Help finding a new home for 91/190e w/50k miles
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190e
Help finding a new home for 91/190e w/50k miles
I was wondering if someone can help me finding a good new home for this car.
It's a 1991 190e w/50kmiles.
It was my dad's car (1-owner, who loved & cared for it very much).
It appears in original condition. Garaged for most of it's life... Immaculate:
It's a 1991 190e w/50kmiles.
It was my dad's car (1-owner, who loved & cared for it very much).
It appears in original condition. Garaged for most of it's life... Immaculate:
1) Runs/Drives all 4 gears, great oil pressure;
2) 2 Keys/manuals/toolkit/medkit/spare tire/original window price/spec sheet, etc.;
3) No Rust & Paint is in near perfect condition - except for a few rock chips ( see photos );
4) All accessories seem to work; ac, radio, doors, locks, hood, trunk, sun roof, windshield wipers/spray, lights, gauges, clock, radio, - except, rear passenger window doesn't move at all;
5) It's located in Paradise Valley, Az;
5) I have attached a link to photos: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...JBejlnejBKb1hR
thx
2) 2 Keys/manuals/toolkit/medkit/spare tire/original window price/spec sheet, etc.;
3) No Rust & Paint is in near perfect condition - except for a few rock chips ( see photos );
4) All accessories seem to work; ac, radio, doors, locks, hood, trunk, sun roof, windshield wipers/spray, lights, gauges, clock, radio, - except, rear passenger window doesn't move at all;
5) It's located in Paradise Valley, Az;
5) I have attached a link to photos: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...JBejlnejBKb1hR
thx
Last edited by enzoaldu; Jun 9, 2026 at 11:41 PM.
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C230K
It might be a good candidate to sell on Bring a Trailer. Just remember to list it with a reserve price that you're comfortable with, and do not under any circumstance lower your reserve price, or even remove it. When the BaT guys keep pressuring you to lower or remove your reserve price, do not cave in to them at all. I've seen too many sellers get their hearts broken after their car sells for much less than they had wanted.
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190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
Nice looking car. Appears to be 90-93. If you put it on BAT, you will have to do something about the dust under the hood. I suppose that must be the Arizona dust.
Must have been driven on a dusty environment but all you need is to spray with an engine degreaser and power wash it from a distance it will come out really nice and shiny like new.
I did that to my original at >200Kmiles and if looks brand new under the hood. This alone should add thousands to the selling price.
Hope you can find her a good home.
Must have been driven on a dusty environment but all you need is to spray with an engine degreaser and power wash it from a distance it will come out really nice and shiny like new.
I did that to my original at >200Kmiles and if looks brand new under the hood. This alone should add thousands to the selling price.
Hope you can find her a good home.
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190e
Thank-you for all the advice.
Yes, it probably deserves a good detail.
It's a weird situation, does a $7-$12k'ish car merit all the time (which I don't have) to get it onto BAT with detailing, 100's of photos, PPI's, & dealing with all the other hastles.
Or, do I just do a FB marketplace/cragslist 'as is' sale? I would hope it would go to someone who would take care of it.
Yes, it probably deserves a good detail.
It's a weird situation, does a $7-$12k'ish car merit all the time (which I don't have) to get it onto BAT with detailing, 100's of photos, PPI's, & dealing with all the other hastles.
Or, do I just do a FB marketplace/cragslist 'as is' sale? I would hope it would go to someone who would take care of it.
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From: SF Bay Area, CA
190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
I see $7-12K cars being sold on BAT all the time. But it needs to be near pristine for a W201. There are so many of them that buyers demand more.
Car being in Arizona helps a lot because you will have no rust, but buyers will ask you to take special pictures for suspect areas.
(1) From the engine bay I could infer that the undercarriage does not look any better. You will need to power wash that too.
(2) A white car helps because you do not have to deal with clear coat damage and the paint will last till ear 2100 kept in a garage
(3) You will need crash reports, maintenance records, etc.
