Is the 205 2.0 petrol reliable?

[Mrdax]

Hi All
I have not found a similar topic, I am about to buy a c200 2.0 petrol m274 engine. I've been looking a lot and there are different opinions, I'm curious what your experiences are, the car I want to buy has about 45,000 miles, what can I expect? what major engine repairs ?
Thanks

 

[markjay]

Yes, the W205 C200 is a good car.

A known issue with the M274 engine is that the thermostat can go, and it's an expensive repair both due to the price of the new thermostat and the awkward access to it. Check that the car reaches normal operating temperatures (80⁰+) quickly (within 10 minutes of driving off).

Other than that, there are the usual MB issues, i.e. Front Passenger Seat Occupancy Sensor (sensor mat) failing causing an SRS fault, front wheel speed sensors failing causing ABS/ESP fault, ECO mode (Start/Stop) not working due to weak battery, etc.

What year is the car? And what colour?

 

[Mrdax]

Yes, the W205 C200 is a good ca
A known issue with the M274 engine is that the thermostat can go, and it's an expensive repair both due to the price of the new thermostat and the awkward access to it. Check that the car reaches normal operating temperatures (80⁰+) quickly (within 10 minutes of driving off).

Other than that, there are the usual MB issues, i.e. Front Passenger Seat Occupancy Sensor (sensor mat) failing causing an SRS fault, front wheel speed sensors failing causing ABS/ESP fault, ECO mode (Start/Stop) not working due to weak battery, etc.

What year is the car? And what colour?

 

[Mrdax]

Thank you for your replay.
Is 2017 year , black colour.
So generally, these engines do not have any serious factory defects, apart from those mentioned as a thermostat?
Thanks

 

[markjay]

The timing chain can start rattling prematurely and may need replacing, and more rarely the turbocharger may fail. There was also a report in the US of internal engine (piston) failure, but this isn't common. Like all Mercedes engines it will need to have been serviced regularly.

 

[markjay]

The car should have had so far:

2018 - Service A
2019 - Service B, brake fluid change
2020 - Service A, pano roof lube (if fitted)
2021 - Service B, brake fluid change, air filter change, spark plugs change
2022 - Service A, automatic transmission fluid and filter change
2023 - Service B, brake fluid change, pano roof lube (if fitted)

Service A included engine oil and filter change plus some checks. Service B is the same plus cabin (pollen/dust) filter change and some more checks.

 

[markjay]

Also, a 2017 car will be the pre-facelift model, there were two infotainment systems available, the entry-level Audio20 with the Garmin Map Pilot navigation on SD-Card, and the higher-end COMAND NTG5*2 with built-in navigation on internal HDD. COMAND is the better system, and will also have the larger display.

In either case, check that the maps data is current (2023), and if it isn't, see if the dealer will throw in a free maps update.

 

[Mrdax]

The car should have had so far:

2018 - Service A
2019 - Service B, brake fluid change
2020 - Service A, pano roof lube (if fitted)
2021 - Service B, brake fluid change, air filter change, spark plugs change
2022 - Service A, automatic transmission fluid and filter change
2023 - Service B, brake fluid change, pano roof lube (if fitted)

Service A included engine oil and filter change plus some checks. Service B is the same plus cabin (pollen/dust) filter change and some more checks.

Hi is any way how to check sevice history ? the seller claims that he is not the first owner and does not have access to online records I as a non-owner also cannot receive it from Mercedes.

 

[Mrdax]

The timing chain can start rattling prematurely and may need replacing, and more rarely the turbocharger may fail. There was also a report in the US of internal engine (piston) failure, but this isn't common. Like all Mercedes engines it will need to have been serviced regularly.

Do you know at what mileage it usually starts, is it an expensive repair? Thanks

 

[SpikyMikey]

Yes, the W205 C200 is a good car.

A known issue with the M274 engine is that the thermostat can go, and it's an expensive repair both due to the price of the new thermostat and the awkward access to it. Check that the car reaches normal operating temperatures (80⁰+) quickly (within 10 minutes of driving off).

