It's amazing how market leading features from these marque manufacturers quickly become run of the mill standard features on cars. For example ABS, air conditioning, electric windows and more modern examples features like Bluetooth, sat nav, android auto, keyless entry etc.
Yes, you could specify these up quite well back in the day. There are some very austere 190s out there, along with many which had a ridiculous number of options thrown at them.
Okay they are not that fast or especially great handling cars perhaps but I still adore these old things. Their outstanding 'old school' style Mercedes quality seems to seep out of every surface - they exhibit a certain aroma in the cabin that is wonderfully distinctive. All are desirable but I prefer the two-tone painted cars myself. The fabrics employed in the interior (you really don't want or need leather upholstery in this car) are of such a quality that I suspect they might out last the pyramids. The only real drawbacks to stop them being the best modern classic out there is that they are so well built very many have survived - and prices have also started to creep up nowadays alas. A much superior vehicle to the C Class that replaced them in my opinion.
Yes, a car which doesn't exhibit the last word in dynamism, not the most spacious or luxurious, yet, a fantastic example of how Mercedes-Benz used to be and why people used to find them so appealing. The upholstery in this one does suit it quite well, there were some good two tone colours available.
Great video of a great car! We still have many 190s in Portugal, Diesels are a favourit. For more than 10, 190D were the car of choice for taxi drivers and there are still used as daily drivers. It is now almost a "cult car". As for the 190E, we had a "special" 1.7 liter version for tax reasons, with 107 bhp. Thank your videos!
Yes, well, we had better refrain from talking about the forbidden fuel variants on this channel.... These were indeed quite popular as taxis, along with the larger W124 model.
Wonderful, Simon! Thank you very much indeed for letting me film your car, it was a most enjoyable experience, glad to hear that the fuel gauge has now been fixed.
You could certainly put you money into a lot worse Simon. I'm not generally all that taken by prestige badges but this is a timeless classic make no mistake. It's unassuming and I think the design does look about five year or so newer than they are on the exterior at least by comparison to other saloon cars of the era. Wishing you many happy drives with this one.
@@markonmotoring thanks Mark, it’s a bit of a slow burner whilst I’ve always admired the car you need to live with it for sometime and do a few longer journeys to realise how well engineered it really was at launch in 1982/83
@@Lot76CARS Absolutely. Sometimes you don't need all the bells and whistles. Just good honest engineering excellence is enough. This is probably one of those cars best enjoyed at half speed. Joseph touched in am interesting point about modern cars seemingly having a bias towards being sporty. Truly comfortable cars seem to be a list art these days. Yesterday I followed a Mercedes SUV that was having to slow to a crawl for every speed bump, probably due to oversized wheels with low profile tyres and suspension firm enough to keep all that mass under control. My 25 year old coupe managed the humps with out any issue. Times really have changed and not for the better where mainstream motoring is concerned.
Oh such a long time since any sort of review has been done of the Baby Benz. A very brave idea for Mercedes to release a more affordable car from such a prestigious stable. Of course they engineered it and built it like a Benz so it was never going to cheapen its badge. The massive wheel was an engineering/safety idea that was unique to Mercedes. They knew from their commercial vehicle experience that a large diameter wheel made control of the vehicle much easier in the event of loss of power assistance. So the thinking behind it was solid. The inspiration behind the very successful C Class but the 190 retains its more unique design and interior styling. A very fine modern classic. Thank you, Sir.
Glad you enjoyed the video, sir! The W201 was perhaps a bit of a risk for Mercedes-Benz, as they had not occupied the market segment for some time, but it did pay off for them. As you say, this car did not cheapen the Mercedes-Benz brand and image at all.
I think this would be a perfect more modern classic for an individual to start with, classic Mercedes-Benz, unlike the vehicles in you drive where today it is all about status. US versions came with MB TeX standard, so it is unusual to see one with fabric seating. It also shows how durable the fabric is! The switch in the console next to the passenger door mirror switch is the speaker fader. US imports have quite a bit more standard equipment like cruise control, automatic climate control, as well as many options, and certainly by this time Mercedes-Benz installed dual airbags standard. The single wiper carried over to the larger 300E, which styling is somewhat similar, and after the C class designation became the E class. Another excellent review Joseph!
