98 W202 C240 Elegance woes

[Sparkc180]

Hopefully I am the right forum…?

I am after some wisdom. Bought a W202 C240 Elegance to cover 3 months between failed Bmw e90 and taking a lease. 16 months later, still driving it as it is the quietest most pleasant thing I have ever driven.

Had a 99 C180 previously but did not appreciate just how good the 6 cylinder engines are in the w202. There is nothing that I want to replace it with, current mileage is 88k and market value is £2k on a really good day. There’s no rust (really, there is none!) and it polishes up really well.

As she’s an old girl, I observe she needs the following work.

1 new brake lines front and rear.
2 ball joints
3 small hole in spare wheel well. Approx 3cm by 8cm patch needed
4 it’s dropping gearbox oil. It’s not sump as this was checked when gearbox was serviced.
5 there’s an oil leak at front of the engine
6 the diff is leaking (honestly could care less, but if I can get other repairs done at the right price, I would rebuild the diff.
7 surprisingly, the aircon is kaput. Charge it and it works for a few days getter gradually warmer. Don’t care, not a deal breaker.

As much as I love this car and understand that I won’t ever get the money back, here is the question…

Would you spend the money on it (estimate close to value of the car on a good day and maybe more) or would you say au revoir and start searching for a 6 cylinder w204? It drives and changes gear perfectly. Am I mad for wanting to fix it and drive it for the next 5 years? I always wanted a classic Merc and I am nearly there!

What do you think, sheer madness to fix it or a good call? Thanks

 

[s5tuart]

You know what? If it were me and I loved it I'd spend the money. Not all at once, to give the funds chance to recover, but gradually over time.
My car is a 2003 and whilst I miss some of the toys of my previous Merc I do love the relative simplicity of it and I know that when anything goes wrong there are already plenty of used spares out there to keep it going! Certainly much "greener" than buying a new electric car!!!
Bring it back to its former glory and you'll be rewarded knowing you've saved a bit of the planet and you'll have a car that you'll be genuinely proud of.
Any reasonable mechanic can work on the older cars too so you won't be paying over the odds for work you can't do yourself.

Enjoy your car

 

[Sparkc180]

Thanks for the reply, it’s what I was afraid of…..

I do love it, will likely spend the cash and I really wanted someone to talk me out of it…

(bit of a history or throwing good money after bad on 996/E90).

Saving the planet is the excuse I was searching for I think . Going to use that one in future if I opt for repair and keep……

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Hopefully I am the right forum…?

I am after some wisdom. Bought a W202 C240 Elegance to cover 3 months between failed Bmw e90 and taking a lease. 16 months later, still driving it as it is the quietest most pleasant thing I have ever driven.

Had a 99 C180 previously but did not appreciate just how good the 6 cylinder engines are in the w202. There is nothing that I want to replace it with, current mileage is 88k and market value is £2k on a really good day. There’s no rust (really, there is none!) and it polishes up really well.

As she’s an old girl, I observe she needs the following work.

1 new brake lines front and rear.
2 ball joints
3 small hole in spare wheel well. Approx 3cm by 8cm patch needed
4 it’s dropping gearbox oil. It’s not sump as this was checked when gearbox was serviced.
5 there’s an oil leak at front of the engine
6 the diff is leaking (honestly could care less, but if I can get other repairs done at the right price, I would rebuild the diff.
7 surprisingly, the aircon is kaput. Charge it and it works for a few days getter gradually warmer. Don’t care, not a deal breaker.

As much as I love this car and understand that I won’t ever get the money back, here is the question…

Would you spend the money on it (estimate close to value of the car on a good day and maybe more) or would you say au revoir and start searching for a 6 cylinder w204? It drives and changes gear perfectly. Am I mad for wanting to fix it and drive it for the next 5 years? I always wanted a classic Merc and I am nearly there!

What do you think, sheer madness to fix it or a good call? Thanks

I've got a customer with a 98 C240 Sport.

Its on 160k now and he has owned it since 60k miles. He absolutely loves it and spends around £1200 a year on it keeping it tip top. We've just had to put a second hand transmission in it but he keeps it on the road regardless.

