jcnash

Hi all,

Im new to the forums here at mbworld.org and am new in general to Mercedes and for that matter to cars!! LOL.

Just bought a Black 2002 C230 Coupe over the weekend. Its my first car and has 142K on it.

Its in pretty good shape except for:
1. Front right indicator doesnt work (it worked when I test drove it but randomly stopped). I hope its just a burnt out bulb.
2. Rear left rim is slightly bent and the tire has developed bulges. This causes a pretty bumpy ride for anyone in the back seat.
3. Quite a few scratches, swirls and stone chips all over the exterior.

Any suggestions/tips on how to fix these issues are more than welcome.

My plan is to first work on these and get them fixed and then start doing some mods. Browsing mbworld has given me tons of great ideas.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi.

jcnash.

bdgdl08

Welcome to the forum! Can't wait to see what you eventually do with your car. Before anyone bashes you for it, remember, search is your friend. Good luck. I hope you enjoy your Benz!!!

XsuperbeeX

Woohoo... another coupe... welcome... for 2nd problem just buy a new set of wheel... easy...

PA_Pete

Superbee just stated exactly what I was going to say as far as your wheels go. Get yourself a nice set of aftermarket rims, problem solved. As far as the scratches, swirls and stone chips go, you could always price different body shops for a paint job, or, if you don't want to invest that much into it, get yourself some compound and polish and spend a weekend cleaning it up as much as you can. Post some pictures if you get a chance. Oh, and good luck with your new car!

holycaoAMG

welcome aboard,
now lemme tell you, having a black car is like having a full time job keepin' it look clean. the first and cheapest thing to start out with is (to bring your exterior back to life) try washing, claying, polishing and waxing your car. that should eliminate most of the contamination, oxidation, light swirl marks, and of course the dirt. after doing so, inspect the paint, see if you really want to spend the extra time and money on compounds. if it looks good and you can live with the extra road abuse, then your pretty much ok there.

get a new set of rims
get the bulb replace
with 143K mi, i would inspect the engine (belts, spark plugs, air filter, cabin filter, oil, pretty much everything in the service b inspection).

jcnash

Thanks all.

PA_Pete and holycaoAMG, Thats exactly my plan. Right now shes not in the best of shape. I will post before, during and after pictures of the process.

Im proud to report that after only 2 days of owning the car, Ive already completed a fix'it. Opened up the hood and inspected the headlamp assembly and found a lose contact betweent he assmebly and the indicator bulb holder. Removed the holder, burnished the contacts and plugged it back in securely and the indicator works perfectly.

Picked up a $55 cordless vac today from Canadian Tire. Gonna work on the interior today. Vacuum out the floor mats and seats, use a toothbrush to get into the tiny crevices, and bought some Meguir's interior cleaner for the leather seats, dash etc. Stay tuned for pictures.

MbzC230K

Welcome to MBWorld!

As for fixing some of the minor things on your car I would recommend to use Leatherique for the seats. I was a bit skeptical of it at first until I tried it. Best results are when you let it sit and cure overnight, haha! It's a bit pricey though but it works. http://www.leatherique.com/

And for the swirls and scratches, There's a few websites I've discovered that offer some great products for compounds and polishes for a fun D.I.Y. weekend jobs. Good luck with your car and most of all Have fun driving it!

For General DIY Guide:
Look at amdeutsch post for some very helpful DIY instructions.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...-diy-faqs.html

For Detailing:
http://www.detailersdomain.com/index.asp
http://autopia.org/forum/

For Major Exterior Fixes:
http://www.automotivetouchup.com/spray_paint.asp

XsuperbeeX

spiritwalker... see his location.. you giving him some website only in ca...

Glyn M Ruck

Welcome!

MbzC230K

If you're referring to the sonicms website, that's part of my signature, lol. They hooked me up FATTY with my new shoes. That link was not meant for him. I highly doubt anybody would be willing to make a trip like that unless the wheels for for free.

However, the rest of the links I posted were to offer help if he decided to go the DIY way instead of going to a shop.

I'd post a pic of my wheels, but this thread isn't about me...

jcnash

Thanks for all the info guys. Im looking forward to working on my car.

Ive decided to use my stock wheels on some winter tires for winter driving, and get a new set of wheels (18" chrome wheels) and get performance tires for the summer.