1986 Mercedes-Benz 190-Series

Cosworth Sedan

2.3

Automatic

WDBDA34D1GF253279

Clear

Gasoline

I just had this Mercedes shipped over from California. Unfortunately, I live in Wyoming and the previous owner bypassed the heater. It is getting too cold up here to drive without defrost or AWD! I assume the heater control valve went bad because they had it plugged. The part is cheap, but I just dont have time to drain the coolant to switch it out. Anyway, when I purchased the car, I was under the assumption that everything worked, including the heater. I paid a lot for shipping so sending it back is not an option. So here it goes on eBay to see if there is someone who would like to fix it or who doesn't need a heater. I have only owned the car for a few weeks, but I will try to give an honest assessment of what I know. Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Here is an article on Hemmings about why these cars are so special: http://www.hemmings.com/hmn/stories/2012/08/01/hmn_feature4.html The bad: -Heater has been bypassed as mentioned above. -Rear drivers side window motor does not work. -Crack in the rear spoiler and some bad clear coat spots on the hood and driver's side roof. -The engine needs a good tuneup. I think it had been sitting for a while before I bought it. I did have the oil and fuel filter changed, but I think new plugs could make a big difference in power. -It may need new valve stem seals as there is a little oil getting into the air box. They are cheap to buy, but I just dont have the time or knowhow to take the head off. It would be a good time to replace the head gasket too. -No recent service records. There are records from when the car was newer, but the last owner did not keep an documents. -Cracks in the dash. There is a replacement dash without any cracks listed right now on ebay for $250 OBO though. -A little rough starting, but I think the tuneup would correct this because it does start and run well after warming up a bit. The good: -It is a 2.3 16v! This is the car that prompted BMW to build the M3. They are a rare, fast, and very cool. The Cosworth designed head, sport tuned suspension, and bolstered seats make this otherwise boring sedan, very exciting. -I just replaced the cheap aftermarket ignition tumbler with a Mercedes one along with the door locks so they all work as they should. -The suspension feels tight and it handles very nicely. -Black chrome emblems were a dealer option. -The transmission shifts as it should. No problems I know of there. -No rust that I can find. The body looks very solid with no obvious damage or problems. Even if you need to spend a little on the mechanicals, that is a lot cheaper than repairing a rusty car. -Other than the dash, the interior looks very good. The seats look like new and even the old school cell phone is still in place! This will make a fun car for someone who can do a few of the repairs themselves. There are plenty of forums online with information about how to fix anything on these. Also, Mercedes made tons of the 190Es so there are tons of cheap second-hand parts available at salvage yards and here on eBay. It does need some work, but it is solid and complete so it definitely deserves to be saved. Please checkout all the photos before bidding: http://s1308.beta.photobucket.com/user/bonebreak8/library/cosworth *These photos were taken before it was shipped over here. No palm trees in Wyoming!