23K Miles, 1984 Mercedes-Benz 190E Brabus 2.0L

Description for Mercedes-Benz 190-Series 1984

. 23K Mile - Euro 1984 Mercedes-Benz 190E Brabus 2.0L.

Over 80 high resolution photos available to serious buyers.

For a video of this vehicle at idle, please copy and past the following link into your internet browser:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIsxFVlv5W8

VIN: WDB2010241A064707

It is not often that one finds an early 190E with scarce 23K original miles on the clock these days; an example that comes with a binder filled with service/ownership history and drives/looks so "new" that its unmarked seats retain their factory firmness while every cranny in and around the engine looks as if the car has just left the factory.

Additionally, it is rare to see a Euro spec W201 that has not been molested by the crippling EPA drivetrain "federalization" process that most greymarket vehicles endured.

And how about no longer available, period correct Brabus modifications made when new?

Put all those virtues together, add extensive ownership/service documentation and tens of thousands of dollars in a labor-of-love refurbishment and you have the automobile that you see in the attached photos and video. A vehicle so unique and reliable that you can daily drive for the next 35 years, or stop foot traffic at your next car show if you choose to do so.

Below, please find the history of this car, which I have gathered based on documentation and information provided by previous owners:

- February of 1984: Build of 190E Chasis No. 2010241A064707 is completed under order No. 0-229.52215 placed by a Stuttgart dealership, it is believed it was tuned by Brabus shortly after delivery.

- Circa 1994:Still under its first owner's care, the vehicle was shipped to Hawaii upon his retirement and would go basically un-driven for the next 15 years.

- July 7th of 2009:The 190E was purchased by its second owner, who shipped it from Honolulu to Columbia, Missouri. The car had 17,037 miles at the time.

- August 25th of 2009:By this time the second owner (a life long Mercedes-Benz enthusiast) had added 1,417 miles on the 190E and he was in Indianapolis, where he experienced abnormal cranking, stalled engine and noisy timing chain. He took the vehicle to a local Mercedes-Benz specialist (J. Frank Motors, LLC in Indianapolis) where they diagnosed a potential timing chain failure. They suggested to "remove the cylinder head for further inspection" but documentation shows that owner declined the service and decided to sell the car instead.

- November 24th of 2009:With full disclosure of the mechanical problem but in pristine condition otherwise, the 190E was sold to its third owner; an older gentleman who shipped it to his home in Merriam, KS. The car showed 18,454 miles on the clock that day.

- December 4th of 2009: The car is inspected by a local Mercedes-Benz dealership (Aristocrat Motors in Ottawa, KS), where it was confirmed that the timing chain had failed due to guides that had exceeded their life span. Timing chain guides in most 1980's Mercedes-Benz are made out of a plastic material, which fails due to age and not mileage.

Aware of the intrinsic value of such a rare and low mileage 190E, the third caregiver would go on a mission that would reach far beyond what was needed to just repair his car and put it back on the road.

He started with a low mileage Euro W201 that had been fitted with very early hot cam, exhaust, suspension, BBS wheels and exterior Brabus modifications but thanks to a virtually unlimited budget, he set to refurbish the whole car by using only Mercedes-Benz and Brabus parts. Most of those parts are no longer available today and the cost of attempting something like this would be prohibitive to say the least.

- February 6th of 2017:That isseven years and two monthslater, the owner receives an email from his shop manager who wrote: "I gave the 190 its final test drive today and all went well".

An excess of $55,000 had been spent refurbishing or replacing every nut and bolt under the hood and under the car; always using factory Mercedes-Benz and Brabus components. (Receipts available to serious buyers upon request.)

Only two non-mechanical items remained to be addressed at the time, such as a respray for the hood and roof (clear coat had started to fail after 33 years) and a repair of the upper section of the door panels upholstery, which had started to delaminate (very common among all 190E's).

- July 25th of 2017:The door upholstery is repaired. People who were there at the time recall that the owner of the 190E Brabus had a broad smile on his face as he drove away in his "brand new" car. The vehicle had only 22,261 miles on the odometer that day.

Sadly, it is believed that this was the last time he drove his beloved 190E because he passed away only a few weeks later. His family sold the vehicle to a local car enthusast in late 2017.

The fourth owner daily drove the car during his ownership and he recalls that it behaved flawlessly as expected from a "new" Mercedes-Benz.

He did take care of two items, as follows:

- May 15th of 2018:He installed a new set of Michelin Defender tires. Odometer read 22,279.

- May 31st of 2018:He tightened an AC connection adapter that was "a quarter turn loose". According to shop records, the odometer showed 22,763 miles that day.

I jumped on the opportuinity of buying this vehicle a couple of months ago as he needed the funds to buy a Porsche.

Upon acquiring this 190E, I drove it to Prestige Mercedes in Fort Myers, Florida. Prestige is arguably the best Mercedes independent facility in Lee and Collier counties (Feel free to Google them) and they were instructed to service the car in addition to addressinganythingthat may be out of spec.

- August 6th of 2018:With 22,902 miles on the clock, the 190E received the following:

• New OEM central locking pump.
• New OEM driver's door latch assembly.
• New OEM hood strut.
• Motor oil/filter change.
• Brand new European style headlights.

As a direct result of its extremely low mileage, combined with the (documented) effort to preserve it throughout its life, this 190E Brabus is extremely reliable. It starts right up, every time, hot or cold. At street lights, you have to carefully gauge your gas pedal input as it is very sensitive to the engine/exhaust modifications. Speaking of exhaust, the sound it makes is glorious as the crisp shifts react to the revvy motor. Once on the interestate, the little 190E not only keeps up modern cars but it begs you to take ownership of the fast lane.

(Rumor goes that on an early Saturday morning, an Astral Silver 190E Brabus was seen cruising well into three digit speeds, alledgedly, along I-75 between Fort Myers and Naples, Florida. I cannot say it was me doing it, nor that it was this 190E Brabus because that would be highly illegal; but the looks on the faces of drivers of 35 year newer cars as a little 1980's silver bullet flashes its lights behind them and then flies by (I've been told) are PRICELESS!!)

EVERYTHING WORKS on the car. Air conditioning blows surprisisngly cold, even under the Florida heat. Power windows, central lock, sunroof, you name it. Uncracked dashboard, unmarked seats and carpets, clear glass all around and of course NO RUST.

Flaws: With the exception of the re-painted hood and roof (see history above), the paint seems to be original and as such there are minor imperfections that are commesurate with age; hard to notice if you are not looking closely. A couple minor touched up scratches and a small dent under the right rear door are pictured here.

Clean Florida title on hand. Clean Carfax available upon request.

We welcome and encourage in-person or third party pre-purchase inspections.

Autobahn Vault, LLC is a small family owned business. First and foremost, we are car enthusiasts and focus our efforts in quality over quantity by offering only a handful of carefully selected classics. We start by picking rare, accident free and low mileage vehicles which we consciously prepare with the end user (YOU) in mind. With an honest and caring approach, it is our mission to preserve the car hobby for generations to come.

We DO NOT charge dealer fees; no administrative, processing, or doc fees added to our mutually agreed sales price. Plus tax, tag and title costs when applicable and as required by law.

For a sneak peek of some of our projects, please visit our website at www.autobahn-vault.com.