Hi All,

I am thinking of buying 1998 c230 with 180k miles. Is that a lots of mileage for used car to buy? I am looking for a reliable car. I had the choice between 1998 c230 and 1995 E320 (with 148k miles) and based my research of the form, I concluded that C230 between 1997 - 1998 are the most reliable Benz ( of course after the the ultimate 240D).

In Advance, thank you for you inputs...

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Here are my findings while searching the forms:

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The best bang for your buck is probably an aspro four cylinder C-Class.
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The 1996 C220, and 1997-1998 C230 cars are good buys because:
1. The M111 engine is bullet-proof and long lived. No headgasket problems, and the 1996 on cars have no wiring harness issues.

2. Easy on gas. The four cylinder cars are more than powerful enough to slice through traffic, climb mountain passes, or spend all day at 100+mph, but can easily break 30US mpg.

3. Easy to service. The engine bays on the four banger C's are open and parts are easily accessed. I do most of my own service on the C230, and it's a snap.

4. 1998 cars have lots of nice stuff, and prices are reasonable now. You get side bags, SmartKey, 722.6 five speed, and the same body updates as the 99-00 cars. Also, on 1996-98 cars, you get the fully automatic climate control, which is a nice feature for those of us (like me) that enjoy it.

When miles roll on, repairing the M111 W202 is pretty easy. The timing chain is double row chain, and will last along time, but when it's time to be replaced, is pretty easy thanks to the open engine bay. Things like thermostat housing, water pump, serpentine belt and tensioner/shock, and so on are easy to get at, and parts reasonably priced.

The AC systems on C-class cars are the variable pressure compressor systems, and are the most reliable of the MB systems.

The evaporator and blower motor are not buried beneath 30 hours of labour.

For driving, the compact C-Class offers decent interior room (it's a family car for us) but is easy to park and drive. The C-Pillars are a little big, but the mirrors are reasonably sized, so that makes up for it. The C-Class chassis is rock solid, and the A-Arm suspension is much better than the strut set-up in the W201/W124 cars.

The W202 has a much better reliability record than the W203 C-Class, and as a used car, they make a really good buy.


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What to buy for around $15,000 thread:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=43454&highlight=What+to+buy+for+around+%2415%2C000

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Gillybenztech posted that in his opinion the 1998 and earlier C230's were the most reliable and cheap to operate car that Mercedes ever made.

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After reading my thread, some of my thoughts aren't obvious:

The 1999 and later C230 had the Kompressor, and there have been some engine management issues with that car, as well as long term reliability issues with the supercharger.

1994-1997 C280's have the M104 straight six, but might be avoided because they will all at some point leak oil from the head gasket and need replacement. The updated headgaskets don't leak, but the repair is a $1,500 job. Also, 1994 and 1995 C280's will have the bad engine wiring harness, too, an $800 repair.

Last, the V6 from 1998- on in the C280 doesn't have engine leaks, but from 1998 to 2000 had problems with the harmonic balancer pulley that comes apart and can cause significant engine troubles.

Thus, I'd only consider a 1997-1998 C230.

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I own and drive both a 1987 300E w124, and a 1998 C230. All the above comments are very appropriate, especially those of Blackmercedes and Suginami. I would add that I like the handling and braking better on the w124, although the C230 became a lot better with Koni sport shocks, 16" rims, and Yoko ES100 tires. It is still a little much on brake dive for my tastes, and the brakes are solid unvented disks, and don't feel as competent as the w124 brakes, but have never failed to stop when I wanted. I am thinking of ss lines on the C230 just to get a more firm pedal feel.

The interior feels more cramped on the C230 than it really is, but still the w124 feels like a limo by comparison, both in front and in back, especially with a baby seat in place. Both cars have MB Tex, which feels thicker and more substantial on the 300E. The C230 has the fold down rear seat, which really increases the utility of the car over the w124. But the C230 isn't as quiet as the w124, or as fast, either.

I am not sure if the C230 is going to have an AC that is less expensive to work on than the w124, since the LCD control panel is a very expensive item if it goes away. This will probably be offset by the more open engine compartment on the c230 relative to the late 300E.

However, I have no doubt that the C230 will be easier to work on. Also, the 35mpg hiway/24mpg town is hard to beat - the 300E once got 24 hiway as it's personal best! Interestingly, while the C230 is a lot shorter than my 1987 300E, it weighs in about 100+lbs more! The C230 isn't really a dog on acceleration, but think of an early 300E with a 100 lb passenger and 10% less horsepower. The go pedal spends a fair amount of time close to the floor on acceleration, but from 40-80mph is very adequate - even quick. Upsolute makes a chip that will give the C230 about 10-15% more ponies, which would make it relatively close to a late 80's 300E, I imagine.

In an accident, I would rather be in the 300E than in the C230, despite all the airbags on the C230. That may be more of a subjective impression on my part than reality. All told, I love the early 300E, which is a lot less weight and more open under the hood than the later w124s, and handles better. I like the C230 a lot, but it comes in second to my 87 for my purposes. It would be a lot more difficult choice for me comparing a 1995 E320 to a 1998 C230 or 280. Then it would come down to roominess vs utility, power vs fuel economy. They are both great cars, but as Gilly says, the C230 will probably be less to maintain, and with the above mods, will handle pretty decently while retaining a comfortable ride. My wife drives the C230 most, and wishes it were a c280 for the acceleration, but doesn't want to give up the cornering of the lighter 230 engine
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1988 300E 223k miles and counting..