Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I’m looking at purchasing a new 2002 C-coupe. I will get it with almost everything (i.e. comand, c1 package, c5 premium package, leather, multi-contour seat, auto trans). The only reason I can get this is because of some settlement money I have come across so I’m new to MB. That means I’m left with a few questions:
What is the service like, cost, worth, etc. All of the small things that most don’t think or care about when purchasing a MB I’m thinking about. I don’t know, any help would be great!
Thanx!
The over-fill warning went away for a week or so after the repair, but now it's going off a couple times a day.
Then again, maybe my engine is creating oil?
Both keys started to intermittently give trouble (not opening or locking doors, ignition not working). The red diode would blink when I tested for adequate battery power. I tried re-programing the keys by inserting into the ignition lock 12 consecutive times. I tested the lithium CR 2025 batteries, and they both read "good" on my battery test meter, well into the green zone. For the past week, I have been carrying three keys with me (both Smart Keys, plus the mechanical key), in case of emergency. I did not feel like being towed, given the cold weather we now have in New York.
The Home Depot had a sale on batteries on New Year's Day (1/2 price for all Duracell!). I purchased four new CR 2025 batteries. I tested them prior to installation, and well, the new batteries were even further into the green "good" zone on the meter!
I have not had a problem yet with the new batteries! Perhaps batteries falling just short of 3V, by even a few tenths of a volt, are causing some of the key problems.
I remember my previous cars used 12-volt batteries in the remote controller, so maybe Mercedes figured out a way to cause much grief for their customers by using two 3V batteries in series.
Any thoughts...
Having owned both I prefer the MB and know the long term (100K miles +) mechanical integrity is superior.
This problem was resolved with fresh lithium batteries. It wouldn't be apparent, however, as the original batteries still tested good on the battery meter (almost "like new" on voltmeter) and red diode still blinked on the SmartKey.
Wish me luck over the next 9-10 months or so... at which point I will proactively change the 3V batteries again!
Good luck.
thanks
This has nothing to do with whether you use the winter or summer mode in the transmission - all the winter mode does is start you in second gear to try to minimize wheel spin.
Between the ABS and ESP, this is a very safe car in snow - but no system will make up for a complete lack of traction, which is why snow tires are a good idea in any area of the country that sees substantial quantities of the white stuff. Somehow, the tone of your question suggests you are not in one of those areas, in which case slow speeds and due caution are all that are required.
I also noticed on my information panel, the "i" mark in triangle appears and then disappears when that breaking happens. It happens so fast that I could not get chance to see what exactly it is.
I am in Columbus ohio area and only yesterday I had chance to take her on ice
thanks
I would agree with you that 200k with minimal (if any) drivetrain issues is not unreasonable mileage for a MB vehicle to accumulate. But imho, it is the "small things" that will get you - one of my former colleagues liked to use the phrase "nickel and dime you to death." In this case it's by the $100.00's.
As others have mentioned on the board, MB repairs can be quite costly. If something as "small" as your fuel gauge or electronic speedometer stops working - which could require replacement of the instrument cluster - at 4 years and one day or 50,001 miles, it could easily cost you over a thousand dollars to get fixed. There is also a myriad of electronic sensors on the car, most of which I would expect are in the hundreds of dollars to replace.
I believe the extended warranty covers those things and much more for up to 4 years beyond the regular warranty (total of 8 years). The $1,680 I paid for my extended warranty was worth the peace of mind. Lisa Lehrbaum at Courtesy Motors in Chico, CA is who I bought it from, saving about $860. over what I was quoted by my hometown Atlanta dealer. Lisa can be reached at (800) 655-3535.
Buying the extended warranty was not an easy decision for me, as I work in an unstable high-tech industry. I wanted to therefore ensure minimized cost over the next 7 years with my (paid-for) Benz. The last thing I would want is to have to sell it because I could not afford to fix the air conditioner, transmission, electronics, etc.
Good luck with your decision and with maintenance on your MB!
- Paul
I used a cotton swab w/ rubbing alcohol to clean it...Is it safe?
Thank you for your advice.
Thanks for the information.
AFAIK, the buttons will only work with the OEM CD changer. If you don't wanna pay the factory price you can get an OEM CD changer at somewhere like clairparts.com and install it yourself. You need to ask the guys there whether you need to still take it to dealer get the system to recognize CD changer though. Pro of dealer installation, the CD changer is warrantied for 4 years. Con: Price.
Cotton swabs and alcohol. Sounds as fun as cleaning toilets with a toothbrush. That will disinfect the seats too, but is someone with open sores and a thong sitting in your seats? It might dry the leatherette too. I use a Meguiar's leather cleaner. They sell one for synthetics too.
husky11: Wasn't that rain something. 4-6 inches of standing water? I once drove in water that deep and it shorted out the engine.
My 1995 C started developing front braking vibration at 25,000 miles, and I wonder if it was becase when I washed the car, I used to spray lots of water to clean the front wheels (after driving it). Just in case it does make a difference, I will only wash the front wheels on my "new" '00 C before driving - when they are cool.
