Used 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Consumer Reviews

Always in repair

In three years had the car in for 15 repairs and it's going in again. Fun to drive, and gets lots of comments. Not worth it though with all the problems. Will probably never buy another Mercedes. Have heard of quality issues with higher end models as well.

MB Does it again!

This is my third Benzo, and will certainly not be my last! I have had the most pleasant experiences of my life since becoming a Benz owner, now 5 years ago. The customer service (when you need it) is impeccable, the design, reliability and safety of these cars is second to none. I have owned Volvos, BMWs, Lexs, Mazda (Although the RX8 is SICK!, MUST have one of those soon!)and drove the X series Jag (sad!), but Benz has my heart and my loyalty as a life-long customer! It's not just the car either, the MB Dealership in OKC is a class act, Superior Professionals that take care of their customers!!!

Great Little Car

Fun little car. I needed something practical but still a good time and this fit the bill. I have 66,000 on it and no major problems. It handles well, accelerates well, and does well on gas. Halfway between a Porsche 911 and a Honda Civic Hatchback. Great little computer to remind of every maintenance and when you are short on fluids. Automatic wipers and lights. All you have to do is drive, the car does the rest. Sometimes the wipers are fooled by repeating shadows but it is not a huge nuisance.

Even better than my 1982 240D(220K)!

Dead solid perfect automobile. Five- speed auto "bat" R/L instant downshift- upshift. Man, my brake-pads are gonna last 50K mi. at this rate. Getting consistently 20-21mpg in-town, or with the occasional Houston trip, upwards of 26mpg. Only two problems in 32 mos.(Both warranty--no cost): 1. Replacement horn. 2. New left front turn-signal lamp.

Needs a New Stereo System

The car is enjoyable to drive. It responds well to the throttle. Nice size for carrying groceries and making trips to the beach. Controls are fairly easy to use. Good commuter car.

I want my money back

What a piece of good looking crap. We are in the process of trying ot get our money back. I have never owned a car with so many problems. Shock problems, electrical problems, broken plastic truck liner, sun roof sticking, rattles, We were looking forward to getting this car and now we look forward to getting rid of it.

Don't miss this car when you shop

Since 1991 I had two dodge stealths because of the qualtity, the handling and the winter performance (ah yes). I live in Canada ... Finnaly I saw this Mercedes C230 a couple of month ago. Before I never even thought about buying a Mercedes because of the old 20 years old look. Mercedes didn't change its look since a while. However this car is a beast. All new styling and handling. The quality and desigh of the inside perfect. I am tall and I have enought space too. The radio is not outstanding but it's still a good quality. I don't recommend the soon roof because even the demo cars had problem with. Also the heating fan is a little noicy.

Big Name, Little Performance!

I have had my 2002 Mercedes-Benz C230 Coupe for 2 1/2 years, after only one year the gas tank leaked in my garage, and my car needed to be towed out. At 9,500 miles they had to repack the wheel bearings and tighten sunroof. Now with 21,000 miles they need to be replaced again the sunrrof squeaks. My car makes a horrible sound until it warms up, everytime you start it. The dealership service manager said that this is normal for this model. It sounds like a diesel, or a 12 year old car. The supercharger lacks performance and consistency in its output (six speed). The cloth seats stain if any water touches them. I traded up from a 1997 Ford Mustang GT. In every aspect of performance, the Mustang was better. This is a horrible car hiding under a Mercedes Benz Logo. I will never own another Mercedes again.

Average

Good power. Good pickup. Great on the freeway. Very sporty looking and comfortable. May be too many unecessary features. However, car vibrates at 40 miles an hour. The dealer could not find any problems.

Honda Civic with a different logo

Buzz, rattle, clank beep beep "random fault code" clank rattle beep beep creeeeek

Buy one if you can find one.

If you enjoy driving a pure sports car but don't want to sacrifice passenger space, this car is perfect for you. The 6spd manual tranny provides peak power at any speed. It corners like a dream. The supercharger sounds sweet. Sometimes I put the window down just so I can hear it getting on the highway. Desite its small appearance, it fits two 6' tall adults comfortably in the backseat. After two years, $0 repair/maintenance cost. It's all covered by Daimler/Chrysler!

