C-Class Buying (W204)

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Alex225

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
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CLS63 AMG
So currently my other half uses her 2006 SL350 as her daily car but we are looking to start a family so four doors will be a requirement for her in the future.

She doesn't do huge mileage any more but obviously the SL isn't great on fuel (around 20mpg) so it would be good if her next car was a bit less thirsty.

Here's the thing though, looking at 07/08 W204s there's plenty around for about £7-8k which is the bracket we're considering.

Trouble is so many of those are diesels. Now I'm not averse to her buying a diesel in the sense that it'll be good on fuel and have plenty of torque, so should be generally a nice car to drive. Also, there is plenty of opportunity to take the car on long runs regularly to keep the engine healthy so that's not a problem either.

As we all know though, diesels are getting very bad press at the moment and this would be a car we'd be aiming to keep for a while. Trouble is we don't want to end up stitched if they enforce restrictions on diesels around where we live (just inside the M25).

Just gauging what would be a sensible option? There are plenty of C220 diesels around, not particularly slow and great value. Help? :dk::dk:
 
So currently my other half uses her 2006 SL350 as her daily car but we are looking to start a family so four doors will be a requirement for her in the future.

She doesn't do huge mileage any more but obviously the SL isn't great on fuel (around 20mpg) so it would be good if her next car was a bit less thirsty.

Here's the thing though, looking at 07/08 W204s there's plenty around for about £7-8k which is the bracket we're considering.

Trouble is so many of those are diesels. Now I'm not averse to her buying a diesel in the sense that it'll be good on fuel and have plenty of torque, so should be generally a nice car to drive. Also, there is plenty of opportunity to take the car on long runs regularly to keep the engine healthy so that's not a problem either.

As we all know though, diesels are getting very bad press at the moment and this would be a car we'd be aiming to keep for a while. Trouble is we don't want to end up stitched if they enforce restrictions on diesels around where we live (just inside the M25).

Just gauging what would be a sensible option? There are plenty of C220 diesels around, not particularly slow and great value. Help? :dk::dk:
Can of worms this one....I have never drived/owned a diesel.. I have to be honest tho when I bought my last C Class I ,d of had it because of its condition either in petrol or D....I am glad its a CGI tho.. as long as its auto trans it doesn't matter.. but I reckon CGI,s will be worth more ....look at the price of 2010-13 models with low mileage ?.. best of luck foxy52
 
Thanks for your reply mate. It certainly is a can of worms as it brings put he diesel debate again.

Her SL isn't hugely quick but I know it would be disappointing for her new car to be a lot slower. The C220 diesel does 0-60 in about 7.5 seconds, that's quick enough and obviously will do great MPG. The C280 petrol will hit 60 marginally quicker but with probably 10mpg or so less on average driving and higher on tax.

But, there is that kick in the nuts for diesel owners and that's the decider really as I suspect the diesel version will tick most boxes otherwise.
 
Sounds like a C250CGI could be the beastie for you! As you're thinking family, I'd suggest an S204 (estate) rather than the saloon, makes loading buggies, groceries etc much easier, especially if, like mine, it has the electric tailgate that you can open from the key fob before you get to the car!
 
Sounds like a C250CGI could be the beastie for you! As you're thinking family, I'd suggest an S204 (estate) rather than the saloon, makes loading buggies, groceries etc much easier, especially if, like mine, it has the electric tailgate that you can open from the key fob before you get to the car!

I shall look into those thank you mate. I can't say I'm overly familiar with the C Class range so it's homework time haha.

In terms of an estate, I love them, I actually think many look as good if not cooler in estate form. Sadly, she'll have none of it. :wallbash: So a saloon it is.

Stupid thing is she sees how useful my E320 is overall and how it only cost me £4k but she's a fussy b*gger so I think a C Class saloon is the one for her as she likes how it looks.
 
Funnily enough, the S204 is my wife's car, and she absolutely loves it, so easy when you do a supermarket run. We had estates when our children were young, makes going visiting so much easier. Went to saloons a couple of times when they got bigger, but went back to estates for the practicality (and have the 968 cab for fun!).

