West Africa's Unbreakable Mercedes Taxi

His Mercedes 190 doesn't like the heat, but then neither does taxi driver Issiaka Zoungrana.
But he loves his old Sweetheart. And whoever loves, pushes through the difficult times, his resourceful nature means the two can carry on regardless of the obstacles.
For two decades the pair have been trying to earn a living on the streets of Ouagadougou. His German car has clocked over 1 million kilometers and there is life still left in his beloved machine. Issiaka has become self-sufficient when it comes to his prized car, able to repair on the fly. Against all odds, the two continue.
This is a tale of loyalty and resilience.
Report: Sasha Gankin
Camera: Sasha Gankin
Editor: Mike Trobridge
Music: Massa Kamba by Amadou Balaké
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REV - The Global Auto and Mobility Show from Deutsche Welle
#DWREV #THEDRIVER #WESTAFRICA

[@DWREV]

Do you know a car that’s clocked as many Kilometers? Let us know in the comments.

[@matejailic643]

I know a greek taxi driver with his Mercedes w115 240D. He has 4.6 Million kilometers. The legend is now in the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart having his Mercedes Star proudly on the bonnet.👍🚙😎

[@stopitas5790]

Sve je to Bojan Gajić iz Bosne poslo

[@yeshwantdasari2075]

"No this is not Matt Farahs million mile lexus"

[@DWREV]

@@michaelqu Hello, where do you live or where is the car?

[@stopitas5790]

@@DWREV Bojan Gajić iz Bosne šverca Mercedese za Afriku. Znaš li to koliko je on poslo automobila,kombija za Afriku. Pola Afričkog voznog parka on je poslao. Dw nek je s srećom i živio.

[@JimS870]

Poor guy. You can hear the sadness in his words. His business is drying up, the cost of fuel is eroding his earnings, car is falling apart, city is getting too crowded. I wish him all the best.

[@hamburgerhamburgerv2]

If 50s cars can run after doing nothing for 70 years, he can make his car work for 20 more years.

[@jocke8052]

Its a piece of shit world when you see to the money and poor people

[@dialupdude]

@@hamburgerhamburgerv2survivorship bias moment

[@ipadize]

i bet this car is 99% broken, but still able to move from place A to place B.

[@tahsin28]

Engines will run forever unless its interference type and the belt snaps. It just wont run well.

[@ipadize]

@@tahsin28 sometimes i take things literally, so no engines wont run forever.

[@xheihysenlliu1202]

Thats the point . He will move forever anytime

[@K0nstandinosK]

@@xheihysenlliu1202 no

[@matejailic643]

@@K0nstandinosK Yes

[@mikeypence1279]

I am a Mercedes engineer and I am very proud that this car is still in service and has been working for longer than my life. big love from Germany (^o^)

[@BobsUp83]

Given you are Mercedes engineer, please learn from the past and try to build reliable cars...new Mercedes are just appearance, quality is something of the past...

[@Mark-vn7et]

@@BobsUp83 you ever bought a brand new car in your life? Probably not! So Mercedes’ is not interested in you, they are interested in the buyers that trade in for a new one every 5 years. Those people don’t care about reliability 10-20 years later. The want the newest gadgets and best comfort.

[@BobsUp83]

@@Mark-vn7et ahah! Of corse I’ve always bought new cars, including my w205 which I sold exactly after 5 years when warranty was about to expire because it was a disaster. I’ve had many different brands, the so called premium (I don’t consider Mercedes premium anymore) and non premium and only Mercedes was such a shame after only 5 years. If you guys are happy to be ripped off like this then go ahead…

[@Mark-vn7et]

@@BobsUp83 exactly my point…….but what got you interested in it? 30 year old options like a brake booster? Central locking? An automatic antenna? Oh wait no metallic colors! That’s a real premium! Or was it all the other state of the art gizmos? And don’t forget all the government regulations. Every car with decent options is a disaster nowadays, with BMW, Lexus, Ferrari, Range Rover, Ford, Chevrolet it’s no different.

