The 1994-1995 models of W202 are part of the "wiring harness" problem set, making the 1996 models a little more desirable.

Properly sorted out, the 722.6 tranny (1998-) is great. If a car has a new transmission, don't be upset. It's a good thing. It means you have an updated version.

As to the four bangers, the 2.2L M111 and 2.3L M111 aspro engines (1994-1998) are some of the best gas engines MB has made. They are super reliable, don't leak much, have a huge double row timing chain, and run a long time without repair. I have begun to see many early models with 300,000kms and much more without anything more than the occasional valve cover gasket replacement. They share many design elements with the M104, but don't suffer the head gasket problems.

The engine bay on the M111 equipped cars is roomy and makes DIY simple. I can do most all the service tasks on my C230 without much effort. Greatly reduces long term costs.

The W202 is the simplest of all MB models made after 1996, and it shows. This means it's pretty much the most reliable MB available less than 10 years old.

My own C230 gets about 9.5L/100km's (25USMPG) in city driving and typically gets around 7.0 on the highway, but it's not tough to get 6.5. (34/37mpg) Now, you can't get that at 140km/h cruising speed.

Some on-going things a W202 owner looks to...

1. Front lower ball joints wear out if the car is driven on rough roads. I'm on my second set.
2. Sway bar bushings last about 4-5 years, maybe a bit longer. Simple to DIY, cheap parts.
3. M112 V-6 versions have the troublesome harmonic balancer.
4. M104 I-6 versions have the troublesome head gasket.
5. If the ACC/AC system goes on the fritz, it's typically an evap temp sensor. Cheap part, easy DIY.
6. Air Mass Meters on ME2.1 cars can last about 160,000kms at the outside. It seems changing the engine air filter on a regular basis extends it's life, but be prepared to treat the AMM as a maintenence item.
7. M111 engines (and other MB engines) are sensitive to oil fill level. Overfill and you can kill the main crankshaft seals.
8. M104 and M111's both have tempermental valve cover gaskets. Not an expensive part, but (at least on the M111) it's a bit of a pain to do.
9. Spark plug lead ends are a source of misfire codes and should be replaced every 4-5 years, but check 'em every so often.

Change the oil frequently, change the coolant (and use MB coolant) every two years or so. Keep the brake fluid clean by changing it every two years or so. Change the engine air filter often, don't foget the cabin dust filter (eases the load on the blower motor and evaporator) and on FSS equipped cars, forget the super-long oil change interval. Go for 8000km's or less.

I've owned my C230 since new, and it's the most reliable car we've owned, including Acura, Honda, Mazda and so on...

__________________
John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

I'd like to thank everyone for their very valuable comments today on the C230! You've given me some excellent tips and what to look for when I eventually get into the position to begin looking for one. I appreciate your help very much! Looks like '98 and '99 will be the model years that I will concentrate on. After searching for some C230's in this model year range, I saw that there are quite a few available for very reasonable prices with low mileage.

At first, I never liked the C-class sedans because I thought the brake lights were really ugly and really off-set the back-end of the car. But with any good thing, it grows on you after awhile, and you think to yourself, "Ah, it's not so bad after all!"

My interest in the C-class was renewed after a recent trip to Florida. A friend of mine bought a 2000 C230 Kompressor, and after sitting in it and looking it over, I began to fall in love with it again ... not hard to do I'm told. I have a Volkswagen Jetta TDI right now, and it's been a great little car, but it has transmission problems that are really plaguing it. After the warranty runs out, I'll be getting rid of it ... don't want to be caught with a $5,900 transmission repair bill from VW. Will definitely look at the C-class. After the experience with my 190e, I'm looking forward to having another one.

Thanks again, friends - all the best!

-Michael.

Hello,

BACKGROUND/VEHICLE CONDITION: I am new to this site and seek advice on the potential purchase of a 1997 C-280 with 57k miles for $9,600 to serve as a second car. This C-280 does not come with any service records (which I would like advice on how to find them). The car drives and brakes straight, accelerates and stops very well. It does not make any unusual noises and upshifts and downshifts smoothly, consistently, and predictably. The interior has no visible wear and tear and all cabin functions except the window switch on the right rear door work perfectly. Even the first aid kit is intact and the radio antenna opens and closes smoothly and is not bent. However, the front bumper cover needs painting and the driver's door has a 1/2" curved scratch on it.

