around Toronto when there recently). Don't expect to find the turbo however, I think you'll be struggling.

In regards to your other question on snow tyres. I have a set of Nokian Hakkapelitan on both my winter drivers which stay on the cars all year round. Nokian are a Finnish company who make excellent tyres (my ones are the only all season tyre available in Canada that are also snow rated). I have had no problems in winter with either car. I live on the side of a mountain (1000ft elevation gain from main hwy to here) and have passed my neighbours' trucks stuck in the slush at the end of my street on a number of occasions. I find the 190 a great car in snow (until the turbo kicks in and I'm sideways [:0]).

Oh, and BTW, the mileage is about 217,000km - so there's quite a bit of life left in her yet []

 

[jreate]

diesel benzes

i think it is only here in the US that they dont currently sell much diesel benzes. In lima, Peru most of the benzes sold are diesels, like right now a friend just got a E 300 TD.. pretty fast and very efficient. Mercedes has always had the best Diesel engines since they were the first to invest in it after their Wankel based engines did not leave the prototype stage. BTW, if it weren't for the diesel and fuel efficiency concerns introduced in the early 70's most benzes now would be rotary engines. Dont believe me? see below:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/features/articleDisplay.asp?articleID=157

a better rotary engine than that in the RX7 up to 1993, though never produced commercially(?). only 16 in the world...

 

[Ed Mclass]

First Mercedes-Benz sedan was bult in 1936

Mercedes-Benz was at the forefront of Diesel engine passenger cars. Most people do not realize just how far back they go!

 

[livendie]

Yes they do man. Mercedes invented the first gasoline car....

Yes they do man. Mercedes invented the first gasoline car.

 

[Piotr]

MB Diesels

I believe MB offers diesels only in E-class (at least they did in late 1990's). As it happened, I was looking for a good small diesel in 1998, and somehow ended up at a MB dealership. A salesman told me that the reason MB is not selling smaller (C-class) diesels in the USre the pollution laws requiring all kinds of add-ons, that effectively kill any kind of performance out of a diesel. The only engines powerful enough to overcome all these exhaust restrictions are big diesels used in E-class. Of course, that does not make sense as illustrated by Jetta's TDI (with manual tranny 0-60 in about 8 sec). But that was an explanation. I'm getting really fed up with these environmental Nazis!! Hate'em!!!

 

[Nate]

Hey Piotr, MB offers diesel engines in all of their cars, excluding the CLK, SLK, CL, and ...

Hey Piotr, MB offers diesel engines in all of their cars, excluding the CLK, SLK, CL, and SL. But they are not available in the US due to our pollution laws and our diesel. I think that once people realize the advantages of diesel powered cars, they will become more common. At least I hope so.