Older Merc for £2k

[carboy2017]

Im thinking of getting an older Merc for around 2k and would like your views these are my criteria

i) Petrol
ii)saloon
iii) manual
iv) preferably manufactured on or after 2004
v) yearly mileage is apprx 10k

what to look for and what models to avoid

[ZX10R NIN]

You'll be lucky to find a manual & then a 2004 onwards, that's a very tough call the auto is better suited to the C Class.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[anonymous-user]

Personally I would go for an Automatic if I was buying a Mercedes. Does the manual have the same foot operated parking brake as the auto?

[Sheepshanks]

Joey Deacon said:

Does the manual have the same foot operated parking brake as the auto?

Yep.

[rustyuk]

I've got a manual 2016 Merc and they still haven't got it right. Half of the car thinks it's an automatic!

[Dapster]

The majority of C's and E's will be auto. Manuals are probably only specced as such to achieve a price point or squeeze under a monthly lease value, so any manual is likely to be absolutely base spec.

This is fine for a 70's Baghdad taxi-chic W123 200D with DIY windows and vinyl seats, but that's probably not what you're after. If you must have a manual, try the Audi or BMW equivalents.

[nobrakes]

Go for an auto c class.

Look on condition and not year or mileage. Don’t be put off by kak spec or colour.

Obv a long MOT.

You are P’ing in the wind restricting yourself to a manual.

Boggo spec models have less to go wrong.

[nobrakes]

Go for an auto c class.

Look on condition and not year or mileage. Don’t be put off by kak spec or colour.

Obv a long MOT.

You are P’ing in the wind restricting yourself to a manual.

Boggo spec models have less to go wrong.

[carboy2017]

thanks!

nobrakes said:

Go for an auto c class.

Look on condition and not year or mileage. Don’t be put off by kak spec or colour.

Obv a long MOT.

You are P’ing in the wind restricting yourself to a manual.

Boggo spec models have less to go wrong.

[Sheepshanks]

nobrakes said:

Go for an auto c class.

Look on condition and not year or mileage.

I would say go for a late 2004 onwards facelift model. They'll all be galvanised body - I think they started doing it earlier (late 2003?) but although the facelift model looks very similar there were a lot of changes under the skin and they're generally considered much better. Not sure about the pricing though.

Can you work on the car yourself, or do you have someone in mind to look after it? Obviously you can get issues with any car but for instance rear brakes pipes corroding is common and it's a significant job to do them properly, involving dropping the rear 'axle' and fuel tank.

[anonymous-user]

Sheepshanks said:

Joey Deacon said:

Does the manual have the same foot operated parking brake as the auto?

Yep.

Must make hill starts interesting then.

About 5 years ago I was driving a shed 2000 E46 BMW and decided to swap it for a 2003 C180 Auto. I first drove a C180 when it was new in 2004 and loved it, thought it was so smooth to drive and the gearbox was perfect.

Time had not been kind, I think this one had about 80k on the clock but felt absolutely ruined on the test drive. As the test drive came to an end the dealer asked me what I thought so I told him I thought the E46 I was thinking of getting rid of was a much better drive to which to my surprise he agreed and bid me goodbye.

I am sure if you get a good one they are still nice to drive but I suspect the poor build quality of Mercs of this age means they have aged really badly. I wonder if the 2005 on facelifted cars drive much better?

[Sheepshanks]

Joey Deacon said:

Sheepshanks said:

Joey Deacon said:

Does the manual have the same foot operated parking brake as the auto?

Yep.

Must make hill starts interesting then.

Hill starts are OK, as you release the brake by hand. It's hill stops which are a bit tricky - you've got to put the car in neutral to get your foot off the clutch pedal so you can use it to press the 'hand'-brake pedal.

Apparently you get used to it, although I've seen forum comments that people's wives refuse to drive them.

Joey Deacon said:

I wonder if the 2005 on facelifted cars drive much better?

I don't know - I've always thought mine (a late 2004 C270CDi Estate) was quite 'un-Mercedes like'. Mine's an Avantgarde (which was regarded as the sporty one) trim but 16" wheels and apparently not on sports suspension (which was an option i think only with 17" wheels) yet seems very low and almost overly harsh sometimes. It drives better if you drive it hard - it seems to sort of hunker down - but it's obviously not practical to drive it like that very much.

[gareth_r]

Joey Deacon said:

Must make hill starts interesting then...

I never had any problems (W202 C230K).

However, if you do buy a manual, check the clutch carefully. The one I bought was totally worn out at 70,000 miles (an appropriate price was negotiated), presumably because the previous owner used to hold the car on the clutch.

The new clutch was fine when I sold the car at 238,000 miles.

Edited by gareth_r on Tuesday 20th March 10:07

[mattman]

I bought a 55 plate C180K coupe manual with the foot pedal hand brake 2 years ago. It was a massive pain in the arse - tried to get on with it but really couldn't, just felt wrong all the time.
Wife refused to drive it as well so it lasted 4 weeks before being sold again-although the £600 profit softened the blow.

Other than that the car was really good,surprising spacious in the back,decent sized went ok as well with decent MPG - would get another, but only an auto!

[Jag_NE]

id look to buy privately from someone who has owned it a long time and can demonstrate a no expense spared history. a 2k merc on a forecourt is really a 1k car that a low level drug dealer type has punted on because its a lemon. probably a fair few OAP one owner type cars out there if you are prepared to travel.

[Integroo]

Jag_NE said:

id look to buy privately from someone who has owned it a long time and can demonstrate a no expense spared history. a 2k merc on a forecourt is really a 1k car that a low level drug dealer type has punted on because its a lemon. probably a fair few OAP one owner type cars out there if you are prepared to travel.

Easier said than done!

[carboy2017]

so far i have bought all my cars privately and so far no issues so plan to go that route

Jag_NE said:

id look to buy privately from someone who has owned it a long time and can demonstrate a no expense spared history. a 2k merc on a forecourt is really a 1k car that a low level drug dealer type has punted on because its a lemon. probably a fair few OAP one owner type cars out there if you are prepared to travel.

[TwistingMyMelon]

Worst of all worlds a post 2004 manual

Unless you like the sight of rust buy a 190 or W124

The autos suit the car better and are much more common