cyclesmith

Hello MBWorld!

I just picked up a 1997 C230 with 54k original miles. I am retiring my 1994 Volvo 940 that I've had for ten years and bought it with 18k miles. I really like the old time quality plus I don't want a front wheel drive. This works out good because I can't afford a new one anyway.

My questions to the community is what weight engine oil should I use. I did a search on this and got mixed reviews. The dealer put in 15w-40 the last few oil changes. I was under the impression this was diesel engine oil? The Mobil 1 website states to use 0w-40. I live in New Jersey if this helps.

Also, which online company sells and ships genuine Mercedes parts. I see many companies state OEM but I have learned in the past they are "kind of" OEM. I am just looking for the company many people prefer here.

I will post some pics soon. Thank you very much to all who reply.

ptcruiser

A great dealer for parts at reasonable prices is Keenan Mercedes.
Super service, and they will work for an hour to find you a $2.00 part.
I buy on line, and they ship immediately.
Yes, on Ebay for example, a lot of parts are not OEM, and most are Ok, but things, especially electrical, like the MAF should be Bosch.
If your good a digging on line, you can get OEM at reasonable prices.
I think oil is oil, so don't sweat over it. I use 10W40 in various recognized brands, and it works just fine. Think of it as a $10.00 Martini versus a $2.00 bar shot of Vodka. The results and effects are the same, for a lot less money.
54k is a real find....Treat it like a good friend, and you can get well over 200,000 with just regular maintenance.

cyclesmith

Thanks ptcruiser. I just have to get the cobwebs out of this car. Older person owned it and drove it very little. I looked online everyday for two months to find one that wasn't too beat up. The rear diff is leaking ever so slightly. I also can feel the car shake when I put the A/C on at idle. Almost like the fan is off balance, not sure what that could be. Thanks again.

aquinob

The car should run on 0w 40 or you could probably get away with 5w40. You can get the oil at walmart for about 6 a quart. If the motor is shaking, you might need mounts. With somebody in the car, have them hold the brake and shift in and out of gear and see if the engine jumps significantly. You can try it too with switching the AC on and off.

54K, eh? I thought mine was pretty good at 67K. You probably should change all the fluids, especially the transmission unless you know it was already done. I would also do a brake fluid flush as well, the recommended interval is every 2 years.

aquinob

As for the other part of the question, Autohauz AZ is a good source for MB parts.

cyclesmith

Thanks aquinob, I am going to post some pics in a day or so. These cars are really meant to be driven and not sit. The rear deck is faded from the sun along with some other plastic interior parts around the windows. The cloth around the rear window is coming unglued. I heard some water swishing around so I took out the four rocker plugs and the passenger side had about a quart of water run out. The plugs were stopped up with dirt. Hopefully I am ok with no rust inside the rockers.