Hi,

I am in the market for a C32 2002 with 70k on it. I am new to MB and would like to know what I should be aware of on this particular model/year/era ? What is expensive and can break ou easily ? I have no idea who was the previous owner but the car is sold by MB dealer.

Thanks

if you shop around you can find good deals with low miles just up to you on how much your budget is... buying from a dealer will be more. if you can find one with warranty that will be the best thing there are a couple of people selling thier c32 here with low miles.

Hi,

I am in Canada, so the market if way more smaller that in US... There is 2 C32 for sale in my whole province.

Road Trip!

Come to So. Cal. for a vaction and drive home in your new C32. You should be able to find 2 at every dealer in Orange County.

at one available in my garage!!

Hey mz3bo, see I told you so. Just think, you can enjoy the beaches in Orange County for a day or two and drive back in a pampered, low-miles C32.

Forget Canada. Spend your hard earned dollars (Canadian or US) down our way.

Sorry folks,

Must stay here in canada... Any advise ?? What about that "jerk" I am reading about ???

Don't worry.. he's banned for two weeks

mz3bo, What's the problem? Never got those "issues" cleared up with our Homeland Security Dept.?

mz3bo, to summarize the potential problems, search the forum on the following list:
Whining sound - supercharger
Coolant leaks - intercooler, also search in relation to old radiator (Valeo) vs new (Behr)
Transmission jerk - software (my case), or could be caused by various problems. Anyone else wants to add ?
Extended warranty is a must if you don't have any stashed cash.

I think the only problem you're going to have is the same with all Mercedes' - there is a potential for you to be driving the down the road and all parts of the car will sequentially fall away, leaving you flying down the road with the steering wheel in your hand ala Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Seriously, if you're not going to mod the car, just make sure you have a good warranty. The list of thing that will go wrong with this car is just too long to list, but search for some posts by me and you will see many of them.

This is the most unreliable, component-crappy (radiator, intercooler pump, tranny ecu, windows, seat heaters, suspension parts, blah blah blah) I have ever owned, and I've owned some real ****. It's been in the shop once a month or more since I got it about a year ago.

That said, there is literally no other car that turns me on like this one for styling and power, and still meets my needs (4 door that I can autox and road race). Awesome car, horrible quality of componentry - I think the base engine and tranny are very strong, but a lot of compromises were made in other areas. My mods for this year will consist of replacing those compromises with quality Ford parts (j/k I know that pump is the basically the same, I'm going with the Johnson marine pump I think).

Thanks BifPowell,

I will seek for additional informations but I am a little more afraid that what I was before...

Well, to be fair ALL cars will have problems - not long ago someone posted on here that they were glad to only have the problems I previously listed since they came from an Audi - luck of the draw in many cases I suspect. I think the most important factor is the MB dealers and in my area they are really horrible. The local Porsche dealer has a GREAT rep (Carousel Porsche/Audi) so maybe I should get into an RS/S4, but I just don't have the personal connection to those like I do AMGs - childhood dream and all that stuff.

Good luck in any case!