[@BobsUp83]

@@Mark-vn7et I like the design and look of Mercedes, no doubt about that. But the moment you get in and start really using the car all this excitement (at least for me) went away due to the cheap feeling you get when driving it. I don't know why you say that every brand is a disaster and why people keep supporting brands (are you CEO of Daimler??). For my experience I didn't experience any of that with BMW (now reaching 5 years, and it still looks and feels great), Ford (7 years and no issues) or Porsche (ok this is still almost new since it has 2 years, but you really get the solid feeling that you expect from a premium car)...I really don't care one brand vs another as long as they meet the expectations compared to the money you put in...

[@kablg81]

I'm not German but this is what I call ''Quality German Engineering''. PS: Also love the classic design of the W201. Even in rough shape you know its a W201.

[@milovanraul9263]

Which means that the W201 was the first C class from it's line, followed by W202-203-204... and so on.

[@syxepop]

@@milovanraul9263 - actually, even though it is considered "the first C-Class" this W201 predates the C-Class, as in US and many other markets it was sold as the 190E (in that taxi's case a 190D, as it's Diesel-powered). The W202 was the first official C-Class sold...

[@sqweezzstr]

overheating multiple times per day? Yep, i call that quality german engineering too. the 1mil km mazda 323 that runs off no coolant is more impressive. And on par for maintenance as this. Not sure where your logic is coming from, @Re.

[@R3Cat]

@@sqweezzstr considering this car has seen nearly zero maintenance… not sure lol

[@JohnSmith-el5mo]

Janpanese is the daddy. Toyota.

[@MrLarsgren]

1 million km is pretty normal for old mercedes. the only amazing thing is how they managed to break everything else

[@mirceam7152]

its 1 mil kms done on those roads and in that traffic, not 1 mil on the freeway/highway

[@monobiteme6014]

You never know what kind of terrain back in those days.. I bet the only common cars back in 2005 in that country are frekin Land Rover..

[@sunnyjohn8377]

Hwahahahaahahahaahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[@izzy031096]

@@monobiteme6014 Lol, landrovers wouldn’t last two weeks

[@fatihkan2601]

It's a very underdeveloped country. There is no proper roads at all. You have to live in it to really understand.

[@nolex4107]

Mercedes 190D 2.0 72hp (OM601) is an unbreakable Legend👌💪😎

[@dannnsss8034]

Literally everything inside is broken

[@philipgligorov5848]

@@dannnsss8034 After million kilometres, yes it is. But I have seen one in Montenegro in the balkans in perfect condition with 1.5 million kilometres on the clock. And let me see this modern cars when they get 40 years old and have more than million kilometres.

[@alxnd_r6345]

My friend had it. I remember it pulled like crazy in first gear.

[@ndzenguetabijoachimblaise2135]

Need one ASAP

[@laod7192]

I had this car and I miss it so much.

[@charlesbrown4483]

>unbreakable >broke down twice the morning of filming >needs roll start >can’t run after 11am because it’s too hot outside Lol

[@KAarnagemAmolgada]

and if you are in the bushes ...you better pray it does not breack or theres is nothing you can do...nothing

[@MCTogs]

The fact that it can still run with what seems to be very little maintenance is a testament in and of itself

[@charlesbrown4483]

@@MCTogs Very little maintenance? It needs a roll start🤣

[@MCTogs]

@@charlesbrown4483 I meant as in, it's not taken care of that well, but it still runs. .

[@Mario.H]

A million kilometres - not on a perfectly flat highway but on unpaved roads full of potholes. And nothing ever gets maintained. If you asked him about his last oil change he’d probably never done a single one - and if something breaks it is only repaired with a paperclip and a dusty rag.

[@mohammadcheema7375]

Come on Mercedes - give this guy a new car and put his one in your museum. (P.s I wish you made cars that durable nowadays 😞)

[@alexandreb.1101]

A W206 wouldn't last 5 years in the same work conditions

[@mohammadcheema7375]

@@alexandreb.1101 Very true - a w206 would just be a festival of warning lights after a few years in the same conditions.

[@peyeum]

Reliable car means bad business. People will buy new car less.. oh well..

[@Sunnykr275]

@@peyeum true that’s why they call Camry “boring car” sadly now people like cars who give pain in some way or make them spend money or which made them people look to there car and well it’s all society and mind work...

[@BrianMoyano]

@@alexandreb.1101 It would last less because the owner couldn't maintain it.

