As my first car I bought a 2001/10 c180 model (early production, low spec, non-kompressor). it was an old mans car and only had 90 000km. It only had rust an the bottom of all 4 doors but it was so minimal rust converter took care of it. I have since driven the car for 160 000km and she is still going strong at 250 000km Nothing but oil changes and I did a timing chain at 120 000km. Well worth the 4000 euros i spent back in 2018!!!
I own my 2002 C200 Kompressor for fifteen years as a daily driver with no issues, it is true that they are not very expensive to maintain. Fortunately here in South Africa i am not located at the coast, so no rust on the car. I don’t have any other issues with the paint either. After fifteen years i recently replaced the fuel pump, cam and crank sensors also suspension arms, the cost was reasonably as compared to other cars. I still have the car serviced at the agent. The secret to keeping any car for very long is to take good care of it and to drive it sensibly....
I am planning to buy a c200 classic as well. I have been anxious thinking I may not afford to maintain a Mercedes. Roughly how much I would to maintain a year?
I drive a C280 Sport Edition 2006 and its the best Car i have ever own. Not overloaded with electronic. No problems at all exept some chassis wear parts. This engine is a pleasure to drive every day… Cheers from Germany.
I have Mercedes 2.7cdi270 advantgarde 2002 since 15 years and has 470.000 kilometers without problems and only good oils and just continiue😊Are mercedes best long releiable cars by you??
I want to be counted as a very satisfied original owner of a 2002 C 240 that now has 105,000 miles and I have had no problems with it. I recently replaced the front control arms due to worn/cracked bushings and that is the most significant repair thus far. I live in Southern California where it never snows and we have only moderate rain so rust is not a concern. I love the W 203 series' style and still think it is one if the best looking cars of all time. And the way it handles in the road is the same as the day I bought it.
Yes, that's true. I have C 320 2001 Avantgarde in New Zealand. I have had more than 5 years and I'm so happy. Any of cars need to be maintenance and care. I changed crankshaft position 4years ago and changed fuel pump system 2years ago.I think that's normal for age. The car is powerful and stable and so nice handling performance. I updated to LED bulbs and front headlights changed to new Philips pure white Xenon Generation too. I love my car.
Michael Graystone man i Live in Germany and mine should be on the scrapyard already because of the rust, Ive never seen worse looking car than mine, im jelous of the weather xD
It would depend on the size of the engine, but my C200 compressor got 1.8 Ltr and it is not bad all, the power is great (1-100 KM in 6 seconds) I love these cars even though many people say are costly to maintain...but since i bought mine (a used one) 2 years ago i only topped up coolant twice and normal service once. I guess spares are costly because they don't break so easily.
I’ve owned my ‘07 C280 for 7 months with 166,000 miles two owner, and she’s still purring along; Feels like I could enjoy 15+ more years on the engine with proper transmission care. Pay attention to your cars maintenance routine it’ll definitely make your investment last longer
Love my 230.000km C200 :) Had some issues but thats to be expected at this milage. Issues were some minor electronic problems and broken suspension. Apart from that the car runs just as smoothly as if it was new :) And because its the facelifted model there is no major rust on the body so far.
My family car is a South African assembled, C200K manufactured in 2003. It has the 1.8 liter M271 supercharged engine, 5-speed automatic. The car was originally used in Japan for five years and had about 20,000 kms on the odometer before being exported to Malaysia. My father purchased it in 2008 and we still use this car in 2024, clocking only 68,000 kms. My father can't drive anymore due to his advanced age and Parkinsons Disease, so I am the only one driving it for the past three years. Our Merc was generally trouble free until 2014 and then it started giving problems one after another. The car is serviced/repaired by two different garages and if the problem was urgent I would send it to the one nearest to my home. Mechanical issues: 1. The engine was slightly misfiring and we had the all four ignition coils replaced at the end of 2014. 2. In 2019 the engine starter once jammed at a relative's home on a hot afternoon, and we had to get the mechanics to come and fix the problem on the spot. 3. The foot brake release handle snapped off early this year, while the (right) driver's side door handle broke off last year. 4. The transmission makes a whine on the first three gear ratios. It made no noise during the first five years' of ownership. 5. The engine sometimes idles roughly after a cold start, but runs smoothly after it has warmed up. It never had this issue when the car was still "new" with us. 6. All front and rear shocks were finally replaced recently in 2024, along with the lower arm bars, linkages, etc. We have never had the absorbers replaced since the car was purchased. It was the most expensive bill to date. Electrical issues: 1. The driver's side air vent made a soft but annoying whooshing sound, like a vacuum pipe sucking air, whenever the car was accelerated. It was finally fixed by replacing the blower's fans and the motorized flaps. 2. The dashboard's LCD status panel doesn't display the information properly for the last five or six years. 3. The right side wing mirror's LEDs will not blink while folded which shows up as 1 malfunction on the center display. 4. The CD changer worked erratically since the air conditioner's evaporator coil was replaced in 2021 as part of the dashboard had to be dismantled. It usually shows "No CD changer" each time I press the CD button on the head unit. The only time which it _does work_ is when the battery had been exhausted and replaced with a new one. Even then, the CD changer reverts to its inoperative state after two days. 5. The alternator was replaced with a new aftermarket one in 2022 since the garage mechanics couldn't solve the electrical drain issue that's still plaguing the car to this day. 6. The steering column multi-function stalk malfunctioned in 2017 (it wouldn't stay put) and was replaced with a new one. 7. The SRS warning light stays on even while driving. This problem surfaced only recently and I was told that could be caused by brake issues. 8. The automatic headlights, in the Auto position fail to turn off when the light sensor detects sunlight in the daytime. 9. The overnight battery drain, which was first noticed in 2021 had already cost me four new 12v batteries and a new alternator. In a bid to solve the excessive battery drain problem, the electrician pulled out the fuses for the radio and the interior light. This only slowed down the parasitic battery drain and then the car would also be without interior lighting and the radio. The car is now back at the garage for the third time as the car still drained the battery in 3 days despite the interior dome lighting unplugged from its socket. As much as I like this W203, the electrical drain issues have been driving me up the wall and I'm fed up having to charge the battery at home each time it goes flat overnight. 😢 *Full disclosure:* The only mods that I have done to this W203 is to replace all the rear tail light filament bulbs with LEDs, as well as the front turn signals. Headlights and fog lamps are stock halogens and so are all interior lights. I've seen YT videos of W203/204 owners upgrading their exterior light bulbs to LEDs and their cars are fine.
My 2002 C320 Wagon is 99.99% exactly as described/shared here. I purchased it from the previous, original owner in 2017, and was with details exactly described here - - as a long story short, with focus on the positive points(i.e., major reason/s for long term intents to remain with), was 100% with my requirements/desires. In a brief focus, there is no perfect car in the world,... just the perfect car for my needs and intents; focused on my minimum intent of a full decade+++ with.
I have a 2006 c180 Kompressor and it is a great car particularly on the motorway. It has a comfortable ride with a very admirable power to economy ratio. I will say that servicing on theses W203's is absolutely crucial so if you dont want issues, service them every 9000 miles or once a year and do it in a Mercedes approved garage but not a dealer as they are way to expensive. The guy is right about rust as mine is starting to bubble up under the wheel arches, its not obviously noticeable just now but it will need professional attention very soon. What he said about the timing chain is also correct. The chain slipped in my car and needed replaced, this was £1400 so it is expensive. So as i alluded to earlier, watch your servicing and do it with the right people. Overall i think they are a great car and the W203 will always look good despite its advancing years. But do look after it.
I have that c180 Kompressor -06 also. Automatic and fairly low maintanance. 260km on it and still works like a charm. Gear timings kinda suck but on Sport mode works amazing. Overall i would recommend to all MB fans.
I have a 2004 C230 Kompressor that I bought brand new in the fall of 2003. I have kept it garaged all these years with regular maintenance performed at the dealer. It still looks and drives like a new car! The best car I have ever owned. It has a six speed manual, and is very fun to drive. In the next couple of months I will receive my first mileage award (200k) from Mercedes Benz. I love my Mercedes!
Just picked up a C230 1999 Kompressor V4 with 107,000 miles and it drives so much better than all my other "Newer" cars! I'm excited to drive this and have it for a while, since I only drive about 4k miles yearly!
contemplating of buying one... C270 sedan... it's very hard to find d estate version in my country malaysia... if decided to go for it... i may wanna get advice and experience sharing frm u??? where do u reside by d way??? uk??? u did mention mot...
I own several Mercedes models, but my main car is a 2007 S203 Sport Elegance with an 2.2L Diesel Engine. My Model has an 5Speed Automatic Gearbox and now round about 250TKM and no issues. Only the Leather paint is a bit faded. But that's a common issue with Beige colored Leather in Cars. I have no rust issues and no electrical issues. The only thing I had was a command system failure, but I was going to replace it anyway, with a modern Android Radio. I also added some extra things like ambient led to my interior, without any problems. I also upgraded from Halogen-Headlights to Xeon-Headlights, I have to say, it was fairly easy! The only and last thing I have to do, is the Headliner, it came loose this summer and I have to glue it back to the fiberboard, that holds the fabric. The engine mounts are also bad, also a common issue for a car that's round about 16 years old now, but is also fairly easy and cheap and the car will run like new!
I have just changed the oil, oil filter and air filter on my 2006 1.8 Kompressor coupe, it was around £70 for the lot. The mileage went up by nearly 9 miles per gallon just on that. They are so easy to work on, especially with videos available on ebay to guide you. The only garage work that I have needed is a couple of arms, absolutely no problems to make it an expensive car to run. I have had the car for 2 years now and it has just clocked 105.000 miles Its, the Evolution Sport with the panoramic roof, 5 speed semi automatic, paddle shift, 2 tone leather. Its a beautiful car to drive it feels as Good as new and up with some of the higher end cars coming onto the second hand market now. Even now she still seems modern and able to hold her own in class and comfort . I bought it for £1800. On an easy drive at 65/70mph on the motorway I can exceed 43 miles per gallon. After having racing Peugeots and bumpy Mazda mx5s its a dream. Would I recommend buying one? Yes definitely. The Coupe is a hidden gem, Big car feel with a sporty chassis in a smaller package.
The face lifted versions of the W203 are so clean, I’ve had the novelty of driving a lot of new cars since including the W204 and W205 top specs but yet when I saw what is now currently my 2006 C350 V6 sport edition in immaculate condition, i new I had to have it! But they do come with their issues as stated in this video, mine has some rust in the rear fenders and boot lid underneath spoiler I’m getting sorted along with a complete wheel refurbishment this weekend. It’s still very much a head turner and man they sound good with that 7 speed auto. So unsuspecting in a neat not overly bulky tidy car.
