Purchasing 98/99 C240 or C230K Sport - or other options?

[drainaudio]

Hi all,
Looking into the purchase of a 98/99 C-Class 240 or 230K Sport to replace my 2005 Cooper S (with al the bells and whistles) it appears the C230K could be a good option for me and servicing/fuel costs also seem a little lower than the 240.

Just wondering what people's opinions are?
Have also looked at some BMW 3 Series examples (118i SE) of the same age/mileage but the MB just seems to have that something extra....and I especially love the black leather interior of the sport, superb design and totally timeless - can see myself loving long road-trips wrapped in it.

The W202's of this era seem to have a great reputation and I'm frankly surprised looking around the web at how many low mileage FSH examples seem to be out there - certainly a huge amount of car for the money (av I'm seeing (private and dealer) is £3500 - £5000, which is in line with the Parker's chart).

Looking at sub 50k, FMBSH (want to keep the Mobilo Life current as it appears a good alternative to AA/RAC).
Would consider an Elegance if the spec was right (heated leather, cruise etc) but really want the Sport as I'm coming from a Cooper S (maybe why I should hold out for a 230K).
I do want a fun car to drive - really prefer manual but am happy with auto in bigger cars - any particular advantages to the tip over the standard auto?

Did see a very pristine Classic 240 in Black (oh yes) but the Classics seem to be a little spartan and generally advised against.

I'm assuming that any W202 from 98/99 with low miles, low ownership, FMBSH (and invoices as you would expect for additional maint') in pristine cond' should be a lovely reliable ownership prospect.
I'm a detailing fanatic (you could eat off any surface on my cars) so I'll spot a vehicle from a mile away that has had any paintwork, just been detailed for sale etc - the signs are totally obvious, I'll even be able to identify the washing technique used (a bit anorak I know).

If I'm barking up the wrong tree please let me know - likewise if I'm heading in the right direction.
It's a little weird to be going from a quite new car with all the toys to something almost 10 years old worth less than a 1/3 of the £'s.

Many thanks in advance to you MB experts out there.
Cheers, Geoff.

 

[BaldGuy]

Well it really depends on the engine you want the C240 is a silky 2.4 V6 and is ok on performance (I had one a few years back) The 230k is a 4 pot lump and in my opinion a bit harsh sounding but the faster of the two engines... Dont go manual as the Merc manuals are not brilliant... a later 202 will have the tip box so try and find one of those... There are loads of members on here with 202's and one of our top indies has just picked up a sound 280 sport...

Wait until the right Sport model comes up, Classic is very basic and the elegance is the comfort model, bit boaty suspension and has wood trim...

Its personal preference but I always liked the sport spec in the 202. There are allot of good cars out there and if you can stretch to an AMG go for it... you wont regret it... Again... there is another member selling his "mint" C43...

Good luck....

 

[mb240]

Would recommend the V6 as mentioned above as it would be a lot more refined and smoother, especially on road trips. Auto is great on it, but the character of that car will be quite different to the Cooper S you are used to - less of a nipping around corners type of job TBH!

A well maintained 240 with Sport/Avantgarde spec in black would be an ideal choice. The AMGs are also a lot of car for little used car money, with only slightly higher servicing costs (consumables mainly like tyres, brakes).

Defo avoid the Classic spec, it is spartan. The Elegance rides a lot higher and will have more of a traditional MB ride (soft and comforting! not sporty). There are plenty out there, so the best thing to test drive the 230k and 240 and see which you prefer. I think the 240 replaced the 230K in 1999, but can't be sure. It certainly did with the W210 which had the same 230K until 1998 and then got the 240 engine.

 

[Joe_SP]

Hi Drainaudio

W202 is a great car but i would focus on the bodywork more than the engine. It's good you can spot paintwork repairs but I wouldn't be put off by it as these cars rust cosmetically. The places to look are;

• Front and rear wheelarches
• door bottoms (pull back the rubber and have a good look)
• around the boot lock.

In a way you would be better off with a car that has had this work already done properly. The chance of an MB warrenty repair is now slim as most cars are over 8 years old.

Good luck with your serach, they are great cars.

Joe

 

[drainaudio]

Hi,
Thanks for the replies.
I've certainly done my research on these now and where the rust-prone areas are - providing I purchase a car with with FMBSH then the Mobilo Life warranty will apply (hence not being the slightest bit interested in cars without it).

I also hear you on the worry about the body not so much the engine but I just don't agree with buying cars like that as it only leads to expensive mechanical bills down the line.
There are always extremely well looked after examples of popular cars such as the W202 available - just a case of finding them.
Probably easier right now with everyone concerned about the credit crunch and rising fuel prices.

With prices being what they are at the moment a CLK might even be on the cards.