Ten thousand miles so far...

I have a lead foot yet still exceed 22MPG - Daily commuting plus some long trips. Absolutely nothing has broken, rattled, fallen off or otherwise caused concern. It still makes me feel good to see it light-up in welcome whenever I press the remote. I have gotten to tolerate the rear view - the three pointed star helps. Still cannot believe the value for money. One of the best value cars ever.

Nice Luxury - Lacking in Sport Dept.

A nice comfortable car with lots of electronic goodies, however the suspension is a little soft and their is a significant amount of body roll. I drive it on a 40 mile comute, it is very comfortable and safe. Very quiet and cruises nicely at 80. When I hit the backroads it doesn't match a BMW. The car is quick and gets about 27 mpg on my commute. The Kompressor is a nice engine but again doesn't match BMW's inline sixes.The automatic is smooth with a little Kompressor lag if you are driving mildly but you get used to it. The radio isn't the best but with the CD changer it is more that adequate. Made by Alpine. Seats are firm and comfortable.

Smooth and sporty

A great vehicle in all aspects. Silky V6 engine provides good acceleration and excellent passing power, especially with the TouchShift transmission. Sporty styling almost makes you forget it's a sedan, back seat is good for two people with decent leg room. Trunk swollows 2 or 3 regular size suitcases but not much more.

Great Car

I love my C230. I've had it since Sept 2001 and it has performed admirably. I put ~20,000 miles on a my car a year (up to 37,000) as of this writing and it's been great. Service and support of the dealership is top notch.

Practical Total Performance

Keeps getting better with age! Awesome to drive for long periods - no fatigue due to excellent seats and suspension calibration for high speed driving. Acceleration is better than advertised - M3s beware!! And the brakes are eye popping. Not to say this vehicle is not without shortcomings, but the shortcomings are relatively minor.

Nice little taste of Luxury

The car is delightful to drive, fast, handles nice, etc. Car looks better coming, than going! Love the ability to make seat position really high for us short folks. Visibility is good, front seats are very comfortable. Lots of room in back seat area. Got great mileage at 60 MPH on long trip, averaged 35-38 MPG. Engine is quiet, ride is great. Dealer recommends the highest grade gas, but I've used the cheaper and it works fine.. no pings, appears to have same pick-up, etc. Love the sunroof, although have had problems with rattles and sticking. Overall though, I love this car!

Great Baby Benz

I purchased my C230 in December after having researched and test driven the BMW 325i, Honda Accord EX, and Nissan Altima. After driving the C230, there was no more need for comparison. The car has a solid build coupled with great looks. The supercharger makes it fast and fun to drive. I opted for the 6-speed, wheel package, and CD player. It still came in under $27K. The true joy of life is the trip. Mercedes C230 makes it more enjoyable.

my german dodge

This pieceof crap has been in for service 17 times in 25 months. A hoot to drive but the build quality and component parts are just rock bottom. The tuetonic elves have much to learn. This week it was in for 2 days because the parking brake tolerance was so small that as the weather warmed the brakes appied themselves. New rotors and disc were required. All under warrenty mind you but still. I don't want to know the entire service department my name.

Nothing but problems

It's been in twice for engine work. The sunshade has broken twice as well first the front and then the back. The shift casing is constantly coming off. They had to replace my radio once because it kept fading in and out. It's too bad because I love it when its working, but now I'm trying to get rid of it. Also any dealer that has voicemail in their service dept. should be flogged.

Problems and more problems!!

Love the styling, handling and performance, but I'm not sure I made the right buying decision. I have had the car (with only 15000 miles) in for repairs four time so far. All the problems have been with the electronics systems going bad and having to be replaced. Thes have included... stability control (twice), alarm system (twice), sunroof (twice), rear sunshade, infrared keys, rain sensing intermittent wipers. I have owned the car for less than a year and a half! With a Yugo, I would expect this, but a Mercedes?

Not worth it, Just buy a Honda.

