C Class W203 Fault\s traits

[MSG2004]

Hello
I've bought a used c class from mercedes which was about 10 months old c180k, on the 53 plate.

Problems, pulling to the left - cured after three visits and they had the car for more than 2 weeks.

The drivers side window is making clicking noise on open/closing it.

The rear passenger side speaker is making crackling noise.

The engine on most cold start ups and after short trips sounds like a disel engine.

the rear seat behind driver is not fully secured.

the boot closed with a big effort - sorted by mb.

Clonking - fixed at the same time when in for the pulling to the left.

clonking - i think it's coming back after about 4 weeks?

I drive carefully and have not hit a speed bump at spped or a large pot hole.

Steering has always felt heavy, but not as heavy since the pulling has been sorted.


Any other TRAITS anyone else is aware of?



please state if car is like mine or a face lift as the steering is lighter on that.

 

[Dave Kerr]

I had an 03/03 C220 CDI for two years and never had anything go wrong, no pulling to the left, nothing. The only time it went to the dealers was for a service.
I live in Worcestershire now where the council would rather have claims against them than resurface the roads.
I also work well off the beaten track so I drive on unclassified single roads most of the way to work which is mostly populated by tractors and full of pot holes.
The car had parameter steering which I did not appreciate until I changed to the new facelift C220, it felt light all the time.

Last Saturday I changed to a new C220 facelift model. On Tuesday I opened the boot which I noticed had to be banged down a few times to shut. On my return to the car the warning light came on saying my boot was open, got out and checked it was shut. I also noticed that the red light was on on the interior button. The boot then wouldn't open with the interior switch or the fob.
Got home switched off the engine and the boot opened and has been fine since.

I imported my last car from a Dutch dealer and I started to wonder if there is another track in which the UK dealer cars go down. This track maybe is used for training people before they move onto the track for the rest of the world

Dave

 

[portzy]

Hello. Please bear in mind mine's a Coupe.

Yep mine pulled left but was cured eventually.

Steering is very heavy up to about 10/15 mph and certainly hard work when three point turning.

RVM has a slight buzz but goes quiet after a couple on minutes when the interior has warmed up a bit

Slight, penny piece sized, paint defect that apparently only I can see.

Moon roof trim (one of) was skewiff but now sorted.

Wheel centre caps came apart but MB gave me new ones which are now OK.

Rain guards behind rear discs are REALLY sharp so beware!

Thats about it but whenever I get another it will have parameter steering I'm afraid.

Cheers.
Portzy.

 

[Dave Kerr]

I have to wonder just what we all expect from cars nowadays and if you are expecting too much.
From 1991 after my pride & joy new VW Sirocco was stolen I gave up on cars completely and bought a £300 FSO it was great park where I wanted, it started and eventually would get me to where I wanted to go. Plastic was hard as nails in the winter and to hot to sit in in the summer, no gadgets other than an engine.
My father died in '94 and my Mum gave me his '93 Hyundai X2 Pony, great car loads of gadgets and cost £7K new. I drove this without hardly a fault for 9 years and 130K miles until I got my new MB C220 CDI in March '03 there may have been some faults but as long as it started and didn't break down I didn't go looking for them.
Has everyone here always had fault free cars in the past?
MB's like most other cars have some fantastic technology today and sometimes some things are bound to go wrong but from what I hear most of the faults are very minor and don't stop you from getting from A to B.
I would interested to hear what you all think, are we expecting too much?

Dave

 

[neilrr]

I think the main problem with newer MBs is they're not W201 190Es!

 

[MSG2004]

Thanks all.
Dave - I've been drving 28 years since the age of 17 and nearly always had a new car - ford, vauxhall, audi, vw, and a bmw for a very short period - th other cars i kep for about 3 years on average - non had the problems that my merc has. I don't go looking for problems but I notice things as i drive carefully and the only driver on my car. I paid good money for the 10 month old merc, one ownner with low miles from MB and they should not make claims if they cannot keep them. Of all the cars I've owned, the Mondeo, audi 80E and vaux caviler never had a problem apart refom wear and tear on tyres and breaks.

Re mercs - i understand the tyres wear out very quicly as well.

If this thread receives many more posts - i will at sometime try to summarise all the faults/traits of the w203, pre face lift and face lift models - and also point out how many posters had similar experiences.


Neilrr: The main technician at the local mb garage said that if mb was to provide all the toys and the quality of the old 190E/w210 - the cars would be costing aprox 80k. Therefore, they should make their mind up. I understand that the new class, on the face of it feels solid?

 

[neilrr]

MSG2004,
See my post above yours for an explanation of your predicament, common to owners of MB cars built after about 1993.

 

[neilrr]

MSG,
I don't want all the toys.

I specifically looked for a car WITHOUT electric, memory, heated seats & all the other nonsense gizmos. I couldn't give a flying feck about parking radar, satnav, wipers and headlights that turn themslves on and any of the other "refinements". ASD & (maybe) AC are about as high tech as I want to go.

I want it to stop quickly, straight and true, start everytime, be dependable, be durable, be inexpensive to service, get parts for, run and insure, be reasonably fun to drive, have enough room for 4, not depreciate £600 per month, not rust, not fall apart, not be a thief/vandal magnet and not cost a lot to buy.

Answer? 190E 2.6.

 

[Robbo]

Neil, thats fine and dandy, and I am glad you love your W201. However, this this thread is about W203 issues.

Here's a few other common things to look for on a W203 :-

front suspension drop links lasting only 30K miles

Front anti roll bar bushes squeaking

AC stepper motor clicking

Poor radio reception when heated rear window is operative

Corrosion around door and boot seams due to poor sealant application

cheers, Robbo

 

[MSG2004]

Thanks Neilrr and Robbo.

I've asked for a work sheet and still waiting re works done under warranty re the pulling to left and clonking. I think the link/s was repalced as well as something on top and bottom of shock, front passaenger side.

Again - please stick to the W203, and hopefully at the end of the day, us lot here will be able to get our cars repaired properly and quickly with the knowldge!

 

[robert.saunders]

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=12742

You may find this of interest

Rob

 

[Dave Kerr]

My first 'B' service on my '03 C Class was £384, they tried to con me out of 4 new tyres but I told them where to go.

I want to try and put this in the right tone so I am not misunderstood, it is fairly easy to change disc's and even easier to change brake pads.
We all know how much MB's and other franchise dealers charge when we take the cars for service so either do it yourself or pay the choice is yours.

I just get enough done to cover the warranty, anything I will do myself.

Wasn't there a thread here a few months ago about someone who took their wifes Renault Picasso in for a 40K mile service and was charged £900.

 

[robert.saunders]

The cost of the service was not really an issue - like I said, a lot of money hence mopping my brow but I didn't expect the car to be serviced cheaply. My gripe lays with the poor quality of the build of the car, which seems to be a W203 trait rather than my own model being a lemon, hence my problem over build quality. Also, my dealer seems to be perfectly able to damage my car whilst it's in their care - totally ridiculous after they damaged it 3 times on 3 concurrent occasions.

Do I expect too much from the car? Well, yes to be frank! Otherwise why buy it?!

Rob