Makes me pleased I'm single with no dependents and (currently) debt free :bannana:

Cheers, Geoff.

 

[Joe_SP]

Mobilo is effectively a breakdown recovery service, I do not believe the W202 qualifies for this, someone more knowledgeable on this will comment I'm sure.

With regard to getting rust repairs under warrenty, the MB are very unlikely to do any work once the car is over 8 years old. You can ask your local dealer if you discover rust but they will not be interested untill you have owned the car at least 6 months.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Welcome to the forum,

I currently have a 1999 C240 Sport. I have had it for around 18 months now and im still loving it, while its no AMG the performance is good enough to beat most cars at the lights and for quick overtaking/pulling out on a busy road to get you out of trouble.

As for the spec of the car, id avoid a Classic/Espirt. Elegance of Sport will give all the toys and trim standard on newish cars.

-If the car doesnt feel at all nippy, then the MAF maybe faulty/needing replacment
-A grinding noise when turning the key, the starter mech in the engine will need regreasing (known fault on this engine - cheap to fix).

Also, check all for wheelarches for rust, around the bootlid handle and also the sunroof seals (if it has one)

 

[wigs_1]

Bought my C240 Sport 8 months ago and I absolutley love it.
Before buying I tried both v6 and 230k and the v6 is so much smoother.
My mate has virtually the same car as me but with the 280v6, its just that little bit better, more power but no worse on fuel.
Sport model is the one to go for, get the leather interior too.
Auto only too....

 

[Swiss Toni]

Agreed - Sport Auto in Obsidian Black

C200 is relatively economical, C240 is smooth, C230k is faster than the C240 (probably costs less to service but is slightly more harsh sounding) and the C280 is smooth and nippy. C250TD is most economical.

Post facelift Sport Spec is a very nice place to be.

Any questions, PM me - I have owned a couple.

Cheers

 

[stevesey]

Hi and welcome

With your target mileage and condition you may be in for a bit of a wait. MBs of this era do have the (minor) rust issues already mentioned (partly as a result MB messing up the switch to water based paints). So as a detailing fan you might have trouble finding something that meets your high standards. Mine had some wheel arch rust, but I got to it before it had migrated around the lip to the outside edge.

Cheers

Steve

 

[drainaudio]

Mobilo is effectively a breakdown recovery service, I do not believe the W202 qualifies for this, someone more knowledgeable on this will comment I'm sure.

With regard to getting rust repairs under warrenty, the MB are very unlikely to do any work once the car is over 8 years old. You can ask your local dealer if you discover rust but they will not be interested untill you have owned the car at least 6 months.

Sorry to correct you but a 98/99 MB is covered by Mobilo Life providing the A and B services have been carried out at a main dealer - Mobilo Life is renewed each time you get the car serviced and only lasts until the next service....so miss 1 and that's it you are toast.
The bodywork is also covered - all the info is on the MB website.

I've heard MB dealers can be quite below par...the same can be said for the BMW network and I've certainly had my share of issues owning 2 Mini's.
Why these dealerships ever think they can fob customers off is beyond me but it must work often enough for them to keep doing it.
I enjoy the challenge and the more they attempt to fob me off the more I dig my heels in - never once had a situation that wasn't resolved in my favour.

Cheers, Geoff.

Thanks, Geoff.

 

[drainaudio]

Hi all,
I'm going to test drive a couple of different cars in the next few days to get an overview: C240 Sport (very clean), C240 Classic (Close to mint), C200 Elegance (extremely clean, just want to see what the performance of the C200 is actually like), CLK320 (Close to mint) - hopefully also a C230K Sport (Close to mint).

My ceiling as far as mileage goes is 60k and I'm certainly finding it easier to find CLK's (than C's) with good mileage and history for around the £5.5 - £6.5k mark which I feel is very good value for money.

I may be tending to sway more towards the CLK as I've always liked it's design - did spot an extremely low mileage CLK200 but have seen the 200 is considered quite sluggish.

Obviously the servicing costs of the CLK200 would be significantly less than the CLK320 or C240 - doesn't look like there's much in it fuel consumption wise though (surprising).

Just need to decide (after driving) whether I'd be happy with the look and feel of the CLK but without lots of power.

Thanks for the advice so far, Geoff.

 

[mb240]

I have a feeling you'll like the drive in the CLK320.

 

[vijilants]

Hi,

Ive owned them both.

As previously said, the C240 is silky smooth due to the dual spark V6.

However, if you want a car that is cheaper to maintain, better on fuel economy, cheaper to insure, and fun to drive, the C230k fits.

The C230k is a bit noisier but loads of torque and really good fun to boot around. (Especially with a sprintbooster fitted).