I daily drive 190E 1.8 for 3 years put almost 40,000 km. The car runs perfectly. Cheaper to maintain than a new Corolla (after a few year when they start to breakdown). I even took it on racetrack at classic car festival. Very fun to drive and the fuel consumption is acceptable for me.
Im looking at a 92 190E 1.8. Beautiful car god damn. What should I look for? It's a 30 year old car so I am very scared of problems that occur. I don't mind spending a couple grand to make it run like new. Just wondering.
@@manbiteslife3110 To separate into three section: 1. Interior, 2. Body, 3. Mechanical. 1. Interior: This is mostly a personal issue: what can you live with? Especially the door cards deteriorate. 2. Body: Three most important aspects: rust, rust, rust. Look inside the boot, especially under the spare wheel. You must get under the car to check rust on the sills, especially around the jacking points. Difficult to see without removing the back windscreen, but the bottom of the back windscreen always rust. 3. Mechanical is a matter of money. Anything can be fixed.
My fair weather driver is a '92 190E 2.6 I bought 4 years ago for $700! After a proper tune up, and service it runs beautifully and the straight 6 makes the driving that much more pleasurable. Such a quiet and smooth ride. Good preventative maintenance goes a long way in making them last.
My daily has been a 1997 SL320 and I’ve loved every second of seat time. Driving to work, the store, my girlfriends, and really whatever, is honestly an amazing treat. The car glides beautifully over the shit roads here in my county, it’s acceleration is smooth and graceful. My only complaint would be just how often I have to fuel since I have a fairly long commute to work but other than that I’ve loved driving around in style. It’s as luxurious as I could possibly ever want.
My 190e 2.0 is turning vintage this May. I have Bosch jet tronic issues but after a lengthy search I found a local mechanic with an interest in classics. He has worked on this system before and knew what he was talking about. I have parts ordered and looking forward to a long summer enjoying the car with my wife and boy. 4 new Continentals arrived this morning for it as part of NCT prep.
I daily drive a 1986 190D 2.5 The car has noextras, apart from the right mirror, headrests in the back and a sunroof (mechanical). I found my dresm colour combo : silverdistel (a very light green) on the outside and pinegreen on the inside. I just did a 2500km roadtrip in Europe within 2 weeks and i LOVE it. You can repair basically everything on your own and most parts are cheap. The feeling when i get in the car is just magnificent. I love this car so much
Nice job explaining why MB products are the kind of vehicle you can take a chance on to daily drive. We drive a 1995 W140 S600 and a 1996 R129 600SL. While our fuel economy is poor the pleasure these cars bring to us is worth every penny. Keep up the good work on your channel. Mark
My daily driver 124 300CE has been brilliant! I have done 40,000 miles in her - including two trips to eastern Germany (from the UK) - and she has let me down twice. Once when the alternator died (1.5 miles from home) and once when the head gasket failed (5 miles from home). Not the most economical car I have ever driven - but I wasn’t expecting her to be - but in terms of smiles per mile she’s unmatched!
We have been daily driving older cars since 1999. Currently we have a 97 Lincoln TC that we have owned for 7 years and an 87 Mercedes 560 Sec we have owned for 14 years. Both have been great to own and drive. We take the Mercedes to a specialist for maintenance. It’s not cheap, but remember that we have not had a car payment since 1999. You can buy a LOT of gasoline and maintenance with all the savings. Neither car has broken down on us, but we make sure they are very well kept. By the way, we live in the US, in Iowa, where we have cold and snowy winters. I must confess that the Mercedes doesn’t get driven when there is salt on the roads. Keep them clean and maintained and old cars make great and stylish daily drivers.
Good for you. Keep it away from the salt. I don't have a car payment either. My company car mostly gets used during the week and I drive my 300sd on the weekends. Love that car
I agree with you man, I drive my s124 230TE 5speed manual almost daily, I got it 3 years ago and I changed it from KE jetronic system to a carburetor system and I have no problem at all
I have a 1993 W124 E320 in Antioquia, Colombia. The car was purchased new in the US but came to Colombia a few months later. I've owned it for two and a half years now and the biggest problem has been finding a mechanic who understands these cars, although they are not particularly difficult. At last we have found such a gem and the old girl is running perfectly. Only 107,000 miles. I had 6 older Mercedes in NZ between 1978 and 2010 and this is one of the best. Probably the last car I will ever own. I am perfectly happy.
My grandpa IS a huge classic mercedes Guy, hes owned a bunch of 201s, 124s, he has lots of spare parts, he knows how to and teached me to fix the k-jetronik injection system and everything. He got me as my first car a dark blue 190e 1.8, with absolutely no rust and 211k km and im in LOVE with It, such a pretty and perfect car
My daily drive car for the last 5 years is a W201 190D with 465.800 km (about 291.125 miles) here in Portugal, and I can drive 980 km per tank (55 litros)! It's name is "The Mythical"!!
Got an 190 2.0d as my first car last year. Did almost 30k km and its running and running. Literally nothing ever broke on this car. Just give them basic maintenance and these cars will run forever.
