The W201, now more commonly known as the 190, was the result of a hefty £600 million investment by Mercedes-Benz to create something which would take on the popular BMW 3-Series. Launched in 1982, the 190 was a massively over-engineered car that had features such as ABS, seatbelt pre-tensioners, anti-dive and anti-squat suspension as found in the more executive models such as the E and C-class. 

The 190 also had a completely new chassis design which was developed purely for the W201. This new set-up gave the 190  excellent handling characteristics, with precision steering, making it a pleasure to drive whichever choice of engine you went for. From the 1.8 litre, 2.0, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6 petrol engines or the 2.0, 2.2 or 2.5 litre diesel engine, there was certainly something for everyone, covering all bases against the likes of BMW with their 3-Series. 

Production for the 190 ran for an impressive 11 years, selling over nearly 2 million units worldwide, and often seen clocking up super high mileage has shown just how popular this reliable, well equipped and over-engineered German automobile is. 

The seller of this lovely, and largely original, 1991 Mercedes-Benz 190, has been the keeper since the beginning of 2022. No, it’s not very long, but the seller is a huge Mercedes fan and especially anything around the late 80s to 00’s era. The seller quite often has two cars on the go which enables him to move one on without leaving him without transport. 

This means as soon as he sees something of interest, usually a Mercedes with excellent history and mainly original, he’s putting one of his two up for sale to enable the purchase of the next 90’s treasure.  

The V5 is present and shows 7 previous keepers for the vehicle, and there are 2 keys present. 

The original owner's handbook is present, together with the all-important service book, which has 17 service stamps, 6 brake fluid change stamps and 4 coolant flushes, plus other service invoices where they've not stamped the book and just given an invoice.

There's plenty of bedtime reading when you start to look at the extensive history of the 190. The car looks to have been really well maintained throughout its life by all of the former keepers, as you can see from the sheer number of invoices present. 

There is a valid MOT on the vehicle which runs until the 19th December 2022. On the previous MOT, there was an advisory reporting some corrosion near to the jacking points. This has all been addressed by the seller to give the new keeper peace of mind. 

Finished with a Beige fabric trim (065), the seats are in good order with just a wear patch to the driver's side bolster, as often seen with vehicles of this age and mileage. The rear seat is also in good order and doesn't look to have seen a great deal of use in its life. Just above, on the rear shelf, is the first aid kit storage area, which does still have the original first aid kit. The door cards are all in nice condition with no noticeable scuffs or damage to be seen. 

Sitting in the driver’s seat of the Mercedes, the steering wheel shows little signs of wear, and just behind, the instrument cluster is all working as it should with the odometer displaying a reading of 166,663 miles. The dashboard itself is free from any damage or scuffs. Towards the centre, the heater controls are in good order and work as they should. 

There is a small amount of age-related wear to a couple of the switches. An aftermarket head-unit has been fitted which is a CD player and will also accept a USB stick, and this is connected to an electric aerial, which does sometimes stick a little when lowering. Lower down, the gear leaver and wooden surround are both in nice condition and the surrounding switches for the windows show little signs of any wear to them.

The carpets are in good condition thanks to a set of factory mats fitted to both the front and rear of the car. Up above, the headlining shows no signs of sagging and the sunroof opens as it should. In the boot area is, again, nice and clean. The warning triangle is present and mounted as it should be to the boot lid, and lifting up the boot floor reveals the spare wheel, jack, tool kit and removable tow bar.  

Finished in the unusual colour of Pajett Red Metallic (587U), this 1991 Mercedes-Benz 190E presents itself really well. It does look to have had some paintwork to the bonnet and maybe the wings, as there are some patches of micro blistering on the bonnet. What paintwork it has had done does look to have been some time ago as it does look to have aged in well with the car. 

The bonnet looks to align as it should with the wings, bumper and headlights. There are a few stone chips to the leading edge as you would expect, and the same can be said for the lower section of the bumper. The headlights do have a small chip in each, which does cause some condensation to gather in them. The headlight wipers are working as they should and the indicators are in good order. 

Moving to the sides, and there is just one small ding to mention on the rear of the nearside quarter, which has unfortunately lifted a small amount of lacquer. The rest of the car is free from any dents or dings. There is a small area of blistered paint on the backside of the driver's rear arch, and just above the lower trim section on the driver’s door, but considering the age and mileage of the 190, this is certainly less than you would expect to see. The trim around the windows is all in very good condition, with no areas for concern, and the glass is also in good order with just the odd few age related marks, as often seen.    

To the rear, there are no scuffs to mention. There is a removable cover on the lower section of the bumper that enables you to fit the genuine factory fitted Mercedes-Benz removable tow bar. The light clusters are in good condition with no splits to be seen, and the badges fitted to the boot lid are bright and clean with no tarnishing. The boot lid aligns as it should and opens with ease. 

The alloy wheels do have some corrosion to the faces, but quite a simple restoration job by your local wheel refurbisher would have them looking as good as new in no time. The tyres have a good amount of tread remaining on each corner. 

Fitted with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine, the 190 has been extremely well maintained when you look back through the paperwork. The car starts up with no hesitation and sounds as it should, with no untoward noises coming from the engine. 

The car was last given an oil and filter change on the 22nd May 2021, at 162,682 miles, which can be seen in the handwritten log by the previous keeper which goes back to 2018. Also logged is a new rear exhaust system which was fitted on 12th November 2021, approximately 1,500 miles ago. 

The car has had some of the suspension arms and front springs replaced in 2019, around 20,000 miles ago, and so they should still have plenty of life left in them. The 190E also has self-levelling suspension which would come in handy if you decide to tow anything. 

The seller reports the car pulls strongly through the 4-speed automatic gearbox, and there are no unwanted noises to come from the transmission or differential. The brakes bring the 90’s classic to a halt as they should, with no juddering through the pedal.

With over 2 million of the 190 Mercedes sold worldwide, it certainly shouts that the model was a popular choice for many Mercedes buyers. The car offers some of the best German engineering money can buy, along with being reliable, practical and affordable both to run and maintain. 

This particular 190E has an extensive history, as you can see from the amount of paperwork that comes with the car, showing it has been well cared for over the years. Will you be the next custodian to carry on caring for this 190E?