Mikes Big Barge Update!

mike65

After a few false leads and other things to do, I went to see and drive a Merc 190 today. Its a manual 2.0 petrol model from 1990
with 170,000 on the clock.

Black with electric windows allround, mirrors, c/l, electric tilt and slide sunroof, alloys with fairly fresh tyres + a spolier on the back!
A few little things needs doing like a new rocker cover gasket.
It was running until Spring and has an NCT until next April. The body is rust free, no dodgy fitting panels and just a few stone chips on the bonnets leading edge. The interior is.....black! and intact.

I took it for a spin and it was squeek thump/clunk and rattle free, all the important bits worked. The heavyish clutch action will need getting used to but thats just a matter of time.

The only fly in the ointment is, of all things, leg/head space. The roof lining is a bit tight me being 6'4" I did find a bit more kneeroom under the wheel after the drive as I spotted extra seat adjustment controls. (I forgot to ask about wheel adjustment but if its fixed I could just buy a smaller wheel).

I suspect if I buy it I'll have to drive with the sunroof slightly tilted open for comfort.

The asking price is €1900 but the seller is open to offers. Should I
go for it?

Mike.

tinofapples

If I were you Mike I don't think I'd pay that much for the car. It's 13 years old , 170,000 on the clock almost €2000 sounds too much to me , I know you want a comfortable car but I'd imagine you'd get newer than that for that money have you set your mind on getting a Merc ? I can't really remember the thread in full but do recall it .

I've recently traded in my Vectra for a 2.0 Accord , nice machine.

Chimaera

I'd say a 13 year old Merc with 170k on the clock still has 5 or 6 years left in it, especially an older one, from the days when the cars were hewn from solid blocks of granite, so to speak

If all the oily bits still work, and none of the electrical stuff inside is gone funny, then it sounds like a good buy to me. Dunno about the price, but I reckon it's fairly reasonable - a quick look through Buy and Sell or Autotrader would give you a good idea of prices anyway. Also, with cars like that, you're really buying on condition rather than age or mileage.

ToxicPaddy

I did a quick search and found a few nice mercs in the buy and sell and on other sites, all around the 90 - 92 mark, some of them were the old 200E class and had less mileage all for around the 2K mark..

I think this guy could do with knocking about 500 off the price...

There is a 190E with 115k on the clock and going for 1700 euro's

Think you can do better elsewhere mate..

tinofapples

As I thought

mike65

I've bought it! €1700, as is. Will collect next week.

Mike.

mike65

Well here it is, in all its "bargness"!



or here http://community.webshots.com/photo/78677421/78677950NbApDc

Mike.

Quigs Snr

A guy I work with bought one identical to that a few months ago.

The wheels are very 80's but I like it ! I cannot understand people who buy a new Daewoo Lanos or something when they could have a 3 or 4 year old proper car...

The Merc is a great car and very very hard to kill. You should have plenty of fun with it ! It's distinctive anyway, so I'll be keeping an eye out for it around Waterford.

Stephen

Cool wheels

mike65

Originally posted by Quigs Snr
The Merc is a great car and very very hard to kill.

Here's hoping!

Needless to say various minor matters require attention but all the important bits work.

Mike.

Silvera

Not a bad lookin' bus mike65

You're right about the alloys - they look terrible :eek:

If it was my car, I would go for a genuine set of Mercedes 8-hole alloys (or similar "year-appropriate" Merc alloy).
You could try the Merc specialist Edward Kelly (I think he is based in Castlecomer) for a good sechondhand set.

Another good place for parts is Swedish & German Car Parts, Nangor Rd., Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

Best of luck with it.

Regards,
Silvera.

mike65

Actually they are genuine Merc alloys but have plainly seen better years, I'll have to do some work to see if they can be rescued,
I have to admit a liking for chunky 5 spoke jobs.

Mike.

Turner

Ask about when the timing belt was last changed. If he doesnt know I'd change it immediately. Would be a shame to wreck a nice car like that for the sake of 200-300 yoyo's

Chief.

mike65

Phoned Tom Murphy the Merc dealer for Waterford to get a rough price for a timing chain renewal, they did'nt get back to me on that today but they quoted €90 for the duplex timing chain including VAT. GSF (aka Swedish and German) charge €30 all in!
Similair story with set of HT leads, €70 + VAT from a local motor factors, €30 from GSF including p+p.

Mike.

tinofapples

Typical really .

How is the car running ?

mike65

How is the car running ?

Like a dog - ruff!

Its smooth on the move but the tickover is a bit lumpy -
I suspect a vacuum leak, the timing chain rattles goodo at
tickover or if you give the power a sharp poke in neutral, hence the inquiry. Speaking of which they still hav'nt got back to me
(you'd think they'd want my busines) so I'll try them again tomorrow. I'm using them as a reference point i.e. they're bound to be the most expensive so I'll know how much I've saved when I look for quotes elsewhere!

Mike.

mike65

I was going to detail progress (or not) of my 190e then tinofapples asked on bytes Corsa dash thread so here goes!

I got the engine rattle sorted it turned out to be the waterpump, also got the fuel-air mix sweet and this has transformed the cars drivability and its also much quieter at town speed - the water pump created a huge racket with shot bearings!

So all in all its much better, or it was until about 4.30 this afternoon. The belt which drives the waterpump, power steering etc was sqeaking and the belt tensioner was'nt doing its job, so
I tried to tighten it futher and crack!. The belt tensioner broke!

The car is now stranded at my bosses place for the moment. I'll call into mercedes tomorrow morning to get a new tensioner or at least order one and hopefully I can have it fitted on Wednesday
or maybe tomorrow by a chap near my bosses place if its in stock.

On a more positive note I've been at the cuting polish and the cars looks pretty good.

[img][/img]http://photobucket.com/albums/0903/mike65/17b36c80.jpg


Plenty more still to do like the paintwork where the spolier was is damaged and will need a respray, but hey thats old cars for you!


Mike.

mrblack

Looks a good machine and think of all that VRT and tax the previous owner paid and you haven't!

There nothing like a 3 pointed star on the bonnet to make you feel good imo!

mike65

Originally posted by mrblack
Looks a good machine and think of all that VRT and tax the previous owner paid and you haven't!

I like to remind myself that the car would have cost almost the equivelent of 30,000 euro when it was new!

Mike.

ToxicPaddy

Originally posted by mike65
I like to remind myself that the car would have cost almost the equivelent of 30,000 euro when it was new!

Mike.

And then some..

Here's a lovely example of a Diesel C Class in mint condition, even
called in a had a look at it the other day..

Merc 220Cdi

But look at that lovely price tag to go with the lovely car... sigh :rolleyes:

unkel

Originally posted by mike65
On a more positive note I've been at the cuting polish and the cars looks pretty good.

Looks years younger than when you bought it Mike