Hi Everyone,

I am new around here and new to MB's in general. I am in the process of looking for a new ride as my current car is getting a little old. It's a 1990 Audi Coupe Quattro. Fun car but I have a fairly long commute to work and want something a little newer and more modern for the drive. I am in the process of selling my motorcycle as come winter I will need a car more and I don't really have time for the bike anymore(if anyone is looking for a mint '02 VFR800 in the Toronto area PM me). Once I get that sold I will be seriously looking for something. I never really considered Benz's before but I recently spotted a nice white coupe where I work(at a University). It really caught my eye so I am now researching them and as luck would have it there seems to be lots of used ones for sale in my area. And it comes in manual which is a must for me, refuse to drive an auto even though manual can be a pain in the *** at times, I still love it.

I am probably looking at a 2003 model coupe as those seem to be in my price range and I notice lots of them still have factory warranty on them(how long is the warranty on these?), which is cool. I can see I have a couple engine choices from what I can tell. Either a 1.8L 4 banger supercharged or a 3.2L V6. Just wondering on the differences between the engines, I assume the V6 is slightly more powerful. Which is the better more reliable powerplant. I don't care too much about all out speed and nothing cept a supercar can compare to some of the bikes I have owned/ridden. Everything feels slow now. Are the actual cars themselves different or is it basically the same car but with a different engine? Sorry for the newbie questions but I couldn't really find a "Model Guide" on any of the sites I browsed. Any other things I should be looking out for? Must have options? I know I want a 6 spd but that's about it. I still have a few other cars I am considering but I am leaning towards an C230/320 coupe as I have never had a Benz before and I really like the styling and the look of the interior(big for me as I hate cheap *** interiors).

Thanks everyone!!

Kevin
'90 Audi Coupe Quattro
'02 Honda VFR 800 - For Sale!

 

hey welcome to mbworld.

I suggest a coupe also...mainly because I do not like the B pillar on the sedans blockin my vision. and parking wise, the coupe is easier to fit into city spots here.

both sedans and coups are great. let us know when u finally get ur coupe/sedan and let us know ur future mod list.

fyi. I'm selling a black tinted coupe tail lights as I am replacing it with facelift ones.

 

A C320 coupe would be more reliable than a C230 Kompressor coupe. C320 coupe has a V6 naturally aspirated engine, which has been used by Mercedes for a long time. C230 Kompressor engine has more parts that can fail, ie supercharger, supercharger clutch, intercooler, etc. You can also buy a Kleeman supercharger kit for the C320 if you're ever wanting for more speed and power in the future.

 

We have a 04 coupe with the Kompressor 4. It's got 36K mile so far, cross country 3 times. Been very reliable and service has been good. Full service was for 4yr or 50K mile. When the little computer tells you it's time, take it in and get your oil change/service. Don't know about the mpg on the V6 but on cross country trips we average 34-36mpg! At 70 or so. Good mileage around town too. Must use premium because of the SC.
I have the manumatic at my wifes request, but I did drive a 6spd. Was OK but not up to my Miata's standard, but few are. Today changed the brake pads after putting the heat into them at a track day event at Road Atlanta, they were fine, but squealed at little during stops, which my wife didn't care for. So as per advice here installed autozone pads which were very quiet during the test drive. I was very impressed with the ease of the pad change. Made me consider getting an older 6 spd for autoX and track days.
By the way, during the track day, my instructor who races a BMW was pretty impressed with the way the Kompressor Koupe handled on the track..
Good luck,

 

:[/QUOTE]

Doubtful. The M111 was historically one of the most reliable MB engines, and the newer M271 has been relatively problem free. Its true that the supercharger will eventually wear out...in both engines, but its not terribly expensive to replace, and downright cheap to rebuild yourself. And its mostly going to be far down the road when it happens. BTW, there is no supercharger clutch on either of the supercharged engines...the bypass opens when there is no or little load on the engine, and allows the compressor to spin freely. Total parts count, its probably a wash, the V6 does have two extra jugs.

I'd pass on the C320 Coupe- unless you can find one with a stick and lots of goodies. Its pretty rare car, and almost always is saddled with the depressing automatic transmission. I'm not thrilled with the performance from the smaller M271 supercharged engine, but its not slow by any means, and its real world mpg advantage over the six is huge. The six is a pig in stop and go driving. Something to consider with today's fuel prices. My opinion of the 3.2L v6 is pretty mixed...its terribly expensive to mod, and the performance isn't much better than the four. The older M111 is almost right on top of it stock, and a 500 dollar pulley gives it an extra 35HP, making it significantly faster than the six. If you go six, look into a 3.7L conversion, it can be done with all stock MB components.

