The W201 Mercedes-Benz C-Class was sold from 1982 through 1993 as a smaller version of the big W124 E-Class sedan. Today’s example even has a 2.3 liter 4-cylinder engine that really looks like a scaled down version of the M103 inline-6, complete with a squared off version of the oblong air filter housing. It is […]
We’ve had quite a few features of 90s Mercedes-Benz sedans in the past few weeks…which isn’t a bad thing. Maintenance costs from a dealer are the reason most people won’t drive a ’90s Benz, but if you have a local independent shop you trust and/or are handy with a wrench, these things will provide miles of entertainment for a low buy in today. And this next one has two of my requirements for a 30 year old daily driver — a non-thrashed interior and a manual gearbox. Find this 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190e 2.6 Sportline bidding for $3,400 reserve-not-met with buy-it-now of $6900 in Olalla, WA on ebay.
There are only a few things slower on the road than a non-turbo diesel Mercedes-Benz sedan from the 80s– old ladies with walkers that have tennis balls mounted on the bottom, the movement of the earth’s crust, fast growing weeds, and stock VW Beetles. It isn’t to say the Benz is a bad vehicle, but […]
Imagine for a minute that you’ve got about five large to spend on a daily driver. You need a car that will get you to your destination with minimal fuss, and maximum class, — and you don’t really care about speed. Forget the used and abused Japanese late models that litter craigslist and instead buy […]
Most cars at this price point are far from perfect and are far from done despite most seller claims. Buy and finish quickly is the siren song of the seller. Fall for the puffery and claims in any sales pitch at your own peril. While there are exceptions and great deals out there if you […]
If you believe the self-effacing prose from automotive pundits like Jack Baruth you might get the impression that old cars are terrible and rebuilding a suspension will cost you $12,000 (Canadian dollars maybe?) and the car will still be terrible. On the opposite side of the racetrack you’ll find forum posts describing a similar experience […]
Why is the W201 generation Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG so cheap? Sure, this next one comes with a salvaged title and a mysterious SRS light illuminated on the dashboard, but this is a monster V8 powered sedan with AMG street cred and pre-Daimler-Chrysler build quality. How can this be cheaper than a used Honda Prelude? Find […]
The W201 Mercedes-Benz was introduced in 1982 where it was sold as a compact offering on the bottom end of Mercedes’ luxury sedan lineup. Over the years it has gained a reputation for being sturdy and reliable (and expensive to repair), but not sporty with the exception of the Cosworth version. However, there was a […]
The Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16V was the first salvo fired from the cannons at Stuttgart in its luxury sedan wars with Munich. BMW’s E30 generation M3 was actually second to market with a 2.3 liter high revving motorsports engine pushing out around 190 horsepower mated to a dog-leg 5-speed. For some reason the E30s are worth […]
The poet and father of Greek tragedy Aeschylus once wrote: “It is an ill thing to be the first to bring news of ill.” Is it a leap of logic to expect that being the first to bring good news is therefore a good thing? What if that news is the birth of German factory […]