(4) And yes a lot of questions
(5) Shipping
I suspect on Facebook you will not find a home, just a local yokel teenager who thinks a new looking car that is ~$7K is a good deal and run it to the ground or worse start the crazy mods.
On BAT if the internal cosmetics look good (simple items like non sagging netting at the back of the front seats, door card material not separating at the arm rest,
Hood pad in good shape, good zebrano wood detail, non cracked vent plastic, etc., etc.
If I did not already have 2 of these I would be interested but I simple do not have the room or the patience to restore yet another one. I have already restored the one original to me and in the middle of a second one. And yes after 34 years even a low mileage W201 will need 1000's of dollars and many DIY hours for restoration.
Maybe post a few pics of the items I mentioned above and I can give you a better idea if it is worth BAT. On BAT with proper presentation, a one owner W201 like your dad's can fetch upwards of $10K. Market is unpredictable these days though.
Car being in Arizona helps a lot because you will have no rust, but buyers will ask you to take special pictures for suspect areas.
(1) From the engine bay I could infer that the undercarriage does not look any better. You will need to power wash that too.
(2) A white car helps because you do not have to deal with clear coat damage and the paint will last till ear 2100 kept in a garage
(3) You will need crash reports, maintenance records, etc.
(4) And yes a lot of questions
(5) Shipping
I suspect on Facebook you will not find a home, just a local yokel teenager who thinks a new looking car that is ~$7K is a good deal and run it to the ground or worse start the crazy mods.
On BAT if the internal cosmetics look good (simple items like non sagging netting at the back of the front seats, door card material not separating at the arm rest,
Hood pad in good shape, good zebrano wood detail, non cracked vent plastic, etc., etc.
If I did not already have 2 of these I would be interested but I simple do not have the room or the patience to restore yet another one. I have already restored the one original to me and in the middle of a second one. And yes after 34 years even a low mileage W201 will need 1000's of dollars and many DIY hours for restoration.
Maybe post a few pics of the items I mentioned above and I can give you a better idea if it is worth BAT. On BAT with proper presentation, a one owner W201 like your dad's can fetch upwards of $10K. Market is unpredictable these days though.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,377
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From: SF Bay Area, CA
190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
Is keeping the car not an option for you? It would be a good way to remember your father in the future if you are a DIY car person.
I can tell you that my 210K mile manual transmission original to me '89 runs and looks like the day I bought it. It takes a lot of effort but is very satisfying.
- Cheers!
I can tell you that my 210K mile manual transmission original to me '89 runs and looks like the day I bought it. It takes a lot of effort but is very satisfying.
- Cheers!
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How much are you thinking of selling it for? I've wanted one for while. Have a friend with a 2.3 16 that I've wanted to purchase from him but he wouldn't sell it. Honestly, if I were in his position, I wouldn't sell it either. 
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1991 190E 2.3
To find a good home for your car you're much better off selling on BAT. BAT is known for paying top $$$ for a well detailed as in ceramic coated, well documented 1 owner car. Your car will need to look the part of being a low mileage 1 owner car in order to get top $$$. Do you have any service records throughout your Dad's ownership? Service records are worth a lot. If you've never cleaned an engine bay before, have some one who has experience doing so do the job. You can ruin your car's electronics if the engine cleaning is not done properly. Facebook Marketplace is not the place to sell a low mileage, 1 owner car. You will not find the MB enthusiast buyer you're looking for there,.
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190e
I see $7-12K cars being sold on BAT all the time. But it needs to be near pristine for a W201. There are so many of them that buyers demand more.
Car being in Arizona helps a lot because you will have no rust, but buyers will ask you to take special pictures for suspect areas.
(1) From the engine bay I could infer that the undercarriage does not look any better. You will need to power wash that too.
(2) A white car helps because you do not have to deal with clear coat damage and the paint will last till ear 2100 kept in a garage
(3) You will need crash reports, maintenance records, etc.
(4) And yes a lot of questions
(5) Shipping
I suspect on Facebook you will not find a home, just a local yokel teenager who thinks a new looking car that is ~$7K is a good deal and run it to the ground or worse start the crazy mods.
