driveit

Hi,

I am looking at a 2002 C230k sports coupe, manual transmission, 65K for $8,500. I will drive it about 40 miles each day to work in an area that is hilly but does not get a lot of snow. I will mostly be driving it alone, so back space passenger room is not an issue.

Please weigh in if you will on the pros and cons of buying this car. I am interested in reliability. I can afford to maintain it, but do not want to get soaked.

Thanks for any advice you can offer. I did search the threads, and apologize if this is a duplicate.

haydenks

As you probably know, repairs on these cars are very $$$! I bought a 2003 C230 with the same mileage about a year ago & bought a 2yr ext warranty at the same time. I've only had to use it once (replace a coolant temp sensor) but it does provide peace-of-mind. I would factor in the cost as part of the purchase price of the car. I paid $1500 for a 2yr/24k plan.
Good Luck!

driveit

Thank you. I have never looked at an extended warranty, so excuse the question: Where did you purchase your warranty? I will check on the web as well.

Do you like the car?

Xhale707

Car is getting 2 old.. Save your money and get something 2005+

The cloth seats in that car make me wanna throw up.. Ppl around here will laugh if you have cloth seats in your Mercedes. I really don't know what mercedes was thinking besides saving money. I believe Chrysler had a lot to due with it.

Always remember patients is a virtue. If you can save a little more i would get a different class. Ive seen 2002-3 S class going for 9-10k, Ive seen C32 amgs go for 13k, Save a little more money and you can get a whole better car.

My grandfather liked my C class so much he bought one. Picked it up for 8000 which i was hella pissed about.

OneOfaKindTrini

I would definately not go for something that old. Look at the mazdaspeed 3 or something you can pick it up for cheap and it'll out perform the c230 like its standing still.

driveit

Thanks, everyone for your responses. I test drove it today...it was really fun to drive. The owner upgraded to leather seats when she bought it. She just had a baby and is killing herself getting the little one in the back seat.

I am going to pass on the car. I have a 2000 Honda Accord, and I just had a lot of maintenance done on it, and can probably drive it for another 50 - 60K miles. I was thinking of giving it to my son and getting something small for commuting to work.

ANYWAY, Thanks again for talking to an amateur.

I'll come back when I put myself in the market for a later model.

Chris

OneOfaKindTrini

Definately a good call on passing on that C230 and plus parts for the C230 coupe are fairly rare and expensive.

LILBENZ230

He said he was interested in reliability..

Xhale707

Air ride and something else is the only thing that really goes wrong other then that there solid - Like a rock.

LILBENZ230

Something else meaning the entire electronics system. Those are far from reliable cars. It's good the OP passed up on Benz in general, especially from the early 2000s, if he wanted reliability.

Tunruh

i had a 2005 c230 kompressor sedan 64-89k miles. it was reliable, i had it for 2 years. traded her in for a w211 e55! (-:

C230Krarana

I got a 2002. bought with 68k on the clock and now have 132k on it now. Yes solid drive train( engine, trans, rear end). Mines a 6spd.

but since Mercedes loves its rubber to make everything smooth had to replace the whole front end at 120k, i mean upper and lower control arms, tie rods inner and outer, strut mounts, wheel bearings, jack tube boot.

Electrical, aside from the wire harness oil issue and replacing O2 senors because of it, the car is not bad at all. IF your good with a wrench, understand tech documents, can read electrical diagrams, this car is not that bad but for 8200 bucks????? too much money, better off like stated above with a 2005+ newer coupe or sedan. maybe a Lexus is300?

Johnsct

Probably good advice not to buy the 2002. I must say that my 2003 coupe has 131,000 miles and has not had any mechanical problems. It has been one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned. Just jinxed myself

The cloth seats are not attractive (wish it was just solid black), but they have held up better than most leather seats I have seen from this vintage.