Seen a nice C Class 230K, opinions please

[kurtdaley]

I've seen a 1996 230K sport C Class local to me.
It is 1996, manual, with 96000 miles on the clock, seems in good condition with service history and 2 previous owners.
What do I need to look out for if buying?
Thanks as always guys.
Kurt

 

[Will]

Manual 'boxed MBs aren't very popular, so normally you'd expect the price to reflect that.

Check for body rust in the usual places - boot lid around the lock and plastic strip that houses the number plate lights, around the tops of the door seals, wheel arches etc.

With 2 owners and service history (complete?) you'd expect it to be a nice one, 96k miles isn't much either

If it has aircon, check it's working.

Other than that, just a few usual W202 related issues - nothing horrendous, pretty tough cars and cheap to run. Make sure it has a couple of keys as replacements are expensive to buy these days!

If it's a really clean and honest car, could be worth upto £1500 or so, perhaps slightly more. But unless it's got a decent spec (leather, heated seats, aircon) then it won't be worth much more, especially as it's a manual.

 

[kurtdaley]

Has anyone ran one of these? What kind of maintenance costs am I looking at?

 

[grober]

The early manual gearbox cars were regarded as a bit of a "sleeper" performance wise having quite a good power to weight ratio. Body condition is paramount of course in cars of this age. Check the remote locking/alarm/convenience controls/IR KEYS electronics carefully since altho they appear trivial they are expensive/difficult to repair/replace when they go wrong and can blight the ownership experience.

 

[gina2201]

I had a 96 and a 99 Kompressor, neither cost me much maintenance wise, just the usual wear and tear to be honest. Economical yet fairly sprightly engines

 

[vijilants]

Have a look underneath and see if the diff is wet. If it is, more often than not the seals are leaking. It is a common problem on W202s. Good bargaining point. £600 to be done at MB but I guess you can expect to pay far less at an indie.

Also check for oil in the air filter / intake area. This points to a breather problem. Inlet manifold needs to be removed to cure this.

If it has aircon, check for its functionality. "It needs a top up" usually means the condenser is shot.

Engine is usually bulletproof if serviced regularly.

 

[flango]

Manual 'boxed MBs aren't very popular, so normally you'd expect the price to reflect that.

Manual gearboxes on this car and W208 command a premium in the North and as the OP is in Manchester you are more likely to get the seller holding out for price as manual boxes are a bit of a rarity.

I run a w208 230k no problems at all in 3 years engine is pretty bullet proof just check the usual tin worm,make sure the supercharger is working and check it doesn't have a loud whine, they do whine but if it is loaud then bearings could be going, also check there is no whine at idle as the clutch should have disenaged it

96k is nothing for that engine with regular maintenance

good luck hope it works out

 

[Will]

Manual gearboxes on this car and W208 command a premium in the North and as the OP is in Manchester you are more likely to get the seller holding out for price as manual boxes are a bit of a rarity.

I run a w208 230k no problems at all in 3 years engine is pretty bullet proof just check the usual tin worm,make sure the supercharger is working and check it doesn't have a loud whine, they do whine but if it is loaud then bearings could be going, also check there is no whine at idle as the clutch should have disenaged it

96k is nothing for that engine with regular maintenance

good luck hope it works out

No offence Ian, but why on earth do manual 'boxed W202s and W208s command a premium price, in the North specifically?

Can you prove it?

The reason that they're rare is that most people don't want a manual box in an Mercedes, and ordered an auto instead - not because the manual gearbox was particularly good or desirable.

I appreciate that a few people have certain preferences/requirements, but easily most MB buyers will opt for an auto box, either new or secondhand, and hence the resale value reflects that.

Nothing personal, just that I remember you saying this before, and it strikes me as odd - not what I have noticed over the years at all. I hated my manual C200 W202's gearbox and the other manual MBs that I have driven (aside from the Getrag-equipped 190E 2.3/2.5-16) have all been pretty baulky and at odds with the car's character. Nothing like a slick BMW manual box, for example.

 

[flango]

No offence Ian, but why on earth do manual 'boxed W202s and W208s command a premium price, in the North specifically?

Can you prove it?

The reason that they're rare is that most people don't want a manual box in an Mercedes, and ordered an auto instead - not because the manual gearbox was particularly good or desirable.

I appreciate that a few people have certain preferences/requirements, but easily most MB buyers will opt for an auto box, either new or secondhand, and hence the resale value reflects that.

Nothing personal, just that I remember you saying this before, and it strikes me as odd - not what I have noticed over the years at all. I hated my manual C200 W202's gearbox and the other manual MBs that I have driven (aside from the Getrag-equipped 190E 2.3/2.5-16) have all been pretty baulky and at odds with the car's character. Nothing like a slick BMW manual box, for example.