[@eisbr5482]

how did they manage to break literally everything? interior, exterior, i did not see one intact part

[@itwontcomeout5678]

But, it runs :D

[@jonki87]

@@itwontcomeout5678 when you get it to run

[@syxepop]

At least it is not Frankensteined with pieces of other cars, like in Cuba...

[@damyanovasen]

Shut up it’s ubreakable😂

[@killerdinamo08]

The drivers mirror is not broken 😲...

[@mitch9521]

Back when Germany could build simple and reliable cars.

[@MilosCsrb]

They could, but it is not profitable...

[@YoungCarWiz]

ugh they still do. stop saying lies🤦‍♂️

[@MOOBOOSE]

Longevity is an issue with modern German cars , fixing them when broken is expensive and challenging, electrical systems are highly complex

[@YoungCarWiz]

@@MOOBOOSE no that is not true

[@MOOBOOSE]

@@YoungCarWiz i recently had to put a new brake pressure sensor in an audi a4 2019 model with 40000 km on the clock , that happened last week

[@Player-ub9tg]

I like how he turns the wheel 360 degrees but the car only turns a little bit

[@fidelcatsro6948]

thats traction control

[@H8nji]

This is what my parents would get me if I asked for a “push-to-start” Mercedes

[@gehadsheha4775]

Nah man, jit tripping. This is so relatable lol. Also push-button start moment.

[@maxmaximalmax]

Well. It is a Push to start Car. But you dont Push a Button...

[@Dreamlink91]

Same as those old Volvos with 2.4L engines, everything can break down but the engine and its gearbox will never let you stranded.

[@Candisa]

If you mean the 2.4 liter 6 cylinder volkswagen diesel engine they used in the 2/7/9-series, you couldn't be more wrong: worst engine Volvo ever had, even worse than the Renault engines they had. If you mean the more modern 2.4 liter 5 cylinder Volvo engine used in the S60, V70N, S80, XC90, then you're right, but the electronics wouldn't allow street repairing in Africa.

[@mikeivoyloff1656]

Based. I'm driving a 2006 V70 myself.

[@tgb-vf4es]

This junkyard crap will leave you stranded if you drive at midday. It's hardly a car. More like a carriage with a starving horse about to die

[@NADworker]

Saab 900/9000 extremely underestimated cars

[@kuhtalainenkullinlutkuttaj3136]

@@phil-ro8vc W203 is not a child of the 190. W202 takes that honor. My daily driver is a S202 200 CDI.

[@bomberman4046]

My father 190D original engine done 1.6 million Km's, before the head corroded and was cheaper buy an used engine than repair the original one. Beside to that that engine still works. The chain is indestructible, stuff designed before the computer calculations and simulation, were just oversized for their scope. Ended to watch the video, didn't expect it was in that condition, it overheats, probably he's running without water at all. Starter engine broken, everythign broken. It probably leaks oil and water everywere, especially behind the highpressure fuel pump, 100% it leaks oil, and you need correct tools to dismount that.

[@Smoked786]

Most heads corrode if coolant premix contains destilled water or if you mix concentrate with destilled or demineralised water. Des/dem water is way more corrosive since ion movement will eat the head out util microfractions happen. Very common issue. Otherwise the engine are nearly indestructible.

[@truth.speaker]

it probably has no fan at the radiator. that's why it's overheating when going slow. it needs air flowing on the fan

[@bw5870]

Om601 nice motor

[@Tech316Ent]

Mercedes Benz overheating is normal in Africa and any other high-temperature environment like the middle east unless you hack the way the engine cooling system works, whatever you are talking about will not matter. Every Mercedes Benz you see in those place was hacked or is being used the way this guy is using it.

[@IhaveaDoghouse]

@@truth.speaker These old vehicles the fan speed is directly proportional to RPM so when you are sitting in traffic at a low idle the fan isn't spinning fast enough to cool the coolant in the radiator in the types of heat he's in; my 1980 suburban is the same. It used to be common knowledge but now only people with experience with older vehicles are aware. I doubt he drives quickly enough anywhere in that city that it would be drivable without a fan completely. You can crank your heat to cool the engine but that wouldn't do it for what he needs, he needs to install an electric fan that doesn't slow down when you are stopped sitting in traffic.

[@cino4919]

I remember the launch of the W201 in 1983. Woooow that was one sexy and very well built car from the start.... and still sexy in 2022, and many of them are still alive and kicking and traffic worthy today. Deutsche Gründlichkeit at it's best. I'm lucky to have an '88 190E and an '86 300SE... Love them! Both almost 40 years old and still driving like new.