On Friday I’m going to go pick up a 2005 c230 kompressor with only 108k miles on it, it did have a little rust on the doors near the top next to the windows, and I’m in New Jersey where we get quite rough winters. I’ll definitely have to check out the rust on my car when I get it and have it rectified if needed
About to pick up an '01 C200 kompressor tomorrow. Fortunately no rust anywhere on the body and underneath thanks to our dry climate here. The latest replacement done are the engine mounts. Other than that, it ran so smoothly during the test drive. Thankfully a mechanic has been meticulously maintaining the car for the original owner. Planning to have it regularly serviced by the mechanic since he has a stable supply of OEM or trusted 3rd party parts for many European brands and they're relatively cheap too compared to more conventional brands
thanks for your review; we love ours, but have had problems with the turbo (380K km) and high pressure pump/injectors. funnily enough, no problems with rust and ride comfort is excellent. our previous C250 turbo ran to 630K km before we had to sell it!
My old 2005 w203 full leather heated seats. sport steering wheel and other features still feels more premium than many cars from 2017-2019. Its just incredible how comfortable it is when you need to make a long trip. Nothing can compare to Mercedes seats...really, nothing.
I have a w203 200 Kompressor with 196000 km and it drives like a dream , very comfortable and reliable , parts are cheap and easy to maintain , I really recommend this car to anyone who wants a luxury , reliable and comfortable city car . Also it's the 3rd gen since the previous models where W201 and W202 .
@@issmaz2010 no, not at all, the timing chain should do it's job just fine until 250.000 km, usually when it breaks down its impossible not to hear it. But super big advise, don't push the car hard, it's not made for this and people usually don't listen to this idea.
I own a 2003 Mercedes C240 with just some little modifications and it runs great and has over 240,000 miles on it! But my main problem is rust I live in New Jersey and the winters were never nice to this car! My mom gave me this car as my first and I always feel safe driving and when I’m taking it around the track and drag strip!
Just brought a 2005 c200 cdi with 43k on the clock, and the car is solid, and a true cruiser. Stereo needs an upgrade as most of the features on the factory unit are obsolete but loads of support online for this. Always been a French car supporter but even 2023 the w203 cdi has them beat.
A year ago I've bought C280 from the year 2005. It belong to dutch guy. Impeccable condition. Not one crack on the leather, 0 rust. It's the way you take care of your car more, than it being susceptible to rust.
@@CactusBravo42 I sold it a month ago. The only thing that required attention was the intake manifold (the plastic arm broke) and one of the spark plugs was shooting irregularly. It's a cost of $100 both. Very pleasant driving was the mercedes.
I just bought a 2003 C230K Coupe for my Daughter. It had 222,000+ miles on it. Not a drop of oil and I have repaired the coolant reservoir,sun roof with a couple 5 cent washers and the LCD on counsel but besides that this little car is such a fun car to drive. I will be replacing the timing chain and rebuilding the super charger, not cause they are bad but just to be safe. Wow! This little car was put together rite...great review and outstanding work like always Mercedes.
I bought with sincere trepidation - rust. My other car is a big Saab Estate. I love the contrast vs the small ice cool C. Great vid, keep it up! From Australia.
I adore the mid 2000 to late 2000s Mercedes styling. It's the perfect blend between classic elegance and modern aggression. Especially with the AMG package. The pre facelift ones are terrible, no doubt about it. Rust, problems, transmission issues, etc... I only buy facelift Mercedes. I own a 2005 C220 and a 2006 E420. Modded my C220. ECU remap (185hp 420Nm), AMG front bumper, bi-xenon headlights, tinted all windows, S-class style taillights, Dynavin N7 MBC infotainment system (NTG2 broke and fitting NTG2.5 was too expensive and NTG2 was expensive and old) E420 is also modded. Got rid of the DPFs and got AMG resonators for the exhaust system. ECU remap (390hp 910Nm), lip spoiler, tinted all windows and I'm probably going to replace the head unit (infotainment system) too, cause the old NTG 1 is not really relevant in 2018... No map updates, no mp3, unless you stick CDs in the head unit... I love both of my cars. If I had a lot of money to spare, I'd guy the queen of luxury. The W220 S65 AMG.
I own a Mercedes-Benz 20 one note W203 for about 15 to 16 years I don’t give it to me this is Dan of been having electronic issues here in there for gauge not working lights on in when the car is off and so on and so forth I’m even disturbed in the most then that worries me is there Rusting of the car can you help me resolve this issue but I really like the car and it’s a Diesel engine
I bought a c280 brand new in 2001 and was a little disappointed with it's lack of around town acceleration.. Hit a speed bump when the car was a week old in publix pking lot and it knocked the wheels out of alignment. Found out at that time the only place you could get an alignment on these cars was Mercedes Benz. I was going to trade it back in after only 6 months or so on a different model when I transferred overseas in which case I didn't need a car and so that was that for the new c280. Might I say however that this was not my first mercedes only my first brand new one and they really give you a great experience when you purchase.
I own a Mercedes Benz C Klasse 2 liters Kompressor 163 HP, automatic, Elegance trim. Man is a great car. Bought it for the price of a Ford Fiesta second hand. Is true I have some problems with the rust and after this winter I plan a huge repair and painting the car. The engine is strong and at 230.000 Km has a perfect compression. The 0 to 100Km/h time is not huge but you can feel the power in it while she accelerating relentlessly till 250 Km/h. Other cars may get from 0 to 100 faster but then the acceleration is dropping. Not with this car. The Kompressor is a nice addition, is actually a charger making the car faster without the turbo lag or the lack of reliability of a turbine. Is accelerating pretty much like a normal aspirated car. The 2 liters engine M111 (my engine) is well known for it's reliability and it reach 1 million Km without problems. Is heavier than M271 (the next one in line) but is bullet proof. All the systems are working. The gearbox is amazing and is rock solid. Has been fitted on Porsche 911, Aston Martin and many other cars with tons of HP so you can imagine how solid is. I recommend replacing the fluid ASAP when you buy it. If you want a beautiful car, with a timeless design, powerful, comfortable, made to eat miles at high speeds and solid like a rock then buy this model. You cannot have better at this price range. Avoid BMW and Audi.. Is well known they are a nightmare second hand. Let's not forget Mercedes are well known for reliability. Mercedes is more related to Rolls Royce (in terms of class) than BMW and Audi is related to each other. Mercedes is way above them both. Buy petrol, is so silent you don't hear a thing. Many times I rotate the key and nothing is happening and I'm like "OMG is broken or what?" but when I look at the RPM the car is actually on. Is that silent. Also get the automatic! When you drive a Mercedes Benz you want to have comfort and class, there is no place for manual shift in this car. Only peasants drive manual and "sporty drivers" wannabe. "Man I need a manual to feel the car".. yeah right. Is not like you are in a rally or competition of any kind. Manual is obsolete by some time now. Also try to get the car with heated seats. Is really worth it. Our winters are quite harsh and my prostate is thanking me every time I enter the car and put th heat on.
I agree with you on everything except the manual part, the cool thing about the manual is the 0 60 time its way faster, but i still love the automatic aswell, i have a c240, engine swapped with a c320 car runs great sometimes i have few minor problems with it, last time i visited the mechanic he told me its the egr valve that's casuing the problem, iam gonna adress that later, and my interior and exterior are in a pretty poor condition, it was my parents car i didn't get to drive it before, my parents took care of the car as much as they can, but i been slowly bringing it back to life for a year now, eventhough it has the problems i mention above it's still an amazing fun car to drive and to skid in it a bit, i can't wait till i make it brand new again
Be sure to buy a facelifted version. I had a 2002 C320 and now have a 2007 C350. The earlier car had electrical issues, which were fixed in the facelifted version. The later version also has a couple of nice interior upgrades, a more solid body, and better steering.
i own a w203 c220 cdi from 2004 for 6 years now... luckily it has no rust (yet), so i'm really happy. i don't live near sea, but i did for a brief period from 2015-2016, and still no rust, the only problem is that it got vandalised cause i lived in an apartment, so i parked it on street, other than that, a great machine
I bought a used 2004 w203 wagon. No rust! Only broken door handles and av fixed both since. It drives smoothly and i have no electronic issues (yet) and i hope not to have any as i will keep checking the drain holes to remove anything that clogged it. Nice video!👍
i have a iridium silver metallic 2005 amg c55 with 600 ( six hundred miles ) on it. immediately after i bought it new, i replaced the stock wheels with 18 inch bbs rs-gt 2 piece, forged wheels, and replaced the standard suspension with bilstein coil over ps9, lowering the car 1 inch. also replaced are the original brake pads with ceramic brake pads that do not generate the ugly black powder dust of the originals. the front of the car is protected by a 3M invisible bra. it is fully loaded with xenon hid head lights, leather seats, dark gray wood, shade screen, dimming mirror, etc... never seen rain, is a heated garage queen, under 3 car covers. i love how classy and shapely and aggressive it looks and drives. note that the front end of the amg c55 is longer than the regular C to accommodate the v8 engine, and its headlights are shaped more aggressively and differently from the non amg C's. the floor mats are still brand new and kept in my house. the engine is a 5.3 liters unaspirated v8 producing 362 horses and 367ft torque. if you are interested in my car, please leave a reply here on how we can contact each other.
I own w203 c220 cdi 105kw from 2001 now with 310k KMs for 3 full years now, and i 'd recommend it to anyone anytime. If you can find well maintained 2005 or younger you won't regret it. Older w203 have issues with rust, that's 100% no matter if you drive it or not. It will rust and you will have to repair it every year or two (depending on quality of the job). Service for this car is simple, you only change filters and engine oil every 10 to 15k KMs. Of course brake pads and other parts that get worn out with time need to be replaced from time to time. Whoever is looking to buy a car don't buy Mercedes if you will only drive it and not take care of it when it needs your attention.
I have an 03 C180 Kompressor classic sedan. Absolutely love the car! The timing chain has been replaced recently, but it still rattles for a second or so with an occasional crunch noise at cold starts.... Other than that runs good. AC blows extremely cold, my Flir thermal camera on my Cat S60 has measured temperatures in the negative Celsius 😂problem is, once the AC is on, you can't turn it off 😂😂 pressing the button turns the light on(meaning AC off) but cold air will continue to blow, only way to turn it off is to stop the engine and start it again😂. Central door locks also have an issue with a spring that breaks allowing the lock to jump, often needing the manual key to lock the door properly
I have this car in possession for about 4 years now. The thruttle is no joke, its pretty damn good. Had no serious issues except some stupid mistakes i made myself (for one, i changed the poles of the accumulators and held it for like 15 seconds (not intentionally) spend some 180$ for entire fuse box change. It held up to such a critical situation pretty well, i must say). The rust starts to appear, i will deal with it soon hopefully. But in overall sense, i love it
I have a W203 CDI 2.2 year 2002 with 172.400 mileage.Recently did 204 mile trip one way and it returned 69.2 to the gallon of diesel. Surface Paintwork and lacquer bad. Rust on rear axle carrier, I don't want to change though.