Note too that the waterpump has an electronically-controlled valve (mine is the 1.6 version of the M274, so maybe different), which in my case had also stuck. Diagnostic, strip down and repair of the waterpump and removal and replacement of the faulty thermostat was a 6 hour job. Luckily my trusted Indy's labour rate is nothing like that at MB. Thermostat was £101.

 

[cws196]

Hi is any way how to check sevice history ? the seller claims that he is not the first owner and does not have access to online records I as a non-owner also cannot receive it from Mercedes.

2017/45,000 is low mileage - is it a private sale or from a dealer? I'd want to be seeing some form of service history to back up the low mileage. If it's from a dealer you at least have comeback but with a private sale you've got no comeback at all.

 

[rayaans]

I have a 2014 C200. The engine itself seems to be fairly robust and had no issues with the engine itself. My car is currently on 44000 miles.

So far these are the things that have gone wrong on my car:

1) NOX sensor - £500 for the part + labour (completed under extended warranty)
2) Drivers side front spring cracked (completed under extended warranty)
3) Play in the ball joint of control arm (completed under extended warranty)
4) Dislodged windscreen washer tube
5) Waterpump (completed before I bought the car)
6) Steering gaiter perished (Completed under extended warranty)
7) Peeling lacquer from plastic piece in front of sunroof - Mercedes wont cover so Im just going to wrap it

So quite a list for a car with less than 45k miles but I think most issues should have surfaced before 50k miles and sorted before that.

 

[cws196]

I have a 2014 C200. The engine itself seems to be fairly robust and had no issues with the engine itself. My car is currently on 44000 miles.

So far these are the things that have gone wrong on my car:

1) NOX sensor - £500 for the part + labour (completed under extended warranty)
2) Drivers side front spring cracked (completed under extended warranty)
3) Play in the ball joint of control arm (completed under extended warranty)
4) Dislodged windscreen washer tube
5) Waterpump (completed before I bought the car)
6) Steering gaiter perished (Completed under extended warranty)
7) Peeling lacquer from plastic piece in front of sunroof - Mercedes wont cover so Im just going to wrap it

So quite a list for a car with less than 45k miles but I think most issues should have surfaced before 50k miles and sorted before that.

Point 3 is VERY common (but an easy fix) and to a lesser extent, 7 as well.

 

[markjay]

Do you know at what mileage it usually starts, is it an expensive repair? Thanks

Typically 80k give or take, but it's not very common, and most likely cars with proper service history won't suffer from it. Not sure about exact cost, but it's not too difficult to replace the timing chain on this engine.

 

[markjay]

Hi is any way how to check sevice history ? the seller claims that he is not the first owner and does not have access to online records I as a non-owner also cannot receive it from Mercedes.

That is indeed a problem... with digital service books, if not buying from an MB dealer, it's often difficult to verify the service history prior to buying the car. Not sure what can be done here (other than only buying card where the seller has a printout of the service history).

 

[Smart320]

If it’s a private seller then he can take his v5 to a MB dealer who will print out the service history. I would not buy a car unless I saw the service history, but that’s me

 

[markjay]

With regards the infotainment system...

The C-Class W205 had COMAND NTG5*2 until the 2019 facelift, when it got NTG5.5.

NTG5*2 does not have native support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, if these are relevant to you. You can, however, install third-party hardware (not MB) that will add this functionality.

Alternatively, you can replace the COMAND screen with a 10.25" unit that has an Android infotainment unit built-in, but not everyone likes this solution because of the non-genuine look of the dash.

 

[ernie]

The timing chain can start rattling prematurely and may need replacing, and more rarely the turbocharger may fail. There was also a report in the US of internal engine (piston) failure, but this isn't common. Like all Mercedes engines it will need to have been serviced regularly.

I don't think a case has been reported on this forum or the 'other' forum of a noisy 2l '274' timing chain that I can remember....but I could have missed it. Certainly, the thermostat is one to watch for. On my 1.6 version, it threw the EML.

Ernie