Irish Old school austerity Merc 190E 1.8

[dieselassist]

Ive not long joined - I did a post on the intro thread n mentioned my merc which was nicked recently, n I managed to get it back - Dollywobbler suggested a thread about it...

 

...its typical irish 'back in the day spec' car with roll up windows, one electric mirror (passenger side!!), nursing home pattern draylon seating; the AMG kit is apparently Mercedes fitted, as is the 16v spoiler, so a real 'tits' but no teeth/all show no go optioned car...

 

I bought the car about 4 years ago 'on a whim' while up with my dad in his place Longford- I was up there collecting a skoda octy tdi estate he was selling to my sis ; over a drink in the evening he told me of a boozing pal of his 'old merc' he wanted to shift on; his mate was getting a divorced, n wanted a van - berlingo 'to ensure he got cusody of the 3 dogs' - his mate couldn't be roused to come to the pub, so the old man said we'd doorstep him the following morning... I had a mental image of a black or white hubcap wearing typical irish base model... so I was pleasantly surprised to see it was a wine metallic, AMG kitted car with cossie style alloys - SUPA'STYLIN!!!

 

Without either test driving or starting it up, or even sitting into it, I secured it with a deposit - much to my dads mates 'amazement', n later that day drove the Tdi Ockty down to my sisters, as she has kids n needed her new car; I returned 3 weeks later with the balance of the asking for the merc; seller 'fessed up it hadn't been started in 3 or 4 months; there wasn't any juice in the tank, and the inside stank of dogs n the rear seat covered with mutt hair...

The seller did have a battery charger n I sent the old man off for €30 of petrol, n after about 3 hours of strained chat, avoiding the attentions of his dogs n 3 or 4 cups of coffee, they battery had recharged enough to start it up - it sounded sweet, did the engine, so I headed off for the 120mile journey home... a few clunks n bangs from the prop n an inoperative heater (no screen demist, n only a doggy chewed rag to clear the screen on the way home ARRRGHHH!!!) n a badly holed exhaust were the sum total of its aliments at the time - I reckoned I bagged a right 'sweetie' at the time - 116k miles were showing on the clock; seems genuine in my experience of the car since... I drove it for the next few months after welding up the holed exhaust, but daily driving a petrol didn't suit 'personal finances' at the time, n I slogged about a diesel mk1 caddy pickup daily - the merc becoming 'less used'....

 

In the four years ive owned it, I sold it to my brother for about 6 months bought it back; parked it up n neglected it for 18months, recommissioned it last april may throwing a load of new parts at it -

- all new brake hoses fitted
- New Old Stock 'Black' battery fitted.
- New  balljoints  =non MB ones that my mate pressed in n didn't line up the wee marks so it handles terrible now n the drivers side front tyre rubs off theARB on full lock

 - New(merecedes parts) OVP Relay,

-New MB Fuel Pump, fuel filter;

-4 new tyres 205/65/15 on rear,

- New 'front/after gearbox' Prop Coupler fitted

-New steering damper
 

About 2 weeks ago it got nicked from outside the house here; not sure how they got the keys TBH, N it was missing for 3 days, but I put the word out on the internet, n details of it got shared around the various forums here; a member on one of them forums, spotted it in Waterford city; parked up in a carpark with the parking lights on; I alerted an gardai n they scooped it; or rather a 'contracted transport specialist' did - I got the car back/released back to me 4 days later after an gardai did a 'technical examination' - finger printing etc I presume... The thieving scum did 250+ miles in it (I had the car up at the NCT centre for testing not long before it was stolen , so mileage was recorded there) - they gave it a right raggin n the gearbox is a bit stubborn to select reverse since Iv had it back... they also bashed all the buttons to death on the sony head unit - still I can count myself lucky I got it back really...

 

A few old pics with 'I love mutts' stickers still on it from previous owner - now gone!!

 

 

 

I'll add a bit more to the thread later - it has a few other unique features like a homemade battery tray I welded up for it to replace the original rotten one - riveting stuff eh - bet you all just cant wait for pics of that!! LOL

[trigger]

Looks a nice one, especially with the body kit.

[Links234]

Gone

[mercrocker]

Yes, its heartwarming to see it re-united.   When stuff like this gets nicked its like taking a bit of your soul....

Apart from all that it also warms my cockles to see lurrve for a 1.8 taxi spec.   Wind up windows, way to go... The lecky mirror thing is just plain Mercedes common sense.  Why electrificate a mirror that you can wiggle with a waggler?  Save the wiring for t'other side where you cannot reach it the manual way.

If MB had carried on thinking like that I would probably still be interested in buying a newer Benz.

Mine gets a full MB-parts only service every year (being 91K young it still follows the dealer schedule) which I don't begrudge - they are fantastic cars that only really appeal once you have owned them for a while.....