Made a big change to the car almost 2 years ago now, swopped the 16" Elegance wheels for 17" AMG 6 double spoke rims, and at the same time got away from Contisports onto Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrics. Transformed the car - ride is still excellent, car feels more secure on the road so better to drive, and it's soooo quiet compared to the contis! Look also for telephone prep, full leather (and heated seats, essential in winter with leather!), Comand is nice provided it's the one with the pop up screen (updating maps is loads cheaper than the fixed screen version!). Wish I had parking sensors - contemplating having them retrofitted by comand.co.uk.
 
Don't get a C180. I had a 59 plate C180 Sport in saloon guise. Could not have been more disappointed as the engine was gutless and that interior was not what one would expect of a Mercedes. I had it all of four weeks and couldn't wait to get **** of it..
 
C350 Sport....petrol like mine. Bugger the fuel, it`s smiles per gallon that count
 
Haha if only my other half had that mentality!

It's ok, she can be a passenger in my CLS for smiles per gallon. Her smiles arrive when the fuel tank doesn't cost her £80 to fill up each time like in her SL haha. :)

What she'd really like is reasonable performance (0-60 7-8 seconds) without killer running costs but with some creature comforts.

I need to look into the different trim levels on the C Class, creature comforts over performance will be the clincher.
 
My 280 is a 3L V6 petrol engine. Sounds lovely, pulls hard (obviously you've got to wind it up a bit more than a diesel, but 7 seconds to 60, feels like much less.

It's got wood interior trim, which I think looks much nicer and upmarket than the silver alum/plastic trim.

Good compromise?
 
Don't get a C180. I had a 59 plate C180 Sport in saloon guise. Could not have been more disappointed as the engine was gutless and that interior was not what one would expect of a Mercedes. I had it all of four weeks and couldn't wait to get **** of it..

I have a 2013 C180 and I am very happy with it. Also, second hand diesel prices are unreasonably high, you'll get a newer petrol car for the same money. Try stretching your budget for a facelift - 2011 onwards - the cars are so much better. A base spec early facelift C180 should cost around £9k-£10k.
 
Sounds like a C250CGI could be the beastie for you! As you're thinking family, I'd suggest an S204 (estate) rather than the saloon, makes loading buggies, groceries etc much easier, especially if, like mine, it has the electric tailgate that you can open from the key fob before you get to the car!

The C250 CGI has 201 bhp which is great, but that's the older 1.8L M271 engine.

The later C180 CGI had only 156 bhp but were equipped with the newer 1.6L M274 engine.
 
A facelift W204 still looks great today but the petrol engines are pretty tame on the whole hence why people choose the diesel variants..
 
Problem with facelift 204's is Comand (NTG4.5). For a start, the screen looks like an Ipad blu-tacked to the dash, then updating the maps requires a PIN from Star/Xentry (at a cost) before the DVD's (which also cost) can be loaded. Hence "second user" DVD's don't work, so updating is expensive. With pre-facelift NTG4 you can buy and use "second user" genuine MB DVD's off the forum or Ebay, install the update then sell the DVD's on, you just need to be aware that early NTG4's have a small nav partition so will only take up to V12 2014-15 (IIRC it's pre 11/2008 cars) although Comand.co.uk may have a fix for this (at a price!).
 
Chrishazle said:
Problem with facelift 204's is Comand (NTG4.5). For a start, the screen looks like an Ipad blu-tacked to the dash, then updating the maps requires a PIN from Star/Xentry (at a cost) before the DVD's (which also cost) can be loaded. Hence "second user" DVD's don't work, so updating is expensive. With pre-facelift NTG4 you can buy and use "second user" genuine MB DVD's off the forum or Ebay, install the update then sell the DVD's on, you just need to be aware that early NTG4's have a small nav partition so will only take up to V12 2014-15 (IIRC it's pre 11/2008 cars) although Comand.co.uk may have a fix for this (at a price!).

