Lots!
Accident damage
Cold starting faults
Noisy top end and timing chains (single-link type is fitted to the 2.3)
Exhaust manifolds crack, later design modified, but they are over £1100+VAT unfitted
Oil leaks
Faulty self-levelling suspension
Lap timer clock display breaks
Door cards come unstuck in the rear (near the top where it meets the window)
Plus any usual W201 (190E) faults - eg faulty rear electric windows, ball joints etc.
Service history on these is important to ascertain that they have been looked after properly. There's a lot more maintenance required than a normal W201 (eg valve clearances need checking every 12K miles).
Signs of boy-racer mods are a bad thing, they really need caring owners who can maintain them properly.
What spec is it - 'Dog leg' manual or auto, silver or black, and what options (full leather, sunroof, rear head rests, air conditioning etc)
Good luck and if you have any other questions I'll do my best
Cheers,
Will
Accident damage
Cold starting faults
Noisy top end and timing chains (single-link type is fitted to the 2.3)
Exhaust manifolds crack, later design modified, but they are over £1100+VAT unfitted
Oil leaks
Faulty self-levelling suspension
Lap timer clock display breaks
Door cards come unstuck in the rear (near the top where it meets the window)
Plus any usual W201 (190E) faults - eg faulty rear electric windows, ball joints etc.
Service history on these is important to ascertain that they have been looked after properly. There's a lot more maintenance required than a normal W201 (eg valve clearances need checking every 12K miles).
Signs of boy-racer mods are a bad thing, they really need caring owners who can maintain them properly.
What spec is it - 'Dog leg' manual or auto, silver or black, and what options (full leather, sunroof, rear head rests, air conditioning etc)
Good luck and if you have any other questions I'll do my best
Cheers,
Will
grober
MB Master
2.3-16v Spec
Just to add to Wills comprehensive listing. 2.3 -16v only available as manual. later 2.5-16 manual or auto. colours available I think
almandine red and smoke silver (yellowish tint) brilliant silver,and black they all had 4 sports type seats (only 2 individual seats in back) black leather or black/blackcheck cloth.
Spec sheet from MB ON 2.5-16V as follows
Engine
Four cylinder injection engine, 2.5 litres; output 145 kW/194
DIN/hp at 6200/min. Light alloy cylinder head with twin overhead
camshafts and 16 valves. Mechanical/electronic fuel injection with
fuel cut-off on overrun. Microprocessor-controlled ignition system.
Single, poly V-belt with automatic tensioner.
Transmission/clutch
Five-speed close ratio manual gearbox with direct fifth gear.
Floor-mounted gearshift; synchronised reverse gear,
self-adjusting single dry-plate clutch. Optional extra:
Mercedes-Benz 4-speed automatic transmission. Also available
withtempomat (cruise control).
Suspension
Shock-absorber strut independent front suspension with
broad-based wishbones and anti-dive control; negative offset
steering, multi-link independent rear suspension with five links per
wheel, anti-dive and anti-squat control. Electronically-controlled
automatic locking differential (ASD); hydropneumatic self-
levelling rear suspension. Two coil springs, anti-roll bars and
gas-filled shock absorbers front and rear.
Brakes
Dual-circuit power-assisted braking system; internally-ventilated
floating caliper disc brakes at front, fixed caliper disc brakes at
rear; vacuum brake booster; lever-type parking brake,
Brake-failure warning light for both circuits; brake-pad wear
indicator. ABS-anti-lock braking system.
Steering
Power-assisted steering; steering damper, large padded steering
wheel boss; impact absorber under the padded boss; collapsible
steering column.
Wheels
Light-alloy wheels, 205/55 ZR 15 tyres.
Bodywork
All-steel self-stabilising bodyshell; rigid, torsion-resistant
passenger compartment (safety cell); fuel tank between rear
seats and luggage compartment; impact-absorbing front and rear
sections; excellent all-round vision; four doors; flexible bumpers
front and rear in fibreglass-reinforced plastic. Aprons, side skirts
and the spoiler on the tail underline the sporty character of the car,
improve handling safety and reduce drag and front and rear axle
lift; drag coefficient = 0.32. Electric tilting/sliding sunroof with
built-in air deflector.
