W202 C220

[GJH]

I have been a Mercedes Owner since January 2004, when I bought my A160Cdi, my first brand new car. I have done 62,000 miles in it and it has been (almost) totally reliable.

I am now considering replacing it and have found an immaculate 1995 C220 Elegance petrol at my local Mercedes main dealer - 29500 miles and it comes with a full MB used car warranty.

What do I need to look for and what can I expect by way of perfomance and economy?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Gordon

 

[ScORTED]

Thats suspiciously low milage... for a 12 year old car, especially one that isn't extortionate to run...

anyway heres the figures... http://carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=114972&Mercedes-Benz

hope these are of use to you

also here are those of your A class for comparisson
http://carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=121022&Mercedes-Benz

 

[GJH]

Excellent - that is very useful and exactly what I had been looking for (but had failed to find)

I agree that the mileage is suspiciously low and I would want to ask a lot of searching questions if I decided to follow it up. Condition certainly seems to match claimed mileage, it looks absolutely immaculate.

Any pointers as to likely problems would be appreciated. Although the thing is being sold with 12 months MB Used Car Warranty, I would like to know what sort of things are likely to go wrong just after the warranty runs out.......

The A160 has been reliable - the only things that have caused problems are rapid brake disc wear and a broken seat-height adjusted. The warranty has sorted all problems and the service contract has taken care of the tyres I have worn out (third set of fronts and second set of rears in 60,000 miles).

Even if I don't get this C220, I am likely to be looking to move up to a C-class of some sort within the next few months.

Thanks for the links to the data. The C220 should feel a bit quicker than the A160Cdi by the looks of it.

Gordon

 

[jberks]

The mileage is unusual but it's also unusual for a main dealer to be selling such an old car so chaces are that they have known it since new and can vouch for it. After all, my mother in law once clocked up 800 miles between MOT's!
As far as things that can go wrong. At the end of the day it is a 12 year old car. How much is it? I recently sold my 1995 C220 (89k genuine) and got £1600 for it. This was a good price (most people balked when we said what we wanted) so I'd be interested so see what a dealer would ask.
The problems we encountered recently were
a) as excellent as the bodywork was, the wheelarches were starting to show their age and would need attention in the next 12 months
b) We put in a new fuel pump after the last one corroded through.
c) New battery
d) New CAT
e) SRS fault - sorted by a mechanic for minimal cost.
f) Boot leak - never got the the bottom of that one.
Other that that, she was faultless for the 9 years we had her.
The C220 is no rocket and I'm not sure in real world terms she'd be any quicker that what you have. Fuel economy wise you would be able to tell though. The 220 isn't bad for what it is but not in A160cdi territory!

The W202 is a classic in my view, (I'd have kept mine if I'd have had anywhere dry to keep it) but any 12 year old car will start to suffer from age related issues, even if the mileage is low. Wiring, connectors and other items will wear the same irrespective of mileage. Rubber seals perish, insulation and engine seals hardens etc. Also, as has been discussed before, low mileage isn't necessarily a good thing. After all, it normally means that it's rarely warmed up so you can find more wear on the engine than an equivalent 100k one.
Tread carefully

 

[GJH]

Thanks for the advice folks.

I gave that one a miss, but have bought an 04 plate C220Cdi Avantgarde SE instead and take delivery on Thursday. Bought from the local main dealer so not the cheapest but it comes with 12 months MB Used Car Warranty and 2 years free servicing.

25,000 miles - one owner so should hopefully be reliable and reasonably economical.

(Must remember to alter my signature! )

 

[television]

Nice car that model with a nice engine, you cant compair it to the first one that you were thinking of. Happy motoring