2016 C200 AMG Line 'new' car detail

[OldskoolRS]

Finally got the log book back and I have an email confirming that the dealers will re-imburse me for a new rear number plate so that's a job later this week. I happened to go to Halfords a few days ago and noticed they were fitting number plates for someone, so I went and had a chat with the Halfords guy: The logo is very small as someone else said earlier this thread. Funny thing was the old plates being changed were from the same dealer as mine...I wonder if they were as wonky before they came off.

I've hardly driven the car lately: We found it so handy having my son's Fiesta to use for local/shopping trips (to protect the C200 from car park dents) that I decided to buy a cheap car for us to use now that he has passed his test and is using the Fiesta to go to work. It keeps my no claims going too as the C200 is on my wife's insurance which I'm named on. Our son put us on his Fiesta insurance as it made it cheaper and means we could borrow it if need be.

I picked up a cheap 09 plate Ford Ka with a few scuffs and a slight dent in the rear wing for peanuts; it's £30 a year to tax, cost £10 to swap my insurance over from the Fiesta (now my son has insured it) and does over 55pmg. I even managed to re-gas the air con and get it working again, though a few days too late for the record breaking weather last week. My son can drive it (third party) on his Fiesta insurance too, so it's a back up car for us all.

Gave the C200 a quick wash ready for a trip out to the coast tomorrow. Surprising how dusty and covered in insect poo that it gets just sat on the drive. Looking forward to a run in it after a week of local trips in the Ka.

The good thing about the Ka is that I can fit all my band gear in the boot, so I won't worry about parking the C200 out the back of some pub and if it gets the odd mark on it. Fender Stratocaster, Marshall amp, pedalboard, mic stand and a gig bag full of cables...just about fits in there:



I plan to do the gearbox oil/filter change on the C200 next month, though hoping to actually start on my retirement project RS2000 now the three road cars are pretty much up to scratch.

 

[OldskoolRS]

We've had our C200 3 months now, still only added 1500 miles on it and only because we've been away on three longer trips. It sits on the drive for a week or two at a time and we use the 'shopping trolley' Ka for the local stuff or anywhere I wouldn't want to park the C200. It does mean that when I get back in it again I feel a bit spoilt with the auto box and general comfort, etc after the Ka. It's like being on holiday in a decent hire car.

Currently down in Cornwall after I went to a Navy reunion in Plymouth at the weekend. I took it steady along the M4/M5 and due to Friday traffic I could only do about 65 most of the way anyway, often a bit less. Bonus was that when we arrived in Plymouth we'd got 47mpg. Really can't grumble at that for a 2 litre petrol auto that got us there in comfort. It dropped down a bit more yesterday as the route to where we are staying is lots of narrow twisty roads, but it's parked up now for most of our stay.

Due to the hose pipe ban in my area I haven't washed it for about a month (been busy doing music stuff and a few little jobs on the Ka too). I plan to strip off the sealant I put on it and give it a coat of something hybrid/ceramic before we start getting into winter. I'm leaving the gearbox oil/filter change until spring now too, though I might order the oil/parts anyway just incase I feel like getting it done and I guess the prices will only go up too.

I never got round to sorting out the number plate, so I guess it's going to keep the chrome surround for a while now. We've had so much on since I finished work due to losing my Dad and my Mother in law a while back and the various legal stuff to deal with. I quite like the look of the surround now to be honest.

 

[BfgSLKMan]

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.

In Germany it is normal to fit number plate surround holders (as metal plates they are a buit thinner) that often advertise the dealer. Recently the trend is towards more invisible mounting and I have swapped mine over to a hook and loop holder. Essentially two bits of velcro (in old money) that are about 5mm shorter than the number plate. No issues on the front as the plynth is flat but like you I encountered the plastic screw receptpors on the boot. What I did was take the inner tailgate cover off and prise them out and then put the velcro piece where I wanted the plate to sit. No water will ever get in the holes as the velco is a waterproof design. You put the pther piece on the back of the number plate and hey presto. You can get them off, but you need a flat plastic scrapper and about 3 hands so they will never fall off and proably more secure against casual theft than a bit of tape. Could be an option for you to go hole free in the number plate?

