help i want a merceds 190e with cosworth engine

[k13]

right guys...thinking of selling my e30 325i se 4door and getting a bigger car like a 190e mercedes with cosworth engines however before i do buy one myself ive got few questions i would like to share.

1) what engine sizes do the 190e mercs have cosworth engines built in them ??

2) whats the best and efficient 190e merc to go for with cosworth engine ?

3) whats better auto or manual with a cosworth engine ??

4) what engine size to go for ???

thanks.

 

[Mark300SL]

Someone better than me will be along with all the Cosworth info (Will ?) however they are not a lot bigger than a 325!

They came in 2 flavours 2.3 and 2.5



Personally I wanted a straight six, and am going for something slightly different with a 2.6 190E with a n M104 3.2 conversion and a pair of turbos.
190 Cosworth is the only manual Merc I would buy, but even then I would probably prefer an auto. Like all decent performance cars the good ones are not cheap, but the late 2.6's are!


Now wait for the real Cosworth enthisiasts


Mark

 

[HR17]

The word 'Cosworth' attached to something seems to make it more desirable.

 

[grober]

The word 'Cosworth' attached to something seems to make it more desirable.

Ironically the Mercedes 190E 2.3(2.5) -16v never had the word Cosworth appended either to the vehicle or mentioned in its promotional literature. Certainly never mentioned in the 2.5-16 brochure or spec sheet I have. The name was however universally adopted by motoring enthusiasts worldwide and has stuck ever since. here's some facts. Mercedes-Benz W201 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Will]

Agree with all of the above.

A 190 isn't really much bigger than an E30 BMW as has been said, I'm not sure that if you need more space that a 190 is the way forward.

There's two models that are referred to as 'Cosworths', both the 2.3-16 and 2.5-16. To most people they are essentially the same basic car, a fair few differences between the models but I guess that can come later. They are both 4-cylinder, 16 valve engines with double overhead cams. The earlier 2.3-16 models are 2.3 litres and this was increased to 2.5 litres for the 2.5-16.

Just to get something covered at such an early stage - these are definately 'enthusiasts' cars and are in fairly strong demand for decent examples. They cost upwards of £4-5k for an example worth owning IMHO, the majority of cars for much less than this will almost certainly be needing work in several places and I'd classify them as rolling restoration projects. Some of the specific 2.3/2.5 parts are rare and expensive to find so you need to consider such a purchase carefully. I'd personally look to spend at least this amount to secure a fairly good car as you'll end up spending more rectifying a lesser one in the long run. Good cars will hold their money very well providing you look after them properly and keep them original.

The regular 190E four and six cylinder cars (1.8/2.0/2.6) make much more sense for most people, they're much more affordable, cheaper to run and generally there's a wider choice of good vehicles as they were sold in much higher numbers. Even £500 can buy a reasonable car, £1000 buys a good clean 190E with no real issues, £1500-2000 gets you into the really nice/mint/low mileage cars if you look around, LEs/Sportlines/2.0s with all the toys/2.6s etc

Hope that helps you to start with

Will

 

[HR17]

I think as an engineering company and a consultancy, 'Cosworth' could be applied to many cars - remember the Ford Scorpio? Its surprising how brand names have so much kudos nowadays.

 

[k13]

thanks for the info guys appreciate it.

im definetly interested in the 190e 2.5 16v merc.

whats better automatic or manual especially for the 2.5 190e merc??

thanks.

 

[alexander patie]

which is better? well the auto will change gears automatically - which is nice, but with the manual YOU get to do it yourself! which is nice.

if i were you i would be considering both, just find a really good one for £5,000 with low mileage, not many owners and full service history. then get it inspected by someone who knows these cars, and do not buy unless it is genuine and in fairly good condition. just as has been said already really! but assuming you have found two perfect cars, one with manual and one with auto, the manual is the enthusiasts choice and will probably appreciate more over time.

 

[k13]

what about the automatics.....dont it deliver a decent amount of power quick time like the manual ???

im kind of after an automatic now as i want to chill when im driving a car ...cant be bothered changing gears and stuff. haha.

thanks.

 

[219]

If you want to 'chill' then go for a six cylinder car mated to an automatic gearbox .

The six cylinder 190E 2.6 is MUCH smoother and more relaxing to drive than the 16V models , which were developed for the track . A 190E 2.6 still has 166 bhp and can make good progress on the public roads . The 2.6 models were looked on as 'top of the range' and are more likely than the others to be found with desirable options such as alloy wheels , leather and air-con .

 

[k13]

i dont mind if the automatics got a grunt to it, long as i dont have to keep moving my left arm every 2 secs lolz.

i probably go for the 2.5 16v automatic ...what you guys prefer??


also whats the bhp for 2.3 16v and 2.5 16v 190E ??


whats the insurance for you guys on these 2.5 16v 190E mercs ??


thanks.

 

[Will]

If you're after an auto I'd probably spend £1-2k instead of £5-10k and buy a really nice 2.6 Sportline. You can even get one with a '16 valve' kit and the proper Sportline seats (2+2 setup) if you're keen

Much smoother and better suited to the auto box, cheaper for parts/servicing etc.

What is your purchase budget and what are your estimations for running costs?

Not wanting to scare you but you can spend several thousand ££££s a year on maintenance for the 16 valve models. You should really only buy one after much research and eye opening.

The last major service on my old 2.5-16 manual came to nearly £4k at a main dealer, my auto 2.5-16 that I did a fair amount of work to had about £14k spent on it over the years, etc.

Will