W202 mileage challenge

[joemargetts]

Hi guy's,

Many thanks for all the info you have posted over time, it has been good value to me as a first time Mercedes owner since last December.

I have a W202 C200K Auto Estate with black leather, 6 disc autochanger, Zenons, Unusual 16" Alloys and silver metallic which I think is a pretty good spec for resale, on a March 2001 Y plate which must make it one of the very last W202's registered in the UK - in March 2001. The car is 100% reliable and gives up 30mpg.

I have thought about replacing it or trading my wifes Citroen (C4 54 plate Exclusive auto - what a crap car!!) in and keeping my C200k for her.

My question then is what life expectancy can I expect from the C200k W202? It currently is at 106,500 miles and feels like it is just out of the showroom. Bodywork is all but mint - without any special care!. What is the sort of mileage I could hope for?

I do think I could probably keep this car for a very long time as my main car, even though I do around 30k a year mileage - in the last 25k since I bought it (in Dec 2005) it has only got better. Servicing at my local garage has cost me next to nothing - full B service - £130.

I don't mind paying for servicing and my local garage (in a pretty upmarket area with plenty of old Mercs) has plenty/loads of experience of Mercs and he thinks he can keep my car fresh for 250,000 miles.

Who has what miles on their W202?

I like this car and would prefer to keep it than change it.

Joe

 

[television]

You are much better off with a car that you know, in a way its like asking the doctor if you will be ok for a holiday or are going to live for the next 20 years.
For the best part there is no reason why it should stop, or need much. at some point one must accept that something will go, until then sleep well.

Malcolm

 

[Bolide]

I agree with Television. If the car has the kit you want, service it and pamper it and keep it forever

Personally I'd get it steam cleaned underneath and then give it a serious Waxoyling. Then just top it up each year. The sooner you do this the better - if you leave it you'll find a couple of years have gone by...

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[42847]

w202 mileage

my june 2000 w reg c200 elegance has 144000 miles 12 stamps in the book.. runs lovely.....

 

[G MAN]

Hi Joe there was a post by SeaGS the other day about changing the ATF (which I recommend) on this model. Only other issue I have is a bit of rough idle/flat spot which isn't yet fully resolved & I haven't posted up yet til it gets sorted. Check out my posts & jimsinessex posts to identify a common problem which seems to affect a lot of kompressor models. Maf failure is common to everybody & also a small rust issue confined solely to the rear number plate screw housings-again there has been some contributions on this particular problem from other members so do a search. I did actually have this seen to under warranty three years ago & only discovered it again the other day when trying to remove the rear number plate. I may have a go at the dealers to redo it but as it is now way out of warranty they would duck & dive but I've nothing to loose but time & patience!! No rust as yet anywhere else so maybe there is some truth that this model was put together as a bit special-the engine being the one carried through to the 203-though maybe there were a few 202 body shells spare so they popped in the new bits to use them up??
Mine is May 01 in Tektite Grey metallic charcoal leather air no xenons no roof but very tight & nippy 740000 hard miles & usually a tank lasts 320ish round town 400+ on a good long run. I did a few basic mods. a chrome grille front driving spots & 16" wheels/205/55 off a clk which look great & feel a lot firmer than the orig. 15" No pics taken I may have a go one day.
I also think this model of ours was upped to 185 bhp for some european markets,poss. Italy, & may be just a remapping job to release the extra power.I think it is well quick enough & a great blend of performance & practicallity. Bolide's & Malcolms suggestions are as ever spot on , though I always hanker to go back to a 124 estate as they are so much better built & easier to maintain, robust & reliable.I did keep an E280 7 seater(black/black leather etc) out in the West of Ireland to use on hols. till recently & sold it after a v.good offer as it wasn't getting the use it deserved...boy do I miss that car was as near to a Bentley estate as you'll ever get!!

 

[television]

though I always hanker to go back to a 124 estate as they are so much better built & easier to maintain, robust & reliable.I did keep an E280 7 seater(black/black leather etc) out in the West of Ireland to use on hols. till recently & sold it after a v.good offer as it wasn't getting the use it deserved...boy do I miss that car was as near to a Bentley estate as you'll ever get!!

All of those cars always got rave reviews on their own, the only reason why they never got many best in class type of review was the price, but the build quality was always number one, I will always miss mine as well, there quite a lot around here and when a customer brings something in to me I always go and sit in their car and drift back to yesteryear. I cant really think about swapping my V70R for one, the appointents are first class, and I have not spent anything on it, its never been serviced other than the first one and now 75k miles, so I will dream on to the time when I fully retire.

Malcolm

 

[Shala]

has anyone had an auto-gearbox replaced? mine's only doen 55k & a garage reckons it needs tobe replaced as my cars not performing.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I'd stick that in as a new thread, it may get missed in here.

 

[Flatflr]

My 1996 C200 has got 160,000 on the clock at the moment. Went through it's last MOT yesterday and all it needed was new number plates (old ones had de-laminated).

Is still on the original battery and exhaust, but I have had to replace the MAF (ouch), heater fan (from a breakers), flasher/wiper control unit (surprisingly cheap), water pump (when on about 80,000 miles and under warranty) and discs, the bonnet has a good collection of stone chips and the front bumber is scraped but it runs good for it's age.

Nick

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

my A6 had 160,000 on the clock (1999) when I part-ex'd it for the Merc. That still had the original exhaust although the battery died a couple of months prior to selling it and the MAF went at around 120,000 miles. Other than that I think I had a fan replaced and the drive belt tensioner and a couple of front ball joints. On the whole, very, very reliable car. Pretty much immaculate when I flogged it to.

 

[niva441]

C250TD - 217k miles

 

[Hibbo]

As people have said, it is difficult to quantify how long a car will last.
Realistically, it should go on for a good few hundred miles, as long as you change the oil regularly.

Engines don't tend to 'wear out', more often than not a single component goes and it costs more to fix than the car is worth, then it is deemed worn out.

I think I big thing in their favour is the lack of a cam belt - these are the cause of many killed engines.

My everyday car is a 23 year old Merc with 187,000 on it. Goes great!

 

[Dan996]

I have a c200 elegance 1996 model not sure what type of engine that is but its done 180,000 miles and going strong.

 

[The Hooded Claw]

I have a 98 (R) C240 Sport ..............pulls like the starship Enterprise just turned 180K this morning !!!