I love the Coupe...I wish MBUSA had given it better support. Had the chicken**** *******s at MBUSA given us the C350 Coupe, I would have traded up. The C350 sedan I drove was a real rocket.

Which ever model you chose, I suggest a car with time left on the manufacturers warranty, or an extended warranty, either from a starmark purchase, or something negotiated into the price at another dealer. The engines are not a problem in these cars. Its the electronics. They themselves aren't seriously unreliable, but even a simple failure can be expensive.

 

I sat in a 2002 C230 coupe with the M111 engine and ASP pulley when a friend showed it to me. I didn't find the extra ~35hp very noticable over my old C320 engine. M111 engine only came in the 2002 coupe and he's looking at getting a 2003 coupe.

In regards the the C350, just be wary of a history of 7G tronic transmission problems. Or avoid the 7G tronic altogether and get a MT. But if you really want a C350 coupe that bad, just swap it in.


Extra pairs of "jugs" are fun to play around with.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Seems to be mixed opinions on whether the 1.8L SC'd 4 or 3.2 V^ is the better choice.

Out of curiosity what is the fuel consumption difference between the 2? Also can the V6 run on regular? I know the SC motor would need Premium. Just trying to figure out the difference in operating costs. I am likely not going to be doing very much mod wise. Maybe lowering springs and some electronics inside(command/aftermarket HU, bluetooth, sat radio possibilities). As I said after owning a sting of bikes, cars just don't feel fast anymore so as long as the car have decent pick up it is enough for me pretty much. I have owned a few turbo cars and enjoy the kick in the pants when the turbo kicks in but at the same time I also love the throttle response and a nice normally aspirated engine. Never had a SC'd car before but I assume it would be similar to a turbo car.

Any other advice? FWIW most of the '03's I have seen for sale around here have fairly low kms(miles) and still have factory warranty left which rocks! I gotta sell my bike first before I do anything. Which is harder apparently then I envisioned.

Thanks guys,

Kevin

 

Welcome to the forum

Believe it or not; the search feature is actually your best friend. It can answer questions faster than waiting on a post.

 

I actually read through the forum quite a bit before posting. Didn't really find any threads comparing the motors or for that matter mentioning the specs of them much, just saw odds and ends here and there. I know on some other forums I frequent they have model guides or some other such thing which compares all the different motors/options/colours etc. I didn't see one here or on the other couple MB forums I browsed through so I figured I would make a post and see what exactly people thought. Maybe I missed the model guide/comparisons if so point me in the correct direction.

Thanks for the tip though, I will try to use the search feature more.

Kevin

 

do not buy coupe it is useless and ugly (I have 05 coupe too I am very unsatisfied

Buy Sport Sedan

 

Why would you buy a coupe when you think they are "ugly and useless". I don't understand your logic. You say you don't like them but yet you own one? Care to elaborate on what it is you don't like or are unsatisfied with.

THanks,

Kevin

 

ahahah I agree. did someone FORCE you to buy one!?

 

The Coupe is a gorgeous car...from the front and side views. Some of the rear views are an aquired taste. I think the addition of the 05 tailights and the AMG rear bumper fixes any reservations about the rear end styling. There's so much I like about the coupe, much more so than rather boring sedan. Also, the interior in the coupe is actually bigger in some dimensions, certainly in the front seats. The sedan seats don't go back very far, and when they are back all the way, that stupid b pillar blocks your egress. On the coupes they go back far enough for me and my 6 feet to fit in and out nicely. If youre unhappy in the Coupe, the sedan isn't likely to cure you, IMHO. The advantages to the sedan is obviously the easier access to the rear seats, the trunk, and....oh yes, the AMG engines stateside.

Every V6 Powered C-Class Ive had as a loaner gets about 16-19 around town, and 20-25 on the highway. In stop and go traffic, its pretty bad...12-14ish. The C240's mileage was no better than the C320...Probably worse, because you constantly are flogging the ******* because its such a slug off the line.

The two 1.8 loaners have both gotten mid to high twenties in town, and low to mid thirties on the highway...that's real world mileage, the same to and from work loop. If I baby my M111, I can get similar mileage in my coupe...but normal driving is slightly less effiecient than the M271.

I'd get a 2002, and negotiate a warranty. I love the torque anywhere nature of the M111. Its attainable pretty cheap nowdays, reliable, and a lot more impressive under the hood(both visually, and in performance) than the M271. Of course, Bixenon lights are 2003 up, unless you retro fit them like I did. Pretty easy job, BTW. The 2002 has some other disadvantages, namely the sounds the engine makes at low rpms or on cold start. Its a cantakerous beast at those times, but once warmed up, or under steeper throttle angles, it makes some glorious supercharged sounds.