I have a 2006 280000 km c220 cdi just fix it's electrical issue ( dam rat chewed some wires making the turbo close when it was supposed to open) and my mechanic made here run like new very happy with it
If you've been told you've got to tell it right ...The problems with the rust do not come from the paint but from low-salt sheet metal...Since 2004 the c class is fully galvanized and the problem has been fixed! Greetings from Germany
Issues of the w203 m272 2006 -2007 v6 line (face lift). 1. Interior Metallic trim will peel and fall apart. 2. Interior black surfaces starts to rub off and peel. 3. If you have the CD radio system, the plastic face will peel in extreme heat. 4. Engine - air intake drum has issues with the PVC system returning valve cover emission and will clog up the air intake system. Which will create the breakage of the abs plastic parts. Either add in aftermarket oil catch can to minimize the issue and do a 30k maintenance of the pvc return tube, air intake and maf system. Air intake drum will have oil collected regardless, but slows down the process. The only to fix is to either replace new (cost a leg) or clean it with carburetors cleaner. Abs plastic (triangle part has an aftermarket metal piece) can be replaced, however this does not resolve the clogging issues that is the reason why this broke in the first place. 5. Transmission - plate issues which will bring it to limp mode and the bell has issues. 6. Timing sprocket issues which will wear out and cause a catastrophic engine failure (usually a new engine is due if this happens) 7. Magnet timing (cover under warranty) 8. Oil leaks at cam plugs, 2 PVC covers and oil cooler. All can be changed out easily but need to be a maintenance items evey 60k miles. You will know failure when there is smoke coming near the firewall either on driver side or passenger side. Will smell like burnt plastic (really burnt motor oil from leaks). 9. Driver and passenger interior grab handle breaks off easily, pain to replace as it requires whole door panel to be removed to get to it. 10. Driver mirror signal light tends to gets loose over time due to the loose plug and play plug. 11. Keep an eye on the coolant, sensitive to engine heat. Needs to replace to ensure engine keeps at the right temperature. 12. Hood vent grill is a pain to remove and will break when removal due to a failed nozzle. Grill plastic pull latches breaks due to being brittle, since its exposed to the elements and also heat from the engine. 13. Drive belt maintenance to ensure you won't loose your alternator power and power steering when it fails(snap). 14. Driver side airbag at the steering-defective (covers under warranty to replace) 15. Design flaw, interior draw of air is the battery region in the engine. This also has issues with any smoke from the engine bay will be drawn in. The engine vent hole is right above where the battery is, hence where engine bay vent and incoming air to the interior draws in from. Very bad design, as all fumes from the engine bay will go straight to the interior. Even the ideal of carbon filter won't filter all this containments. (No fix) 16. Driver side window controls buttons tends to break easy (not durable). 17. Infrared remote sensor (black square) at the driver side works when it feels like it - this feature is for full open of all windows for venting or closing. 18. Air conditioning vents adjustment breaks easy and rendered useless, this is due to plastic becomes brittle from aging. 19. Interior finishes are not scuff and scratch resistance (below normal conditions). If have the basic finishes (metal) dents easily. 20. Leather not durable, will becomes sticky and starts to melt from human oils (sweat). Need constant cleaning and conditioning to prevent premature wear. 21. Cracking and noise as if something loose as car ages. 22. Secondary air pump will fail like a wear and tear item. 23. Drive belt gears or drive belt tensioner fails (bearing) like clockwork. 24. A tick tock sound in the drive belts (I haven't figure out what it is, but suspected a bearing failure in one of the drive belt gears). 25. Rim curb rash prone to happen per the design of the expensive rims. Its not meant to go over pot holes either, as the tires are low profile (rim damage). 26. Alarm horn will fail over time due to an internal battery wear out over time. 27. Washer pump will fail (when it leaks)over time due to water clog and wear (a reason not to use washer fluid mixture) 28. Vibration at steering wheel is due to brake pads uneven wear or tires uneven wear (usually the front tires). 29. Rear right tire tends to wear out the fastest. (this is probably due to the power on the car, which I suppose is a plus). I'm running at 161k miles and it still running strong, if all of the above is maintained. These cars are meant to be driven with tlc and not abused. If abused, it will bite and it hits you hard with repairs. Aside from that.. This car style is a timepiece and too bad of the issues or its a keeper car.
I had to fix a lot of those, and I still love this car. Maybe more sentimental than anything, since this car took us to a lot of memorable places in our lives. Once in a lifetime experiences, concerts, road trips and more. 272,000 miles on one and 180,000 on mine. If this car fails me to the point we need to replace it, there’s plenty on the used market to replace it. I love this car.
I own a 2002 Mercedes Benz c32 Amg giving me hell for a year now but I'm getting where its supposed to be stage 2 Eurocharged tune and a bunch of other stuff also..
@@christophernoahdavis72 ive just switched tuners to V-Tech Javarashvili. The car runs good, Needed front end work, Struts front and rear, Motor mounts, Trans mounts, All gaskets replaced, Front and back rotors drilled and sloted. Runing on 22psi with a fixed pulley, Ice tank and many other bolt on's car runs strong 💪 NOW..
I used to sell the car I now own, I loved it when I was selling it and could not believe the quality admittedly at the time I could not believe the price. In 2016 I struck gold and found a c180 Avantgarde SE in silver with only 25'000 miles on the clock. I bought it for only £4000 an absolute steal. Just Mot'd now 59'000 miles drives superb and yes rust is a constant problem. My biggest worry is when it is finished what can I buy that will match the luxury, heated seats, leather, auto, cruise, the badge.... ? I recently changed the rear centre brake light. My advice is before taking the car to anyone for body / minor things watch youtube as you can pick up great tips to keep you car on the road.
I have owned a2005 1.8 compressor from new with 50,000 miles on it.the car has been very reliable when sensors go wrong they cost plenty for what they are. I was surprised to learn my engine is basically a re badged Mitsubishi designed motor
I’ve owned 2 w203’s. First one was one of my first cars, c240 4matic. The car was magnificent, never had any issues with it. Sold it due to wanting more speed. Here I am, In my w203 but the c320. Plenty more pick up but the same car. Love them too damn much to drive anytbung else. The most smooth driving car I have yet to drive on the highway with. It’s as if you’re gliding. W203👍
I just bought for my lil family an w203 c 200 Kompressor combi from 2005 whit sport Edition for almost 6k Euro. 150k kilometers.. its such an impressive car, you feel like u re flying around the streets. And the almost 170 HP are enought to have some decent fun...i recommend everyome to buy that car, you wont regret it!!!
hey im looking for the exact same car, the only difference is that its build in 2002... for 2500€ i think its good. Do you have any issues with the car yet?
@@jan3386 hey bud, until now I don't have any issues yet. And we drove with the car almost 30k kilometers. I would be kinda careful buying one before 2005, cause as the video explains, they got pretty bad rust issues.
Whats your opinion about a c220 kompressor. It's manual . 4 cylinder engine . It's petrol but it has a lot of electrical problems. The owner is asking 1600 dollers for it . What should I do ?
Had a 06 c230. Back in 2010 with 30k miles drove it till 75k miles never had a issue except yearly service and a dead battery car was very beautiful reliable. And a pssy magnet lol. Im hoping to buy another kne this weekend with 160k miles for $3grand. Lets hope its in great shape
If you are going to keep these cars. You want to check the air intake drum and the abs plastic parts (tumbler control). This piece of equipment is know to get clogged over time without the owner knowing. You can check it by opening the top black plastic cover (which houses the air filter). from the center square metal heatsink, you will see 3 black circular pumps. These 3 pumps will leads you with black plastic rods that connects to a circular plastic part. It is common that the ends of this plastic part break. There is a way to test if the parts are working normally and test to see if it broke. If it broke depending which piece broke, you are looking at around $1100 in parts and $1500 in labor to change out all new. If you want to just swap out a minor piece, they have the aftermarket part (made out of metal) for about less than $100, but the labor is still the same to take out and replace. If left alone, running with the broken part, the car still drives, inefficiently and in some reported cases, it will trash your engine.
Hi iv got a question if anyone can help iv got c220 cdi 2003 w203 but every now and then it just cuts off and says “epc el power control visit workshop” I have changed fuel lines, high pressure pump etc and it’s still not sorted it.. it’s a mystery I have it at a Mercedes specialist and he couldn’t find it because it’s not storing any fault codes?thanks
We were so young, crazy, stylish, all eyes on us. Daily Amsterdam with Mercedes Benz W203 Dark Blue. *The CD player was suck, we had to punch the upper dashboard just above the cd player to get CD out and very bad speakers by default, third party better sound system required if you love music.
I love my 2004 C240 black on black sedan. I had no idea that the first 3 years of this model had such terrible rust problems. I guess I'm very fortunate to have the 2004 model where the paint was better. I bought mine in spring of 2010 with 43,500 miles on it. Today I have 71,000 miles so I'm not putting a lot of mileage on the car. I liked the rear window sunscreen (very cool) but it stopped working this past year and the fix from Mercedes (parts and labor) was $2000. I was told its a very labor intensive fix. I elected to not spend the money. The drivers seat fuse will blow if I move the seat using the electronic control and hold it for two seconds or more. It would have been a $900 fix but I decided not to do it. all I have to do is move the electronic switch with a quick "tap" and after a couple of taps the seat position is found. It's no big deal. I put 19" rims on the car (really dresses up the car...the ride is a little stiffer, but I never bothers me. I also replaced the stock radio with a double din full touchscreen/navi/bluetooth, etc.. It looks factory. very pleased with it. Two cosmetic changes....I removed the standing star hood ornament with a flat mercedes badge. (looks sportier) and I replaced the standard "luxury" grill with a sport grill with the large center star embedded in the grill itself (just like modern MB cars) The seats are impeccable. They look brand new. I hope to have this car for the rest of my life (I'm 52)...and I'm not kidding. If I can prevent it from being stolen or involved in a "total loss" accident I see no reason I can't have this 2004 beauty till I'm 70. Wish me luck. Anyone reading this who would like to converse about the car, just reply to this post. (oh PS....the one thing I wish was different...I wish I had the 4 Matic all wheel drive vs. the standard rear wheel drive. I have to be very careful in the winter time....)
