csementuh

Hello all! First post on MBWorld.

I am looking into purchasing a 2008 C300 Sport 4MATIC in palladium silver. I have a couple of concerns however and I am hoping that some of you guys with W204 experience could give me some advice! Thank you in advance.

The car has the nav, P1, and multimedia package with HK radio and iPod hookup, moonroof, auto, etc. Has everything I want except I'd rather have the bi-xenon HID's and the folding rear seats, but I can live with that for the price. I'll do a HID retrofit later on.

First of all the car has 46,700 miles on it, and it not a Certified Pre-Owned car so the warranty will be expired in only a few thousand more miles. That scares me on a Euro car like this with very pricey parts. I am a huge DIY'er and I can do just about anything on a Chevy, but the Benz has me a little intimidated. Is the warranty something I need? Half the people I talk to say yes, the other people say no, a Benz is super reliable. I know it's luck of the draw, but should I look into a 3rd party warranty? The extra 2-3K on the warranty will likely kill the whole deal for me however as the dealer is being way less than generous on my trade.

The car is in good conditonal overall. The interior is pretty mint besides a chipped cup holder which they claim they can replace under warranty. The exterior is pretty good besides some scratches on the lower passenger rear door, and a decent scratch through the paint on the passenger side of the rear bumper. The dealer claims they can touch up the scratch a bit and buff the scratches some. The car isn't as perfect as I'd like but the price is significantly lower than the other comparable C300's in my area. None of the others I've found have the multimedia package as well. The wheels are also curbed up a bit. The dealer said that two of the wheels were really bad so they swapped them with another used spare set they had. I guess I can live with that as well as I'll either get they refinished or replace them with something aftermarket later.

The car also had it's windshield replaced at some point, and a note on a service form said that the front belly pan needed replaced. I crawled under the car to inspect it, but I couldn't see anything except for a couple scuffs. Maybe CPO is that picky, or something else is wrong that I couldn't see? The windshield, belly pan, and scratches scare me that maybe the car had an unreported accident or something? It doesn't seem like it, but it's impossible to know. The car is a 1 owner and has a clean CARFAX.

The big thing that scares me a little is the laundry list of things that the dealer listed when they first brought the car into their dealer for the initial inspection. These items are what was keeping them from making it a CPO car was what I was told...

Pennsylvania State Inspection $80
Oil Change $175
Trans Service $327
Brake Flush $95
Air Filters $107
Wipers $66
Lighter Inoperable? (Doesn't say which one, but I'd guess the one in the glove box)
Needs 2 Wheels $870
Needs 4 Tires $890
Front Belly Pan $219
Front Brakes & Rotors $586
Rear Brakes & Rotors $516
Four Wheel Alignment $95
iPod Cable Replacement $255

OK whew! Big list.... The dealer claims that the huge list of 'problems' is why they won't pay to to certify the car as they claim they won't get the money back out of it. I kinda agree, but it scares me a little.

That being said... The prices are ridiculous. I can buy non OEM parts and perform all of the work for around $1200 or so. That part doesn't bother me too bad since I would expect that a used vehicle might need brakes and tires and things within the first six months or so.

I called a local import garage to ask about the trans service, and the guy claimed he had never heard of a trans flush at only 46,000 miles. He said the fluid should be a 100K miles or a 'life fluid' that shouldn't need replaced unless there is a leak or a problem. Is the dealer trying to rip me off, or is the mechanic not up to par with newer Benz's? He also said the brake flush wasn't really needed if the brakes were changed and bled properly.

I can do the brakes (maybe upgrade while I'm at it), air filters (K&N or other better replacement), wiper blades, etc. I can find a good deal on nice all season tires online and have them mounted locally as well. I can also grab an iPod cable and interface used off eBay for about $100 so it isn't a huge deal. I am very much into modding with cars, so it doesn't bother me to have to work on them, I just don't want ripped off. With that being said, I understand the Mercedes dealer labor is expensive at $100 a hour or so, but should I be concerned at this list of 'problems', or is it simply an eccentric and pricey stealership?

The dealer was asking $25,777 for the car and after some negociating they have dropped the price to $24,800 and won't budge any more. Does this sound reasonable?

Any advice on the situation I could get would be most appreciated! I love the looks of these C classes, and despite the lackluster performance and handling, I think I am ready to step into the better quality and luxury of the Mercedes.

Thanks!

Sportstick

I'm suspicious. Very high mileage for just over two years. Two wheels and a belly pan? That car hit something. Also, the coincidence of needing all that maintenance just on being traded in suggests that regular maintenance had not been done. Have you seen all maintenance records since new?

