Tag: 2.3

1987 Audi Coupe GT Special Build

  By

Is a car ever really “free”? This past weekend, with help I managed to get the recently acquired Coupe GT running. That, in and of itself, was both awesome and created a problem. Don’t get me wrong, I was very excited to hear the inline-5 clack to life. But, had the car not run, in some ways it would have been much easier. Sadly, I could have taken the parts that were good and resigned myself to the reality that I just couldn’t save this one. But as old Audis do it sprang to life and immediately presented new problems; a frozen alternator, a leaking auxiliary radiator, and the inability to shift out of first gear. Even before tackling those problems, I’m already a few hundred dollars into the car in parts and delivery. Start adding up the potential bills, and the “free” car gets closer to the reality; it’ll likely end up costing close to market value (or perhaps even more). Wouldn’t buying one that was already done and in great shape be easier?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Audi Coupe GT Special Build on eBay

Continue reading

1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3

  By

I’m a fan of basic modes of transport. Oftentimes the lower run models in a lineup get overlooked, only for their good qualities to be ignored. Such is the case with this Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3. An early W201, this car was far from basic, but could be considered such as compared to the rest of the Mercedes lineup at the time. With it’s four-cylinder engine, you won’t be getting anywhere fast, but then again, it’s not as slow as some of the diesels of that era, either. This Nautical Blue 190E 2.3 is approaching just 50,000 miles and looks quite stately in a pleasing hue of Nautical Blue over Gray MB Tex.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 on eBay

Continue reading

1987 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 – REVISIT

  By ,

$_57 (1)

The low mileage Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 we featured at the end of last year has resurfaced, not having covered much more mileage but showing a slight price increase. Will the slight uptick in values for the 190E Cosworth have a positive effect on lesser W201s?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 on eBay

The below post originally appeared on our site November 30, 2014:

Continue reading

1993 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 Limited Edition – REVISIT

  By ,

The low mileage Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 Limited Edition we featured last October is back up for sale, the seller having lowered the price by another $2,000. Not many of these Limited Edition W201s left in this condition, but how far will the seller have to go to find a buyer?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 Limited Edition on eBay

The below post originally appeared on our site October 15, 2014:

Continue reading

1987 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3

  By

$_4 (1)

I’ve have a love for all things basic. Perhaps its my adherence to a minimalist lifestyle. I can’t help but get inspired by certain modern art galleries I’ve visited and translate those ideas to interior design. As a result, the ideal living room for me consists of four while walls, a concrete or white marble floor and one stainless steel side chair. With a very thin flat screen TV hanging on the wall, of course. Maybe it seems extreme, maybe those with children will laugh at me, but clutter unnerves me.

Looking through the online brochures of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz lineup, I see a lot of automotive clutter. Certain vehicles seem a bit out of place, others seem overtly festooned with features I don’t need or want. This 1987 190E 2.3 for sale in California, though, is everything I need in a car and nothing I don’t, short of maybe a bit more power. For someone who wants a usable commuter with a touch of class, there’s few better options.

Click for details: 1987 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 on eBay

Continue reading

1982 Alpina C1 2.3

  By ,

It seems we often list multiple cars from the same seller; in some cases, that’s simply because they have the best examples that are available. EAG and Sloan Cars are great examples of this, amongst many. However, there’s a second tier of cars that we feature – eye candy that lies abroad and would be more difficult to procure. Such is the case with dealers like 4Star in England who seemingly has an endless supply of incredible examples of cars we all want. I think, however, that we need to add “ExoticCarsJapan” to the list, since this is now the third successive Alpina and fourth BMW I’ve written up from them. However, unlike the two previous E28 5-series B9s, today’s example is quite a rare example – a 1982 C1 2.3 E21:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 Alpina C1 2.3 on eBay

Continue reading

10K Friday: A44ordable Audis – 5000CS quattro Avant v. 5000S quattro v. V8 quattro v. 100 quattro

  By

The Type 44 Audi was an impressive advance for German automobiles, a huge leap forward for Audi in a new marketplace – but also nearly the cause of its demise. It was an aerodynamic, futuristic sedan when both BMW and Mercedes-Benz seemed to be producing cars stuck in the 1970s. It was the blueprint for most modern luxury sedans from not only German companies, but many of the advances were copied by the Japanese, Italians and Americans for their large sedans. Yet, by 1990 Audi nearly pulled out of the American market thanks to some creative journalism from 60 Minutes, who in their effort to prove Audi was at fault for some unintended acceleration cases nearly killed off the company entirely. In part as a result of their efforts, it’s become quite rare to find clean examples of them today – but it’s also because they were such good, long-lived and solidly built machines that few have lower miles today. While I recent featured a few 20V turbocharged examples in the 20V Turbo comparison, today we’ll look at a few of the lesser appreciated examples, starting with a clean 5000CS quattro Avant in Canada:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Audi 5000CS Quattro Avant on Hemmings

Continue reading

1988 Merkur XR4Ti with 5,000 Miles

  By

As enthusiasts, oddly we often lament new cars. Undoubtedly, newer models turn better, stop better and accelerate faster than most of the cars that they replace. They return better fuel economy, have more gears, and are generally more reliable. In a crash, they’ll save your life and some will even call the police for you. Impressive? Sure, without a doubt. But if I had a nickle for every time I heard how some enthusiast would rather have a brand new example of a car from their youth, I’d be a rich man. I’ve heard it from all sources; desire for a bullet-proof reliable new W126 S-Class, longing for a return of the real Quattro with locking differentials, dreams of finding a new E30 M3 or 3.2 Carrera. But if you’re a bit different, perhaps you’re one of the devoted Merkur fans – and your dream could be realized:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 Merkur XR4TI on eBay

Continue reading

1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16V Cosworth

  By

If you’ve been watching in dismay as E30 M3 prices have gone through the roof, there’s still two ways to get your 1980s German touring car fix. If you’re unconventional, you do what Audi did and choose the V8 quattro, the dark horse (and two time champion, don’t forget) of the DTM. People that complained that Audi “cheated” to create the winning force obviously aren’t familiar with the creative race constructions of Porsche, BMW or Mercedes-Benz. The latter, in fact, employed Formula 1 in the last of the barely-recognizable 190E racers. But the legend that was Mercedes-Benz created a lesser-known and generally lesser appreciated legend in those 190E racers; powered by Cosworth Technology-designed twin-cam 16 valve engines and originally intended to replace the 450SLC 5.0 in the World Rally Championship, the 190E 2.3 and 2.5-16 Valves found themselves at home on the track, and consequently with an enthusiastic fan base. Today, the 190E 2.3 16V can generally be had for significantly less than their more famous counterpart, the E30 M3. Take a look at this example:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16V Cosworth on eBay

Continue reading