So, this may not be the right forum for this question, but my Exploder's transmission is going out, and I probably won't be rebuilding it again for the second time. So, I'm prowling the used car market. I wanted a 944, but since my "trusty" Explorer took a dump again, it may be time to actually buy a "normal" car. Anyway, these C series MB's have a bad rap. I'm not sure if the '97 C280 is particularly loathsome from a maintenance and problem point of view. Any thoughts would be appreciated, or ownership experiences. I'm looking at a '97 C280 with 115K, green, beige interior. Great shape from the looks of it. Thoughts?

Im looking for a 90s C-class (w202) aswell and I dont beleive it has a bad rap. For reliability I beleive the 4-cylinder ones were better than the C280 which is a 6 cylinder.

Its a solid MB.

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99 C43
98 S420
99 C230K
01 C240

I owned a 99 C280 till I got T-boned. Took a hit right in the middle of the drive door and the other person was in a Civic doing around 55 or better. I don't remember the day but I have seen the car and it protected me. I had the 6 cylinder version instead of the C230 Kolpressor. I didn't find anything I hated about it. It was a step up from my 91 190E 2.6 and I loved it. Of course, the E300 feels even better other than it isn't as peppy as the C280. I'd highly recommend the C280

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

W202 C class cars have never had a bad reptution.

Conversely, they are relatively trouble-free, especially compared with W124 E class cars.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

GREEN???


j/k

They're good cars. I prefer the 98+, but whatever.

I had a '96 C280 Sport before I traded it in for the G35. The car was solid and handled well. In some small ways, I do miss the C280.

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95 R129
04 Infiniti G35.5 BS
10 X204

I have had zero problems on mine after addressing the known issues.

I have 95k on it now, it's 11 yrs old, and drives like a champ.

Getting ready to do some suspension work in a bit, but that is normal maintenance. I'm very pleased. I am considering picking up a 96 c220 if/when the time is right.

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1994 C 280 117.5k, White (Good as new)
1997 Toyota Camry 149k Miles (Not so pretty anymore)

1990 190e 2.6 95k (Sold-Should not have)
1981 240d Stick ??? Miles...sold

. . . appears to be a fine car. I did a search here for "W202," "C230," and "C280" before I bought my '97 C230 (non-Kompressor). The word was very favorable.

I've had my C230 for almost a year. At first it needed some catch-up maintenance -- brake pads and rear axle fluid seepage, for a low-mileage car driven in the vicious heat and utterly neglected streets of New Orleans. Since then, it's been a blast to drive.

The only big fault I've experienced was the A/C compressor going out -- the original, after 60,000 miles/7 years of short-trip driving in aforesaid heat -- and at that it warned me by being noisy. I had it replaced before it went out. The part wasn't cheap, but the labor was, because MB put it in a sensible place and there's lots of room under the hood to work.

I'll leave you with the words of Jean Jennings, the editor of Automobile Magazine, re: the C-Class:

"MB really got it right with that car."

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* *
-- Paul W. (The Benzadmiral)
('03 Buick Park Avenue, charcoal/cream)
Formerly:
'97 C230, smoke silver/parchment; '86 420SEL, anthracite/light grey; '84 280CE (W123), dark blue/palomino

Just bought a 2000 C280 and love the car. Solid MB quality. Peppy V6, smooth tight ride, butter smooth 722.6 tranny, all the bells and whistles.

Do a search and you'll find a majority of positive comments.

I am lookikig for another one now. Here are some notes I culled from posts:

94-96 C220, W202,M111...96 best year, 96 has reliable and excellent 722.5 tranny,variable AC, no head gasket problems, 94-95 has wiring harness issue

97-98 C230, W202, M111, 98 best year, 97 first with 722.6, 98 first keyless, no antenna,FSS,V/ac

94-97 C280, W202, M104, 96 v/ac, M104 head gasket, 97 first year 722.6

98-2000 C280, W202, M112, 2000 best year, touch shift,v/ac, sorted out 722.6, keyless, no antenna,FSS, harmonic balancer problems. (The car I bought did not need this part replaced per the MB "recall".)


glenmore
1991 300CE
1990 LS400
2000 C280

My sister has a 2000 C230 Kompressor. Really sweet car. She has had trouble with repeated CELs related to either or both oxygen sensors, but otherwise likes the car. I have never driven a C280, but I've heard that the supercharged 4-cylinder in the C230 has similar hp and higher torque than the C280's 6-cylinder. I think I would be inclined to go with the 4 banger.

This is very good info as im on my way to getting a 98+ W202 as soon as my W126 sells.

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99 C43
98 S420
99 C230K
01 C240

Most any C Class is "Gilly Approved"

Gilly

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Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)

Gilly,
How about the new ones? I am thinking a new C when time comes to trade in my G35. Any comment?

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95 R129
04 Infiniti G35.5 BS
10 X204

My mother has the newer version (C240) although has proved to be reliable the quality of materials between the new one and the W202 is big!

The new one has cheaper plastic materials and rattles too much.

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99 C43
98 S420
99 C230K
01 C240

As with most things Mercedes, by now (several years after the introduction) you are probably safe in getting one, I'd reserve comment (or at least an all-out recommendation) until I could talk to a tech currently working to see how they are doing. Typically, what you want to do is buy one of the LAST years an MB is made, not one of the first. In actuallity most people work opposite of this, everyone wants the latest and greatest. With an MB chassis, usually the "latest" year is the "greatest" year. 202's believe it or not were pretty good right from the start, other than the usual 104 head gasket leaks they had them really "right" from the beginning. The 140 chassis is a perfect example where I wouldn't even begin to think about buying an early one. ML's were kind of like this too, but are more economical to repair.

Gilly

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Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)