What makes the quality of them different in Europe as opposed to the US? ...aside from the standard options and engines...?
I need Wurth...

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

The quality of the euro and US cars is exactly the same. We do not have that many (standard) options, but all the used materials are the same.
The cheapest quality failures on the W202 C class were the manual adjusted cloth seats from 1993-1997, the FAN of the STANDARD heater system (NO-airco), the fuel injection pump of the C220D and the plastic (squeaking) clutch pedal. Since the US vehicles have the more expensive seats, airco systems, no diesels and auto transmission...you do not share that problem.

The C class is build to cheap...It is nothing compared to the older or more expensive models. "Just take a look at the rear door sills...these are just a joke (same for the E class)...

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

What is so wrong with the rear door sills?

Either way MBenz, I am sure mine are better than yours. JK

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

In the Netherlands are a lot of C class and E class being used as a taxi. Most of those vehicles are missing the rear door sills. These silly sills that have to be stuck on the thresholds with two minor plastic clamps get kicked off as soon as one has a sudden look at them...
The alloy-look-alike-stick-on-trims are not water resistant...and get loose as soon as there is a "drop" of water being poored over

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Wow,
I have never seen Mercedes snap on rims!! I haven't been to Europe in about 4 years. Last time I was there was in Switzerland, right outside of Zurich. Very interesting Mercedes' there are!!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

I know this is probably just nothing, but...
AGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I was cleaning out my trunk tonight, I removed EVERYTHING, including the sub, the mat cover, the spare tire, and I came across something. I get to that after...

Well I have always noticed that my rear bumer is sagging just a VERY little bit on the left side. There the bumper meets the wheel well, it is slightly off. And the left side is just a tad lower, like where the bumper meets the body, there is a touch larger gap than on the other side. And I looked underneath, and there seem to be clips or something that are not in place.

Anyway, I never thought anything of it because there are 2 original VIN numbers on the bottom of the bumper, so I was mellow and OK until I noticed this:
On the inside of the trunk on the left side, below the tail light, there is some dried putty like stuff. Like that is holding the bumper on or something! I thought it was just dirt and tried to dust-bust (I keep one in my car) it away (There is no vacuum in my house), but noticed it wouldn't move, then touching it and realizing it was some crap gup that had dried up and seemed to be some repair. And there are also some very faint scratches on that side of the bumper also. Probably nothing I can do about it, but I had vent somewhere, and you all are so very consoling.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

If this gunk is on the floor of the boot (trunk?) and is matte grey in colour (my car is silver), then it is OK: my car has that, too. I think it is just the sealant used to rust proof the car. The fact that it is there might be reassuring: if the rear had been shunted the boot floor might not have this sealant.

Generally a car that has been seriously rear-ended will have ugly joins where the rear chassis members have been replaced. It is normally quite obvious and looks like very thick glue has been applied with a 3 inch paint brush! It is also usually painted over the same colour as the body finish.

Believe me, I know the paranoia that strikes when you buy a used car. I know the manager of our local bodyshop reasonably well--this place is Porsche approved and can work miracles. Last week I popped in to see how my dad's 996 was coming along (low speed spin while driving in snow, bumper and taillight damage only, btw). I was tempted to ask him to look over my C, as I know he can spot these things, but I thought: don't spoil the car, I like it, I'm happy with it, the last thing I want to know is that it has been bumped!

Scratches on the bumber can be parking scars; a slight mis-alignment does not mean the car did not come like that; and so on...

Yes, it is gray matter, and it looks like it was put on with a paint brush. Your car has this too? OMG WHAT A RELIEF!! And yes it's down in a little crevice under the tail light. Yours too>?>?

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Nothing to worry about. All our MBs have it.

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

David- even the W124 cars have some sort of gunk-sealant in the tailight and bumper areas. On the W124 cars, it is yellow in color.

In order to get away from the "tinny" sounding door, go to your nearest mobile hi-fi car stereo place and purchase a nice big piece of DynoMat (Crutchfield.com also has them).

Remove the door panel and moisture barrier, and place this in various *clean* surfaces of the door.

Your door will now have that nice "thunk" sound, and if you have speakers in the door, they won't rattle when played at loudly.

The only problem is, you'll probably want to do all doors, the trunk (esp. if you have a subwoofer in there), quarter panels, etc. This stuff really keeps sheet-metal from being resonant, and I like the fact that I'm not spraying it everywhere.

Best of luck,
:-) neil

PS: since you're in Newport Beach, please visit Bruce Strauss Autocare in Costa Mesa. Talk to Ralph or Julien in the Body Shop. They are very helpful.