Merc C-class running costs?

[Oupa Stig]

I know, I know, it's a Hilux forum...
But I'm sure one or two of you lads or lasses own a Merc.
We are considering our options regarding SWAMBO's Tazz, and one is to flog it before we spend money on it and get the wife a C-class. Insurance on a 2006/7 model elagance will cost us about R500,00 pm more than the Tazz, plus installment. You can pick a C-class upfor less than 120k.
Now the big issue is: can these cars be serviced by someone like me who can service the KZ / Tazz, or are we in for huge service bills at Merc?
Consumption should be similar to the Tazz, with added advantage of space/safety/luxury.
I believe the Merc is reliable, but do not want nasty running costs surprises.
In addition, the diesel models are actually lighter on fuel than the Tazz, but here we go again with service costs, and exorbitant (?) charges for things like injectors...
The Tazz when in good nick is virtually cost free to maintain. We do not want a situation where we sit with massive bills on the Merc
. Opinions?
'coz let's face it, why buy a cheapie new when for the same money you can get a somewhat more luxurious Merc which should (???) last just as long. Only issue is running costs...

[pietpetoors]

Just make sure it is not one of these:
http://www.noseweek.co.za/article.php?c ... ticle=3113

I should still have that copy lying around and can scan full article for you if you want.

[Oupa Stig]

If that only refers to the C230 then I'll know what to avoid...
Tx!

[Thabogrobler]

A mate swears by the C270 cdi - he just bought anotherone with something like 300 000 km for R 30 000 and is happy with it!

[pietpetoors]

Seems like I do not have that issue no more. It was a whole thing of the timing belt gear that was made of inferior quality steel. It packs up after warranty period (of course) and then causes R60k of damages to the engine. In other countries Merc fixed it when the problem became known, but Merc SA decided to keep quiet since the problem would only surface after the warranties expired.

[Toppie4x4]

Mickey our C180 2005 model did not gave me one day of issues, had it since 85000km currently on 162000km. Not being serviced at Mercedes anymore for the last 4 services, making use of the Bosch Service station. Very light on fuel, with 60 lit tank average of 580km in town 700 plus on open road.

[arnize2]

I bought a C 180 Elegance auto in 2004 and still drive it. The timing chain was replaced last month and the cost was R12000. This was done after the engine management light came on. If you are going to ignore the warning lights, you WILL have damage. The kilos on my car is 142000 and my last service was a "B" service that cost me R4300. The "B" service is your more expensive service where they replace a lot of stuff. At this stage I cannot afford a new one, so I think I will be driving this vehicle till I die. There are no rattles in the vehicle. It is still as solid as the day I bought it. My average fuel consumption is 8 liters/100km.

[Rianc]

I have a 220cdI, same engine specs as the 3d4d an a great car! Hard towndriver avg 9km/l and open road to Durban and back 17km/l. wel I bought a secondhand car that had accisdent damage (which I did not know, bought it at a very respectable dealer which claim they didn't knew either). I had to replace the aircon evaporator R7500, aircon compressor R 7500, and now the balljoints front is finished. 156000km on the clock. Service at backyard mech normally R2500 per service. the model is a W203 2003. If I could I would by a merc again, however find that other cars on the segment has more space than the Merc eg legroom, head clearance. Other than this, this specific car outperform many other superior brands.

[Sebata]

thank you Oupa Stig for bringing the topic up, im also contemplating swapping my mazda 3 sport for a Merc C-Class

[ChrisF]

my boss have had a nice selection of cars - Porche (vintage model), Audi TT, Peugoet 308 CC, and the list just keeps going on and on ....

his biggest dissapointment/let down was the 180C.

The car is "not bad", but of the vehicles he had the Merc service levels were some of the lowest.....


and actually a SMALL car on the inside.


Might be a totally different story if he got proper service from the dealers ...

[FIRSTGEER]

I have a 2007 c200 compressor purchased 6 years ago with 70 000km on the clock.It now has 230 000km on the clock and has had the normal services and it still runs like a new car.The average consumption on the open road is about 7'9 ltrs per 100km at 120km p hour.The aircon is ALWAYS on.Will drive it for at least the next few years.

[Rianc]

@Crisf, already indicated on "small". My Toy Corolla (2007 facelift) traded in on the merc had much more space. But dammed, had a 1.6 with automatic gearbox, and the absolute grunt of the 22ocdi gave me the shivers.