 

[OldskoolRS]

I've just got used to how it is, so I won't bother changing it now I think. The holes in the number plate don't bother me either. I decided there are more important things to worry about I suppose.

A coat of something to protect it over the winter and that'll do. It doesn't go out much, so I'm hoping it'll stay pretty good over the winter and we'll use the Ka for all the local trips on the salty roads.

 

[OldskoolRS]

Haven't posted on here for a while. I gave the car a good 2 bucket wash just before our eldest's wedding and stripped off the coating of BH Double wax I'd put on in the summer. I decided to try some Autoglym Ceramic Spray, which I know isn't quite the same as a proper ceramic coat, but it goes on really easily and is still beading nicely nearly two months on. It can be topped up easily too whenever I get chance for another wash (currently still under a hose pipe ban where I live).






Due to not driving the car a lot we started to think about possibly selling it to we buy any car and downsizing. WBAC were offering about £1k less than we paid in June which seemed a fair hit as it was bought from a dealer. I looked at all sorts of options for around £10k mark (so we'd have some left over after selling the C200), but once I limited my search to autos the other options didn't seem so good. Either higher road tax, poorer mpg and/or really downsizing to something I wouldn't really want to drive up to visit my family 300 miles away (although it's usually once a year trip, so we could still hire a car for that trip). We tend to go most places in my old Ka, though some are places I wouldn't want to leave the C200 and I don't like to use it for short trips.


Anyway, we took it out for a run recently and I was reminded how nice it is to drive and on the 20 mile trip I wasn't driving particularly slowly but it still got 40mpg (my Ka averages about 46mpg due to all the short trips). Came to the conclusion that we just need to make a point of using more and just enjoy it. Hoping to get some money through soon from my late Dad's estate so I will treat it to a new pair of front tyres as currently budget ones on the front. I'm happy with the Avon ZT7 on the back (they were new when we bought it). In the spring I'll do the gearbox oil and filter change too.



I still love the colour too; looks silver in some lights and other times the blue really stands out as you can see from the above pictures.

 

[A.J.]

Due to not driving the car a lot we started to think about possibly selling it to we buy any car and downsizing. WBAC were offering about £1k less than we paid in June which seemed a fair hit as it was bought from a dealer.

Have you tried Motorway, they seem to come up with stronger numbers that EBAC.

 

[OldskoolRS]

I didn't. A friend suggested it as he sold his wife's Audi TT to them, but I never got to that stage having now decided to keep it.

We'd have maybe ended up with a higher mileage 2016 Mini Cooper 1.5 auto and perhaps £5-6k in our pocket. To be fair it would cover most of the driving outside of the very local stuff and band gigs/rehearsals I do in the Ka, but I wouldn't relish driving up to visit my family 300 miles away in it. Plus said Mini would probably need a good going over to get it up the standard that the C200 is now. Same for the other option a BMW 1 series, except I was told to avoid the earlier 1.6 petrol models, so the later 1.5 3 cylinder ones would have left considerably less in our pocket.

The 1 series and Mini would be a bit cheaper to tax, but the C200 is really good on fuel considering it's size and comfort, so it's a hard act to follow especially as we need an auto.

On the plus side it means I can look to change my Ka for something newer/sportier later next year: I've got my eye on an Abarth 595 which is essentially a similar car underneath, but with about double the power. Quite different from the C200, which I think helps as at one point it looked like we'd have an auto Mini and a newer Fiat 500 which aren't massively different cars. The only thing is that I'm now used to £30 road tax, so the Abarth at £165 seems expensive (though the same as the C200).

 

[BigJase88]

I have a mini cooper 2018 1.5 auto.

Fun car to drive if you get one with the stock 15" wheels. Suprisingly quick too.

The bigger you go up in wheel diameter the less fun you get.

 

[OldskoolRS]

I have a mini cooper 2018 1.5 auto.

