C Class c200 or c280 advice

[ash1212002]

Due to change of circumstances, looking for a petrol w204 c200 or c280 will be used for short journeys 2 miles to and from work and the odd long journey

Apart from the difference in bhp and tax

Any pros or cons on which engine I should go for, which is more reliable, any weaknesses etc

Cheers!

 

[ash1212002]

Bump anyone?

 

[alecmascot]

Work out which model year you will be buying. Find the engine code, probably M271 M272 for an older W204, and search the forum.

 

[ash1212002]

It'll be the kompressor 200 or 280 petrol 2008/09. I've searched the forum not much info out there on these

 

[190]

The C200 will be a M271 which is 4 cyl 1.8L Kompressor engine. The C280 will be an M272 which is a V6 3.0 L naturally aspirated engine . Both engines can have problems with timing chains and you should be able to find lots of information with an internet search.

 

[MancMike]

Hi, Ash.

I’ve a 280. Mine’s a 57 plate M272 E30. My engine number is after those trouble with timing chain sprocket issue.

I’ve had it for 4 years, short journeys, driven hard regularly, get 20mpg average.

It’s a wonderful engine, pulls hard, sounds epic and has been very reliable so far. I’ve changed a few bits but I’d call that wear and tear not unreliability.

You won’t regret a 3L petrol V6.

Anything you want to know, lemme know.

 

[ash1212002]

Hi, Ash.

I’ve a 280. Mine’s a 57 plate M272 E30. My engine number is after those trouble with timing chain sprocket issue.

I’ve had it for 4 years, short journeys, driven hard regularly, get 20mpg average.

It’s a wonderful engine, pulls hard, sounds epic and has been very reliable so far. I’ve changed a few bits but I’d call that wear and tear not unreliability.

You won’t regret a 3L petrol V6.

Anything you want to know, lemme know.

Cheers, how big is the tank? How many miles do you get on a full tank in short journeys and long journeys?

Is it safe to say after 57 plate there are no timing chain issues?

What have you replaced since ownership?

Ideally i would one with heated seats, the bigger sat nav and xenons which appear to be rare! Not many C280s around either!

 

[markjay]

Unfortunately there is no 'safe' variant of the M271 engine, early or late. You should be fine if the car has reasonable mileage and a complete service history with the corrects MB-spec oil used (229.3/229.5), but in reality it can be difficult to be sure. So unless you know the car or the owner then sadly I would advise to steer clear of the M271 engine. And I say this as someone who ran a car with the M271 engine for 9 years with no issues whatsoever - but I knew how I had it serviced.

 

[markjay]

The W204 had a facelift in 2011. The facelift car has updated dashboard including new instrument cluster and new infotainment system and screen.

In either case you have a choice between the basic Audio 20 with the smaller screen, or the higher-end COMAND unit with the bigger screen (COMAND NTG4 and pop-up screen on the pre-facelift, COMAND NTG4.5 and fixed screen on the post-facelift).

COMAND is the better system and also has build-in navigation, though on some facelift models a basic navigation system can be added to Audio 20 (called Becker Map Pilot).

If you find a car with COMAND as opposed to Audio20, you will have have the better infotainment system and the bigger screen. And if you also find a car with the optional Harman Kardon sound system, you will have great audio as well.

 

[MancMike]

Cheers, how big is the tank? How many miles do you get on a full tank in short journeys and long journeys?

Is it safe to say after 57 plate there are no timing chain issues?

What have you replaced since ownership?

Ideally i would one with heated seats, the bigger sat nav and xenons which appear to be rare! Not many C280s around either!

No, not many around. Mine is an elegance, and has Xenons which are great.

It’s 60L, you can get a bit more in if you brim it. I don’t know about tanks, as I don’t often brim it and when I do it’s always a mix of driving anyway, I.e one long journey and the rest normal commutes.

My commute to work is mostly motorway but only 13 miles, I get around 27mpg if it’s clear and I’m gentle, or 24mpg if I’m late for work.

The way home is always busy, no motorway and is 9 miles, I get between 18 and 20mpg normally.