[@timeactor]

I had an 88 190e. Still miss that car.

[@epiccarguy892]

yep it never gets old

[@epiccarguy892]

a 2021 W206 will never be like that it will get outdated in the next years and won't last long and be as reliable because of the computer systems after a few years they will fade out and it won't be allowed to repair

[@killerdinamo08]

How affectionate he calls 'Mercedes' ❤.

[@rcsibiu]

It's like he is talking about his wife :)

[@awax2585]

It's almost like that's the name of the car

[@macberry4048]

I would like to see all the crazy repairs that he's made.

[@filipvuk4202]

My father drove Mercedes Benz model T1 for 8 years and it came to 1.000.000 km , and he sold it to some guy back in 2000s hes still driving it unbelievable

[@rezaismailmuzakkir587]

Mercedes never sold these W201 190s in Indonesia, and even the base and diesel models costs half to almost the same as new C/A Classes, very contrasting to how 190s are treated abroad.

[@paklekj4429]

Weh indo neh

[@KrushalP]

Wish I could afford to go out to Africa and fix this for him. Would be such an amazing experience and he will have a brand new taxi again 😭

[@TekkenBones]

Show this to people who pay for a brand new car every 2-3 years.

[@JKV.]

its not about that, I change cars once in 1-2yr because i get bored.

[@koistinen9368]

@@JKV. LoL!

[@erebostd]

@@JKV. you change your cars yearly? I just change our daily cars, but definitely not our whole collection…

[@ShinkuYuzai]

@@JKV. Then you've bought the wrong car lol, Find a car that you wanna stick to for a long time. It'll make you appreciate it much more.

[@JKV.]

@@ShinkuYuzai i have E320cdi V6 W211 for daily ~300hp/800nM. Its amazing. And porsche boxster for summer nights. Porsche is 1month old and w211 has been few months.i will stick on this W211 and probably new car going to be i30N or kia stinger,

[@user-kr1or1hm4v]

This has seen more dirt than any G-wagon

[@nikolastanojevic9116]

All g wagons combined

[@Paul-hu7xx]

Truth

[@noahboat580]

reminds me how my dad uses trucks: since he scraps it slowly deconditions into a taxi like that. his last one was a '97 Ford F150, you can hear it a block away from it squeaking. but beat-up cars can look cool, especially if it had character. he even had a generator in the corner, put plywood over it with some cables to keep it locked-in, a certified worktruck that can still carry scrap load after scrap load. i seen him go through a mercury van and 2 ford trucks in my 21 years, and he got a "new one" as payment for a demo job, a 2015 f150. i wouldnt doubt f150s will have a soft spot in me, even though i love el caminos

[@waterbuffalosick4735]

That guys are so chilled

[@blueeyedboy83]

I live in Kosova ive seen some bad old 190d/e but this one takes the crown

[@hseochin]

I don't believe the mileage is only 1 000 000 Km ?!? More likely 10 000 000 Km i'll say for a 35+ year old car.

[@AG01KGS]

10.000.000 kms equals around 780 km daily for 35 years straight, so thats very hard to believe.

[@grumpybulldog19]

1 million km is nothing for this cars, there are a bunch of them with this mileage.

[@discontinuedghoul538]

One million km in Africa's bad roads is harder than ten millions km in standard streets

[@grumpybulldog19]

@@discontinuedghoul538 yes, you are right

[@upload2137]

@@discontinuedghoul538 thats exaggerated lol. Maybe in the worst of africa. But not in North Africa where there also alot of these mercedeses

[@Cherb123456]

Thank you!

[@DWREV]

Thanks for watching Flower_Tower

[@thorsrensen3162]

Great to see how quality cars can go on forever if they are properly looked after and maintained.

[@rickydub6950]

A battery, starter motor, new radiator, and fan switch and i'm sure it would be golden again, but probably still running in the condition it was in at time of the video 😁👍

[@xali2008]

The entire car is falling apart, I think it needs more than that.

[@thomasrpoulsen]

Great guy and and amazing car. How can I donate a new starter to him?

