Those were insanely expensive when new, like $80k US or something.
All MBs were insanely expensive then. But, yeah, the Cab was bucks. In Canada, it went out the door at about $90,000. But, my 1990 190E 2.6 was nearly $50K!! The C-Class today is so much less now (in adjusted dollars) it's nuts.
Visit an MB forum and you're sure to find some lengthy threads about how this market pricing has driven down quality. And yeah, I think it did. But, today, I'm not so sure. And anyone that thinks 1990-1995 era MBs were flawless is living in a dream-land. The M104 DOHC 3.2L engine was wonderful, but VERY prone to destroying the head gasket. The HVAC systems were temperamental. Even back then, electrical accessories were weak points.
But, the sheetmetal was so thick it felt like armour compared to most cars. The paint was durable and even now it's not hard to find rust free examples. The interior materials were luxurious and so durable it was easy to find 10+ year old cars that looked brand new inside. I had a car with over 400K on it, and the carpet looked like new.
Service costs on the 190 and 300 cars was actually very reasonable. The cars were quite DIY friendly and parts prices were comparable to Honda/etc. You paid upfront, but long term running costs were low thanks to durable mechanical parts and other thoughtful planning. The alternator on the 2.6 went out (and at over 300K) and I was able to buy a rebuild kit for under $60. Imagine that today!!? I bet a typical MB alternator is $1K or more.
