Merc C Class

as with everything indy servicing is cheaper normally short term not always long term

if you get a good one great if not hmmmmn


i use

MBS in exeter and (pete)
mercare in plymouth (eddie)

for my stuff depending...


normally a bit better than main dealer pricing and if you know the mechs and what cars they are into it helps tbh

especially more so with classic type stuff


but even so indies are worth a call if they are ex main dealer guys

not someone who just thinks i like mercs and i want a garage...
 
I owed a C220CDI Sport automatic for over two years before I bought the E-Class. I really enjoyed the car and the C220 had sufficient grunt for most situations. I think the C200CDI might be a little underpowered. I always found the car comfortable and managed to do none stop from Lyon France to Bolton with little discomfort.

Negatives.... rear room isn't that great but then again I never sat in the rear. A 3 series offers more internal room. Not sure how you work the foot operated parking brake with a manual on a hill. Also Mercedes tend to use diamond cut alloys which are a pain in the rear if you chip.

If you have any questions ... just shout.
 
depends on what you want tbh for town a 220 is ok especially in the last 5-6 years +/- had a few w201 w202 w203 over the years w201, w129 and so on w124 i found anything below 2.6 ish give or take is ok e260 e320 ok but 200 220 generally need a bit more ummph.. if you can stretch to a 350 c w204 then thats starting to get good


tbh i love mercs but not the small stuff especially in the last 15 years or so. bigger stuff is awesome tho

it seems to be town plod or ........... ur grandma

then u get the good stuff either awesome classics, Oetinger, brabus, amg stuff etc

a good 280 tho is sort of half and half

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oikCkIqQotQ&feature=related


thats why we love the star




couldnt resist this tho


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=UFVDBcrbg_A
 
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I wouldn't touch a manual C Class - simply because of the parking brake setup. It's a foot pedal set above and to the left of the clutch, with a release handle on the right hand side below the headlight switch. It makes any sort of manoeuvring on an incline a right pain because you've got to hold it on the brakes, put it in neutral, apply parking brake with left foot, back in gear, lean forward to release the parking brake etc.

I've never owned one, only driven a couple several times, and to a degree you probably get used to it, but it just seems a totally pointless design that doesn't achieve anything other than creating a bit of space in the centre console where the handbrake would normally be.

It's not so much of a problem on an auto because you can use your left foot to apply the parking brake at any time, and it will hold itself on a hill.
 
blueboy2001 said:
I wouldn't touch a manual C Class - simply because of the parking brake setup. It's a foot pedal set above and to the left of the clutch, with a release handle on the right hand side below the headlight switch. It makes any sort of manoeuvring on an incline a right pain because you've got to hold it on the brakes, put it in neutral, apply parking brake with left foot, back in gear, lean forward to release the parking brake etc.

I've never owned one, only driven a couple several times, and to a degree you probably get used to it, but it just seems a totally pointless design that doesn't achieve anything other than creating a bit of space in the centre console where the handbrake would normally be.

It's not so much of a problem on an auto because you can use your left foot to apply the parking brake at any time, and it will hold itself on a hill.
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So does the manual - almost all cars of this type are now fitted as standard with hill-start assist, and the 08- C Class is no exception.

It keeps the brakes applied for a short period of time after releasing the brake for you to pull away normally without worrying.
 
Am I the only person who, regardless of hill start assist has never had a problem with the merc style handbrake? It doesn't really make anything any more difficult imo

In the example above I would never normally use my handbrake until parked anyway, even with a traditional handbrake that's an unnecessary faf
 
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My old man's on his 3rd c class now, he's developed quite a liking for them. As for servicing, an A service recently cost £220 on his c350. I'm pretty sure the B service is between 3 and 4 hundred (main dealer) but don't quote me.
 
rodenal said:
Am I the only person who, regardless of hill start assist has never had a problem with the merc style handbrake? It doesn't really make anything any more difficult imo

In the example above I would never normally use my handbrake until parked anyway, even with a traditional handbrake that's an unnecessary faf
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I can thin of a few junctions on steep hills where waiting behind a line of cars while holding the car on the clutch for several minutes would be less than ideal.
 