Seats
Anatomically-contoured sports-car seats front and rear; seat
springing adjusted to vehicle suspension and seat position; front
seats firmly anchored, adjustable forwards and backwards as well
as for backrest and seat cushion angles; seats adjustable for
height; fully reclining front seats. Inertia-reel three-point safety
belts with tensioners and height-adjustment; safety head
restraints on front and rear seats. Two single rear seats with
folding centre armrest and 2 inertia-reel three-point safety belts.
Fabric upholstery (centre section in check-patterned fabric, sides
in leather), black leather seating optionally available.
Heating and ventilation
Continuous, draught-free flow of warm or cool air with booster fan
forwindscreen, side windows and front and rear footwells.
Quantity and distribution of warm or cool air fully adjustable.
Separate heating control for right and left sides of car. Two vents
for fresh air in the centre of the dashboard, fully adjustable.
Optional extra: air-conditioning.
Windows
Tinted panoramic safety glass all round with laminated
windscreen, electrically operated windscreen washer unit with two
heated dual nozzles. Central panoramic windscreen wiper with
eccentric sweep, two speeds and intermittent control, operated by
the combination switch on the steering column. Heated rear
window. Electrically operated windows.
Lighting system
Rectangular broad beam halogen headlights with side lights,
incorporating a dim dip device, with high beams and asymmetrical
low beams, foglights, sidelights; buzzer warning if headlamps or
sidelights left switched on; pneumatic headlamp range
adjustment for laden or unladen car; parking light; rear lights;
reversing lights; rearfoglamp; illuminated number plate; boot light;
variable instrument illumination; passenger compartment light
with delay-switch controlled by door contact and hand switch,
integral reading light with separate switch; illuminated ashtray,
glove compartment and heating and ventilation controls.
Headlamp wash/wipe units.
Signalling system
Headlight flasher; self-cancelling indicators plus side repeaters
with fingertip contact for overtaking, operated by the combination
switch on the steering column; horn; brake lights; hazard warning
lights.
Locks
Two key multi-point central locking system. Master key for doors,
steering wheel lock, luggage compartment and fuel tank locks;
second key for doors and steering wheel lock only. Wedge-pin
locks on all doors; child-proof locks on the rear doors; luggage
compartment lock; steering wheel lock combined with ignition
lock, starter and starter non-repeat lock.
Instruments
Instrument panel padded, yields on impact. Speedometer; rev
counter/quartz clock; oil pressure gauge; fuel gauge; coolant
temperature gauge; fuel consumption trend indicator; indicator
lights for brakes, battery charge, direction indicators, high beam
and fuel reserve; brake pad wear indicator; milometer and trip
recorder. Warning lights for engine oil, coolant and screen-wash
fluid levels. Centre console with analogue voltmeter, analogue
engine oil temperature gauge and digital stop watch.
Miscellaneous
Leather-covered steering wheel and gear lever. Oddments tray
between the front seats; pockets on front doors; lockable
glove-compartment; panoramic rear-view mirror adjustable to
anti-dazzle position; two heated exterior mirrors both adjustable
from inside the car, electrically operated on passenger side;
padded sun visors with vanity mirror on passenger side; grab
handles on roof frame; clothes hooks on rear grab handles;
padded armrests on doors with grab handles; cigar-lighter;
ashtrays front and rear; velour carpeting throughout; towing lugs
front and rear; warning triangle; first-aid kit in the parcel shelf.
Just to add to Wills comprehensive listing. 2.3 -16v only available as manual. later 2.5-16 manual or auto. colours available I think
almandine red and smoke silver (yellowish tint) brilliant silver,and black they all had 4 sports type seats (only 2 individual seats in back) black leather or black/blackcheck cloth. Spec sheet from MB ON 2.5-16V as follows
Engine
Four cylinder injection engine, 2.5 litres; output 145 kW/194
DIN/hp at 6200/min. Light alloy cylinder head with twin overhead
camshafts and 16 valves. Mechanical/electronic fuel injection with
fuel cut-off on overrun. Microprocessor-controlled ignition system.
Single, poly V-belt with automatic tensioner.
Transmission/clutch
Five-speed close ratio manual gearbox with direct fifth gear.
