Starting to have second thoughts about my C204 220

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AntC43

Active Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
114
Location
Hampshire
Car
W205 C43 in Polar white
After 1,000 miles / 3 weeks I am starting to regret buying a C204 – C220

Bit of history

My driving background is exclusively VAG and because my annual mileage is north of 20-22k I tend to change cars every 12 months, as a result over the last 12 years it would be fair to say I have had a couple of cars…..

My last car which, I had for nearly 11 months was a 2011 Mk6 GTD and after owning 6-7 Golfs I felt I needed a change as they were just feeling samy, after test driving some other brands (BMW, Audi and Volvo) i decided on the C204.

Initial thoughts of the C204 were positive, i liked the way it drove if maybe a little sluggish but while i was getting used to the car i overlooked some its flaws.

Performance and handling
- Auto box isn’t that responsive with more lag than I had expected
- MPG is nowhere near what I was hoping to achieve at an average of 42MPG and approximately £30-£40 more a month to fill up.
- The engine is hardly refined and sounds more like skeleton pleasuring himself in a biscuit tin!

Build quality
- Interior – More squeaks than mice in a cheese factory

Entertainment
- Unbelievably bad DAB reception to the point where I have stopped using it.
- Bluetooth integration call menu is needlessly complicated and defaults to sorting by last name/first name
- Command online – Completely pointless
- Maps – cost of updating maps is stupid

So i now find myself in the position where i either stick with the C204 or replace it with something else, with what. I don't know.
 
I agree with the gearbox, dab and interior comments. I am happy with performance and economy but mine is a 250 manual with the Becker Nav. I am vey happy with mine after 4 years ownership.
 
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Agree with the engine being a bit gruff but my interior is completely rattle and squeak free and mines got 122k miles on.
 
The auto box in my 2008 C220 has a lag in it, especially in C mode and not so noticable in S, I've had to learn to be a little more cautious at roundabouts, I'll normally switch to S mode (if not already there) and plant the right foot firmly from stationary.
 
Agree with the engine being a bit gruff but my interior is completely rattle and squeak free and mines got 122k miles on.

I have a seat squeak where i have to adjust the back pitch slightly using the manual knob on the side. There is a bloody annoying squeak coming from the rear seats which i just can't find. Grrrrr :wallbash:
 
Is yours a coupe? There seems to be more complaints with them?
 
The amusing one on mine is the dash warning "no rear seat belt fastened" even when there's nothing at all on the rear seats - or even when the rear seats are folded! I just press OK and ignore it!
 
The amusing one on mine is the dash warning "no rear seat belt fastened" even when there's nothing at all on the rear seats - or even when the rear seats are folded! I just press OK and ignore it!

Yep - thats another thing!
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Is yours a coupe? There seems to be more complaints with them?

It sure is, and with leather which seems to be one of the problems.
 
I saw the same MPG in my old S class, if you must have a diesel then I'd think that a bigger engine would make you happier.

How is your fuel paid for? If it's business mileage and you are claiming HMRC rates I would drive a petrol. I saw 37 MPG from a petrol 5 series 3.0 straight 6 and was more enjoyable to drive than a 4 pot diesel.
 
I saw the same MPG in my old S class, if you must have a diesel then I'd think that a bigger engine would make you happier.

How is your fuel paid for? If it's business mileage and you are claiming HMRC rates I would drive a petrol. I saw 37 MPG from a petrol 5 series 3.0 straight 6 and was more enjoyable to drive than a 4 pot diesel.

I was offered a fuel card but only if i had a company car and with certain conditions so i opted for the cash option instead.

I haven't considered patrol blocks for a while - the plan for this evening :)
 
I was offered a fuel card but only if i had a company car and with certain conditions so i opted for the cash option instead.

I haven't considered patrol blocks for a while - the plan for this evening :)

OK, so do you claim pence per mile from your employer as well as the car allowance?
 
The "no rear seatbelts" thing isn't a bug. It's just because there's no weight sensors in the rear seats, so it doesn't know if there's someone sat there or not, so just tells you the status of the rear belts.

If there's nobody sat there, no problem. If there is, tell them to belt up!

I find it very useful as have two young children who have been well taught to put their seatbelts on. It's reassuring before I set off to see "1 rear seatbelt fastened, followed by 2 rear seatbelts fastened" pop up on the dash.
 
I saw the same MPG in my old S class, if you must have a diesel then I'd think that a bigger engine would make you happier.

How is your fuel paid for? If it's business mileage and you are claiming HMRC rates I would drive a petrol. I saw 37 MPG from a petrol 5 series 3.0 straight 6 and was more enjoyable to drive than a 4 pot diesel.

I don't follow this logic surely the HMRC rates are the same for all cars?
and there are other running costs besides fuel.
 
I don't follow this logic surely the HMRC rates are the same for all cars?
and there are other running costs besides fuel.

True, the point that I was making is that HMRC PPM fuel rates are generous when taken alongside a car allowance.
I was able to run a 3.0 petrol quite easily with a significant surplus so why restrict oneself to a 4 pot rattly old diesel?

Other running costs are similar regardless of fuel, in fact I have generally found petrols to be cheaper for servicing.
 
True, the point that I was making is that HMRC PPM fuel rates are generous when taken alongside a car allowance.
I was able to run a 3.0 petrol quite easily with a significant surplus so why restrict oneself to a 4 pot rattly old diesel?

Other running costs are similar regardless of fuel, in fact I have generally found petrols to be cheaper for servicing.

I suspect most people have a much lower fuel allowance if receiving a car allowance as well. I receive 18p for instance, but can claim some tax relief.

Youre happy with your car choice so lets hope others are with theirs.
I am currently.
 
Many years ago I had my own limited company and put through a charge for mileage on my private car, at the time the number I found on the AA website was 64p per mile (of which about 18p was petrol on which I could reclaim VAT) - and HMR&C (or The Inland Revenue as it then was) never queried it!
 
I suspect most people have a much lower fuel allowance if receiving a car allowance as well. I receive 18p for instance, but can claim some tax relief.

Youre happy with your car choice so lets hope others are with theirs.
I am currently.

You might suspect that but, in my experience, it's not the case. The tax relief makes a significant difference.

I was paid £7000 per year car allowance and 26p per mile if I drove a petrol over 2.0lt, add in the tax relief and it was easy to run nicer cars and turn a profit on the fuel. For example I paid very little income tax for the first 3 months of the year until I hit the 10k mile threshold then I paid a lot less than those without the HMRC benefit or who did lower miles.

Please don't be offended by my comments about 4cyl diesels, you choose what you like and I'll do the same, it's only a car that you bought - you didn't marry it!
 
Auto box isn’t that responsive with more lag than I had expected

Don't know if it is still the case, but it used to be possible to "reset" the auto box back to factory settings - they used to adapt to the owners driving style

Post 8 here
 
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