MTobin1000 thats cool man. I own a 2005 mercedes c240. Im at 114000 miles. I also have 19” rims as well. They are AMG rims. Made my car look a lot better and sportier then the stock wheels it came with. I was seeing how you said you took off the standing star ornament and put the flat ornament and changed the grill to the star ornament grill. I was thinking about doing the exact same thing to make it look more sportier and newer. I was wondering how much did that cost you? And did you do it yourself or paid for the labor? All together how much was it? Thanks
Hi Albert. Sure I can help you out with that. I walked into the MB dealer's parts department and bought the flat badge/emblem. $35. I asked very nicely if one of the guys would walk out with me and remove the standing star for me. they did. They have a quick tool that makes easy work of it but I think you can do it yourself with a set of plyers. Search TH-cam video for replacement...it's super easy to find. (they didn't charge me for the 22 seconds it took the guy to remove the standing star. The flat badge literally "clicks" into place in one second. I bought my new center star four fin grille on amazon. $169. (although the one I bought is now listed for $269. There are a TON to pick from online on Amazon. I think if your moderately handy with tools you can remove the existing "luxury" grill and replace it with the new grille. I however am not handy at all so I asked a local shop to do it for me and they charged me $50. It took them 20 minutes. One important thing...you know that flat black "pull- lever"" that sprouts out from the grill when you pop the hood and is what you use to open the hood. The replacement grille came with the same piece but it wouldn't fit right on the car. the installer tweeked it by removing one of the two "horn" speakers on the car. It freed up just enough space for that black "lever" thing to be installed on the sports grill. The horn still works but it's not as loud since 50% of it was removed to make space. Hope that helps you out. Best of luck. Let me know how it all goes for you. Mike
It's great to hear someone loving this ride like I do. I only have 62K miles , garaged kept since birth LOL...I only wish I could find out why it goes in "LIMP MODE" I want to bring it to dealer ship but i'm afraid that I will be told the same thing my cousin was told, it needs a transmission, I rest the limp mode several times and now it won't reset . Perhaps someone will know the easy right fix for it?...
In 2020 I own a 2006 model w203 c200 with no rust. The paint work is beautiful and immaculate. The paint work is it’s greatest visual quality. And the interior as well. So I’m not truely sure where you’re getting you info.
I have a mercedez deisel and i havit for 17 years.It is in a great form and only has 1 electrical problèm (esp).if you now haw to fix this issue please tell me.
Yes, someone ran through a red light and totaled our C 230 / W203 2007, my wife and I have permanent back and neck damage, but we are alive and thankful for the Benz. We got a 2013 E class now
Excúseme I test drive a 2007 c230 and it vibre and the guy told me it was becouse the strut( frontal) needed air and it only needs to be done and the dealer ship or a place where they are like a club (low riders cars). Is this true or I hve to remplace it? Thanks for your time.
I just inherited my mom's 2005 C240 w/ 149k miles here in CA. She's 80yrs old and did ALL the service at the same Mercedes dealership so i have like 200+ receipts haha... The AC is leaking and not working and needs 2 motor mounts according to her last visit to the dealership so now it's gifted to me:)... I plan to ceramic tint the windows as the windows are stock tint. Any recommendations as to what I should be more besides fix the AC at a reputable shop. My daily is a 2010 Mazda 3s Hatchback which i love. Great video content!
Two years back, I bought my 2005 Mars red black leather 6-speed manual C230K Sport with 66k miles. Replaced oil valve (ESP sensor), clutch and front discs have been the most costly repairs., aside from these, just scheduled service. Always garaged.. Maintenance is key for any vehicle’s longevity. Expect to drive it for the remainder of my life. People are always surprised to see manual because everything is paddles now. Not even sure if manual is an option anymore. I love the simple and austere design. No lane sensors. No cameras. A driver’s car. Driven CLA and GLA as loaners-both FWD These new entry-level vehicles do not compare even to 13 years ago. Difference of quality and design is apparent. Different type of car really. Admittedly, new MBs got some pep. New tech has its advantages, but I would choose my car any day. Maybe, I am biased.
I now have 2 great mercedes w203 models. One is 2001 cdi 220 and the other one is 2000 cdi 220 but ive encountered a problem thats similar in both, and dont know how to fix it, ive tried taking apart the engine, changing manifold etc, the problem is after a littlw while of driving, maybe like 5 mins, it seems to put itself in like sort of a safemoduus, and wont rev past 3000rpm, nor can i accelerate properly
If you buy c180 compressor be aware of its most dangerous issue - time chain. MB recommends time chain kit replacement every 100k. If you don't do this, stretched time chain can make serious and very expensive damage to engine. If you hear rattle sound on morning start for second or more, that is the first sighn of stretched chain. PS - this issue doesn't exist on other models with double chains which lasts as long as car itself.
@@abdullatifhrera7335 ...problem happen suddenly and then it's too late. Simply, time chain stretch enough to cause disposition of the cumshaft which bends valves and your engine is dead. Just watch some videos here about it. Original simplex time chain can last much longer than 100k, but I wouldn't play that bat.
@@abdullatifhrera7335 السلام عليكم اخي الكريم قديش ماشي سيارتك ؟ انا لان فعلا بيطلع عندي صوت شوي لما بشغلها الصبح وبيروح بعد ثواني، انا مشتري السياره جديد وبعد ما اشتريتا ما نصحوني بالكومبرسور؟؟ انت شلون ملاقي سيارتك
I have a 2002 C220 CDI W203 that's done over 211,000 miles (nearly 340,000 km). Biggest problem apart from rust has been electronic problems, in particular I had to replace the automatic gear selector unit. These are expensive even used, but I found the W209 SLK unit works fine. One weird advantage was that my car never came with cruise control (it only had a speed limiter) but since installing the W209 selector it has cruise control! Unfortunately the display doesn't support it but you can easily work out when it's activated. I've also had turbo problems and whilst I thought this was an electronic problem, it turns out the early W203 models still had vacuum turbo actuators, so it's easy to fix.
Iv seen one for sale in the UK it's only £450, it's very clean 2002 c180, I just want a cheap car to see me until April 2020 I heard sensors can be an issue? Do the automatics have a timing chain or belt and what mileage do they need changing?
Have a mercedes w203 c200 2002. Love it ! I couldnt replace it for a new family car , I had the money but I just couldnt. Now im thinking to fix the rust issue and to repaint it , is it worth it in 2022 to do so? Cheers!
I own a 2006 C180K, in a rare 6 speed manual transmission. my car has only 42 000km on the clock now, after 13 years of ownership. I will never sell my c class, as I have owed both shapes after the 203, and they are no where near the build quality of the 203.
Hello just wanted to get a little help from you. I Have a 2002 c180 non kompressor, no supercharger or turbo. It has a problem when shifting gears . SO gear 1 to 2 is smooth, though requires more than usual power to shift, 2-3 feels a bit rough and has a kick to it when I exceed 2,500 revs, 3-4 won't engage above 2,500 revs unless I reduce and accelerate at a slow pace. I have the ABS, SRS, ESP and BAS lights on the dash. Could these be the problems with my shifting or could it be something else?
I really want one of these so bad, I remember my mom owning a blue C240 station wagon when I was a kid and we really loved it, I have been looking at them lately and there is a C320 automatic for sale where I live, black with beige leather and only a small rust bubble on the trunk, based on this, should I buy it, it has about 89000 miles
I have One It's 19 years old and have Absolutely no problems with rust It has Now about 290.000 km and Still Runs Like A champ
As my first car I bought a 2001/10 c180 model (early production, low spec, non-kompressor). it was an old mans car and only had 90 000km. It only had rust an the bottom of all 4 doors but it was so minimal rust converter took care of it. I have since driven the car for 160 000km and she is still going strong at 250 000km Nothing but oil changes and I did a timing chain at 120 000km. Well worth the 4000 euros i spent back in 2018!!!
great for you Liam. enjoy. 🥂
How much is the timing chain?
I own my 2002 C200 Kompressor for fifteen years as a daily driver with no issues, it is true that they are not very expensive to maintain. Fortunately here in South Africa i am not located at the coast, so no rust on the car. I don’t have any other issues with the paint either. After fifteen years i recently replaced the fuel pump, cam and crank sensors also suspension arms, the cost was reasonably as compared to other cars. I still have the car serviced at the agent. The secret to keeping any car for very long is to take good care of it and to drive it sensibly....
Radman SA that is really great job buddy
I am planning to buy a c200 classic as well. I have been anxious thinking I may not afford to maintain a Mercedes. Roughly how much I would to maintain a year?
just bought 2005 c240, its true .. take care of it maintenance routine, and thats it merc can boost any of your business, i dont know why .. :)
You have said it all😊
I drive a C280 Sport Edition 2006 and its the best Car i have ever own. Not overloaded with electronic. No problems at all exept some chassis wear parts. This engine is a pleasure to drive every day…
Cheers from Germany.
I have Mercedes 2.7cdi270 advantgarde 2002 since 15 years and has 470.000 kilometers without problems and only good oils and just continiue😊Are mercedes best long releiable cars by you??
I just got 2006 c 280 yesterday hoping I have a similar experience. Only 130,000 miles on it
@@sbdolla6129How much did you pay for your Mercedes?
I want to be counted as a very satisfied original owner of a 2002 C 240 that now has 105,000 miles and I have had no problems with it. I recently replaced the front control arms due to worn/cracked bushings and that is the most significant repair thus far. I live in Southern California where it never snows and we have only moderate rain so rust is not a concern. I love the W 203 series' style and still think it is one if the best looking cars of all time. And the way it handles in the road is the same as the day I bought it.
Yes, that's true. I have C 320 2001 Avantgarde in New Zealand. I have had more than 5 years and I'm so happy. Any of cars need to be maintenance and care. I changed crankshaft position 4years ago and changed fuel pump system 2years ago.I think that's normal for age. The car is powerful and stable and so nice handling performance. I updated to LED bulbs and front headlights changed to new Philips pure white Xenon Generation too. I love my car.
Michael Graystone man i Live in Germany and mine should be on the scrapyard already because of the rust, Ive never seen worse looking car than mine, im jelous of the weather xD
Hello! What about the fuel consumption? Cheers
I have a 07 and it looks almost new with the exception of a few scratches
It would depend on the size of the engine, but my C200 compressor got 1.8 Ltr and it is not bad all, the power is great (1-100 KM in 6 seconds) I love these cars even though many people say are costly to maintain...but since i bought mine (a used one) 2 years ago i only topped up coolant twice and normal service once. I guess spares are costly because they don't break so easily.
My 2005 W203 C230 Kompressor Sport now has 200,000 miles , looks almost new , still runs good as new , sounds good as new , looks good as new.
I got one at 255000 miles, all of a sudden the fuel mpg dropped. Getting codes at p2038, p0171c. Some misfires, it's driving me nuts !
I’ve owned my ‘07 C280 for 7 months with 166,000 miles two owner, and she’s still purring along; Feels like I could enjoy 15+ more years on the engine with proper transmission care. Pay attention to your cars maintenance routine it’ll definitely make your investment last longer
Is she still Holding together ? Im on the fence of buying one
Love my 230.000km C200 :) Had some issues but thats to be expected at this milage. Issues were some minor electronic problems and broken suspension. Apart from that the car runs just as smoothly as if it was new :) And because its the facelifted model there is no major rust on the body so far.