Floor-mounted gearshift; synchronised reverse gear,
self-adjusting single dry-plate clutch. Optional extra:
Mercedes-Benz 4-speed automatic transmission. Also available
withtempomat (cruise control).
Suspension
Shock-absorber strut independent front suspension with
broad-based wishbones and anti-dive control; negative offset
steering, multi-link independent rear suspension with five links per
wheel, anti-dive and anti-squat control. Electronically-controlled
automatic locking differential (ASD); hydropneumatic self-
levelling rear suspension. Two coil springs, anti-roll bars and
gas-filled shock absorbers front and rear.
Brakes
Dual-circuit power-assisted braking system; internally-ventilated
floating caliper disc brakes at front, fixed caliper disc brakes at
rear; vacuum brake booster; lever-type parking brake,
Brake-failure warning light for both circuits; brake-pad wear
indicator. ABS-anti-lock braking system.
Steering
Power-assisted steering; steering damper, large padded steering
wheel boss; impact absorber under the padded boss; collapsible
steering column.
Wheels
Light-alloy wheels, 205/55 ZR 15 tyres.
Bodywork
All-steel self-stabilising bodyshell; rigid, torsion-resistant
passenger compartment (safety cell); fuel tank between rear
seats and luggage compartment; impact-absorbing front and rear
sections; excellent all-round vision; four doors; flexible bumpers
front and rear in fibreglass-reinforced plastic. Aprons, side skirts
and the spoiler on the tail underline the sporty character of the car,
improve handling safety and reduce drag and front and rear axle
lift; drag coefficient = 0.32. Electric tilting/sliding sunroof with
built-in air deflector.
Seats
Anatomically-contoured sports-car seats front and rear; seat
springing adjusted to vehicle suspension and seat position; front
seats firmly anchored, adjustable forwards and backwards as well
as for backrest and seat cushion angles; seats adjustable for
height; fully reclining front seats. Inertia-reel three-point safety
belts with tensioners and height-adjustment; safety head
restraints on front and rear seats. Two single rear seats with
folding centre armrest and 2 inertia-reel three-point safety belts.
Fabric upholstery (centre section in check-patterned fabric, sides
in leather), black leather seating optionally available.
Heating and ventilation
Continuous, draught-free flow of warm or cool air with booster fan
forwindscreen, side windows and front and rear footwells.
Quantity and distribution of warm or cool air fully adjustable.
Separate heating control for right and left sides of car. Two vents
for fresh air in the centre of the dashboard, fully adjustable.
Optional extra: air-conditioning.
Windows
Tinted panoramic safety glass all round with laminated
windscreen, electrically operated windscreen washer unit with two
heated dual nozzles. Central panoramic windscreen wiper with
eccentric sweep, two speeds and intermittent control, operated by
the combination switch on the steering column. Heated rear
window. Electrically operated windows.
Lighting system
Rectangular broad beam halogen headlights with side lights,
incorporating a dim dip device, with high beams and asymmetrical
low beams, foglights, sidelights; buzzer warning if headlamps or
sidelights left switched on; pneumatic headlamp range
adjustment for laden or unladen car; parking light; rear lights;
reversing lights; rearfoglamp; illuminated number plate; boot light;
variable instrument illumination; passenger compartment light
with delay-switch controlled by door contact and hand switch,
integral reading light with separate switch; illuminated ashtray,
glove compartment and heating and ventilation controls.
Headlamp wash/wipe units.
Signalling system
Headlight flasher; self-cancelling indicators plus side repeaters
with fingertip contact for overtaking, operated by the combination
switch on the steering column; horn; brake lights; hazard warning
lights.
Locks
Two key multi-point central locking system. Master key for doors,
steering wheel lock, luggage compartment and fuel tank locks;
second key for doors and steering wheel lock only. Wedge-pin
locks on all doors; child-proof locks on the rear doors; luggage
compartment lock; steering wheel lock combined with ignition
lock, starter and starter non-repeat lock.
