I drove 50 miles in a 202 today; a 98 C230 kompressor. I came away disappointed. Size isn't an issue for me unless I have to sit in the back. The short sloping hood results in a closeness to the road I'm not used to in MBs. I see the wiper and the top of the hood star but no expanse of hood. The seats were 90s Nissan stiff and unsupportive. The plastic door cards and monolithic center console were a far cry from a 124 let alone a 140 quality wise. Not that I really care. I don't mind not getting what I don't pay for, but it makes the wood trim seem that much more out of place. The general feel was typical 124. I liked the floaty ride provided by tired shocks. Manual AC controls are worth whatever these cars cost. My wife noted that air distribution was superior to a 124 mostly due to lots of intermediate positions in the vent selector. No guessing what ACC buttons do and how ACC will misinterpret what you want. We prefer a nice waft of warm or cool air on our faces to precise cabin temperature control. But driving at night, what's with that big honking hazard switch?

Sixto
87 300D

I think the chances are so high I'd be disappointed that I'm not going to try one. I've walked past a few at the dealer on my way to the spares counter and they scream sales rep at me. All bling and nothing much else.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Amen to that. Automatic HVAC controls have no business in cars.

My mother had a C230 Kompressor from around that time. I think hers was a 2000 model. She loved it, but it was a money pit.

If they had only brought over the wagon with a 6 speed...

__________________
CENSORED due to not family friendly words

I've been using a W202 for my daily driver for the last 6 years, I guess it depends on what your looking for but I prefer the smaller frame of the C-class over the E or S class models. Never really considered the 'issue' of being able to see an acre of hood before the MB star as much of an issue but at least for me the much, much better chassis dynamics of the smaller car would more than compensate for hood square footage issue. Same deal with the door panels and center console, do you really care what your door panels look like?

Over the years I've made at least 10 round trips to Florida and spent 15 hours in a single day in the drivers seat and I've never noticed they were hard and unsupportive. My car now has 140K miles of service with me and while it hasn't been Honda-like in its reliability I will say its been much better than any W123, W124 or W126 I've ever owned.

I agree 100% with the HVAC observations and I'd also add that the HVAC system in my car is GM like in its ability to deliver gobs and gobs of warm or ice-cold A/C on demand and it has been Honda-like in its operation over the years.

__________________
98 Dodge-Cummins pickup (123k)
13 GLK250 (135k)
06 E320CDI (323K)
16 C300 (62K)
82 300GD Gelaendewagen (54K)

MB seats are well contoured but I'm not. I need a cushy seat which MB finally obliged me in the 140. '91 seats went a long way to making me comfortable in my '87 300D. I need more seat time to determine whether post face lift 124 seats are cushier still.

My problem with the console isn't that it's plastic but rather that it's wide and forms an unadjustable armrest. My clumsy left hand needs more room around the seat belt clasp.

The 722.6 in this particular car wasn't happy. Shifts were sometimes abrupt and it made scary noises at low speed. I'll bet it's running Dexron. I was surprised to see the engine turn ~2700 rpm at 70 mph. I thought it would have longer legs. Maybe 4-bangers need to rev to stay in the power band. That didn't bother me. It made far less noise and was peppier than my 300D.

Sixto
87 300D

The issue with the transmission is more likely neglect. The "sealed" lifetime fluid transmissions that aren't serviced deteriorate.

Good thread. My experience in newer MB's is limited. I've driven several (gas) W124s that I didn't like and a (gas) 210 that I was surprised to enjoy.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.