1993 Mercedes-Benz 190E

First registered on the 1st of April 1993 and believed to have been in dry storage between 2011 and 2017, this absolutely fabulous Almandine Red Mercedes-Benz 190E is showing just two previous keepers on the V5 registration document.

In the care of the vendor since May 2017, it is fitted with a factory rear spoiler and cloth interior. It drives “exactly like it did when it first left the showroom: very impressive indeed” according to the chap here who test drove it, an assessment the owner agrees with wholeheartedly.

With a fabulous service history from the supplying dealer until 2003 and independent garages after that, it would be the ideal first classic for the enthusiast looking to explore the classic car scene.

Plus, the vendor is so confident in its condition – and your ability to spot a good ‘un – that it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

The Almandine Red coachwork looks fabulous; as we said in the background section, Mercedes of the period were ridiculously over-engineered and the W201’s bodywork was no exception. This attention to detail, along with having led what appears to have been a very pampered life, mean that this 190E still sports dent, ripple, and dink-free panels, great shutlines, neatly aligned swage lines, and a wonderous sheen to the factory red paintwork.

All the doors and openings work as they should, opening and closing with a precision that was rare in this class of car at the time and is even rarer three decades later. The factory sunroof has been singled out for praise, said to slide brilliantly, still seal tightly and it, along with the door mirrors, windows etc, “worked really well” when tested by us here at The Market’s HQ.

The rear spoiler was a £400 optional extra when the car was new but adds a racy touch to the otherwise staid look we really like, largely because it contrasts so starkly with that big, bluff chrome radiator grille.

Speaking of which, the chromework, glass, badges and light lenses are all very good. As are the OE hubcaps, which don’t show any signs of having been kerbed or scuffed. The wheels are shod with good tyres too, Continentals on the rear axle and Gepard on the front.

Work to do is minor. There is a scratch to the plastic cladding behind the nearside front wheelarch, and the nearside rear door trim on the window is coming away. This example really is best of breed.

If you thought austerity was something the Conservatives thought up then you’ve obviously never sat in a 190E; it might be almost absurdly well put together but this one does feel a bit sparse despite being ordered from the factory with a Blaupunkt radio/cassette player, four speakers and an electric aerial for £450, an alarm system for £450, and over-carpets for £60.

And yet, it does imbue you with a feeling of smugness, partly because it just feels right and partly because it looks so damned good; after almost 30 years, this one’s wood veneer trim still gleams, the cloth seats still support and cosset, and everything works with the sort of precision that led to the term ‘rifle bolt’ becoming such a cliché from under-skilled hacks who are paid by the word.

Seriously though, if we were to tell you that the interior belongs to a three-year-old car you’d still compliment it on its condition.

The Blaupunkt Verona radio/cassette player still works (the manual is in the history file too, by the way…) and the white lettering throughout is still bright and crisp and vibrant. Hell, even the netting pockets on the back of the front seats are still taut and undamaged, and that’s almost never the case.

And, if anything, the boot is even more wonderful than the rest of the interior; home to the spare wheel and warning triangle, the tool kit is still wrapped in plastic, the tyre looks to be unused, and the boot floor is utterly solid and has no rust or corrosion.

Faults? Well, just the one, we think: The central locking doesn't work to lock the car. You must push the button down on the three doors then lock the driver door with the key to secure the car. The vacuum-locking does unlock the doors though, so the fix might be straightforward. The vendor has not used the alarm.

The 190’s MOT certificate, which is valid until August 2021, was gained without a single advisory point, something it’s been doing since it came out of storage in 2017.

It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years. This work is recorded (possibly with the odd typo…) in the service history booklet as follows:

• 16.06.1993 and 2,738 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 06.09.1993 and 6,297 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 27.04.1994 and 11,685 miles – new speedometer by Rivervale Reading

• 14.12.1994 and 6,565 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 06.09.1995 and 13,321 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 01.04.1996 and 18,591 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 27.11.1996 and 36,465 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 10.09.1997 and 43,147 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 22.03.1999 and 37,137 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 01.03.2000 and 41,438 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 14.05.2001 and 46,000 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 30.05.2002 and 50,997 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 01.07.2002 and 52,683 miles – service by Rivervale Reading

• 30.05.2003 and 56,336 miles – service by Greenoaks of Reading

• 22.05.2007 and 72,055 miles – service by Great Hollands

• 11.05.2008 and 74,716 miles – service by Great Hollands

Subsequent service work since it came out of storage in 2017 has been done by the vendor’s local garage but it hasn’t, sadly, been recorded in the service history booklet.

The car starts very well and drives surprisingly like a new one with no squeaks or rattles.

The engine bay is clean and tidy without being flash. It is, therefore, entirely in keeping with the rest of the 190E.

The underside is very strong and solid and shows only the merest hint of surface corrosion here and there. It still wears it factory combination of paint and underseal too, and looks original.

It also still has its owner’s handbook, stamped service history, book pack, and storage wallet plus the original sales invoice from Rivervale Reading showing the purchase price of £22,693.75.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

Look, we know that a two-litre, bog-standard Mercedes-Benz 190E is not going to get anyone’s pulse racing but if you’re looking for a rock-solid, ultra-reliable modern classic to trundle around in then they have got an awful lot going for them.

Especially when they’re as well preserved as this one. With an almost unmarked interior, an all-but-flawless exterior, and the sort of well-maintained and tight mechanical components that speak of gentle use and obsessive servicing, the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts.

In genuine time-warp condition, you should do very well out of it in the years to come financially, too because the model has yet to receive the sort of wide-spread appreciation that we think is inevitable, which means prices are still low.

How low? Well, we think this one will sell for between £4,500 and £7,000, which is an absolute bargain when you consider just how well preserved it is.

And, even better, it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid. So, what are you waiting for? As a way to start the weekend, it’s rivalled only by that first G&T…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.