Here’s baT Auction Success Story: 306k-Mile Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 vs. Robin’s Run, Part II

This Success Story is Part II from Escondidoron, who purchased this 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 from c137 in an August 2025 BaT auction. He then set out for a 2,000-mile rally dubbed Robin’s Run in honor of his late son. Part I can be read here.

Escondidoron continues:

Day Three: Redemption by Cosworth
Greer to Jerome
243 miles—five hours, 18 minutes

Clouds, sunshine, and naturally, more rainbows welcomed us on day three. We left Greer, Arizona, around 8:00 am for Jerome, heading east on AZ-260 and stopping at the Rim Lakes Vista Overlook.

The Overlook offered a gorgeous view, pun intended, from atop the Mogollon Rim.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park was our next stop. The park is situated in Pine Creek Canyon, about five miles from, and a thousand feet below, the turnoff from AZ-260. The road down to the bridge is a series of tight 180-degree switchbacks, one right after another. One mistake, and it’s a loooong way down. The upgraded four-pot calipers and rotors from the 1,000-pound-heavier W124 Mercedes E-class saved us with excellent feel and fade-free performance. The setup was perfect for the spirited drive that the three of us enjoyed.

The Cosworth engine had its moment to shine, leaving the park and climbing freely back up to AZ-260, even with three grown men and all our gear. The road was steep, twisting asphalt. The Getrag dogleg five-speed was also exercised with enthusiasm. The Cosworth’s raspy exhaust note echoed off the canyon walls and into the cabin through the wide-open sunroof. We howled in delight. This was why people forgive old cars everything.

In Camp Verde we stopped at the Verde Brewing Company, tucked into an industrial park and absolutely worth the detour. A tour, some sampling, and a very tasty beer restored our morale and faith in humanity. Late in the afternoon shadows, we climbed the hill from Cottonwood and arrived in Jerome, where we lodged at the Jerome Grand Hotel for the next two nights. The Benz never missed a beat.

My friend @MarkCcars took a pic of me, sitting in front of the Baby Benz and writing notes for this story in the parking lot at the hotel.

Day Four: Legends, Switchbacks, and Tourists
Jerome to Flagstaff and back to Jerome
200 miles—four hours, 46 minutes

At the morning driver’s meeting on day four, my friend @JR4 took me aside. “Don’t miss lunch today in Flagstaff,” he whispered into my ear. There were three different route options, but only one with a scheduled lunch stop in Flagstaff. I took JR4’s advice and headed out with five cars toward Flagstaff. We retraced part of AZ-260 and turned north onto AZ-87 toward the Painted Desert. A turn onto Lake Mary Road (no lake) took us through Happy Jack and Allan Lake Landing (still no lake). Near Mormon Lake (no water there either), we entered an arboreal tunnel of aspen trees that were straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Golden leaves carpeted the road. Sunlight pierced the canopy. Zero traffic.

We stopped at a pullout at Mormon Lake just to stand there. Perfect.

Flagstaff was next. We had coffee at the Toasted Owl Café, then lunch at the 1899 Bar and Grill on the NAU campus. There, we met Baja 1000 legend Ivan “Iron Man” Stewart. For @NathanCoveney, the youngest in our group and a devoted off-road adventurer, this was meeting his hero. As we filed into the restaurant, I physically pushed him into the seat next to Ivan.

For 90 minutes, Nathan didn’t blink, and he and salty_dog listened intently to Ivan Stewart’s tales of Baja racing adventures and off-road driving advice.

After lunch, we headed south on AZ-89A, descending into Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona. It was smooth sailing, with no traffic for about five or six miles heading into the canyon with a mesmerizing string of switchbacks, before we encountered a seemingly endless line of tourists traveling at walking pace. We settled in the queue, relaxed and enjoyed the view. It was fantastic.

South of Sedona, we stopped at a scenic pullout and took a short hike. The 190E belied its age in a uniform coat of rain spots and desert dust.

Day Five: Great Roads for Cowboys
Jerome to Wickenburg
191 miles—four hours, 19 minutes

We gathered for a group photo during that morning’s meeting. I arranged for salty_dog and Joel to drive a borrowed 911, while its owner @blucille rode shotgun in the Baby Benz. We headed out on AZ-89A, climbing out of the Verde Valley over Mingus Mountain toward Prescott. The Cosworth was perfectly suited for the terrain, happier with reduced weight and heavier air.