On BAT if the internal cosmetics look good (simple items like non sagging netting at the back of the front seats, door card material not separating at the arm rest,
Hood pad in good shape, good zebrano wood detail, non cracked vent plastic, etc., etc.
If I did not already have 2 of these I would be interested but I simple do not have the room or the patience to restore yet another one. I have already restored the one original to me and in the middle of a second one. And yes after 34 years even a low mileage W201 will need 1000's of dollars and many DIY hours for restoration.
Maybe post a few pics of the items I mentioned above and I can give you a better idea if it is worth BAT. On BAT with proper presentation, a one owner W201 like your dad's can fetch upwards of $10K. Market is unpredictable these days though.
Car being in Arizona helps a lot because you will have no rust, but buyers will ask you to take special pictures for suspect areas.
(1) From the engine bay I could infer that the undercarriage does not look any better. You will need to power wash that too.
(2) A white car helps because you do not have to deal with clear coat damage and the paint will last till ear 2100 kept in a garage
(3) You will need crash reports, maintenance records, etc.
(4) And yes a lot of questions
(5) Shipping
I suspect on Facebook you will not find a home, just a local yokel teenager who thinks a new looking car that is ~$7K is a good deal and run it to the ground or worse start the crazy mods.
On BAT if the internal cosmetics look good (simple items like non sagging netting at the back of the front seats, door card material not separating at the arm rest,
Hood pad in good shape, good zebrano wood detail, non cracked vent plastic, etc., etc.
If I did not already have 2 of these I would be interested but I simple do not have the room or the patience to restore yet another one. I have already restored the one original to me and in the middle of a second one. And yes after 34 years even a low mileage W201 will need 1000's of dollars and many DIY hours for restoration.
Maybe post a few pics of the items I mentioned above and I can give you a better idea if it is worth BAT. On BAT with proper presentation, a one owner W201 like your dad's can fetch upwards of $10K. Market is unpredictable these days though.
I'll try to take more pics next week when I am there.... I'm sure the under-carriage is just as dirty as the engine bay.
I know that he did a big maintenance 3-4yrs ago (engine/tranny mounts, shocks, tie rods, rotors/pads, hoses/belt, fluids, tranny/diff, plugs, air/fuel filter, etc.) and maybe, he put a few thousand miles on it since.
I have not even looked for the service records yet.... & especially, the Title?
thx, enzo
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1991 190E 2.3
Thx for your help. Much appreciated. (U would've made a good home for it. lol!)
I'll try to take more pics next week when I am there.... I'm sure the under-carriage is just as dirty as the engine bay.
I know that he did a big maintenance 3-4yrs ago (engine/tranny mounts, shocks, tie rods, rotors/pads, hoses/belt, fluids, tranny/diff, plugs, air/fuel filter, etc.) and maybe, he put a few thousand miles on it since.
I have not even looked for the service records yet.... & especially, the Title?
thx, enzo
I'll try to take more pics next week when I am there.... I'm sure the under-carriage is just as dirty as the engine bay.
I know that he did a big maintenance 3-4yrs ago (engine/tranny mounts, shocks, tie rods, rotors/pads, hoses/belt, fluids, tranny/diff, plugs, air/fuel filter, etc.) and maybe, he put a few thousand miles on it since.
I have not even looked for the service records yet.... & especially, the Title?
thx, enzo
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190e
In order to get top $$$, the car must look the part. A filthy engine bay and a filthy undercarriage is a negative signal to buyers of the car being neglected. That's called sending the wrong message and it lowers your ability to get top $$$ for the car. I would suggest that you go to the BAT website and search for a 190E that sold on BAT a few months ago for $26,500. The car had 79,000 miles on it and it was in a great color combination, black with light gray interior. The car had been detailed to the nines. It looked to me like it had been ceramic coated. The car looked as good as the day it was first driven home from the MB showroom. This is what you must do to get top $$$. Any service records will only add to the value of the car.
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190e
Honestly, I don't think I could walk by it everyday in the garage & remind me of his passing.
