A Cosworth For The Middle Class
Discussion
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276383476939?itmmeta=01...
Interesting to see this apparently one owner Mercedes Cosworth come to the marketplace though in need of some restoration . I always feel they desperately need a Ford Badge to arouse both greater interest and perhaps better prices . Its not especially big money being asked and my very limited knowledge tells me some parts will be interchangeable with the standard cars . That said its Mercedes prices we are talking about and they may not come cheap . Looking back historically at Cosworth and their entry into the "volume" marketplace with cars such as these where does the Mercedes sit in the pecking order in terms of driveability , desirability and ultimately value ? In period I only came across one owned by an Italian Ice Cream man from Glasgow who ran around in it like he was Nuvolari . Unlike the Fords however it never to me looked dignified which is why I call it a Cosworth for the Middle Class .
Interesting to see this apparently one owner Mercedes Cosworth come to the marketplace though in need of some restoration . I always feel they desperately need a Ford Badge to arouse both greater interest and perhaps better prices . Its not especially big money being asked and my very limited knowledge tells me some parts will be interchangeable with the standard cars . That said its Mercedes prices we are talking about and they may not come cheap . Looking back historically at Cosworth and their entry into the "volume" marketplace with cars such as these where does the Mercedes sit in the pecking order in terms of driveability , desirability and ultimately value ? In period I only came across one owned by an Italian Ice Cream man from Glasgow who ran around in it like he was Nuvolari . Unlike the Fords however it never to me looked dignified which is why I call it a Cosworth for the Middle Class .
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115712331911?itmmeta=01...
An earlier version for comparison which will be a 2.3 rather than the later 2.5 . Anyone know the value differential between the two cars assuming there is one ?
An earlier version for comparison which will be a 2.3 rather than the later 2.5 . Anyone know the value differential between the two cars assuming there is one ?
Edited by reddiesel on Saturday 7th September 11:04
reddiesel said:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276383476939
Interesting to see this apparently one owner Mercedes Cosworth come to the marketplace though in need of some restoration . I always feel they desperately need a Ford Badge to arouse both greater interest and perhaps better prices . Its not especially big money being asked and my very limited knowledge tells me some parts will be interchangeable with the standard cars . That said its Mercedes prices we are talking about and they may not come cheap . Looking back historically at Cosworth and their entry into the "volume" marketplace with cars such as these where does the Mercedes sit in the pecking order in terms of driveability , desirability and ultimately value ? In period I only came across one owned by an Italian Ice Cream man from Glasgow who ran around in it like he was Nuvolari . Unlike the Fords however it never to me looked dignified which is why I call it a Cosworth for the Middle Class .
This car has a very odd MOT history. I'll also wager that it's quite rotten. Interesting to see this apparently one owner Mercedes Cosworth come to the marketplace though in need of some restoration . I always feel they desperately need a Ford Badge to arouse both greater interest and perhaps better prices . Its not especially big money being asked and my very limited knowledge tells me some parts will be interchangeable with the standard cars . That said its Mercedes prices we are talking about and they may not come cheap . Looking back historically at Cosworth and their entry into the "volume" marketplace with cars such as these where does the Mercedes sit in the pecking order in terms of driveability , desirability and ultimately value ? In period I only came across one owned by an Italian Ice Cream man from Glasgow who ran around in it like he was Nuvolari . Unlike the Fords however it never to me looked dignified which is why I call it a Cosworth for the Middle Class .
I had a standard 190 several years back (early 2000's), and that had a lot of rust even back then, not least of all the rear windscreen which had rotted out completely on the one side, causing the boot to fill up with water when it rained.
Whatever123 said:
I have a real find of one of these and many of the parts are nos now, some of the used parts are quite expensive now due to the influence of the evo1s and 2s.
Currently a repo gear knob is £300, if you can find a used one in good order, £400+, little front wiper arms for headlights, £300. The oem sls rear suspension is no longer made or can be refurbed sensibly, so again £2k + for just struts (spheres are still available)
Apart from that, they are a great drive and better than the e30 tbh, better built, mine is as original as they come, all parts are original, zero rust and only on 80k km, 2 owner car, its about as rare as they come, most expensive ones are refurbed or good condition higher miles cars.
Yes, a close friend has had a 2.5 for over 20 years - prior to that he had a 2.3 Currently a repo gear knob is £300, if you can find a used one in good order, £400+, little front wiper arms for headlights, £300. The oem sls rear suspension is no longer made or can be refurbed sensibly, so again £2k + for just struts (spheres are still available)
Apart from that, they are a great drive and better than the e30 tbh, better built, mine is as original as they come, all parts are original, zero rust and only on 80k km, 2 owner car, its about as rare as they come, most expensive ones are refurbed or good condition higher miles cars.
Both were cheapish when he bought them - the 2.3 was SOTW budget now. The 2.5 seemed considerably faster for an extra 15-ish bhp. His 2.3 wasn’t really any quicker than my old XR4i.
Echo what Whatever said about the parts - they’ve started to get harder to source and more expensive from what he says.
I find it interesting though that people get concerned that they’re not selling for as much as Ford competitors. Surely that’s a good thing if you’re interested in something different
I’ve driven his 2.5 a fair few times and it does feel well built and is very well tied down at the rear compared to the BMW and Ford competitors
Does feel a bit less ‘wieldy’ than the Ford but then it is 10% heavier.
