Mercedes C320 (S203) - An end to car finance

[milb001]

As part of a resolution to rid myself of all credit and debt, I’ve purchased (what appears to be) a mighty fine example of a fairly ordinary car - albeit with a nice engine.

This will replace my 2016 i3 - which I’ve mostly hated owning.

I’m currently on the train to collect this, looking forward to a 2 hour cruise home down the M6.

I’ll report back with initial findings, but will leave this photo for now...

https://imgur.com/a/2lSpCbC

[ZX10R NIN]

Elegance Spec?

[milb001]

Yes, for maximum waft.

[D4MJT]

Dem updates

[milb001]

A deal has been done.

Obligatory first fill-up photo...

https://imgur.com/a/b55GsTp

Only thing to note is that the brakes are pulsing under braking - some work needed there!

[MJK 24]

milb001 said:

A deal has been done.

Obligatory first fill-up photo...

https://imgur.com/a/b55GsTp

Only thing to note is that the brakes are pulsing under braking - some work needed there!

Is that photo taken at the M62/M57 junction (Liverpool Tarbock Island)?

Looking forward to seeing how you get on with your new machinery.

[milb001]

Yes, it’s M62/M57 junction - grabbing a tankful before having to pay service station prices.

I’m pleased to report that, brakes aside, all seems well with the car. I took a route home taking in M62/M6/A50/A5 and then some local lanes to give it a rounded test. There were no nasty noises, creaks or rattles and the engine has a lovely torquey motor.

It’s definitely not a fast car, but something you can get a nice flow going with at 7/10ths.

I’m hoping it’ll prove to be a decent all rounder for me over the next few years.

Jobs on the list are;
-Brake discs and pads replacement
-Thorough clean in and out
-Fit a tow bar (for tip runs)

I’ll keep this thread updated as we move forward.

[Sheepshanks]

Good luck - I’ve got 54 reg S203, but mine’s the 270CDi.

I’ve had it since it was 5mths old and I keep thinking it’s at the end of it’s life! Your looks cleaner than mine - I’ve suffered from lots of stone chips but also odd aging things like the windscreen delaminating in the corners etc. If I drive something else I always love getting back in mine though.

How was the mpg? The indie I use lent me a C230 and with C270 mpg in mind I put a tenners worth of fuel in it thinking it would easily get home and back. I had to stop and get more for the return journey!

I had the discs all replaced on mine not long ago - they looked fine on the outside but the inner faces were all rusty. Have a good look at the rear brake lines and grease them up if they look OK.

[MJK 24]

Sheepshanks said:

Have a good look at the rear brake lines and grease them up if they look OK.

That would be a straight fail come MOT time under the new regulations introduced in May this year.

Brake and fuel lines must be bare and not under sealed or greased.

[LetsTryAgain]

Nice car, that.
Never owned a Merc myself and think I'll be looking at the E500 estate in a couple of years.

Thing is my Honda CR-V (150k miles) just won't give up the ghost!

[ZX10R NIN]

milb001 said:

Yes, it’s M62/M57 junction - grabbing a tankful before having to pay service station prices.

I’m pleased to report that, brakes aside, all seems well with the car. I took a route home taking in M62/M6/A50/A5 and then some local lanes to give it a rounded test. There were no nasty noises, creaks or rattles and the engine has a lovely torquey motor.

It’s definitely not a fast car, but something you can get a nice flow going with at 7/10ths.

I’m hoping it’ll prove to be a decent all rounder for me over the next few years.

Jobs on the list are;
-Brake discs and pads replacement
-Thorough clean in and out
-Fit a tow bar (for tip runs)

I’ll keep this thread updated as we move forward.

A company called Mtec do Drilled & Grooved discs at sensible prices along with some Greenstuff pads makes for a good combo at a sensible price.

[milb001]

Sheepshanks said:

How was the mpg? The indie I use lent me a C230 and with C270 mpg in mind I put a tenners worth of fuel in it thinking it would easily get home and back. I had to stop and get more for the return journey!

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the MPG. Yesterday with fairly spirited driving on the 120 mile journey home the OBC was reading 33.7mpg and this morning doing some local country lane driving with a reset trip, it was returning over 27mpg.

I’m more than happy with that. I used to have 745i which I’d have to drive like a saint to get 18mpg and so I wasn’t expecting this to get much over 20mpg.

[milb001]

I tend to suffer from bad luck (a reason for which I gave up barging many years ago); which has already reared it’s head with this purchase.

When I went out to the car this morning, the key wouldn’t work to unlock the car - I used the valet key to open the door and then the car started fine. After a short drive, the key was working again to lock/unlock the car.

Secondly, on my way home from the squash club, the transmission warning light came on.

www.vag-merc.co.uk aren’t too far away from me, so I’ll get it booked in there next week for the brakes and to look at the warning fault.

Does anyone know if the key charges through the ignition? I’m hoping that a new battery might just solve the remote central locking issue.

[SlackBladder]

I did almost the same thing after losing a LOT of money on a 2014 Range Rover, I now drive a 55 plate E500.

[Sheepshanks]

MJK 24 said:

That would be a straight fail come MOT time under the new regulations introduced in May this year.

Brake and fuel lines must be bare and not under sealed or greased.

You seem confident about that - could you point to the bit in the Regs about it? I had a bit of a Google and I can't see it.

It was mentioned as an advisory last year when it's never been commented on before (been doing it for a few years).

[DSLiverpool]

SlackBladder said:

I did almost the same thing after losing a LOT of money on a 2014 Range Rover, I now drive a 55 plate E500.

Just considering a £45k / 2013 RR Autobiog, did you have a dealer warranty that didn’t cover the work?

[Sheepshanks]

milb001 said:

I tend to suffer from bad luck (a reason for which I gave up barging many years ago); which has already reared it’s head with this purchase.

Before I bought mine MB Corporate lent me a brand new one for 3 days and that gave me back-ache. Never happened to me before so I just put it down to one of those things. Sure enough the one I bought is the same. C Class seats are noted as being terrible - I drive with a rolled up towel at the base of my back.

milb001 said:

www.vag-merc.co.uk aren’t too far away from me, so I’ll get it booked in there next week for the brakes and to look at the warning fault.

Not my neck of the woods but one of guys involved with Mercland is active on MB UK forums and they seem to be well thought of.

milb001 said:

When I went out to the car this morning, the key wouldn’t work to unlock the car - I used the valet key to open the door and then the car started fine. After a short drive, the key was working again to lock/unlock the car.

Does anyone know if the key charges through the ignition? I’m hoping that a new battery might just solve the remote central locking issue.

It doesn't charge the key.

You might have an intermittent RF failure. Does your car have an IR receiver on the door handle? If so try it there if it happens again.

[SlackBladder]

DSLiverpool said:

SlackBladder said:

I did almost the same thing after losing a LOT of money on a 2014 Range Rover, I now drive a 55 plate E500.

Just considering a £45k / 2013 RR Autobiog, did you have a dealer warranty that didn’t cover the work?

Nothing like that, it was more like the amount I lost on depreciation and repayments.

[James76G]

Loved my W203 and it certainly seemed much better put together than some of the BMWs that preceded it.

Remote key takes a CR2032 if I recall correctly. Seats in my Elegance SE were excellent and certainly gave me no issues unlike those in my R53 Mini, which are frankly awful.

[Croutons]

LetsTryAgain said:

Thing is my Honda CR-V (150k miles) just won't give up the ghost!

Hello fate how are you today?

Interior pics please OP!