I 've been driving a '99 esprit C180 w202 for 8 years now and I ve put 100.000km on the clock since I bought it, giving it a total of 236.000km since new. I ve been very careful and detailed on the maintenance of the cars I 've owned so the same happens with the w202. Never had any mechanical or electrical issues. The only thing that begun breaking was the AC pump that was leaking and had to full R134A every year. So 3 years ago I replaced it with a new. The car has been great, reliable & comfortable. The only thing I ve regretted was NOT buying it with an auto gear box. That is the biggest reason I am considering replacing it with a 2000-02 w210 e200 Kompressor. I am very happy driving an older car and especially a Mercedes of that era. Most of my friends are giving a load of money buying new cars they cant afford or ENJOY road tripping them (because of the leases). I 've enjoyed every debt-free KM driven in my w202, road tripping her every chance I get. Daily driving an older car is a way of life you can't get out of once you 've enjoyed..
I have daily driven a manual 190E 2.3L Sportline for 8 years and absolutely love it. It turned 30 this year! I have unfortunately been stranded twice, but, as we like to tell ourselves, it was my fault! In my country cars are extremely expensive so driving it has saved me a lot of money over the years, even with the odd fix here and there and the relatively high fuel consumption. I am an academic so I will probably never be able to afford a modern "nice" car so if I replaced the 190E with something modern it would be an inferior tiny hatchback or a corolla. Periodically I have its value checked and it's value is rising, which is a plus.
Daily drive a 190d with no factory extras. 8 years ago, I installed an MS-50 cruise control and a reversing camera at the tag sign/number plate lights. Just recently some extra soft elbow rests on doors in the same fabric pattern as seats (video on the way). Everything works. No unwanted noises. I carry a set of tools, bulbs and voltage reg. for the alternator. Polishing and sealing summer rims ATM. Biased towards the w201. Thanks for the video !
I daily drive my 1987 W124 300E. It has, with it's M103 6 cyl engine, the same fuel burn as my previous 2011 4 Cyl (naturally aspirated) Subaru Forrester!!! I want to upgrade the seats as they're not the most comfortable but the rest it awesome. I do all my own work. The forum and online technical knowledge is great. I'm Australian based so salt and snow isn't a thing here. Also have a couple repair videos on my channel if it helps.
i daily my 5speed r170 lol. But i also modify it heavily. Mostly for educational purposes of myself but also for functionality or increased accomodation.
I've been driving W124's for the last 20 years. I don't disagree with anything you've said but just recently I've noticed the prices are starting to climb for used and new parts and also the cars themselves. My current 230e is mechanically fine at 178,000 miles but the rust is now taking hold. They're so comfy and soothing to drive. I love them. Good video 👍
I have been daily driving a '84 Mercedes 190d for over 9 years (127.000km) now which i bought for €1000,-. I didn't buy it for keeps, so i didn't maintain it as well as i could have. did use an old donor car which i got for next to nothing to change out worn parts like chairs and such twice. parted out the rest of those donor cars. Parts are being harder to find. My bowden cable has broken about 2 years ago, and the dealer doesn't have it anymore and can't find it used. So i'm driving my automatic as a semi automatic since then. It's rotting unfortunately, so it might have to go when the MOT expires, which is in 1,5 years when it will be 40 years old. In the Netherlands though, cars become free of road tax when they're 40 years old. So i might fix it then.
I drive my 1991 190E fairly regularly, but have only put about 4,000 miles on it since I bought it 1.5 years ago. I absolutely love it. It is not my main behicle, however - little things break here and there, so I just jump into another vehicle and leave this one until I fix it. I have it listed for sale, but the only reason for that is that I don't own a garage and live in the Rust Belt in the U.S., so leaving it out in the winter is not a great idea. So I have to rent a storage unit, the cost of which adds up. Plus I had just bought a 2004 CLK500 which I like even more, and I am not that well off, so prioritizing is an issue... If I do end up selling my 190E, I will probably regret it.
I have a 260E and I think it should be used as much as possible, avoiding extreme weather and heavy traffic. It's healthy to learn to repair it to save some money and to run from low quality technicians; use good fuel and I put 1/4 liter of 2 stroke oil in the tank each 2 months, to keep the fuel system clean and lubricated. It's not really so fuel efficient but once you respect the age and design characteristiques it can be reasonable. Other aspect is about external parts, as at some countries you may not find them easily an shipping uses to be expensive.
I still drive my 1975 450 SLC regularly to keep the fluids and mechanical parts lubed. I am retired so I don't have to go far. I do like to get on the back roads just to get the feel for what it was made for. Open it up on the freeway and drive the speed limit. So much craftsmanship and quality, I would like to think it keeps me young so I keep it maintained myself. Love the ol Mercedes Benz
Why not? Just make sure the hoses, fuel pump, brakes, cooling systems are working, should be good for many km. Only downside is that parts are harder to find
All the Merc’s that still had an oil pressure gauge are probably the best all round cars that were ever built. Possible exception with the w140 but I still love that car too even if it was lot more “electronic” than the others. I drive a £2000 1983 Mercedes 380se and pound for pound it’s the best car I’ve ever owned.
I drive a 1984 300SD daily and have been doing it since 1990. It has over 640,000 miles. Still going strong. My Toyota Camry, Kia optima, all went kaput
I had a 1987 E320 when living in Australia. At 268 I moved back to Canada and sold the car to my mechanic. I regret selling it rather than shipping it. Great car, and no rust as queensland is subtropical.
our chauffeur driven car in Pyongyang, North Korea, for a year was a totally knackered 190E. Horrible transmission noises, had done 451,000 km, but it kept going, never broke, and the driver loved nailing it round the empty streets at 60 mph+.
