(first posted 5/16/2014) In my piece on the W201 190-series, I attempted to give an honest account of that car’s shortcomings to balance the praise I heaped upon it. In doing so, I later realized that a strong argument could’ve been made to qualify it for DS-status. But now that I have a second chance, I won’t miss the opportunity to label its lackluster successor with this uncharitable designation. Daimler-Benz may not have suffered the same grave consequences from its hubris as GM did, but the original C-class may have been the first car with the three-pointed star which could honestly have been referred to as “crap” and therefore is a nonlethal sin (an NS).
The first C-class can be recognized for being a commercial success and, in C43 AMG form like our featured car, a solid performer, but it was far from being a class leader and remained overpriced. Perhaps most important, though, were some glaring lapses in its quality. In recycling a number its predecessor’s engineering concepts while liberally cutting costs, Mercedes brought a marginally improved car to a very competitive market. Its biggest selling point was that it was the cheapest way to get behind the wheel of a genuine Benz, but beyond that, there was little to distinguish it from other, similar cars.
Other than a new double wishbone front suspension, a concept borrowed from the W140 S-class, from a customer’s standpoint, the only notable changes were the addition of a multi-valve cylinder head (along with a few hundred extra pounds), and a passenger’s side airbag. After so many years of potential development, the fundamental improvements made to the car were lacking.
That meant, of course, that the driving experience hadn’t changed very much: same gravely, torquey four-cylinder, same indifferent noise isolation, same inert at the limit handling, and same recalcitrant automatic. Six-cylinder buyers were treated to a nice boost in power, and the later supercharged 2.3 liter was an effective and characterful, if unrefined, bandaid, but overall, these cars were no match for the E36 3-series. That BMW, with its new multi-link rear suspension and aerodynamic design, co-opted the compact Mercedes’ stability and efficiency, while retaining its characteristic sportiness, and did so for less money.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect, however, was that the cheaper BMW was of higher quality than the Mercedes. The mid 90s to mid 00s represented some of the worst quality for Benz automobiles, and the C-class was one of the first models to usher in this era of cheapness. Other than the biodegradable wiring harness, which is forgivable as a singular point of failure, it seemed that the bodies were also eager to decompose and return to the soil. These cars seemed to have the ability to rust anywhere, though not quite as much with as the more expensive E-class. The bottoms of doors, the decklid, the front spring perches and front lower control arm (rather important pieces) and even the center of body panels are susceptible to rust and it’s not uncommon to see the W202 C-class in rough shape today.
Our featured C43 AMG, however, is in uncommonly good shape. Yet another white curbside classic found by yours truly, it’s parked in front of the residence attached to a local independent Mercedes specialist, so it’s safe to assume it’s gotten good care. And aside from the rather unkind treatment I’m giving the W202, all C-Classes retained the W201’s solidity and unflappability, making the fitment of a massaged 4.3 liter V8 a non-issue. These eight-cylinder AMGs are not muscle cars as much as full realizations of their platform’s potential, with overzealous traction control and a foot operated parking brake being reminders of the their sober personality. They are immensely satisfying sedans, with their combination of large displacement, tidy dimensions and precision. Just don’t expect much in terms of feedback.
While there’s no denying that few cars could do what the C-class could do dynamically, most of the competition did so much of the other stuff better. A Camry V6 of the era offered superior reliability and noise isolation for much less money, and even co-opted Mercedes’s reputation for durability. And as floppy as it was, the 1994 Saab NG900 wooed over a bunch of buyers (at least over the first few years of production) with expressive design and punchy performance. The Volvo 850 offered an alternative which embodied the C-class’s best attributes with superior quality, comfort and safety (the W202 didn’t do well in crash tests either), often for less money. The arrival of the Audi A4 also changed the market, offering a German competitor with equivalent snob appeal, a much more youthful image and compelling value.
These were the peak years of front-wheel drive acceptability, and the advantages of the W202’s chassis layout weren’t as big of a selling point as they would be today. For those who cared about such matters, the 3-series fulfilled the rear-drive sports sedan mould more convincingly, leaving the C-class without much to recommend it, other than its brand image. That wasn’t necessarily the case in Europe, where big Mercedes are sold with small engines, and where there are enough buyers looking for the same stable, inert feel in a smaller package. But in suburban USA, where torque and isolation are much more important, the C-class only delivered the cheapest means to Mercedes ownership, without being a particularly good value. And while that could have also been said for its predecessor, the new W202 brought nothing new to a market which was rapidly moving on.
