Virtually indestructible
Five years ago, Bastiaan Smeding’s 190E was roaring on the dynamometer in The Hague. Today we have a completely different aptitude on the menu for the 33-year-old Mercedes, which he has owned for sixteen years. Is this the best car ‘Das Haus’ has ever built?
Mercedes built insanely good cars in the 70s and 80s
In order to polish the brand image a bit, Mercedes-Benz has been using the slogan ‘Das Beste oder nichts’ for a few years now, which suggests that top quality is a priority. In the 1970s and early 1980s, when the 190 was developed, this philosophy was pretty much the starting point in Stuttgart. This led to insanely well-built cars that could easily drive a million kilometers with normal driving style and proper maintenance. We have already seen quite a few examples of this, including a 190D 2.5 with 1.2 million kilometers in this section. The slightly more than four tonnes that Bastiaan Smeding’s Baby-Benz has driven does not amount to much. “It’s my first car,” he says. “It was clear from my youth that it would be a Mercedes. I grew up with it. I would prefer a W123 or W124, but they are a bit too big for me. The 190 is just the right size and is not too heavy. You saw them driving a lot in Rotterdam at the time, especially the tax-free diesels. After that arrangement was abolished, it was over in one fell swoop. Before purchasing this I looked at several 190’s until this one came into focus. It was located in IJsselstein, was imported in 2003 and all the history was there. I immediately fell in love with the color and the interior. That paint is called Impala and that’s what I’ve called my car since day one.”
Everything can be repaired on a 190
Strangely enough, the odometer turns out to be the least durable part, because it was replaced after just over 250,000 km. A brand new one came in, which now stands at just over 173,000. Furthermore, the necessary maintenance has been carried out over the years, for which Bastiaan can always rely on the technicians at the Mercedes-Benz Friends club. “That saves a lot of money and it’s fun. I have two good friends there who know the 190 inside and out. You won’t find people like that at every dealer anymore. The big plus of this car is that almost everything can be repaired. Basically it is extremely solid. Replacing the heater radiator was quite an operation, which required removing the entire dashboard. Something like that would cost a small fortune in a normal garage. Another well-known point of attention is the windshield wiper motor. The grease in it becomes thick and the engine starts to run harder and harder. Just a matter of removing it, cleaning it, adding new grease and it can last for years again. We also installed an original cruise control together. I also made some optical changes, such as the wheels, the so-called manhole covers. And it has American front and rear lights. If it has to go for the MOT, I will put the original one back in, because of the rear fog light.”
Stranded twice
Judge Tim de Leeuw is a bit grumpy before he sets off with the 190. It is not his car at all, he says prior to the test drive. The test drive and the inspection provide a nice list, but none of the defects are serious. “He is 33 years old, you can see that here and there and feel it while driving. And even though I’m not a fan, that doesn’t detract from the quality,” says Tim. Bastiaan: “To be honest, I never thought I would drive this car for so long. Good maintenance is very important, it must always be done. I work as an executive driver and have to be able to get to work on time. In all those years he has only left me behind twice: with an empty battery and with a broken alternator. Unfortunately, years ago I collided with another car while unparking. It was right in the blind spot and it caused a big dent in the left rear screen. At the body shop someone was able to push most of it out from the trunk, but in the end I had the damage repaired and the spraying was not done properly. There are still a few small imperfections, but that is part of driving a youngtimer. That doesn’t change the fact that I still enjoy it. After a day in an expensive executive car, I am always happy when I get behind the wheel of the 190.”
Owner Mercedes-Benz 190E
Name: Bastiaan Smeding
Year of construction: 1985
Place of residence: Rotterdam
Occupation: Executive driver
First car: This 190
Previous car: N/A
What would you like to change about your car?: “Repair the sunroof.”
What is your longest trip with this car?: “To Slovenia in 2011.”
Maintenance history
- July 2007 Engine oil and filter, coolant, belt tensioner and damper replaced multi-belt, brake fluid changed, rear brake discs and pads, front brake pads
- December 2007 New thermostat, new engine mounts
- November 2008 Engine oil and filter, air filter
- December 2008 Rear brake pads
- July 2009 Turn
- October 2009 power steering oil and filter, gear oil
- January 2010 Changed transmission oil and filter, hardy disc, brake discs and pads at the front
- February 2010 Engine oil and filter, air filter
- May 2010 Replaced battery support plate
- July 2010 New odometer
- January 2011 Replaced rear brake discs and pads
- September 2011 Engine oil and filter
- October 2011 New set of winter tires Dunlop Winter Sport 3D
- April 2012 Cooling and brake fluid changed
- August 2012 New spark plug cable set, ABS sensors front wheels, serviced
- January 2013 Align
- April 2013 New set of summer tires, Dunlop Sport SP Fast Response
- May 2013 New spark plugs, front right wheel bearing, original tempomat installed
- June 2013 New middle silencer and rear silencer
- July 2013 Turn
- October 2013 New distributor cap and rotor
- April 2014 Transmission oil changed and filter, service, multi-belt tensioner, alignment
- December 2014 Replaced front brake pads, multi-ribbed belt
- January 2015 Have the manhole cover wheels powder coated
- June 2015 New water pump, new aluminum thermostat housing
- September 2015 Hardy discs front and rear, vibration damper, intermediate shaft support and bearing, exhaust support
- July 2016 New shock absorbers, serviced
- August 2016 Rear brake pads
- September 2016 Front brake discs and pads, front brake hoses, brake fluid
- February 2017 Oil and filter, air filter
- March 2017 New silencer
- January 2018 New heater motor
- January 2018 Oil and filter, spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor
- May 2018 Electric fan for air conditioning (NOS)
- December 2018 New radiator
- February 2019 Had valve stem rubbers replaced due to oil consumption
- April 2019 Replaced control arm rubbers and all other suspension rubbers, etc., replaced rear axle rods, track rods, steering damper, pitman arm, stabilizer bar rubbers, replaced both rear wheel bearings, alignment, new set of Vredestein Sportrac summer tires
- May 2019 New center silencer
- July 2019 Service, power steering oil changed and filter replaced, gearbox oil and filter and K1 piston in automatic transmission replaced
- October 2019 Coolant changed
- November 2020 Oil and filter, spark plugs
- May 2021 Replaced both front wheel bearings
- October 2021 New set of winter tires, Michelin Alpin 6
- November 2021 New fuel pump relay
- February 2022 New alternator
- May 2022 New fuel pump, fuel filter, power steering pump return line
- June 2022 Oil and filter, spark plugs, multi-ribbed belt, air filter, front brake pads, rear brake discs and pads, brake fluid changed
- December 2022 New distributor cap and rotor
- February 2023 Replaced heater radiator, new battery
- June 2023 Replaced fuel hose from fuel filter to fuel line
- September 2023 New silencer
What’s wrong with it?
- The body has a rust spot under the paint on the left rear and near the right rear door
- Cover of the skylight is missing and the tilt function of the skylight does not work
- Air conditioning only works when the car is moving
- Car feels floaty and distant when driving at speed
- Steering wheel is to the left
- Automatic gearbox bangs while shifting
- Minimal whine from the drivetrain
- Left rear panel is very poorly painted
- Tailgate rubber is torn
- Large bump present on the spare tire
- Rear fog lights not working (wrong units)
- Traces of cooling water leakage at the cooling water level sensor and at the sensor on the engine
- Battery clamp is not properly mounted
- The front hard drive has plenty of space
- Subframe rubbers have quite a bit of space
- Engine and transmission lines are sweating oil in various places
- Cardan is wet with oil
- A bracket and mounting rubber for the exhaust are missing
- Front wheel bearings have play (adjust)
- Front and rear springs are quite rusted
The opinion of Carrec Technocenter
“Personally, I think these are really terrible cars. The steering wheel is too big and too far forward and cannot be moved, which makes it more difficult for a long arm to get in and out and my knees hit the steering wheel while driving. The steering wheel also feels as if it is not attached to the wheels. You don’t feel anything at all and you have to steer a lot to actually change direction. That combined with the enormous impact of the accelerator pedal makes the 118 hp a source of irritation for me to drive. Other than that, this particular example was actually quite okay. It is clear that some work has been done over the years and it has no serious or major defects.”