So I've always thought the C230 had decent fuel economy. The Consumer Reports Auto Issue came out today. On page 31 they list cars to purchase if "overall" fuel economy is import to you.

What surprised me is that the 1997 C230 has equal or better economy than the Honda Accord Hybrid (25 mpg), Toyota Matrix (26), Acura RSX (26), and Honda Civic (26) and has darn close economy compared to Mazda 3 (27), Toyota Celica (28) and Toyota Corolla (29). I think, though, that most of these run on regaular unleaded, rather than the high test, expensive stuff the Mercedes requires.

I drive the piss out of the C230, mostly in urban and suburban conditions with maybe 20% highway. Today, on Winter blend fuel, I put in 15.17 gallons to cover 395 miles. That's 26 miles per gallon. On Summer blend it's slightly better. On a pure highway, cruise set on 70, trip I once went almost 600 miles on just over 15 gallons. That's almost 40 mpg. (Keep in mind about this figure that, with the high final drive ratio, anything over about 70 really cuts into efficiency).

Not the smoothest bugger out there, but relatively powerful and DARN efficient!

__________________
Michael

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

Wow, 26 to 40 MPG on a W202 C230.

My '98 C230 averages 22 MPG city/hwy driving.

__________________
Anders

1995 E300
2015 VW TDI Sportwagen 15K
1977 240D (197K)
2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon (115k) (Wife's)
Gone but not forgotten:
2005 Buick LeSabre
1998 C230
1984 300D
1983 240D
1981 300SD
1974 240D
1974 Fiat 124 Spider
1968 Triumph TR250

Wow, Michael. Has yours always done that well, or did it improve after, say, a spark plug replacement? My little gold beast, with 64,000 miles on it, runs perfectly -- and my regular mechanic says, "With a modern car, if it's not smoking or stalling or getting 9 mpg, leave the plugs alone," so I have.

But I get an average of 24 mpg at this time of year, when I don't have to run the A/C. This is including a 9-mile, 1/2-hour commute each way, mostly city but with a chance to run at 50 mph over the bridge in the early morning, offset by the bumper-to-bumper stuff in the evening. On weekends I do some short city trips, though I take every chance to get in some highway miles. Air filter is new, tires are at 30/34.

Is 24 mpg within the acceptable range for this car?

(Believe me, I'm happy with it as it is. The 420SEL, wonderful to drive though it was, gave 17 mpg on a good week.)

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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

I average high-20s. On the highway once, I calculated ~31. Of note, I had a Civic DX hatchback, automatic as well, and I never got over 30mpg in this car, and averaged 26mpg, even with clean air filter and new plugs, and Mobil 1 5w30. One of the first comparisons I noted when I bought the C a year ago was that the mileage was better than the Civic.

My car is sitting in the garage right now showing 650kms on the trip odo and is about to go on the fuel light. I'll put 58L in it (as always at that point) and that works out to:

8.9L/100kms in combined freeway and stop and go driving. That is 27USMPG. The little aspro four can get shockingly good mileage when combined with the five speed and a light foot. I have got worse numbers, of course, when all stop and go and hot weather, but "bad" is a relative term.

Except for small "economy" cars like the Civic or Corolla, it's tough to use less gas in a sedan, and the C230 will hammer along comfortably all day at 200km/h (okay, not sipping gas, but a Civic can't do it at all).

Also, at 172,000km's, my car is tight, rattle free, and still drives like new. As much as I like our two Subarus, they have less mileage, are much newer, and do not have the body integrity of the C230, not even close.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

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

Mine is the 5-speed automatic (1997 was the first year for that, I believe?). If yours is a manual, that might account for some or all of the difference between what several of you are seeing and what I'm getting.

Otherwise, well, it's about a 10% difference -- not too bad, and there could be some other factors in the mix. I tend to leave the windows rolled part way down in moderate weather when I'm not on the highway, creating drag, and I sometimes downshift to 4th gear when I'm about to climb even a moderate ramp. (Hey, it's fun! I even flicked down to 3rd yesterday on a bridge access ramp. Thirty-five hundred rpm, and woo-hoo! Smooth and, as Michael said, relatively powerful.)

The compact Benz impresses me more every day.

__________________
* *
-- 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

Cool, others have the same or similiar. Engine and everything else is 100% stock. I'd have to look at when the spark plugs were replaced, but several years ago either at 60k or 75k (now at 130k) (service is coming this Spring). John's is the five speed automatic as are all our MY 1997 & 1998 (and later W202) C230's. By the way, he really knows his stuff about Mercedes so you all should chat him up. Tricks... not really. I do put in a new OEM air filter twice a year, run the stock size wheels & tires (15 inch by 6.5 inch wheels with 195/65 tires), and run the tires (Nokian NRVi) at about 34psi front and rear. I think the variable is driving style, though. Weeks when I get 26 mpg, only I drove the car. Often my lead-footed better half uses it on nights and weekends. Man she really chews threw a tank of gas. She's gotten as bad as low twenties when she drove it for a whole week. What is it with women from Texas, they drive either full gas or full brakes, never just coasting? (God, her milage in the M104 E320 is like 14 mpg, but then again the kids and I are contantly stuck into the seats by forward or backward force, we're lucky, folowing her formula one driving style, if she goes 200 miles on a FULL tank)! Any way, I drive the C230 in a spirited but "methodical" way. I was taught to drive deliberately smooth so I use the car's transmission to tell it what gear I want and drive the engine at it's "correct speed," which I think is between 2,500 and about 3,750. Within that range the M111 gives responsive, torquey and efficient power. On another note, Mercedes brakes rock. I had a Japanese rental today for work... its breaks were worse than the Fords I usually rent.

__________________
Michael

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