Mercedes 190 as a first car.
Discussion
Good morning. I’m just looking for advice please. My son is about to apply for his provision licence. (17yrs).
Speaking to people I’m out of touch with insurance for youngsters I’m amazed at some of the prices my sons friends pay.
I’ve read articles before about getting youngsters started in a classics…
I’ve seen 1990 190. 2.5d for sale. It got a couple of minor things that need doing!, I’m wanting to teach him the basics of spannering… Compare the market have quoted £380.
Has any one got an off spring who started with a classic and can anyone give me any idea what a 190 is like to run etc… Thank you. phil
Speaking to people I’m out of touch with insurance for youngsters I’m amazed at some of the prices my sons friends pay.
I’ve read articles before about getting youngsters started in a classics…
I’ve seen 1990 190. 2.5d for sale. It got a couple of minor things that need doing!, I’m wanting to teach him the basics of spannering… Compare the market have quoted £380.
Has any one got an off spring who started with a classic and can anyone give me any idea what a 190 is like to run etc… Thank you. phil
It’s a tricky one.
And a decision making process which I went last year for my car-mad 17year old.
I considered a venn- diagram type scenario, where the three circles represent safety, cost and desirability.
Factoring in all these, a Skoda Citigo Monte Carlo came out best, although this doesn’t take into account teaching him anything but basic maintenance.
The diesel 190 (presume manual) wouldn’t factor for me (my son did want a W202), because it wouldn’t be safe enough, and potentially cost too much to keep on the road.
I know they have an inherent heft, but should / when your offspring has a bump, the lack of today’s safety features would be a worry in your 30 plus year old car.
And a decision making process which I went last year for my car-mad 17year old.
I considered a venn- diagram type scenario, where the three circles represent safety, cost and desirability.
Factoring in all these, a Skoda Citigo Monte Carlo came out best, although this doesn’t take into account teaching him anything but basic maintenance.
The diesel 190 (presume manual) wouldn’t factor for me (my son did want a W202), because it wouldn’t be safe enough, and potentially cost too much to keep on the road.
I know they have an inherent heft, but should / when your offspring has a bump, the lack of today’s safety features would be a worry in your 30 plus year old car.
MickyveloceClassic said:
It’s a tricky one.
I know they have an inherent heft, but should / when your offspring has a bump, the lack of today’s safety features would be a worry in your 30 plus year old car.
Maybe that would instil defensive driving skills?I know they have an inherent heft, but should / when your offspring has a bump, the lack of today’s safety features would be a worry in your 30 plus year old car.
Just looked at a new Sandero - 2 NCAP stars?
MickyveloceClassic said:
It’s a tricky one.
I considered a venn- diagram type scenario, where the three circles represent safety, cost and desirability.
Just been through this for my daughter. I included reliability in that Venn diagram. I don’t want her having just passed her test for the car to break down and leave her stranded somewhere, that won’t do anything for the confidence of a new driver.I considered a venn- diagram type scenario, where the three circles represent safety, cost and desirability.
Last week I bought her a 2011 Hyundai i10. It’s got enough safety kit and a decent reputation for reliability to satisfy me as a protective parent, and is desirable enough for her, with it’s electric windows, aircon and metallic paint.
As a provisional licence holder it’s £405 to insure (via RAC) in her name with me and the missus as named drivers and quotes are around £800 (with a black box) when she passes her test. I was pleasantly surprised at those insurance costs especially as we live in a London borough.
I did briefly look at older and more interesting cars, but came to the conclusion I was looking at what interested me, not necessarily what was best for my daughter as a learner/new driver.
This video may help decide on the old but big versus smaller but newer
https://youtu.be/emtLLvXrrFs
Edited by Emily's dad on Wednesday 27th October 10:17
Edited by Emily's dad on Wednesday 27th October 10:38
Thank you gentle for your replies. I was hoping you were all going so say what a fantastic idea it was 😔😔.
I appreciate it as old car but I was surprised to hear of an £18k Bill.
The 190 I saw on AT was diesel manual. Are these fairly unreliable ?
Maybe I should look at a similar age 300 saloon etc or just remove my dose tinted glasses 👓.
Once again, Thankyou for the insight..
I appreciate it as old car but I was surprised to hear of an £18k Bill.
