How reliable are these little 4 cyl???and what kind of fuel mileage can one expect??Looking at one with 104,000 miles with original paint no accidents,interior and exterior looks like new and has records.What should I offer?thank,and everyone out there have a nice nee year!!be carefull with drinking and driving!!!!

As a whole very reliable, engine is very easy to maintain and they seem to last.

Be sure all electrical's work and that doors gas & trunk locks plus back headreat all operate.

Timing chain, water pump, transmission and ABS pump plus air conditioning heating system are the componenets that are expensive to repair - so the price you offer should take into consideration having to do one or more of those repairs at any time.

Fuel mileage depends on type of driving, mid to high twenties for combined with A/C running is possible if you control speed. I hear some say low thirties but I don't think I've ever done that on my C230. If I really try I can get slightly over 400 miles on a tank of gas (that with the fuel gauge not yet hitting empty)

Some examples; an inside rearview mirror is over three hundred dollars as are a bottom seat cushion or internal side view mirror components.

Brake pads and rotors plus shocks are easy to change and not bad price wise.

Pricing is tough, I think five thousand is way too much, I'm not comfortable buying a used car like that.

I have a 1998 C-230 I bought new with 92Kmiles and the car is so good I can't sell it.

$5k retail sounds right with the mileage. I would, of course, want service recs, and a carfax. Most importantly, pay a few bucks for the dealer or a good indie to look it over before buying.

Verify the amount of oil consumption, if any. Drive it and see if the front end has any squeaks or rattles - bushings will need replacement if they haven't been done.

I'm with Ethan. These are great cars. The 95 is even simpler than ours with the 4-speed auto. Less to go wrong. I've only spent $300 out-of-pocket in the last 40k for repairs. I have 140k now

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

no rattles or anythig,carfax came back clean,only thing is when first backing up on driveway in mornings,I hear a glunk,coming from front(think shock towers) but that is only time,driveay is quite steep.No use of oil and only 2 owners,looks new inside and out,.Original paint and interior.What kind of gas mileage??city and highway??thanks

My mom had a '95 or '96 C220 that she bought new, and kept until it had about 160,000 miles, when she traded it in on an E430.

It was a fantastically reliable car. Drove like a tank, nearly as much interior room as a 300E.

The only repair that I recall it needed was an idle control valve. The dealer charged her about $1,200 to replace it.

What is also advantageous to the C220 is that it still used the simple and durable 4 speed transmission.

The '97 C230 got the new 5 speed auto in 1997, and it went through a ton of updates over the next 2-3 years, and the 5 speed is very expensive to rebuild.

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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".

carfax clean is not enough, have a VMI report printout form a willing Mercedes dealership and have them inspect car.

Glunk noise may be ABS self diagnostic test, which is normal - do you feel sensation in brake pedal when Glunk noise happens? if not then could be control arm bushing??

Take to Mercedes technician for an inspection - the smart thing to do.

I think they got 23 mpg city / 28 mpg highway.

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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".

car has all records from mb dealer,was traded in there,thats why I bought it there,the brakes feel fine,only glunk when car first started and pu t in reverse from incline.

I get 26-28, mostly hwy, 75mph. But I also have a combo of 5spd and 17 inch wheels/225 tires, which is probably a wash

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

The only serious problem that the 95 C220's suffer from is the failure of the amin engine wiring harness. Have it carefully inspected by a knowledgable MB teh.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

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