Hi,

I am currently looking around for a 1997-1999 C180 estate sports model. I have a quick question. The C180 was updated in 1997 to include 5 speed tranny and other bits and pieces but was this carried over in the same year to the estates. Just that i know the estates were first made in 1996 and seems unlikely that they were then updated in 97.

I understand from searching the forum that the things to look out for are the wiper mechanism , cat converter and whether any oil leaking from engine or tranny. Anything else?

Thanks..

 

I get the impression your from the UK or Austrialia? I'm not sure of what an estate is. But I have a 99 C280 and the car has been almost trouble free the 3 plus years I've owned it. In fact, I received a recall this week, for the harmonic balancer. But isn't a C180 diesel? As this model is not offered in the colonies.

The only problems I have had with my car, is batteries, I am on my third battery. But this latest one has been good for over a year. They are not maintenance free batteries so you have to check the water level at least once a month. Distilled water only to top off. Benz changed suppliers of batteries from a Hungarian supplier to a Spanish supplier, I must have gotten a Spanish battery the last time.

One thing the Benz tech told me, my car is 6 plus year old and I have 54K plus miles. the tech told me I don't drive it enough. Also, the car never shuts itself off, as the tech said the computer monitors systems 24/7. So there is always a drain, even thou very slight on the battery. But I did have the following costly problem a month or so ago.

I had to replace the front tie rods and all four calipers, pads and disc a little over a month ago. But these are wear items, some folks said at 53K (miles when I had the work done) was not much for brakes, and tie rods should last longer then that. I agree with the tie rods. I also have a 79 4540SLC which still has the original tie rods and they are fine. To replace the tie rods on the C280 was a major project. As only the right side upper and lower rods were worn, but Mercedes designed the tie rods, left and right as one unit which included the worn oand roller. Also, the front wheel bearing needed to be adjusted. Somewhere I read the wheel bearings aren't adjustable, but that turned out not to be correct they are, if not worn to nothing. Also, the front end had to be aligned, which is SOP when changing tie rods. So it wasn't cheap. As far as the brakes I went aftermarket and paid about 1/2 what Mercedes would have cost. But putting aside the battery business, the car reliability is terrific. When you find a car, and I would go to a dealer as the STARMArK preowned warranty did come in handy for me. I forget to mentioned within the first 5 months of ownership, the MAS and a O2 sensor went and STARMARK covered it. I believe Mercedes has a different name for the pre owned warranty in Europe.

I read a wonderful magazine, exclusive to Mercedes Benz cars, that is published in the UK. MERCEDES enthusiast is the name. The July 05 issue had a wonderful article on the W107 cars or the 450SL and that's what brought me to buy one. All the problem areas they spoke of, I was able to knock off $1300us off the asking price of the car I bought. The only place you can get it around here is Barnes and Noble. I am sure it is widely avaiable in the UK or perhaps your writing from Austrialia? Anyway it is a great mag for reference material

 

Well you are sorta right. Am Irish and Australian. Currently in Ireland. Owned a '73 230CE in OZ. That was a beautiful car but suffered badly from rust.

An estate, as we call it in europe, is basically a station-wagon. The C180 is the base model of the C-Class and comes in 1.8 and 2L models. Higher insurance in europe (well ireland anyhow) restricts us (well me anyhow) to lower powered engines. Gas is also more expensive here so always a wiser choice to go for lower powered models

 

Never knew there was a C C;*** wagon? Never offered in this country. I was on a German Mercedes aftermarket site, and looked up my 99 C280. The sight had it listed as a Limo? Are the engines in the C180 diesel or petrol? I read a article in Newsweek, it was about Gasoline comsumption in the States. One part of the article said 50% of the cars sold in Europe are diesels. It also went on to say, all the alternative tech, fuel cells, hybrids etc are just temporary fixes. Diesel will eventually come out as the best alternative to gasoline engines. What I have read about the new E Class diesel I can believe this. I live in Massachusetts, and her the E Class diesel is not sold. I am 2 miles from the Conneticut border where you can buy the E Class Mercedes. It is something to do with low sulphur fuel, which Massachusetts hasn't approved. Crazy. I know about gas prices in Europe. My brother just returned from the Netherlands after living there for 20 years and he said gas is cheap here, but diesel is more expensive here. Also, when he went to the doctor for the first time in the States after being in Europe for 30 years and it cost him $125us for a visit he almost choke. As most countries, except the US medical care is free or nearly free. Which IMHO it should be here. But the wealth of the profession is so ingrained here that I doubt we will ever have a socialized medical care. He also said the medical care in Holland was very good, and doctors are working people, professionals but working people and don't make the hugh amount of money doctors in this country do. I have a bad back and went to a specialist in NYC. $500us for just the visit, which took about 1/2 hour and the outcome was he said I can't do anything more for your back, go home and live your life. All that for $500?? Our system is obscene.