The takeaway isn’t that the C-class was a bad car. The W201 was a tough act to follow, in that its solidity, stability and style were so enduring. The problem, as discussed here in the past, was that it was slow and expensive. The C-class remained the most expensive car in its class while only partially rectified the performance issue. Meanwhile, improvements in silence and isolation were hard to find, and there were unforgivable lapses in quality and even safety. Each of the car’s recent successors have thankfully made strides in solving the value equation with the W203 offering greater safety, luxury and refinement, and the W204 offering increased quality with a hint of added aggression, but the Mercedes smallest RWD sedan has never fully recovered from its lackluster reputation.
Related reading:
Mercedes 190E (W201): Das Beste oder… Baby!, Mercedes W124 (1985-1996 E-Class): Best Car Of The Past Thirty Years
These look better than the 190. I still see plenty of the above down here.
And there’s a bloke with a 560SEL on a club permit nearby. I don’t have to explain how cool is having a whale like that on the “cheap”.
There’s a guy around the corner with a black 560SEL he parks at his mother’s place and uses as his backup. Talk about a sleeper, the spiritual successor to the 6.9.
The one around here is dark blue. And near that there’s a Soarer, an old square one.
I am looking at Gumtree to see if there are cheap ones, but I better stick to watching W124 and E34s. The best E34s will be CP fodder in 2-3 years. The Mercs are already there.
Some streets of this suburb are CC-land.
Ha! Just caught a square Soarer around here. But I think we’re in different states.
Maybe. I am in the only state with budget surplus. In a city where you can have 4 seasons in 1 hr.
athos… different strokes for different folks… i never warmed to the w203. but the 190e before it… i liked better. esp the 16v version… and the EVO… yes yes yes. to me the 203 is my least favorite mercedes i think. i don’t know what it is but i just didn’t warm up to it… even the amg version.
The 3.6 amg motor from the C36 is a direct bolt in to any w124. It is a great swap for those cars.
I met a builder who carts his tools in a 500 it was free so he took it.
On one hand, I think these are pretty bland looking, I had forgotten that they made an AMG C43 version of these with the V8, this one looks to be in pretty good shape.
Now….
As a kid from Miami, in the 80’s, I have to admit that AMG Monoblock “Hammer” style wheels make me go all Phil Collins-ey….
“I can feel it coming in the air tonight…..”
From W201 to W202 and from W124 to W210. Now what kind of black hole sucked up Mercedes-Benz with those model changes ?
I know several guys who traded in their perfect W201 or W124 for its successors. You know, just because they wanted “something new”. I can still hear them cursing and swearing….
The 2006 W211 Mk2 (E-class) was a bit of a turning point. I really like that model, wouldn’t mind having one with a well-maintained 6 cylinder diesel.
I was always under the impression that C-class meant “cab” class as in “taxi cab”, certainly the 190 series were.
Nah, too cramped in back to be a taxi.
We had a W202 in our family from 1996 to the start of 2005 C200 and coming from a used S Class coupe and many saloons before them it certainly was a small car.I did my L plates prior to getting professional driving lessons via a driving school in one for a few months of 1997 and the thing I loved it was that it was the right size.The 380SEC was way too big to be used to teach your kids to drive in honestly but sitting 18 months later coming home from my first holiday overseas on my own in an fourth generation 1988 or 1989 Ford Fairlane so the start of 1998 I knew of how compact the Mercedes C Class really was even though we kids had all grown up and were driving on our own by later that same year.
Some folks with poopoo the Volvo 850 because it was FWD and 5 cylinders instead and 4 cylinders driving the rear wheels. Those people never owned one.
The pre-Ford Swedish engineers really put together a thoughtfully designed and well-built car. The list of “known issues” with the pre-Ford 850’s are really small and generally minor. Can’t really say the same about the W202. Or the E34.
The only sin Mercedes really committed with the C-Class was that it didn’t really fit in well with the premium marketing image they had cultivated here in the States. After all, M-B was the Chevy to VW’s Ford in Germany…
A friend’s parents bought an 850 when they came out. It was an epic disappointment. Since I started spending too much time on the internet, I’ve seen a couple of people defend the 850. I’ve also seen people defend the Vega and Volkswagen though, so I’m not ready to forget what I was told by someone at one of the most established Volvo related businesses in the country. One part of their business involves selling used Volvos, and in 2006 they were not selling 850s on their lot. They’d take them in trade and use them as loaners if they needed more or wholesale them. They were stocking plenty of Volvos that were older than the 850s, but they didn’t want to risk turning off anymore of their customers by continuing to sell the 850. I’ve since heard horror stories about the S70 and XC70 as they aged, so maybe the 850 seems better in hindsight now. When the S70s hadn’t started to expire, the 850s had a pretty bad reputation.
