2016 C200 AMG Line 'new' car detail

[OldskoolRS]

Well diesel and manual I guess is a bit different from a petrol auto...I did consider an A class and drove a couple, but the ones that came up had the weaker A180 122PS engine. While I don't drive particularly fast anyway I do like to feel I have a bit in hand and they felt a bit flat and didn't seem to get any better mpg than the SLK either. I had planned to look at a CLA 180 for sale privately on Facebook, but figured the performance would be similar to the A180 I'd already driven at a dealer. I didn't want another diesel, so there didn't seem to be much other options on the CLA front. I really like the look of them too and the slightly smaller body seemed to fit better with our whole 'downsizing' style since I retired.

Funny you mention the pan roof: I nearly drove a long way to look at a C200 Sports Executive which had the pan roof. Then my wife reminded me about the hassles we had with the SLK roof leaking and I decided that it would be one less thing to have to worry about going wrong/leaking in the future. Shame because it might have helped bridge the loss of the full convertible and going to just having the one car between us.

Yours does look mint though from the photos I've seen on here, so at least you've managed to sort out the rattles as much as you can.

 

[rayaans]

I had a 2013 audi a3. It was rattle free.

Got my 2018 merceded cla after trading in the audi. Rattles everywhere. Engine is noisy. Gearbox is agricultural.

It does looks mint though can't have everything i guess.

I mainly had rattly pan roof and rattly centre console where infotainment sits. Managed to remedy both but it took several frustrating attempts.

I think the older generation of CLA was particularly bad for rattles too. I remember having an A class of that particular generation and it was pretty rattly. Mind you, the petrol engines are a lot more refined and not sure if the one you have is a renault unit?

My W204 Coupe had a rattly sunroof and that was a PITA. Luckily the one on the W205 is quite different and has been absolutely trouble free (and no rattles from it!)

 

[BigJase88]

I think the older generation of CLA was particularly bad for rattles too. I remember having an A class of that particular generation and it was pretty rattly. Mind you, the petrol engines are a lot more refined and not sure if the one you have is a renault unit?

My W204 Coupe had a rattly sunroof and that was a PITA. Luckily the one on the W205 is quite different and has been absolutely trouble free (and no rattles from it!)

I have the 2150cc merc engine. It's not bad just not as refined as the 2.0l tdi VAG offering of the time

With the cost of diesel looking back i wish i had opted for the equivalent petrol varient as any mpg saving is swallowed up with the cost at the pumps

 

[rayaans]

I have the 2150cc merc engine. It's not bad just not as refined as the 2.0l tdi VAG offering of the time

With the cost of diesel looking back i wish i had opted for the equivalent petrol varient as any mpg saving is swallowed up with the cost at the pumps

Ah yes that old unit. I believe its been going for donkeys years and its somewhat similiar to the one my mum had back in 2004 in her C220. Luckily they've had a new 2.0l diesel since 2016 which is much improved.

 

[BigJase88]

Ah yes that old unit. I believe its been going for donkeys years and its somewhat similiar to the one my mum had back in 2004 in her C220. Luckily they've had a new 2.0l diesel since 2016 which is much improved.

Strange that as mine is a 2018. Guess they just used what they had left until the 2nd gen CLA came out.

Luckily for me it has no AdBlue which is nice

 

[OldskoolRS]

I used to get caught out with Adblue on my company C220d as it always seemed to run out before the service. At first my firm were a bit reluctant to reimburse us for buying it too...until I suggested that if I didn't buy any the car would stop at some point and refuse to start, so it would cost them a hire car for me to get to customers and a breakdown call out, etc.

I had the 2150cc diesel in my 65 plate C220d with the 7 speed auto. It was a bit gruff, but quietened down a bit once on the motorway where I spent most of my time in it. Plus point being that is was 'over 2 litres' so I got a small amount extra per mile on expenses, but being the steady driver I am I got as much mpg as my previous under 2 litre diesel BMW so I did OK while I had that car. The excess helped cover much of my private mileage. It went the other way earlier this year though with the 1950cc C220d and the high price of diesel...

 

[OldskoolRS]

Not so much detailing, but I did the oil and filter change this morning. I did give the various covers a clean while they were off the car and also under the front bumper while I had it jacked up. The oil filter housing got a clean too.

I was surprised how many parts I had to remove to get to the sump bolt and the oil filter housing:



Even I'm not going to clean under this part though as the top cover goes over it and of course it's all hidden by the bonnet too:



Filter is fairly buried, but I guess it's not an everyday job to change it:




Service indicator reset now that I've done all the filters and the oil this morning. I suppose I should have waited until I do the gearbox filter and oil next week, but it's a bit of a debate as to when that ought to be done anyway.

Mid oil change the post lady came, so I've now got some Poorboys SSR 3 to try on a couple of marks that SSR2 didn't get out. Also got a small touch up paint pen, so I can sort out a few stone chips, then polish them in.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

I went to Holt in my Daughter’s ‘A’ class on Monday. She said she had cleaned it over the weekend. Well, the bodywork was cleanish, the wheels were filthy as were the doorshuts. I daren’t look under the bonnet but I bet that is a real treat. The foot wells were full of filth from people’s shoes. I felt like I wanted to demonstrate what cleaning a car really was but just held my tongue.

Everywhere gets cleaned when I wash a car particularly under the bonnet and most certainly in the door shuts. Where she learned to clean a car like that God only knows

I've been married for over 40 years and there's always been a His and Her car , from memory Her has only cleaned Her car once in that time and the state of the front footwell was something to behold. In her defence the house is always pristine and I've never been able to understand the different mindset of house and car.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

I think creaking / rattles is a Mercedes in general thing

Two "E" coupes and the current "C" class , no creaks or rattles ,

 

[A.J.]

