1956-1962 Mercedes 190

The SL's four-door sibling remains a collector-car wallflower

1956-1962 Mercedes 190
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Feature Article from Hemmings Motor News

April, 2009 - David LaChance

Don't let the line on the value trend chart fool you. Sure, it looks like the Mercedes-Benz 190 is flatlining, but, in reality, it's doing far, far worse than that. The entry-level Mercedes has actually been losing ground to inflation over the past quarter century, something that becomes readily apparent when you compare its values with those of its roadster sibling, the 190 SL. Twenty-five years ago, you could buy three 190 sedans for the price of one SL; today, the ratio is about 10 to 1. Even the Dow Jones, despite its recent impression of a falling autumn leaf, has done better: $4,500 invested in 1983 would be worth a little over $10,000 today.

Over five years of production, Mercedes-Benz turned out 89,808 190s and 190b's, not to mention 81,938 diesel-powered versions of those cars, against 25,881 SLs. And yet, if you go shopping for one, you'll conclude that the sedan is the rarer of the two, heavily outnumbered by the roadster in the classified ads. Because both cars were powered by the same OHC, 1,897cc inline four--detuned to 75 horsepower in the case of the sedan--the inescapable conclusion is that it's the 190's frumpy styling that has failed to set collectors' hearts aflutter.

The 190 was the successor to the 180, Daimler-Benz's first unit-body car and, as such, considered by the directors to be something of a risk. The 190 used the same Ponton body as the 180, its major differences being the OHC four and slightly better interior trim. Equipped with a four-speed manual transmission and riding on an independent front suspension and single joint swing-axle rear, the 190 was capable of a maximum speed of 89 miles per hour, although its zero-to-60 time was a longish 20 seconds. A diesel version introduced in August 1958 was nearly twice as sluggish, but its frugality and durability made it the darling of taxi drivers the world around.

The natural predator of the 190, like many other unit-body cars, is rust. Corrosion is a relentless opponent, and rooting out all of the rust can be a frighteningly costly proposition. Parts are available, but don't expect them to be cheap or in stock at the local store. Certainly, a $700-plus bill for a new distributor, $650 for a steering wheel or $200 for a hubcap would have to give even the most devoted Ponton lover pause.

In the end, the car's dowdy looks, tepid performance and potentially expensive maintenance and repair have conspired to keep prices low. This isn't to say that a 190 in sound condition is not a satisfying car to own, or that a well bought, well cared-for example will not return at least its purchase price, if not more, when the time comes to sell. But if the game plan calls for a spike in prices, we have a hunch you might be waiting a while.


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