1998 C200 (W202): Reliability Inquiry

[khairol]

Hi there!
I'm from Malaysia and looking forward to buying my first Merc. The dealer is bringing the car in from UK in August and it's a W202 1998 C200 with an automatic transmission, Elegence model.
I do not know much about Merc and I wish to seek your expertise to advise me. The mileage is about 40,000 miles. Hope you can share with me some valuable info about this model. One other thing is that do you happen to know if there is any typical fault/problem with this model? I plan to own the car for the next 7 years and would like to find out if the car will last me this long with a proper maintenance. Are the gearbox and engine on this model reliable enough? Look forward to hearing from you out there.
Thank you.

 

[sedstevo]

Hi, I have a '96 C200 for about a year. I do about 200 milesper week. All has been well except for the alarm system that played up for a while. Called the AA out and they fixed it. Seems like the the signal between the ignition key and sensor gets corrupted. The AA had seen this on other makes as well. Not too impressed with the paintwork but love the ride and quality feel.

 

[hocky4711]

W202 C200 reliability

I drive a 1994 C180 which I assume has the same engine as your C200, but yours has more horsepower than mine. Mine is 90 and yours is about 100, The car is the same, but yours is the upgrade model and the engine runs sweeter and quieter. I think yours also has 5 speed while mine is 4 only. The car runs well, though lacks power especially with passengers and going up hills. Don't take it to Genting Highlands or it might overheat. Things to look out for are oil leaks around the head gasket area, leaking windscreen reservoir, battery condition in the boot next to the spare tyre, loose fan belt which screams on starting, leaking shocks, leaking water pump, noisy fuel pump, vacuum leaks which will affect other parts in the car. Basically this is a car to drive in style and comfort. Though small compared to the W124, it is easier to park around town and is more economical on fuel. Give it a good independent check by the AA and make your own decision.

 

[khairol]

1998 W202

Many thanks to you guys. It has been very informative. Well, I took the car to 2 independant MB workshops just to cross check each other. Both of them are equally good and thourough. Before I took the car , I got the workshop to replace the bushes, fuel filter, spark plugs, engine oil, ATF, service the aircond, put on four brand new tyres, fix the leakage around the transmission box gasket, vacuum the interior and also wash it. The dealer also sprayed one layer of lacquer for me just to make the car look as if new. Other than these jobs, the car is in very good condition. The dealer picked up the invoice and he throws me a 3-months warranty on the car. The battery housing in the trunk has got some rust. So I ask the dealer to fix it, giving it a good anti-rust before doing the paint job. By and large, it is an excellent car providing almost precision handling and unrivalled comfort for its class. I just wish the space in the back seat were bigger for my 3 kids. Regards.

 

[hocky4711]

C class

Hi Kairol, how is your C200 going on these days? I still have my 1994 C180 Elegance and it is still going strong, but due to be sold. I have just bought a 1997 facelifted C180 with the 5speed auto Classic and it is so much better. Much quieter engine, better build quality, no squeaks or rattles, good suspension and better response. Probably will keep this one for good as it may be my last car buy. Fuel rices have gone up overnight to A$1.00 and higher per litre. Very happy I did not end up getting a 3litre Camry, 3.5litre Mits Verada or a 4litre Holden or Ford!!! I regularly use the 98RON petrol and it feels lots better than the normal premium unleaded. Cheers!