krisv420

I just hit 90k last week

EV0LVE

yes i have, but nothing major in my opinion.

1. cylinder head/parts were replaced under warranty, I was told this was a $3000 job, they had my car for a week, happened around 20,000 miles. $0.
2. sunroof does not completely close automatically, I have to hold the switch to close completely. Not fixed $0.
3. hose replaced under service bulletin $0.
4. ac blower replaced under warranty $0
5. Engine misfire again outside of warranty replaced a $70 hose with $480 labor, and some discount (whatever), damn stealer (by the way the hose replaced in item 5 is the same part replaced in item 4.) I think there is a DIY for this here, had I known the part to replace. $500

out of pocket repairs costed me $500, everything else is under warranty.

Maintenance - I've replaced front rotors once, front brake pads twice, I'll be replacing front and rear rotors and pads soon, I do the oil change myself (learned from this forum), I have k&n air filter so I just clean those every oil change, I replace cabin filter every oil change (from here too), and that's about it. I've probably spent $1000 on maintenance parts. The oem rotors were the most expensive part I bought at $112 each. I expect to spend $600 on parts when I do the brakes on four corners, pretty soon.

I think my repair and maintenance expense on this car is very reasonable since I drive about 25,000 miles a year. Some people expect this cars to have ZERO problems, that's just not the case. I could have saved $500 by doing the item 5 by myself, but I didn't have the time to figure out the problem and fix it.

I would definitely keep this car as long as I dont have any major problem with it. IMO it's a fairly reliable car.

Happy

LILBENZ230

You paid too much for rotors. I bought the front rotors for $79/each off a website. They're not genuine Mercedes but even those were just $97.50. Pads were $69, genuine MB. I have service done at an indy shop. Oil changes are about $65 for me when the car asks for A service. B-service involves the filters and is about $100. I don't do dealerships unless it is unavoidable. My car is very reliable. I love to drive it.

C230 Sport Coup

Does anyone know EXACTLY when the head design was updated to reduce the carbon build up issue?
If you've put 180K miles on your car, that must mean lots of freeway driving which also may be contributing to it's long life.
I have a friend with a 2004, I'm going to check the build date.
If it was fixed on 2005 models, it had to have been fixed in 2004 when the cars began production.

Glyn M Ruck

Introduced April 2004 here.

scottisha

Yes, I do mostly highway driving.
No doubt, it has played a big role in why my car has held up so well.
I'd like to have a leak down test done and see what my compression looks like, just out of curiosity.

Getting close to 184k miles. I think I can hit the 200k mark before the end of the year......

I think setting the cruise control at 90 mph for a 17 mile stretch of my morning commute helps keep my cat cleaned out.

Scott

C230 Sport Coup

Are you referring to the facelifted W203 or the updated head design Glyn ?

iblaho

Congratulations! You put my mind at ease. It's my first Mercedes and I was worried about all the stoires I heard about expensive maintenance.

I was out to buy a used Camry from the Hertz lot when the '07 C230 Sport called my name. 2.5L V6. I had a new job that required hostile driving, so I had to upgrade from my commuter-lot, airport lot vehicles. I thought I had a hole in my head to buy a car that costs $387 for an oil change at the dealership.

It has 50k, and no problems except that the memory on the transmission had to be reset. All those Hertz renters gave it multiple personalities! It wieghs 3,400lbs and has stock Michelin Pilot Primacies. I drive on every twisty road I can find, since it's the only way I can outperform bigger-engine cars and save my ego.

I intend to follow the B-service replacements, since I don't know how to reset any readouts if I do the work myself. Replacing air cleaners at 52k isn't too much compared to replacing three econo-filters every 15k-20k, for example.

I want to go to 150k and then buy a bigger model! I don't even want to know what the competitors are like.

iblaho

I asked everyone who knew about engines when I first discovered that my car burned a quart every 6k-7k miles. I was told I should be happy, all cars burn oil. I calculated the loss of oil when I changed it myself on smaller engines. The percentage loss was the same. I just bought a case of Mobile 1 0W 40W and keep a bottle in the trunk. I was also told that my 8.5 quart engine could run on 5.5 quarts and not to panic. So I wait until I get home to top it off now instead of adding it when I travel.

C230 Sport Coup

So, I'm confused. You are doing the work, or not doing the work?
If your issue with oil changes is resetting the maint. reminder thats easy.
Posted here in many places, though it might be different than mine.

If you don't like doing the oil, but do your own filters, wipers, etc, you can just tell them when you go in not to those things, you do it yourself.
BTW- I just hit 142K and running great.
Soon it will be time to do the fuel filter and spark plugs again.
And a little further down the road, flush the tranny again, but not for a while.

iblaho

I give my sun roof a little nudge to close it, too.

iblaho

I hear ya. I have to pay for service now for two reasons: 1) Condo police won't let me do it, 2) I'm a former programmer with damaged arms.

On prior economy cars I did oil changes, tranny changes, plugs, etc., AND ball joints, wheel bearings, struts, valve lash adjustments. The suspension work made a 120k car feel like new.

Those days are over, I'm afraid. I love that stuff.

eesjunin

hit 180K yesterday! So far i have replaced only the fron suspension stuff and the seat modules...nothing else! You can still eat off my engine! YAY!

Glyn M Ruck

Good stuff - Look after them & they last.

C280 Sport

Congrats on 180k!!!! I agree the Hyundai may be the best for the money(NEW car) but I would not touch anything by them due to the lack of Ingenuity, character, class and history and every single one I have ever driven including the new Genesis is sooo boring to drive. Anyone can copy the high end car companies slap a big motor in do a great interior and put a price tag on there thats not too far out of reach. For that price you can a CPO E55 AMG that is 100X the car. I would hands down look into a VW Passat or even if you want a wagon look into a Subaru WRX Wagon.

samaritrey

dam 180k and i thought my 148k was high lol

LILBENZ230

Just so you all know the OP posted in another thread more recently that his C230K is now at 203,000 miles and still trouble-free.

C280 Sport

Any update on this W203? Keep us updated OP. Shes doing great