The 190 I saw on AT was diesel manual. Are these fairly unreliable ?
Maybe I should look at a similar age 300 saloon etc or just remove my dose tinted glasses 👓.
Once again, Thankyou for the insight..
55palfers said:
Maybe that would instil defensive driving skills?
Just looked at a new Sandero - 2 NCAP stars?
Do note those are 2 NCAP 2021 stars which are not equal to older stars. I'd expect a 30 year old car to have 0 stars (negative not possible) if tested today.Just looked at a new Sandero - 2 NCAP stars?
In 2011 the VW up was awarded the max 5 stars.
In 2019 the VW up only gets 3 stars.
I can't imagine the car lost safety, instead the test standard improved. Hence a 2 star car in 2021 is likely to be safer than a 30year old car.
Wonder if the airbags in my 1998 car still work
Emily's dad said:
Just been through this for my daughter. I included reliability in that Venn diagram. I don’t want her having just passed her test for the car to break down and leave her stranded somewhere, that won’t do anything for the confidence of a new driver.
Last week I bought her a 2011 Hyundai i10. It’s got enough safety kit and a decent reputation for reliability to satisfy me as a protective parent, and is desirable enough for her, with it’s electric windows, aircon and metallic paint.
As a provisional licence holder it’s £405 to insure (via RAC) in her name with me and the missus as named drivers and quotes are around £800 (with a black box) when she passes her test. I was pleasantly surprised at those insurance costs especially as we live in a London borough.
I did briefly look at older and more interesting cars, but came to the conclusion I was looking at what interested me, not necessarily what was best for my daughter as a learner/new driver.
This video may help decide on the old but big versus smaller but newer
https://youtu.be/emtLLvXrrFs
Indeed. It’s got to be about your offspring. Last week I bought her a 2011 Hyundai i10. It’s got enough safety kit and a decent reputation for reliability to satisfy me as a protective parent, and is desirable enough for her, with it’s electric windows, aircon and metallic paint.
As a provisional licence holder it’s £405 to insure (via RAC) in her name with me and the missus as named drivers and quotes are around £800 (with a black box) when she passes her test. I was pleasantly surprised at those insurance costs especially as we live in a London borough.
I did briefly look at older and more interesting cars, but came to the conclusion I was looking at what interested me, not necessarily what was best for my daughter as a learner/new driver.
This video may help decide on the old but big versus smaller but newer
https://youtu.be/emtLLvXrrFs
Edited by Emily's dad on Wednesday 27th October 10:17
Edited by Emily's dad on Wednesday 27th October 10:38
What my son’s found, is that his female contemporaries who were hitherto disinterested in cars, have suddenly decided that some cars are cool, and others not.
Audi A1 appears to be top of the list for the well-heeled young female motorist, knocking the Fiat 500 off top spot.
So fickle, the youth of today.
That having been said, I’d have loved a Citigo Monte Carlo at 17. Flat-bottomed steering wheel and all.
Edited by MickyveloceClassic on Wednesday 27th October 19:16
999gsi said:
I’ve seen 1990 190. 2.5d for sale. It got a couple of minor things that need doing!, I’m wanting to teach him the basics of spannering… Compare the market have quoted £380.
Has any one got an off spring who started with a classic and can anyone give me any idea what a 190 is like to run etc… Thank you. phil
I presume the quote of *£380 is with a provisional. Try getting quotes with a full license on his own or with you as a named driver.Has any one got an off spring who started with a classic and can anyone give me any idea what a 190 is like to run etc… Thank you. phil
At 19 I tried insuring my gran's old Mercedes 190e 2.0 carb and the cost was over £2k. For reference at the time I was paying £1700 to insure a BMW 318i E30.... This was nearly 20 years ago so I very much doubt a 17 year old would get insured on a 190 for under £3k
I love my 190 2.6. In fact its the favorite of my cars!
However they are all very old now. They need a rolling programme of replacing and upgrading stuff. I love my 80s and 90s mercs. It's part of the fun for me.
In general they are tough old things, but low values for a long time means many have been run for years and years with the very minimum of maintenance - because they were cheap bangers and would put up with it.
Parts are often cheap, but sometimes not available.
They are very different from a modern car which you just put petrol in and turn on and off, with the occasional irritation of tyres at the MOT.