The facelift w204 screen is integrated within the dash.
 
So currently my other half uses her 2006 SL350 as her daily car but we are looking to start a family so four doors will be a requirement for her in the future.

She doesn't do huge mileage any more but obviously the SL isn't great on fuel (around 20mpg) so it would be good if her next car was a bit less thirsty.

Here's the thing though, looking at 07/08 W204s there's plenty around for about £7-8k which is the bracket we're considering.

Trouble is so many of those are diesels. Now I'm not averse to her buying a diesel in the sense that it'll be good on fuel and have plenty of torque, so should be generally a nice car to drive. Also, there is plenty of opportunity to take the car on long runs regularly to keep the engine healthy so that's not a problem either.

As we all know though, diesels are getting very bad press at the moment and this would be a car we'd be aiming to keep for a while. Trouble is we don't want to end up stitched if they enforce restrictions on diesels around where we live (just inside the M25).

Just gauging what would be a sensible option? There are plenty of C220 diesels around, not particularly slow and great value. Help? :dk::dk:

What I would say , having had my S203 and several 190E's , and having had my son born during ownership of one of said 190's , is that they are very cramped in the back for placement of an infant carrier , and the rear door apertures are so restrictive that getting the thing in and out of the car without tipping baby out is nigh on impossible .

Unless you go for an estate , the boot in one of the C Class series will fill up quite quickly with travel system and other baby stuff too , leaving little room for shopping or anything else .

See if you can get hold of an infant carrier and try putting it in the back , without tipping it up , to see what I mean .

I'd suggest looking at least at an E Class for something with decent space in the back seat and decent sized doors to get in and out of - also bear in mind it is ten times harder if in a parking space where you can't fully open the door .

My own solution was to upgrade from the 190E 2.6 ( which I loved - great car ) to a W126 500SEL : the LWB S Class had huge back doors , acres of room in the back , and was the safest , most solid car available for the least amount of money ; very comfortable too and never missed a beat during my five years ownership .

I guess your seven or eight grand would still buy a pretty decent S Class , probably looking at a W221 in that price bracket ? It would probably be the safest place you could put your new family , as well as the most spacious and comfortable .
 
Hi all thanks for all the replies, there's some great food for thought in here. :)

Derek, really appreciate your reply as well. As it happens I own a W211 myself as my daughter lives a fair distance away so I use this for picking her up. As it happens I did say to my other half about an E Class but she doesn't like how they look! :wallbash::wallbash:

Thing is she wants a four door car and prior to her SL had a soft spot for the C Class although she initially looked at the coupé.

We have some friends with a new born who recently picked up a C Class so I'm going to get her to check that out before concluding anything. Fortunately for any longer drives four up, we'd use my E320 anyway.

In terms of budget, she's hoping to sell her SL and take some money from that to use on the house after buying it's replacement so she'll be stricter than I could be haha.

My only worry about her ending up with a diesel is if our lovely government make it harder and harder to use one. We're 12 miles out from Croydon which is only just south of the proposed diesel stitch up zone. She'd look to keep the car a fair while but if they start banning them or charging more and more to use them, that wouldn't be great.
 
The only other thing I might throw into the mix - assuming only looking at Mercedes - might be an ML .

I have no first hand experience , but a friend has a newish one and it is a big , roomy thing .
 
Alex, I changed recently from a w203 C350 (same engine as your current SL) to a W204 C350 diesel.

From a child point of view, the boot size on a W204 is fine. It takes our double buggy and also the travel system (Buggaboo), although not at the same time obviously! Access to the rear is also fine as the doors open wide enough. The challenge comes with rear facing car seats. If you are over 5ft 7 it's not going to fit behind you, which means it needs to go behind the passenger and may still impact on their comfort.

Regarding the engine, having had an M272 powered car I do find the diesel in my current one disappointing from a noise and smoothness point of view. Obviously it's quick enough, but seeing where you live I suspect you, like me, won't get many opportunities to deploy it.
 

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