Yes, I think that this is one of the most appropriate places to start if someone is after an affordable modern classic. I think American specification W201s had a few more features than these at the time, certainly airbags were still a few years away on UK market cars.
"Austere" is certainly a word I'd use to describe these Mercedes-Benzs of this era. Seat trim looks reminiscent of "L" spec Fords & Vauxhalls - but will stand the test of time better. The 190 range of cars was easier to understand than the C Class range, which became convoluted .
Yes, the C-Class Range was much more complicated to understand, and I would say that these are better than the car that replaced them. This wasn't a base model at all, but I wouldn't use the word luxurious for it, which is sort of the point, I think...
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes, like I said earlier older cars tend to last longer here! Although 190Es do have motor racing history, boy racers shun them. All the ones I have seen seemed to be in reasonable, original condition, there is a strong European Classic car scene here they would fit into!
@@alaricbragg7843 , the fact that people aren't so concerned about the Evolution/Cosworth models is probably why they are not often modified to within in an inch of their lives. The BMW 3-Series E30 is a different matter.
I do like a 190E. The first if the more compact Mercedes Benz model and regarded by many as one of the last real quality cars. I suspect there are still many of these running around as Taxis in some parts of the world. Many years ago a former neighbour had a white 190 which looked like it may have been a Cosworth (think it may have been around a 1990). That car was swapped for a brand new C class in 1997 which I believe he still owns to this day.
Yes, a very good quality car, the W124 was probably more popular as a taxi due to more space, but the two were known for being good quality and robust. Owners were very loyal to Mercedes-Benz at the time this car was made.
The 'electric aerial' switch you referred to is the front/rear speaker fader rotary switch for the stereo radio unit, allowing you to feed more sound to either the front or rear speakers as required, or leave it in the middle position for equal output to all speakers. The 'child' switch is the lockout for the rear electric windows, preventing children from operating the window switches on the rear doors.
Dorothy’s sibling, interesting motors, not the quickest engine, but strong and reliable, yet to drive a W201. Thank you Joseph, we wouldn’t mind a Cossie model.
I think the bonnet catch position is for when euro car manufacturers say "yawn! I suppose we had better make a RHD version, but just do the basics" LOL
My dad had a 1990/H 190, with an engine I dare not mention here on this channel. But despite the fact it had a quoted top speed of just 99mph, and a 0-60mph time of around 18 seconds, it was a lovely car to be a passenger in.
The first “baby Benz”. Drove a few of these, mostly diesel manuals and some felt a bit underpowered. Also a couple of 2.3 ones that were lovely. All of them, regardless of engine or trim, had that sense of quality compared to other period vehicles. Great cars and definitely a sensible and practical classic.
Yes, well, we had better not talk about those on this channel.... This car does indeed come from a time when having a Mercedes really did mean something, and these did stand out from their rivals.
wow! was thinking about the 2.5 cosworth just the other day! Great cars, bullet proof, but space in the back was poor and was sated by the early 90s. There were also some cracking diese....................never mind!!
This is the era when I really admired Merc. Yes the equipment list wasn't huge but you got the impression it was built from quality stuff that would last. The C Class in the 90s in comparison didnt feel as good a car and the quality seemed to go down the pan in the 00s. Good to see that changing again
That's right, these do seem better than the later C-Class models, albeit a little bit more old fashioned. The W203s in particular were known for sub-par quality. My mother's W205 seems OK, although it is only four years old and it has covered about 15,000 miles...
You could always open a new browser tab during those segments if you don't like the look of my face. It's pretty standard on virtually all automotive reviews to point the camera towards the driver during driving sections, and I actually spared you the displeasure of looking my way again in the last driving section by pointing the camera towards the front of the car.
Solid, simple,elegant interior,comfortable ride. I think I'd like that! I wonder how expensive they are to run and maintain, regarding spares availability and overall reliabiltiy.