Once I fix my altitude and temperature sensor(b11/2) then my EHA might regulate itself a little more if not I’ll adjust it and it’ll be fine, going to get it smogged and it’ll be my daily surely after. Then I can start working on the interior and exterior, I have euro lights for it I’m going to install, wiper delete brackets, getting a new solenoid for the AC and new center vents. Replace the magnets in the speakers and upgrade the sound, get new seatbelt side covers, reupholster the seats in the front, re stitch the sides on the back seats, fix the vanity mirrors and it’ll be good!
i daily drive a 1982 240D with some honest rust spots that u might ask if it was a flood car, but my 240D loves to be driven hard and it is ready to take u anywhere, my car is always turning on and off constantly doing 50mph on the daily..
dude i just picked up a new rav4 in may and instantly had withdrawal symptoms, luckily i take the old 8valver out a couple of times a week to keep my anxieties at bay. Nothing handles like a 201 Greetings from Arizona
Fuel costs are annoying. But to be fair, it's not the cars fault. It's just broken britain. In a sensible country, there should be no issue for fuel costs.
Ya man fuel costs are fucked up everywhere in #Uganda a litre of fuel is 5010ugx that's like 1.43usd n I find it quite expensive but my s124 230TE has to move but because of the fuel costs still driving is limited for sure
excellent overview for me thinking of buying one to be a daily as I have other old cars needing major repairs, thanks! I totally agree. I think old mercedes and old saabs, and to a lesser extent volvos, are really the only two or three vintage car brands I'd want to daily drive. Even BMW, VW, Toyota, Etc. I'd be less likely to buy a 35 year old car and expect it to actually be a great, reliable, dependable daily driver.
I cover only 3,000 miles per year so even my 280E is costing less than a grand more in petrol than a modern car. I can cope with that because historic status saves me most of that anyway.
I mean you’re right about driving classic cars old cars like old 3rd gen Chevy Camaros or Pontiac Trans Ams yes reliable if taken care of like usually older cars are simpler to work on easier to keep going and yes you should drive them agree 100%
ive got a 1992 300d om602 turbo i bought as non runner for 200 bucks got a new injection pump exhust turbo injectors i put almost 130k miles great car never has left me on the side of the road
My dad gave me his 190e… I put bbs knockoff wheels and air bag suspension. I can drive it daily. I always get compliments when I drive it… I drove it to work last week and a fuel line started leaking… should be an easy fix though. 👍🏽
Cheers! I have a 250d and a 190d, and daily drive either one, often my son borrows one. They can do what any reasonable car can do for you, with fair fuel consumption. Now, if you want to know "can I daily drive x, y or z?" (old or new) ask yourself, in case of an accident, is the car replaceable, or will you go broke? Is it safe to drive? How much does it cost per km, and is it reasonable? Can you easily find consumable parts? When it breaks down, can you have someone to service the car at reasonable price? It was normalized in our society to drive a car way above ones means. It was declared "normal" to replace perfectly running cars only because you had it for x years and the warranty expired, or completed y amount of km. You probably better off with an oldish reliable car than one that is new but financed over several years.
If they were good enough for the German taxi fleet, they're good enough for me. I grew up in a W124 300TE and now I want to get one again to relive those moments, but a 200TE or 230TE to avoid the special features that gave us grief back in the day
i love my 190e have had it for 5 years. i bought it for 500 dollars, and i have crashed it twice.eats oil like crazy, and left me stranded on the higway becasue the ECU module died. and another time the fuel pump went bad after letting the car sit for 3 years with no gas in it. i did a 15 hour road trip to new mexico with it.
what would you recommend mercedes 190 2.0 diesel automatic or manual. I have chance to buy car with automatic for relatively good price. But from what I heard generally old automatic is bad choice.
In NL car insurance are cheaper for older cars and taxes are not that much compared for what you get back. So the fuel economy I don't care actually if it's fast enough. It looks good tho.. hope I get mine one day
I dont daily a classic merc but i do a classic volvo. Altho i know a few people who daily classic mercs. My friends grandpa's merc the worst condition one and that means only fading paint and a bit cracked wood trim and thats it. Interior is really good condition and mechanically its perfect. He drives a 1990 Mercedes 190D 2.0
No, we bought our 2.0 petrol 190E with 150,000 on, so far it has done 16,000 more miles with no problems. Just check for head gasket failure when buying
would it be a bad idea for me to buy two w201s to restore them, theres a relative of mine selling some for fairly cheap and they're my dream car to have
I have to replace a bunch of my Steering linkages/bushings on a w124 e320, as well as deal with several vacuume systems being dead in my transmission, but otherwise I seemingly I got a decent one and look forward to keeping it on the road. I do have a question, where do you go for technical information, I am new to this, and don't really know where to look.
For technical information UA-cam is usually very good for how-to videos, there's also sites like Pelican Parts which will have guides on jobs. For an overview you can usually get a pdf copy of the factory workshop manual for free or cheap, there's a few different sites that deal with them!
i had between 2016 untill 2018 a 190D 2.5 non turbo. 90hp but Previous owner did something to the fuel pump i think because it was quicker then a W124 300D. It had many issues like dashboard lights that are broken, also with new lamps and new cluster, nothing. a mechanic shop replaced all 10 suspensions arms in the rear axle, 1000 dollar job. After that i got rid of it. Some guy wanted to export it to africa. Be my guest.
