2001 C320 - How good are they .. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

BharatMo · #1 01-20-2006, 12:41 AM

Hi Guys ...

Yips I know that luck has a lot to do with this but let me explain my dilemna. I have an option to buy a very well maintained clean 2001 C320 with mileage sitting at around 180,000 km .. mainly used on the open road. There is obviously no warranties or maintanance plans for this car.

Are these cars good for around 300,000 km's or can I expect to spend increasingly as the mileage clocks up. Logic dictates that I could buy a new Honda or Toyota automatic at this price ( 1600/1500 engine) and have at least 8 years of trouble free motoring.

I am not concerned about resale value as I tend to keep my cars long past their sell by dates .... what do you guys think ???

86560SEL · #2 01-20-2006, 01:04 AM

Well, they are safe in the "off-set" crash tests!
http://www.hwysafety.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=205

compress ignite · #3 01-20-2006, 01:39 AM

Given M.B.'s lack of Q.C. ('You'll take whatever comes off the "Ro-RO" AND
like it!) of the period 1999-2001...

I'd fall all over anything Toyota shipped to the U.S. ( and 10 years hence,
still be driving the Toyota with few problems!)

mbdoc · #4 01-20-2006, 08:19 AM

The first year of any new MB in the last 25 years seems to have initial QUALITY problems...

manny · #5 01-20-2006, 04:08 PM

If you're already questioning this purchase........buy a Toyota, complete with it's " legendary " reputation for reliability.

You're bound to have some issues with a car with 110 k miles on it.

Ethan · #6 01-20-2006, 04:51 PM

Toyota- Toyota. well I wouldn't buy a Toyota. The recent book 'NOTES FROM TOYOTA-LAND' by Darius Mehri, Cornell University Press., reveals the harsh factory enviroment Japanese Toyota
workers endure.

If you were a reader of the influential book 'THE MACHINE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD' that extoled the Toyota dynamo the Darius Mehri book is fifteen years newer and more relevant.

The Toyota hybrid is a worthy technologial wonder but except for the pricey Lexus versions Toyota styling and interiors are overrated. Toyota's forte is simple designs that enable quick manufacture on the production line.

Get a Honda any Honda, the new Civic. And check out the great www.honda.co.uk is there a better automobile manufacturers web site?

A 2001 C320 is a car developed and sold at the nadir of Daimler/Chrysler's existance. They are beautiful. I have a 2002 C240 which is a pleasure to own, but the warranty work done on it (Bremen Made) would have me pause if considering a used 2001.

#7 01-20-2006, 05:39 PM

I was so excited when I bought my 2001 C240, same car larger engine. I paid good hard earned money for it. I could have bought 56 Nash Rambler and had less trouble.

Even if you don't have any electrical gremlins, if one of the tires wear a little more than the others, the traction control starts taking over and will wear out the brakes in nothing flat.

The electronic wizardry in these cars was not fully developed.

I ended up getting rid of it and taking a substantial loss.

I hope you can have better luck,

anthonyb · #8 01-20-2006, 10:40 PM

The engine is a good one, and likely to be pretty hard wearing. The chassis seems pretty well-designed, but I'd bet you'd have a bunch of gizmo-related problems with that year. If you're interested in looking around, I'd step back a year and get a 2000 C280.

page62 · #9 01-21-2006, 10:54 AM

I'm going to agree with the crowd on this one. Simply because of the high mileage (high kilometrage???).

Our 2001 C320 has been relatively trouble-free...once MB replaced a couple of computers under warranty. But it only has about 23K miles, is garage kept, and lives in the relatively benign Texas climate. If you live in a country where kilometres are used, I imagine the climate ain't quite so friendly to a car, y'all!