The spares availability and reliability are not too bad, from what I understand. This automatic model is very easy to drive, strange accelerator pedal position aside.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes very nice car indeed Sir, sadly no rear headrests, which is obligatory along with rear electric windows. I'm sure you would agree that such options should of been standard. I recall the replacement C180 in steerage spec, had absolutely nothing in the way of equipment, only an electrical adjustment for the passenger side mirror, that was it, very spartan to say the least.
@@paulie-Gualtieri. , yes, rear headrests were probably some sort of option. The C180 I drove back in May was not generously equipped, and yet it was much better specified than the early Classics which, as you say, had hardly any equipment at all.
This model always struck me as looking rather '' junior '' in the rear haunches..an old styling trick to get you to move up the range , and it did the car no favors.
Another great review Sir, a once common sight on the roads. Is that a full length sunroof car has as well? Hope you are feeling better and many thanks for the t-shirt I received today.
No problem at all, Mr Watters! Still not completely better, hence why no videos have been recorded since the start of the month, but getting there slowly. Glad you received the T-shirt OK, sir!
The E and S switch as found on Euro models is for Standard or Economy mode. With S visible, the car starts in 2nd gear at normal throttle but 1st gear at full throttle. Upward gear changes are delayed until best rev range is reached. With E visible, the car starts in 2nd gear regardless of the throttle applied. Upward gear changes happen at lower revs, giving a smoother more comfortable gear change, and it also returns better fuel economy. The only function they share is when kick down is applied, both modes then give maximum power.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting yes I enjoyed both mine. Another great car I had was a 1997 Audi A4 saloon 1.6. The manual gearbox on that was so precise and fluid.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting yes I believe it was the 1.8 engine. Mine was pre face lift. Unfortunately it was in between my first Mercedes 190e 2.0 injection which the chain went and lunched the engine. I then bought the Audi, but missed the 190, so bought another which was the 1.8, both auto. The 2.0 was definitely more punchy
@@enchantress7940 , the 1.8 was only available towards the end of production, and they all came with a catalytic converter, I believe, so they would be quite slow.
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It's amazing how market leading features from these marque manufacturers quickly become run of the mill standard features on cars. For example ABS, air conditioning, electric windows and more modern examples features like Bluetooth, sat nav, android auto, keyless entry etc.
Yes, you could specify these up quite well back in the day. There are some very austere 190s out there, along with many which had a ridiculous number of options thrown at them.
Equals more profit.
Even in basic poverty spec these old Mercs/BMW / Audi's should command more for they're solid build and engineering alone.
Yes, they are extremely well made cars, can't quite believe that the oldest ones of these are almost 40 years old now.
Especially mercedes benz
Okay they are not that fast or especially great handling cars perhaps but I still adore these old things. Their outstanding 'old school' style Mercedes quality seems to seep out of every surface - they exhibit a certain aroma in the cabin that is wonderfully distinctive. All are desirable but I prefer the two-tone painted cars myself. The fabrics employed in the interior (you really don't want or need leather upholstery in this car) are of such a quality that I suspect they might out last the pyramids. The only real drawbacks to stop them being the best modern classic out there is that they are so well built very many have survived - and prices have also started to creep up nowadays alas.
A much superior vehicle to the C Class that replaced them in my opinion.
Yes, a car which doesn't exhibit the last word in dynamism, not the most spacious or luxurious, yet, a fantastic example of how Mercedes-Benz used to be and why people used to find them so appealing. The upholstery in this one does suit it quite well, there were some good two tone colours available.
I absolutely loved my "Stazi Wagon" Gary your observations are bang on ....
Great video of a great car! We still have many 190s in Portugal, Diesels are a favourit. For more than 10, 190D were the car of choice for taxi drivers and there are still used as daily drivers. It is now almost a "cult car". As for the 190E, we had a "special" 1.7 liter version for tax reasons, with 107 bhp. Thank your videos!
Yes, well, we had better refrain from talking about the forbidden fuel variants on this channel.... These were indeed quite popular as taxis, along with the larger W124 model.
