C240 or C280

[jp]

I currently drive a late '98 C200 elegance facelift estate which I'm very pleased with but want a bit more power. Everyone says the V6 engines are great and go for the 240. I think there is a 280 V6 as well?? Is there much difference does anybody know? What about the C280 straight six? Is the 240 much more economical?? I'm looking at a '99 - 2000 model, any suggestions/ helpful tips?? (If I could afford it I wouldn't have written the above, I would just go and buy a C43 estate - anyone got a cheap one for a good cause?!?!?)

[fuzzer]

Don't listen to them . The C280 V6 is a lot faster and the MPG does not really suffer enough to bother about. You will get about the same mileage as you get with your C200 anyway , because its a more powerful engine pulling the same weight of car.

C43 estate is a good one , there is one on the Internet at the moment '99 T with 45 ish K. Its on www.mercedes-benz.co.uk under the used car section at a dealer in the south west. :o

[steveperry]

Hi jp,

Before the facelift, 1997 I think, the C280 was an inline 6, afterwards the model changed to a V6. Both C240 and C280 V6 models are also twinspark. I'm very happy with my C240 but I guess if I was given the choice at the time of getting my car I'd have plumped for bigger displacement ;)

If you look at the parkers guide you can check out the differences in performance (http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/performance/performance.asp?model_id=340) between all the models. Out of the normal W202 'C' Classes the top performers are the C280 and the C230 Kompressor, followed by the C240. However, if you can afford AMG specs ;) then the C36 or C43 are on another ballpark again.

I don't know of any differences in reliability between the 240 or 280 engines. Also the very last of the W202 C240T estates were actually 2.6 litres and not 2.4 but still produced 170 BHP, I think they started using the engine from the W203 saloon.

S.

[jp]

Thanks for the replies guys! That C43 has already left the website thank god because it's way over my budget!! I think I'm ging to start looking for a C280!

[Koolvin]

Why dont you come to the Mercedes Get together (GTG) that alot of us are going to so you can see the cars there will be lots of W202 with different Engines! its March 16th