The electrical system in this car is sad. It has been in for service 8 times in 2 years. This includes 4 fan motors for AC, new control panel for AC,computer control panel x2, the dashboard display and 2 alternators. The door handle fell off and the glove box broke probably from the numerous times the dashboard was removed. Having driven a minivan (96000 miles), and 2 GM conversions vans-the last for 8 years and 95,000 miles I thought I would upgrade to a quality vehicle. Sadly, I was disappointed. I was planning on giving this car to my teenage daughter because of the safety features and her deep love for the handling, but it is simply too unreliable.

Practical and Fun

I was waiting to retire to buy a car that is fun to run around in, but also safe. Then I realized that it was dumb to drive a stodgy old car while I still have to commute. Why not get that new car and enjoy it now? So I picked the C230 Komp and never looked back. It has plenty of cargo space with the back seat down, is very maneuverable - a plus on the freeway - and fits my 6'7" husband comfortably with the seat adjusted. In short, it is a nice mix of function and fun.

Do not buy used or new

I bought a pre-owened, certified from a reputable Mercedes Benz dealership. Cup holder didn't last. Did the maintenance as suggested, needed tires in a couple of years and brakes. Then the srs light came on $1200 ti fix. 4 years into ownership the key would not turn so had to be towed. Found out it was the battery, but only after had to pay for a diagnostic test. Noises all in the shocks. 5 years into ownership the key turn all the way with no ignition, tried a new key at $200. Still having this problem periodically, next step is to change a chip at $1200 after a diagnostic test. $$$ I can go on and on, but not enough room here. Next car will definitely not be a Benz. Buyers be ware.

Beauty & the Money Pit

This was MB's attempt at wooing the younger generation to become MB owners. Unfortunately, once you get past the great looks and supercharged fun driving and look at what you got, you become very disappointed - cheap, ugly cloth seats, plastic pieces that break easily, cheap looking faux-carbon dash and frequent trips to the mechanic for problems they just can't seem to chase down because it's all computerized. Just avoid them. I tried to love it, I really did but it's just not reliable.

Just Right !

I spent many months trying to find a fuel-efficient, 2-door sports coupe, with lots of power and room for 2 or 3 ice hockey bags. The C230 Komp was, and still is, the hands-down winner. I've carried mountain bikes, built-in ovens, televisions, and hockey and lacrosse bags in this little gem. The versatility, fun-factor, and sporty appearance of this car are hard to find in any other car.

Easy to drive and manuever.

Excellent manueverability and flexibility. Easy parking and driving . Quick take off and speeding when entering freeway. 6 CD player

Love it!! Love it!!

I shopped around looking for a nice-looking, fuel efficient, powerful vehicle. Checked out Infinity, Mazda, Lexus and MB. This car has it all and won hands down. I can load up 6 sets of golf clubs, a dog, 2 kids. Plus this sucker is fun to drive. The craftsmanship is somewhat on the chincy side, but this puppy hums. Wish it had an I-pod hookup (but this is an '02). Test drive one, you won't regret it!

Fun, Fun, Fun!!

I've had this car since 11/02, after waiting 4 months on order. Only regret - not getting a 6-speed - but I drive in too much rush-hour traffic for that. The car is fast, corners like a dream, and goes through Z-rated tires like mad. Integrated phone can't be beat - added on after purchase. Blind spots are easily adjusted for by turning mirrors out to the far side, which takes getting used to, but I no longer need to swing my head back & forth. Has been back to the dealer quite a bit for struts, suddenly dead battery, and electrical errors. I will keep it long after it's paid for!

Incredible Value

Mercedes has an absolute winner with the C230. BMW, Audi nor Porsche have a similiar entry-level offering at this price. Great Mercedes marketing strategy to hook new buyers, I'm sure this will be the first of many more Benz autos that we will purchase.