I think creaking / rattles is a Mercedes in general thing

No, disagree with that. I have had 4 C Classes now and not one of them rattled, shook or creaked

 

[RogerSausage]

No, disagree with that. I have had 4 C Classes now and not one of them rattled, shook or creaked

I concur, my C Class was built 23 years ago and there isn't a single creak or rattle either

 

[OldskoolRS]

I've been married for over 40 years and there's always been a His and Her car , from memory Her has only cleaned Her car once in that time and the state of the front footwell was something to behold. In her defence the house is always pristine and I've never been able to understand the different mindset of house and car.

We've been together 25 years and it was only 4 years ago that we bought a car between us. I knew that I'd be the one wanting and trying to keep it clean, but at least she makes the effort to park well away from other cars in an attempt to avoid car park dents. The recently bought C200 is our only car, though we are both insured on our son's Fiesta so she will sometimes use that for shorter local trips if she needs to carry something, if not she'll walk or cycle. I'm toying with the idea of buying another cheap Fiesta as a sideline of doing up cars since I retired, but also as a 'shed' so I have a car I'm less bothered about getting dirty or scratched.

She does have a knack of getting in a car once and leaving more mess on the carpets than I would in a whole week though...almost like she walks across a muddy field, then through a pile of builders sand and gravel before getting it.

I got a reply from the dealers and they confirmed that they will reimburse me for a new number plate from Halfords: I think I will fit it using the original MB mounts as I've just refitted the chrome surround using 3 of them and have fitted an M5 threaded insert I got of eBay to replace where they pulled the original on out. I've only stuck it in with clear silicon for now, but I think I can clamp it in place from inside once I take the lining out as this insert is threaded right through. The surround/number plate rattle when I close the boot, so I want to get this done soon. I need some larger yellow screw covers as the ones I have aren't big enough to fit the M5 screw head inside.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

If you've fixed the surround with 3 screws the rattle could be the actual plate being loose in the surround.Some thin foam pads between them should fix it.

 

[OldskoolRS]

Yes I might try that for now. I've ordered some yellow plastic M5 screws and I'll get the new number plate soon, so I can drill it to match the Mercedes threads and do away with the surround. I want to make sure the thread insert is sealed from water ingress and secured from inside first. It's such a stupid thing, but it really grates me, especially when I saw a car recently (not a Mercedes admittedly) that had a great big rust patch obviously coming from the number plate screw hole area.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Sorry, but not a fan of numberplates on MB with the 4 bolts holding them on. Water will probably get into the plate and delaminate it.

 

[A.J.]

Yes I might try that for now. I've ordered some yellow plastic M5 screws and I'll get the new number plate soon, so I can drill it to match the Mercedes threads and do away with the surround. I want to make sure the thread insert is sealed from water ingress and secured from inside first. It's such a stupid thing, but it really grates me, especially when I saw a car recently (not a Mercedes admittedly) that had a great big rust patch obviously coming from the number plate screw hole area.

Sorry, but not a fan of numberplates on MB with the 4 bolts holding them on. Water will probably get into the plate and delaminate it.

Much nicer if you stick them on with 3M double sided sticky pads. Like Scooby I am not a fan of screw heads on number plates

 

[BigJase88]

I never used to like screws in a numberplate. However after my numberplate falling off i now stick screws in all of them.

It is a detail that nobody notices anyways

 

[OldskoolRS]

Only trouble with the C Class is that the four factory threads sit proud of the boot panel, so you need really thick tape to hold them on. That's a possible water trap and source of rust, so I'd rather replace a delaminated number plate in a few years time. I use Bilt Hamber wax spray to protect the area behind the number plate too I think given the extra holes it now has. I'll paint the two the garage did first though.

It's funny how certain things seem to trigger people though; I'd never have given it a thought if they'd screwed the damn thing on straight to start with.

A friend was saying about me putting a vanity/private plate on it, but I replied that the only people I'd be trying to impress already know it's a 16 plate (ie him and few other friends) so what's the point? My brother in law will be putting his on when he gets his C200 this weekend, but it's just a random one that happens to have his initials on. Oddly a number of C Class I saw for sale had my initials as the first two letters, but never in the right spec, or mileage to work out. If I'd looked hard enough I could have found one with 65 too which is my birth year, though would have been older than the one I ended up with.

 

[BigJase88]

Only trouble with the C Class is that the four factory threads sit proud of the boot panel, so you need really thick tape to hold them on. That's a possible water trap and source of rust, so I'd rather replace a delaminated number plate in a few years time. I use Bilt Hamber wax spray to protect the area behind the number plate too I think given the extra holes it now has. I'll paint the two the garage did first though.

It's funny how certain things seem to trigger people though; I'd never have given it a thought if they'd screwed the damn thing on straight to start with.

A friend was saying about me putting a vanity/private plate on it, but I replied that the only people I'd be trying to impress already know it's a 16 plate (ie him and few other friends) so what's the point? My brother in law will be putting his on when he gets his C200 this weekend, but it's just a random one that happens to have his initials on. Oddly a number of C Class I saw for sale had my initials as the first two letters, but never in the right spec, or mileage to work out. If I'd looked hard enough I could have found one with 65 too which is my birth year, though would have been older than the one I ended up with.

Same with mine the mounting holes are very proud of the plate area.

Currently mine is just held with the two top most screws but rattles as the boot closes and sounds dreadful. I was going to just stick the bottom with tape to stop it vibrating but on looking yesterday i didn't think that was a viable option. So likely have to screw the bottom too

 

[A.J.]

I never used to like screws in a numberplate. However after my numberplate falling off i now stick screws in all of them.

It is a detail that nobody notices anyways

I think detail is important to the overall appearance. But then I am a fussy bugge2