The Junior Aga - 1994 Mercedes C220 Diesel "Sport"

[JOB2.5-16]

Introducing my new to me 1994 C220 Diesel “Sport” (it has 94bhp, so that badge really is the automotive equivalent of stuffing a pair of socks down the front of your trousers) in Imperial Red with black cloth sports seats. The appeal to me was both the little diesel engine, which should be ruthlessly efficient and also the cool interior; though the more time I spend in it, I actually find it very austere.

My reason for buying it was as a stop gap while my 300TD is off the road for a full repaint and the sub frame out for all new suspension parts. I can see that job taking over the winter and I didn’t want to subject any of my other cars to daily use on salted roads.

After picking it up last week, it has had a set of Goodyear Vector 4 Season tyres, a couple of front suspension bushes and yesterday a new Continental DAB/Bluetooth radio, which works very well. Because the W202 has better integrated factory audio than a W201 or W124 I think there is a better scope for a half decent stereo arrangement so I might upgrade the speakers in due course but it seems ok for what it is already. I’ve had two W202s before, a C180 (crap) and a C250 Turbodiesel (superb) of 1997 and 1999 vintage respectively. My complaint with both of those cars was the uncomfortable seats and poor ride / refinement. I have also never been a great fan of the steering feel in a W202 before.

I don’t know whether it’s because this is an earlier model, or because it’s more akin in terms of suspension and wheel size to a Sportline W124/201 but the ride and handling of this car is much better than the others I’ve driven. Engine wise, it’s not fast (you don’t say) but it’s adequate, it’ll sit at 90mph on the motorway without much intrusion and so far I’ve done about 300 miles in it and I haven’t had to put any diesel in yet… 5 speed manual gearbox is also much better than an auto with this engine.

Gripes: the sunroof doesn't work, that'll remain one for the next man I think and the original owner was too tight to fit AC.

All in all, I’m happy so far but I must be honest, I want my S124 back…

Updates to follow

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

[Dave_90]

Wow that is immaculate. I like how the aftermarket head unit looks OEM as opposed to Halfords tat. Good purchase!

Out of interest what did you pay for it? I can't decide if this would be a really cheap car or quite an expensive one due to condition and rarity.

[Maty]

That's in great condition! Brilliant find!

94bhp though! Jeez...that's crazy

[W00DY]

I hadn't realised they made an NA 4 banger diesel W202. Definitely rather at odds with the Sport spec.


The seats and colour are both fantastic and really make it compared to most of the dreary ones you often see.

[swampy442]

Now that I like! Very nice.

[JOB2.5-16]

It certainly wasn't expensive Dave, but the odds of finding a W202 that isn't totally rotten are rather against us. They aren't really worth a great deal, the very best cars MTSV has are never much over £5k for a V6 low mileage minter.

I imagine that if I have a bit of bodywork done on this one to just tidy it up a bit, factor in a set of brakes in a few miles time and some servicing I'll probably be able to run it for a year and get my money back. Free motoring, what a winner!

Yes, N/A 4 banger diesel available in 200 or 220 form. I'd really like another C250 Turbodiesel, I shouldn't really have sold the other one I had but in a fit of madness I did. Plenty of power, refined, nice noise and great economy. I must be nuts.

[JOB2.5-16]

It’s just over a month since I collected the C Class (or Cecil as he’s become known). 1900 miles covered and rather mixed results to say the least.

Two weeks in to ownership I decided to use it for our trip to Scotland, which was going well until the clutch master cylinder blew a seal and failed in Inverness. Fortunately I managed to hire a car (a brand new Golf 1.5 TSI DSG which was the best new car I’ve driven for ages and by far all the car you’d ever need), so the onward trip wasn’t ruined and Cecil was repaired in the meantime by Moray Motors, a Merc Indi I found in Inverness who I was very grateful to for sorting the C Class at no notice so we could get home with minimal change to our plans.

In other news, I’m impressed with the economy, which so far sits as a running average of 46.7mpg over 1932 miles, the Continental radio is a success but the cheap and nasty DAB aerial supplied with the radio is not up to the job and will have to be replaced with something better. It’s also extremely comfortable for travelling long distances, I did Inverness to Chesterfield with one stop in just over 6 and a half hours and suffered no back ache. The sports seats are much more comfortable than standard W202 seats, which I find flat and un-supportive. One criticism of it’s motorway performance, apart from the fact you really have to wring it’s neck sometimes on slip roads, is the engine noise above 80mph and 3500rpm; it really starts to shout.

It is still on my agenda to tidy up the bodywork and make it look slightly prettier and I have no real complaints using it every day while the S124 is having work done but I will be very glad to have it back.

Cecil at the Kingsbarn Distillery near St Andrews:

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

My holiday romance, the wonderful Golf hire car just north of Ullapool on a section of the NC500:

Untitled by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr

[Jimmy Recard]

That's a cool car. I really like that

[snotrag]

Jimmy Recard said:

That's a cool car. I really like that

Ditto. Its a really nice purchase that, the colour, the interior, the fact it looks to have mint condition wheels and premium all seasons on it, all very good factors.

Thats one of those proper 'keeper' cars I think.

[devnull]

Those extra bolstered rear seats are stupendously rare - especially in cloth!

[Joeseppi]

I bought this car yesterday!

[Joeseppi]

[JOB2.5-16]

Congratulations, it was a great little car and would average over 50mpg in mixed driving, which is pretty remarkable. I considered buying it back from Gareth but couldn’t justify a use case. Will you continue to update the thread?

[surveyor]

Looks like a nice car and reminds me of how basic the Germans managed to keep their standard equipment list in the old days.

[Joeseppi]

JOB2.5-16 said:

Congratulations, it was a great little car and would average over 50mpg in mixed driving, which is pretty remarkable. I considered buying it back from Gareth but couldn’t justify a use case. Will you continue to update the thread?

Hi Jack, nice to hear from you! The pictures make the paintwork look way better than it is but I went to work on the boot lid with Autoglym Paint Renovator on Saturday and it came up really nice. Its been done before by the looks of it as the edges of the panels have had the red rubbed away in places but I'm not worried. I plan to keep it long term and get it painted. It's great to be in an old Merc again. It smell exactly the same as my 89 W124 😂. The ultra rare sports rear seat is gone as is the continental stereo has been replaced as well and as much as I would've liked to have them the price reflected these omissions. Driving it at the weekend I felt like a pump Berlin taxi driver on his day off! I love how slow it is and you really have to plan your moves when joining traffic but that adds to its character. I'm going to finish the paint titivation (bought a machine polisher yesterday) and then address the sunroof as it doesn't open. I'll keep the thread updated and may start a 'reader's rides' thread. Take care all!