W204 C class estate buying advice please

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Prop321

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2019
Messages
8
Location
North Wales
Car
Mercedes C250 CDI AMG Line
Hi All

I’m looking to buy a C class estate as my first Mercedes. I have a budget of around 10k and am looking at something no older than 8 years and post-facelift. It will be my regular car doing 60 mile round trips with the occasional longer run (about 12k a year)

I’m pretty settled on Sport/AMG sport spec but not so sure about engine choice.

I’d love a 350CDi but probably need something a little bit more sensible on running costs. That leaves the C250 petrol or diesel.

I’d welcome any views on the pros and cons of each? I’m interested in hearing about reliability, running costs and driving enjoyment. I have not got any problem with diesel in principle - I doubt it will be a practical issue in the 3 to 5 years I will keep the car and any damage on depreciation will already be done.

Thanks and looking forward to joining in the forum discussions.
 
You are probably looking at a W204 facelift, i.e. 2011-2014 (or up to 2015 for the 2-door Coupe).

Between 2003 and 2012, all 4-cyl petrol cars were all fitted with the M271 engine, which is prone to expensive timing gear failure, so best avoided.

This includes the C180 with the 1.6L and 1.8L engines, and the C250 with the 1.8L engine.

From 2013 onwards, the C180 CGI got the 1.6L M274 engine which does not suffer from timing gear issues so it's a safe buy, but the C250 CGI still had the M271 engine.
 
So you could buy:

- Any Diesel car
- C180 petrol MY 2013 or 2014
- Any V6 petrol car (very rare)

But best avoid:

- C180 petrol up to and including 2012
- All C250 petrol cars
 
Thanks markjay. Exactly the sort of experienced insight I was hoping for. Appreciated
 
I have a C180k 2007, had it for 2 years and it's cost me a fortune, probably the worse car I've ever owned, hateful thing.
Bought it private with 98k on the clock with a full MB service history, first MOT 6 months after I got it was £600, 3 broken springs, all sorts of worn rubbers and a service (obviously the MB history counts for nowt), the alternator then failed which cost me another £300 to get sorted. The alternator failure fried the electrics which has left the engine management light on, replaced the MAF sensor (£150) but that didn't fix the problem, tried 2 MB places to diagnose the ML issue, both were stumped or completely useless (more money wasted), managed to get it through this years MOT (only just) with a warning from the place I take all my cars... don't bring it back next year.

Won't be getting another MB based on this experience.
 
Howard, your C180 is a 203, OP is looking at a 204. However, you have my sympathies, my first MB was an S203 C270 and it was excellent, the S204 is much nicer.

I've had my 2008 C220 S204 Elegance for 7 years now, only do 8-9k miles PA, only cost normal wear and tear items (brake pads/front discs, tyres, servicing, fuel) but it's Carneol Red and will soon cost me £600 to respray bonnet and boot where stone chips have instigated lacquer/clearcoat lift which although obviously a manufacturing fault MB are not prepared to accept, even for a goodwill contribution of part of the respray cost!

I have lots of toys on mine - Comand, full leather, telephone prep, heated seats, linguatronic (Useless IMHO) but am missing parking sensors, rear camera and headlamp washers. Wife and I both love the car, especially since I binned the Contisport 16's it came on and fitted 17's with Goodyear Eagle F1's. Love the bottom end torque - surprises a lot of folk at the traffic light grand prix let alone when I need rapid acceleration at speed. Dashboard shows I average 45mpg, mix of 7-10 mile local runs and occasional 120 mile runs. Really comfortable car, plan to keep it for many more years.

Big advantage of a pre-facelift 204 with Comand is updating the maps, you can use pre-owned DVD's (and sell them on after you've used them) instead of needing the DVD's plus a PIN that can only come from an MB main dealer or decent indie like comand.co.uk - so map update will cost 3 figures not 2! Beware Comand pre 11/2008 as the nav partition on the HDD can only accept updates to 2014-15, anything later could brick the comand. Comand.co.uk have a fix so you can install later updates, but it costs a healthy 3 figures, so go for a pre-facelift with a build date after 11/2008 with mpas post 2014-15 already installed!!
 