My family car is a South African assembled, C200K manufactured in 2003. It has the 1.8 liter M271 supercharged engine, 5-speed automatic. The car was originally used in Japan for five years and had about 20,000 kms on the odometer before being exported to Malaysia. My father purchased it in 2008 and we still use this car in 2024, clocking only 68,000 kms. My father can't drive anymore due to his advanced age and Parkinsons Disease, so I am the only one driving it for the past three years.
Our Merc was generally trouble free until 2014 and then it started giving problems one after another. The car is serviced/repaired by two different garages and if the problem was urgent I would send it to the one nearest to my home.
Mechanical issues:
1. The engine was slightly misfiring and we had the all four ignition coils replaced at the end of 2014.
2. In 2019 the engine starter once jammed at a relative's home on a hot afternoon, and we had to get the mechanics to come and fix the problem on the spot.
3. The foot brake release handle snapped off early this year, while the (right) driver's side door handle broke off last year.
4. The transmission makes a whine on the first three gear ratios. It made no noise during the first five years' of ownership.
5. The engine sometimes idles roughly after a cold start, but runs smoothly after it has warmed up. It never had this issue when the car was still "new" with us.
6. All front and rear shocks were finally replaced recently in 2024, along with the lower arm bars, linkages, etc. We have never had the absorbers replaced since the car was purchased. It was the most expensive bill to date.
Electrical issues:
1. The driver's side air vent made a soft but annoying whooshing sound, like a vacuum pipe sucking air, whenever the car was accelerated. It was finally fixed by replacing the blower's fans and the motorized flaps.
2. The dashboard's LCD status panel doesn't display the information properly for the last five or six years.
3. The right side wing mirror's LEDs will not blink while folded which shows up as 1 malfunction on the center display.
4. The CD changer worked erratically since the air conditioner's evaporator coil was replaced in 2021 as part of the dashboard had to be dismantled. It usually shows "No CD changer" each time I press the CD button on the head unit. The only time which it _does work_ is when the battery had been exhausted and replaced with a new one. Even then, the CD changer reverts to its inoperative state after two days.
5. The alternator was replaced with a new aftermarket one in 2022 since the garage mechanics couldn't solve the electrical drain issue that's still plaguing the car to this day.
6. The steering column multi-function stalk malfunctioned in 2017 (it wouldn't stay put) and was replaced with a new one.
7. The SRS warning light stays on even while driving. This problem surfaced only recently and I was told that could be caused by brake issues.
8. The automatic headlights, in the Auto position fail to turn off when the light sensor detects sunlight in the daytime.
9. The overnight battery drain, which was first noticed in 2021 had already cost me four new 12v batteries and a new alternator.
In a bid to solve the excessive battery drain problem, the electrician pulled out the fuses for the radio and the interior light. This only slowed down the parasitic battery drain and then the car would also be without interior lighting and the radio. The car is now back at the garage for the third time as the car still drained the battery in 3 days despite the interior dome lighting unplugged from its socket.
As much as I like this W203, the electrical drain issues have been driving me up the wall and I'm fed up having to charge the battery at home each time it goes flat overnight. 😢
*Full disclosure:*
The only mods that I have done to this W203 is to replace all the rear tail light filament bulbs with LEDs, as well as the front turn signals. Headlights and fog lamps are stock halogens and so are all interior lights. I've seen YT videos of W203/204 owners upgrading their exterior light bulbs to LEDs and their cars are fine.
Thanks for sharing your personal story with us.
Thanks for the insight. Really liked the detail on paint and it's after effects
Glad it was helpful!
My 2002 C320 Wagon is 99.99% exactly as described/shared here. I purchased it from the previous, original owner in 2017, and was with details exactly described here - - as a long story short, with focus on the positive points(i.e., major reason/s for long term intents to remain with), was 100% with my requirements/desires.
In a brief focus, there is no perfect car in the world,... just the perfect car for my needs and intents; focused on my minimum intent of a full decade+++ with.
I have a 2006 c180 Kompressor and it is a great car particularly on the motorway. It has a comfortable ride with a very admirable power to economy ratio.
I will say that servicing on theses W203's is absolutely crucial so if you dont want issues, service them every 9000 miles or once a year and do it in a Mercedes approved garage but not a dealer as they are way to expensive.
The guy is right about rust as mine is starting to bubble up under the wheel arches, its not obviously noticeable just now but it will need professional attention very soon.
What he said about the timing chain is also correct. The chain slipped in my car and needed replaced, this was £1400 so it is expensive.
So as i alluded to earlier, watch your servicing and do it with the right people. Overall i think they are a great car and the W203 will always look good despite its advancing years. But do look after it.
I have that c180 Kompressor -06 also. Automatic and fairly low maintanance. 260km on it and still works like a charm. Gear timings kinda suck but on Sport mode works amazing. Overall i would recommend to all MB fans.
Same thing was on my rims when I bought my ‘03 C320 this week..
I have a 2004 C230 Kompressor that I bought brand new in the fall of 2003. I have kept it garaged all these years with regular maintenance performed at the dealer. It still looks and drives like a new car! The best car I have ever owned. It has a six speed manual, and is very fun to drive. In the next couple of months I will receive my first mileage award (200k) from Mercedes Benz. I love my Mercedes!
Just picked up a C230 1999 Kompressor V4 with 107,000 miles and it drives so much better than all my other "Newer" cars! I'm excited to drive this and have it for a while, since I only drive about 4k miles yearly!
I own 2005 C230 Kompressor is one of the best car I ever owned great video thank you brother👍
Do often have electrical problem your car model?
I'm owning the same as yours, it's a great car.
@@isaackitogo5043 me 3! Really good car!
So glad to hear that i just bought one
Me 4
I love my 270 cdi estate 2002. Mechanic and electric great! Just again passed MOT, no issues. 187.000 miles.
contemplating of buying one... C270 sedan... it's very hard to find d estate version in my country malaysia...
if decided to go for it... i may wanna get advice and experience sharing frm u???
where do u reside by d way??? uk??? u did mention mot...
I own several Mercedes models, but my main car is a 2007 S203 Sport Elegance with an 2.2L Diesel Engine. My Model has an 5Speed Automatic Gearbox and now round about 250TKM and no issues. Only the Leather paint is a bit faded. But that's a common issue with Beige colored Leather in Cars. I have no rust issues and no electrical issues. The only thing I had was a command system failure, but I was going to replace it anyway, with a modern Android Radio. I also added some extra things like ambient led to my interior, without any problems. I also upgraded from Halogen-Headlights to Xeon-Headlights, I have to say, it was fairly easy! The only and last thing I have to do, is the Headliner, it came loose this summer and I have to glue it back to the fiberboard, that holds the fabric. The engine mounts are also bad, also a common issue for a car that's round about 16 years old now, but is also fairly easy and cheap and the car will run like new!
I have just changed the oil, oil filter and air filter on my 2006 1.8 Kompressor coupe, it was around £70 for the lot. The mileage went up by nearly 9 miles per gallon just on that. They are so easy to work on, especially with videos available on ebay to guide you. The only garage work that I have needed is a couple of arms, absolutely no problems to make it an expensive car to run. I have had the car for 2 years now and it has just clocked 105.000 miles Its, the Evolution Sport with the panoramic roof, 5 speed semi automatic, paddle shift, 2 tone leather. Its a beautiful car to drive it feels as Good as new and up with some of the higher end cars coming onto the second hand market now. Even now she still seems modern and able to hold her own in class and comfort . I bought it for £1800. On an easy drive at 65/70mph on the motorway I can exceed 43 miles per gallon. After having racing Peugeots and bumpy Mazda mx5s its a dream.
Would I recommend buying one? Yes definitely. The Coupe is a hidden gem, Big car feel with a sporty chassis in a smaller package.
The face lifted versions of the W203 are so clean, I’ve had the novelty of driving a lot of new cars since including the W204 and W205 top specs but yet when I saw what is now currently my 2006 C350 V6 sport edition in immaculate condition, i new I had to have it!
But they do come with their issues as stated in this video, mine has some rust in the rear fenders and boot lid underneath spoiler I’m getting sorted along with a complete wheel refurbishment this weekend. It’s still very much a head turner and man they sound good with that 7 speed auto. So unsuspecting in a neat not overly bulky tidy car.
On Friday I’m going to go pick up a 2005 c230 kompressor with only 108k miles on it, it did have a little rust on the doors near the top next to the windows, and I’m in New Jersey where we get quite rough winters. I’ll definitely have to check out the rust on my car when I get it and have it rectified if needed
About to pick up an '01 C200 kompressor tomorrow. Fortunately no rust anywhere on the body and underneath thanks to our dry climate here. The latest replacement done are the engine mounts. Other than that, it ran so smoothly during the test drive. Thankfully a mechanic has been meticulously maintaining the car for the original owner. Planning to have it regularly serviced by the mechanic since he has a stable supply of OEM or trusted 3rd party parts for many European brands and they're relatively cheap too compared to more conventional brands
Enjoy your car
same! c200 wagon in gold, no rust, serviced 1,7 eur on 200.000
thanks for your review; we love ours, but have had problems with the turbo (380K km) and high pressure pump/injectors. funnily enough, no problems with rust and ride comfort is excellent. our previous C250 turbo ran to 630K km before we had to sell it!
My old 2005 w203 full leather heated seats. sport steering wheel and other features still feels more premium than many cars from 2017-2019. Its just incredible how comfortable it is when you need to make a long trip. Nothing can compare to Mercedes seats...really, nothing.
Very correct.. Reliable on long trips am upgrading from a C240 05 to a C320 normal engine German edition 2005..
I have a w203 200 Kompressor with 196000 km and it drives like a dream , very comfortable and reliable , parts are cheap and easy to maintain , I really recommend this car to anyone who wants a luxury , reliable and comfortable city car . Also it's the 3rd gen since the previous models where W201 and W202 .
thanks for the feedback, do you have issues with the timing chain ?
@@issmaz2010 no, not at all, the timing chain should do it's job just fine until 250.000 km, usually when it breaks down its impossible not to hear it. But super big advise, don't push the car hard, it's not made for this and people usually don't listen to this idea.
Which year is the car from?
@@gurgelplus from 2002
@@milovanraul9263 this Motor has not the chain issue. Only the facelift motors do have probs.
Do you have some corrosion on doors?
I own a 2003 Mercedes C240 with just some little modifications and it runs great and has over 240,000 miles on it! But my main problem is rust I live in New Jersey and the winters were never nice to this car! My mom gave me this car as my first and I always feel safe driving and when I’m taking it around the track and drag strip!
What mods do you have ?
I’m getting ready to buy and purchase my first car, that is in my name and I will own and it is the 2002 C240 with 151k miles on it
@7:06 2004 facelift models are galvanised and the rust issue is resolved AFAIK.
My 2005 C230 has rust issues. Still a fun and surprisingly fast car.