They look a bargain compared to how much EVO 2s are going for now though - 95% of the experience and performance according to a guy who owned one locally
reddiesel said:
I always feel they desperately need a Ford Badge to arouse both greater interest and perhaps better prices .
It’s £15k with multiple areas of visible rust, no engine bay pics and what’s going on with the front wheels?A good one is 3x the asking of this and the evo ii is a 300k car.
I am on my second 2.5-16 and would be steering well clear of the condition of the car originally posted. I think it has been for sale for a long time. The majority view would be to only buy an auto if the car is otherwise a real bargain. I think I am right in saying that Mercedes made fewer 2.5s but that more have survived. Purists may insist on a 2.3 but I don’t think there is any detectable difference in value. Much better cars have been bought and sold at prices less than this car’s £15,000. They are lovely cars when running correctly. I spent several years and 50k miles running my first one as a daily driver.
SFTWend said:
I'd like one of these but that 2.5 is rotting badly, auto where I assume manual preferred, big miles and sitting on the wrong wheels.
Very optimistically priced imo.
Yeah, a visibly rotten auto trans version is hardly in the desirable category.....and laughably so at that price.Very optimistically priced imo.
2.3, RHD, higher miles, restored, cloth interior all go against its value…
not to say its a bad car, its not but £40k will get you into a 2.5 / LHD / low miles / original / full leather car, these are the most desirable of the cosworths before the evo1 & 2s.
Granted lhd might not be desirable to uk buyers but LHD is the stronger market, RHD may be better and cheaper for you but £40k is proper dream land for that car, as discussed on all the fb enthusiast forums for the 190s.
If anyone here is truly serious about buying a collectible one then drop me a pm but it will be market value and lhd.
not to say its a bad car, its not but £40k will get you into a 2.5 / LHD / low miles / original / full leather car, these are the most desirable of the cosworths before the evo1 & 2s.
Granted lhd might not be desirable to uk buyers but LHD is the stronger market, RHD may be better and cheaper for you but £40k is proper dream land for that car, as discussed on all the fb enthusiast forums for the 190s.
If anyone here is truly serious about buying a collectible one then drop me a pm but it will be market value and lhd.
Whatever123 said:
2.3, RHD, higher miles, restored, cloth interior all go against its value…
not to say its a bad car, its not but £40k will get you into a 2.5 / LHD / low miles / original / full leather car, these are the most desirable of the cosworths before the evo1 & 2s.
Granted lhd might not be desirable to uk buyers but LHD is the stronger market, RHD may be better and cheaper for you but £40k is proper dream land for that car, as discussed on all the fb enthusiast forums for the 190s.
If anyone here is truly serious about buying a collectible one then drop me a pm but it will be market value and lhd.
I was at Historics yesterday and outcomes were generally similar to the theme seen over the last year or so. Plenty of interest and good prices for really nice cars (condition, mileage and history), with everything else mostly struggling. On that basis your car could do well, especially if visible to a more global audience.not to say its a bad car, its not but £40k will get you into a 2.5 / LHD / low miles / original / full leather car, these are the most desirable of the cosworths before the evo1 & 2s.
Granted lhd might not be desirable to uk buyers but LHD is the stronger market, RHD may be better and cheaper for you but £40k is proper dream land for that car, as discussed on all the fb enthusiast forums for the 190s.
If anyone here is truly serious about buying a collectible one then drop me a pm but it will be market value and lhd.
I agree that the one at £45k looks like another seller trying their luck. Difficult to determine market price, I imagine, given so few sold in recent times.
SFTWend said:
Whatever123 said:
2.3, RHD, higher miles, restored, cloth interior all go against its value…
not to say its a bad car, its not but £40k will get you into a 2.5 / LHD / low miles / original / full leather car, these are the most desirable of the cosworths before the evo1 & 2s.
Granted lhd might not be desirable to uk buyers but LHD is the stronger market, RHD may be better and cheaper for you but £40k is proper dream land for that car, as discussed on all the fb enthusiast forums for the 190s.
If anyone here is truly serious about buying a collectible one then drop me a pm but it will be market value and lhd.
I was at Historics yesterday and outcomes were generally similar to the theme seen over the last year or so. Plenty of interest and good prices for really nice cars (condition, mileage and history), with everything else mostly struggling. On that basis your car could do well, especially if visible to a more global audience.not to say its a bad car, its not but £40k will get you into a 2.5 / LHD / low miles / original / full leather car, these are the most desirable of the cosworths before the evo1 & 2s.
Granted lhd might not be desirable to uk buyers but LHD is the stronger market, RHD may be better and cheaper for you but £40k is proper dream land for that car, as discussed on all the fb enthusiast forums for the 190s.
If anyone here is truly serious about buying a collectible one then drop me a pm but it will be market value and lhd.
I agree that the one at £45k looks like another seller trying their luck. Difficult to determine market price, I imagine, given so few sold in recent times.
Funnily, i put the car into a european mercedes main dealer the other week and was offered €41k by a mechanic working on the car! An older guy and mercedes devotee, he’d never seen an original car so clean.. its going to be very interesting if and when i put her through.. er classics are very good btw
dave123456 said:
The ad claims "single family owned since 1983" - the car was launched at the Frankfurt show in '83 but RHD manufacture was delayed and came to the UK only in 1985. Also this has the side repeaters of the later car - simply typo probably but it would be good to know the true history. £40k is pretty punchy.
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