I must say you missed one point; QUALITY. These old Mercedes were made at the time when things in general were (still) made much more quality than they are now. in addition, at that time, these were made with utmost care for quality, craftsmanship and long life. this results in a wholesale level of quality that you just will not get with any modern car regardless of price. Driving in an old Mercedes just feels... dignified and civilized. it's a difference between a well made suit and a T-shirt. Ofcourse reliability is part of it, but for me, to be able to drive something so well made, for so little money, if almost a steal or a cheat.
I prefer Mercedes from '90 but i would not drive them every day, ther is less on the road and i vould try to keep it as loong i can. I think if you want best daily that vould be Mercedes W211 E200/220/320 CDI Its moder but easy to maintaine Its cuick Its fuel efficen and look nice eaven today.
I’m considering buying a 1989 2.6 190e but the current owner said it had been sitting for 6 years, I do work at a dealership so I can have it fixed up a lot cheaper just cause my coworkers are nice and hook me up but is it worth it to buy? It has been sitting for a long time.
If you can’t do the work yourself, we don’t think it’s worth it to be honest. we wouldn’t use a dealership as it’s likely too antiquated for the people who’d be working there. It’s a generalisation we know, but sadly it’s usually true!
I had to be towed/carried a couple of times, and did roadside repairs a couple of times, ironically with the 190 2.5D, lowish miles too. Realistically the worst part of ownership is probably dealing with Mercedes - the current-day company, with TPS parts counters. As a car, the 190 is actually pretty good by any standards, except acceleration and driving position for those of lanky proportions - indicator to the knee is a tiring prospect. The door panels can go bad, and rear windows are prone to leaking. The author seems to suggest that these are easy cars to work on, but I'd say they're poor relative to their simplicity, I hate working on mine. It's a shame, for I'd love a W126 for the comfy velour interior, but couldn't and wouldn't want to justify it.. a base spec 190 is higher quality and more of a luxury car than the same era base 5 series, speaking as one who looked at swapping the Merc for the 5 - got a later 7 for DD duty.
I daily drive 190E 1.8 for 3 years put almost 40,000 km. The car runs perfectly. Cheaper to maintain than a new Corolla (after a few year when they start to breakdown). I even took it on racetrack at classic car festival. Very fun to drive and the fuel consumption is acceptable for me.
Im looking at a 92 190E 1.8. Beautiful car god damn. What should I look for? It's a 30 year old car so I am very scared of problems that occur. I don't mind spending a couple grand to make it run like new. Just wondering.
@@manbiteslife3110 To separate into three section: 1. Interior, 2. Body, 3. Mechanical.
1. Interior: This is mostly a personal issue: what can you live with? Especially the door cards deteriorate.
2. Body: Three most important aspects: rust, rust, rust. Look inside the boot, especially under the spare wheel. You must get under the car to check rust on the sills, especially around the jacking points. Difficult to see without removing the back windscreen, but the bottom of the back windscreen always rust.
3. Mechanical is a matter of money. Anything can be fixed.
@@andrevanderwalt69 Thank you brother for this response.. Very much appreciated , I don't know why UA-cam didn't notify me..
Your wrong. Corollas do not break down after a few years. I am currently driving my dads 1996 Toyota corolla as we speak and its my daily driver.
@@danielngubane7518He meant new corollas. All new cars break down after the warranty is over. Profit.
My fair weather driver is a '92 190E 2.6 I bought 4 years ago for $700! After a proper tune up, and service it runs beautifully and the straight 6 makes the driving that much more pleasurable. Such a quiet and smooth ride. Good preventative maintenance goes a long way in making them last.
What is the mpg?
Mine is a 2.6 manual 1990.
Best car i owned for the past 3 months !
bro is rizzing us up. what the hell.
My daily has been a 1997 SL320 and I’ve loved every second of seat time. Driving to work, the store, my girlfriends, and really whatever, is honestly an amazing treat. The car glides beautifully over the shit roads here in my county, it’s acceleration is smooth and graceful. My only complaint would be just how often I have to fuel since I have a fairly long commute to work but other than that I’ve loved driving around in style. It’s as luxurious as I could possibly ever want.
My 190e 2.0 is turning vintage this May. I have Bosch jet tronic issues but after a lengthy search I found a local mechanic with an interest in classics. He has worked on this system before and knew what he was talking about. I have parts ordered and looking forward to a long summer enjoying the car with my wife and boy. 4 new Continentals arrived this morning for it as part of NCT prep.
Would your mechanic let his name be shared. We really need K-Jetronic specialists.
Have 4 190es. Drive 2 every day. The others not so much. Great everyday car. Rog
I want to buy one brother
I daily drive a 1988 W124 230E. These cars are like the automotive version of a pair of old sneakers. They just get better with age and use!
Same the M102 is the right choice peppy and less thirsty
I daily drive a 1986 190D 2.5
The car has noextras, apart from the right mirror, headrests in the back and a sunroof (mechanical).
I found my dresm colour combo : silverdistel (a very light green) on the outside and pinegreen on the inside.