As far as throttle response goes, all MB's have somewhat lackluster throttle response, thanks to a delay programmed into the electronic throttle. When you have an auto, the combination of the two can pretty irritating. The power from a supercharger builds much quicker than a turbo, but there's also little of the drama, and far less of the ramp up you expect from a turbo. Also, I second Pshek's opinion of the 7G tranny. It sucks. Its ALWAYS shifting. Feels like a CVT in 'simulated stepped gear mode'.

Let us know what you end up with.

 

I have an 02 C230 coupe with 27000km on it. The warranty was for 4 years or 80000km. The 02 had 192 HP and the 03 came with 189HP due to the engine change. The supercharger performs differently from a turbo car. A turbo car needs more time for spin-up before the boost is added. A supercharger is more linear and smoother and in my experience available instantly with no lag. I have been told my car seems more powerful than normal. The car is significantly faster than my BMW with 184HP. Both models use premium fuel. Highway mileage is good (7.5-8.0 l/100km) but the stop and go traffic in Toronto will not help the mileage. Options to look for include the panoramic sunroof, BOSE sound (rare) and the 6 pack CD in glove box. The 02 came with auto dimming mirrors and homelink standard but not rain sensors or auto headlights(options). Personally, I would avoid electric seats. Oil changes on my coupe are reset by MB for 15000km which is pretty close to what I have been getting. The manual says 19000km but I have never achieved that. Car is 95% city driven. I have had no problems with the engine or the transmission and my complaints were all handled by the MB dealerships (6 of which are not dealers but MB stores directly owned by MB Canada in Toronto including the Mississauga dealer.) Since this is your first MB consider a lease takeover at www.leasebusters.com. There are a number of coupes on the site. The Toronto MB dealers only carry 03s and up unless the mileage is very low.
Best of luck.

 

i have 02' coupe also. i like it.

 

Gilgorm,

What are the advantages of taking over a lease to me?? A lease seems pointless to me, it's like renting the car and you end up with nothing in the end, well you may end up owing money at the end. I browsed around lease busters but they don't seem to have any MB's let alone coupes. Maybe I am not doing something right when searching. Just not sure what the advantages of a lease are? Care to explain further. Thanks,

Kevin

 

Love my car too !! It's a 2002 AT coupe, the car has 86 000 km and I haven't had any engine/transmission problems. The only problems I've had was with the ESP but that was fixed right away and I've had the power steering pump replaced. Everything was under warranty. When I purchased the extended warranty, the dealer had to do a major inspection on the car and the technician said the car was in great shape and said that the 2.3 engine was one of the most reliable engines that Mercedes has. Comparing the coupe to my previous car, a 1997 Honda Prelude, I had alot more problems with the Honda, the A/C never worked properly (noisy), some of the dash lights stopped working and at 56 000 km the automatic transmission had to be replaced ! The Honda spent a week at the dealer and I was not even offered a loaner ! Overall I am totally satisfied with the coupe, much better, faster, and better mileage than the Prelude.

 

Yes . you are right. I am fault. But it learnt to me never never again resist anything.

If you buy car and you do like me only forum info and commercial picturs makes you fail.

before the everthing this is not real coupe . it is hatcback car. Rival on the market A3 and selling Europe BMW compact and now 1 series. I choose MB its security and Rear drive and you know Mercedes star. I am at 34 . this car segment age 18 to 25 . for high ones better sedan(saloon) .

I think again with art. I like with sedan car that every angle is same not different (like coupe or HB ) you see too rear wiew too bad inside and outside.

and maybe most important at selling time your car second hand is too hard(difficult)

So let me know too Why MBUSA cut and after Mercedes International stopped Coupe ?

 

We currently have a 2003 C320 6-speed Coupe (very, very rare, I believe) that we bought used from our dealer - some MBUSA employee car I believe. We've been extremely happy with the car so far, and would heartily recommend it. Getting one with a remaining factory warranty would be a smart thing to do. You should even be able to get a Starmark warrented car (CPO) from a dealer, which can offer warranties up to 100k / 7 years, I think.

Although I have no experience with the 230 Kompressor engine in a Coupe, we had an SLK with the 230 Kompressor engine for about 2.5 years. On paper the performance of the two cars look similar, but the 320 is a much more relaxed drive - the 230 sounds a little excited if you push it hard. I would not worry about the longevity of the 230 - it's one of MB's most reliable engines of the recent past.

The Coupes excel for highway driving. I had a job for a couple of months where I drove 60 miles one way each day. The Coupe was perfect for that - very quiet and stable on the freeway. I got around 29-30 mpg at a constant ~70-75 mph. Recently on a 3 hour trip, I got up to 31 mpg, which is not bad for a V6. Around town, the computer reports around 20-23 mpg, for mixed suburb/freeway driving.

