C280 (W204) - Experience?

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Alex225

MB Enthusiast
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CLS63 AMG
Afternoon all,

It's me again going on about the C Class and trying to get to grips with the variety of different models and which is best suited to my other half.

As you know she's selling her SL350 and would like something that's not a hell of a lot slower. If you'd have asked me this time last year, I wouldn't have hesitated to suggest the C250/320 CDI but with diesels not being such an obvious choice now I've considered the C280.

It seems that these models generally seem to be spec'd nicely, not sure if that's because they were a higher spec overall or just people ticked a few more boxes buying them.

I just wondered how people found them on fuel? Are they a V6? 230bhp would be a decent amount of power and it seems the 0-60 sprint is quite respectable.

**Actually just noticed on Wikipedia 3.5 V6 :) **
 
I've had one for the last 3 years.

It's an M272 engine. 231BHP Petrol V6. N/A.

Make sure the one you're considering is a later engine number without the cheese timing chain sprocket issue or at least has receipt for the work having been done. Mine's a later one even at a 57 plate and I've been abusing it daily for 3 years. It's currently at 108,000 and not missed a beat.

It pulls firmly, especially above 3k and sounds great in the higher rev range.

The best I've ever had on fuel was just about 40mpg, I've only done it once, conditions were perfect and it was a mission.

The official figures are 20/30/40. I drive it hard, and average 21mpg, but I live in Manchester and commute daily in it.

You should expect high twenties if you live somewhere less urban, and probably low thirties if also driven like miss daisy.

The 0-60 time is actually beatable, if you nail the launch, I've had it in 6.7 seconds via my ODBII bluetooth reader thing, but generally, it feels faster than that due to the nature of the petrol power delivery. With your foot to the floor, it'll take it to 6~6.5k rpm and shift to about 4.5.

I've a video of it revving, I could upload if interested. It's surprisingly raspy considering it's not a performance car, and has standard exhaust, etc... Oh, the 280, being the first of the V6s means it's the first in the range to have the two fat tailpipes, one out of each side, like the 350.
 
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That's really helpful thanks mate and I'd definitely be interested in the video.

In terms of the standard spec, do they come in at a higher trim level by default than say a C180 or C220?
 
I'm not sure, mine's an elegance, and has leather seats (artico) and kind of posh brown french polished wood trims, and lots of chrome bits. I'll take some snaps later. It has 16 inch alloys so smooth ride and cheap tyres.

Mine has the LED rear indicators which were an option on the dished rear lights, until the facelift in 2012? when that became standard.
 
Oh, it's the 3.0L V6, not 3.5, just noticed in your OP.
 
Thanks Mike! :)

Aah and it is a 3.0, not sure where I misread it was a 3.5.

They're not the most common cars around although I was searching for sub-80k examples but there is a nice one not too far from us. May suggest going to take a look on Sunday. It's a 2007, one owner car, very very tidy.
 
You didn't. There's the M272 E35 engine, that was in the C350 originally, then the M272 E30. It's the E30 in the C280.

As an 07, it might be within the dodgy engine sprocket range. Get it's vin number from the windscreen and get it's datacard printout. It'll show it's exact engine number and you can compare the numbers with the iffy range. Most were fitted to later W203 cars I believe, but some made it into early W204s. Mine's just after the dodgy range where they started making them out of actual metal, instead of cheddar. lol

I'll upload those vids later...
 
Ah I see, thanks for clarifying and I'll certainly check out he VIN details too.

What was the situation with this engine sprocket issue? A recall or just a known problem?
 
https://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/137229-complete-m272-engine-thread.html

A major known problem. The balancer shaft sprocket was made of soft metal and when it wears sufficiently, it'll skip a cog, throwing the engine out of balance and you'll get a check engine light. Thereon, it's an engine out repair and costs 4 figures.

It's a fantastic engine, wonderfully smooth and strong and sounds great at the top end, but make sure it's later than the dodgy engine range, or that there's receipts to show the work has been done as a preventative measure if it is.

The engine range is in that thread, by Grober I believe.
 
Excellent, that's really helpful.
 
C350e maybe?? Not a V6, sadly, just the M274 4 pot, but depending on your type of driving, can be pretty economical and it goes pretty well too. (Not both at the same time, obviously....). Combined output is 280ish bhp but 600Nm of torque is hard to argue with, despite the somewhat lardy nature of the car. Its well specced too, being a Sport or AMG Line.

Just a thought from a happy C350e owner....(well, apart from the horrid noise that M274 makes on cold idle anyway)


....sorry, ignore me, just spotted the W204 in your first post. My bad :(
 
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