Fantastic build quality back in the day. Wonderful understated cars.
Glad you enjoyed the video, sir! These are indeed very understated, but now climbing in value.
Thanks Joseph, great review... but I’m a bit biased as it’s my car! Have now fixed the sender unit so no more petrol light roulette...
Wonderful, Simon! Thank you very much indeed for letting me film your car, it was a most enjoyable experience, glad to hear that the fuel gauge has now been fixed.
You could certainly put you money into a lot worse Simon. I'm not generally all that taken by prestige badges but this is a timeless classic make no mistake. It's unassuming and I think the design does look about five year or so newer than they are on the exterior at least by comparison to other saloon cars of the era.
Wishing you many happy drives with this one.
@@markonmotoring thanks Mark, it’s a bit of a slow burner whilst I’ve always admired the car you need to live with it for sometime and do a few longer journeys to realise how well engineered it really was at launch in 1982/83
@@Lot76CARS Absolutely. Sometimes you don't need all the bells and whistles. Just good honest engineering excellence is enough.
This is probably one of those cars best enjoyed at half speed.
Joseph touched in am interesting point about modern cars seemingly having a bias towards being sporty. Truly comfortable cars seem to be a list art these days.
Yesterday I followed a Mercedes SUV that was having to slow to a crawl for every speed bump, probably due to oversized wheels with low profile tyres and suspension firm enough to keep all that mass under control. My 25 year old coupe managed the humps with out any issue. Times really have changed and not for the better where mainstream motoring is concerned.
@@markonmotoring , very good point about luxury versus "sportiness" in modern cars.
Oh such a long time since any sort of review has been done of the Baby Benz.
A very brave idea for Mercedes to release a more affordable car from such a prestigious stable. Of course they engineered it and built it like a Benz so it was never going to cheapen its badge.
The massive wheel was an engineering/safety idea that was unique to Mercedes. They knew from their commercial vehicle experience that a large diameter wheel made control of the vehicle much easier in the event of loss of power assistance. So the thinking behind it was solid.
The inspiration behind the very successful C Class but the 190 retains its more unique design and interior styling.
A very fine modern classic. Thank you, Sir.
Glad you enjoyed the video, sir! The W201 was perhaps a bit of a risk for Mercedes-Benz, as they had not occupied the market segment for some time, but it did pay off for them. As you say, this car did not cheapen the Mercedes-Benz brand and image at all.
The end of an era when Mercedes Benz made Mercedes Benz , now they just make cars .
They certainly were distinctly Mercedes Benz at the time, weren't they?
I think this would be a perfect more modern classic for an individual to start with, classic Mercedes-Benz, unlike the vehicles in you drive where today it is all about status.
US versions came with MB TeX standard, so it is unusual to see one with fabric seating. It also shows how durable the fabric is!
The switch in the console next to the passenger door mirror switch is the speaker fader.
US imports have quite a bit more standard equipment like cruise control, automatic climate control, as well as many options, and certainly by this time Mercedes-Benz installed dual airbags standard.
The single wiper carried over to the larger 300E, which styling is somewhat similar, and after the C class designation became the E class.
Another excellent review Joseph!
Yes, I think that this is one of the most appropriate places to start if someone is after an affordable modern classic. I think American specification W201s had a few more features than these at the time, certainly airbags were still a few years away on UK market cars.
Benz is the greatest
I really do like the over engineered single front wiper on these, way ahead of it's time at its launch
Oh for the days when cars were solidly built
Yes, a classic over-engineered Mercedes-Benz, and we absolutely love them for it!
As I’ve discovered the really early cars had a single wiper blade but not the extending mono wiper which apparently wasn’t production ready
@@Lot76CARS , yes, that original single blade looks very strange.
"Austere" is certainly a word I'd use to describe these Mercedes-Benzs of this era. Seat trim looks reminiscent of "L" spec Fords & Vauxhalls - but will stand the test of time better. The 190 range of cars was easier to understand than the C Class range, which became convoluted .
