1993 Mercedes-Benz 190E LE

This Rosso Red (burgundy) 2.0 litre auto 190E LE has covered 116,000 miles and comes with a walnut dash, headrests and all the other features specified for the 2.0 litre LE model.

As stated, this car is rare. As rare as a German stand-up comedian. We’re aware of just one other for sale in the UK.

As far as we can tell, the car is mechanically sound (‘massively over engineered’) and it drives very well.

The last 5 years of its life have been spent off the road and in the company of a few other Mercedes and BMWs in a private collection of German cars.

The paint and bodywork are broadly in good condition although there are a few minor scuffs and scratches here and there. The windscreen has a crack on the passenger side which, although insufficient to prevent the car passing its MOT for now, will need attention in the not too distant future.

The interior appears to be in pretty good condition overall and the biscuit/cream checked cloth interior has held up well over the years. The carpets and headlining are also good but the mats have seen better days and you might want to replace these. The centre console could do with a bit of a clean and scrub, too, as could the front door card panels

An aftermarket stereo with Bluetooth functionality has been fitted. The car is wearing two new tyres and has another on the spare.

The engine bay seems relatively tidy and does the underside of the vehicle. You should note that the MOT has an advisory relating to ‘corrosion to sills - jacking points/ water drainage’ and that’s clearly something to bear in mind.

The car has recently benefitted from a new battery, HT leads and spark plugs.

We have very little paperwork to go on. We know it’s been in a private collection for 5 years. We know it seems to be in good working order and that it’s no worse than it should be cosmetically. We know that it has had a service within the last year. We’ve been told that it drives well and we know that it has an MOT until April 2021.

And that’s all we know. Please buy on condition as usual in these circumstances.

We think this is a rare car and one that appears to be in decent condition. The vendor tells us that it drives well, that the auto gearbox is smooth and sure, and that the interior is good for its age and mileage.

There’s no history to speak of, which is far from ideal, but we do know that a collector ‘collected’ it (and must presumably have had a good reason for doing so) and that this Mercedes hails from an era when they were built robustly. That said – what you see is what you get.

It’s the automotive equivalent of Clint Eastwood, smoking a cheroot and wearing a poncho, riding into town on a horse with no name. Its history may be a mystery, but it’s nonetheless enigmatic for that.

Hence, this car is being offered for auction with no reserve. Our estimate is £2 – 4,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Bournemouth; 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’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.