Hello All. - First time buyer here.

[karldonteljames]

I'm looking at buying a used c220. Ideally I want a coupe, but having never owned/driven a mb before I'm just after some buying advice.

I've always preferred manuals to autos, but have heard the manual is a bit dull compared to the auto, and with today's modern engines.
I'm not sure that there are many benefits to be had to driving a manual (except from being in the gear that I choose, rather than the gear the car wants.)
I believe the auto also has a sequential paddle shift so is semi-automatic. Is there anything I should be looking out for?

I'm going to take a look at a 2.1 CDI AMG Sport Edition G-Tronic+ Euro 5 (s/s) on a 15 plate on Thursday that has only done 69k. it has a six month warranty and has a panoramic roof.
for the last four years the car has only done about 3.5k a year, and was serviced around 600 miles ago. It looks like it is in really condition, but never having owned or driven a Mercedes before i'm not sure what I should be looking at. As a dad that is just turning 40 (and has been driving people carriers for 15 years) I wanted something a little more fun, and the wife has talked me into buying a coupe.


Any advice here would really be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[PaulG]

Welcome to the forum. There should be someone with some experience of this model that will be able share their thoughts.

 

[BTB 500]

Hi & welcome.

A 2015 diesel might be EU6 (with AdBlue) ... I would personally avoid this if at all possible.

 

[karldonteljames]

it says it's a euro 5 in the description and in the title.
2.1 Cdi Amg Sport Edition G-tronic Euro 5 Ss 2

 

[SmartAmg]

 

[karldonteljames]

These are the specs according to the mbdecoder site.

Mercedes-Benz C 220 CDI 2015-04-17 - WDD2043022G429690

Mercedes VIN decoder will check your Mercedes VIN and show you full vehicle specification

www.mbdecoder.com

 

[BTB 500]

it says it's a euro 5 in the description and in the title.

OK no AdBlue then which is a plus, but it will still have a DPF and EGR valve. If you're planning to hang on to the car I would still go for petrol, if you can find one. We have a C300 estate which is a 2 litre petrol turbo - it does 45+ mpg on a decent run, and of course unleaded is cheaper than diesel.

Diesel cars are rapidly falling in popularity - they account for only 6.4% of new car registrations in 2024, down from 7.6% last year. In comparison petrol is at 53.6%, hybrids 21.9% and BEVs 18.1%.

 

[karldonteljames]

Thanks Bill. I'm not to worried about the DPF and EGR, I've driven diesels now for 20 years in various forms. I only do about 7.5 miles each way to work, but 5 miles of that is 50mph/60mph bypasses, and generally once/twice a month we tend to do a quick trip to the local shopping center, which is all motorway and is about 25 - 30 miles each way.

I understand that diesels are falling popularity, but isn't that because they are being taxed much heavier than petrols? - I understand there is another price rise on road tax, but according to my research it shouldnt affect these vehicles - please tell me if I'm wrong.

I've heard these engines are really reliable, and a local garage even said "bullet proof" as long as they are well looked after. - Is that not the case?

I had a renault espace a few years back with the 1.9d engine and that blew two turbos in two years, got the 2l after this and the engine has been nothing but smooth, I've done about 50k in that, and other than basic oil/filter changes and simple servicing it has needed nothing more (engine wise.)

It looks like this car will do about 40mpg around town, and says it should achieve up to 61 on the motorway, again a far cry from the espace i'm used to, which is about 24 around town, and if i'm REALLY luck on a long run at 60/65mph i might get 45-48mpg. My wife's qashqai (2014) will do that around town most of the time, and I've 75-80 mpg on a long motorway run. I'm after something a little more fun that is still solid and reasonable to run.

Will the W204 not fit that criteria?

 

[ALFAitalia]

Diesel are actually taxed LESS than petrols.....road tax is based upon carbon output and generally dervs produce rather less than their petrol brothers. My E350 CDI is £375..... lots of the petrol W212 models are over £700. Just as well dervs are not taxed on other emissions!! The penalty of course is the growing number of places with ULEZ zones which do penalise MOST E5 dervs....although some, like mine, are compliant.

 

[markjay]

MB's pre-AdBlue (and pre-BlueTec) Diesel cars are reliable, so C220CDI or C250CDI should be fine.

The issue with Diesel engines, BTW, isn't that they're unreliable, but that repairs, when needed, can be very costly. The high pressure fuel pump, for example.

The CDI engines are EU5, so not ULEZ compliant, but obviously that's only relevant to people driving in London.

 

[BTB 500]

Thanks Bill. I'm not to worried about the DPF and EGR, I've driven diesels now for 20 years in various forms. I only do about 7.5 miles each way to work, but 5 miles of that is 50mph/60mph bypasses, and generally once/twice a month we tend to do a quick trip to the local shopping center, which is all motorway and is about 25 - 30 miles each way.

