This 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190D is finished in Nautical Blue Metallic (929) over a Blue (172) MB-Tex interior and is powered by a 2.5-liter diesel inline-five paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Equipment includes an electric sliding sunroof, fog lights, 15″ alloy wheels, and climate control. The car reportedly spent time in Colorado, New Mexico, and New York prior to its acquisition by the seller two and a half years ago. Recent work is said to have included replacement of the dash, belt tensioner, tires, steering idler arm bushings, engine mounts, OVP Relay, clutch, alternator, glow plugs, diesel return lines, fuel filter, brake booster unit, brake rotors, brake pads, front crank seal and the starter. This W201 shows 181k miles and is offered by the seller in Georgia with a clean Carfax report, OEM tool kit, partial records, manufacturer's literature, stamped service booklets and a clean Georgia title.
The body is finished in Nautical Blue Metallic (929) with black bumpers and side moldings. Exterior equipment includes European H4 head lights, front fog lights, a mono windshield wiper, asymmetric side mirrors, an electric sliding sunroof, and ribbed taillight lenses. Blemishes including clear coat failure on the roof are displayed in the gallery. The hood has been repainted under previous ownership and the tow hook cover is missing. The car is reportedly rust-free top and bottom with the exception of corrosion on the OEM muffler.
Factory 15″ alloy wheels are wrapped in Michelin Defender 185/65 tires showing 2018 date codes. No paint fade or curb rash is noted on the OEM wheels. A full-sized spare OEM wheel is included in the trunk mounted with a Yokohama AVID tire. The seller has had both the brake pads and rotors replaced along with a new brake booster.
The cabin is upholstered in Blue (172) MB-Tex with matching door panels and Zebrano wood trim on the center console. Amenities include air conditioning, cruise control, a power-adjustable passenger-side mirror, power windows, central locking, and an aftermarket stereo. The front seats wear contrasting gray sheepskin covers and the excellent condition of the front seats is displayed in the gallery with the covers removed. The A/C system has been converted to R134a and has a slight leak but reportedly blows cold. The seller notes that the cruise control actuator unit was removed by the previous owner and is therefore inoperable. Under the seller's tenure, a new dash has been installed which is free of any blemishes.
Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer, an analog clock, and auxiliary gauges for fuel level, oil pressure, and coolant temperature. The six-digit odometer shows 181k miles, approximately 16k of which were added by the current owner.
The 2.5-liter OM602 diesel inline-five sends power to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Service in the past few years reportedly included an oil change and replacement of the following components:
The Carfax report shows no accidents or damage with history in Colorado, New York, and Georgia along with linear mileage updates throughout. This W201 shows 181k miles and is offered by the seller in Georgia with factory literature, stamped service books, a clean Carfax report, OEM tool kit, partial records, and a clean Georgia title.
A cold start video is viewable below.
The 190E was a smashing success when it was introduced in 1982 and enjoyed one of the longest, uninterrupted showings of any body style in the modern Mercedes era. With classic Sacco styling, economical usability and notorious reliability, these little benzes that could quickly became favorites for commuters and daily-drivers across the globe. This example tops the heap of economical reliability as not only a diesel, but a 5-speed manual example; allowing for approximately 42mpg on the highway and 35 in the city. Finished in a gorgeous blue on blue color combination, this baby benz will surely go on to ferry well-rewarded passengers for decades to come with very little to show for it in terms of repair bills or gas station receipts. There are few smarter moves than acquiring a well-kept, well-maintained manual 190D like this one. The smart money takes this little one home for keeps and reaps rewards ad infinitum for pennies on the dollar.