Just brought a 2005 c200 cdi with 43k on the clock, and the car is solid, and a true cruiser. Stereo needs an upgrade as most of the features on the factory unit are obsolete but loads of support online for this. Always been a French car supporter but even 2023 the w203 cdi has them beat.
A year ago I've bought C280 from the year 2005. It belong to dutch guy. Impeccable condition. Not one crack on the leather, 0 rust. It's the way you take care of your car more, than it being susceptible to rust.
Do you still have it? How is it so far?
@@CactusBravo42 I sold it a month ago. The only thing that required attention was the intake manifold (the plastic arm broke) and one of the spark plugs was shooting irregularly. It's a cost of $100 both. Very pleasant driving was the mercedes.
@@ptkk21 Thanks! I’m looking into buying a 2006 as a second car.
@@CactusBravo42 It's a good, sturdy car.
I just bought a 2003 C230K Coupe for my Daughter. It had 222,000+ miles on it. Not a drop of oil and I have repaired the coolant reservoir,sun roof with a couple 5 cent washers and the LCD on counsel but besides that this little car is such a fun car to drive. I will be replacing the timing chain and rebuilding the super charger, not cause they are bad but just to be safe. Wow! This little car was put together rite...great review and outstanding work like always Mercedes.
Maverick Grabber yes ur right they such a good cars very light on gas the onley problem now is the panoramic sun roof
I bought with sincere trepidation - rust. My other car is a big Saab Estate. I love the contrast vs the small ice cool C. Great vid, keep it up! From Australia.
I adore the mid 2000 to late 2000s Mercedes styling. It's the perfect blend between classic elegance and modern aggression. Especially with the AMG package. The pre facelift ones are terrible, no doubt about it. Rust, problems, transmission issues, etc... I only buy facelift Mercedes.
I own a 2005 C220 and a 2006 E420. Modded my C220. ECU remap (185hp 420Nm), AMG front bumper, bi-xenon headlights, tinted all windows, S-class style taillights, Dynavin N7 MBC infotainment system (NTG2 broke and fitting NTG2.5 was too expensive and NTG2 was expensive and old)
E420 is also modded. Got rid of the DPFs and got AMG resonators for the exhaust system. ECU remap (390hp 910Nm), lip spoiler, tinted all windows and I'm probably going to replace the head unit (infotainment system) too, cause the old NTG 1 is not really relevant in 2018... No map updates, no mp3, unless you stick CDs in the head unit...
I love both of my cars. If I had a lot of money to spare, I'd guy the queen of luxury. The W220 S65 AMG.
I own a Mercedes-Benz 20 one note W203 for about 15 to 16 years I don’t give it to me this is Dan of been having electronic issues here in there for gauge not working lights on in when the car is off and so on and so forth I’m even disturbed in the most then that worries me is there Rusting of the car can you help me resolve this issue but I really like the car and it’s a Diesel engine
I bought a c280 brand new in 2001 and was a little disappointed with it's lack of around town acceleration.. Hit a speed bump when the car was a week old in publix pking lot and it knocked the wheels out of alignment. Found out at that time the only place you could get an alignment on these cars was Mercedes Benz. I was going to trade it back in after only 6 months or so on a different model when I transferred overseas in which case I didn't need a car and so that was that for the new c280.
Might I say however that this was not my first mercedes only my first brand new one and they really give you a great experience when you purchase.
I'm tempted to buy a 2006-2009 C200 Kompressor. Those are the most common C-Class in my country of that generation and the next one
I love the w203's, its my first car and its pretty durable, fun, and its more easy to mod than some other mercedes
Jason Lau what kind of mods can you do to these? I’m looking to get one and tune it and try and make some power lol
I own a Mercedes Benz C Klasse 2 liters Kompressor 163 HP, automatic, Elegance trim. Man is a great car. Bought it for the price of a Ford Fiesta second hand. Is true I have some problems with the rust and after this winter I plan a huge repair and painting the car. The engine is strong and at 230.000 Km has a perfect compression. The 0 to 100Km/h time is not huge but you can feel the power in it while she accelerating relentlessly till 250 Km/h. Other cars may get from 0 to 100 faster but then the acceleration is dropping. Not with this car. The Kompressor is a nice addition, is actually a charger making the car faster without the turbo lag or the lack of reliability of a turbine. Is accelerating pretty much like a normal aspirated car. The 2 liters engine M111 (my engine) is well known for it's reliability and it reach 1 million Km without problems. Is heavier than M271 (the next one in line) but is bullet proof. All the systems are working. The gearbox is amazing and is rock solid. Has been fitted on Porsche 911, Aston Martin and many other cars with tons of HP so you can imagine how solid is. I recommend replacing the fluid ASAP when you buy it. If you want a beautiful car, with a timeless design, powerful, comfortable, made to eat miles at high speeds and solid like a rock then buy this model. You cannot have better at this price range. Avoid BMW and Audi.. Is well known they are a nightmare second hand. Let's not forget Mercedes are well known for reliability. Mercedes is more related to Rolls Royce (in terms of class) than BMW and Audi is related to each other. Mercedes is way above them both. Buy petrol, is so silent you don't hear a thing. Many times I rotate the key and nothing is happening and I'm like "OMG is broken or what?" but when I look at the RPM the car is actually on. Is that silent. Also get the automatic! When you drive a Mercedes Benz you want to have comfort and class, there is no place for manual shift in this car. Only peasants drive manual and "sporty drivers" wannabe. "Man I need a manual to feel the car".. yeah right. Is not like you are in a rally or competition of any kind. Manual is obsolete by some time now. Also try to get the car with heated seats. Is really worth it. Our winters are quite harsh and my prostate is thanking me every time I enter the car and put th heat on.
I agree with you on everything except the manual part, the cool thing about the manual is the 0 60 time its way faster, but i still love the automatic aswell, i have a c240, engine swapped with a c320 car runs great sometimes i have few minor problems with it, last time i visited the mechanic he told me its the egr valve that's casuing the problem, iam gonna adress that later, and my interior and exterior are in a pretty poor condition, it was my parents car i didn't get to drive it before, my parents took care of the car as much as they can, but i been slowly bringing it back to life for a year now, eventhough it has the problems i mention above it's still an amazing fun car to drive and to skid in it a bit, i can't wait till i make it brand new again
Just bought a 2005 c320 cdi with 340.000kms (212.000miles) om642 v6 diesel engine.
Good and nice car.
Be sure to buy a facelifted version. I had a 2002 C320 and now have a 2007 C350. The earlier car had electrical issues, which were fixed in the facelifted version. The later version also has a couple of nice interior upgrades, a more solid body, and better steering.
You are so right!
I love this car ... planning to own one
jas zg and why do you say this is junk ?
My 2004 C 230 Coupe has no rust issues and is an excellent condition in and out. 137,000 miles, no issues.
i own a w203 c220 cdi from 2004 for 6 years now... luckily it has no rust (yet), so i'm really happy.
i don't live near sea, but i did for a brief period from 2015-2016, and still no rust, the only problem is that it got vandalised cause i lived in an apartment, so i parked it on street, other than that, a great machine
I have a c class 220 cdi 2005 in top condition for 5 years now no rust all aluminium body ,I live by the sea ,I love it
You are wrong! Since 2004 model the W203 and S203 were galvanized which means they do not rust anymore!
You are right! Still..... most of them rust, I been checking out a 2006 C230. The car was in great shape, but rust bubbles everywhere, such a shame.
I bought a used 2004 w203 wagon. No rust! Only broken door handles and av fixed both since. It drives smoothly and i have no electronic issues (yet) and i hope not to have any as i will keep checking the drain holes to remove anything that clogged it.
Nice video!👍
@@EEPRODUCTIONSKLB no they don't
David Culik...WRONG! I've got an 06 and the back arches are bad
EEPRODUCTIONSKLB I have a 2001 c240 no rust whatsoever
This car is a real machine, the only problem is the electronics system.
I called it the beast of the road
Hi friends,i have c200 kompressor automatic transmission with small problems some times not started immediately and gear also not shifted while moving
I only have an issue with my 2003 C320’s headlight switch, it doesn’t change the setting unless I turn the engine off first,
i have a iridium silver metallic 2005 amg c55 with 600 ( six hundred miles ) on it.
immediately after i bought it new, i replaced the stock wheels with 18 inch bbs rs-gt 2 piece, forged wheels, and replaced the standard suspension with bilstein coil over ps9, lowering the car 1 inch. also replaced are the original brake pads with ceramic brake pads that do not generate the ugly black powder dust of the originals. the front of the car is protected by a 3M invisible bra.
it is fully loaded with xenon hid head lights, leather seats, dark gray wood, shade screen, dimming mirror, etc...
never seen rain, is a heated garage queen, under 3 car covers.
i love how classy and shapely and aggressive it looks and drives.
note that the front end of the amg c55 is longer than the regular C to accommodate the v8 engine, and its headlights are shaped more aggressively and differently from the non amg C's.
the floor mats are still brand new and kept in my house.
the engine is a 5.3 liters unaspirated v8 producing 362 horses and 367ft torque.
if you are interested in my car, please leave a reply here on how we can contact each other.
Hello, I am very interested in your C55. Please let me know if it's still available!
I own w203 c220 cdi 105kw from 2001 now with 310k KMs for 3 full years now, and i 'd recommend it to anyone anytime. If you can find well maintained 2005 or younger you won't regret it. Older w203 have issues with rust, that's 100% no matter if you drive it or not. It will rust and you will have to repair it every year or two (depending on quality of the job).
Service for this car is simple, you only change filters and engine oil every 10 to 15k KMs. Of course brake pads and other parts that get worn out with time need to be replaced from time to time.
Whoever is looking to buy a car don't buy Mercedes if you will only drive it and not take care of it when it needs your attention.
Мой w203 4 года у меня 367 000 км слежу за ним, всё меняю во время, машина 👍👍👍
I have an 03 C180 Kompressor classic sedan. Absolutely love the car! The timing chain has been replaced recently, but it still rattles for a second or so with an occasional crunch noise at cold starts.... Other than that runs good. AC blows extremely cold, my Flir thermal camera on my Cat S60 has measured temperatures in the negative Celsius 😂problem is, once the AC is on, you can't turn it off 😂😂 pressing the button turns the light on(meaning AC off) but cold air will continue to blow, only way to turn it off is to stop the engine and start it again😂. Central door locks also have an issue with a spring that breaks allowing the lock to jump, often needing the manual key to lock the door properly
I have this car in possession for about 4 years now. The thruttle is no joke, its pretty damn good. Had no serious issues except some stupid mistakes i made myself (for one, i changed the poles of the accumulators and held it for like 15 seconds (not intentionally) spend some 180$ for entire fuse box change. It held up to such a critical situation pretty well, i must say). The rust starts to appear, i will deal with it soon hopefully. But in overall sense, i love it
Enjoy your Benz
I own a C200 Kompressor 2005 and is the best car ever. Just have a bit of a problem with suspension because of bad quality roads in my country
Just bought 2004 c270cdi, with 100k mileage for £1k no rust, loads off power, no problems at all, will keep this car forver! Even if i buy another one
I have a W203 CDI 2.2 year 2002 with 172.400 mileage.Recently did 204 mile trip one way and it returned 69.2 to the gallon of diesel. Surface Paintwork and lacquer bad. Rust on rear axle carrier, I don't want to change though.