Fun car to drive if you get one with the stock 15" wheels. Suprisingly quick too.

The bigger you go up in wheel diameter the less fun you get.

My wife used to have the much older R50 model with a 1.6 engine and it was fun to drive, so that's why we started looking at Minis again (since the C200 is actually her car), but it's no replacement for the C200 really when we want a relaxing drive on a longer journey.

Maybe a consideration for a Ka replacement in manual form, but I'm drawn to the Abarth for some reason. Partly due to price as to get a sensible mileage 1.5 Cooper I'd have to spend quite a bit more than the Abarths. The 1.5 model didn't come out until about 2016 (wouldn't touch the 1.6 model from 2014 or so). Plus point is the Cooper's road tax is much lower than the Abarth, so it depends on prices/availability when I'm in a position to look seriously.

At least the idea that we might sell the C200 stopped me rushing off and adding some of the stuff that I'd been considering such as boot spoiler and changing the grille for the later spec. I never did sort out the rear number plate, so I will get round to that at some point.

At least having got my wife's car sorted, my son's car and my own little runabout all ready for the winter I can now crack on with my retirement project and get on restoring my 1979 RS2000.

 

[A.J.]

I have a mini cooper 2018 1.5 auto.

Fun car to drive if you get one with the stock 15" wheels. Suprisingly quick too.

The bigger you go up in wheel diameter the less fun you get.

My toy is a 2020 VW Polo GTi+. .......2.0 turbo, 200bhp and 326nm of torque. Bluddy quick

 

[OldskoolRS]

My toy is a 2020 VW Polo GTi+. .......2.0 turbo, 200bhp and 326nm of torque. Bluddy quick

I bet that makes a nice contrast to your C200. Probably a bit faster than an old fart like me needs though.


(Won't stop me going on a little Autotrader rabbit hole over my coffee now though ).

EDIT: Starting prices somewhat higher than I'm looking at for a nippy run about.

 

[BigJase88]

Abarths are fun. They are bloody rock hard though. Like driving a steam roller.

What about a fiesta st. They are nippy and by all accounts / reviews about the best small hatch you can buy.

Obviously though some toe rags do drive them but if you can find an unabused example

 

[OldskoolRS]

Yes I've looked at the Fiesta. My son has a basic 1.2 60ps Fiesta 'Style' which is not bad, though obviously lacks a bit of umph. There is a 'Zetec Red edition' that has 140ps and still cheap road tax, though as you say finding an un-abused example might be the problem. I'm also a bit wary of the 3 cylinder engine as I've read some horror stories about sudden overheating and subsequent engine damage. Supposedly sorted after a recall though and there are so many 3 cylinder Fords around I can't believe it's as bad as some make out.

I will need to try an Abarth to see if the ride is too hard for my tastes. The Ka is like a sponge though actually quite fun to bomb about down the country lanes to and from where our band rehearse...doesn't go fast enough to cause risk to my licence either.

To be honest I'd maybe be happy with the slightly faster 105ps TwinAir 500 as a softer option. Maybe even a 500C version, but the 105ps models are hard to find in the convertible version. They also have engine issues, but a couple of particular jobs that should be done as soon as possible after purchase, then regular oil changes after that and should be just as reliable as the other options.

It's fun researching to while away the winter months as I think it'll be late summer before I'm really in the market. I feel happy that we've decided to keep the C200 though...mainly due to some pension and general finance wobbles that made me start thinking to cut back and free up a bit of cash. Hopefully things on the up on that side soon though.

 

[A.J.]

Yes I've looked at the Fiesta. My son has a basic 1.2 60ps Fiesta 'Style' which is not bad, though obviously lacks a bit of umph. There is a 'Zetec Red edition' that has 140ps and still cheap road tax, though as you say finding an un-abused example might be the problem. I'm also a bit wary of the 3 cylinder engine as I've read some horror stories about sudden overheating and subsequent engine damage. Supposedly sorted after a recall though and there are so many 3 cylinder Fords around I can't believe it's as bad as some make out.