[@amir27hamzah12]

New stereo to

[@BombastardosFilmsMX]

@@amir27hamzah12 and some pine tree scents

[@killerdinamo08]

He doesn't realy need any spares, he just fixes 😁.

[@R3Cat]

@@killerdinamo08 the winding coils of his starter motor must be blacker than him! 😂 that starter will need to be changed or at least recoiled no matter what

[@Ruinskiy]

Не надо ничего , у них как и в Пакистане развит ремонт , это рабочие руки в цепочке экономики. Для этих авто развито много сервисного обслуживания руками местных

[@LuckyBird551]

I loved every single second of this video.

[@DWREV]

Thanks for watching

[@user-rt5kx8nr3o]

Дйзелма салеркамен журема мерседес

[@royliber3824]

My friend was gifted a car from his mother. A 2015 (I think) Ssangyong Rodius with around 600K kilometers. Its been very reliable so far, ive driven it once and honestly it doesn't feel at all like it did that much. Its known reliability mostly comes from the fact it uses a turbo-diesel Mercedes engine. Apart from the AC sometimes refusing to start, and the steering wheel feeling too light... Everything else is working flawlessly.

[@snowm9043]

love how his mates had to help him bump it at the start, cant imagen what he would have to do if he stalled it.

[@danielolowu7626]

mercedes stopped being mercedes in 2002. I am so grateful I have a 1994 c 220 manufactured in Stuttgart Germany. body is real steel, best car I have ever owned. I have used mine for 10years and it's so good

[@mauladiraushanhidayat6648]

One of my dream car... In west Africa, this car used for public transportation. In Indonesia, it become a rare item and it so pricey for the car from the 80/90's...

[@jamesdagmond]

The unbreakable car that broke down twice just this morning. lol

[@RyanSchweitzer77]

This fellow's Mercedes reminds me of my 1992 Buick LeSabre I have as a 2nd car, a bit dinged up and hoopty-looking, but still runs great. Although my LeSabre only has 219,000 miles on it. :)

[@danielpletikosic9021]

352 000 km

[@iuopunderstandyourjokes9914]

Legend says that every single one of those models have over a million miles on the odometer

[@UzumakiNagato]

Mine has 260k :D

[@javianjohnson8746]

This type of content is so fascinating

[@pawellewandowski2951]

Pozdro z zawsze slonecznej Polski;)takie rzechy lataly u nas 30 lat temu.teraz to same nowki,ale lubie ciebie ogladac,fajny klimat jak u mnie za dzieciaka;)

[@amadeurosenbergofficial7990]

Long ago man. Those 70s, 80s and early 90s engineers, they did not joke, they had no sense of humor, they didn’t get married. They were so focused on their duties, they could build a car for 40 plus years. Now it’s all about technology but without endurance

[@HankMFWimbleton]

The bond of man and machine.

[@Sinnerboy88]

I have three of these! Two 2.5 and one 2.0. All diesels, all non-turbo. They really do go forever! I honestly believe they are some of the strongest Mercedes cars ever made. I've heard of taxis here with excess of a million miles also. There are still some being used in Germany as taxi today. I saw one on Autobahn last week. I wasn't sure if diesel or not, as I was in left lane going fast but I caught a glimpse of it and taxi sign on roof. But I'd guess it was diesel one being taxi still in use after 30 years.

[@GeorgiGeorgiev-ne9ps]

If they adjust the head on the older models they can run forever. Worst thing is to rebuild the engine at 1million k

[@pirmaiscalispagalma1479]

Bruh, the population there had increased almost 6 times since 1990.. crazyyy

[@brownieplayscodm9636]

drift missile 🤙🏻

[@masssly]

loving this channel. i just subscribed

[@benk9817]

I wish this was longer

[@burakhanersoy4260]

W201 LEGEND!!!!!

[@TheHorsebox2]

You said it...my first Mercedes was one of these. Loved it.

[@macdaniel6029]

W123/124 ftw!

[@gabrielv.4358]

Even without water is still drives, Amazing.

[@d3struct0r14]

These cars are literally from the 90s and they’re still using them. That’s really respectable W Mercedes and Whoever these people are

[@noahingram8052]

This gives me inspiration

[@DWREV]

That’s why we make these!

