Lil Stampie and I came across one today. Not much backstory other than sitting 10 years, belongs to guy out of state that owes storage. Some body rust and automatic. I offered $500 because I just don't know if it's worth more. Owner of warehouse said that's to low, kinda implied $1500 but said he can get the title.
Values on these are rising, but not entering the stratosphere like E30 M3s. There is a HUGE delta between cars like the one you describe and well-kept, low-mileage manual examples.
You can still find scruffy but solid high-mile manual drivers in the $5-8k range. Autos less than that.
The big question is how bad the rust is. Even if the body is shot you could part it out and quadruple your money at $1500. Whether or not you want to go through the trouble, different story.
LanEvo runs one in competitive events in the northeast. He's often online, but usually on the Classic Motorsport side. He might be able to provide some input...
Gordon
Just my thoughts here, but at $1500 it might be worth it regardless of rust. No, W201 2.3/2.5-16s aren't anywhere near E30 M3 prices (and are all over the place), but they're bound to go up soon.
Are we talking about the proper Cosworth(?) headed M3 competitor? With a slushbox?
I'd check provenance before I bought a rusty German sedan that's been parked for ten years. A regular 190E wasn't worth $500 fifteen years ago.
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
I popped the hood and the engine said 2.3-16. Also had the body parts for the 2.3-16.
I'd buy it for $1500.
If it was a manual it would be worth $1500 maybe more depending on the rust. With it being an auto I wold hold firm at $500 MAYBE let them talk you up a bit. Again rust dependent. The 2.3 is much better as a manual. It revs better while the 2.5 is better at being with an auto as it has more under the curve in the torque.
Rust on these things can be brutal. Tread carefully. If you see a little there will be allot more hiding under the trim and around things.
My 190E 2.6 was a great car. I put new shocks on it and new tires and it was a ton of fun in the twisties. A really well balanced car that gave you aot of confidence. At the end of the day the M3 was a better track car but as a fun DD ow weekend toy it is alot of car for the $$$$
dean1484 said:If it was a manual it would be worth $1500 maybe more depending on the rust. With it being an auto I wold hold firm at $500 MAYBE let them talk you up a bit. Again rust dependent. The 2.3 is much better as a manual. It revs better while the 2.5 is better at being with an auto as it has more under the curve in the torque.
Rust on these things can be brutal. Tread carefully. If you see a little there will be allot more hiding under the trim and around things.
Manual transmission swap a reasonably easy thing on these?
In reply to Indy-Guy :
The hardest thing would be finding the parts. They made enough manuals that it shouldn't be too difficult.
The manual trans parts will cost far more than the purchase price. The 16v manual gear boxes are pricey. Even the shift knob for that trans is NLA and goes for a lot of money second hand.
The manual transmissions in the 16V cars were different than the ones used in regular 190e's and they go for huge money. But at 500$ I'd buy it and figure a way of swapping a transmission from something else.
The auto is actually really rare, I had one as a parts car-I think 800 made or something like that. They rust reallllly badly. The engine is a peach though.
Stay strong on $500. No way I'd pay $1500 for a rusty auto 190 that's been sitting 10 years.
If you buy it and you find out it's too much work, you could probably sell just the rare LSD differential for 500$ anyways.
Prices have been going up. The days of the $3k running/driving 16v are long gone. The last parts car I bought was $1500. Rough examples are changing hands for $5-7k these days.
The 16v auto isn’t terribly popular. As others have mentioned, a 5-speed swap is possible if you can find the parts. Would be tough to pull off on a GRM budget, though.
If you could get the car for $1500 the engine and diff alone would be worth it. The body kit would probably get you another $1000. And various bits and pieces (rear seats, radiator, oil cooler, CIS/Kjet components, door cards, etc) would be worth at least another $1k.
All in all, it sounds like a good deal to me even at $1500
The engine alone could be used for a cool swap, Fox body Mustang, or some other rear wheel drive auto of choice?
According to Hagerty, even the regular 190 is going up in value, much less the 16v version.
Rons said:The engine alone could be used for a cool swap, Fox body Mustang, or some other rear wheel drive auto of choice?
I have one sitting here for a future highboy pickup.
You'll need to log in to post.
