First off is it me or are all the Merc model designations confusing? I am in the market for an 06 or 07 AWD model. If someone can point out which models are available with the awd in these years I would appreciate it.

Secondly, are there specific things to consider here, to look out for and to avoid. This is a car for my teen daughter so safety considerations are important. I hadn't really considered Mercedes but thought I would take a look at used car prices and to my surprise I find a pretty nice selection under $20,000 even from dealers.

What kind of prices are you guys seeing and can I expect to be able to negotiate either the certification or an extended warranty and stay under this threshold?

 

Hey 4matics,

I'm a really big fan of the C-Class models and if the vehicle is for your daughter, I would recommend a base-model like the C240. Yes, there are several options for the C-Class, but they're all very safe in my opinion. What really dictates cost are the amenities. I.E. woodgrain versus aluminum interior trim, wheels size, GPS, heated seats, etc. It is a great time to buy and you can really haggle with the Dealerships in this market and get something really nice for your daughter for under $20,000.

I did a lot of online research in regards to what was available in my area and got my pre-owned '02 C240 with most of the amenities for $10,032 off the lot. I've done a couple grand in wheels and performance mods since because I can never leave my vehicles stock...lol. They can be a little more expensive to maintain, but German engineering is very good and if you take care of them, they'll last a very long time. What took me getting use to is the fact that you change the oil once every 12,000 miles. I'm use to every 3,000 with my Mustangs. You can typically find a good local import auto shop that can do repairs for comparable prices as they would be with a domestic since Mercedes are so common. Most Dealerships will give you some sort of extended drivetrain warranty as well. Hope this helps!

 

How big a deal is a Xenon conversion on a C. I know with the E39 BMW's it is a royal pain, fault codes, ballasts, wiring harness etc.

 

It's not too awful bad. The passenger's side is relatively straight forward with easy access from above, but the driver's side was a bear because the washer fluid reservoir was right in front of where I needed to access. I could reach it, but those Xenon bulbs are ruined if any oil from your hands or the vehicle gets on them. I had to take the left front fenderwell shroud off (10mm 1/4" socket). They made a huge difference in night driving with the bluish tint they give off. The original yellow would absorb into wet asphalt and seem like my lights weren't even on. The headlights are H7's and the foglights are 9006's if you're looking to do the swap-out.

Here's a pic of what they look like now: