cal1

Hi guys, I am new to the W204 forum but not MBW and I need your expert opinions.

I am thinking a CPOed C300 4 matic sport would be the perfect car for my wife. We live in Milwaukee and her commute is about 22 miles one way. the 4-matic should be perfect for winter weather conditions and the 300 should get reasonable gas mileage. Her commute is 99% freeway. I think the W204 sport is a good looking ride as well so it should be the perfect car. The problem is, wifey says she doesn't want another MB with the expensive repair bills that go with them. We have certainly had our share of repair bills on the ML and SL. she is correct that stealer repairs are not cheap.

So my question, how has the W204 proven to be thus far in terms of reliability and repair costs?

hkeverlast

I'm in a similar situation. I commute 60 miles everyday and so far I've racked up 9700 miles on my 2011 C300 sport. So far absolutely no problems except for a few rattles in the cabin. Going for my first oil change sometime this week. I live in Chicago and a few weeks ago we had our first big snow storm. The C300 4matic had no problem getting around town. While other 2 wheel drive cars were stuck, I made it through with no problems....

I also get 22.7mpg btw..

LandSeaAir

These cars have proven themselves to be some of the most reliable modern MBs. I bought mine with 48k on it and am at 53k now so I cannot personally prove my statement, however it seems to be well known that these cars are reliable. I'm sure you'll run into a couple minor things here and there, (mine needs a rubber plug replaced which is leaking a small bit of oil, but again that's minor), but I think it's a great car.

I just took mine for a ride out in a recent snow storm and it plowed through my unplowed driving like it was nothing. I got a little crazier and took it on a thin gravel snow covered road in the back of my house, I literally didn't get close to being stuck once, it was as good as my dads Wrangler! It really shows with these AWD cars you really don't need an SUV to get around in the winter.

The only thing is while the ride is very nice, in comparison to other MBs (E, S, even ML) the ride is in my opinion a bit rougher. I like it cause I'm a kid, but when I get out of it and get in my dads S550, it's amazing how much more high up, smooth and solid you feel than in the C. I think the C300 is a great contender for your wife, but I would recommend considering perhaps a E350 4MATIC, I think the new ones have been quite reliable.

cal1

Thanks, so the car handles pretty good on slick roads huh? I was guessing the 4 matic would out perform our ML in all but the deepest snow. I can acutally raise the body on the ML a couple inches with airmatic which would help if snow was as high as the bumper.

cal1

I actually like the way the new C class rides. It gives you a very under control feeling without it being too rough. thanks for the suggestion on the E350 4matic. It is the other car I am looking at. My wife just doesn't want to spend the $. She is tight a$$ when it comes to cars. Now if we were talking shoes, the sky is the limit.

I think MB has come a long way with the release of the new "C" and "E" as far as reliability.

eliteskill

Mines will be close to 60k probly end of next month on a 09 C350 CPO. No problems so far. I been driving around crazy in it for my daily grind. I get around 22mpg (self calculated not from the dash reading) street 70%/hwy 30% mix.

I had the same feeling about MB as well before I bought my first one. I got my CPO with extended warranty up to 135k/2016 just to have peace of mind. As long as you find a CPO you should be okay.

Anyone with alot higher miles can chime in?

and Good luck OP!

2012c350

Just curious, does your calculation differ much from the dash reading?

eliteskill

I only noticed a 1-2~ mpg difference from the dash reading and my calculation.

Sportstick

Depends on the tires....anywhere from awful to excellent.

cal1

I think I saw that you run Blizzaks for the winter months. They are excellent. I would most likely try and go with Pilot Sport A/S all year. I like your set up for added traction though.

Sportstick

Great choice, but you're brave to try that where you live! Although, if winter is like this year, it could be fine. I never changed from my Pilot Sport AS Plus to the Blizzaks this winter and I don't mind one bit!! Hope I didn't just speak too soon!

cal1

You may have just jinxed us. Surprisingly, most of the locals are running pretty standard radials. They do tend to keep the roads well maintained and certainly are not shy with the salt.

How do the Blizzaks run on dry pavement?

By the way, you can thank me for the mild winter. I bought this bad boy in the fall. I have only used it once this winter. It turns frozen dog ***** into deadly flying projectiles.

illlojik

I've run Blizzaks on my RWD BMW and they are a beast in snow and ice. As far as dry pavement, they are quite decent. I drive hard with quick maneuvers so they do feel squishy under hard driving. At 70-80 + mph, you'll definitely feel some wavering. Your average drive however is more than fine.

cal1

Thanks, I may just have to invest in a set when I get my "C". My wife needs all the help she can get. She usually doesn't figure out the roads are slick until after she ends up in a ditch.

cal1

Just wondering, does the 230 get significantly better gas mileage?

Sportstick

Agree completely!

As for that two stager, you've probably guaranteed no snow for the rest of the year! Just putting gas in my Toro has kept us under 2" in any single snowfall so far!

cal1

Lets hope so. I'm ready for spring.