I'd walk away on this one. But, generally, the W204 has proven to be a very reliable car, with, as you note, some outliers, which happens for all brands. My two-years-in-service 2009 has just over 16,000 miles, a bit on the other extreme, but has been very reliable.

I'd stick with a CPO. If the dealer won't stand behind it, you shouldn't sit in it!! Spend some time on edmunds.com to check used prices and inventory in your general area.

csementuh

Thanks for the response! The car is about 3 years old, so the mileage isn't terrible, but yes a little bit high. The only problem is that the CPO cars that I've found around my area are a lot higher in price. I'm not trying to be cheap, but I'm not sure about 5K is worth it for another year of warranty. I suppose that means the service is up to par, and everything else is quite good as well. I am just trying hard to figure out if this is a good deal, that will only require me to get my hands a bit dirty, or whether this is a problematic car and the dealer is trying to get it out of their hands...

I haven't seen the service reconds other than the CARFAX online and it was service at the dealer and at Midas a couple of times. That is OK, but certainly not the most definitive answer ever.

I would certainly jump on a CPO car if the dealer wasn't shafting me almost 5k in my trade. I just can't take on that amount of negative equity and still try to get another car that is 2.5-5k more expensive from the get go. I like the C's a lot, but I would find it hard to justify paying more than 28k for a 2008 vehicle. I guess the options I want do add a good bit to the car however..

Sportstick

http://edmunds.autotrader.com/fyc/vd...standard=false

This search was done with a random Philadelphia zip code.....try it yourself!

csementuh

Thanks for the info! There really aren't any around my area that are certified and have the nav setup.

Come on guys, over 250 views on only two responses!

I am going to try and see about taking the car for an extended test drive so I can have a mechanic look it over better.

Should I be worried about not having a warranty? Does the trans service need done?

Sportstick

Me, again. If you are holding out for the OE Nav, that will add cost and make it harder to find. I intentionally skipped that because the MB Nav is not very good for graphics or finding a specific street address, and at $2500 when new, it wasn't five times a top end Garmin. Here is another solution which eliminates the need to restrict your search that narrowly.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...-location.html

Now, it is certainly time for other members to chime in!!!

Eltee

You said the stealer was shafting you about 5K on your trade. Have you tried selling yourself? If not you might check with Carmax. Not a huge fan of them since although their pricing is semi-reasonable I actually enjoy dickering over price. Flip side is they won't offer you top buck for your trade but if you are really getting shafted by MB if you can get another grand or so from CM it could pay for an aftermarket warranty.

Merry Christmas

csementuh

Merry Christmas!

Thank you both for the info! I appreciate it.

I don't care about the nav as I have a nice Garmin I could mount like was suggested, but I am very set on having the larger color LCD display with iPod connectivity. The small little recessed screen just looks a bit off to me. Is there a way to get the screen and iPod hookup without the nav to save the money? I found the iPod inteface box and cable on eBay for $100, can that simply be wired into any of the C300 stereo's? The Harmon Kardon setup looks nice as well. Unfortunately that is most of the problem as there is literally only a few within 200 miles of me for sale that have the multimedia setup. Can you get the iPod hookup and HK stereo without the bigger screen and/or nav. I've had trouble finding a concise listing packages and options for 2008's as it seems to have changed a bit between then and now.

I am not familiar with the Carmax, so I will have to look into that a bit more. I am also trying to sell my car outright on Craigslist and another car forum, so I will see how that goes.

My biggest concern is this car I looked at before. The price is right, I just don't know if the rest of the car stacks up. I don't want to buy a piece of junk. It almost seems as if it is too good to be true. The other C300's equipped how I want around my area are $4-7K more expensive for only a certified car. The warranty doesn't seem worth thattt much (unless you need to use it lol), and that puts the car out of the price range on what I feel like paying for the car.

Can anyone comment on the 'problems' that the 2008 I'm looking at has (in my original post)? I'm still torn on whether to pursue the car or drop it.

Thanks!

IllusionX

I just picked up a 2008 C300 Sport 4matic with everything - navi, ipod retro fit, hids, rear folding seats, panoramic sunroof, heated seats with 19,000 miles and paid 28,000. If I were you I would walk away, from my experience it does seem a little shady about the windshield and what not needing replacement. That's also a long long long laundry list for a car they're valuing at 26K

You can definitely find a better deal dude. Merry Xmas!

Mike

cfab011

Agreed. Give 'em the ole thanks but no thanks on that one. I paid the premium for a CPO on my '08 C300 4-Matic, but the peace of mind is worth the extra few bucks. I mean, you're paying a premium to drive a MB anyway, might as well do it the right way once you've made the conscious decision to do it.

csementuh

Thanks for the advice guys.

The CPO and warranty would surely be nice.