Hmm. I’d always been under the impression that this generation was still pretty solid and that it was the W203 and W210 (along with the first M-class) that were the real crapwagens. The early years of these still had the straight six before they switched to the V6 and Kompressor 2.3L inline-4.
I’ve always though a C36 with a manual swap would be an interesting car.
Hmm. I’d always been under the impression that this generation was still pretty solid
This has been my understanding as well. I’ve read on more than one occasion that this was the last truly over-engineered Benz. If I remember correctly, wasn’t this model in development for something like 6 years? I’d wager part of this car’s perception problem is that it followed the release of the E36, a car that made a leapfrog-like jump in contrast to its E30 predecessor.
I have never heard the 202 described as overengineered. Consensus usually pegs the W140 as the last overengineered model, and the W124 as the last overengineered and durable car.
I had to go digging to make sure I’m not crazy, and found one of the articles I was thinking about. July 2000’s issue of Car magazine (UK) had all kinds of C-class stuff in it, and there is an article about the outgoing W202. Work began in the fall of 1986 to develop the car, including real-world testing of prototypes starting in 1990. One thing I did not recall from this article was that the W202 was the first Mercedes Benz with the price of the vehicle being part of the specific marketing campaign planned for the car.
I also came across the UK’s 2001 JD Power survey in Top Gear, May 2001. I decided to take a peek at it just to see where the C class fell on the list. This survey covered 1998/early 99 registered cars. Out of 182 models that had appropriate data submitted to rank, the C class placed 11th. I will admit even that supprised me.
Just to back up what you said, it has always been my understanding that the W202 was the last real Mercedes-Benz, at least until they received the 3-valve, twin-plug engines.
Just for fun I googled “der letzte echte Mercedes”. Obviously that leads you straight to Mercedes’ Heimat: Germany.
By far the most hits: the W124. Several times the W140 is mentioned.
But NEVER a W202. And rightfully so.
Forgot to mention:
Der letzte echte Mercedes = The last real Mercedes.
It was the last car to have the traditional and correct development process. Whether or not people like it is secondary. It was the last Mercedes that wasn’t a cynical marketing exercise built for a non-discerning audience. West German cars were great. German cars? Meh.
Exactly…
Facts are facts, can’t stand when people put their preferences over a certain models credentials.
The W201, although one of my faves, was a real stinker in some aspects as well…Can you say auto tranny woes and rocker panel rot?
The development process may be traditional and correct. But after that it turned out that the real thing couldn’t stand in the shadow of a W201. You know, build quality, the quality and durability of the paint, the materials used in the interior, the depreciation. In other words: the W202 wasn’t built to last while the W201 clearly still was. That’s what “der letzte echte Mercedes” stands for.
People still care about the W201 while no one gives a damn about the W202. The ones I see are rusty clunkers.
I see many w202 on the road today, and very very few w201. In fact, I see more w123 driving around than w201. That says something.
@Johannes-
That is the experience in England too. Last year I purchased an immaculate 1990 190E. It was owned from three years old by the same owner. However, he wanted an estate (wagon.) So when the w202 came out, the 190 was passed to his wife and he took possession of a brand new c220 in around 1998 or so. By 2002, the C class actually had perforation in various places, including as noted the middle of the doors. He called Mercedes to have them look at it. The examiner from Merc said ‘well, all cars rust here in England, that’s what happens to a 5 year old car with the salt air.’ At which point he pointed to the shiny and rust free 190E, which had been relegated to the driveway and left out in the rain and was 12 years old at that time.
@Joe- you are correct, in spite of their general rustiness, these still felt relatively solid. There was some cheapening, but they did still have decent quality interior fittings. The w203, however, wasn’t much better on the inside than a Chrysler Sebring. One has to wonder if some of the Mopar bean counters who for decades have beat suppliers down to make parts as cheaply and nastily as possible must have applied for a company transfer to Stuttgart in order to share their decades of expertise in crappification. After all, anybody could take a Royal Monaco and make it chintzy and unreliable, some could do the same with a LH car, so being able to ruin a Mercedes? Now that’s a lifetime achievement medal for a bean counter.
