Well I’m new here and first time posting and I thought I share my recent experience with my 2000 Mercedes C240 W203 and what I went through to bring this car back to life. Sorry guys but I think it might be a long read story, I will try to cut it short as possible. Hopefully it will make you feel better if you have a problem with your car after you see what’s wrong with mine.

I will start with myself, for the last 10 years I work as a spare parts interpreter for European spare parts company that specializes Mainly in BMW & Mercedes along with other European cars. I have always loved and owned a BMW since I was 17 and nothing else but in the last 2 years Mercedes cars started to grow in me after I met a friend who is in the same industry as me but he is a Mercedes fanatic.

A few months ago I got the chance to pick up a cheap C240 (1 owner since new)that has been sitting in the garage collecting dust for the last 2 years, I bought the car knowing that its very rough from the outside and inside along with a possible engine and mechanical problems. I didn’t worry much about it because I knew I have access to all the spare parts I need at work at a good price or call it staff discount.

I picked up the car and got it sent to my friend workshop, after inspecting the car and to cut story short , here is a list of what’s wrong with it:

Mechanical side:

1. Head gaskets (new engine)
2. Slipping transmission (clutches) (new transmission)
3. All cooling system needs replacing
4. Engine mounts
5. Control arms
6. Sway bar links
7. Tail shaft coupling
8. O2 sensors
9. Air flow meter
10. All filters
11. Engine service parts
12. Brakes discs & pads
13. ESP Module
14. Battery
15. A/C
16. Wiper motor & linkage

Body side:
1. Stone chips all around the car
2. Few dints
3. Damaged RH side guard
4. Faded yellow headlights
5. Broken fog lights
6. Broken bumper bar
7. Scratched tint
8. Tyres
9. Front Wheels plastic liners

Interior side:
1. All seats leather is worn
2. Steering wheel
3. Steering wheel buttons
4. Driver seat module is missing
5. Driver door trim / card is attached to the door with pop rivets and has broken handle
6. Steering vertical adjustment not working
7. Passenger door module
8. Faulty passenger seat module (batter drain)
9. All window regulators broken clips (glass been silicone and zip tied to the sliding regulator clips)
10. Antenna amplifier is missing
11. Heater Stepper motors x4
12. Glove box broken
13. Center arm rest damaged
14. Driver door lock damaged
15. Driver door lock Bowden cable missing and had been replaced with zip ties and clamps
16. Driver seat switch is broken and missing the cable
17. Driver door module has a screws holding the plugs connectors in it.
18.Carpet

I’m sure the list is bigger than this but this is all what I can remember now.

The thing that I don’t understand is how can someone do all this to a car he bought brand new from the dealer, It’s a Mercedes not a cheap Hyundai.

I just regret not taking pictures of all this damages I found on the car to show you guys, it’s just hard to describe with words, who on earth would using silicon to hold the door glass to the regulator ??? or use a zip ties as Bowden cable for the door handle or even use pop rivets to hold the door trim ????

For the last 5 months I have been fixing the car and tearing my hair (btw I don’t have any left) with all the problems I came across and MBWORLD.ORG was big source for information and helped me a lot, thanks to all the members who contributed to this forum. The car is almost done but still have few things to sort out. I’m a very fussy person specially when it comes to my cars and I make sure I do fix things %100 and bringing this car to the way it was when it first left the showroom.

Attached is a picture of the car on the first day i got it more to follow soon.

Thanks for reading

 

It's a shame when people let their vehicles get to that state. It seems as though there wasn't any pride of ownership, which seems to be more common nowadays. Good luck in getting the car back to the condition it deserves to be in.

 

That ridiculous! Good luck!

 

So.... Any updates on this car's current condition? I'm also the type that makes sure his car works 100% as it was meant to be. I recently picked up an '05 C230 sedan and have already identified the things I need to address right away.... cup holder, A/C stepper motor linkages, center console armrest, gave the car an oil change and an air filter change. Have not had the car for a week yet. Trust me, I know what you're going through. I've done similar with other cars I've had, but in the end you will have the satisfaction that it was all you who got it done and back on the road, and you'll know it was quality work that was done!...

 

i recently bought an 2003 c240 for $1100 bucks. $500 in parts thanks to ebay and autohauz,(stay away fro parts geek) and my labor and the car is awsome, how can owners do this to their cars, but oh well it was my gain!