Howard, your C180 is a 203, OP is looking at a 204. However, you have my sympathies, my first MB was an S203 C270 and it was excellent, the S204 is much nicer.

I've had my 2008 C220 S204 Elegance for 7 years now, only do 8-9k miles PA, only cost normal wear and tear items (brake pads/front discs, tyres, servicing, fuel) but it's Carneol Red and will soon cost me £600 to respray bonnet and boot where stone chips have instigated lacquer/clearcoat lift which although obviously a manufacturing fault MB are not prepared to accept, even for a goodwill contribution of part of the respray cost!

I have lots of toys on mine - Comand, full leather, telephone prep, heated seats, linguatronic (Useless IMHO) but am missing parking sensors, rear camera and headlamp washers. Wife and I both love the car, especially since I binned the Contisport 16's it came on and fitted 17's with Goodyear Eagle F1's. Love the bottom end torque - surprises a lot of folk at the traffic light grand prix let alone when I need rapid acceleration at speed. Dashboard shows I average 45mpg, mix of 7-10 mile local runs and occasional 120 mile runs. Really comfortable car, plan to keep it for many more years.

Big advantage of a pre-facelift 204 with Comand is updating the maps, you can use pre-owned DVD's (and sell them on after you've used them) instead of needing the DVD's plus a PIN that can only come from an MB main dealer or decent indie like comand.co.uk - so map update will cost 3 figures not 2! Beware Comand pre 11/2008 as the nav partition on the HDD can only accept updates to 2014-15, anything later could brick the comand. Comand.co.uk have a fix so you can install later updates, but it costs a healthy 3 figures, so go for a pre-facelift with a build date after 11/2008 with mpas post 2014-15 already installed!!

Agreed, the later car does look a much nicer car. I guess i just got stuck with the lemon.
 
Hi All

I’m looking to buy a C class estate as my first Mercedes. I have a budget of around 10k and am looking at something no older than 8 years and post-facelift. It will be my regular car doing 60 mile round trips with the occasional longer run (about 12k a year)

I’m pretty settled on Sport/AMG sport spec but not so sure about engine choice.

I’d love a 350CDi but probably need something a little bit more sensible on running costs. That leaves the C250 petrol or diesel.

I’d welcome any views on the pros and cons of each? I’m interested in hearing about reliability, running costs and driving enjoyment. I have not got any problem with diesel in principle - I doubt it will be a practical issue in the 3 to 5 years I will keep the car and any damage on depreciation will already be done.

Thanks and looking forward to joining in the forum discussions.

Hi, I have a 2014 C250 AMG sport plus with full Mercedes service history I was looking to let go for around £10k. Just come back from SW France with it and managed Maidstone to Bergerac on single tank of diesel. It’s done 80,000 miles of mostly motorway driving. Very quick but frugel with the derv.
 
Hi, I have a 2014 C250 AMG sport plus with full Mercedes service history I was looking to let go for around £10k. Just come back from SW France with it and managed Maidstone to Bergerac on single tank of diesel. It’s done 80,000 miles of mostly motorway driving. Very quick but frugel with the derv.
Thanks for all the advice. I decided to stretch my budget and as a result I am now the proud owner of a S205 C250 AMG Line.
 
I would suggest a premier plus c220 amg line...lots of toys and pretty solid all round...plus it looks good too...try and avoid diamond cut alloys if possible....don't rush...try Mercland Jay always a good selection and he seems to know what he's doing
 
I would suggest a premier plus c220 amg line...lots of toys and pretty solid all round...plus it looks good too...try and avoid diamond cut alloys if possible....don't rush...try Mercland Jay always a good selection and he seems to know what he's doing
Thanks - I am now sorted.
 

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