[@peskachina]

Chinese taxis are retired by law after 7 years and do an average of 1.4 million km but are still relatively in one piece at the end of the service, nothing like this 190. It looks like it has 3 million at least

[@kojsiusoaliu6772]

What brands runs as taxis in china ? I saw some VW but it's not a reliable brand from shat i've seen. Toyotas semms like the most solid

[@peskachina]

​@@kojsiusoaliu6772 recently they have mostly switched to electric Chinese cars, they seem pretty reliable so far but I don't travel often and I don't take taxi anymore. Previously the most popular were Kia and Hyundai, looked ok at 1 million km. Before that VW Santana and Jetta which were terrible after a few years of work. The cars are purchased in bulk by the taxi companies.

[@TFSIChristmas]

@@kojsiusoaliu6772 VW is the most popular brand there though. Toyotas also seem to be not reliable ever since I had in decades. Still love those, had a Beetle, that Beetle saves lives in road conditions, weather, anything.

[@ticklemitts6255]

You gotta keep in mind what kinda roads this car has driven on and been subject to for decades.

[@archygrey9093]

This ones got far worse road conditions too

[@HeavyMetal50]

Mercedes Benz💪🏽💪🏽 indestructible engines

[@190east5]

Awesome!

[@romanromis7180]

This car needs to be fully restored by mercedes for this man

[@MrSupercar55]

I actually love those old Mercedes-Benz cars. I’m not saying that because there’s probably no way I could ever afford a new one. The build quality is phenomenal. Over here in England, the RAC rarely get called out to one, and when they do, it’s the immobiliser that’s to blame because the anti theft system cannot recognise the key for one reason or another. If they don’t recognise the key, what chance have they of recognising a lock pick as such? Sounds like a bittersweet system. Perfect for if you hate thieves and you can afford all those call-out fees.

[@antinacista]

its crazy if you realize, this used to be so expensive luxury car

[@adobotravels]

Great video! Reminds me of Haiti!

[@bernddoerper5667]

A few years ago I knew here in Germany a person from SriLanka. He drove a Mercedes 190 2.0 D about 629.000 km. Engine and gearbox were still running fine, only one clutch has been changed. The biggest problem was the rust. The car was finally so rusty that the strikt German TÜV gave no longer permission to drive it on the road and declared it for unsafe. So it had to be given to the scrapyard. From 1993 till 2009 we drove our Mazda 323F BG 1.6i over 385.000 km. Also there was rust the biggest problem at the end.

[@gdsteven7566]

durable you will never get this from a new car

[@epiccarguy892]

yep right

[@Mercmad]

Here in Brisbane ,Qld, Australiastan, I have two Mercedes Diesels, a W123 300D with only 136,000 on the clock but it looks rough because it went under in a flood in March ,, but is used every day and a W201 190D 2.5 with 540,000 Kms on the clock and still runs beautifully. Even with fuel at $2.20 per liter they are still very cheap cars to run. Mercedes really blew it when they went to digital car management .

[@biomorphic]

Very cheap? I beat they don't do more than 8 liter per km. I would call that very expensive. I had a Lexus IS200, fantastic car, but the fuel consumption was crazy, definitely not cheap to run.

[@Sinnerboy88]

@@biomorphic The old 190 diesel is surprisingly very economical. They do like 40+ mpg. They are extremely easy to run.. there is a saying here that "they go on the smell of diesel". I've a W202 C250 Turbodiesel Sport which is essentially the mark after this with a Turbo and I worked out it's averaging like 38mpg. I could probably get it to do more.

[@ricardokim4870]

FANTASTIC car's

[@user-gq6sf4si6j]

2 of my lovely old Mercedes have been exported to Africa I only sent them as the rust was a fail here but I hope they live a long life there! What people forget is that yes old Mercedes will live for 1 million miles but only if well maintained, ie engine oil regularly changed etc so at least taxi man is doing that much. The 2.5 TD version of this has great power also and it loves to be driven on vegetable oil also!

[@shanet7511]

If it needs to be pushed to start, it's kinda broken

[@trolleyracingmaster7075]

If it works it’s not broke. In the west it’s considered broke but in Africa it’s ok

[@ipadize]

@@trolleyracingmaster7075 broke is not the same as broken

[@lucabazooka1979]

that thing probably overheats a dozen times a week

[@kasuraga]

@@lucabazooka1979 a day

[@paz1261]

Just the starter motor broke... You must know your way around a car

[@gabrielv.4358]

I mean, the car is being used and the driver and passengers are happy, so win win!

