Faults:

Air conditioning gas chamber has died.

The leather trim along the doors have peeled away, but can be fixed.

The foam in the seats are wearing away.

Cigarette lighter broken - (don't care - don't smoke)

General Comments:

This is my first car, and after 3 weeks of having it, a BMW 4x4 driver with bull bar hit me in the front left of the car, causing around $3500 damage, but after that hit I learned how 'Tank' and strong this thing really is, and why they were called the "Panzers"

The car is very comfortable; though it's a small model, it still irons out the bumps on the road. The car can go fast - the button under the accelerator will bring the car from 0-60 KM in around 5 seconds.

I am absolutely convinced that this car will go to the end of the world if it's looked after.

This car is a brilliant 1st, 2nd, 3rd, any car. It's strong, very reliable, will never let you down, lives by the saying "never say die" and will protect you from the idiots in 4x4's who shouldn't be allowed to have drivers license.

Faults:

A/C needs recharging.

Very slight oil leak from front of cylinder head - 1 litre of oil every 3,500 kms.

Needs new tyres - the ones that are on it are old and hard.

General Comments:

A fantastic car. Drives brilliantly - it feels like new. My 16 year old son asked "is it a sports car or a luxury car?" when we took it for a test drive, and that sums up its dual character perfectly. It is as quick as our Honda Prelude, but it has 4 doors and all of the creature comforts, along with a much smoother ride.

It doesn't go around corners like our Prelude, but then, that's not what it's for. In fact - while looking very similar on paper in terms of performance, you couldn't get 2 cars with greater differences in the way that they deliver that performance. Both are absolutely brilliant in their own way, but the Prelude is a pure sports car, and the 190E is a sports saloon. That said, it does handle incredibly well. It just needs better tyres to make the most of the potential.

The interior is in amazing condition for its age - I have been in 2 and 3 year old cars which show more wear. Mercedes really did build these things properly.

We took it to our local Mercedes specialist for a service soon after we bought it - we have been taking our cars there for the last 10 years - and he said that it was basically a new car, to all intents and purposes. The slight oil leak is VERY common on this model, and we have been assured by our mechanic that it is absolutely nothing to worry about.

To sum it up - what a car! Everyone who rides in it comments on its performance, ride, comfort and looks. What more could you ask?

Faults:

Way too many things! It cost me 3 times its purchase price to repair.

- New front dampers.

- Replaced rear drive shafts with used set (new ones were in the $'000s - would have cost half the purchase price of the car)

- Head gasket blown.

- Water pump replaced.

- Chain tensioner and timing chain replaced.

- Automatic transmission completely overhauled.

- Automatic aerial replaced.

- Cruise control stalk speed-increase increment not operative (had to manually accelerate then re-set the required speed)

I'm sure there was more. I must have blocked it all out.

General Comments:

I wanted a 190E since I was 16 years old.

This car is beautifully styled on the outside, a traditional Benz on the inside.

It cruises beautifully with good torque and excellent economy, but in town (though economical) it is a pain... more so with the air conditioner on.

Excellent turning circle, great steering, great ride, great handling.

Feels a bit long-and-narrow compared to the W114 280E I owned years before.

Interior space tight though comfortable with excellent seats. Steering wheel too vertical for my liking (unlike excellent positioning on W114 and W116s I've driven)

With everything I had read and my W114 experience I really thought I was buying a great car to last me years, given it had less that 200,000 km on the clock and full dealer service history.

Not so. Was this a lemon. Everything that went wrong surprised me and cost me heaps.

I quit while I was behind. I heard the next owner had to replace the radiator 1 year later)