I am under no illusion that were I to have a reasonable smash it would not end well.
However they are all very old now. They need a rolling programme of replacing and upgrading stuff. I love my 80s and 90s mercs. It's part of the fun for me.
In general they are tough old things, but low values for a long time means many have been run for years and years with the very minimum of maintenance - because they were cheap bangers and would put up with it.
Parts are often cheap, but sometimes not available.
They are very different from a modern car which you just put petrol in and turn on and off, with the occasional irritation of tyres at the MOT.
I am under no illusion that were I to have a reasonable smash it would not end well.
0a said:
I love my 190 2.6. In fact its the favorite of my cars!
However they are all very old now. They need a rolling programme of replacing and upgrading stuff. I love my 80s and 90s mercs. It's part of the fun for me.
In general they are tough old things, but low values for a long time means many have been run for years and years with the very minimum of maintenance - because they were cheap bangers and would put up with it.
Parts are often cheap, but sometimes not available.
They are very different from a modern car which you just put petrol in and turn on and off, with the occasional irritation of tyres at the MOT.
I am under no illusion that were I to have a reasonable smash it would not end well.
I found running my old one as a daily to become a chore. I'd jump at the chance of owning a decent 6 Cylinder 190e, or a W124 as a second car though. However they are all very old now. They need a rolling programme of replacing and upgrading stuff. I love my 80s and 90s mercs. It's part of the fun for me.
In general they are tough old things, but low values for a long time means many have been run for years and years with the very minimum of maintenance - because they were cheap bangers and would put up with it.
Parts are often cheap, but sometimes not available.
They are very different from a modern car which you just put petrol in and turn on and off, with the occasional irritation of tyres at the MOT.
I am under no illusion that were I to have a reasonable smash it would not end well.
W201_190e said:
I found running my old one as a daily to become a chore. I'd jump at the chance of owning a decent 6 Cylinder 190e, or a W124 as a second car though.
They are a hobby rather than a daily car in the general sense of the meaning.I use all my cars 'daily' for periods at times. But I have 5 cars. There's no issue with taking one off the road for months at a time (18 months over COVID for the 190!) as I just use something else.
Having an old 190 as an only you relied on would get tiresome very quickly.
I had a Mercedes 190E 1.8 as my first car, albeit back in 2007.
Did a number of things myself (with guidance from my Dad
) including basic servicing, brakes, ICE install and a couple of 190E specific things e.g. OVP relay. Great car to learn on but you could do the equivalent on a C1 / Aygo / 1007 as well.
At the time, it would have been 14 years old and was pretty faultless. With respect to safety, it did have an airbag and I would have much preferred to have crashed in my 190E than a mates Saxo / 106 / Corsa from the 90s but totally agree that if you're comparing against now modern cars (regardless of class) then any 30 year old car isn't going to be 'safe' in comparison.
Did a number of things myself (with guidance from my Dad
) including basic servicing, brakes, ICE install and a couple of 190E specific things e.g. OVP relay. Great car to learn on but you could do the equivalent on a C1 / Aygo / 1007 as well.At the time, it would have been 14 years old and was pretty faultless. With respect to safety, it did have an airbag and I would have much preferred to have crashed in my 190E than a mates Saxo / 106 / Corsa from the 90s but totally agree that if you're comparing against now modern cars (regardless of class) then any 30 year old car isn't going to be 'safe' in comparison.
aka_kerrly said:
999gsi said:
I’ve seen 1990 190. 2.5d for sale. It got a couple of minor things that need doing!, I’m wanting to teach him the basics of spannering… Compare the market have quoted £380.
Has any one got an off spring who started with a classic and can anyone give me any idea what a 190 is like to run etc… Thank you. phil
I presume the quote of *£380 is with a provisional. Try getting quotes with a full license on his own or with you as a named driver.Has any one got an off spring who started with a classic and can anyone give me any idea what a 190 is like to run etc… Thank you. phil
At 19 I tried insuring my gran's old Mercedes 190e 2.0 carb and the cost was over £2k. For reference at the time I was paying £1700 to insure a BMW 318i E30.... This was nearly 20 years ago so I very much doubt a 17 year old would get insured on a 190 for under £3k
I’ve appreciated the guidance you have all explained and offered to me…Thankyou..
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