Forced induction 4 cylinders, how are they.
 

I'm looking to buy one and was wondering how they were. What I'm really interested in is a W203 with a manual transmission and I've seen several of them around but was wondering about their performance and reliability.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/385079-1999-c230-opinions-please.html

i posted a similar inquiry a few months back...:)
since you don't seem to be getting much in the way of response i figure i'd go find that thread

Avoid the 4 bangers, get a v6. The m111k and m271k are packaging nightmares. Every repair begins with drain the cooling system and remove 5 miles of intake tubing. The m271 has stretchy timing chain among many other issues. If you want a manual look for an m112 powered c240 or c320 6spd, they're rare but they do exist. Also avoid the later m272 v6, it has balance shaft sprocket wear and variable intake manifold problems.

+1 on the V6, the 4 cylinders tend to have problems early on. If you decide on the W203, take a look at the link below to our site's DIY tech articles. These guides will save you a lot of headaches and $$ if you're doing the work yourself. Please let us know if you have any questions!

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W203 (2000-2007) Technical Articles – C320 E320 ML320 CLK320 SLK320 – Pelican Parts