I guess I should introduce myself to the forum here so that I can toss out the few questions that I have.

I'm a long time car nut who has built a few land missles myself, but lately I find myself wanting a daily driver in addition to my toy. I do have the urge to modify stuff so something the aftermarket of the MB is a plus, and I'm used to paying for expensive imported parts on the toy.

I am looking at an automatic '08-'10 C300 or possibly C350 purchase in the next 6-12 months. I'd say sooner, but I'm in the middle of building a house so I have to wait for that fiasco to finish first.

I have never owned a MB before, so I'm curious about a few things.

• What is the reliability like on the C300/350?
• What is the build quality like?
• Are there any known issues to look out for?
• Are there any minor differences year to year (other than what is covered on Wiki)?
• What are the parts and repair costs like? I am capable of doing it myself if needed but I don't really want to.

I'm not looking at this car for performance in any way, however it does need to be able to get out of it's own way and merge into traffic. If anything I'll probably do appearance mods only, then again I said that once before and ended up with a 700+ HP land yacht.

I'm looking forward to learning more about this car prior to my purchase.

Thanks.

 

Arthur,

- So far, reliability has been great for the w204 c300 / 350

- Build quality is top notch

- No known issues I can think of

- Major change came this year ( facelift ) 2008-2011 are pretty similiar

- Parts and repairs seem typical for Mercedes

My suggestions, spend the extra money for the c350. 268 hp vs 228 hp in the c300

Be sure to get the Harmon Kardon sound system and navigation

Hope that helps...

Nick

 

My 09 has been extremely reliable and was well assembled. By 2010, the C Class had won its JDPower segment for initial quality. I would look for the usual, a CPO car from the selling dealer who did all the service since new and can show you the records. I would probably prefer 09 or later, to allow for whatever was found in the initial 08 year in North America to be corrected/recalibrated, etc. There have been anecdotal reports about chassis refinement after 08. Good hunting!

P.S. I know you want an automatic, but the car takes on quite a different personality with a stick!

 

That's exactly what I am looking for, thank you.

Is the only difference between 300 and 350 the drivetrain? As long as it has power to merge that's all I need, not looking for a race car in this one.

Thanks. You brought up something I forgot to mention, I won't buy a first year car. Good call on that one.

Unless there are issues with the automatic, that's my #1 choice. My other car is a manual and is more than enough fun when needed.

 

Actually, I don't think there are defects, but it seems several are not fully satisfied with some of the calibrations' design intent, which results in lagging downshifts or less than immediate response to throttle input. I cannot comment from first hand experience, but in reading this forum for the last two-some years, I have seen much commentary, often with the suggestion that a software upgrade at the dealer may be the remedy. So, be sure to drive the specific car you're considering under a variety of stop and go, full/part throttle events, and make sure you are pleased with the transmission behavior. If not, but all else is good, see if the selling dealer's service department can ensure the latest transmission calibration for that particular car.

 

Thanks!

I'm defiantly very through on my test drives, I like to be as informed as possible before I make a purchase.