[dollywobbler]

That's a smart looking thing. Thanks for sharing. A driver's door mirror doesn't need electric adjustment. It's within reach! I always though Merc got that right.

[Bren]

It may be giffer spec, but it harks back to a time when MB were built to last.

[dieselassist]

@ Trigger - its a 10 foot car really - the paint has gone all flat n discoloured on the kit.

 

@Links234 - Yeah; I hammered the internet hard; 'max exposure' style trying to get the word out/description out of the car; joined a load of various FB 'motoring groups' n plastered pics up of the car on there - it did work out for me... I also got on the hunt 'physically' for the car - printed up colour pics of the car n went round a lotta service stations distributing them out; it only had about a gallon n a half of juice in it when it was stolen so the thinkin was the thieving scum had to fill up somewhere ...

[Jim Bell]

Looks nice man. And well played retrieving it.

[dieselassist]

Bit of an update on this - I brought it up to be tested during the week - thursday (AGAIN!!- it had been scheduled to be retrested, followings its fail on 27th August) on the day it was nicked - so I missed that retest n had to book a full test again; the tester at the NCT centre gave it a forensic 35 minute test (vs the usual 20 min test - average time) - many cars went through while it was being mulled over - it failed on 'more stuff' this time round - worn front wheel bearing nearside n tracking out by -22 m/km - also the no. plate light failing pretty much at the test centre - what are the chances eh??

Its heavier on fuel (tho emmisions were acceptable), n the engine has developed a slight tappetey knocking sound - very slight, but noticeable on idle after a long run... ...Im actively ignoring till maybe mid next week; options are 1/ retesting it n keeping it 2/breaking it for spares, keeping the AMG kit for a future diesel 190E purchase 3/ flogging it for SFA as its go no test... I'll drink some beer heavily n see what decision will be taken after that...

 

In cheerier news Ive been offered a vr6 Corrado, with leather interior n recent respray n BBS 17's in a 'straight swop' for my scruffy dented, n mismatched paint n interior m,k1 caddy - chap wants it as a unique ad for his garage biz; Ive offered to spruce up the caddy a bit (have a matching doorcards n seats interior for it) but he says he'll take it 'as is' - I think I might take him up on the offer as it sounds like a 'gift horse' - he has the rado advertised for €3k here - I love the howel of the VR6 having had a vr6 vento for briefly for 2 weeks... its just the small matter of petrol n tax, that stopped me saying 'yes' immediately...

[dieselassist]

I was a bit busy last couple of weeks n the 'retest' period re; NCT test has lapsed for my merc; did a service on it, n the bearing fail was down to a castle nut loosening off (said castle nut has a allen headed pinch bolt which was loose) have given it a service last week, but Ive deceided to offer it up for roughly the going rate for one of these without a test;

 

http://www.adverts.ie/vehicles/1992-mercedes-190e-1-8-amg-2/6805008?notification=26bbd666d15b953bb12f29dc1203b6b7-1415394259#comment_39108565

 

tho 190Es here in that price bracket are usually a bit more shagged than mine needing, probably all the parts ive put into mine - Long term ownership etc n with it being nicked, Ive decided to make a massive loss on this - hence the price here...

If I get the asking price or tthereabouts I'll have the funds to buy a T25 crewcab which has set up for 10 years bed filled up tat n shite, rusty n needs a new diesel engine (have one 'spare') - this is the thing with VWs - you can be at the 'receiving end' of the scene tax with them; but its an 83, so qualifies for vintage tax here (60 per year road rent unlike the merc - cars have to be 30 years old to qualify for vintage classic road tax here), has load (of shite) carrying capabilities which is useful for me to carry my welding gear about in, like I did in the mk1 caddy before I 'retired' that due to backache... hopefully I can recoup some scene tax back outta that but it does need some welding n other fixes before I present it to the pimpled masses for sale...

[PiperCub]

Nothing wrong with that or the spec - less to go FUBAR. I like these old wagons alot.

As Bren said, from the days when MB built their cars properly & were proud of it (ie: when the company was engineer-led not accountant-led).

[mercrocker]

190E basic, rusty T25.....Living the dream.  

[dieselassist]

...not been on here in a bit; but to update this - it started playing up brakes wise; they stuck on after a longish run... I did a bit of brake work to it, chasing the problem, n when I thought id cured the problem, it randomly reappeared; a gentle double tap of the brakes 'released' them sticking... I got a bit fed up with these shannigans, n my loved for the car was again' tested'!!! Lost a bit of love for it basically...

 

Id agreed to buy a fully restored MGB GT from my uncle (again before Xmas - more on the MGB later) so with space at a premium, I decided to sell the 190E....

 

Anyways I advertised it over Christmas (an optimum time to advertise a car)... lots of timewasters, but long story short it shifted last sunday night; a pair of Merc enthuastiasts bought it n are goin to respray it etc... I could have done better selling price wise, but at least its gone to some merc fetishists who will give me tlc/ love it....