Pick Of The Day: 1992 Mercedes-benz 190e 2.3

I love finding amazing cars on ClassicCars.com from high-end manufacturers that have been overlooked by collectors. Many offer everything that made the manufacturer great, yet they have not yet piqued the interest of collectors. In the world of Mercedes-Benz sedans, that car has to be the standard 190E 2.3. Yes, the manual gearbox-equipped 190E 2.3-16 is a well-known collector car, but the standard 190E offers all the build quality and top-tier materials used on the higher-priced model. No, it does not have the same performance, but it is a reliable, extremely well-built classic, a 1980-90s European sedan at a crazy-low price point. Our Pick of the Day, this 1992 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3, is listed for sale by a dealership in Hingham, Massachusetts.

When the W201-series 190E Mercedes was introduced, most journalists thought that, due to its smaller size, this new “Baby Benz” was going to be cheaply built to match its cheaper price point. Then they drove it and changed their minds. I think that Car and Driver magazine summed it up best when it wrote, “This was a miniature Mercedes-Benz. It was all there: the automatic door locks, the electric sunroof, the power steering, the cruise control, the silent electric windows, twin illuminated vanity mirrors, a digital outside-temperature indicator (centigrade scale only), fully adjustable seats, the famed three-pointed star on the hood, and the signature of Gottlieb Daimler on the windshield. Wait a minute, this was no low-line Stuttgart Accord, this was a serious automobile!”

I have driven these cars, both when they were new and in recent times, and I completely agree. When you get into a 190E for the first time, it really does feel like a scaled down S-Class: same solid door closing, same lack of any squeaks and rattles. The 190E feels like the top-of-the-line compact car it is and does it much better than the current C-Class.

This specific 190E is still wearing its original Smoke Silver Metallic paint over a Creme Beige MB Tex interior. The seller states that this is a two-owner car and, looking at the photos, it looks like a very well cared for example. Part of this comes down to the mileage which, at 80,513, is low for these Benzes.

The seller states that mechanically, the car runs, drives, and handles very well, with all regular service performed as needed. It starts easily, shifts smoothly, and every system works as it should. Quite honestly, based on the photos, this looks to be a car that, with a nice high quality detail, could be a show winner at a Mercedes-Benz club event such as Legends of the Autobahn in Monterey or even at a RADwood event. What I can practically guarantee is that if you buy this car and give it the care it deserves, you can easily drive it for decades, something I would not even consider with a new Mercedes.

As an added bonus, this car has all its books and still has its factory tool kit in its original red cloth pouch. This is something that you do not often see in a 190E.

The 190E cars, as I stated above, seem to have been forgotten for years, outshined by the 300E and others that followed. The time to buy a good one is now as this looks like an excellent example of a car not often seen. The asking price of $11,900 is quite reasonable too, so I challenge you to find a better deal on a Euro sedan of this era in this condition. This 190E is classic Mercedes — only smaller!

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com