I am thinking about asking for an extended test drive and taking the car to an import mechanic to have them check it over fully. That might help discover hidden problems or qualm my fears in the car.

My question is, do you think it's worth still getting the car sans warranty for a good enough deal? If they would give me more for my trade and lower the car, the money might work out well enough to make it worth it. I don't want to talk myself into a bad decision, but I also don't want to pass on the only car I can find with the features I want. I guess if I'm patient another one will come about eventually lol.

IllusionX

I've been the in the same position, and believe me something better comes along. That's a lot of mileage and issues for the year. I would skip on it man, believe me. Check different zip codes and travel if you have to in order to find a good deal.

Mike

csementuh

Thanks for the additional advice guys!

OK, I'm thinking I may need to shy away from the navigation with the nice big screen as there is literally so few within a couple hundred miles that it's ridiculous.

My biggest problem now is trying to figure out how the option packages work on 2008's... Where can i find a list of standard options. I know mostly none of the cars are going to have the Bi-Xenons or the folding rear seats, so I'm over that lol.

I *NEEEEEDDDDD* iPod connectivity on the car. How can it be done with the base stereo? Can I buy the iPod interface box and cable off eBay, hook it up, and have my track listing on the in-dash display by the gauges? Or does that require the HK setup or something else? Like this... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Is the smaller 4" screen a color screen that still displays useful information such as the CD artist or track title or something? A quick explanation of the screen would be fantastic!

Is the CD player still a 6 disc changer? Or is that only the HK system? Can you get HK without the NAV?

Does the regular radio still have the PCMCIA card slot? Does it play MP3 CDs?

I can mount my Garmin to the vent clip ($4.40 on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/Garmin-Nuvi-200w...item4ce6c52993) and that is fine, however I still want a decent multimedia experience. Please help me out with all of this! I only ever used the command nav HK setup. I do need a way to play my iPod (and control it with the car, not the iPod itself, although a 3.5mm AUX in line is handy too) and I do need some sort of screen or display so I can figure out what is playing.

ShoremNJ

You call that high mileage! I have 105,334 on my 2008 c300 4matic and it runs like a charm.

csementuh

I'm impressed! lol

Can you tell me about your iPod kit and stereo please?

Sportstick

Look for option code 057-Ipod Integration Kit. Mine came with that, with a cord hanging in the glove box. I've never used it, so I don't know how well it works. With a lifetime subscription to Sirius, I hear more/different music than I could ever download and carry around.

csementuh

Thanks for the info. If the car doesn't have the factory adapter, do you know if a factory unit off eBay will plug right in with a little installation? I'm thinking it should as the iPod displays the songs right by the speedo and doesn't actually put anything on the stereo screen.

SportStick, could you please describe the factory base stereo some more for me? Do you have factory bluetooth for audio? What all am I losing by not getting the nav unit? I am having a hard time finding a comparison. The only specs I can find are ones for newer C300's which are obviously different.

noka

To the OP:
My '09 also has that option. I think it works OK for what it is. I can scroll through Albums, Artists, Songs, etc. on the dash display and I think it sounds decent, even with my (plain) stock sound system. It did not charge my newer generation iPod Touch, so I got an adapter to solve that. Just search the forums, or Amazon, etc. for "Scosche" or "Griffin" adapters. I got the latter and leave it connected to the cable all the time.

csementuh

K great, I'm glad to hear it works will all models of stereo systems.

Does the base stereo play MP3 CDs? 5 disc changer or just 1? etc?

Sportstick

Bluetooth was part of the standard package. The screen displays all four radio bands, AM/FM/Satellite/Weather by cycling via a button on the center stack. That same area has a button to switch to telephone. Then, operating the round silver knob at the front of the console allows scanning, selection, and making a call with your downloaded phone contacts. There is also a keypad on the instrument panel which allows you to dial directly.

I find the sound to be very good, but I am not "rocking" the same music as owners around here half my age (or less). It all works very well, and has steering wheel controls which function both the sound system and phone as well.

As far as giving up the nav, you lose the chance to be $2000 out of pocket for a lower functionality navigation system versus what Garmin can offer. As I said, I am sorry I cannot offer comments on Ipod functions. Haven't played any CDs...seems to be one disc system....Sirius!!

What else can I tell you?

noka

Keep in mind, what sounds OK to me, some others think sounds aweful. You need to listen and compare and decide for yourself. My standard/stock sound system has a single in-dash CD player.

csementuh

Thanks for the additional info.

The salesman emailed me tonight to say the original questionable car I was looking at got sold today. Pheww I guess that is now a relief lol.

So now I need to start broading my search. So far I'm having a tought time finding something affordable for the mileage and features, but I'm sure I'll eventually find something.