On the hunt for a Mercedes 190E (W201)

[duste]

Thought I'd try my luck here...I'm looking for an immaculate, unmodified 190E (CD player and replacement speakers are fine, so long as they've been professionally installed). No rush whatsoever, I just want the car to be in very, VERY good condition.

I've looked through CarSales, Gumtree, Quokka; all the vehicles are either junk or they've since been sold. I'm hoping someone knows someone who is yet to advertise in these mediums.


Some specifics:
- I would prefer it in black, charcoal, silver or white (though I'd prefer the others over white).
- Full electrics, with everything in working condition. Sunroof can be yay or nay.
- Engine also doesn't overly phase me - can be anything from the 1.8L to the 2.6L, though I would prefer a 16v (2.3L/2.5L) variant for the cosmetic advantages that came with those vehicles.
- Transmission is also of little concern, so long as there are no noises in the drivetrain.
- Interior can be leather or cloth, though black leather would be a bonus.


Ideally I would prefer something that has/was/is owned by an older/elderly person as they tend to look after their cars a little better and maintain them out of necessity.

Shoot me a PM if you have any leads, cheers.

[duste]

Alternatively, an E30 in the same immaculate condition with similar specs (electrics, etc) would also be suitable. There's a total of 0 in WA on Carsales, though.

[TJ]

The exact amount youll find in Perth - go over east.

[duste]

Yeah I've already started expanding my search for 190Es towards the east - the calibre of cars is certainly much better price-wise than locally. Hell, I actually looked on Yahoo Japan then cried myself to sleep at the price of importing haha.

Thanks for the tip though, might need to start seriously looking in to freight costs to get a car over here.

[Lump]

about a grand.

[duste]

A lot less than I was expecting (about $2k...). That is VERY good news, thanks!

[TurboHead]

There's one on Rockingham Rd with a shredded tyre.... Been there since Friday. Can't vouch for condition however.

[shifted]

Speak to Mansell's or Finemore's for shipping quote - or even CEVA. :)

[duste]

I grabbed a quick quote from MovingCars and it ranged from $1.3k to about $1.6k. Still not that bad, I may look at VIP for the inspection service as well, but I've got mates close-by to a couple cars in both Queensland and NSW, so they'd be able to check them out for me. Just depends whether the sellers want to play ball with helping freight the vehicles...

[hako]

Think I spotted a white one broken down Mitchell just past Vincent heading South...

[duste]

I just want the car to be in very, VERY good condition.

For some reason I don't think 'shredded tyres' or 'broken down' fall in to that category.

Thanks for the effort, though.

[shifted]

Easier to leave a name and number on a windscreen if you see one out and about? Think there is a couple old mercs parked up on walcott str in front of a house but not sure if correct model. Drove past days ago.

[Mistikal]

I know you're chasing a clean example, but this could be a chance to get your hands on cheap parts to make one perfect example?

http://www.pickles.com.au/damaged/item/-/details/05-92--Mercedes-Benz--190E/552134303

[duste]

As soon as I mention I'm in WA, these sellers stop replying as if I'm a Nigerian Prince trying to scam their dead grandmothers... *sigh*

Thanks for the link Mistikal. That car actually wouldn't be too hard for the interior...

[duste]

Ding ding ding, we have a winner!

Jap import, 80k clicks on the clock. Needs a bit of work on the interior but the engine bay is almost exactly how I need it to be... ;)

Will be in my garage on Saturday.