[dd6]

C180,C200 and C230 are all the same engine. I have seen a lot of those worn camshaft gears. Intake side is the worst. The trouble only begins after about 4 teeth break off a sprocket. The C220 and C270 cdi's were lovely!! Injectors normally only gave trouble at high kilo's. The C240 and C320's with the old engines (112 V6) were also dependible. The newer 272 V6 had headaches. The C320 cdi's were rockets but the turbo actuators and intake manifold stepper motors didn't last.

[dd6]

I'm talking about the W203 shape, but most of the engines ran in the W204 as well.

[Rianc]

Ek wens eintlik ek kan die plat kar 220cdi lig! met 4x4. Die ding loop soos ;n donkie met terpanyn. KRAG en Spoed!

[Family_Dog]

Interesting! I have a C180 but fitted with a 2-litre engine, not the Compressor version. Pulls like a bomb, very economical and I'm quite happy with it. Mileage is somewhere around the 120k mark, so it has not worked that hard.


-F_D

[Oupa Stig]

Tanks djents.
Jaco, you say the C220 diesel is a good motor (we don't want to go too big - consumption in town is a factor.) Would 2005 to 2007 models fall in this "good" category? Because from the looks of things these models are sorta in our price range.
The 180's are a bit cheaper, but finding them with less than 200k kilos on the clock is tough. Saw one today, 2004, interior lovely, 140k kilos, but exterior looks like it was not taken care of, and no service history. No deal.
Whereas on the 220 diesel I would not mind slightly higher mileage if it still falls in our budget. But only if the guys who know feel it's a good motor.
There are just too many damn models!
Which are good and which are crummy?!!!
*headache*

[dd6]

The 220cdi's were a bit scarce, I don't know why. I never saw big problems on them. About 2011 the engine changed, not sure when exactly. That thing was finicky!!! But the old engine I would buy. Injectors on a diesel are only going to last so long in any case, so thats normal. The same goes for the turbo if you don't look after it. I don't know what the W211 E-class 220cdi goes for, but what a lovely vehicle!!! Oh and Oom Eric, I think you still have a 111 engine. They went according to the designation, so a 230 was a 2,3lt so far I know.

[dd6]

Interesting story.... One rainy season after a particularly bad storm we had quite a few mercs that tried to be submarines. Most were C180/200's that came in with bent conrods. But one C270 cdi came in (c220cdi is a 4cyl, c270cdi is a 5cyl but further basically the same), car drowned and was apparently cranked afterwards, always bad.... We took out the injectors, swung the engine, created lovely fountains (watermarks still sitting on the 4m high ceiling today), put the injectors back and the C270 ran like nothing happend. I know it is a diesel with higher compression an stronger conrods, but still... Just to throw a spanner in the works, what does a Lexus IS go for? I once testdrove a IS250 and a C-class merc which I was used to did not come near in comparing. Lexus is a Japanese Mercedes after all!

[Hangover]

I have a C220 cdi and what a beaut!! As stated above in town driving it can be heavy but open road up to 18km/l...

[Oupa Stig]

So we've been hemming and hawing about this business. My concern is maintenance costs, and I do not want to go from a Tazz which was REAL CHEAP to maintain to a car that you have to save up for to have it serviced.
So I looked at the Etios sedan. It's not pretty. Nose ok, butt not ok.
Mother in law has the hatch, she's happy, but frankly, compared to the Tazz, you can see the Etios is built to be low budget. That's great, afaik, but Swambo prefers the leather kit....
So we went through all the other Toyotas available. She liked none, and those she did like are too expensive (women!)
So we looked at Suzukis and Hondas and Volvos and and and.
Finally I said there's only BMW left, and I detest BMW drivers, because as a rule they are pratts.
Swambo's eyes lit up. She would also like to be a pratt, after more than 10 years of being treated like dirt by pratts in BMW's in her Tazz, she now wants some payback.
So we're looking at the more sensible 320D. Seems to be a nice car... And quite economical as well.

[Mud Dog]

Been idly looking around myself for a small economical car for my daughter (no hurry as yet) .... sort of like the Etios Cross in the Toy range, prefer the older Rav though (she is sort of looking for a AWD vehicle if possible). Also looked at the Suzuki Sx4 .... nice neat little car, I would probably take it above the Etios. However if one goes a bit higher in price and looks at AWD's specifically, the Honda CRV is a pretty decent vehicle - reliable, economical but maybe not so good looking. The new Kia Sportage is also a strong contender, but I don't know about running costs on that one.