which engine size

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colin henry

New Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2003
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5
Location
wolverhampton
Car
vauxhall corsa
hello all, just joined forum today, i want a w202 c class, but do not know which engine i should opt for, is there a lot of difference concerning servicing costs dependent on engine size,and the difference between diesel and petrol, I was thinking about a c240 or c230, any information would be appreciated, thanks.
 
Hello and welcome to the best MB forum on the internet.:)

Meaning no disrespect to anyone's car but I would steer clear of the smaller engines. Most people will tell you that the C180 especially and the C200 are underpowered for quite a large luxury car.

If insurance premiums are not a problem go for a C280 for the smoothest or the C230K for the sheer power. The C280 is silky smooth and the C230K is just as powerful and more economical but some consider it to be a 'coarse' sounding engine.

If you are not adverse to diesel power you cant get much better than a MB diesel. If you can afford it and can find a good one go for the newer 220CDi or if you are thinking of the new W203 C-class then the C270CDi is brilliant. The C250TD is very good, very powerful, the engines are bullet proof but don't expect the economy of a Golf or Passat TDi!!

Personally I am biased and I prefer the low down torque and sheer pulling power of diesels, this matched with the brillant MB auto gearbox means that driving is a real pleasure. No need to rev the 'b$%@cks' out of the engine to get some go and they are also quieter at cruising speed. Also modern diesel engines are capable of more 'tweaking' to easily increase the power and more importantly torque.

Others here will be able to offer more advice on the C240 and other petrol engines.
 
thanks for the reply, do the diesels require more frequent servicing than the petrol models, on average do you know how much this would be, i dont do a vast annual mileage only 7000-8000 a year, what ever i go for i intend to hold onto for along time,thats why ive decided to go for mercedes.
 
My C250TD like all C'class has the Assyst service monitor so the service interval theoretically changes according to driving style and takes other variables into consideration.

Gernerally speaking oil changes work out at around 15K miles for my diesel which is more than my petrol was doing. If you want main dealer servicing I think it will be around £200 for an A service and £400+ plus for a B service. Independent garages will be cheaper and doing it yourself is even cheaper.

Generally speaking I think the service costs are roughly the same although the diesels dont have spark plugs that are exbensive to change on some models.
 
Welcome Colin,

I agree pretty much as Jimmy has posted :) If you are only considering the C230 and C240 then I would opt for the latter as it has a V6 twinspark engine as opposed to a standard inline 4 cylinder.

However, if you're considering models across the range then the C230 Kompressor is the best all rounder for sheer power and economy, as Jimmy has stated some might class it a bit too vocal and rough when under harsh load but there are plenty of C230K owners here on the forum who are very pleased with their cars. The 230K engine is very similar to the standard 230 engine with two major differences, 1. the engine block is substantially strengthened to take the stresses of the fitted supercharger. 2... The supercharger!! :p

The C280, after 1997, also is a V6 twinspark engine that is quite powerful and very smooth. Before the major face lift in 1997 the C280 was an inline 6 cylinder block both models have very similar performance.

The C240 is similar to the C280 only is down on performance because of the smaller displacement, that's not to say it's a slouch though ;)

The C280, C230K & C240 are the upper bracket of the standard model range without taking into account the two special AMG derived models, the C36 & C43.

There are also owners here with C180, C200 and C230 that are very happy with their cars and would class their car's performance as more than adequate... I think the best thing for you to do is to test drive whatever model you maybe interested in and then decide for yourself whether you could live with that particular car on a day to day basis.

As for service costs, one thing to bear in mind about the V6 units is that they are twinspark engines and as a consequence they are exbenzive when it comes to spark plug changes both on parts and labour, fortunately they're not changed too often, every 60k miles if memory serves me correct.

My last A service (minor) was £135. My last B service (major) which also included a whole heap of other jobs, brake pads/discs/fluid, engine coolant replace, spark plugs amongst more stuff came to £950.

Am I glad I chose an MB and in particular a C240?? Yep you betcha, the car still brings a smile to my face when driving it. It's not all smiles though, there have been times when items have failed but thats a story for later ;) if you do a search for W202 or C Class on the forum I'm sure there'll be plenty of info for you to pick through.

Good luck!!

S.
 
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Ive had a Lots of W202's and if i had to buy one i would look for a C220 CDI Elegance Auto in brilliant silver with anthricite interior.

Bullet proof second hand values , easiest colour to sell on. and about 40mpg without trying. Low ins group too , 12 i think.

You won't be disappointed with the performance , its an economical pocket rocket.
 
thanks everyone for some great replies and information, no doubt there there will be more questions to follow,regards, Colin.
 
Used to own the 136BHP C200 and now have a 194BHP (book figure which is a bit modest to say the least) C230 Kompressor.

Both nice, but if you drive with any spirit go for the C280 or C230K.

Don't forget to have a read here:

W202 Magazine Reviews
 
Originally posted by Steve_Perry
...there are plenty of C230K owners here on the forum...
Just me an' Graham, AFAIK!
 
I keep thinking it's more because some of us post more than others :p and yes I include myself in that :D

S.
 

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