If anything, it went the other way around. Daimler sucks a lot of money out of Chrysler, not the opposite. If Benz’s cars were cheap after the takeover, they were already well on their way to being so before.
These always seemed terribly bland to me. The 190 was unapologetically square, and wore its upright styling like a badge of Teutonic sobriety. The W202 just seemed bland in comparison – still a definite Benz shape, and with some nice E-class cues, but overall forgettable and blends into the background. The driving impressions I read seeed to confirm this. The W203 improved a bit with its mini-W210 nose, and the W204 is legitimately a good-looking car. Much better. Though, even as a long-time W202 dismisser, a C43 like this could actually be an appealing proposition.
I wonder if the same ” biggest selling point was that it was the cheapest way to get behind the wheel of a genuine Benz, but beyond that, there was little to distinguish it from other, similar cars.” trap is going to plague the new CLA-class. Great-looking cars, and I have high hopes for them (still have to go drive one at some point) but I wonder what the dynamics and quality will be like, based as it is on the little FWD A-class.
Agree! Hopefully the CLA will give the C some breathing room. The interior of the soon-to-be-introduced 2015 C looks better (whether if FEELS like it looks is another matter) and offers some cool tech, like air suspension.
And yeah, like I said, the C43 really shows how good the basic chassis is, even though the other models are bland.
The current model isn’t bad; actually, the W204 and also the W212 have some of the best driving positions I’ve experienced lately. A nice, linear dash without too many bulges which is shallow (i.e. the windshield isn’t far away). The view of the front is like cars of 20 years ago, a much appreciated touch. I don’t know why other carmakers don’t do the same; perhaps Benz put more money into making the structure crashable while still preserving a good view out.
” you are correct, in spite of their general rustiness, these still felt relatively solid. There was some cheapening, but they did still have decent quality interior fittings.”
In SoCal you can take away the rust issue; hence, I still see lots of these cars in well-maintained condition here. So they are loved by some. Their mildly pleasing bland looks mean they blend in – not stand out – with the older M-B community of cars here.
I agree with your characterization of the interior of the W203. I have a friend whose impeccably maintained 2003 Kompressor just completely died and was replaced by a C250. The interior of that car was appalling from day one. She is quite happy with the new C250. I’ve never ridden in a W202 as my M-B owning friends and family went from the 190 to the W124. The W203 felt very unrefined, even compared to the 190, and was noisy and had a harsh ride. Other than its – for me – good looks, there never seemed much reason to buy it.
BTW, I caught some pictures of the 2015 C Class in traffic this week; it had Michigan “manufacturer” plates (not sure why it has a piece of silver tape under its star). Nice looking car, though not as striking as the CLA 250.
The more striking CLA 250 (parked next to my G37). You can see what the styling does for headroom compared to the G, however.
Chris, the CLA 250 is a great looking car but according to what I’m reading, the dual-clutch transmission needs some work. Edmunds has one for long-term testing and they admit the transmission makes the car a real chore to drive here in SoCal traffic. Taking it on a road trip to Redwood country allowed them to appreciate its driving dynamics. Read their periodic updates for a good overview of the car.
Perry, thanks for this overview of the W202 – you answered some questions I’ve long had about the car.
G37 for me, please.
Ditto. The Merc looks like a tarted up Chevy Cruise
I saw one of these at a distance on the highway just the other day, white. As I only saw the rear 2/3 of the car, I thought it was a larger old Nissan Sentra or Hyundai! Only when I got closer, did I see the badging. I wasn’t impressed.
Hardly the stuff Mercedes are supposed to be made of.
The W202 C43 AMG was the basis for the Brabus C 5.8 with a 400 hp V8.
These days Brabus shoehorns a V12 in every Benz they get their hands on. And paint it black.
190s and these are available for buttons and seem to attract the type of owner who lowers all the handling and comfort out of them and mounts the rego plate at an angle then leaves it to rust on the lawn, Ive no idea if they are any good or not values seem to suggest not.
I’ll keep my 1989 W124 300E, thank you very much…
That’s a very wise decision. By the way, I’ve read that a straight 6 will make a Mercedes-comeback in 2016. Probably with 3.0 liter displacement.
