It’s hard to believe it, but the Mercedes-Benz 190 series (w201) was launched almost thirty years ago. While special versions like the 190E 2.3-16 are highly sought after today, entry-level models are usually beat up and worth almost nothing. This makes buying one a very cheap way to drive a car with a three-pointed star on the hood, assuming of course that it hasn’t been torn off.

190s came in many different flavors over the years. Buyers in Europe could pick between diesel and gasoline engines, automatic and manual gearboxes, and choose from a very long list of options, which means that it is hard to find two 190s that are exactly identical.

The BMW E30, the 190’s arch rival throughout most of the 1980s, is already starting to gain ground in the collector car market. Is the original baby-Benz also destined to become a classic, or will it forever remain the unloved child of Mercedes’ 1980s lineup?