f00b4r

Have you tried a dealer in Austin? Its relativly close to San Antonio and there are now two dealers (one in Austin and one in Georgetown). I have no idea what kind of deals they are willing to give but I will be finding out shortly.

Sauceboy01

i'm going to buy my 05 2morow. I'll let u all know what kind of deal i get .. hopefully I get the price i'm looking for or i'm walking.

-Danny

SDML320

I appreciate any advice you guys have on the c230. I am going to trade my
'00 ML320 for the '04 C230 (down-size) and the ML has some build quality issuses? Any way the c230 komp has a 6speed and I am not sure about that for resale and the rear wheel drive for the winter? Does the four cylinder have pretty good power and does it have any know problems? The car only has 359 Miles

jan ken po

And here it comes. In the nicest manner possible, please use the "search" function of this forum. All of your questions have been covered. Mods soon will start locking threads like these.

jinijazz

Before you start to research on 04, check with their dealer with any record, and 3rd party inspection at least. 04 c230 only 359 miles? That's possible, but probability says to be cautious. Just my 2c, of course.

MTL_HK

I'm located in Quebec, Canada. And I'm currently in the market for a used C230K Coupe, it's either a 2002 or 2003 model. I know the engine of the 2003 is different from the 2002. Which engine is better? Durability wise? performance?

On top of that, is there anything i should pay more attention to?? I've heard the Manual tranny has quite a few issues of being too notchy when shifting. (I personally prefer the Auto with +/- shifting.) Is there a really big difference in driving pleasure and handling between them?

Is the Evolution package really worth it on the car??(C7 in States) Is the suspension setup different from the original?

How does the car perform in the snow? For example: going uphill, driving on snowy highway. etc.....(of coz with a set of snow tires)

I've driven a 2002 C230K auto before, i find the engine noise is quite loud within the cabin as i accelerate in normal driving.(when RPM went passes 3000). As for interior options, is there additional features on 2003 that the 2002 doesn't have??

Which year of production is the most problematic??

What price would be considering as a good deal in purchasing a 2002 or 2003? Is it possible to extend the warranty with MB once i bought the car??(even though i'm not the 1st owner)

Thanks in advance,
Looking forward to join the Benz family.... :p

Buellwinkle

Just look for a nice clean car that hasn't been in an accident (take it to a bodyshop for quick look, they can tell in a minute if it's been repainted). Look for one under warranty so you are risk free mechanically (don't count on any extended warranty to cover everything). The 2003 will be smoother, the 2002 will be faster and can easily be made a lot faster with an inexpensive pulley kit. Couldn't tell you about snow, we've just seen it in the movies here. I had a stick 2002 and a stick 2004 and I wouldn't have bought another stick if I didn't like it. The auto on these cars is annoying to me, too much delay. The C7 package includes the 17" wheels, metal pedals, shorter shifter on the stick and colored door handles. Handling on either year can be improved with inexpensive AMG sways and some lowering springs. You can get aftermarket warranties (not with MB though). My 2002 had more problems than my 2004 but that's just my experience. I can tell you that most of my problems with the '02 where in the first year and the last 2 years have been pretty much trouble free. As for interiors, leather was hard to get in both 2002 and early 2003 so some cars with leather maybe aftermarket leather and will not hold up as well as factory leather. You can put a leather kit from katskinz in for under $700 and go with two tone leather if you like.

CitronC230K_03

i have a 2003 C230. the engine is quieter and smoother and get better gas mileage (a bit better) than the older M111 engines (thought the old 2.3 had a wider torque band and more available mod parts and were faster). all in all its a great car, and i havent had any major problems with mine in the past 21 months. the 1-2 gears in the stick are notchy, but i prefer the stick over the auto trans with the 1.8L engine. just a personal preference. going up hill has never been a problem, i cant help you with advice in snow as i live in so cali and only visit the snow in the winter time. and by that time its already off the roads.

the evolution package is well worth it for just the reasons buell said. the wheels alone in my opinion are worth the $750 extra USD when you buy the car over the stock 16".

i have alot of options in mine from factory, but again like buell said, it required me to order it that way!

good luck with the search!

Narcissus

If you want performance go for the 2002, the 2003 has a quieter engine but it's not as powerful and can't be modified for now, wherin with the 2002 engine you can add a pulley for cheap HP.

The evolution package is well worth it, and in Canada you can buy the MB extended warranty anytime before hitting 80,000km

J'ai un voisin a l'ile des soeurs qui vends une c230 bleue orion 2002 avec 46,000 km , toit panoramique, kit Evolution, garantie prolongée et interieur en cuir, cd changer, et je crois qu'il a les sieges chauffants, je peux tjrs lui demander un prix si ca t'interesse

MTL_HK

Thanks for all the help guys!!!...