I just did a 2500km roadtrip in Europe within 2 weeks and i LOVE it. You can repair basically everything on your own and most parts are cheap.
The feeling when i get in the car is just magnificent. I love this car so much
Yes. I daily a 1986 Mercedes 190D. Reliable, reasonably comfortable, excellent fuel economy with a 5 speed manual. I put over 20k a year on it.
Nice job explaining why MB products are the kind of vehicle you can take a chance on to daily drive. We drive a 1995 W140 S600 and a 1996 R129 600SL. While our fuel economy is poor the pleasure these cars bring to us is worth every penny. Keep up the good work on your channel. Mark
My daily driver 124 300CE has been brilliant! I have done 40,000 miles in her - including two trips to eastern Germany (from the UK) - and she has let me down twice. Once when the alternator died (1.5 miles from home) and once when the head gasket failed (5 miles from home).
Not the most economical car I have ever driven - but I wasn’t expecting her to be - but in terms of smiles per mile she’s unmatched!
We have been daily driving older cars since 1999. Currently we have a 97 Lincoln TC that we have owned for 7 years and an 87 Mercedes 560 Sec we have owned for 14 years. Both have been great to own and drive. We take the Mercedes to a specialist for maintenance. It’s not cheap, but remember that we have not had a car payment since 1999. You can buy a LOT of gasoline and maintenance with all the savings. Neither car has broken down on us, but we make sure they are very well kept. By the way, we live in the US, in Iowa, where we have cold and snowy winters. I must confess that the Mercedes doesn’t get driven when there is salt on the roads. Keep them clean and maintained and old cars make great and stylish daily drivers.
Good for you. Keep it away from the salt. I don't have a car payment either. My company car mostly gets used during the week and I drive my 300sd on the weekends. Love that car
I agree with you man, I drive my s124 230TE 5speed manual almost daily, I got it 3 years ago and I changed it from KE jetronic system to a carburetor system and I have no problem at all
older mercedes are the best built mercedes no complicated technology, their a nice car to have and collect
We definitely agree!
I have a 1993 W124 E320 in Antioquia, Colombia. The car was purchased new in the US but came to Colombia a few months later.
I've owned it for two and a half years now and the biggest problem has been finding a mechanic who understands these cars, although they are not particularly difficult. At last we have found such a gem and the old girl is running perfectly. Only 107,000 miles.
I had 6 older Mercedes in NZ between 1978 and 2010 and this is one of the best. Probably the last car I will ever own. I am perfectly happy.
My grandpa IS a huge classic mercedes Guy, hes owned a bunch of 201s, 124s, he has lots of spare parts, he knows how to and teached me to fix the k-jetronik injection system and everything. He got me as my first car a dark blue 190e 1.8, with absolutely no rust and 211k km and im in LOVE with It, such a pretty and perfect car
Brilliant video. I daily drive a 1995 E320 W124 Coupe as a daily driver.
My daily drive car for the last 5 years is a W201 190D with 465.800 km (about 291.125 miles) here in Portugal, and I can drive 980 km per tank (55 litros)! It's name is "The Mythical"!!
The w203 is just 20years old, but with esp and the right tyres a very good winter car. And it looks great, to me😊
Got an 190 2.0d as my first car last year. Did almost 30k km and its running and running. Literally nothing ever broke on this car. Just give them basic maintenance and these cars will run forever.
Those earlier Mercedes diesel engines are beautiful pieces of engineering, you're onto a winner with the 190D!
My daily driver is a 1989 W124 230e.i do around 4000kms per month.
thinkin about a 260 1989
I 've been driving a '99 esprit C180 w202 for 8 years now and I ve put 100.000km on the clock since I bought it, giving it a total of 236.000km since new. I ve been very careful and detailed on the maintenance of the cars I 've owned so the same happens with the w202. Never had any mechanical or electrical issues. The only thing that begun breaking was the AC pump that was leaking and had to full R134A every year. So 3 years ago I replaced it with a new. The car has been great, reliable & comfortable. The only thing I ve regretted was NOT buying it with an auto gear box. That is the biggest reason I am considering replacing it with a 2000-02 w210 e200 Kompressor. I am very happy driving an older car and especially a Mercedes of that era. Most of my friends are giving a load of money buying new cars they cant afford or ENJOY road tripping them (because of the leases). I 've enjoyed every debt-free KM driven in my w202, road tripping her every chance I get. Daily driving an older car is a way of life you can't get out of once you 've enjoyed..
You're living the dream! The auto boxes definitely are smoother in these!
I know a guys with a 93 w202 diesel with around 600000km, i have one too it's great and still affordable compared to w201/w124
I have daily driven a manual 190E 2.3L Sportline for 8 years and absolutely love it. It turned 30 this year! I have unfortunately been stranded twice, but, as we like to tell ourselves, it was my fault! In my country cars are extremely expensive so driving it has saved me a lot of money over the years, even with the odd fix here and there and the relatively high fuel consumption. I am an academic so I will probably never be able to afford a modern "nice" car so if I replaced the 190E with something modern it would be an inferior tiny hatchback or a corolla. Periodically I have its value checked and it's value is rising, which is a plus.
Daily drive a 190d with no factory extras. 8 years ago, I installed an MS-50 cruise control and a reversing camera at the tag sign/number plate lights. Just recently some extra soft elbow rests on doors in the same fabric pattern as seats (video on the way). Everything works. No unwanted noises. I carry a set of tools, bulbs and voltage reg. for the alternator. Polishing and sealing summer rims ATM. Biased towards the w201. Thanks for the video !