I will need to try an Abarth to see if the ride is too hard for my tastes. The Ka is like a sponge though actually quite fun to bomb about down the country lanes to and from where our band rehearse...doesn't go fast enough to cause risk to my licence either.

To be honest I'd maybe be happy with the slightly faster 105ps TwinAir 500 as a softer option. Maybe even a 500C version, but the 105ps models are hard to find in the convertible version. They also have engine issues, but a couple of particular jobs that should be done as soon as possible after purchase, then regular oil changes after that and should be just as reliable as the other options.

It's fun researching to while away the winter months as I think it'll be late summer before I'm really in the market. I feel happy that we've decided to keep the C200 though...mainly due to some pension and general finance wobbles that made me start thinking to cut back and free up a bit of cash. Hopefully things on the up on that side soon though.

I think the term for the ride of the Abarth is like being dragged down the road on a tray !

PS. Don’t forget they have a Zero Encap star rating

 

[BigJase88]

I think the term for the ride of the Abarth is like being dragged down the road on a tray !

PS. Don’t forget they have a Zero Encap star rating

Zero

 

[ALFAitalia]

Nope....they get the full 5 stars.....from NCAP.....but was only 3 stars back in 2017.

"The Abarth 595 retains the full five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating of the Fiat 595 and all models come with hill-hold assist, ESP and Torque Transfer Control which manages the delivery of power to the front wheels."

 

[OldskoolRS]

I doubt my current Mk2 Ka is any higher in crash worthiness testing as it's the same car underneath, so no biggy otherwise I'd be driving everywhere in the C200.

I saw the Alfa Mito has the same 0.9 TwinAir engine as the Fiat 500 comes with, but I guess the extra weight of the Mito blunts the performance, so it's not so lively as the 105ps Fiat 500. I just fancy something a bit more quirky as the runabout, though my inner tightwad mindset makes it harder to look at cars with higher road tax than the C200, so I tend to go back to the £30 or less a year ones. Ultimately unless small and light they aren't going to be that fast if the emissions are low enough to be under £30 road tax though...no free lunch as they say.

I also wonder what's going to happen to the cheaper petrol car road tax given the EV road tax announcement recently. I'd feel a bit sore paying £300+ a year for a runabout that does less than 5k a year.

 

[A.J.]

Zero

Nope....they get the full 5 stars.....from NCAP.....but was only 3 stars back in 2017.

"The Abarth 595 retains the full five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating of the Fiat 595 and all models come with hill-hold assist, ESP and Torque Transfer Control which manages the delivery of power to the front wheels."

Sorry, my mistake, I didn't check before I opened my mouth, I thought it was the 500 but it applies to Fiat Panda

 

[MEMERC7]

I'll leave it on then.

It doesn't bother me, though it does seem to trigger some people.

I spotted some feint scuffs along the lower part of the passenger door yesterday as I buffed the EGP in the sunshine, so I went over them with the DA and removed 99% of them. Just waiting for some eBay deliveries now though a shame they are spread over the next three days rather than all at once: Replacement wheel centres, the number plate surround, all the service parts/filters/oil and even some spare batteries for the key fobs.

I'm waiting to hear back from our local garage for a quote to do the gearbox oil/filter. However I think I'll end up doing it myself once I check how much space I will have if I put the car up on my ramps. I can buy the service kit of geniune parts/oil from MB Newcastle for £155 and figures so far elsewhere on this forum indicate £350 mark to have it done, so I'd rather save £200 and DIY. I have time now I'm retired so £200 saving for an afternoon's work seems a fair swap.

Keep the AMG badge - be assured that annoying those who indignantly huff & huff about such things is enormous fun.

 

[A.J.]

I bet that makes a nice contrast to your C200. Probably a bit faster than an old fart like me needs though.


(Won't stop me going on a little Autotrader rabbit hole over my coffee now though ).

EDIT: Starting prices somewhat higher than I'm looking at for a nippy run about.

I am an old fart too but it doesn't stop me having a bit of fun