My wife’s family (mother’s side) are hard core Benz afficionados, and the allure of the three pointed star was pounded into my spouse from an early age. The cars that they loved were the “great ones” from the 1970s and 1980s: W116 and W126, W115 and W123, even W201. Bullet proof, intelligent, high snob appeal (especially in the NY metro–aka New Jersey–where my wife grew up). So when we had saved up and were interested to get our first “super nice” car, we looked at the Germans. Naturally the Mercedes was at the top of my wife’s list, so we checked out the then-brand-new C Class. We tried really hard to like it, but it just didn’t seem quite right. Sort of stodgy (versus timeless) and quite pricey for what you got. We crossed shopped the E36 BMW and there was really no choice. The roundel was our entry into the world of the Germans–and we were very happy with it.
Separately, I am shocked at how much the new C-Class looks like the new S-Class. When I see pictures, I literally have to do a double take to see which one is which. Versus the past, where there was a family resemblance along with a clear price/prestige/size hierarchy, a lower-priced, “flagship shrunk-in-the-dryer” design just doesn’t seem like a good idea. Great for the cheaper car, but an odd strategy overall for Mercedes-Benz. Their flagship really should shine as a unique, can’t-be-replicated design.
Even as a kid, I never really liked these C-Classes. Something about the taillights coming all the way to a sharp point at the top never looked right to me. The overall styling looked dated by the time the C-Class arrived, as it had debuted on the W124 in the mid-1980s. It just looked too disproportionate with its formal and mini-me S-Class looks. Sure, every C-Class since mimics the S-Class, but they somehow manage to pull it off much better.
i too never really like the 202. even the amg version. the look… i don’t know what it is about it… i never took to it. the 190e esp the 16v and of course the EVO… i did like… crazy. i’d say this model is probably my least fav mercedes. but that’s just me.
Great piece. Although we can debate “the last real Mercedes-Benz” ad nauseam, I know that I am not alone in considering these W202s a transitional model between those Mercedes-Benzes built to an engineering standard and those later models built to a price point. As the fruit of an automaker engaged in that transition, the W202 exhibited cost-cutting, but apparently retained some (at times anachronistic) traces of its forebears.
Stylistically, the Bruno Sacco cues are there, in softened form. I recall how the argument that the W202 ushered in a new era for Mercedes-Benz was weakened in just two short years when the W210 E-Class was unveiled. Suddenly those new Cs looked as old as a 1986 560SEL, for better or worse.
Can’t wait to read your piece on the W203…no shortage of debate on that generation.
I am not a huge fan of the CLA – too much front overhang for my liking. Inside there is that “stuck on ipad” monitor look which a lot of manufacturers are doing now and I think it lessens an otherwise nice interior.
Not sure I agree with all this c class criticism either. I had one from new – a C200 – and it was so great car. Rode well, comfortable and I thought it was well put together. Never so much as a spot of rust either!
To me, the CLA looks like a ’90s Nissan Altima customized to look like a Mercedes.
My image of them was that they were a severe disappointment- an older man in the building I lived in bought one as a retirement present and viewed it as a step backward in quality from the Nissans and Toyotas he’d owned previously.
I also heard of previous owners of 190Es wanting their old car back after trading them for C-classes…
A old Top gear review of the then new C-Class.
I am a huge fan of the 190E and hope to own one some day. I do not consider the car slow though will agree it was expensive. It was a home run for Mercedes-Benz and pushed BMW into making the E36 the kind of car that it was. I have always viewed the W202 as a move by Daimler to make the 190E replacement more American — bigger and with less “hidden value” that is so often lost on US car buyers.
Hi all, I live in South-Africa where we do have mild to great weather.
Our Mercedes cars doesn’t rust out that quickly so you can buy excellent condition second-hand cars here.
The only comment I really want to leave to everybody is this:
I bought a new W204 blue efficiency crap Chrysler with a Mercedes Emblem after driving a W202 C36 AMG and W124 260E (all Manual Tranny’s)for years without trouble
You wont get a real Mercedes after 1999 anymore
Chrysler took over and remove all the best from Mercedes to save money for themselves but still make a lot more from the Mercedes brand name
Wish the original firm (Mercedes Benz-“The best or nothing” like uncle Carl Benz intended it to be)will take the Mercedes brand back again ??
Something to think about ?
Cheers everyone !!!
The arrival of the A Class changed the way many of us saw Mercedes.I was surprised to see them do a Focus or Golf and in the Australian Market,A Laser,323,Astra,Impreza and Pulsar competitor but at a hefty premium over the competition.I went to look at a second generation A class out of interest a decade ago but never went beyond there.Those first two a classes looked like delivery vans for the most part try thinking a Mazda 121 Metro and the first generation version of it’s successor the 2 and you have it made.