Instruments
Instrument panel padded, yields on impact. Speedometer; rev
counter/quartz clock; oil pressure gauge; fuel gauge; coolant
temperature gauge; fuel consumption trend indicator; indicator
lights for brakes, battery charge, direction indicators, high beam
and fuel reserve; brake pad wear indicator; milometer and trip
recorder. Warning lights for engine oil, coolant and screen-wash
fluid levels. Centre console with analogue voltmeter, analogue
engine oil temperature gauge and digital stop watch.
Miscellaneous
Leather-covered steering wheel and gear lever. Oddments tray
between the front seats; pockets on front doors; lockable
glove-compartment; panoramic rear-view mirror adjustable to
anti-dazzle position; two heated exterior mirrors both adjustable
from inside the car, electrically operated on passenger side;
padded sun visors with vanity mirror on passenger side; grab
handles on roof frame; clothes hooks on rear grab handles;
padded armrests on doors with grab handles; cigar-lighter;
ashtrays front and rear; velour carpeting throughout; towing lugs
front and rear; warning triangle; first-aid kit in the parcel shelf.
Last edited:
grober said:
Sorry mate but they were definately, definately available as an auto, both the 2.3 and 2.5
Colour-wise the 2.3 was only available in 199 Blue-Black metallic or the 'smoke silver' (which has a champagne appearance). Almandine was introduced for the 2.5 and at this time the smoke silver was replaced with the other shade of silver as you mention
. Blue-black metallic was still available on the later 2.5 (the best colour in my opinion :bannana: )HTH,
Will
its smoke silver (light gold) dog leg first manual,1987,and thats as much as I know so far...Its its got chrome arches or aftermarket wheels on it,I'll just drive past! Don't mind the extra servicing,but worried about the cost of the bespoke parts that are unique to this model. We shall see what the weekend brings! P.S my fave colour is the Almandine red although I know these are later cars only.
Thanks for the info,you guys are great,I wish all car forums were this helpful!!
Thanks for the info,you guys are great,I wish all car forums were this helpful!!
grober
MB Master
Blue-Black metallic definitely "the colour" as you say!! HOPE ITS A GOOD UN TIFF!
I'd be very wary of chrome arches on a genuine W201 16v. They come with a factory fitted styling package from new, this includes arch extensions, but not chrome ones!
Hopefully it will be a nice motor, unfortunately 90% of them are not!
Good luck with the search
Will
Hopefully it will be a nice motor, unfortunately 90% of them are not!
Good luck with the search
Will
grober
MB Master
Hartzpartz
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2005
- Messages
- 223
- Location
- Sompting, West Sussex
- Car
- E200 W210 (ex 500SL, ML55 and 190 Cosworth owner).
Hope you find an unmolested example Tiff but if not, and you fancy a trip down to West Sussex, there's always my 1986 2.3 - 16 (see classifieds)
Good luck with the search!
Good luck with the search!
grober
MB Master
Option Only.
I,m pretty sure that 190 could be fitted with a fire extinguisher option under the front of the passenger seat. In fact I think in some continental countries it was manditory
. I dont think it was standard on UK cars. The operating certificate would have expired on these a long time ago unless recharged anyway. My guess is if there was one a previous owner will have chucked it.
I,m pretty sure that 190 could be fitted with a fire extinguisher option under the front of the passenger seat. In fact I think in some continental countries it was manditory
. I dont think it was standard on UK cars. The operating certificate would have expired on these a long time ago unless recharged anyway. My guess is if there was one a previous owner will have chucked it.Definitive proof on 2.3-16 automatics.
Incidentally, this car has EVERY SINGLE option which was available in the day, nearly £8,000 (in 1987 money) of goodies!
Will, what's the cause & cure of the cold starting problem?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI..../search.dll?from=R40&satitle=4614260563&fvi=1
Incidentally, this car has EVERY SINGLE option which was available in the day, nearly £8,000 (in 1987 money) of goodies!
Will, what's the cause & cure of the cold starting problem?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI..../search.dll?from=R40&satitle=4614260563&fvi=1
nigel cross
MB Enthusiast
Someoe got a bargin there!!
I'd just realised I'd never replied to this thread.I did got to see the car,and it was an utter shed,blue smoke,trashed interior,all cut out for big speakers etc,bald cheapo tyres,and body kit held on with self tappers..........WHY????? I'll wait,save and buy a very,very nice one ,one day.