 

IMHO, I really believe that gasoline engines are fine for a family car. Diesel should stay in commercial market.

Here is my thinking. Diesel has more parts that trouble. Also, the smell is irritating. I've never seen a diesel owner NOT complaining about having to replace the plunger assembly, and all that.

The engine designera just should work harder to improve efficiency on gasoline engines. They don't even have to work too hard, they just need to pay attention. For example, if every engine could produce 100hp per liter at this time, gasoline consumption would be dropped dramatically.

Honda Prelude Si produces 200hp out of its 2.0L engine. Why couldn't Benz and BMW produce 300hp out of 3.0L engines? SHAME! Engine designers are slacking off as if their jobs are government jobs. Or.....they receive some sort of kick-back from petroleum companies, so they don't have an incentive to produce efficient engines.

So we will not have energy crisis -- if
gasoline engines can achieve 100hp/L at this time, and
gasoline engines can achieve 200hp/L in the next 20 years.

I say, it is absolutely possible. Or as Corporate America would say..."doable." They just don't want to do it for one reason or another.

 

Your points are well taken , Corp America are pigs. However, the 05/06 E Class diesel is a engineering marval compared to the "old diesel" No smell, no clatter, Yes it still has the characteristic of a diesel you need to deep it warm for it to start in the window, but it pumps out more HP that a comparable V6 and is a lot more fuel efficient, plus it is cheaper to build.

You mentioned Honda, you pay up to a $5000us preimum for their hybrid, I read a article concerning payback. You would have to own the hybid 10 years to get back the extra money it cost, plus the cost of new batteries. Diesel's have come a long, long way. Cummins, introduced this year here inthe states a diesel for the trucking industry that is quiet, more fuel efficient as the Mercedes. The only problem here the cost of diesel is even higher then gasoline, so the trade off's might disappear and dollar for dollar, gasoline powered cars are still the best way to power an automobile. But as you said Corp America has to get off their butts. It is amazing the HP race that is going on here. 400HP seems to be the target number for high performance cars in the states, Mustangs, Dodge. Chrysler all have cars with this much HP. My question is why does anyone, especially here need a 400HP car that can touch 200mph? There has to be a line drawn between performance and econony and sensibility between the car manufactuers. If a manufactuer can design cruise control that will slow you down if you get too close or stop your car, without intervention, and other electronic like track control, stability control, lane drift controls, which is all great but expensive options. Why don't they as you said design a reasonable HP gasoline engine, with moderate HP and fuel efficient? Why don't they, because there is a fixation in the industry the HP sells. A recent survey I read said the maximum price of a gallon of gas will have to reach $5.00 a gallon, before the buying public will stop buying cars that are overpowered, overeight and burn too much gasoline. The survery predicted 2 years from now the gasoline industry will be at the price level and what are the car manufactuers going to do?

These ovepowered cars IMHO are just fads, as manufactuers are realizing they can do this with computers and not bore stroke, high compression pistion cams etc. It is a phase, like a kid playing with a new toy. but an very bad phase for us car folks.

 

Can't agree with you more.

The new diesel engine designs have improved very nicely.

I have recently seen and heard a new BNSF service truck (those hugh pickup trucks that can drive on the rail roads). It has the new Cummings diesel engine. It sounds like a jet engine, almost. Smooooooth.

Also, those diesel Land Cruisers sold in Asia are really quiet. No plunger noise anymore.

It is TRUE that a lot of personal cars sold in Europe are diesels. Most Benzes I've seen there are Turbo Diesels.

 

A picture of an station-wagon (C180 elegance estate) with some AMG wheels



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About diesels in Europe...

Diesels are more popular than petrol in France where the price of diesel is way cheaper than petrol. You can now get city cars with a 1.4 diesel engine. Very frugal.
In Ireland petrol models are more popular than diesels because the price of diesel is the same (approx) as petrol and the extra cost of purchasing a diesel model and the higher costs of servicing does not offset the cost unless of course you do alot of mileage. Bigger cars and jeeps tend though to be always diesels.

 

Also General Electric is building all it railroad engines, the big line haul engines to use the low sulphur fuels. I worked on the railroad for 13 years, and now I am a intermodal transportation consultant. And teach Supply chain management , and related subject for the past 25 years. Interesting picture of a C class wagon, as I don't think Mercedes ( or Mercs and they are called in the UK) offered a C class wagon in the country, at least not eh W202 C class version.