Checked out a '97 C280 today with 95K miles. I am aware of the headgasket issue with these 24v inline-6 engines, but chances are that by 95K miles the gasket probably would have already been replaced, right? Still, I plan to take the car for a pre-purchase inspection to make sure that everything is in working order.

More importantly, I'm concerned about the 722.6 tranny. I know that '97 was the first year, and these units were somewhat problematic. When test driving the car, the tranny felt fine. When warmed up, the shifts were very smooth and quick. However, I found an old service record in the glovebox indicating that about 15K miles ago the car was taken into the shop due to the transmission slipping. The shop found the transmission to be about a quart low, and changed/replaced the fluid. I'm concerned about the slipping tranny, even though that was 15K miles ago and the vehicle was acting fine for the 1hr+ that I drove it. Do you all think this is something to be concerned about?

Other than that, I liked the car. It has some minor stuff wrong, like a broken antenna, cloudy radio display, and a broken cupholder, but all that stuff seems to be minor. The paint looks to be original, and the MB-tex interior is in good shape. The asking price is $9500. I already know about the car's book value, but I'm just curious if you all think that is a fair price for the car. I'm not willing to pay $9500, I may offer about $8-8.5K.

Thanks, and sorry about so many questions.


-Nabeel

Unless the head gasket and Tranny has been already replaced, I wouldn't buy the car....those 2 things will need to be done (probably the reason it's for sale).

Another thing I would check out is the A/C. This is another big job if repairs are needed.

__________________
JR
1986 Gold 300E 4Dr automatic

Is there any way to tell whether the gasket has been replaced or not? I thought that by 95K it most likely would have been replaced, but I guess you never know.

The tranny is what I am mainly concerned about. I understand that many 722.6 transmissions in '97+ cars have easily gone 100K+ miles, but it does seem a little bit like taking a gamble. Maybe I should look into a '98 model with the M112 engine and other upgrades like the slightly updated 722.6, electronic key, rear-window antenna, etc.

Get the newest W202 you can afford. The 96's are pretty good, especially the C220 version as the M111 engine is very sturdy and mated to the four-speed automatic, it's a very reliable combination.

The 2000 C280 would be the pick of the litter as long as the harmonic balancer on the M112 has been done. The 722.6 was well sorted by then.

The M104 2.8L engine does have a fairly high occurance of head gasket failure, but otherwise it's an excellent engine and will outlast the remainder of the car.

__________________
John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

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

blackmercedes, what years (in the USA) did the C class have the M111?

Does the older M111 with the older transmissions still have 30MPG? Or are those values only seen in the newer models with the 5-speed transmission?

__________________
JR
1986 Gold 300E 4Dr automatic

My '95 C280 sure does not get that high gas milage !! (auto trans)

But so far so good on the mechanicals. (Low milage car.)

BTW another issue that seems to stick on these cars is the wiring harness. Do a search.

Good luck. Fun car.

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Get the VIN and call MBUSA or MB Canada, as the case may be. When I bought my 1994 (back in 2000) and took it in for my first service, the dealer was able to pull a complete vehicle history right away and tell me about any campaigns my car had been part of and if there was any outstanding recall work I was eligible for.