I have a 2006 280000 km c220 cdi just fix it's electrical issue ( dam rat chewed some wires making the turbo close when it was supposed to open) and my mechanic made here run like new very happy with it
If you've been told you've got to tell it right ...The problems with the rust do not come from the paint but from low-salt sheet metal...Since 2004 the c class is fully galvanized and the problem has been fixed! Greetings from Germany
Thanks for your additional information, enjoy the weekend
I have a 2003 c200 sport coupe.I never had a single problem with it. Just some small interior problems but i have two kids
I have a 2002 C240 and it’s a great car looks best in black tho my opinion
My father had a 2002 Mercedes c270 cdi and it was a great car with 200.000km.
Mercedes Anri i also have a 2006 c270 cdi amg. thats grear does 257km/h
Issues of the w203 m272 2006 -2007 v6 line (face lift).
1. Interior Metallic trim will peel and fall apart.
2. Interior black surfaces starts to rub off and peel.
3. If you have the CD radio system, the plastic face will peel in extreme heat.
4. Engine - air intake drum has issues with the PVC system returning valve cover emission and will clog up the air intake system. Which will create the breakage of the abs plastic parts. Either add in aftermarket oil catch can to minimize the issue and do a 30k maintenance of the pvc return tube, air intake and maf system. Air intake drum will have oil collected regardless, but slows down the process. The only to fix is to either replace new (cost a leg) or clean it with carburetors cleaner. Abs plastic (triangle part has an aftermarket metal piece) can be replaced, however this does not resolve the clogging issues that is the reason why this broke in the first place.
5. Transmission - plate issues which will bring it to limp mode and the bell has issues.
6. Timing sprocket issues which will wear out and cause a catastrophic engine failure (usually a new engine is due if this happens)
7. Magnet timing (cover under warranty)
8. Oil leaks at cam plugs, 2 PVC covers and oil cooler. All can be changed out easily but need to be a maintenance items evey 60k miles. You will know failure when there is smoke coming near the firewall either on driver side or passenger side. Will smell like burnt plastic (really burnt motor oil from leaks).
9. Driver and passenger interior grab handle breaks off easily, pain to replace as it requires whole door panel to be removed to get to it.
10. Driver mirror signal light tends to gets loose over time due to the loose plug and play plug.
11. Keep an eye on the coolant, sensitive to engine heat. Needs to replace to ensure engine keeps at the right temperature.
12. Hood vent grill is a pain to remove and will break when removal due to a failed nozzle. Grill plastic pull latches breaks due to being brittle, since its exposed to the elements and also heat from the engine.
13. Drive belt maintenance to ensure you won't loose your alternator power and power steering when it fails(snap).
14. Driver side airbag at the steering-defective (covers under warranty to replace)
15. Design flaw, interior draw of air is the battery region in the engine. This also has issues with any smoke from the engine bay will be drawn in. The engine vent hole is right above where the battery is, hence where engine bay vent and incoming air to the interior draws in from. Very bad design, as all fumes from the engine bay will go straight to the interior. Even the ideal of carbon filter won't filter all this containments. (No fix)
16. Driver side window controls buttons tends to break easy (not durable).
17. Infrared remote sensor (black square) at the driver side works when it feels like it - this feature is for full open of all windows for venting or closing.
18. Air conditioning vents adjustment breaks easy and rendered useless, this is due to plastic becomes brittle from aging.
19. Interior finishes are not scuff and scratch resistance (below normal conditions). If have the basic finishes (metal) dents easily.
20. Leather not durable, will becomes sticky and starts to melt from human oils (sweat). Need constant cleaning and conditioning to prevent premature wear.
21. Cracking and noise as if something loose as car ages.
22. Secondary air pump will fail like a wear and tear item.
23. Drive belt gears or drive belt tensioner fails (bearing) like clockwork.
24. A tick tock sound in the drive belts (I haven't figure out what it is, but suspected a bearing failure in one of the drive belt gears).
25. Rim curb rash prone to happen per the design of the expensive rims. Its not meant to go over pot holes either, as the tires are low profile (rim damage).
26. Alarm horn will fail over time due to an internal battery wear out over time.
27. Washer pump will fail (when it leaks)over time due to water clog and wear (a reason not to use washer fluid mixture)
28. Vibration at steering wheel is due to brake pads uneven wear or tires uneven wear (usually the front tires).
29. Rear right tire tends to wear out the fastest. (this is probably due to the power on the car, which I suppose is a plus).
I'm running at 161k miles and it still running strong, if all of the above is maintained. These cars are meant to be driven with tlc and not abused. If abused, it will bite and it hits you hard with repairs.
Aside from that.. This car style is a timepiece and too bad of the issues or its a keeper car.
Wow....very experience user! Can line it one by one. But being a very Beautiful car, can keep it for decades with proper maintenance.
I had to fix a lot of those, and I still love this car. Maybe more sentimental than anything, since this car took us to a lot of memorable places in our lives. Once in a lifetime experiences, concerts, road trips and more. 272,000 miles on one and 180,000 on mine. If this car fails me to the point we need to replace it, there’s plenty on the used market to replace it. I love this car.
In other words this car is trash
Same people is god bed maind dont wory for my is the bescar@@theingush9667
I own a 2002 Mercedes Benz c32 Amg giving me hell for a year now but I'm getting where its supposed to be stage 2 Eurocharged tune and a bunch of other stuff also..
I just bought same car with 66K miles well maintained and in mint condition. Can you elaborate on the issues and possibly the miles etc. ty.
@@christophernoahdavis72 ive just switched tuners to V-Tech Javarashvili. The car runs good, Needed front end work, Struts front and rear, Motor mounts, Trans mounts, All gaskets replaced, Front and back rotors drilled and sloted. Runing on 22psi with a fixed pulley, Ice tank and many other bolt on's car runs strong 💪 NOW..
I just bought a C180 Kompressor Sport Edition as a rare Station Wagon. The best car I have ever driven!
thanks for the feedback. how is it doing after 1 year ? and what is your mileage?
@@issmaz2010 225000, stillt he
best car I have ever driven ;-)
@@boundtomusic thanks a lot ! wish you and your car all the best. I am thinking about getting a 2004 c180, with low mileage
@@issmaz2010 I would be very cautious here! The early models seem to have had some problems. My example is one of the very last.
@@issmaz2010 I am being offered the same model year. How's yours so far?
I need to upgrade the front grille of my 2006 c200 sport coupe Mercedes Benz. Do you know where I can find one?
I used to sell the car I now own, I loved it when I was selling it and could not believe the quality admittedly at the time I could not believe the price. In 2016 I struck gold and found a c180 Avantgarde SE in silver with only 25'000 miles on the clock. I bought it for only £4000 an absolute steal. Just Mot'd now 59'000 miles drives superb and yes rust is a constant problem. My biggest worry is when it is finished what can I buy that will match the luxury, heated seats, leather, auto, cruise, the badge.... ? I recently changed the rear centre brake light. My advice is before taking the car to anyone for body / minor things watch youtube as you can pick up great tips to keep you car on the road.
I have owned a2005 1.8 compressor from new with 50,000 miles on it.the car has been very reliable when sensors go wrong they cost plenty for what they are. I was surprised to learn my engine is basically a re badged Mitsubishi designed motor
I’ve owned 2 w203’s. First one was one of my first cars, c240 4matic. The car was magnificent, never had any issues with it. Sold it due to wanting more speed. Here I am, In my w203 but the c320. Plenty more pick up but the same car. Love them too damn much to drive anytbung else. The most smooth driving car I have yet to drive on the highway with. It’s as if you’re gliding. W203👍
I just bought for my lil family an w203 c 200 Kompressor combi from 2005 whit sport Edition for almost 6k Euro. 150k kilometers.. its such an impressive car, you feel like u re flying around the streets. And the almost 170 HP are enought to have some decent fun...i recommend everyome to buy that car, you wont regret it!!!
hey im looking for the exact same car, the only difference is that its build in 2002... for 2500€ i think its good. Do you have any issues with the car yet?
@@jan3386 hey bud, until now I don't have any issues yet. And we drove with the car almost 30k kilometers. I would be kinda careful buying one before 2005, cause as the video explains, they got pretty bad rust issues.
Ohh by the way the car passed smog with out issues and now has 226,000+ still fun to drive.
His there a Mercedes c220cdi estate élégance SE6speed manual with 236 BHP? 🤔
Whats your opinion about a c220 kompressor. It's manual . 4 cylinder engine . It's petrol but it has a lot of electrical problems. The owner is asking 1600 dollers for it . What should I do ?
Had a 06 c230. Back in 2010 with 30k miles drove it till 75k miles never had a issue except yearly service and a dead battery car was very beautiful reliable. And a pssy magnet lol. Im hoping to buy another kne this weekend with 160k miles for $3grand. Lets hope its in great shape
If you are going to keep these cars. You want to check the air intake drum and the abs plastic parts (tumbler control). This piece of equipment is know to get clogged over time without the owner knowing. You can check it by opening the top black plastic cover (which houses the air filter). from the center square metal heatsink, you will see 3 black circular pumps. These 3 pumps will leads you with black plastic rods that connects to a circular plastic part. It is common that the ends of this plastic part break. There is a way to test if the parts are working normally and test to see if it broke. If it broke depending which piece broke, you are looking at around $1100 in parts and $1500 in labor to change out all new. If you want to just swap out a minor piece, they have the aftermarket part (made out of metal) for about less than $100, but the labor is still the same to take out and replace. If left alone, running with the broken part, the car still drives, inefficiently and in some reported cases, it will trash your engine.
Hi iv got a question if anyone can help iv got c220 cdi 2003 w203 but every now and then it just cuts off and says “epc el power control visit workshop” I have changed fuel lines, high pressure pump etc and it’s still not sorted it.. it’s a mystery I have it at a Mercedes specialist and he couldn’t find it because it’s not storing any fault codes?thanks
We were so young, crazy, stylish, all eyes on us.
Daily Amsterdam with Mercedes Benz W203 Dark Blue.
*The CD player was suck, we had to punch the upper dashboard just above the cd player to get CD out and very bad speakers by default, third party better sound system required if you love music.
