another opinions question!

[bub2006]

As well as the orion I have just been offered a 2.0 Mercedes 190. F plate. Not sure if injection or carb as haven't seen it yet. Slightly concerned about the mpg and cost of parts. Arches on the rear are a little frilly too!

[Pete-M]

I don't rate them at all, but others on here think they're the wasps kneecaps.

Injection ones are much better than the carb jobs.

[AndyW201]

If it's just badged as 190, it'll be a carb engine. Avoid. If it's badged as 190e, it'll be injection.

MPG wise, I've had both 2.0 auto and manual and averaged low 30s on both. I've got a 1.8 manual at the moment which is slightly better on fuel than the wife's 1.8 C Max.

 

Parts prices aren't too bad. I've had service bits from the stealership as cheap as from the local factors. For suspension, braking, ignition bits etc, GSF and euro car parts are your friends. I got a Beru OE dizzy cap and Bosch rotor arm recently from ECP for under £50, shitloads cheaper than from the stealer's.

 

I've very rarely seen rotten rear arches on a 190, they can get a bit surface rusty, but never usually rotten. If the outer arches are bad, try to get the plastic boot liners out and check the inner arches. Also check the state of the jacking points underneath and the sunroof drain holes (these will have rubber grommets in). Rusty front wings are a bolt off-bolt on fix.

 

Otherwise check for signs of hgf (oil and water mixing) and make sure it starts and idles well- hot and cold.

 

Plenty of recent history is good too.

[bub2006]

The merc was a carb model. No electric windows,no sunroof.

[nacho man]

I had a carbed 190 once, think there something like 90 bhp so not exactly exciting to drive, mpg wise I cant remember but it was like 10 years ago when petrol wasnt £1.40 odd a litre so it was probably liveable with back then.

 

I really rate them and my pops had a lovely 190e a couple of years ago and it was lovely, solid as a rock but It was quite a tight fit inside as the steering wheel is like 56ft wide and unless you have wooden legs you can plain down to be like laminate flooring you might struggle to fit in, my dad is small 5"8 so he was fine.

[mercrocker]

I would back up the carb-avoidance suggestion and look for an injection car.  Not because the carb is intriniscally inferior just harder to fix these days.  My 1800 does 36mpg on a run and mid 20s round town.   Sunroof deficiency is a plus point they are all going to be a PITA at some point and just another place to  rot.   Really frilly arches does  not bode well for the rest of the structure.   They either  rust or they dont so try and find one that hasnt, they are out there.   Early MBSH is good you cant expect  it in later life but if its been looked after from the beginning they seem to absorb a bit of abuse later.    Any signs of overheating is a bale-out job and listen out for clonky front ends - they spit springs out and the steering joints can self-destruct.   Here is my formula  for merc happiness - Avoid anything with the model number AFTER the letter - 190E is fine E220 is cack.   Find as rustfree an example as possible with good early MBSH, take it to a good Merc specialist spend a shit load on it and just do your own thing after  that.  You should get 5 or 6 years good motoring shiteness before you have to find another one.   Thats about 2 whole-life car ownership cycles  for most "normal" people and you will have enjoyed Merc-dom instead of shrugging around in dog-shit.

[bub2006]

Looks like we heading towards the Orion now. Better mpg better condition and low mileage