Driving through a puddle of water (no matter how deep) will only warp your rotors if they are REALLY hot, like immediately after an emergency brake manoeuver. Under regular driving conditions, the sudden temperature change won't be enough to do any harm.
ctic,
A friend's brother (yeah, yeah...) had his Toyota LC turbo diesel fitted with a cold induction kit and increased boost to be, well, quicker. As appropriate (he thought) for a 4x4, puddles were no reason for him to slow down, ever. What he didn't know until the tragic day his engine gave up its ghost, was that the cold induction pipe ended in the back of the right front wheel well. The air out there is rather cool - and in his case it was saturated with water, too! His engine took a good gulp of water, which in turn very suddenly blocked the engine after making it into the compression chambers. Diagnosis: broken and bent connecting rods, engine all to h@**. Intake kit Manufacturer's remorse and answer to his claim: zilch
After this little endeavor, he switched to a 190E and was never again seen anywhere close to standing water...
Tarik
did anyone noticed new commercial of C lately?
one more thing I watch watching a movie shot in Luxemberg and the girl in that movie was driving CAR exact similar to C 240/320 but the rear end was reading as C200 Kompressor !! this is just for information
I got my C240 last year in Feb 2000. With a few minor issues Can anyboy help with these:
1. One of car keys does not work, especially, If I take it out as soon as I stop the car.
2. The breaks sweak always.. Took it to the dealer on the 2nd day, the cleaned it and it worked fine .... it is back again..
3. SNOW !!!. I live in the North east, I justk skid and skip on slopes any suggestions. Will snow tires help ?.
Thanks
A
If we ever do see the next generation A-Class here, as promised, count on a maximum of one or two engine choices, vs a half dozen in the EU. Certifying all of the various engine/transmission combinations for US sale is too expensive, and just will never happen...
Having said that, I don't suppose it is a good idea to go through a car wash after driving your car hard then. Because your brakes are sure to be hot and the car wash will be spraying cold water on them. But in living in Seattle you're always going to get a combination of hot wheels and cold water because it rains half the time and the brakes are sure to get wet any time you're driving in the rain.
Tarik: It was also a Toyota I was driving in when the engine went out. Strangely enough, it was in the Bay Area. It was the only downpour I had ever been in down there, massive amounts of rain, worse than in Seattle, just for a few hours. Would have drowned if I were born a few inches shorter.
How to fix the chips in the hood? I noticed several of them in the front.
Thanks.
Why is the US gov interested in a particular engine/trans combination?
Is this process required by any European countries on import car?
What it takes for the car company to apply for the cert? Cost?
- Only interested that it passes emission standards
- Don't know about emissions, but safety standards must be met in some foreign countries. Japan is notorious for requiring all kinds of standards be met.
- Cost a lot for each certification
I drive less than 5,000 miles per year and do not know if the purchase of a warranty is cost effective with such few miles.
Also, if I decide to purchase the warranty what size discount from list price should I expect.
Any infomation concerning such a warranty would be appreciated.
Anybody have thoughts on this?
Delivery time after drop-off is variable - they said to expect 6 to 8 weeks, but we dropped our car off (in Stuttgart) March 30 and didn't receive it here till the day after Memorial Day, close to ten weeks.
One small bonus - when we bought car tags here, the tax assessor didn't charge for automobile sales tax, because our car had already been registered and tagged in Germany. That made about a 4% discount in Alabama. YMMV, depending on local laws.
Has anyone else with a C320 sport driven in snow yet? I have the conti-sport tires and they seem worthless in the snow. I don't intend to change them since I use the jeep in adverse conditions. I was just wondering if the car can be driven safely in a couple of inches of snow with NO HILLS!
Thanks to all who reply!
Kind of like an "out-of-body" experience? I can't stand watching something happen and being unable to do anything about it.
Sorry, but I only have experience with a '95 C220 in snow. Did very well with the factory Conti-Touring Contacts.
- P
And this story reminds me of the time we parked our new '84 190E at the far end of an empty shopping center parking lot, only to come out of the store and watch helplessly as a shopping cart was propelled by the wind from nearly 50 yards away [!!!!] taking dead aim at the car...insert silent scream here, and not-so-silent cursing...and put a nice dent in the left rear door. Now, in addition to distance, I try to gauge wind and slope, as well as the phase of the moon, when deciding where to park...sigh...
I have to agree with you about the Conti's being next to useless in snow. Though I went through a few New England storms with them, I never got stuck in the snow - which is what I meant by I "did very well" with them. There's a lot more to it such as traction and handling that I did not consider, as I was just glad to have arrived safely at my destination.
I am sometimes overly cautious, but prefer to live by the pilot's motto of "I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground."
- Paul
I "tested" the ESP in a snow covered parking lot and it does help, but is not invincible. I have yet to make a big enough mistake at high speed to check that... not looking forward to it either.
I have run I-89 to I-93 through New Hampshire on hardpack in the fast lane recently. I noticed a not so peculiar thing: only the german cars are willing to run in the hardpack in the fast lane. They generally stick together in "caravans". Do you think this is a driver mentality or a car capability or both? I myself have no problem running on hardpack at 50-65 mph... this is not for the faint of heart though. No sudden movements please...
p.s. I wouldn't try any of this if you are used to driving in Texas or Atlanta. Snow is a whole new ball game.
- North East Skier
Running on hardpack at over 50 mph??? Via Con Dios...