Hey Guys, so I am new to the Mercedes world... just purchased a Black on Black 05 C230 Kompressor Sport..with 150k on it..very clean car..

Some context: I have been driving an 05 Cadillac CTS 3.6 before this... the Caddie is (and I never thought I would be saying this about a caddie vs Benz) faster, smoother and is a much more enjoyable driver than this car but I just didn't like the look of the caddie...so I bought this car.

I have been driving the c230 for only about 3 days and just wanted to see if you guys experience some of these things...

1. The ride feels very stiff, when I hit bumps I feel it and it echos through the car... Do you guys feel every bump? Are you suspensions very stiff? I mean when I hit a small pot hole sounds like a baseball bat hit the wheel. Is that just how it drives or are you finding yours smoother? Need to figure out if I need new shocks or not..

2. Vibrations - The car seems to have a general vibration to it...on a scale of 1 to 10 , 10 being a jackhammer...I would say it's a general 3 or 4 ...it's def not smooth like any other car I've driven at idle or slow speeds. but it has a distinct mild vibration....never driven a supercharged car before... is this normal? Do you guys experience this? Are there mounts I need to check? Engine,Trans etc that may be worn or is this normal?

3. In the mornings it sounds like there is an exhaust leak, I heard this might be a blow off valve but it comes and goes throughout the day of driving..doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason to it...if it was truly a leak it should happen all the time not just sometimes right? Do I need a new valve or part or something or is this normal even when the car is new?

4. No Torque, it seems below 0-2500 RPMs the car has no power...so stop light to stop light it seems it's much slower unless I really get on the gas..and get the RPM's up, which defeats the purpose of a gas saver...is this normal? What is your power like before 2500RPM? Any ideas how to upgrade the torque...top end it works well just low end seems to be a problem...

5. Mods - Any suggestions for cost conscious (under $500 total) performance mods? If you only budgeted $500 for performance enhancements what would you add?

Other than that...I'll just say this car looks amazing and the gas mileage is incredible. I rarely got looks in any other car I drove but I noticed women will def take time to check me out now Nothing like gold diggin attention in my $3k car to get my day started

Thanks for any input you provide.

 

Sure the sportier 230K will have a stiffer ride than the Caddy. But it should not be that harsh. Check out the front suspension. ball joints, tie rods, sway bar links. Control arm bushings. Much of the noise and harshness could be from those. I just replaced most parts and the car is like new.. even the knocking sound when going over concrete highway sections is gone. Also check the engine mounts if it is rough/noisy.

 

I love my C230, but it's never going to ride like a Cadillac. They are completely different cars. I purchased a brand new C230 in 2005 (2006 model - V6) and it didn't ride anywhere near as soft or smooth as a Cadillac CTS. That said, it should't be as extreme as what you're describing. You may need to replace the upper and lower control arms.

With regard to torque, as you've probably seem from other posts regarding these cars, they are entry level sports cars and there isn't a ton of power. You will also see in many posts that there are few, if any, mods that are going to net you any serious power increases for the money.

Again, it's still a great car and I appreciate it for what it is. You may want to find a local repair shop that specializes in MB. They typically charge a small fee to give it a once over and tell you what needs to be replaced. My shop charges $125 and they list what needs attention immediately, and what can wait.

 

1. You have a "sports suspension" with 17" wheels and wide low profile tires. Somebody somewhere decided that a sports suspension is supposed to ride like crap. Try a w203 on 16" wheels with the softer standard suspension. After test driving a few w203s on 17" wheels I ended up with a c320 on 16" wheels and glad I did.

2. It's a 4 banger, that's what 4 bangers do.

3. At this age it probably needs new engine mounts. Hopefully it isn't a symptom of a stretched timing chain.
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4. It's a 1.8L 4 banger

 

I had my motor mounts and transmission mounts replaced and it drives like a new car. Amazing.

 

I guess I just got to get used to a Sport suspension. it's been quite a while since I had something like that, Ford Expedition, Dodge Ram 4x4 , Chevy Tahoe and Caddie were the last vehicles I've driven for the past 5+ years. and the Caddie was only for 1 month...still getting use to cars

I did reset the transmission and I did notice some improvement in the shifting in general. This car is fun and economical...I can't tell you the last time I went over 1 week without filling up a car... and especially now in Texas with the gas shortage....love this thing!

Thanks for the replies

 

I have an '05 C230 Kompressor also and it has about 120K on it... It also has the hammer effect on bumps but I have kind of gotten used to it because of that nice sound that the car makes when I start it and drive it, and the way it feels (amazing) as it cruises along on a smooth road. I would definitely get an MB shop to check it over. Mine needs some front end stuff but I had to wait a bit before spending money on it, and I figure when I do I will replace the front tires. Does the engine vibrate as bad when the A/C is off? Sometimes I think the A/C is a bit overkill for the engine size. Definitely stick with high octane gas, and check the fuel system/plugs- they may be fouled.