I feel your pain brother
What causes engine check light on the 2005 c230 1.8l engines
I love my 2004 C240 black on black sedan. I had no idea that the first 3 years of this model had such terrible rust problems. I guess I'm very fortunate to have the 2004 model where the paint was better. I bought mine in spring of 2010 with 43,500 miles on it. Today I have 71,000 miles so I'm not putting a lot of mileage on the car. I liked the rear window sunscreen (very cool) but it stopped working this past year and the fix from Mercedes (parts and labor) was $2000. I was told its a very labor intensive fix. I elected to not spend the money. The drivers seat fuse will blow if I move the seat using the electronic control and hold it for two seconds or more. It would have been a $900 fix but I decided not to do it. all I have to do is move the electronic switch with a quick "tap" and after a couple of taps the seat position is found. It's no big deal. I put 19" rims on the car (really dresses up the car...the ride is a little stiffer, but I never bothers me. I also replaced the stock radio with a double din full touchscreen/navi/bluetooth, etc.. It looks factory. very pleased with it. Two cosmetic changes....I removed the standing star hood ornament with a flat mercedes badge. (looks sportier) and I replaced the standard "luxury" grill with a sport grill with the large center star embedded in the grill itself (just like modern MB cars) The seats are impeccable. They look brand new. I hope to have this car for the rest of my life (I'm 52)...and I'm not kidding. If I can prevent it from being stolen or involved in a "total loss" accident I see no reason I can't have this 2004 beauty till I'm 70. Wish me luck. Anyone reading this who would like to converse about the car, just reply to this post. (oh PS....the one thing I wish was different...I wish I had the 4 Matic all wheel drive vs. the standard rear wheel drive. I have to be very careful in the winter time....)
MTobin1000 thats cool man. I own a 2005 mercedes c240. Im at 114000 miles. I also have 19” rims as well. They are AMG rims. Made my car look a lot better and sportier then the stock wheels it came with. I was seeing how you said you took off the standing star ornament and put the flat ornament and changed the grill to the star ornament grill. I was thinking about doing the exact same thing to make it look more sportier and newer. I was wondering how much did that cost you? And did you do it yourself or paid for the labor? All together how much was it? Thanks
Hi Albert. Sure I can help you out with that. I walked into the MB dealer's parts department and bought the flat badge/emblem. $35. I asked very nicely if one of the guys would walk out with me and remove the standing star for me. they did. They have a quick tool that makes easy work of it but I think you can do it yourself with a set of plyers. Search TH-cam video for replacement...it's super easy to find. (they didn't charge me for the 22 seconds it took the guy to remove the standing star. The flat badge literally "clicks" into place in one second. I bought my new center star four fin grille on amazon. $169. (although the one I bought is now listed for $269. There are a TON to pick from online on Amazon. I think if your moderately handy with tools you can remove the existing "luxury" grill and replace it with the new grille. I however am not handy at all so I asked a local shop to do it for me and they charged me $50. It took them 20 minutes. One important thing...you know that flat black "pull- lever"" that sprouts out from the grill when you pop the hood and is what you use to open the hood. The replacement grille came with the same piece but it wouldn't fit right on the car. the installer tweeked it by removing one of the two "horn" speakers on the car. It freed up just enough space for that black "lever" thing to be installed on the sports grill. The horn still works but it's not as loud since 50% of it was removed to make space. Hope that helps you out. Best of luck. Let me know how it all goes for you. Mike
It's great to hear someone loving this ride like I do. I only have 62K miles , garaged kept since birth LOL...I only wish I could find out why it goes in "LIMP MODE" I want to bring it to dealer ship but i'm afraid that I will be told the same thing my cousin was told, it needs a transmission, I rest the limp mode several times and now it won't reset . Perhaps someone will know the easy right fix for it?...
Ride safe
MTobin1000 I like your comments I’ve 2002 such a amazing car
Hi, I Bought 320 6 cylinder petrol automatic. It has 136000 km and needs now an oil change and maybe more....What would you raccommend? Thank you
Looking at a 2006 C280 with 80,000Km but I noticed he said to avoid that engine. Anyone have experience with this car?
In 2020 I own a 2006 model w203 c200 with no rust. The paint work is beautiful and immaculate. The paint work is it’s greatest visual quality. And the interior as well.
So I’m not truely sure where you’re getting you info.
Because since 2004 the body is fully galvanized, that´s why you don´t have the rust issue.
I have two w203 one is a sedan with a automatic 5 speed and the other is a coupe with a 6speed Manuel.Enjoy them both in their own way.
I have a mercedez deisel and i havit for 17 years.It is in a great form and only has 1 electrical problèm (esp).if you now haw to fix this issue please tell me.
I loved my w203 2007. Saved my life also
You where in a car crash with your Merc ?
Yes, someone ran through a red light and totaled our C 230 / W203 2007, my wife and I have permanent back and neck damage, but we are alive and thankful for the Benz. We got a 2013 E class now
@@AncientMysteriesAndInnovations good choice
This is one of best car, I own one 20 year old, with just done 100,000 miles, early model with water base paint, facelift model are good.
Excúseme I test drive a 2007 c230 and it vibre and the guy told me it was becouse the strut( frontal) needed air and it only needs to be done and the dealer ship or a place where they are like a club (low riders cars). Is this true or I hve to remplace it? Thanks for your time.
I just inherited my mom's 2005 C240 w/ 149k miles here in CA. She's 80yrs old and did ALL the service at the same Mercedes dealership so i have like 200+ receipts haha... The AC is leaking and not working and needs 2 motor mounts according to her last visit to the dealership so now it's gifted to me:)... I plan to ceramic tint the windows as the windows are stock tint. Any recommendations as to what I should be more besides fix the AC at a reputable shop. My daily is a 2010 Mazda 3s Hatchback which i love. Great video content!
Very good video man. But you got the engines wrong. Totally missed the M111 Petrol Engine. Keep up the good work.
Two years back, I bought my 2005 Mars red black leather 6-speed manual C230K Sport with 66k miles.
Replaced oil valve (ESP sensor), clutch and front discs have been the most costly repairs., aside from these, just scheduled service.
Always garaged.. Maintenance is key for any vehicle’s longevity. Expect to drive it for the remainder of my life.
People are always surprised to see manual because everything is paddles now. Not even sure if manual is an option anymore.
I love the simple and austere design. No lane sensors. No cameras. A driver’s car.
Driven CLA and GLA as loaners-both FWD
These new entry-level vehicles do not compare even to 13 years ago. Difference of quality and design is apparent. Different type of car really. Admittedly, new MBs got some pep.
New tech has its advantages, but I would choose my car any day.
Maybe, I am biased.
Nah. You got a great car and having it in 6-speed manual is a +.
I have w203 c270 cdi 2003. Only problem is rust at 368 000 kilometers
I now have 2 great mercedes w203 models. One is 2001 cdi 220 and the other one is 2000 cdi 220 but ive encountered a problem thats similar in both, and dont know how to fix it, ive tried taking apart the engine, changing manifold etc, the problem is after a littlw while of driving, maybe like 5 mins, it seems to put itself in like sort of a safemoduus, and wont rev past 3000rpm, nor can i accelerate properly
Does anyone know what it could be?
All you said is right. I did my research on forums.
Good to get that confirmation, cheers ;)
If you buy c180 compressor be aware of its most dangerous issue - time chain. MB recommends time chain kit replacement every 100k. If you don't do this, stretched time chain can make serious and very expensive damage to engine. If you hear rattle sound on morning start for second or more, that is the first sighn of stretched chain.
PS - this issue doesn't exist on other models with double chains which lasts as long as car itself.
I have C180 Kompressor 2006
Have no problems....
@@abdullatifhrera7335 ...problem happen suddenly and then it's too late. Simply, time chain stretch enough to cause disposition of the cumshaft which bends valves and your engine is dead. Just watch some videos here about it. Original simplex time chain can last much longer than 100k, but I wouldn't play that bat.
@@abdullatifhrera7335 السلام عليكم اخي الكريم
قديش ماشي سيارتك ؟ انا لان فعلا بيطلع عندي صوت شوي لما بشغلها الصبح وبيروح بعد ثواني، انا مشتري السياره جديد وبعد ما اشتريتا ما نصحوني بالكومبرسور؟؟ انت شلون ملاقي سيارتك
Hii sir. Would you mind to make it clear, i want ti know wich parts i should change every 100k to avoid engine damage. Thanks
@Geronimo Miguel 167.000 miles
Okay if I can ask...lets say you wanna sport this kind of car is it sportable mine is Kompressor c200 2005 mode3
The 2007 c230 sport is a awesome car and runs just fine and is really quite fast
I have a 2002 C220 CDI W203 that's done over 211,000 miles (nearly 340,000 km). Biggest problem apart from rust has been electronic problems, in particular I had to replace the automatic gear selector unit. These are expensive even used, but I found the W209 SLK unit works fine. One weird advantage was that my car never came with cruise control (it only had a speed limiter) but since installing the W209 selector it has cruise control! Unfortunately the display doesn't support it but you can easily work out when it's activated. I've also had turbo problems and whilst I thought this was an electronic problem, it turns out the early W203 models still had vacuum turbo actuators, so it's easy to fix.
Mine is the same haven't figured out how to use it any advice?
please explain more on the issue of the 271 engine. u said its better left alone in your review
Iv seen one for sale in the UK it's only £450, it's very clean 2002 c180, I just want a cheap car to see me until April 2020 I heard sensors can be an issue? Do the automatics have a timing chain or belt and what mileage do they need changing?
Have a mercedes w203 c200 2002. Love it ! I couldnt replace it for a new family car , I had the money but I just couldnt.
Now im thinking to fix the rust issue and to repaint it , is it worth it in 2022 to do so? Cheers!
Good choice!
very grateful for info I found it very very interesting its now my favourite watch!!!!
I own a 2006 C180K, in a rare 6 speed manual transmission. my car has only 42 000km on the clock now, after 13 years of ownership. I will never sell my c class, as I have owed both shapes after the 203, and they are no where near the build quality of the 203.
Keep it forever bro....you won't regret. Good n beautiful car.
Hello just wanted to get a little help from you. I Have a 2002 c180 non kompressor, no supercharger or turbo. It has a problem when shifting gears . SO gear 1 to 2 is smooth, though requires more than usual power to shift, 2-3 feels a bit rough and has a kick to it when I exceed 2,500 revs, 3-4 won't engage above 2,500 revs unless I reduce and accelerate at a slow pace. I have the ABS, SRS, ESP and BAS lights on the dash. Could these be the problems with my shifting or could it be something else?
I want to buy mercede w203 it have engine 2.2 dizel... Lot of my friends say that this is not good engine... Are they right or?
I really want one of these so bad, I remember my mom owning a blue C240 station wagon when I was a kid and we really loved it, I have been looking at them lately and there is a C320 automatic for sale where I live, black with beige leather and only a small rust bubble on the trunk, based on this, should I buy it, it has about 89000 miles
santiago leon steinberg back off I know which one you’re talking about and it’s mine
@@Bbbbar123 what happened, who got it