On a long run on the motorway sticking to the limits, you can expect 34mpg. I’ve had 40mpg once, but that was a real effort.

The official figures are 20 urban, 40 extra urban and of course 30 combined.

Other than service items, I’ve replaced the thermostat, the coolant temperature sensor, and the drive belt and tensioner, which were all done on my driveway. It’s a big engine in a small space, so there’s barely a fist of room all around it. How they fit the 6.2 V8 in I don’t know.

Being a V6 it has 6 plugs obviously, 2 air filter panels, 8.5L of oil.

It’s 231bhp, 300nm torque.

The 280 is also the first of them that has a fat tail pipe either side, of you care for symmetry.

I’m not sure about “safe to say any past 57 plate”, you’re always best checking engine numbers. There’s a thread on it here somewhere.

Mine is at 115k now. Was bought at about 65k.

 

[markjay]

The fuel tank on my 2013 C180 is 66L. The datacard does say 'higher-capacity fuel tank' so not sure if they are all like that....

 

[ash1212002]

I think I may have to consider the w204 c200 petrol as I cant see achieving 20mpg on the c280 given that my commute to work shall be 2 miles!

my budget is max 7k looking preferably with low mileage petrol w204, I think the facelift w205 would be out of my price range!

I would have considered a w204 non dpf diesel but in light of the miles i'd be doing I don't think the diesel would be the right option and also new tax rules are coming in where the government will increase the tax on diesel

 

[Williamwoo]

my budget is max 7k looking preferably with low mileage petrol w204, I think the facelift w205 would be out of my price range!

The facelift version of the 204 is still referred to as a 204. The 205 (the current version of the C-class) is a completely different model.

 

[ash1212002]

ah ok, thanks for the correction, I think that face lift would be out of my budget too

How does the Kompressor compare to the Blue efficiency in terms of superchager vs turbo reliability and bhp

 

[190]

I have a manual 2009 blue efficiency model with a Kompressor. My understanding is the kompressor itself is trouble free. The Kompressor oil can be changed even though it's supposed to be filled for life. Power is 154 HP and torque 170 ftlbs. My average MPG over 3 years to date is 44.82 MPG but you won't get anything like that doing a 2 mile short commute to work. That will drag it down to 30 MPG at best. The only non motorway commutes I do are 10 miles each way and it will do 38 - 40 MPG in that sort of use. Fuel tank capacity is 66 L

 

[ash1212002]

I was under the impression the blue efficiency models had turbo chargers and the pre BE models had the kompressor?

I'm considering the c200 which has 184 bhp auto

the c280 i think I will have to dismiss as I can see the mpg being a lot worse compared to the c200

 

[grober]

Mercedes-Benz M271 engine - Wikipedia
The DE18LA (M271Evo, 271.8XX) turbo engine switch happened in 2009 atho its always difficult to precisely relate the changeover to any particular car around that time as it varied slightly for different markets and the selling-off of existing dealer stock. Fuel injection became CGI direct cylinder injection at the same time. Mercedes-Benz M271 CGI Engine - Details & Specs

 

[Abb]

the c280 i think I will have to dismiss as I can see the mpg being a lot worse compared to the c200

Is MPG that much of an issue for a 2 mile daly commute? A journey that you could walk? Reason behind it, surely it would be to have the better/reliable engine at those commuting figures?

 

[ash1212002]

Is MPG that much of an issue for a 2 mile daly commute? A journey that you could walk? Reason behind it, surely it would be to have the better/reliable engine at those commuting figures?

Unfortunately public transport is not great where I am, from time to time every month or so will travel from Coventry to Preston


definitely would want a better/reliable engine! so is the c280 engine more reliable than the c200 engine?

 

[MancMike]

I think I may have to consider the w204 c200 petrol as I cant see achieving 20mpg on the c280 given that my commute to work shall be 2 miles!

With a commute of 2 miles, the engine sizes becomes less relevant. I think with a commute that short, you'll be shocked at the economy you'll average from a small engine too, as you don't reap the economy benefits until up to temperature.