HOW TO GET ONE IN YOUR GARAGE
An expert’s view
MARK TAYLOR, FOUNDER, MTSV
“I first became aware of the 190 in the late 1980s. I had to move the company cars around where I worked and one day moved a 1.8. As I looked around the cabin, I couldn’t understand why anyone would pay a fortune for a car with windy windows and plastic seats (I didn’t realise they were covered with MB-Tex, a hard-wearing leather substitute) when you could have a better-equipped Sierra for much less. And then I drove it. I was hooked by its sheer quality. Years later, I started my business dealing in classic Mercedes, including the 190. There’s still a very strong demand for the right cars and I reckon prices have risen 30% in the past 12 months.”