 

[Sparkc180]

Interesting take, think that works for me… if I look at it that way, all it has cost me in the last year is a full service and mot (minus the blaupunkt blue tooth stereo which doesn’t count ) 1200 probably does the brake lines and ball joints & is last years maintenance cost. Meaning new budget this year for leaks and a minor service. That’s a great way of thinking of it in practical terms and for setting a limit to how much cash you throw at a 25yo car before it starts to get silly. I think I can just about justify it…

Have to admit, it IS a lovely drive. Not overly fast, just silent and smooth as silk…

 

[gliggsy]

Being old myself makes me appreciate old things too, I have a 2007 cls which seems like it will go forever and I see no reason to end its life anytime soon OK I had to spend c£1200 this year on maintenance but that's because it hasn't cost anything for the last 3 years, 50mpg, what's not to like! I do like some of the tech' in the more modern cars ie reverse cameras and headlamps which are excellent but find all the bells and whistles of a modern dashboard to actually be a hindrance to good driving by causing distraction, I'll stick with the old girl for a while longer!

 

[Sparkc180]

I do like a cls. My old man had a 320 cdi for a few years that he let me borrow ( he has moved on to a 2018 c220). Very accomplished car. It has to be a future classic. Yes, I am also liking the lack of distractions. The w202 does NOT beep at you (except for lights on, ignition off, door open). It doesn’t get upset about seat belts if I am just moving it to let my daughters car out of the drive way. With the Bluetooth stereo you get music streaming and telephone, so there is a hint of modernity. I am thinking the w202 should be preserved. Always wanted a classic 6 cylinder merc, just thought it would be a w114 or a w124….

 

[Sparkc180]

Ok, booked in with local garage for brake lines and ball joints. We will see what that costs before moving on to the leaks with a Merc specialist. May be a small delay

I may have to live with the diff leak for a while as I have been quoted 1.3k for a rebuild. So instead I will get the diff oil changed every 12 months until I get around to it. Pretty cheap alternative and keeps it safe.

Would like to do’s at some point:

Aircon fixed
Wheels refinished
Bumper touch up
New speakers

Thanks for the advice, notions of w204 dropped, W202 is being kept for now….

 

[bladecrazy]

good, better the devil you know!.

 

[horatio]

I’ve still got the 190e I bought as a cheap stop gap at uni in 2008. I have bought and sold too many cars to count inbetween but it still soldiers on. I finally got around to fixing the ac last year!

I don’t think keeping it going is a bad idea at all. I would remove all the plastic under trays, jetwash & cavity wax the hell out of it. Ceramic coat the paint. With that engine & trans it will last as long as you want it to then.

 

[Sparkc180]

New front ball joints, new springs all round, wielding done boot/subframe, gearbox leak fixed, gearbox serviced, top end oil leak fixed, booked in with aircon specialist next Saturday for a nitrogen test to see if it’s feasible to recommission it. If not, don’t really care, all windows down….…. Had brake lines checked to be told I don’t need to spend the money this year, so will get that done next year along with 12 new spark plugs.

Right, I feel a two hour detailing session coming on, thanks for all the guidance!

 

[grahamcol]

What a lovely thread.
I've had four 202's in the past, two of them being C280 v6. Agree on the smoothness.
It's great to hear of someone taking a pride in an old car and getting it sorted. My last v6 was with me for 12 years but a multitude of issues and some rusting eventually caused me to swap it for my current daily CLK. I'll always remember that car with fondness!
Well done to the op.

 

[AnthonyUK]

I had all the same issues and unfortunately the earlier W203s was not as well protected against rust so that is also a ongoing battle.
Otherwise it is a beautifully refined engine.

The gearbox leak could be the pilot bushing from the electrical connector which is very straightforward and everything else is pretty standard fare.
I hope it does you well for a while longer.

 

[Sparkc180]

Not only but also:

booked in next month for welding on the spare wheel subframe and stone chip protection while they are about it As it turns out there were two holes and they only fixed one…. Organising to have the wheels refinished and may go for the blue crest inserts to match the badge. Was considering upgrading to diamond cut e class alloys, but it’s so original I will likely stay with the elegance alloys. It needs a minor service but seriously considering a blow over paint job up to the trim line to refresh it as well, make the bumpers nice and crisp. Actually surprised at how hard I have fallen for this old girl……..

AC is still knackered, but I like driving it with all the windows down on a hot day anyway… I asked the mechanic about restoring the diff, he said “ don’t think of it as a diff leak, it’s minimal, think of it more as slowly rust proofing the underside of the car”. All other work was completed.


26 years old, 93k and one of the most relaxing things I have ever driven (including w210/w211/w203’s I have owned). It costs me nothing other than maintenance, but honestly feeling that a 26yo car in perfect condition is almost as big a flex as a new one…… I no longer need you to talk me into/out of it…… I am going in!

 

[Albertushka]

Beautiful!