CONCERNS: M104 head gasket, wiring harness, and 722.6 transmission problems. I estimate about $4k to repair all of these items, an expense risk I am not willing to assume at this time. I also seek a reputable Fairfield County Connecticut certified Mercedes Benz repair shop for support.

What else should I be looking for? Should I walk away? Why?

AFAIK you don't have to worry about the wiring harness issue on a '97. The dreaded biodegradable insulation was used from '93 to '95. Beyond that, if you are looking for a mechanic there is a "Good MB Shops" section on this website that provides lots of recommendations, depending on where you live. That's how I found my indy three years ago.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/good-mb-shops/

Good luck.

Jonathan

Hello Douglas:

I definitely agree with manny & mpoli - asking price is way too high for a car like that with NO records.

If you're really interested, you might also want to consider spending about $100.00 and have what's called a "pre-purchase inspection" done. An MB indy or dealership can perform this for you, and they will let you know all of the potential problem spots they find. This will give you a very good idea as to how much repairs may cost, and it may also give you some leverage in negotiating the price.

Let me say that I purchased my '00 C230k with 47k, and have had virtually no problems at all. The key to keeping these beauties running like a top is maintenance. If you decide to purchase, I would have all the fluids changed, have the transmission serviced (the general consensus on this form is that the 722.6 transmission is not "filled for life"), and go from there. Most likely, suspension issues should be a few years down the road.

Another possibility to find out a little more about the car is to ask a Mercedes dealership to do a Master Vehicle Inquiry on the VIN. Some dealerships will do this, print out the report and give it to you, no problem. Others will not be so nice about it.

Let me say that the C-class MB's are very well-built. I absolutely love my C230k. With the M104, yours is even more refined than my 4 cylinder M111 (some refer to it as a lawnmower ... what do they know!!! ) If you do a search on the C280, you'll find that many users have posted many positive comments.

Best of luck to you, and let us know if you go ahead with the purchase!

Take care,
Michael

__________________
+AMDG+
2005 W203
Running as fast as I can to stay behind!!

The 1997 C280 is a great vehicle.

The one you describe is worth about $4,000. To help you figure out if you want to get into the Mercedes world, pay a knowledgeable Mercedes technician to inspect the car in question and make a list of repairs you can expect over the next few years. It will look like this:

Head gasket - $1,500
Tranny - $1,500
Exhaust - $1,500
ACC - $1,500
Suspension - $1,500

Make those investments, and you've got yourself a rock solid, if somewhat staid, driver. You could reasonably expect to have her on the road for decades.

While it won't deliver nearly the fuel economy, I personally like the M104 over the M111 (and even the M112).

If you’re not into maintaining it yourself, expect annual upkeep costs (above and beyond the items lists above) of approximately $1,000.

__________________
Michael

1988 300 SL (5 Speed)
1994 E320 Wagon
1997 C230

1. 9 k + sounds a little pricey to me, unless you see all the service records.
2. I would pay a qualified M-B tech the $ 100.00 or so, and get an experts opinion on the car.
3. As with any 9 year old car, put a little money aside every month for possible " surprises ".

__________________
2007 C 230 Sport.

That price is way too high IMHO. I am guessing that is from a "used car lot". They probably paid very little for it from an auction. I would also suspect that odometer reading without Carfax to back it up. I would hold out for one from a private party. Then you will get records and a much better deal. Also, the 98's seem a bit more reliable from what I have seen here. Especially in the transmission area. If you want good fuel economy and don't need lots of power then you could look at the C230 also.

Mike

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Thank you very, very much for your input. You have provided the insight that I could not have not gotten without significant time and effort. Since the used car dealer will not budge on price, I will continue looking around. My wife really likes the car and is not happy that I am holding out on the purchase. She does not appreciate the maintenance side of vehicles at all. And since she is "hard" on cars, this car is not a good choice for us right now.