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Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans

7297 messages,  Last post on Nov 10, 2009 at 7:48 PM

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Messages Page 721 of 731

#7192 of 7297 Looking at a 2001 C240. by bafana

Sep 08, 2005 (7:18 pm)

I have the opportunity to purchase a used '01 C240 (black, not my favorite color but this car looks good in black) in mint condition with only 45,000 miles on the odometer for around $16,000. I will be new to Mercedes vehicles if I do decide to purchase this vehicle. I have read on this forum about some owners who has electrical problems with this model year. The price looks very attractive but will I regret this purchase after a month or two? The seller showed me all his maintenance records for the vehicle and nothing out of the norm showed up except that the instrument cluster had to replaced due to a faulty gas gauge. All opinions would be appreciated. Thanks.

#7193 of 7297 Re: Looking at a 2001 C240. [bafana] by tony24

Sep 11, 2005 (4:59 am)

Replying to: bafana (Sep 08, 2005 7:18 pm)
I have a 2002 C240(yes, it is not the 2001 model) but It has been in the shop more (20plus) times than I care to mention. Please do not purchase this car I hope this e-mail is not reaching you too late. Yes, I did all the maintence on my car. The car only has 22,000 miles on it. Please do your research on this car and you will see that the problems are numerous on this car by other owners. That said, it is your decision to make, you might be getting a good line. Be careful and I hope the the best for you.
 
Regards

#7194 of 7297 Re: Extended Warranty [jrct9454] by d46

Sep 11, 2005 (10:17 am)

Replying to: jrct9454 (Aug 20, 2005 11:11 am)
Thank you so much for your very informative reply. I am researching prices as we speak, and I'll let you know what I find out.

#7195 of 7297 How to reset Oil Monitor by bhw77

Sep 28, 2005 (5:37 am)

Does anyone know how to reset Oil Monitor on C230 Kompressor?

#7196 of 7297 From an AG Press Release today by dfc3

Sep 28, 2005 (3:27 pm)

AG said Wednesday it will cut 8,500 jobs in Germany at its Mercedes Car Group in a bid to return the troubled brand to profitability. The program will target workers at plants in Sindelfingen and Bremen, which produce the C-Class cars.

#7197 of 7297 Service Interval reset~C230/Kompressor '99 by msw13

Oct 15, 2005 (10:50 am)

Hi All,
I am trying to reset the FSS to its 10k start point, and the owners manual
steps won't change it! Anyone had this problem? I changed the Mobil 1
myself, and hope I don't have to have the dealer reset this, as the owners
manual seems to indicate it can be reset 'by any individual'! Thanks

#7198 of 7297 C230 vs. TL by podres

Nov 04, 2005 (10:23 am)

I am close to pulling the trigger on a manual transmission TL, but test drove a 2005 C230 manual yesterday. It has the 1.8L 4-banger kompressor engine. It is a very attractive car (disregarding reliability issues, of which I am ignorant).
 
The size strikes me as ideal. It is roomy inside, but not so large outside as to be cumbersome. Fit and finish is superb all around. The engine is very smooth, with one noticeable exception: from a standing stop, acceleration is poor until the RPMs get over 2k or so (maybe 15 mph). Then all is well.
 
The ride is excellent. quiet, firm. Great handling car. Good fuel economy, too, it appears.
 
Overall, I am torn, but am still leaning towards the TL. The reasons: more power, greater reliability, better electronics (such as bluetooth).
 
Are the 2006 engines in the C class better? Any further input in comparing TL vs. C Class?

#7199 of 7297 Re: C230 vs. TL [podres] by jrct9454

Nov 04, 2005 (2:11 pm)

Replying to: podres (Nov 04, 2005 10:23 am)
Your analysis is very savvy, so not much to add from my experience, except to answer your question about the '06s ...
 
While there is a lot of disagreement about this from current W203 owners, it's my opinion that the changes in the '06s are absolutely all good. The new base engine, a 2.5 V6, is far quieter and smoother than the 1.8, actually more economical, and just generally better all around. Since you want a manual, it's irrelevant that the new 7-spd automatic is just wonderful, as well.
 
I personally would pick a TL over a 4 cyl MB any day, but I think the choice is harder when comparing the '06s. No question that the TL will be easier to live with in terms of things-gone-wrong, but my personal bias lately has been to ignore that in favor of the better road behavior and overall demeanor of the MB.
 
And yes, I've owned at least 8 Honda products, including two Acuras...so I do know the difference...

#7200 of 7297 Re: C230 vs. TL vs. BMW by podres

Nov 07, 2005 (10:16 am)

Replying to: jrct9454 (Nov 04, 2005 2:11 pm)
Since you seem to know these cars so well, let me ask you: have you ever shopped them against BMW? How does the C230 stack up against the 325? Do either of them measure up to the 330?

#7201 of 7297 Re: C230 vs. TL vs. BMW [podres] by jrct9454

Nov 07, 2005 (1:24 pm)

Replying to: podres (Nov 07, 2005 10:16 am)
Absolutely! I drove the E90 3er very early on, a 325 with sports suspension, and a 330 without. Very impressive ride. Like all first-year cars, however, there are already issues:
 
-The run-flat tires as the ONLY available shoes are a real problem for me, and they are proving to be a real problem out there for some early E90 owners. Two issues: some cars are experiencing mid-speed-range shakes, apparently due to tires being out-of-round [looks like an issue with about 20-30% of the cars produced so far]; and if you actually USE the run-flat capability [run the car after the air goes out of a tire], then they are unrepairable and have to be replaced at $150-250 apiece, depending on size and type.
 
-Other issues include drivetrain software problems, some interior noises, and the usual
German electrical failures.
 
That said, I would say the E90 325 is probably a better car than the '06 C230 with a manual transmission; with an automatic, I think it is a complete wash - depends on how much you like your local dealer, and the slightly larger trunk of the C. I think a C280 is a noticeably better car than the E90 325, but that assumes you want an automatic, and can exercise restraint with the options list. The 330 is another animal, but most cars are selling for $40k, and I would never spend that kind of money on either a C or a 3er, period.
 
I haven't driven the new Lexus IS yet, but I think it would give both of these cars [C230 and BMW 325] a real run for their money, based on what I've read so far - and of course, even a first-year IS will be more trouble-free than any German car.
 
Based on what I know:
 
-MB: Better ride, more space, 5th year of production for most of the car's components, most useable room
-BMW: Great handling, quieter than it used to be [but still not up to MB], first-year ownership risk
-Lexus: Quietest of all, great interior finish, best dealer service, should be the most reliable, but still the tightest package in terms of interior space and trunk
 
You could argue that you can't go wrong, though in the case of the Germans I would want a good dealer around to back me up - whether anyone else will tell you or not, I will - you will spend some time there, so they had better know what they are doing.

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