I daily drive my 1987 W124 300E. It has, with it's M103 6 cyl engine, the same fuel burn as my previous 2011 4 Cyl (naturally aspirated) Subaru Forrester!!! I want to upgrade the seats as they're not the most comfortable but the rest it awesome. I do all my own work. The forum and online technical knowledge is great. I'm Australian based so salt and snow isn't a thing here. Also have a couple repair videos on my channel if it helps.
The best engine
I daily a 1985 280ce and a 1992 300se. Cheap to run, parts cheap, and can be fixed at roadside
1997 E420 best car I've ever had or driven (including new rentals). Gas is something I'm willing to live with.
I drove my 62 300SE with 6 cyl from high school in 74 until early 90’s. Kept maintenance up, oil changed regularly and had to replace rear air bags.
i daily my 5speed r170 lol. But i also modify it heavily. Mostly for educational purposes of myself but also for functionality or increased accomodation.
I've been driving W124's for the last 20 years. I don't disagree with anything you've said but just recently I've noticed the prices are starting to climb for used and new parts and also the cars themselves. My current 230e is mechanically fine at 178,000 miles but the rust is now taking hold. They're so comfy and soothing to drive. I love them. Good video 👍
I have been daily driving a '84 Mercedes 190d for over 9 years (127.000km) now which i bought for €1000,-. I didn't buy it for keeps, so i didn't maintain it as well as i could have. did use an old donor car which i got for next to nothing to change out worn parts like chairs and such twice. parted out the rest of those donor cars. Parts are being harder to find. My bowden cable has broken about 2 years ago, and the dealer doesn't have it anymore and can't find it used. So i'm driving my automatic as a semi automatic since then. It's rotting unfortunately, so it might have to go when the MOT expires, which is in 1,5 years when it will be 40 years old. In the Netherlands though, cars become free of road tax when they're 40 years old. So i might fix it then.
I drive my 1991 190E fairly regularly, but have only put about 4,000 miles on it since I bought it 1.5 years ago. I absolutely love it. It is not my main behicle, however - little things break here and there, so I just jump into another vehicle and leave this one until I fix it. I have it listed for sale, but the only reason for that is that I don't own a garage and live in the Rust Belt in the U.S., so leaving it out in the winter is not a great idea. So I have to rent a storage unit, the cost of which adds up. Plus I had just bought a 2004 CLK500 which I like even more, and I am not that well off, so prioritizing is an issue... If I do end up selling my 190E, I will probably regret it.
I leave mine outside in winter as long as you use a fuel preserver,battery maintainer, cover it and keep salt away it will be fine.
I have a 260E and I think it should be used as much as possible, avoiding extreme weather and heavy traffic. It's healthy to learn to repair it to save some money and to run from low quality technicians; use good fuel and I put 1/4 liter of 2 stroke oil in the tank each 2 months, to keep the fuel system clean and lubricated. It's not really so fuel efficient but once you respect the age and design characteristiques it can be reasonable.
Other aspect is about external parts, as at some countries you may not find them easily an shipping uses to be expensive.
Fuel efficiency 🤮🤮🤮🤮get yourself a M102 which is 4 cylinders
@@adambreuse1875 doesn't make too much difference and a six is much more enjoyable...
I still drive my 1975 450 SLC regularly to keep the fluids and mechanical parts lubed. I am retired so I don't have to go far. I do like to get on the back roads just to get the feel for what it was made for. Open it up on the freeway and drive the speed limit. So much craftsmanship and quality, I would like to think it keeps me young so I keep it maintained myself. Love the ol Mercedes Benz
My daily is a 190E 1.8 and i love it!
My first 190E was the 1.8 - wonderful cars!
How many kms per tank?
@@rogerblu7769 500
I always had w201's as my car repair shop's horkhorses because they literally don't break, they keep on going and working hard.
Why not? Just make sure the hoses, fuel pump, brakes, cooling systems are working, should be good for many km. Only downside is that parts are harder to find
You right
All the Merc’s that still had an oil pressure gauge are probably the best all round cars that were ever built. Possible exception with the w140 but I still love that car too even if it was lot more “electronic” than the others. I drive a £2000 1983 Mercedes 380se and pound for pound it’s the best car I’ve ever owned.
Was just passed down an 04 E320 and I love it!
Enjoy it! Honestly one of our favourite purchases so far!
I drive a 1984 300SD daily and have been doing it since 1990. It has over 640,000 miles. Still going strong. My Toyota Camry, Kia optima, all went kaput
I had a 1987 E320 when living in Australia. At 268 I moved back to Canada and sold the car to my mechanic. I regret selling it rather than shipping it. Great car, and no rust as queensland is subtropical.
our chauffeur driven car in Pyongyang, North Korea, for a year was a totally knackered 190E. Horrible transmission noises, had done 451,000 km, but it kept going, never broke, and the driver loved nailing it round the empty streets at 60 mph+.