[@CometdownCat]

I knew a family that the father and son had a 1980 Mercedes in Beirut in the early 2000s and the two of them took turns working 11-12 hour shifts driving it as a taxi and would swap drivers and the car was working nearly constantly aside from the time down they did their own maintenance work and repairs. It had those oh so comfortable seats those era Benz would get after they were already a couple decades past being worn out and the seats would have more range of travel than the suspension could ever hope to offer…got a special soft spot for those old oil burners after riding in so many of those hard working wore to the ground Mercedes cabs in the 90s when I was growing up….sadly stateside they aren’t the seemingly infinite workhorses I loved, but instead a very hard to find “rare classic car” that comes with the appropriate price tag….

[@xq39]

Thats cool that i can understand some of what he's saying, i took french in highschool

[@geogofficial9047]

I’d buy this guy another 190 in a better condition so he can use

[@knkjkjn]

it'd look the same in few yrs..

[@MyILoveMinecraft]

@@knkjkjn not really. They may not look like it but they are extremely tough

[@icedjourney]

yeah but how to find this guy probable doesnt have any social media

[@Thechino231]

@@icedjourney You can contact him via this channel

[@kobebryantgaming594]

I have a Mercedes 190 too. Amazing car.

[@mikehatzn]

Nice video👌👍

[@mjl8115]

A few years ago I've been to Nepal. In Katmandu at the airport I caught a taxi, it was II-gen Toyota Corolla (1970-1974). I asked is the car any good. The taxi driver told me "Toyota is very good, but local service is poor". Unfortunately odometer was broken for years. Later on at the airport in Pokhara I saw I-gen. Toyota Corolla (1966-1970) as an official TAXI still working and in much better condition than any 190D I saw in Africa. I am NOT a Toyota fan. But I am a Toyota owner. The engine (1GR-FE) that is running my 4x4 is good for 1 million miles without overhaul (real example from the USA) that is 1,61 mln km. Cheers from Poland.

[@epiccarguy892]

so lucky to have so old taxis In Germany you will never find a taxi Below Euro 6 😭😭😭

[@Darkshadoz]

I would love to be a city planner for Africa.

[@amoskariuki5967]

This car should be In the Mercedes Benz musuem

[@AngelHernandez-ls5wr]

Museum.

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

Any modern mercedes can be in museum engine broken and go to legend

[@Flo81]

With all that Bugs inside? The, would not let it in at the Borders😂

[@epiccarguy892]

no

[@cliffthelightning]

These are still popular in europe for a reason. Owning an older mercedes means you get the special Mercedes feeling but they will always start and you can repair them yourself if you have basic mechanical understanding.

[@xali2008]

title of the video "Unbreakable Mercedes Taxi", Taxi driver: "this morning it broke down twice" 😀

[@alex.vlascu]

In a modern Mercedes you have to always carry spare parts, tools and a mechanic with you all the time. What a shame of what it's become.

[@kaydenxuereb260]

Sadly and also to include the price of the spare parts 😬

[@epiccarguy892]

no mechanic no tools no spare parts only a laptop and a software develloper that looks like 🤓 a mechnanic with oily hands cannot fix a new car even if he/she worked even for 30+ years because new cars need software programming shame that they became rolling computers and they can only be fixed by software devellopers not even mechanics while old cars can also be fixed even by irrelevant people because they are so simple

[@epiccarguy892]

@@kaydenxuereb260 and wait monts for emports

[@rvrffdd6416]

1000000kms its often achieved when you drive an old diesel or big CC petrol car. I did 850.000kms in a humble Seat Ibiza 1.9d which is still on the road. 600.000kms in a Ford Orion 1.4 petrol, and now I drive a Nissan patrol sd33 with 1.200.000kms that has been used in the past 15 years for towing boats. All of them were in much better nick than that mercedes.

[@MrJente]

great add for benz

[@benadams1661]

I love the boot lock

[@see-it-for-yourself]

"Unbreakable Mercedes Taxi" - they guy literally said the car broke twice that morning...if he stops 2 or 3 times, the car overheats... at mid day it starts to jam up... and two guys had to push the car at the end.... DW, are you making fun of this guy or what?