Not sure about the facelift, but the pre facelift manuals were not very nice, a real slush box, plus the plastics did feel a tad cheap on the dash.

The sport is the nicest on the outside and in, its certainly the better looking of the big three small execs.
 
dilated said:
I can thin of a few junctions on steep hills where waiting behind a line of cars while holding the car on the clutch for several minutes would be less than ideal.
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But then you would just use the "hand"brake - given that you wouldn't be trying to use it quickly there's no issue. Bring the clutch up as normal, then pull the little release lever or just let it off and catch the car, it's not going to roll more than a couple of inches. I've honestly never found it an issue - not that i've driven hundreds of miles in any Merc really but i've had a few for the day.
 
Doh terminology fail! I meant its a fairly vague and mushy gear change, not a tight gear change as you would get in a BMW or even an Audi. The Volvo V60 and V40 were the same. The big steering wheel and poo gear change in the manual doesnt make it a keen drivers car like the BMW.
 
Hmm, every manual BMW I've driven has had a fairly poor shifting action, not exactly the last word in gearboxes IMO.

Why would you need to use the handbrake to pull away on an incline anyway? Surely for any driver that's been driving more than 5 minutes it would be easy to release the brake and pull away without rolling back more than a couple of inches. Really can't see the problem, and evidently neither can MB.
 
[TW]Fox;21993685 said:
They don't do many petrol turbos (Infact I think only the V12's are ever turbocharged). The petrol models are supercharged.

I did some research into SL's once and rapidly came up with the idea that although with BMW an indy isnt worth the bother for routine servicing with Mercedes you'd have to be bonkers to go anywhere near a main dealer. A thought reinforced when I called my local main dealer just for the price of a Service A and a Service B on a '350. They refused to tell me - they actually refused - and put me through to Sales. Who didn't know and said he'd call back. He never did.

I just don't really understand it. Is it that BMW are cheap for the type of car servicing wise or just that Mercedes are expensive?
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On that logic, would it be just as cheap or shall I say expensive, if you get one new on a lease? Thus you don't need the warranty cover and only need servicing, or may be even blag it with free servicing for the first year or 2?
 
blueboy2001 said:
I wouldn't touch a manual C Class - simply because of the parking brake setup. It's a foot pedal set above and to the left of the clutch, with a release handle on the right hand side below the headlight switch. It makes any sort of manoeuvring on an incline a right pain because you've got to hold it on the brakes, put it in neutral, apply parking brake with left foot, back in gear, lean forward to release the parking brake etc.

I've never owned one, only driven a couple several times, and to a degree you probably get used to it, but it just seems a totally pointless design that doesn't achieve anything other than creating a bit of space in the centre console where the handbrake would normally be.

It's not so much of a problem on an auto because you can use your left foot to apply the parking brake at any time, and it will hold itself on a hill.
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My C class appears to be entirely different to this....The foot operated parking brake is just that, used for parking. If you simply double tap the foot brake pedal it electronically engages the handbrake and a HOLD symbol comes up on the dash. When you set of be it on a level or an incline the moment you engage the clutch the electronic handbrakes releases itself. The system is great and very simple to use.. no rollback either on those steep hills.
 
Skalaberg said:
My C class appears to be entirely different to this....The foot operated parking brake is just that, used for parking. If you simply double tap the foot brake pedal it electronically engages the handbrake and a HOLD symbol comes up on the dash. When you set of be it on a level or an incline the moment you engage the clutch the electronic handbrakes releases itself. The system is great and very simple to use.. no rollback either on those steep hills.
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I think you only get that on the newer models. My old 09 plate W204 didn't have that function.
 
i wouldn't have bought the car without this system... The Mercedes dealer also told me that the 2014 model will do away with the footbrake entirely.
 
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