Mercedes-Benz 190 1. Generation facelift E Kat., 118 PS, 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive (1988–1991)

Research for this car

Generation guide Mercedes-Benz 190 W201 (1982-1993): known problems and buying guide
A long-lived classic if the jacking points, wheel arches and rear window frame are sound. Check rust before anything else.

Issue	Affects	Typical km	Repair cost	Source
Body rust	All cars; worst at the jacking points, arches and rear window frame	Not stated	No confirmed price	Generation guide

Lift the car. Probe the jacking points, the rear window frame and the boot floor with a sharp metal stick. Bad result: soft metal, fresh filler or bubbling paint. Ask whether the rust was cut out and welded, or only covered.

Operational	–
Workshop	–
Fixed costs (tax, insurance)	€105
Total per month	–
New-car depreciation (not included)	–

ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months

Listings on mobile.de in this generation with this fuel, gearbox and power.

First registration	Listings	Median price	Median mileage
1991	4	–	–
1990	22	€5,500	200,000 km
1989	21	€6,499	201,988 km
1988	8	€6,900	155,634 km

Medians only for years with at least 5 listings. Many cars are first registered after production ends, so years can run past the build years.

Month	Listings	Median price	Middle half	Median mileage
Nov 2026	55	€5,970	€4,000 – €7,999	201,822 km
Oct 2026	55	€5,970	€4,000 – €7,999	201,822 km

Median asking price at the last snapshot of each month.

All 1 ADAC versions

Version	Power	Production years	Running cost per month
E Kat.	118 PS	1988–1991	–