Once I fix my altitude and temperature sensor(b11/2) then my EHA might regulate itself a little more if not I’ll adjust it and it’ll be fine, going to get it smogged and it’ll be my daily surely after. Then I can start working on the interior and exterior, I have euro lights for it I’m going to install, wiper delete brackets, getting a new solenoid for the AC and new center vents. Replace the magnets in the speakers and upgrade the sound, get new seatbelt side covers, reupholster the seats in the front, re stitch the sides on the back seats, fix the vanity mirrors and it’ll be good!
I daily drive a 1993 W124 400E...NO problem at all!!!
Beautiful V8 car you have!
i daily drive a 1982 240D with some honest rust spots that u might ask if it was a flood car, but my 240D loves to be driven hard and it is ready to take u anywhere, my car is always turning on and off constantly doing 50mph on the daily..
If you know we're to find some one around your area too recondition fuel distributor that would cost you a lot less than buying one .
dude i just picked up a new rav4 in may and instantly had withdrawal symptoms, luckily i take the old 8valver out a couple of times a week to keep my anxieties at bay. Nothing handles like a 201 Greetings from Arizona
Daily driving a w140, broken trans for 2
Years and other issues but yolo
My Daily is an 190e 1.8 from 1991
Runs perfekt and i love this car. Other cars are boring for me…
We feel the same way, I wouldn't want to drive anything else!
@@427Motorsports same🤓
I own a r 129 and w126 they do about 5k each a year . Love them both and they are built like nothing else
Fuel costs are annoying. But to be fair, it's not the cars fault. It's just broken britain.
In a sensible country, there should be no issue for fuel costs.
Yeah, we definitely get slaughtered more than most over here. It’s a real shame!
Ya man fuel costs are fucked up everywhere in #Uganda a litre of fuel is 5010ugx that's like 1.43usd n I find it quite expensive but my s124 230TE has to move but because of the fuel costs still driving is limited for sure
excellent overview for me thinking of buying one to be a daily as I have other old cars needing major repairs, thanks! I totally agree. I think old mercedes and old saabs, and to a lesser extent volvos, are really the only two or three vintage car brands I'd want to daily drive. Even BMW, VW, Toyota, Etc. I'd be less likely to buy a 35 year old car and expect it to actually be a great, reliable, dependable daily driver.
I cover only 3,000 miles per year so even my 280E is costing less than a grand more in petrol than a modern car. I can cope with that because historic status saves me most of that anyway.
Just bought one beautiful.
I mean you’re right about driving classic cars old cars like old 3rd gen Chevy Camaros or Pontiac Trans Ams yes reliable if taken care of like usually older cars are simpler to work on easier to keep going and yes you should drive them agree 100%
ive got a 1992 300d om602 turbo i bought as non runner for 200 bucks got a new injection pump exhust turbo injectors i put almost 130k miles great car never has left me on the side of the road
Have a 93 190E 2.6 drives well handles well
I daily drive a 1978 w116 280se :)
Putting this on last night sent me straight to REM 2
The only problem with daily driving this car is the gas prices haha
Thats true, especially these days. I like to imagine I'm saving on the cost of financing a new car so I can justify the gas mileage to myself haha
My dad gave me his 190e… I put bbs knockoff wheels and air bag suspension. I can drive it daily. I always get compliments when I drive it… I drove it to work last week and a fuel line started leaking… should be an easy fix though. 👍🏽
Honestly, my mom drives a 1987 230E with 1.2 million miles no problem (so yes you should daily drive an old merc)
we watching this even though i9 already semi- daily drive my 92 300d with 305k miles
I have a w203 c-class (2003) and it's the best car I've ever had
I daily drive a 1988 Suzuki Samurai and I find it very enjoyable and economical.
Cheers! I have a 250d and a 190d, and daily drive either one, often my son borrows one. They can do what any reasonable car can do for you, with fair fuel consumption.
Now, if you want to know "can I daily drive x, y or z?" (old or new) ask yourself, in case of an accident, is the car replaceable, or will you go broke? Is it safe to drive? How much does it cost per km, and is it reasonable? Can you easily find consumable parts? When it breaks down, can you have someone to service the car at reasonable price?
It was normalized in our society to drive a car way above ones means. It was declared "normal" to replace perfectly running cars only because you had it for x years and the warranty expired, or completed y amount of km. You probably better off with an oldish reliable car than one that is new but financed over several years.
Very true!
If they were good enough for the German taxi fleet, they're good enough for me. I grew up in a W124 300TE and now I want to get one again to relive those moments, but a 200TE or 230TE to avoid the special features that gave us grief back in the day
i love my 190e have had it for 5 years. i bought it for 500 dollars, and i have crashed it twice.eats oil like crazy, and left me stranded on the higway becasue the ECU module died. and another time the fuel pump went bad after letting the car sit for 3 years with no gas in it. i did a 15 hour road trip to new mexico with it.
I have a clk 280 sport. Amazing car
great video and opinion. i have 1998 W208, 2001 R170, and 2006 W220. all excellent. i wouldnt touch newer than that though.
I have a 2005 W203 C180 and it is my daily drive for every reason named
I have been driving a W201 for 5 years now, my best friend has his for 3.
The running costs have been insanely low for me.
I daily a w124. Best decision I’ve ever made
Bought a 1995 w124 E300D recently with almost 300k and a bunch of new parts and it runs amazing. I drive it every day :D
Nice!!! Our own 300D wagon is 1990 and is the same situation with nearly 300k miles too and we daily drive it as well. They’re more than fit for it!