Don't Buy Without Thorough Documentation

It's a great car if everyone who has owned it before you was fastidious about maintenance and repairs. And that means Benz capable for everything beyond oil changes, wiper blades and tires. One of the major problems with the car is its owners. It's not a Chevy Malibu or Toyota Corolla. So if the typical owner of a used Chevy or used Toyota owned it in the past or owns it now, there's like a storm on the horizon for you if you buy it. So buy one with full maintenance and repair documentation (from someone who offers that without you having to ask). That will address maybe 95% of the issue you might have read about here from some other people. I bought mine with 45kmi from the original owner and he had all the documentation including the repair on the driver's door (a truck backed into it in a parking lot while it was parked). I still put $5k into it since I wanted it in "as original" (drive train, suspension and steering) operating condition. And a lot of rubber parts needed replacing to accomplish that. I had the steering column ignition tumbler parts repaired since the key would sometimes jam and not turn the tumbler. Other than that, it's been perfect understated and wicked fast classy sedan.

The Beast in Disguise

Mercedes is a great car manufacturer and overall I have been thrilled with every product that I have owned by them. I am still the owner of a 2002 C32 AMG which has outlasted a number of other Benz's that I purchased subsequent to that. It has relatively low mileage (75K) for the time owned and has had little issues over the years. It is a small car with nice amenities and a blazing fast engine. This was a treat that I purchased in Sept 2001 right after 9/11. I had only owned one other car that was this responsive and that was a Porsche 911. Although this car does not handle quite a capable, it certainly did not lack any of the all our speed. I had a hard time waiting for the 1000 miles that is suggested before I put my foot down on the accelerator. When the time was up, I had an opportunity to see exactly what AMG meant to Mercedes. This was one of the few examples of a V6 that was developed by AMG and the only with a Kompressor (Super Charger) engine. The previous model with a V6 was the C36 and although that was a joy to drive, this car took the doors off of it. This was one of the fastest 4 door sedans produced at that time rivaling the BMW M5 although it was compared more to the 2 door M3. The car gets up to 60mph in under 5 secs! There is not a ding on the vehicle and the defects are mostly from stones and pebbles from other vehicles hitting the hood and front end. After years of owning the vehicle, I changed the radiator because I heard of a number of situations where the coolant and transmission fluids mixed and cause major havoc and expensive repairs. I enjoy it most because I can take the entire family out for a pleasurable drive and no one is the wiser that the car is brutally fast. I would highly recommend this car if you can find one with low mileage and no accidents.

C320 wagon

Our MB C320 wagon is a wonderful car. It has plenty of power, is loaded with safety features,and can swallow tons of luggage. Build quality is typical MB: no squeaks, no rattles, and little body flex. Material quality is excellent. And the car handles very well, with great brakes and admirable cornering.

Don't care what it would have cost

Where do you get this kind of performance without MB or BMW? I have a new Corvette convertible, have owned Ferrari's and Porsche's too. Loved them all and the Corvette is not exactly the crude vehicle that others consider it... but I want another C32. The M3 is a totally different car. Both good but this was perfect for my wife when she wanted to ditch her 2000 S class Sport.

Great car!!!

Sport Coupe - Excellent

I bought the second 230C at the dealership, a black bottom spec loss leader. It has been a fantastic car, the best I've ever owned in 25 years of driving. Fast, handles well, great mileage, versatile... everything I learned to expect from a Mercedes. When you buy American, you get a low end car with things tacked on. This has all the components and build quality of a high end car, minus "stuff" (electric seats, leather interior, etc). A great trade off.

Once you go MB, you won't go back

I was ordered my C240 and waited 5 months and it has been so worth it. The color(silver on silver) oozes class and sexiness and I get many compliments on the styling and design. Granted, I would love more horses, but this baby was made to cruise not bruise and it does just that. I would like to see maybe more wheel styles available and also get rid of the useless cassette but all in all I love this car. Will pray NOT to have the problems I have read about but so far so damn good!

6 Month Checkup From Benz Owner

This overall still a great car, and I still have yet to see another on the road. I have dusted off just about everything you can think of that might pull up to a stop light too. [I even have the speeding tickets to prove it] The car does lag a bit froma stop before the power kicks in, but when it does. Whoa!!!! I do have to say that the car has been in for service more than I am comfortable with. I dread owning it after the warranty period. Mercedes needs to take their build quality reputation a bit more seriously. I still say "if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." - Ferris Bueller

Great Car!

This is the best car purchase I have ever made. This car is smooth as silk when you are driving it. It is a great car for the price! You can't do any better.