Yes, the C-Class Range was much more complicated to understand, and I would say that these are better than the car that replaced them. This wasn't a base model at all, but I wouldn't use the word luxurious for it, which is sort of the point, I think...
Brings back memories of the Lufthansa slogan...
''You vill sit here and like it'' 😏
@@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars , yes, if you want lots of standard equipment, buy a Ford Granada.
Thanks! A favourite of mine - we had, and still have, lots of these cars in New Zealand!
Glad you enjoyed it, sir! There are still a few of these around, aren't there?
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Indeed. Popular 'Yuppie' cars brand new but still a few second hand ones around the place. They were built to last!
@@alaricbragg7843 , must have even higher residual values in New Zealand than over here.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes, like I said earlier older cars tend to last longer here! Although 190Es do have motor racing history, boy racers shun them. All the ones I have seen seemed to be in reasonable, original condition, there is a strong European Classic car scene here they would fit into!
@@alaricbragg7843 , the fact that people aren't so concerned about the Evolution/Cosworth models is probably why they are not often modified to within in an inch of their lives. The BMW 3-Series E30 is a different matter.
I do like a 190E.
The first if the more compact Mercedes Benz model and regarded by many as one of the last real quality cars. I suspect there are still many of these running around as Taxis in some parts of the world.
Many years ago a former neighbour had a white 190 which looked like it may have been a Cosworth (think it may have been around a 1990). That car was swapped for a brand new C class in 1997 which I believe he still owns to this day.
Yes, a very good quality car, the W124 was probably more popular as a taxi due to more space, but the two were known for being good quality and robust. Owners were very loyal to Mercedes-Benz at the time this car was made.
The 'electric aerial' switch you referred to is the front/rear speaker fader rotary switch for the stereo radio unit, allowing you to feed more sound to either the front or rear speakers as required, or leave it in the middle position for equal output to all speakers. The 'child' switch is the lockout for the rear electric windows, preventing children from operating the window switches on the rear doors.
Thank you for the clarification about the fader switch and the child switch! That all does make sense.
Correct! as this car had the Becker Europa upgrade from factory originally, a £700 option, believe it or not!
@@Lot76CARS , we know all about ridiculous Becker optional radios...
Dorothy’s sibling, interesting motors, not the quickest engine, but strong and reliable, yet to drive a W201. Thank you Joseph, we wouldn’t mind a Cossie model.
How did I know that you would like to try a Cosworth, Mr Quirk? These W201s certainly are strong and reliable!
I think the bonnet catch position is for when euro car manufacturers say "yawn! I suppose we had better make a RHD version, but just do the basics" LOL
Yes, typical Continental manufacturer doing the minimum for the UK market. Not too much of a deal breaker, though.
My dad had a 1990/H 190, with an engine I dare not mention here on this channel. But despite the fact it had a quoted top speed of just 99mph, and a 0-60mph time of around 18 seconds, it was a lovely car to be a passenger in.
Yes, we had better not discuss that type of engine on the channel...
The first “baby Benz”. Drove a few of these, mostly diesel manuals and some felt a bit underpowered. Also a couple of 2.3 ones that were lovely. All of them, regardless of engine or trim, had that sense of quality compared to other period vehicles. Great cars and definitely a sensible and practical classic.
Yes, well, we had better not talk about those on this channel.... This car does indeed come from a time when having a Mercedes really did mean something, and these did stand out from their rivals.
wow! was thinking about the 2.5 cosworth just the other day! Great cars, bullet proof, but space in the back was poor and was sated by the early 90s. There were also some cracking diese....................never mind!!
Well done for your self-censorship, sir! The space in the back of these is a bit limited, but then that is also the case in an E30 3-Series.
Very nice cars I remember well reminds me of my Dailey driver w202
Indeed an excellent little car, which seems to become a lot more charming over the last few years.
This is the era when I really admired Merc. Yes the equipment list wasn't huge but you got the impression it was built from quality stuff that would last. The C Class in the 90s in comparison didnt feel as good a car and the quality seemed to go down the pan in the 00s. Good to see that changing again
That's right, these do seem better than the later C-Class models, albeit a little bit more old fashioned. The W203s in particular were known for sub-par quality. My mother's W205 seems OK, although it is only four years old and it has covered about 15,000 miles...
