eriklin

Hi everyone,

My brother's 2004 W203 C230 sports sedan is going to reach 80k miles...do We need to take care of anything? Any maintain require on this high mileage car? Please help...Thanks a lot

amdeutsch

May I suggest that you, or your kin, read the manuals that came with the car and search the forum. Thanx

TemjinX2

mostly just minor maintaince stuff. probably things like fuel filter, maybe transmission fluid change. Maybe flush the brake fluid.

I would also recommend replacing the cps sensor as preventative maintence. they all seem to fail eventually on the w203.

BF_JC230

High Mileage?!?!? My buddies winter beater Taurus SHO just hit 250,000 miles and there is nothing wrong (or has been) with that car...
Good luck - and yes the manual tells all!

TemjinX2

well its high mileage for a mercedes. most people only keep a mercedes for 2-3yrs and trade it in for another one.

eriklin

Thanks for suggestion guys...We do not have manual on hand due to several times of moving...Manual is missing now...
I have checked forum daily and try to read a lot of posts daily about w203 issues...
I am just wondering if there is anyone has high mileage on their MBZ...
By the way, what is CPS sensor? Thanks guys..

dmatre

Put the crack pipe down, my friend . . . .

C230 Sport Coup

Not rocket science.
Just follow the factory recommended service.
Attached.
Don't worry that it's 2003, it's the same....and if it isn't
someone here will surely say so.

richardlo

Only 2-3 years for Mercedes? I always thought Mercedes was a long term vehicle like Volvo or Lexus. Is this a new thing? I have relatives that run theirs into the ground and it keeps chugging, but then again these are from the 70-mid 80's models.

Hate to think modern Benzs has the longevity of a Chevy.

C230 Sport Coup

Yeh, NP it's a long term vehicle, but you gotta do the maint.
Since we have no idea what he's already done, then he'll need to look at the
factory sheet and see whats up.

Personally if it wasn't already done, you'd want to do
spark plugs, fuel filter, and tranny flush.
And while you're at it, drain and fill the differential.
You'll need a 14mm allen head to open it.
Once every 100K miles, but mine was black and sludgy at 120K so I'd say 80K would be good.

I'm at 136K now. Purrs like a kitten. But, then I do stay on top of stuff.
I expect the engine could just keep going and going...it's the tranny thats the weak link.
But by the time mine goes, I could conceivably find one used cheap and drop it in.

CPS sensor is Crankshaft position sensor. Search on it.
Kills the car if it dies. I ordered one along with an extra screw and keep it in the car, just in case.

Glyn M Ruck

A 6 cylinder Benz will last a lot longer than a modern Volvo or a Lexus.

TemjinX2

wtf are you talking about? most people who buy a mercedes or bmw in the United States is through leasing

Ever wondering why 60% of bmw and mercedes sales are through leases?

maybe you should educated yourself before you makes comments like that.

richardlo

Good to know, why just the 6's and not the 8's or 4's?

TemjinX2

for the uneducated.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/01/l...ts-you-to-buy/

whole article can be read here.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...JME&refer=home

TemjinX2

i'm not saying they won't. The engines are built very well, but high depreciation and high maintences costs usually makes people trade in there cars before the warranty expires.

I know if i went to the dealer for all my little problems and maintence, i probably would've already spent at least 25% of the car's residuel value just on maintence.

dmatre

Wait a minute. . .

The high depreciation occurs the moment you drive it off the dealer's lot. After that, the depreciation flattens out considerably.

Maintenance costs are higher than a Honda for certain, but after the note is paid, unless you're spending more than about $450/month in maintenance, buying a new car is a losing proposition.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

(Oh, and this Benz has 105k on it. Traded the last one at 230k to get this one, so at 80k I believe that there's a little life still left in the OP's)

dmatre

"maybe you should educated yourself before you makes comments like that."
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ur-w203-6.html

TruTaing

I dont think 80k is that many miles... With regular maint im sure these cars can hit 200-250k w/o an issue. (or im secretly hoping mine will).

Im under the impression most people who drive MBs tend to lease them for short periods, but the majority of the people who frequent the forums own their mbs for a long while... :x

TemjinX2

the depreciation is high when you compare it other brands especially cars like lexus, toyota, acura, honda. Look at the depreciation rates for those cars over the first 3yrs and compare it to a mercedes. Even BMW has better depreciation rates.

If you look at your local craigslist or autotrader, you'll notice that most of the late model used mercedes are in the 40-60k mileage range because there lease returns. you don't see many with 100k, so 60-80k is relatively high compared to other mercedes in the same used car market.

When you look at hondas a lot them are on the 100-160k side. So 60k isn't very high compared to other hondas in the same used car market.

I already said the engine are built well but the higher maintence costs and depreciation doesn't make it worth to keep the car for awhile for a lot of people unless your the type of person to keep your car for 10yrs or if you do most of the maintence yourself.

How about you go back your pipe?

TemjinX2

your probably correct on that assumption.

BlackLiquorish8

i have an 03' it has 86k car runs fine and starts up as fast as when i got my car. just do plugs, tranny change and you should be straight

i did all this awhile ago tho

Glyn M Ruck

Good question. I include the V8 & V12s in this comment - they go forever. The 1800cc M271 engine, especially in USA trim where it is pushing more horsepower than in C180 & C200 trim in the rest of the world is working very hard & is fragile in the cylinder head area mainly when running on non 95 Eurograde narrow distillation fuel that it was designed for. They also have all the cam sensor oil leak nonesense etc. to contend with. I'm watching 2 little 6s at present to see just how far they will go before suffering some major component trouble. A C240 in daily use in KL Malaysia with over 700,000 Km on the clock that has had nothing but standard servicing by Cycle & Carriage, the agents, lots of tyres & brakepads & a few castor bushes & an E240 we have at the office here in Cape Town that does airport shuttle work that has just crossed the 550,000 Km mark trouble free. The 4 cylinder models will simply not go this far without trouble. That said, condidering what we are expecting them to do they will still go a long way as long as they are well maintained - but they do live life in the fast lane

Glyn M Ruck

Tru - you are right in both cases - also see my answer to richardlo - If you look after your 240 it's only just well run in & mine's still loosening up at 47,000 Kms - just goes better & better.