Open Transit:
Enclosed Transit:
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23 Comments
ok@zoccierampqt good pricegood price@Joeg -- Congrats. If you change your mind let me know, or if you want to sell down the line. I have been following this and last min had to step out :(Oh my -- following for days and then last min distraction... what a loss... Congrats buyerCongratulations to @Joeg! You're getting a great car and a really, really great price. Wish we had crossed the $5k barrier but such is life. Thank you to everyone who checked it out!Great buy! @Joeg$4,250 bid placed by @Joeg
@PKDavidson - Thanks much! - I had the exact same car in Silver that I sold earlier last year and boy I miss it.@zoccierampqt 1) Dash was replaced by previous owner. He found a crack free example and put it in. Looks perfect. 2) All windows work, though the back ones are a bit slow. Just replaced the driver's window motor and greased everything. Works great now. 3) Paint on hood is pretty decent. There are a couple of stone chips. No serious scratches on the hood. There's a small dent and chip on the sunroof from a stone getting tossed on me from an overpass (pictured). And also there's the fading on the roof and on the left rear quarter panel (pictured). 4) Have been using either Liqui Moly 15W40 Touring High Tech Diesel Special Engine Oil or Shell Rotella T4 15w40.Hello - four things please. a) Can you explain the picture where the dash has been taken out 2) All windows work? 3) How is the paint on the hood, seems there are cracks in paint and 4) What engine oil have you been using?@Aflaks I have looked and looked and looked and haven't found anything specific. I saw some oil on the skid plate recently when I did the last oil change and a little bit from underneath the oil pan. It was maybe a tablespoon all told.@PKDavidson Do you know what's leaking?@Aflaks Wet spot is condensation from the A/C. It does that everywhere I go. It's got a slight oil leak underneath but I haven't noticed any abnormal consumption on the dipstick and no spots in my driveway. The front crank seal was just done. No sign of transmission or diff leaks.I actually see a wet spot under the car in the lead photo, what is that? I guess to follow up do you have more underbody shots? besides AC does anything else leak? Oil, transmission, diff, etc? thanks againThis is bad value, probably only get another 20 years of use out of it.@PKDavidson thank you!$4,000 bid placed by @zoccierampqt
@Aflaks Not sure how it works on this site, but I've got a PDF together with all of my receipts. I haven't included oil and filter changes in this because I didn't keep those receipts. But I have kept up with oil changes myself every 3000 miles as well as the fuel filters which were changed very recently. I've always used either LiquMoly diesel high mileage oil or Shell Rotella T4. The black squares in this PDF are my redacted personal info. Edit: updated link to include some more receipts. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l4VFcUyHJAFO-GhzsNLOuGFGQ07r1ULt/view?usp=sharingCould you please post the receipts separately? thanks in advanceA beautiful, well-preserved example, in a rare color for 190s. Great to see the door cards are still relatively intact, and the webbing behind the front seat is tight. I would suggest, that having owned several W201 cars - as compared to W123s, one would find this a superior ride, thanks to the innovative multi-link rear suspension that was introduced with this model, which was so well-engineered, that versions of it survive to this day, in some M-B and Chrysler models. Although the rear seat area is a bit tighter on the "Baby Benz".$3,750 bid placed by @Josh
$3,500 bid placed by @Roberthickey698
$1,000 bid placed by @BogBenz
@Wendall I have driven several w123s. I'd say acceleration-wise this is on par with a w123 turbo diesel as the 190D is a bit lighter and the 2.5L 5-cylinder has about 20 more horsepower over the 240D. The manual makes all the difference too. It's a little more nimble and modern feeling than the w123. I really love how this 190D perfectly combines handling and that vintage Mercedes smoothness and comfort we all love. To me it's the perfect combination of driving a w123 or w126 and a BMW 3-series. I owned a 1975 w115 240D many years ago and the engine in my 190D is far smoother in acceleration. It's a blast to drive and keeps up with modern Atlanta traffic well enough.Hey PKDavidson, any chance you've driven a diesel W123? I let go of a 240D last year and there is just something about a NA diesel engine that has my heart. Wondering if you had any basis of comparison. I'm right up the road so I'm watching closely. Thanks!Hello everyone! Thanks for taking a look at my 190D. I've loved this car while I've owned it and am happy to answer any questions you may have. If you're interested in driving the car home instead of having it transported I do think it's very reliable to drive any reasonable distance. It is located fairly close to the Atlanta airport, making the exchange fairly easy. Happy bidding!Who needs hybirds and electric cars when you could have this!? Love these classic diesels$500 bid placed by @Patek4Matic