Narcissus:::::: Can u ask how much your neighbour is asking for?? is iit Manual or auto??

I'm still waiting for some info on snow performance. And will MB stop this model at the end of 2005??

As a side note, i did some reserach and that's quiet a few problem with the 2002 and early 2003.......problem with BAS/ASP sensor, gas pedal sensor,...etc.....is that really a common problem or it's just on certain lemon car??

And do u guys find the engine noise becomes louder after (let's say) 50,000KM ??

And most importantly, at what kinda price range would be consider as a good deal for a 2002 or 2003 with mileage under 50,000km??? :p

speedemn

Hi there,

My fiancee is considering the purchase of a C230K coupe between 2002 to the brand new 2005 model. However, I wanted to get some advice and recommendations from current owners and enthusiasts. I am hoping that you can answer some questions for me.

1) Is there any advantage to going with a later model C230K coupe ... were there any note-worthy changes between the years of 02-05 that would make the later model a better buy?

2) The MB sales guy mentioned that we would not need to bring the car in for its first oil change/tune-up for 20,000 kms... now, being a car guy for many years, I have heard these sales pitches from high end car companies before, but is that really the way to go, if you want the car to be in top shape and perform well 5-7 years down the road?

3) If I do get a 2003 for example, and if it is missing some options such as the Harmon Kardon sound system, am I able to get the MB dealer to install that for her, or get it worked into the deal when buying the car? Or will the options that are available on the 05 not be compatible with the 03?

4) In terms of ongoing maintenance and upkeep, how expensive (or not) is it, to own one of these cars?

5) In terms of little maintanance and repairs that might crop up later in the life of this car, is it something that DIY car guy like me can handle or will I have to run to the dealership, everytime something goes wrong, because of the car being too "unique" and not like any other car to work on?

If I can think of any more questions I will post more later; if any of my questions need clarification please feel free to ask. I want to be able to get a clear understanding of what I/she would be getting in to.

Thanks for your time, all.

Buellwinkle

1) Is there any advantage to going with a later model C230K coupe ... were there any note-worthy changes between the years of 02-05 that would make the later model a better buy?

2002 had more stuff, the bigger motor, more stuff came standard like auto-dimming rear view mirror. The newer ones came with a smoother, more fuel effecient motor but slightly less power.

2) The MB sales guy mentioned that we would not need to bring the car in for its first oil change/tune-up for 20,000 kms...

The synthetic oil does not need as frequent oil changes as before, I never change mine before it's time.

3) If I do get a 2003 for example, and if it is missing some options such as the Harmon Kardon sound system, am I able to get the MB dealer to install that for her, or get it worked into the deal when buying the car? Or will the options that are available on the 05 not be compatible with the 03?

The 2002-2004 has Bose as the optional stereo but it really doesn't sound that great, nor those the Harmon Kardboard but some people got the european HU, the Audio 10 and it sounds a lot better, more bass. The 2005 radio is not compatible with pre-2005 cars.

4) In terms of ongoing maintenance and upkeep, how expensive (or not) is it, to own one of these cars?
Pretty cheap, the first 4 years maintenance is free on a 2002-2004. The typical service A at my dealer is $199 and Service B is $299 and that's every other 10K miles each.

5) In terms of little maintanance and repairs that might crop up later in the life of this car, is it something that DIY car guy like me can handle or will I have to run to the dealership, everytime something goes wrong, because of the car being too "unique" and not like any other car to work on?

Most cars are pretty much the same to work on these days. You'll need a metric wrench set, torx screwdriver and sockets and an OBD-2 scanner.

My suggestion is to attend a MB event, the pop up know and then and they give out $1,500 coupons and get a new car. If your dealer has some 2004 coupe leftovers I sure you'll be able to work out a good deal like 6-8K off plus the coupon. If you want used, check out the classifieds, I've seen people sell coupes for low prices with very low miles. I sold mine for $15,800 and it was in very good condition. Consider that a dealer would be doing them a favor to give them $12-13K on a really nice loaded 2002 coupe. Yes, coupes do not hold their value like the sedans.

808_230K

it's only been a week, but I love my '05

the cosmetic changes and stock in-dash CD were worth the wait. I think the HK system sounds really good, and the manual tranny isn't bad. If she's looking at a 6-speed, the pre-05 dash has that nigh-useless tach stuck away in the corner. It was pretty trippy how all of the things that steered me away from the '04 were changed, so the decision to go w/a benz became a no-brainer

Outland

I'd go for the 05...you get all the new goodies- the styling tweeks, the much better suspension(not that the old one was that bad), the massively nicer interior, and a warranty. Oh, and pop for the v6. The new 1.8 isn't bad, but the six gives it the grunt(and them some) it lost when they went from a 2.3 to 1.8 engine.

