Acapulco Bill

Will be keeping the w204 until impractical. However the future is EV, and now there is one in our household. Amazing acceleration, practically zero charging costs, 240 mile range irl, near zero maintenance cost (just tires). After driving an EV for an hour, there's no going back: it's starships vs. dinosaurs. Besides huge headroom, legroom, trunk space and quiet. Once they are autonomous, the last century of the automobile will look just so stupid.

So the W204 will be around for a few more years, and then it's goodbye to this wonderful but obsolete transport.

narky

What tune? Just ECU? Something else?

superangrypenguin

I believe the tune he's referring to is if you drop the engine and replace it with one from a C63...

Quite honestly though, I live in **** land (Ontario, Canada). Even with countermeasures I don't dare to drive above 50kmhr over the speed limit. I could have bought a C180 (from Europe) and it would have been sufficient.

I don't know why ANY N. American individual needs a C63 or whatever, but I guess it satisfies the 8 year old in all men

superangrypenguin

The new interior is a turn off for me. The steering wheel offset on the E class has me REALLY turned off. We'll see, but perhaps an Audi A6 3.0L with dual injection or an Audi A8 or Lexus LS (2017). The 2018 + models are hideous.

Oh wait, you guys are young and hip and talking about fast cars. Guess grampa here is going to have to entertain himself with boring luxo-barges.

Anyways, even after my car took off a few layers of skin over the weekend, I've decided I'm keeping my W204 until at least the end of EDW, which would be 2019 for me. Guess this idiot will be on this board for a while longer

phxc300

I have owned 3 C300s from the W204 generation. Here is what I dislike about my new 2017 W205:

1. The stop/start ignition in the W205 works so crudely, it doesn't make you think MB experience. Makes you cuss out loud instead. Worst aspect of the vehicle hands down, and yes I know, the feature will soon be standard across the auto industry. But countries with lower quality gas have this "feature" programmed off.
2. There are no preset buttons for the radio on the console. You have to navigate through the display menu to get there. This mistake is style over function, especially while actively navigating among the many SiriusXM stations.
3. The US W205s offer a pricey panorama sunroof or no sunroof. The panorama roof makes the whole roof black, which is more jarring than attractive. I simply wanted a regular size sunroof like on all of my W204s. Just drove a new E300 loaner today, and it comes with a regular size sunroof. And W205s sold outside the US are offered with a regular size sunroof. I assume Alabama builds some cars with regular sunroofs for export outside of the US. What's the problem then?
4. The Alabama factory paint finish is nowhere near as consistent and smooth as that on my C300s built in Germany and South Africa. I have seen entry-level Korean cars with smoother paint. When I initially shopped for used W205s, most had areas with such bad paint that I assumed they had been poorly repaired after an accident. Now I realize that is simply original paintwork from factory. So sad.
5. The designers used piano black trim on portions of the console where you touch and push buttons. Now your $40K vehicle can look filthy and smudged every day like a smartphone. Piano black trim is a disease of the industry. I saw another brand at the auto show that applied piano black on the door armrests. Nicht so gut, ya?


I can say that the 2L turbo engine is overall more fun than the V6s that I had. So, I do miss the W204, but life moves forward I guess.

superangrypenguin

Can you please remind me where the W205s are now made?

dukeof0

I have a 13year old wagon 167,000 miles. It looks like new and it drives like new, I get a bit of road noise but once a year I rub a little Vaseline all over the door seals, they plump up and make a better seal.

dieseldoc

W205 for USA and Canada are made in Vance Alabama or South Africa.

Vdhroso

I love my w204 C350 and don't think I can ever trade it, unless it becomes a money pit. I agree with most people here that the w205's are not even in the same league as the w204 when it comes to design. The w204 will remain a classic forever, especially since this was the generation that was blessed with the black series AMG.

Rodpwnz

Yes, ECU tune. It only adds around 20 hp, but more importantly, it greatly improves throttle response. For the $450 I paid, it makes my reliable and comfortable C300 more enjoyable to drive.


I live in California, where its only either sunshine or rain(mostly sunshine), and I really enjoy driving around the mountain side or coastline.

Among the many reasons someone may WANT a C63, high performance driving events are one of them. Also known as track days.

Speaking as a car enthusiast living in California, a high performance vehicle makes driving much more enjoyable, even at street legal speeds.

Different strokes for different folks

superangrypenguin

Medsyspro

Sorry to disagree with all points here (except #4): I just paid $4,190 today to replace the variable valve timing sprockets and a cracked air intake pipe (connects the filter to the turbo exhaust) plus the turbo oil check valve on my 2012 C-250, plus they told me the engine supports (mounts) are worn out and need to be replaced. This is the third time in less than a year that I have had multi-thousand dollar repairs on this 5 year old car. In fact, there is a thread on this forum about the VVT sprockets, in which members have posted having to replace theirs as early as 47,000 miles. This same thread also states that this is a known fault at Mercedes-Benz, but has not been corrected, rather inherited from one W generation to another.

Since I spend so much time at the service mechanic's and have developed trust and confidence with him, he tells me the stories of all the cars that come in there. Ergo my conclusion: contrary to what I used to believe (which led me to buy) and the reputation MB has, I now truly believe it is a very fragile car. With such high cost of repairs, it would be nice not to have it break down so often, especially for reasons that should NOT be happening to a 5 year old car with reasonable mileage, good care, carefully driven and fully maintained as per schedule.

Sorry to spoil the Fan Fest.

tapankd

Well in my case.. I just purchased the 2014 C300 Sport 4Matic with barely 22k miles on it right now and loving every second of it as i drive and enjoy the ride. I preferred it over the 2015 C300 because of its 3.5 liter six cylinder M276 engine. Will most likely be keeping this car for the next 4 years atleast or around 70-80k miles before the expensive maintenance begins.