After lunch in Prescott, we detoured through Skull Valley on AZ-97, past Baghdad, and out to US-93, before we back-tracked to Kirkland’s Saloon and Steakhouse—a weathered board-and-batten road house out of the Old West that looks exactly how it sounds. This leg of our journey featured some of the best roads of the trip, and the Benz proved more than capable of keeping up with the hot rod 911s. Nirvana!

We stopped along AZ-97 and relished our good fortune for Arizona’s great roads. But what’s that circle on the ground where those folks stood, you ask?

It was evidence that someone had done a donut a few minutes earlier.

We spent the night in Wickenburg and enjoyed a farewell dinner at the Ornery Hog BBQ, a tiny spot that opened that night especially for our group, serving outstanding home-cooked food. Many thanks to the proprietors for their hospitality and to salty_dog for finding it.

Day Six: Victory Lap
Wickenburg to Escondido
344 miles—five hours, 41 minutes

Homeward bound, salty_dog, Joel, and I loaded up in the now-proven 190E 2.3-16. Somewhere around the sand dunes of Brawley, @salty_dog Google searched “190E 2.3-16s for sale.” He asked me again how much I had paid for the car. I told him.

“You didn’t buy it, you stole it!” He replied.

The Baby Benz in the sand dunes near Brawley, California.

So what could go wrong?

Plenty. Absolutely everything. And yet, that was the point. Because, sometimes the worst ideas make the best memories. Sometimes the question wasn’t whether something would fail, but whether you would laugh or not when it did. And sometimes, against all odds, a 40-year-old car with 305k miles reminded you that “unreasonable” and “unforgettable” were often the same thing, just viewed from different sides of the breakdown lane. And furthermore, honoring a love of adventure meant trusting the road, the people beside you, and a 40-year-old Mercedes that simply refused to quit—unlike a certain Porsche.

Epilogue

First and foremost, I wish to extend my gratitude to @c137 for his honesty and transparency representing the car on BaT, and especially for his help after the sale. And the three previous owners of the car, who commented during the auction and provided invaluable insight and further after-sale input, were also of great help.

Arizona memories: From the urban sprawl of Phoenix, to the saguaro forests of the Sonoran Desert in the center of the state, to the red sandstone rocks, alpine forests, and striking buttes of the higher altitude Great Basin Desert in the north, to the wide open Mojave Desert in the west, Arizona offered up some of the most scenic geography in the southwest. The food was good. The people were welcoming. And the roads were wonderful. A great place to tour!

Rally camaraderie: Nothing bonds people like shared poor decisions. Fellow participants offered encouragement such as, “It’s still running!” and “At least it’s not on fire.” And “No locusts.” These became our motivational slogans. Each checkpoint felt less like progress and more like surviving a level in a video game designed by a sadist with an engineering degree.

Yet somehow—through stubbornness, mechanical sympathy, and what I can only assume was cosmic irony—the Benz made it. Six days. Two thousand miles. Ninety-one gallons of gas burned through, at 21 mpg overall. Half a quart of oil was used, and no coolant was lost. Floods, mountains, deserts, and doubts. We crossed the finish line together, both permanently changed. The car acquired new meaning to me and an existential weariness. I acquired anxiety, stories, and a powerful urge to never do this again. Until next time.

My son Robin loved to travel. He loved to meet people and make new friends. He traveled the world and had many great experiences. As we drove along, I spoke to him often, riding shotgun alongside me, sharing the adventure.

I told him, “We’re not here because of the cars. We’re here for the fellowship. The cars are just the medium.”

Great to see a journey well-enjoyed, Escondidoron, and wonderful closing remarks! Thanks again for sharing your experience with all of us here at BaT, and bless that big-hearted little Benz for bringing you home safe.

We’ve also included a gallery below for everyone’s viewing pleasure.

If you have a Success Story about a car you’ve bought or sold on BaT, please send a few lines and pictures (or a video) to community.content@bringatrailer.com, and we’ll send you a $50 credit to the BaT Gear Store when your story posts to the site.

We love to hear from satisfied BaT buyers and sellers, and a Success Story feature is a great addition to any car’s history when you’re ready to sell.

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