& I am just not able to add any more cars to my garage - already have 2 double stacked & I don't have time for any more projeccts.
& I am just not able to add any more cars to my garage - already have 2 double stacked & I don't have time for any more projeccts.
Last edited by enzoaldu; Jun 11, 2026 at 09:51 PM.
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C230K
I'm really sorry to hear this. I know it sounds cliche, but it gets better with time.
I hope you'll at least sleep on the idea of keeping it. Being that he was the original owner, it truly was his car, and it may help you connect with his memories when you drive it in the future. Plus, you really don't need to mod anything; it sounds like he got all the maintenance taken care of already, so should be in great driving condition.
I hope you'll at least sleep on the idea of keeping it. Being that he was the original owner, it truly was his car, and it may help you connect with his memories when you drive it in the future. Plus, you really don't need to mod anything; it sounds like he got all the maintenance taken care of already, so should be in great driving condition.
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1991 190E 2.3
A 1 owner, 50,000 mile, post facelift W201 is not a candidate for customizing. W201s with only 1 owner and such low miles are getting rarer by the day.
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1991 190E 2.3
I've walked in your shoes .It's really tough. I've come to realize that every time I take my car out for a drive, both my father and Bruno Sacco live on.
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190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
Sorry to hear about your father. My condolences. People have different ways of dealing with a loss of a parent. You must have ridden in this car when you were young.
I know I would rather still have our family W115 for the memories but not possible. Instead I keep a picture of the W115 with my father in my W201 for the same.
I totally respect your approach as well. My advice to you would be to clean up the car and fix the obvious eye sores and put it up on BAT. I suspect it will bring $5K-$10K depending on the market these days. But you will have the ease of mind that it went to someone who will most likely care about the car.
I know I would rather still have our family W115 for the memories but not possible. Instead I keep a picture of the W115 with my father in my W201 for the same.
I totally respect your approach as well. My advice to you would be to clean up the car and fix the obvious eye sores and put it up on BAT. I suspect it will bring $5K-$10K depending on the market these days. But you will have the ease of mind that it went to someone who will most likely care about the car.
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190e
Sorry to hear about your father. My condolences. People have different ways of dealing with a loss of a parent. You must have ridden in this car when you were young.
I know I would rather still have our family W115 for the memories but not possible. Instead I keep a picture of the W115 with my father in my W201 for the same.
I totally respect your approach as well. My advice to you would be to clean up the car and fix the obvious eye sores and put it up on BAT. I suspect it will bring $5K-$10K depending on the market these days. But you will have the ease of mind that it went to someone who will most likely care about the car.
I know I would rather still have our family W115 for the memories but not possible. Instead I keep a picture of the W115 with my father in my W201 for the same.
I totally respect your approach as well. My advice to you would be to clean up the car and fix the obvious eye sores and put it up on BAT. I suspect it will bring $5K-$10K depending on the market these days. But you will have the ease of mind that it went to someone who will most likely care about the car.
I agree with you. I don't really associate my memories of him with just this car. & Yes, like u, I can keep a pic of him w/the car on my desk.
But, the more I look at this car, I am so amazed by the engineering. Something special happened w/Bruno.
I am not sure if it was the caretaker, or the craftmanship - everything is so perfect after 35yrs!
We had a 1971 Porsche 911 when I was growing up - & it was falling apart in so many ways that I can't explain. Seats, paint, door cards, rust, quality, manually adjusted injectors to pass inspection, etc.
I wish I could donate it to some science group who can study it & bring back that quality of craftmanship to the auto industry.
enzo
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190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
I agree with the engineering. These cars are sporty, comfortable and great daily drivers. My original just gets driven a couple of times a month now and the other gets driven daily.
I prefer driving these and taking care of them instead of driving the late model BMW's I own.
Mine are manual 2.6's instead of auto, and that adds to the fun.
I prefer driving these and taking care of them instead of driving the late model BMW's I own.
Mine are manual 2.6's instead of auto, and that adds to the fun.