Over the next few months will start modifying it starting with 35%-25% tint and HID conversion of the headlights.. This forum has been really helpful.

superangrypenguin

I guess your car wasn't a CPO car? This is also why I buy warranty from the factory for 7 years, to see how it will perform for the first 7 years and then I decide if I'm going to get rid of it.

You sound like you're not having a lucky time with your car. Sorry to hear that. Buy a lotto ticket, maybe you'll luck out!

'tis life I guess. Win some, lose some.

What you went through is what I did with my last Audi. Hence why I refuse to buy DI engines, and engines with Turbos. nope, done that, never again.

Just204

The thing is, Failures happen all the time. It's not just MB cars.. I have a lot of cars that turned into money pits, right now I need to put in a transmission and do engine work on my Jeep... fun... thats after doing a catalytic converter.... This is why I'm against used cars but mine is a CPO so I decided to get it and don't regret the decision though a little more room in the back would be nice lol.

CGSColin

For whatever it's worth I once owned a Honda Civic that was less reliable than my C300

tekfoc

ain't that the
truth I lived my weekends doing repairs on it.
fun but annoying at the same time.

Moto_Guzzi

I already bought another vehicle, but decided to keep it after no real further problems and the Engine oil, Gearbox oil, Coolant, en brakeline fluid checked out ok after analysis.
Hope for the best, so far so good at 130 000Km. Noticed something mentioned in other post.

Medsyspro

My Dear superangrypenguin: YES, This WAS a CPO vehicle. But that is not the point. It does NOT matter how well "covered" the vehicle is under warranty or warranties, if you have to live at the dealership. Even for free, if your car requires repairs 3, 4, 5 times a year, the car is UNRELIABLE and yes, a piece of ****. Add to that, that ALL my multi-thousand dollar repairs ALWAYS had to be Out Of Pocket, and you will understand my unwillingness to agree that this is a great car, or a great buy. I love how it looks, but no, I did not buy it as a driveway ornament. I have had 6 VWs for a combined total ownership of 23 years and over 300,00 miles and all I had ever to do with them was add gas and change the oil - occasionally - because I was not even that religious about changing the oil. I just put the best synthetic oil in them and just forgot about it. Drove them from the heat of Miami to the winters of the Smoky Mountains every year. No Problems. Ever. Same for the two Jeep Grand Cherokees, a big top of the line Chrysler, and a BMW Series 3 convertible custom ordered from the factory. No Problems anytime.
Gas and Oil. Period. Now I "graduated" to Mercedes Benz ownership and I have been screwed (using that language so as not to be censored from this forum - I was F_ _ _ ed).
I believe it used to be the older MBs that were the reputation building, reputation sustaining "tanks" of the brand. The ones that you would see generations after their the original owner, 20, 30 years later, still going strong, including the diesels and the gas models. Those old sedans from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. My father's last MB was a 1999 E class. Nothing wrong ever happened with that car either.
I will NOT buy a new MB today. If I want a new luxury car, maybe I would lease a MB, granting that maintenance was included in the lease and that every time it's in for service or repairs I get an equivalent loaner car. Then they can take as long, and as much money as they want to keep it running.
But then, maintenance is not included in MB leases, is it, as it is with BMW's !!! ???

superangrypenguin

Interesting how your experience with BMW and VW/AUDI are vastly different than mine. I guess you and I know our calling in life with respect to what cars to buy!

I hope you have better luck next time with MB amigo!

Acapulco Bill

With the permission of Michael Karesh at TrueDelta.com, here is a comparison between the BMW 3-Series and the W204/W205. As one can see, the refreshed W204 2012-2014 has excellent reliability, with half the number of repairs reported, as for the BMW 3-Series 2012-. Encouraging everyone to register and report their repairs on TrueDelta.com

https://www.truedelta.com/Mercedes-B...parison,179-13

Just204

I was a BMW tech and I have to say they are not reliable over recent times imho. New ones are even worse, even the M cars that used to be bullet proof are having serious problems. Imo Mercedes is definitely more reliable for the most part.

LandSeaAir

Buy a 2010 C300 with a manual transmission and keep it as a second car


I do have a thing for my 2008 c300. Silver/blk, 18 amps, panoramic, xenons. I keep it mint, put 93 octane in it and it drives like new. At the same time I still desire a new car, but whenever I got back to my car I couldn't imagine getting rid of it. I love the interior, some say its basic, I think it is so well thought out and high quality (simplicity=better).

eXists

(1) The W205 has a terrible looking rear, also looks cheap
(2) In my humble opinon my 2008 C350 looks better than the W205 and is naturally aspirated (no turbo)
(3) I only have ~50k on it and take extra care
(4) I would only get a C63S and it ain't cheap especially that the look is a turnoff

edgalang

Condolences regarding your MB. This right here is why my wife believes that buying used (CPO or not) can be a tricky trap, unless YOU, yourself is the mechanic performing the repairs.

FWTW, my 2012 C350 now has 80k MILES, with ZERO repairs (knock on wood). Granted I am the original owner (factory ordered to spec), and the car is garaged daily. I also began to perform general maintenance myself beginning at 50k (dealer serviced for the first 40k *JUST in case they find anything to repair/replace under warranty).

So far I can honestly say that maintenance of this car (with the exception of the transmission flush) has been easier than my Lexus hybrid (things are just laid out better from an engineering/maintenance standpoint).

If I was in your shoes, I would have bailed out a long time ago.