Never buy this car

I bought this car with 50000 miles on it. I drove it off the lot of the whole sale dealer and the day after started having problems. It may be because it's used and I don't know how the person before me treated the car. I've had the car for a year and put over $4,000 into it already in repairs. As soon as it's fixed something else seems to go wrong. Not to mention the gas mileage is terrible!

great car

i bought the car a year ago i put close to 3 thousand miles an not a problem an the car still runs great

Quality issues

I have a 2002 C230K for around 1.5 years. It has been in services for number of times: . 5 times for SRS light. . 2 times for ESP and BAS lights. . 2 times replacement for CD-changer. . 1 time malfunction front-end stabilizer bar. . 1 time broken instrument button. . 1 time loosen weather strip. . 1 time replace all rusty wheels' fasteners. . 1 time broken speaker mesh cover. . In addition, a very rust break caliper but refused to be replaced.

C320 Rating

I am dissapointed with the quality of the C320 overall. For example, the driver and passenger seat control module failed resulting in an out of warranty cost of $827.00. The valve cover gaskets need replacing at 55K miles. The driver's window switch needs replacing. The thrust arm bushing is cracked. The driver's grab handle needs to be replaced. This car is driven by my wife and only has 55K miles. In fact, last year we only put about 5K miles on the car. We have had 2 other Benz and this may be the last one we own. The quality lacks a lot to be desired from what we experience in our other 2 Mercedes Benz.

C240 is a classic understated sedan

I bought mine new in July, 2002. Generally, with over 16,000 miles on it, my C240 has performed well, especially on long drives, where it is really in its element. The one thing I do not like is there is very weak pickup on it, which is dangerous if you need to merge or drive into traffic from a standing idle, especially for a U-turn across multiple lanes. Otherwise, the quality and design of the car, and its solid performance makes it an operational dream pleasant to behold. Mine was manufactured in Stuttgart.

Loads of fun, but at what price?

This car is fun to drive, but a sturdy performance car it's not. Nothing but problems since day one of ownership. First the suspension had to be reinstalled, as the car wasn't level. Next, all of the brakes and tires had to be replaced due to severe vibrations at speed. Then the supercharger had to be replaced due to excessive noise. To top that off, a couple of interior cosmetic items had to be replaced as well. All of this under warranty of course, but the depreciation of this car is outrageous. I guess that's the price you pay.

I love My MB

A great car but got some bad stuff Engine is powerful and awesome especially when you reaches 65 70 miles/ hour you'll be flouting on air! its cool classy car you would enjoy it if you can spend 1000$ each month on it because of the Very expensive original parts it got very good mileage on the highways it can exceed 250km/20L ( like 30mpg) on long rides . in the city it may range between 13 to 17L/100km top I face some Air Mass sensor troubles it AC compressor is went down when i spilled a drink inside the AC Oil change each 3000 km for like 50 60$ top .

Could have better intial quality

Had to replace - gas tank (over spill) - Driver side seat belt (clicking noise) Rattling noise from center console.

Great Car

Have owned this car over three years. It still turns heads. Great acceleration and mileage. Comfortable. Well built. Had a few minor problems, fixed by dealer on first visit. A/C controls could use an updating to a simpler system.

Rock Solid with Slick Design

The exterior design and the Mercedes brand are what first drew my attention. This is an aggressive, muscular wedge of a car with thoughtful Mercedes design cues throughout. I've loved the safety features and it's a blast to drive. I expect this car to last me a while. I chose the brilliant silver exterior with black leather interior. Although the smallest Mercedes, it has all the looks of the bigger Benz. Just a few complaints. Lack of a CD player is astonishing in this day and age. Lots of brake dust on front rotors. Front cupholder is a little overwrought. But, I'm picking at details. This car has class and character. I get more comments about this car than any other I've driven.

C32 Review

Impressive power from the supercharged V6 mated to automatic transmission with Speedshift. The handling is the best match for the street and track but with quality that passengers that pass through its 4-door will not find uncomfortable. Interior has a nice heavy weighted feeling to the controls which give it a rich quality which other drivers found very substantial. I am very please overall with the C32.