I drive a 88 w124 daily and it’s better than my 2014 glk lol
A diesel w210 is best daily driver
what would you recommend mercedes 190 2.0 diesel automatic or manual. I have chance to buy car with automatic for relatively good price. But from what I heard generally old automatic is bad choice.
As a w202 user, i can say that old Mercedes-Benz, especially W202 is very reliable car.
We love the W202 - a good friend has a 250 Turbo Diesel, spectacular cars
In NL car insurance are cheaper for older cars and taxes are not that much compared for what you get back. So the fuel economy I don't care actually if it's fast enough. It looks good tho.. hope I get mine one day
I dont daily a classic merc but i do a classic volvo. Altho i know a few people who daily classic mercs. My friends grandpa's merc the worst condition one and that means only fading paint and a bit cracked wood trim and thats it. Interior is really good condition and mechanically its perfect. He drives a 1990 Mercedes 190D 2.0
The knock is just the lifters pressurizing
I have diesel E300D, but the diesel fuel costs 4.50 dollars per gallon, and gas is only 3.25
Is 150000 miles to high on this car, if im buying second hand?
No, we bought our 2.0 petrol 190E with 150,000 on, so far it has done 16,000 more miles with no problems. Just check for head gasket failure when buying
would it be a bad idea for me to buy two w201s to restore them, theres a relative of mine selling some for fairly cheap and they're my dream car to have
I've put 30k miles on an 1992 300sd. Best car ever.
I have to replace a bunch of my Steering linkages/bushings on a w124 e320, as well as deal with several vacuume systems being dead in my transmission, but otherwise I seemingly I got a decent one and look forward to keeping it on the road. I do have a question, where do you go for technical information, I am new to this, and don't really know where to look.
For technical information UA-cam is usually very good for how-to videos, there's also sites like Pelican Parts which will have guides on jobs. For an overview you can usually get a pdf copy of the factory workshop manual for free or cheap, there's a few different sites that deal with them!
he's a race car 180+normal but take care cool ace and temp serious in traffic jam only
a descent one for 1500 pounds? Not in here in Holland for sure. More like €7 - 9k.
i had between 2016 untill 2018 a 190D 2.5 non turbo. 90hp but Previous owner did something to the fuel pump i think because it was quicker then a W124 300D.
It had many issues like dashboard lights that are broken, also with new lamps and new cluster, nothing.
a mechanic shop replaced all 10 suspensions arms in the rear axle, 1000 dollar job.
After that i got rid of it. Some guy wanted to export it to africa. Be my guest.
Some car with electorinic fuel injection modified to use Ethanol mixture would be ideal.
I must say you missed one point; QUALITY. These old Mercedes were made at the time when things in general were (still) made much more quality than they are now. in addition, at that time, these were made with utmost care for quality, craftsmanship and long life. this results in a wholesale level of quality that you just will not get with any modern car regardless of price. Driving in an old Mercedes just feels... dignified and civilized. it's a difference between a well made suit and a T-shirt.
Ofcourse reliability is part of it, but for me, to be able to drive something so well made, for so little money, if almost a steal or a cheat.
I prefer Mercedes from '90 but i would not drive them every day, ther is less on the road and i vould try to keep it as loong i can.
I think if you want best daily that vould be Mercedes W211 E200/220/320 CDI
Its moder but easy to maintaine
Its cuick
Its fuel efficen and look nice eaven today.
We also have a 211 220CDI but daily drive the 124s and 201s more because we enjoy them more!
yes..fuel consumption first . better modern car then classic as the 2nd leisure car .
What about the 98 300E , how’s these cars as a daily driver
They’re good but biodegradable wiring looms mean they’re ripe for problems
lol, son has Heart set on one , seems like a good summer car for him
I’m considering buying a 1989 2.6 190e but the current owner said it had been sitting for 6 years, I do work at a dealership so I can have it fixed up a lot cheaper just cause my coworkers are nice and hook me up but is it worth it to buy? It has been sitting for a long time.
If you can’t do the work yourself, we don’t think it’s worth it to be honest. we wouldn’t use a dealership as it’s likely too antiquated for the people who’d be working there. It’s a generalisation we know, but sadly it’s usually true!
I had to be towed/carried a couple of times, and did roadside repairs a couple of times, ironically with the 190 2.5D, lowish miles too.
Realistically the worst part of ownership is probably dealing with Mercedes - the current-day company, with TPS parts counters.
As a car, the 190 is actually pretty good by any standards, except acceleration and driving position for those of lanky proportions - indicator to the knee is a tiring prospect.
The door panels can go bad, and rear windows are prone to leaking.
The author seems to suggest that these are easy cars to work on, but I'd say they're poor relative to their simplicity, I hate working on mine.
It's a shame, for I'd love a W126 for the comfy velour interior, but couldn't and wouldn't want to justify it.. a base spec 190 is higher quality and more of a luxury car than the same era base 5 series, speaking as one who looked at swapping the Merc for the 5 - got a later 7 for DD duty.
Where do you get parts
Autodoc and eBay usually!
Soon a w124 200d will be passed on to me, i hope i am capable of keeping her running🙂
Best of luck with her, I'm sure she will give you years of loyal service!
You still riding it? Im about to buy one with 200k
As an American, 28 MPG is really good and a 2.3 liter engine is considered very small. :-)