Great review sir, very nice car, its in immaculate condition
Yes, Simon keeps it very well indeed, a well preserved example!
Wouldn't it be better to aim your camera at the dash and windscreen while driving? Handsome as you are, we're here to look at the car.
You could always open a new browser tab during those segments if you don't like the look of my face. It's pretty standard on virtually all automotive reviews to point the camera towards the driver during driving sections, and I actually spared you the displeasure of looking my way again in the last driving section by pointing the camera towards the front of the car.
Solid, simple,elegant interior,comfortable ride. I think I'd like that!
I wonder how expensive they are to run and maintain, regarding spares availability and overall reliabiltiy.
The spares availability and reliability are not too bad, from what I understand. This automatic model is very easy to drive, strange accelerator pedal position aside.
Still affordable compared to the W123, W124, W126, with all the traditional Mercedes-Benz qualities.
Yes, definitely in the under £5,000 category at the moment for one in this sort of condition.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting
Yes very nice car indeed Sir, sadly no rear headrests, which is obligatory along with rear electric windows. I'm sure you would agree that such options should of been standard.
I recall the replacement C180 in steerage spec, had absolutely nothing in the way of equipment, only an electrical adjustment for the passenger side mirror, that was it, very spartan to say the least.
@@paulie-Gualtieri. , yes, rear headrests were probably some sort of option. The C180 I drove back in May was not generously equipped, and yet it was much better specified than the early Classics which, as you say, had hardly any equipment at all.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting
The C180 Mr Clarkson was reviewing on old Top Gear many years ago was very Hubnut spec.
@@paulie-Gualtieri. , I remember it well, sir!
This model always struck me as looking rather '' junior '' in the rear haunches..an old styling trick to get you to move up the range , and it did the car no favors.
Never thought about it that way before, interesting!
Completely disagree, it looks more sporty than the w124 in my opinion.
You should talk about Baby Benz diesel.
I am afraid that, due to controversial government legislation and many other reasons, we don't talk about diesels on this channel.
Great video
Thank you ever so much indeed for watching and commenting!
Another great review Sir, a once common sight on the roads. Is that a full length sunroof car has as well?
Hope you are feeling better and many thanks for the t-shirt I received today.
No problem at all, Mr Watters! Still not completely better, hence why no videos have been recorded since the start of the month, but getting there slowly. Glad you received the T-shirt OK, sir!
Isnt s for snow ?
I don't believe so, we did have a discussion about it before I started filming.
The E and S switch as found on Euro models is for Standard or Economy mode.
With S visible, the car starts in 2nd gear at normal throttle but 1st gear at full throttle.
Upward gear changes are delayed until best rev range is reached.
With E visible, the car starts in 2nd gear regardless of the throttle applied.
Upward gear changes happen at lower revs, giving a smoother more comfortable gear change, and it also returns better fuel economy.
The only function they share is when kick down is applied, both modes then give maximum power.
@@ivan747100 , it's definitely worth leaving it in Standard, otherwise it feels much too slow...
The diesel models are better.
Wrong channel for that, I am afraid...
I’ve had two of these glorious cars. 2.0 and 1.8 and loved them both. Both automatics
They may not be very fast, but they are very good cars!
@@lloydvehicleconsulting yes I enjoyed both mine. Another great car I had was a 1997 Audi A4 saloon 1.6. The manual gearbox on that was so precise and fluid.
I filmed a 1999 Audi A4 on No Budget Reviews almost exactly a year ago...
@@lloydvehicleconsulting yes I believe it was the 1.8 engine. Mine was pre face lift. Unfortunately it was in between my first Mercedes 190e 2.0 injection which the chain went and lunched the engine. I then bought the Audi, but missed the 190, so bought another which was the 1.8, both auto. The 2.0 was definitely more punchy
@@enchantress7940 , the 1.8 was only available towards the end of production, and they all came with a catalytic converter, I believe, so they would be quite slow.