Hi Everyone
Just to give everybody an idea of what Kevin is talking about, I will paste a link for anybody that wants to see how crappy cars these new Mercedes Benz is.
Look at all the complaints on :hello peter” http://hellopeter.com/mercedes-benz-south-africa/compliments-and-complaints
This is a website where frustrated customers can post it to the world because the dealers think they do you a huge favour to buy the Mercedes from Chrysler
Look and think twice before buying a new Mercedes !!
Enjoy !!
http://hellopeter.com/mercedes-benz-south-africa/compliments-and-complaints
As the owner of a model year 2000 C280 and previous owner of a 1988 300E, I believe both cars are worthy of the 3 pointed star, my 300E was a technological marvel when it rolled off the line and the durability was and is unmatched to many of the cars that my high school and now college classmates drive. I cant begin to count how many times my classmates would have cars that would leave them stranded or begin falling apart shortly after the ink dried on the title while my 300E ran well up to the 300k mile mark and is still being driven on the road today, I’ll admit i was a bit skeptical about the w202 at first thinking that it was too small for me like the older 190 but after driving it for almost a year I cant seem to stop driving it! Earlier w202’s did have the notorious biodegradable wiring harness but models like mines and my sisters 96′ C280 have been nothing but good to us, the design is timeless and compared to newer c-classes I couldn’t see selling mines for anything between 2001-2011. Its just as solid as my 300E but with a little more technology.
I know this is a late post to an old thread. I have a 96 C220 which I just purchased in May of 2017. 96k, no rust, excellent mechanically just tired cosmetically. So lets fast forward 20 years and compare an average w202 with an average e36. I have looked at dozen or so of each here in the Northeast. On average….the BMWs are just about junk yard condition and even the worst w202 was better than any BMW I saw. Yes a snapshot in time, in the Northeast and perhaps BMWs are more coveted by 18 yr olds that trash them…..but then that’s what makes the w202 such a great value today.
What a rubbish article from someone who hasn’t got a clue! Most German cars from 1998-2002 suffered from the same fate, as they switched to water-base paint. It was porous, which allowed water in, and subsequently rusted from within.
Just check out how many BMW’s from this era are still around. They are selling for ‘banger’ money, and look like it!
There is countless C’s from this era still doing their daily grind.
So much for poorer build quality!
That’ correct. There were 3 competing mini sedans at that time, Mercedes C Class, BMW E36 and Audi A4. The “winner” was Audi, because of galvanized sheet metal. I had a BMW E36 and wheel arches were a nightmare, one could even watch them rusting away. On the other hand, technically there was nothing. I don’t remember anything but brakes, tires and BMWs notorious shock absorber change.
“Other than the biodegradable wiring harness, which is forgivable as a singular point of failure…”
Um, I think not. There is absolutely NO reason why the wiring harness, the veins of a vehicle, should disintegrate except for planned obsolescence or pure stupidity on the part of the engineers. Electrical problems are some of the trickiest to narrow down and it seems like any Benz of this vintage will nickel and dime it’s owner. That alone qualifies it for DS status in my book.
Granted the youngest of these cars is now about 20 years old, but I drove in one about two years ago and frankly, I have driven in 25+ year old Toyotas and Nissans whose interiors have held up way better. Older Mercedes cars were special; the current ones, although way more sophisticated, are garish to look at and heaven knows how all those bells and whistles will hold up 20 years from now.
Mercedes engineering, quality, and materials, up until cars designed in the eighties, was excellent. After that it has been style over substance.
I drove a w202 for about a year as a stop gap, it was comfortable enough, but not exciting. Dumped it for an E39 528i, now that was a nice car. I know this article is 6 years old, but w202s are getting pretty rare in Europe now mostly due to the rust I would imagine.
Looking on ‘how many left’ there were 5000 C180s in the UK at one point, now less than 500.
I had W204 Komprssor. Bought it with low miles Starmark. Never had an issue other than normal maint. and replacing MAF. Went 215k and it was like new until my son totaled it. It was great car. If I still had it, I have no doubt that it would go 400k.
Older Mercedes of this vintage are often landlocked (lawn ornaments). When something EXPENSIVE breaks, and they do break often, the owner has no desire to refinance their home to pay an outrageous price for a car that’s worth next to nothing. Any Mercedes from the disaterous Daimler Chrysler era is a can of worms that has a ravenous appetite for cash stuffed wallets. Bottom line is: if you really want a Mercedes Benz then go lease one, period.