I understand that diesels are falling popularity, but isn't that because they are being taxed much heavier than petrols? - I understand there is another price rise on road tax, but according to my research it shouldnt affect these vehicles - please tell me if I'm wrong.

I've heard these engines are really reliable, and a local garage even said "bullet proof" as long as they are well looked after. - Is that not the case?

I had a renault espace a few years back with the 1.9d engine and that blew two turbos in two years, got the 2l after this and the engine has been nothing but smooth, I've done about 50k in that, and other than basic oil/filter changes and simple servicing it has needed nothing more (engine wise.)

It looks like this car will do about 40mpg around town, and says it should achieve up to 61 on the motorway, again a far cry from the espace i'm used to, which is about 24 around town, and if i'm REALLY luck on a long run at 60/65mph i might get 45-48mpg. My wife's qashqai (2014) will do that around town most of the time, and I've 75-80 mpg on a long motorway run. I'm after something a little more fun that is still solid and reasonable to run.

Will the W204 not fit that criteria?

I've also driven diesels continuously for the last 20 years, and have two now (OK, one of those is a tractor ). IMHO if the majority of your usage is in 7.5 mile trips a diesel would make no sense.

No personal experience with W204s - we have a W205 currently, and a W203 before that (both petrol estates).

Diesel is crashing in popularity because it's now perceived as 'dirty' (emissions/particulates/NOx/etc). You can't win because EU6 ones are better but have the nightmare that is AdBlue. An EU5 car normally isn't compliant with any of the low emission zones that are springing up. The engines themselves are usually fine - it's the ancillary stuff (DPF, turbo, myriad sensors etc.) on EU4 onwards that gives problems (speaking from personal experience). We had an older & simpler VAG 1.9 TDi that was totally reliable - when we sold it at 160k miles even the glowplugs were all still original.

 

[BTB 500]

The CDI engines are EU5, so not ULEZ compliant, but obviously that's only relevant to people driving in London.

Unfortunately not - Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Newcastle, and Gateshead all have 'clean air zones' now, with more on the way (Manchester for one). They're increasingly common in Europe too (Germany has had them since 2008).

 

[ALFAitalia]

Some Euro 5 engine are compliant....check your individual car out on the Gov ULEZ website. For example my 2010 E350 CDI W212 is ULEZ friendly in most ULEZ zones....but not all....so I don't pay in London....but do in Birmingham!!

 

[karldonteljames]

The RT on this one is £190 a year, (my wifes qashqai is free!) but neither are ULEZ compliant, I dont drive in london very often, but at £27.50 unless there are a number of us going, it's just cheaper to take the train (which is what they want I suppose.)
I live in a semi-rural area of Kent.
I'm going to look at the car above tomorrow, i'll certainly take a look at what petrol offerings are about.
The car comes with a six month warranty, but is there anything I should be looking / listening for?

 

[karldonteljames]

So this one petrol, a year older, done 16k more, costs more in tax per year, is less fuel efficient, it's £500 cheaper, but of similar spec by the looks of it. - although according to AT, this is priced high.

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

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www.autotrader.co.uk

 

[ALFAitalia]

The RT on this one is £190 a year, (my wifes qashqai is free!) but neither are ULEZ compliant, I dont drive in london very often, but at £27.50 unless there are a number of us going, it's just cheaper to take the train (which is what they want I suppose.)
I live in a semi-rural area of Kent.
I'm going to look at the car above tomorrow, i'll certainly take a look at what petrol offerings are about.
The car comes with a six month warranty, but is there anything I should be looking / listening for?

£190 is the same as my recently sold 2.0l derv ALFA.

London ULEZ is £12.50 per day by the way, not £27.50.

 

[markjay]

So this one petrol, a year older, done 16k more, costs more in tax per year, is less fuel efficient, it's £500 cheaper, but of similar spec by the looks of it. - although according to AT, this is priced high.

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

It will have the 1.6L M274 Turbo engine, which is actually quite frugal (for a petrol). The main issue with these engines is failed thermostat, which isn't a cheap fix, but I'd expect that on a 2014 car the thermostat would have already failed and been replaced by now.

 

[SpikyMikey]

So this one petrol, a year older, done 16k more, costs more in tax per year, is less fuel efficient, it's £500 cheaper, but of similar spec by the looks of it. - although according to AT, this is priced high.

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

My only input on this one would be that although described as "half leather", the seat material is Dinamica (fake suede similar to Alcantara) and Artico (fake leather). Some have found issues with the durability of these materials.

 

[pioneercollector]

My only input is that my Honda CR-V is a 2.2 diesel and it is excellent, and Bath does have a CAZ, but all non commercial vehicles are not included in the CAZ, None of my vehicles ( Petrol / Diesel and motorbikes) are allowed into Bristol without a charge - I don't go into Bristol now.
My 2003 5L Mercedes SL500 CAN go into London though - The CAZ stuff really is a minefield of varying levels of extortion.

Nice car choice and welcome to the group !

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

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