If you buy a used one, I'd get the 02- it has the most standard goodies, the old M111 Motor is more powerful than the newer M271, and probably more reliable down the road. The 1.8 is an entirely new design.

Oh, and you must get the panoramic roof. Nothing else compares to it.

mick1

I think it sounds great

speedemn

Are you saying that some of the standard features that you mentioned in the 2002, are not standard in the 2005? I think I do remember that the auto dimming mirror is about a $300 option on the 2005. Is there anything else?

As for the power, it went from a 2.3L 4cyl s/c to a 1.8L 4cyl s/c motor - and if what it says on paper is accurate, it only went down about 3HP? I would definetly be curious to see dyno graphs comparing one to the other - but I am not sure if you guys really do that kind of thing. I would think that the 2.3 would have greater "area under the curve" if you know what I mean. I have searched and didn't really find anything here.
I have read some other source that said they change their fluids every 5000 miles despite what MB says... sure the synthetic oil will last, but not the filter!
How does the BOSE compare to the Harmon Kardon? Is the stock system the same in the 02 up to the 05 or are there improvements in the base system too, in the later years?
Free maintenance on 02-04 model years for the first 4 years??? How so? Is that the regular Mercedes Benz maintenance package? I have never heard of this before.

The service A and B is the kind of information I am looking for. Are there only the 2 possible service intervals - the A and the B, and you would alternate with them at the regular intervals? So basically she would only be paying either $200 or $300 per service interval (unless something breaks)?
Would this apply in Canada too? When would they put these events on usually? Fall? Spring?

speedemn

BTW with respect to the 2.3L Kompressor or the 1.8L Kompressor motors, I saw the 2002 model C230 coupes, that have 1.8L Kompressor motors as well as 2002 model with the 2.3L Kompressor motors ... I would really like to see dyno graphs of the two motors, in stock form.

amdeutsch

Welcome to the forum

1) Canadian option packages differ from US
2) Paid/unpaid maintenance again differ between countries, especially 02 -04; don't know about 05
3) Link for more info about differences.

CitronC230K_03

1) Is there any advantage to going with a later model C230K coupe ... were there any note-worthy changes between the years of 02-05 that would make the later model a better buy?

2002 has the M111 2.3L engine. more torque and hp, but noisery. also you can do more mods to it. before there was HK, there was Bose, so you still could get a premium sound system. honestly they both sound the same to me. 02's have had panoroof issues ive heard. tele-aid was standard on 2002 coupes. 03 was the 2nd year of the coupe and they really tweeked with it. a new motor, BIX from factory (which you can retrofit), air deplaector on pano roof, 1.8 badging for the 1.8's and the 3.2 litre became available in Dec. 02 as the C320 coupe. the 1.8 M271 is the motor that replaced the 2.3. very narrow torque band, smooth, quieter (not entirely), not many mods available, but are being worked on. 2004 and up coupes no longer have a passegner side IR for the window up/down feature. not a big deal, but its a fact. also 2005 coupes dont have a power seat option for the passenger seat. that annoys me. i love have my dual power/memory seats. im lazy!

2) The MB sales guy mentioned that we would not need to bring the car in for its first oil change/tune-up for 20,000 kms... now, being a car guy for many years, I have heard these sales pitches from high end car companies before, but is that really the way to go, if you want the car to be in top shape and perform well 5-7 years down the road?

I follow the FSS. i avg about 9500 between oil changes. the dealer only uses mobil1 so i dont see any harm. there are some on the boards who do pay for an oil change between the ones covered. at least up to 04. no more free maintenance in 05. i have considered to start doing interval oil changes. i plan on keeping this car a long time!

3) If I do get a 2003 for example, and if it is missing some options such as the Harmon Kardon sound system, am I able to get the MB dealer to install that for her, or get it worked into the deal when buying the car? Or will the options that are available on the 05 not be compatible with the 03?

They came from factory with Bose in them before HK was on the scene. it was athe basic same set up, amp, woofer. in the 02's - 04, the Audio30 headunit was a piece of *****. you can get the Audio10 which was an in-dash CD, with RDS. its the european radio and the base kicks *** in that. plus if you retrofit climatronic, the audio10 really goes well with it. same basic design.i havent heard HK on a 2005 COMAND, but the Bose through my COMAND 2.0 is comperable to the HK non-COMAND headunit. 2005 has DVD based navigation available, 02-04 is CD based. new center console trim and gauges, steering wheel also available in 2005. oh yeah no more cloth option in 2005. woo hoo, that stuff was hideous! made me dizzy looking at it! im sure you could get the bose installed, but i wouldnt have the dealer be doing that for $100 an hour. id email steve, see if he can do it.

4) In terms of ongoing maintenance and upkeep, how expensive (or not) is it, to own one of these cars?

all my stuff has been covered under warranty. well there's been about $10500 in parts ive bought, but not because there was anything wrong with them per say.

