Old C Class for a daily commuter?
Discussion
We have recently moved home and I now have a daily commute of 140 miles (round trip), nearly all on motorways. The current family SUV is on a 10,000 mile per year contract so that can't be overly used.
I was wondering about the practicality of a 2002/03 C Class (C200 perhaps) which looks like will cost me £3,000 or less to buy outright.
The wife wants me to have some comfort and safety on such a long commute and will not let me have an economy 'baked bean can'. If I can achieve something like 40 - 45 mpg on leisurely motorway cruising that would be adequate.
Having not owned a Mercedes before is there anything I should consider?
I was wondering about the practicality of a 2002/03 C Class (C200 perhaps) which looks like will cost me £3,000 or less to buy outright.
The wife wants me to have some comfort and safety on such a long commute and will not let me have an economy 'baked bean can'. If I can achieve something like 40 - 45 mpg on leisurely motorway cruising that would be adequate.
Having not owned a Mercedes before is there anything I should consider?
Not driven that C myself but had an 08 c220 doing 55 mile round trip mostly motorways - averaged low to mid 40s; i would think the older c200 would be similar. It never missed a beat but some of the higher mileage engine and gearbox overhalls were relatively expensive it being a merc. With that sort of mileage, would you consider something a bit newer but less premium badged? A newer 1.6 tdi mk 6 golf would be very comfy, just as safe and probably cheaper to run repairs wise plus be much more economical?
edit; i had a previous gen octavia (same as mk6 golf) - worth a look too very comfy and very economical - i got mid 40s from a 1.6 petrol!. Not quite a merc of course!!
edit; i had a previous gen octavia (same as mk6 golf) - worth a look too very comfy and very economical - i got mid 40s from a 1.6 petrol!. Not quite a merc of course!!
Edited by GXMAMG on Friday 16th January 14:25
scruggs said:
I was wondering about the practicality of a 2002/03 C Class (C200 perhaps) which looks like will cost me £3,000 or less to buy outright.
......
Having not owned a Mercedes before is there anything I should consider?
I'm not sure on costs, but they were facelifted in mid-2004 and they're considered to be a lot better - there were a lot changes under the skin and the body if fully galvanised. I have an Oct 2004 C270CDi which I've had since it was a few months old, but I haven't done a huge mileage in it.......
Having not owned a Mercedes before is there anything I should consider?
There's no particular issues with the later ones - some reckon it's the best of Merc's recent offerings. If you're not a keen DIYer then the one thing I would say is make sure you have a trusted indie on hand - there are loads of them about but they vary in reputation.
I will have to check on the excess mileage issue. The Merc would be a 5th car. We also have a mk1 Ford Ka, super little shopping trolley but no motorway cruiser. Then there are 2 TVR's but using them on a regular basis would be death by petrol cost! But they will get some use in the summer 
. You'll look forward to the commute in the TVR!140miles a day, 220days a year, 31,000miles. Anything new or even newish is, as you observe, going to depreciate massively.
MPG is also a big factor. At £1.15 a litre, that mileage at 50mpg costs £3,300. At 40mpg it costs £4,000. At 30mpg it costs £5,400.
The biggest safety factor is you. The next biggest safety factor is the condition in which you keep your car, in particular, its tyres and suspension. Next is whether the car has ABS and ESP (or whatever it happens to be called by any given manufacturer). The quality of its lighting should be important given you're going to be doing at least 10,000miles a year in the dark. Quite low on the list is how it stacks up in a big smash.
That kind of use is great for a car. It is very low stress on all of its components. You're unlikely to suffer reliability or significant non-routine maintenance issues as a result of that sort of use.
Frankly, though, you'd probably be best off getting a lowish miles Mk5 Golf TDI for about £5,000 and running it forever. But that is dull. An older Merc will be well up to the job but it will be unlikely to give much more than 35mpg and if it has done much more than 100k it will need its suspension overhauling. I use my 1993 E300 diesel for about 30,000miles a year and it is great (mileage is currently 300,000). However, I had to do a lot of work when I bought it (at 230k) to make it fit for that kind of use. I think the bottom line is that anything interesting, worth having and ready for that sort of use probably costs a bit more than £3,000.
MPG is also a big factor. At £1.15 a litre, that mileage at 50mpg costs £3,300. At 40mpg it costs £4,000. At 30mpg it costs £5,400.
The biggest safety factor is you. The next biggest safety factor is the condition in which you keep your car, in particular, its tyres and suspension. Next is whether the car has ABS and ESP (or whatever it happens to be called by any given manufacturer). The quality of its lighting should be important given you're going to be doing at least 10,000miles a year in the dark. Quite low on the list is how it stacks up in a big smash.
That kind of use is great for a car. It is very low stress on all of its components. You're unlikely to suffer reliability or significant non-routine maintenance issues as a result of that sort of use.
Frankly, though, you'd probably be best off getting a lowish miles Mk5 Golf TDI for about £5,000 and running it forever. But that is dull. An older Merc will be well up to the job but it will be unlikely to give much more than 35mpg and if it has done much more than 100k it will need its suspension overhauling. I use my 1993 E300 diesel for about 30,000miles a year and it is great (mileage is currently 300,000). However, I had to do a lot of work when I bought it (at 230k) to make it fit for that kind of use. I think the bottom line is that anything interesting, worth having and ready for that sort of use probably costs a bit more than £3,000.
if your looking for just a big comfy mile munching barge what about an older Skoda Superb?
personally id go for one with a 1.9 lump rather than the newer 2l just for the proven relaibility come with lots of toys and dare i say it from the number that clock up moon miles in the taxi trade it will go on forever.
personally id go for one with a 1.9 lump rather than the newer 2l just for the proven relaibility come with lots of toys and dare i say it from the number that clock up moon miles in the taxi trade it will go on forever.
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions folks. Never thought of a Skoda but perhaps I should include them in the options list.
...and I am still trying to find out what the excess miles penalty is on the Chevvy SUV to see if that is another option. I can never find all the paperwork when I want it!
...and I am still trying to find out what the excess miles penalty is on the Chevvy SUV to see if that is another option. I can never find all the paperwork when I want it!
its a few years ago now, but I ran a 2001 c class C200 kompressor for a while - from the dark days of merc build quality, it was 8 years old at the time with about 90k miles on the clock, it was comfy, refined and economical - the trip computer showed about 40 mpg, on my out of rush hours cruises between liverpool and Wolverhampton. I sold it after a few months as I was fed up with fixing things
Buy the very best 190E you can find within budget and enjoy the journey, Any 4pot will be good for a couple of 100k, you might even strike lucky and find a (cough)diesel, add winter tires for reassurance. Not much difference between autos and manual in petrol consumption and avoid aircon unless you really really want it. Check rear jacking points and in the boot under the rear window for rust they can go under the rear window seal causing condensation in the car and damp in the boot. Any 190 can stand alot of rust before it's an MOT fail. Values are rising, cars last year that would sell for SOTW money are now appearing £1500 plus.
We have a 2003 C220 CDI Estate. Had it from almost new and its currently done 150k miles. Absolutely fantastic car to relax in and do the sort of miles you're talking about. We get 50 mpg on a long (15+ miles) journey and the Mrs loves it to the point where we will run it into the ground before parting with it.
Wear and tear on front suspension parts, a battery, usual servicing and replacement tyres about every 18-20k miles is about the extent of expenditure.
Wear and tear on front suspension parts, a battery, usual servicing and replacement tyres about every 18-20k miles is about the extent of expenditure.
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