Prospective new C class owner :)
#1
Prospective new C class owner :)
Hi everyone
So hopefully by the end of this week I would have sold off my MK5 GTI.
I am mid thirties and looking at a C Class for my next ride.
I travel about 25 000km ( 15 500 miles) a year tops.
My chief concern is reliability. Looking at cars from about 2004 upwards.
The question is, engine wise in particular, which of the C Class engines are known for superior reliability? Im avoiding diesel at this stage. Also I will be buying a vehicle with maximum 120 000km.
My preference is an auto box but if you think they have issues, maybe particular years or models? then I would go manual.
Really would appreciate any feedback or guidance. It took me a year or two to really get to know the GTI and all its little problem areas so Im hoping to fast track and make the right decision in the beginning.
Thanks for reading my 'memoir'
So hopefully by the end of this week I would have sold off my MK5 GTI.
I am mid thirties and looking at a C Class for my next ride.
I travel about 25 000km ( 15 500 miles) a year tops.
My chief concern is reliability. Looking at cars from about 2004 upwards.
The question is, engine wise in particular, which of the C Class engines are known for superior reliability? Im avoiding diesel at this stage. Also I will be buying a vehicle with maximum 120 000km.
My preference is an auto box but if you think they have issues, maybe particular years or models? then I would go manual.
Really would appreciate any feedback or guidance. It took me a year or two to really get to know the GTI and all its little problem areas so Im hoping to fast track and make the right decision in the beginning.
Thanks for reading my 'memoir'
#2
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2001 Mercedes C320 Sedan / 1999 Mercedes CLK320 Coupe
Runnnnnnnnnnnnn ! haha
In all fairness , just make sure the previous owner kept up with proper maintenance or issues. These forums are great and as a newbie myself I have learned lots by reading on here and searching.. Some things are hard to find but my advice would be do your homework on the car you re buying here , ask / search common issues as I didn't and the owner lacked taking care of it as well.
In all fairness , just make sure the previous owner kept up with proper maintenance or issues. These forums are great and as a newbie myself I have learned lots by reading on here and searching.. Some things are hard to find but my advice would be do your homework on the car you re buying here , ask / search common issues as I didn't and the owner lacked taking care of it as well.
#4
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2001 Mercedes C320 Sedan / 1999 Mercedes CLK320 Coupe
haha don't let it scare you , Mercedes is a great reliable car just like many other names , as long as you take care of them and with proper upkeep. good luck in your search.. make sure to post what you buy
#5
Out Of Control!!
In general, a W203 will be less reliable than the GTI you dumped, not as much fun, and have slightly higher parts prices. In addition to being harder to work on. The facelift car years like you're looking at are much more reliable than the previous W203s and have interiors that are more liked by the masses, but still not a walk in the park.
You can always find a reliable one if you're lucky, but law of averages, not a good move from a percentages basis.
But that would be with any Krautwagon. If you're truly concerned about reliability, you're looking at the wrong continent of origin. Look a the Consumer Reports guide if you want accurate feedback; people on here tend to be MB apologists, as should be expected - I'm sure you found the same slant over on the Vortex if you were active over there.
You can always find a reliable one if you're lucky, but law of averages, not a good move from a percentages basis.
But that would be with any Krautwagon. If you're truly concerned about reliability, you're looking at the wrong continent of origin. Look a the Consumer Reports guide if you want accurate feedback; people on here tend to be MB apologists, as should be expected - I'm sure you found the same slant over on the Vortex if you were active over there.
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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2005 C240 4MATIC, 2010 ML350
I agree with the above comments. It all comes down to how the previous owner cared for the vehicle. I'm the second owner on mine. I bought it CPO at 44,000 miles, and I'm at over 233,000 miles, because I've done all regular maintenance and kept up with things like spark plugs, and an occasional valve cover leak, or replacing my transmission multi-pin connector bushing that was causing an oil leak. I'm about to replace the front control arm bushings now. If the previous owner cared for the car, and you care for the car, it's going to last a long long long time.
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#8
MBWorld Fanatic!
If you're looking at these because you like the styling better than the newer ones, I would look for one with a V6 vs the 4 cylinder with kompressor. But then again those have the 7-speed transmissions which may/may not be as dependable as the 5-speed tranny's.
I agree with the above statements. My oldest just moved 2500 miles away and we had considered giving her the Mercedes but decided it would be prohibitively expensive to get fixed if anything went wrong with it. We bough her a used Toyota Camry in the end.
I agree with the above statements. My oldest just moved 2500 miles away and we had considered giving her the Mercedes but decided it would be prohibitively expensive to get fixed if anything went wrong with it. We bough her a used Toyota Camry in the end.
#13
Senior Member
I came from a MK IV Jetta to my 2005 C230, I'm glad I made the switch. I now have 312XXX Miles (500000KM) and have had less problems with my C than I did with 140K miles in the Jetta. One nice thing is how quiet the Merc is compared to the VW. Good hunting.
#14
MBWorld Fanatic!
#15
I bought a 2007 C230 Sport back in June this year as a second car, had just under 40k miles. Was well maintained and I was provided all the maintenance records from the previous owner. Hoping it treats me well for a few years. Only thing I've noticed is the engine knocks for a couple seconds at start-up but then goes away, not sure if I should be concerned or if it's just the way the engine revvs at start-up. Good luck with your search!
Last edited by MBC230FL; 09-05-2016 at 07:13 PM. Reason: Added picture