It`s Fidogonadic

[Splatt]

All my previous cars felt good when new but after a year the little niggles were starting to annoy. Twelve months on the C class never ceases to delight. It is a late model W203 C180 Elegance Sport Auto. All the vehicle feels so well put together, things work with a satisfying clunk, it is smooth and comfortable, looks great and for a heavy car can hustle along fast enough to see off the nerds. It is the most economical car I have ever owned , on a good country road spin I get 38 mpg (yes petrol). I have just got back from a run which has left me euphoric . Yes it`s the dogs b******s

 

[Blobcat]

Hi & Welcome

Nice aren't they

 

[M6AJJ]

Really glad to hear it. We all tend to post when there is something wrong, nice to hear the positive, well done, and thanks. Oh and welcome!

 

[robtt]

Cannot agree more.My C class has been superb.Fast,fun and frugal.Not only that but the best fast road cruiser I have ever had. Nor probs with it except one software update on the gearbox.Well done Merc

 

[verytalldave]

All my previous cars felt good when new but after a year the little niggles were starting to annoy. Twelve months on the C class never ceases to delight. It is a late model W203 C180 Elegance Sport Auto. All the vehicle feels so well put together, things work with a satisfying clunk, it is smooth and comfortable, looks great and for a heavy car can hustle along fast enough to see off the nerds. It is the most economical car I have ever owned , on a good country road spin I get 38 mpg (yes petrol). I have just got back from a run which has left me euphoric . Yes it`s the dogs b******s

Welcome to the forum.....................I feel exactly the same regarding my 2004 auto C200K. Love it to bits - and as you say, treat the go faster pedal with a degree of sympathy and you be rewarded with a return of about 35mpg. Not bad for a heavy car that can push 140mph if required.
Mine.........

 

[jberks]

I was just thinking as my 'old barge' purred into work this morning. She was lovely when I got her, 2 years and 36,000 miles ago. But to be honest, she's nicer now than she's ever been. The gear changes are smoother, the engine is loosening up nicely, she has more go and the engine is finally starting to feel run in. Still no rattles or creaks and apart from a dodgy steering sensor knocking out most of the electrical trickery (on back order apparently) she remains fault free.
As you say, most cars get to 3 years or so and they start to feel worn. Some even after a year, but, and I'm on my 3rd, I truly believe that like a fine wine, Mercs simply get better with age. I actually regret trading in my E240 as it was really maturing nicely. My head was turned by a nicer looking 211 and it's toys, but it was a daft move really.

I bought a 3 year old C220 in 1998 and sold it to my Dad in 2001 when I upgraded. I borrowed it back a few months ago when the jeep was in the shop (gave mine to the Mrs).
We only needed it for a couple of days, but once the jeep was back and the Mrs no longer needed my car, I found myself leaving my shiny 2 year old E class parked up in the garage and going to work in the 12 year old C. It just put a grin on my face, was a pleasure to drive and I didn't want to give it back. He recently sold it (his head was turned by a 211 too) , but if I'd have had the garage space, I'd have bought it back in an instant.

 

[television]

Welcome on a happy note with your 203

 

[Jensen]

J Berks

J Berks, I'm supprised at your comments re regret trading in E240 for W211 E270, and daft.
I've set my heart on a W211 270cdi or 320cdi and at present have a W202 C250TD.
Apart from this being the last of the old type I've driven a W211 320cdi twice and thought all was ok. Why do you say this??

 

[jberks]

Hi Jensen,
Don't misunderstand me - I love my 270, it's an absolutely brilliant car and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.
My point was this.
I bought my E240, 12 months old with 13k on the clock. I ran it for nearly 5 years and finally traded it in with around 75k on the clock. After 5 years I was a bit bored with the 240 and it was a bit short of power for the motorway use it was now getting, plus the 2 fill ups a week were getting me down. However, I had noticed that from 40k onwards, the car seemed to improve by the mile. Things loosened up considerably and the engine became sweeter, the gearbox smoother and the ride smoother too. Clearly this was all due to wear, but to my mind, that wear had resulted in a better rather than worse car.
I traded it knowing this and it struck me that in many ways, the best cars, at least to drive, are actually ones with 50k on them and a few years under their belts. Ok, you don't get the warranties, the new smell and perhaps get the odd niggle, but for pure driver enjoyment, they are still a better bet.
I'm finding the same with my 270. Again, bought 12 months old and 16k on the clock. The engine was always a bit noisy and whilst rough is too strong, you get the idea. We're now 2 years down the line and the clock has just passed 50k. I've just driven a few miles this morning to do a bit of shopping. The road is a normal 70mph ring road. She just purred along and despite hardly pressing the throttle, still pulled away from everything. No real noise, no vibration and a momentary blip of the throttle, there was a kick in the back and the needle almost flicked straight from 40 to 55. The ride was supple and soaked up every bump.
She just wasn't like that when she was 18 months old with 25k on the clock.

We had an Audi loan car a few years ago whilst we waited for our new one to arrive. An A3 Turbo sport (same as the one we had ordered). It was 3 years old and had around 45k on it. It was real fun, lively and chuckable. A real hoot to drive. The new one finally arrived and we went to pick it up. The drive home was a bit of a dissapointment. It was not nearly as much fun to drive as the loaner. Everything was tight, as a new car would be, but it just made everything more effort. The gearshift was more notchy, the engine less willing to rev, the ride harder. I'm not knocking the new one, but compared, the older one was better.

So that's why I 'regret' chopping in the 240. Not because I regret the 270, I don't, but because I get the feeling that I paid a fortune in depreciation to have some of it's worst years and then missed out on some of it's best.
One of the reasons I swapped was that, from some angles, I never liked the 210 to look at, whereas I love the look of the 211 so when owning one became a possiblility, I jumped at it. I can see it taking a lot more to get me out of my 270 (though the new 320v6 is very tempting...)

I pity the folk who buy new, keep for 3 years and swap. They pay the most and get, in some ways, the worst of their cars.

So, as I said at the beginning, Mercs improve with age!

 

[Dosco]

Totally agree with jberks. My W210/240 is a wonderful 'barge' and I truly enjoy the driving experience - after 135k it is running soooo well, yep the odd niggle etc but hey it is 9 years old so 'stuff' does need doing from time to time.

I do a bit of part time driving for a local private hire company and have the "great fortune" of driving one of 5 W211 CD220 three of which are now well in excess of 250k in deed one is very near the 300k miles all are so economical and run reeeel sweet it is hard to imagine driving anything else.