None taken If you want proof just have a look at Autotrader and check out the prices of manual cars in the North (Particularly Yorkshire) and compare them to the Auto's. Yorkshire and Lancashire are not a geographic market for auto's of any manufacturer, well known in the trade.

My W208 manual is not baulky and is as slick as any BMW I've ever driven even the recent E60 5 series and 3 Series. I've also driven quite a few C202's particularly the one in question the 230k with manual boxes they suit the car perfect IMHO.

Have just bought SWMBO the Audi A8 as you will have probably seen from my other thread it has 400 bhp twice that of my CLK and it also has a tiptronic box with paddle shift on the steering wheel, but it is no where as near an involving drive as my CLK and up to 45 mph the Audi can't keep with the CLK thanks to the low down grunt provided by the supercharger however once past that the Audi is in a league of its own, going for a remap next weekend to remove the limiter and boost the power a little. That said I would not want it as my daily driver but she's happy and thats what matters

 

[Will]

I agree with you on the involving drive aspect, but they are at the end of the day fairly mainstream Mercedes cars with recirculating ball steering and lots of excess weight, not a Lotus Elise!

I still don't agree with you on the price of manual boxed MBs though, I think Geographics have little to do with that and the value - why would people dislike Auto boxed MBs for that reason?

Most people looking at W202s and CLKs are probably after leather, metallic paint and an auto box. On cars where it was an option - air con as well.

I bet if you asked your local MB dealer how many manual CLKs and C-class they sell compared to autos it would surprise you. And I bet the trade in values are lower for manual MBs too.

Thanks for taking that last post as it was intended btw

 

[flango]

I bet if you asked your local MB dealer how many manual CLKs and C-class they sell compared to autos it would surprise you. And I bet the trade in values are lower for manual MBs too.Thanks for taking that last post as it was intended btw

I know our local MB dealers well as we do a lot of work for them MB Sheffield & MB Doncaster sell a lot of manual cars particulalrly C & E class, the Sheffield branch has the reputation on the MB dealer network for the branch that sells the most manuals.

It' also the reason MB sales of performance cars suffer at these dealers as there is no manual option.

It is just a quirk of this part of the world, the Audi I bought was rediculously cheap because it was an auto (They all are) and they just don't sell around here

 

[grober]

IIRC when the KOMPRESSOR "C" first came out in Sept 95 it initially only came with the 5 speed manual box. This perhaps because the stronger fully electronic 5 speed box was not to become available till a year later?? The result of this might be the earliest and therefore cheapest cars are manuals,but like I said they are quick of the mark with the manual box. It was rumoured that these early cars also had a bit more "grunt" than the published figures?
Mercedes W202 C-Class 1993 - 2000 | Mercedes 500SEC.com

 

[Adam230K]

Manual 230K's are absolute sleepers. Bullet proof engines and very reliable in general. Your main issues will probably be rust. And I tend to agree with flania's comments about mercedes gearboxes, yes its slightly notchy but no different than BMW manuals if i'm honest, its in the same league. You could change the oil in the manual box at that mileage, I did in mine and i also changed the rubber joints and it made a world of difference to the gear changing, 1.5L and cost me £30 in total with the joints.

Other things on a w202 to look out for:

Air flow meter
Water pump
Coil packs tend to go on 230k engines (i've never had this)
Air con fan

I've popped my differential, but it cost me £80 to replace (labour and parts), and I've had no other major issues!

It was a quick econmical car. I regularly returned 350 miles to the tank, the worst i got was 300, best was 469.

hope that helps

 

[Will]

They might be sleepers and I'm not saying they're not nice cars, but they're not worth more with manual gearboxes, that is all

 

[flango]

They might be sleepers and I'm not saying they're not nice cars, but they're not worth more with manual gearboxes, that is all

In general I would agree, but that simply is not true in this part of the world and no point in giving the OP false hope thinking he will get a manual car cheaper than an auto in Manchester because comparing like for like it won't happen.

I agree more autos were sold than manual's by a mile and trying to sell a manual car in the South or London is hopeless. That is the reason mine was so cheap came from a London dealer, a manual car but they forgot to look past the gearbox and supercharger fault and no one ever realised it had the Brabus K1 tuning pack on it, I think I got the bargain of the century 3 years ago.

All I am saying is if you want a manual car try and buy it in the South as prices will be lower. If anyone wants a bargain auto then look North and Yorkshire and Lancashire in particular where they dont sell and prices are lower