[@Dansk55]

I had a Audi Q5 3.2 maintained at the dealer on easy American roads. I was the second owner maintained and it was by far the most problematic vehicle in the short 3 years of my ownership. Germany used to build simple reliable cars but not anymore.

[@tomr6955]

Ain't nothing simple about the cars Germany builds these days, it's a joke

[@amitmitra6487]

These old Benzes never retire.👍

[@epiccarguy892]

yep

[@Genakrul_93]

"Unbreakable Mercedes Taxi" First line, it broke this morning twice.

[@BarberMauroES]

That car looks like 5.000.000 kms But it can run more than 1.000.000, these engines, the OM602 are for the war. Also the Mercedes-Benz w210 E290 TD, uses that engine, in the version OM602.982 (2.9cc)

[@mrm1885]

I had a 97 W210 290 TD and the engine was great. But everything else broke and much rust. I did alternator, glow puggs, glow plug ecu, windshield wiper motor, exhaust system, power steering pump mass airflow meter, rusted out coil spring seat, oil leak from rear axle. Finaly the steering rack broke. Then I gave up on the car. There was also rust on all doors, front wings, bonnet, trunk, floor under battery, rocker panels and on the roof! The car was then 10 years old.

[@bosniamenrepairmen5810]

I have driven 7 Mercedes so far and yes they are unbreakable even newer when half of electronic died they still drive perfectly✌✌✌💪💪💪

[@TFSIChristmas]

Whats funny is that they drive even they break lol. Correct, in Russia, there is someone in his new s class over 15 million km

[@user-io5ld1zc1y]

@@TFSIChristmas You make zero sense...

[@macdaniel6029]

@@TFSIChristmas 15.000.000km? Dream on little boy. How would that even be possible? Just do the maths.

[@TFSIChristmas]

@@macdaniel6029 Its a 15 yo vehicle, boyo. 😂 we work as agriculturalbusiness

[@macdaniel6029]

@@TFSIChristmas so... 1.000.000km p.a.? No. F*cking. Way. 100.000 is hard to do, even if you basically live in the car. Driving 1.000.000 per year means driving ~2800km EVERY DAY. Stop talking BS Kiddo.

[@Bert_de_Wit]

That shirt he's wearing is worth more than that car.

[@Leezeo]

Love it

[@anguria4663]

Okay

[@mrperfect6676]

Try the 70°C thermostat, for African countries

[@harzerharzer6689]

Man this makes me feel weird. Got a almost spotless silver 190d Automatic as my first car back in 2011. Still have it. Sportline suspension, small borbet A wheels, black taillights from hella and like new blue interior. Seems like his glow plugs,starter or generator are bad, thats why they push start it. Also this 190d features a speedo from a 190e. A bad magnet clutch or sensor might cause his overheating, 190d entirely relies on airflow from driving or the fan kicks in at 100c to cool it down. If the cap on the expansion cant hold pressure frequent overheating occurs too. Also my biggest respect to all the engine parts that are doing their job without fail since at least 34 years(its a pre facelift car) ie. timing chain, piston rings, injection pump, guide rails, injectors and so much more.

[@maksxperia02]

Ah. Sounds just like my 190D, sweet.

[@ossiebekman7043]

Mercedes company if you see this give this men a new Mercedes.

[@lilazi420]

Bro this old mercedes will outlast the new one

[@yacinealg152]

Nah, it wouldn't last in Africa

[@syxepop]

If Mercedes would want to give the driver another car better be from the 1980's, another W201, a W124 (E-Class) or W126 (S-Class) for ANOTHER 1M KM.

[@peyeum]

Great intention but no. New mercedes will freak out once it's wheel dipped into small puddle of mud. Give him all restored w201 or w124 instead.

[@epiccarguy892]

and it will instanly break

[@keabot]

💪🏽🇩🇪😆

[@elgarsstupans7209]

I love how every single thing on that merc is broken

[@albertoingrosso2146]

Taxy Driver: I love you, i drive you since 2005 Mercedes w123: *Please let me die*

[@franklinklinton5254]

African Dominic Toreto

[@BlackBirdNooB]

When Mercedes did tanks

[@alessandrositon7616]

que Deus te abençoe sempre vc merece 🙏🙏🙏🙏👍👍👍👍👍

[@hamburgerhamburgerv2]

This car will outlive him.