No problems.
My car has a carat duchutelet body kit and a lowering kit which makes it look great and handle like a train and still very comfortable to drive. with 152000 miles on the clock the cabin still looks brand new, no rips or tears.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th April, 2004
Its got style. It's a mercedes!!
Whining noise out of gearbox.
Diff leaking oil.
Minor panel work on rear door, (paint beagn to crack and bubble)
Great Car, very comfortable to drive at higher speeds, no problems there.
Sticks to the road in the the DRY, I have thrown this car at all corners at all speeds and it just keeps sticking, but in the wet, another story, its all over the place.
Its got style. It's a mercedes!!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 15th December, 2003
Excellent vehicle and highly recommended!
Brake pads and rotors at 136 000 Ks.
Transmission seems to shift irregularly since I purchased it. (i.e. will shift two gears without me accelerating very much, but may be normal for this vehicle).
Front passenger power window is very slow to close since I purchased it.
My first BENZ and I must say that I am very pleased with the overall quality.
Mine is a black / gray combination with black Tex seats and is very attractive and well built. It is hard to believe this vehicle cost in excess of $46 000.00 Canadian when new 10 years ago and I was able to purchase it for $8500.00 with two sets of rims and tires.
This car is not overly quick, but not all that slow either. Good on fuel depending on how you drive.
I have purchased the updated Euro lights and side blinkers for my car and it looks 10 years younger.
Try to find a shop that specializes in Mercedes to have it serviced with OEM parts as the dealership is very expensive to deal with.
I am very pleased with this vehicle and am very much sold on Mercedes as a whole. I am looking forward to a bigger and newer Mercedes as my next vehicle.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th August, 2003
I hope to keep this car for another 100000 miles
Parking brake required new pads at 7000 miles - replaced under warranty and brakes generally giving good mileage.
Head gasket blew at 96000 miles.
Tires have been Continental ECO 185/65/15H which usually give about 30000 miles a set.
Rear exhaust has rattled occasionally from loose baffle since 95000 miles, but is being kept going though new box and catalyst now seems inevitable.
Maintenance was by main dealer up to 85000 miles when I switched to a small independent Mercedes specialist. Labor costs are therefore considerably less without sacrificing the quality needed to keep these, very reliable, cars true to their reputation.
The auto box makes for very smooth running in London traffic.
Despite small engine the car is perfectly lively.
Overall fuel consumption is still 30 miles per Imperial gallon.
Cross- country driving on English roads is very comfortable and rattle-free.
85mph is the most comfortable speed on motorways.
Sadly no air-conditioning on this model, but separate heater and air vent controls do enable front passengers' individual comfort needs to be met.
Paintwork and build quality have been excellent.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 13th January, 2003
A near perfect automobile to own
The front brakes were replaced at 50000 miles.
This car is the best car I have ever owned. Wonderful handling, quiet, comfortable and smooth. Perfect size. Very reliable. A real pleasure to own.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 3rd October, 2001
Nice Mercedes for the price, but be prepared to spend $600.00 a quarter to keep it running
The car had an oil leak when purchased, which was accounted for in the purchase negotiation. Turns out the head gasket needed replacing (fairly common for this model, according to our current technician). Had the work performed at the dealer (who is definitely now NOT our current technician). Cost: $1200.00.
Soon after head gasket replacement, the car overheated. Dealer was unable to diagnose a simple thermostat malfunction and replaced several parts including the expansion tank. Cost $175.00.
At approx. 63,000 miles, the water pump began leaking. Took the car to the local Mercedes guru. Belt tensioner also was bad. Cost for pump and tensioner replacement, plus 60K service (might as well go ahead) : $1,300.
Water pump failed again after one year, replaced by the guru free of charge even though it was out of warranty. He stands behind his work.
Transmission shifter bushing failed at approx 65,000 miles. Transmission must be lowered to replace. Cost: $325.00.
Air conditioner began leaking freon at 75,000 miles. Leak was in high pressure hose to the condenser. Cost to replace the hose and recharge the system: $650.00.
"Check Engine" light came on at 81,000 miles. Apparently the problem is in the air injection system. "Further diagnosis and repair" will be needed.
Rear shock absorbers are leaking and will soon require replacement.
Hood insulation liner is worthless as it comes from the factory. Deteriorates rapidly, particularly in the Texas heat.
Rear dome light switch failed at 77,000 miles.
Etc.
Etc.
Overall a beautiful car to look at. Very safe, and built like a tank, especially for the low-end of the product line.
Paint and interior have held up very well. I don't know what MB Tex is made of, but it's the best stuff in the world for auto interiors. Feels and looks like leather without all the hassle.
Performance is good for such a heavy car, owing to the power and torque of the 2.6 engine. The downside of the larger engine is multifaceted. It generated enormous amounts of heat (possibly responsible for many of the failures), and it completely fills the engine bay, requiring the removal of large numbers of components for even simple repairs, which layers on a lot of labor cost.
Handling is precise, if not a bit on the mushy side. New shocks will probably help. Brakes are absolutely incredible. ABS system works flawlessly. Stomp them hard and you feel like you've hit the arresting hook of an aircraft carrier.
Would I buy another 190? Probably not. An E320, or even a larger but older model, say a 560SEL might be attractive, though.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 31st July, 2001
Interesting review. Fortunately, this is not the rule for a 190e with this number of miles or even 200k miles. This might have been a lemon, or, perhaps an odometer fraud or some other kind of shady biz such as a high-mileage engine swap or some other mischief.
As for the larger engine being the problem, actually it is not. The higher temperatures are not an issue, and actually, it is the smaller engines that produce (in general) more heat. The (basic) inline 6 used in this model has been used for over 25 years and the bugs have been solved long ago. Actually, the 2.6 engine used in the 190 e's is still a currently used engine, same no. of horses too.
Moreover, at the risk of being too wordy, people often think the seat material is vinyl but it is not --- Mercedes does not use vinyl. Of course, this perception can be an advantage for the buyer if the seller mistakes the leather for vinyl.
I hate to admit it, but I think you got hosed with the repair costs. With a little mechanical know-how and some personal initiative, you could have saved yourself a LOT of money.
Mb-tex is vinyl... it looks like leather, but actually, it's just good old-fashioned plastic (though reputedly high quality stuff). if I'm not mistaken, leather was a good $1000 (or more) as an option on this car when new.
Simply the best
Other than brakes at 40 & 75 thousand miles I have only changed oil & filters. I just bought my third set of tires. Nothing has gone wrong.
I don't drive the car in the winter due to the amount of snow that falls in northern New York State. I have a 4 wheel drive pick-up truck for winter transportation.
This vehicle has been very good to me. I am tempted to buy a good second one to garage until this one wears out. Take care of these cars and they perform for a long time.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 2nd April, 2001
A Mercedes is a Mercedes
Taking the German highway (Autobahn), contrary to other comments, the rear was very unstable in turns at speeds around 180kmh. Had the feeling as if the car was "swimming" slightly.
Otherwise no other distubances.
Wonderful for a long-distance drive down to Switzerland or Austria for a skiing weekend.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 19th November, 2000
Occasional strange high pitched whirr from the ventilation system. Remedied by switching it off for a while.
Awesome mechanical reliability. The two litre certainly makes a difference to the driveability. This is my second 190E and the only thing that will stop me buying another is if I get richer.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 24th January, 1999
2nd Jul 2012, 11:03
As head gaskets rarely fail below 200,000 miles on this make and model, if at all, I suspect poor fuel or incorrect ignition, or both, caused this failure. Skimp on maintenance = big bills later.