Project 190 E: How Much Benz Can You Really Get for $1,500?
Patience will help you stumble across an amazing deal. Patience will also be needed when you start discovering flaws.
Craigslist is a dangerous area of the internet to linger if you’re a glutton for project cars. For around $1,500, old metal from the ’60s can be found, and if Benzes are to your liking, a smattering of saggy S420 “for parts” cars are easy to pick out. Even W203s are falling into this category with 6-speed Sport Coupes popping up now and then. ML320s can be had for this price, too, if you’re looking for the ‘Bama Benz and something a bit more suited toward off-road duties.
Another option, as suggested by the title, lies in the W201 chassis. You’re not getting a Cosworth for this kind of price, nor will you be getting a low-mileage creampuff. Patience has its virtues, though, because you can find some incredible deals so long as you avoid jumping on the first one.
I discovered this one about two weeks ago. I even wrote about how clean it is. Sure, it has higher mileage, but generally speaking, if a car has made it nearly to the moon — 238,900 miles away — the previous owner(s) had to care for it at least a little.
Checking the Car
Google won’t let you put the moon into your navigation, though, so the 221,000 miles this car has covered are all terrestrial. Originally a California car, this W201 looked immaculate when I first saw it. But it does have flaws. Cosmetically, some of the paint has lost its luster due to UV rays. There’s also a small crease on the back bumper, and it looks like someone let their anger out on the third brake light. Overall, though, it’s still in good shape.
Being a 1992 model, it has an airbag, but just for the driver. This one even has an upgraded aftermarket radio with CD, USB and aux inputs, making it far better than the factory Becker unit. Thankfully the radio doesn’t look like a Japanese jukebox from 2003 because I can’t stand the blinding lights and colors from aftermarket radios.
Wood cracking is evident near the shifter, but the dashboard is solid with not a single blemish. Gray interior surfaces are also in excellent shape, including the original floor mats. Surprisingly, as I inspected the trunk, I also found the full-size spare has never been used, and the jack has been of assistance to no one. Both have sat untouched for 25 years.
The Test Drive
Astonishingly, every single switch works. Windows and sunroof mechanisms work as they should, too, although the guides can probably use some re-greasing. The radio works alongside a factory premium audio system for increased bass. The power seats also work fine. Actually, the list of faulty electronics would be easier to list, so here it goes: a front driving light and a rear taillight are burnt out.
Mechanically, things take a turn for the worse. I knew going into the deal that the car had a bit of a “hesitation at high load,” but during an initial test drive, the car experienced completely normal running conditions. As I’d later find out, I probably should have taken it for a longer test drive.
Negotiation
So with all this in mind, the price started to get negotiated. Listed at $2,000, I knew there would be a little room to negotiate. There’s a catch, though: the seller wanted to get the car repaired before parting ways with it. Blinded by idiocy, self-confidence and the thought of having another Benz in the garage, I put out an offer on the ailing 190 E.
He took it, and now I own a 190 E for less than $1,500.
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