BTW, you can get all the specs on older models by going to mbusa.com, select the C-class section and then look for something linke "16-year model history". If you can't find it, let me know.

Good luck!

 

The W203 coupes are still being sold in Europe - they have only been dropped by MBUSA.

The reason for the drop was two fold. At the time, MBUSA was going to import the B-class into the USA as a compact SUV. The price of that was too close to the C coupe, and they didn't want to confuse the market at the low end. Also, due to American tastes, hatchbacks are not real hot sellers, and the Coupe was no exception.

Of course, then the dollar tanked against the Euro, and it was too expensive to import the B-class, but they didn't bring back the Coupe. Maybe the higher gas prices here in the US will eventually change the buying patterns and make smaller cars like the Coupe sell better.

Personally I love the shape of the Coupe, and that's one of the reasons we bought it. Even though we transport two small kids in the car, I did not want a boring sedan. If it wasn't a Coupe, we would have probably considered a wagon.

My dream C-class will be a W203 AMG Estate, but sadly they are not sold here, or the W203 Coupe AMG - talk about a pocket rocket!

 

[QUOTE=kokketiel]The W203 coupes are still being sold in Europe - they have only been dropped by MBUSA.



The coupe is still being sold here in Canada and so is the B class, here around Toronto you see alot of C coupes, it's a car that you see everyday around here. Not as many B class but they have only been out for a year or so, you actually see more R class than you do B class !!

 

Kevin,
I only suggested a lease to you if you were unsure of whether you wanted to invest in a MB long-term. A short-term lease takeover only costs you the monthly payment with no up-front costs (in most cases) and no hassles selling the car. You also have the option of purchasing the vehicle at lease end for the residual value if you love the thing and it is in great shape.
The only other advantage to leasing is a lower monthly cost. You only pay for the time you use, the same as depreciation if you own.
If you intend to keep the car for a long time then definitely buy--leasing is best for people who want to flip a car every 2-3 years. Most leases to-day are set up so you turn back the car and walk away. The residual value is established at the start of the lease. Leases from years ago left you on the hook but to-days leases do not.
In either case you may be responsible if the car is in poor condition i.e. needs tires, body work, or has excess mileage, but your trade-in value on a car you own is reduced for the same reasons.
Leasebusters currently has 50 MBs on the site (few are dealers) but most are private. Of the 50 cars there to-day, there are two coupes--an 06 C320 with 30,000km, 14 months left on the lease, payments pre-tax of $521 and an incentive of $1800 (usually cash and you keep a security deposit). The other one is an 04 C230 with 24,000km, 26 months left, payments of $556 and an incentive of $1725. Check back often--the cars change all the time. I have seen dozens of coupes at other times. You can sort the cars by model, year, incentive, downpayment, payments, etc. so it is a good tool to compare. Most of the cars that show Windsor in the "city" are one dealer, not private.
Go to the section called lease take-overs and specify MB on the listings.
Good luck.

 

Gilgorm,

Thanks for point out the pros/cons of a lease. Having never leased a vehicle before I really didn't know what they were all about. I always thought they were geared more towards people who can "write" it off for work purposes or what not. I have always purchased my vehicles. I like knowing that I own it and can do as I please to it.

The MB's are just one thing I am looking at. I have a few other options on my list. I may get another Audi(S4 or A6, 6 speed 2.7t in both), I like some other things as well. It's all up in the air, I gotta go drive a coupe and see what they drive like. I may go out tomorrow as there is a few a used car lots for sale around here and they usually aren't too sticky about test drives.

Kevin

 

Hi,
have my 2004 c320 AT coupe ince new, never have any problem.
around 30 mpg at highway, 25 mpg in city,
so far only 19000 mile on it, ready for 2 years/ Service B next week.
Compare V6 and Supercharge I4 ( my co-worker's 2002 C230 coupe 6 sp ),
V6 has better low end torque, response quick,
All very good, so far we all very happy. picked MB over BMW.

91 BMW 850I
94 BMW 325iC
04 MB 320 coupe

 

Really? Hmmm....
2005 was about the best year.
I love my 2002.
I really like the hatch.
Fold down the seats, pour in the gear,
no need for an SUV or a truck.
Not sure why hatch is a bad word in USA.
The coupe is a gorgeous vehicle.
I suppose there wouldn't be much difference between
a 3.2 and a M111 w/ pulley.
Except the mileage. But the 3.2 is so smoooth....

If your 2005 is a c320 and a 6 spd. I might take it off your hands...hehe