Aufwiedersehn Dr. Z!
#1
08-31-2007, 10:57 PM
Aufwiedersehn Dr. Z!
Fool me once...........shame on you. As an original owner of a 1999 C230 Kompressor about to sell it, I thought I'd share a few thoughts with those who might be considering the purchase of a Daimler-Benz product.
I'm glad I didn't spend more. I purchased the "budget" Mercedes C-class eight years ago. I struggled with the decision to purchase an E-class for $10K more. The silver lining to mygrey cloud is that I decided against the E and didnot get duped for more $$.
Mechanically, the 1999 C230-K has been sound and reliable. I'm not an aggressive driver but drive 60 minutes per day at highway speeds.Both door mirrors have snapped off one in 2005 and the other in 2006, and the door latch (internal) on the driver's door broke, engine mounts (bushings?) had to be replaced at 70K miles, but generally my C230-K has held up reasonably well.............mechanically that is.
Electrically, this car has beenan expensive nightmare. It has been in the shop 2-3 times per year since 2002 with every sort of electrical problem. Power seats that don't work, pop-up roof that won't close, electronic control module failure (boy, that was expensive), two ignition coil failures, traction control failure (still doesn't work), dashboard control panel died, head lamps that won't turn off, LCD radio display that appears scrambled, to name several.
The Germans may be fine mechanical engineers, but the appear to know little intheway ofengineering a durable electrical system to lasts the useful life of a car. I've always liked the way the car handles and drives, butcan no longerstand the annoyance of sitting on the freeway and getting rained on through my intermittently operable pop-up roof. Alas, the C230-K will be my first andlast German auto...........fool me twice, shame on me. My next car will be Japanese, Dr. Z.[sm=forgetit.gif]
I'm glad I didn't spend more. I purchased the "budget" Mercedes C-class eight years ago. I struggled with the decision to purchase an E-class for $10K more. The silver lining to mygrey cloud is that I decided against the E and didnot get duped for more $$.
Mechanically, the 1999 C230-K has been sound and reliable. I'm not an aggressive driver but drive 60 minutes per day at highway speeds.Both door mirrors have snapped off one in 2005 and the other in 2006, and the door latch (internal) on the driver's door broke, engine mounts (bushings?) had to be replaced at 70K miles, but generally my C230-K has held up reasonably well.............mechanically that is.
Electrically, this car has beenan expensive nightmare. It has been in the shop 2-3 times per year since 2002 with every sort of electrical problem. Power seats that don't work, pop-up roof that won't close, electronic control module failure (boy, that was expensive), two ignition coil failures, traction control failure (still doesn't work), dashboard control panel died, head lamps that won't turn off, LCD radio display that appears scrambled, to name several.
The Germans may be fine mechanical engineers, but the appear to know little intheway ofengineering a durable electrical system to lasts the useful life of a car. I've always liked the way the car handles and drives, butcan no longerstand the annoyance of sitting on the freeway and getting rained on through my intermittently operable pop-up roof. Alas, the C230-K will be my first andlast German auto...........fool me twice, shame on me. My next car will be Japanese, Dr. Z.[sm=forgetit.gif]