5) In terms of little maintanance and repairs that might crop up later in the life of this car, is it something that DIY car guy like me can handle or will I have to run to the dealership, everytime something goes wrong, because of the car being too "unique" and not like any other car to work on?

if its electronic id suggest the dealer. im not a mechanically inclinded person as it is, so i leave it to the dealer. i bought the extended 7yr/100k mile warranty for just that reason.

speedemn

Hmmm how do I find out what the model of the headunits are? Is the Harmon Kardon upgraded headunit the audio10?

My take on "extended warranties" is this... On a brand new Benz, what is the point of buying the factory warranty? Again, I am new to a Benz and maybe there is something that I do not know, but with your typical Infiniti, Acura or Lexus, I would never get the factory extended warranty because (a) those cars are rock solid and will not need the warranty, so it is money down the drain, or (b) if during the extended years (eg. from year 5 to year 7) if something does break, the money that you would have spent to get the extended warranty on day 1, would have appreciated a lot in 5-7 years and that part that might need replacement would at worst still be cheaper than what would have been spent on the warranty itself. So again, is there something different with a Mercedes?

Thanks for all your detailed answers... I appreciate it. I will also be showing this to my fiancee to help her make a decision on either new 05 or used 02-04 (I didn't say 01, even though it is a W203, because she wants a Benz that is no older than 2 years, if used).

CitronC230K_03

Hmmm how do I find out what the model of the headunits are? Is the Harmon Kardon upgraded headunit the audio10?

Most of the premium sound packages have a logo on the front speakers. Bose will say Bose, HK will say Harmon/Kardon. anyhow look in the trunk, passenger side. open that panel and check for the subwoofer. also the sound will deifintely be noticable. the Audio10 is not compatible with the 2005's. the 2005's have the new radio which a huge improvement over the audio30's. audio10 can be install in 02-4 coupe. the standard radio for the 2005 have the indash CD player. plus 04-05 models are pre-wired for Sirius.


My take on "extended warranties" is this... On a brand new Benz, what is the point of buying the factory warranty?


well my take is that nothing, no matter how well it was built will last forver. its possible, but car companies plan for the automated expiration dates. im not saying the MB breaks, im saying nothing, not even a lexus lasts forever. the extended warranty cost me $2300. it covers pretty much everything except COMAND. 50,000 miles is double the amount of your original warranty. fix as little as two electrical items and you are nearing it pay for itself. besides, labor cost's $100, and parts still arent cheap.


remembered some more changes beginning in 2005. 2004 aero wipers and new rain sensor design, new center console armrest.

2005 has new halogen headlights, mirror indicators, staggard wheels, updated taillights etc. all of these items you can retrofit into your car very reasonablly and easily. the only thing you cant do is install the new center console and instrument cluster.

Outland

The 2.3 is considerably quicker than the 1.8, great than the small 3hp difference in HP would suggest. In tests, the 1.8 is between half and 1.2 seconds slower than the 2.3. The 1.8 feels just as fast when you drive, due to the lower gearing...the engine revs faster. But if you see how fast you can get going till you reach the top of the on ramp, or something similar, you realize the 2.3 pulls harder. If you go with an 05-Get the Six, or get in line with the others here waiting for some 1.8L mods.

MBMikey4

Hey Everbody,New to the Site have been checking it out for about a month.Just wanted to see about getting some thought's from owner's, any year of the C230K Sport Sedan.What if any problem's have you had,any major problem's,how has your dealer service been and most importantly how happy are you with your vehicle.I am thinking about buying an 05 C230K Sport Sedan with 5-speed auto,Sunroof package,6-disc CD-Changer.Other vehicle's I am looking at are 05 Saab 9-3Aero Sport Sedan,05 Infiniti G35 Sport Sedan and 05 Acura TL Sedan.Thought's on these vehicles also would be appreciated.I am a little leary of purchasing a European vehicle after reading an article I believe it was in USA Today about the poor reliability of the German Make's.The Japanese make's scored very highly.Thank's to all those that respond.Sorry about the long post.

MBMikey4

mick1

welcome to the site.

i don't believe that survey because it's for 2005 cars and 2005 cars have not been out for long, they could not have had enough stats to make those reliability predictions. furthermore, my car has about 1500 miles now and there's no problem so far.

I'm very happy about the car

05Css

Well, I was in the same dilemma as you were 2 weeks ago. Only difference was I was considering some other cars than you were. First I would forget about the Saab. Second I will be honest with you, I had a C240 02 and it crapped out on me. I was in the service department over 37 times in 3 years. Then I did some research about the 05's and sure enough they redesigned a lot of the car and increased the quality. Here is my recommendation, if you are after pure power then stick with the Japanese. Better value for your money. If you are after prestige, class, awesome handling, good looks, safety then get the Benz. Hope that helps.