Used 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Hatchback Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Fun to drive but get ready to $$$
I bought my 2002 c230 used with 70xxx miles and have had nothing but problems here's a list: 1.water pump went out and car overheated costing $1400. 2. Sun shade/ roof won't open or close $1200. Rear Diff seal/ leakage in suspension causing rear tires to wear rapidly $1400. Drivers window will not go up or down (still broken). Horn stopped working (still broken) Seats have a short in wire causing battery to die (still broken). On the flip side the car is fast and fun to drive. The people at Mercedes actually know my face when I walk in for repairs. I almost wanted to invite them to my family Christmas party since I'm there so often we've built a close friendship.
Sa-weet Ride!
Great turning radius, easy to drive and park, and looks good. Great speaker quality. Cruise control--unlike with some cars--will hold your mileage steady through hills and valleys. Find a great mechanic who doesn't work for Mercedes, and you can keep the maintenance costs down. Solid and safe car!
- C230 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $950281 mi away
- C240 SedanMSRP: $5,000320 mi away
- C240 SedanMSRP: $4,500453 mi away
Great Entry Benz!!!!
I bought a c230 Kompressor Coupe in may 2008 with only 65,000 for less then 8,000. Great deal on a great car. The car handles, accelerates, and stops flawlessly. I hit a deer going 75 and came out with just a dent.Had i been in a Honda or something of less quality guarantee the car would be totaled and myself injured. I got the car fixed and has been awesome and reliable. Maintenance is high- find a loyal cheap foreign repair shops with ex Mercedes Benz mechanics. worth the savings.
Best made and Handling compact?Hot!
I have owned many high end cars and when the gas prices went nuts and I moved away from the beach I needed a car that satisfied my high end needs and quality was #1. This little car was not my choice, but I fell in love with it . It has 40/60 fold down rear seats so you can bring your ski's and haul larger items and it is a kick to drive. Parking is easy. And I rarely have to stop for fuel! Gotta love it ! The side doors cubbies stink as far as use goes and there are some wicked blind spots, but once you are aware, use extra caution. I put a ton of miles on it and the stereo is great. Sunroof opens to a huge ray of light with more safety than a convertible. What's not to love?
So far, so good
I bought this car as a graduation present for myself in 2003. It was two years old with 25,000 miles. The only real problem I've had is a noisy power steering pump. It quieted down once I had the fluid replaced. I've driven it 88,000 miles over five years and have not had any repairs (although I've had the power steering pump checked for the noise. More fluid fixed the problem). So far this has been the most trouble- free car I've owned. Of course, the $90 oil changes are annoying, but they are only required once a year. The routine brake jobs (avg. cost $1,000 every 60,000 miles at a non-MB mechanic) are also excessive. But, that's what I get for driving a MB. It's been a good car!
C230 Sports Coupe is fun to drive
We have owned this car for 8+ years and have enjoyed driving the stick shift every mile. Very peppy engine, yet over 30 mpg on the highway. Very good handling.
OK CAR
IS A HIGH QUALITY COMPONENTS CAR CHEAPLY BUILT. I WOULD OPT FOR 3.2L ENGINE ANY DAY (UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN 2002)
Fun to drive but low reliability
For the last four years, this car was under warranty work for not less than ten times. The problem includes suspension, engine oil leaks, BAS and ESP lights on, engine back fire and requires new oxygen sensors . I would strongly advise potential buyers to purchase extended warranty before similar problems happen after the warranty expires.
Great Car...and its only my first
great speed and performance. I like the way it handles and the way you can zip around turns. The only problems i have had with it is that is hard to see your blind spots and look behind you went parking or anything like that. Exterior has an awesome look and the interior is cool awesome!!
Love My Little Car
My experience owning a C230 has been delightful. I enjoy the spacious interior especially the fact that even someone with long legs may ride comfortably in the backseat. The sunroof has been such a pleasure. Also the glass top over the rear passengers seats make it unique. The car is very maneouverable and easy to fit into almost any parking space. The option to go from automatic to manual is fun. I appreciate the safe design of the car and the high crash test rating. The car is fun, safe and such a pleasure to drive. The only thing I see they could improve upon would be the comfortability of the seats. They feel too hard and flat. The actual seats leave alot to be desired.
it's a Chrysler
repairs so far - differential whine - replaced p Gears; rear seals leaked - replaced; 4 new shocks; OE Micehelin sports dead after 9000 miles; replaced computer; replaced CD; replaced cupholder. Interior squeaks and rattles will drive you nuts. Engine is crudely loud and exhaust note is tinny. Gear shift is notchy. However - handles very well, has good power and gets great gas mileage. My first and likely last MB.
Fun fun fun~!
Just got my baby C 1 week ago. Man, once I start the car, I don't want to get out. A lot of power for a small car, and the 2.3L eng. makes beauifull sound...
vibration
my 2002 c230 coupe is comfortable,[to sit in] fast and cool. quiet it is not. but the one thing i find unacceptable is the vibration that i feel from 35-40 mph to 60-65 mh. i feel the vibration in the seat, pedals, gear shift, steering wheel. mercedes has told me that it is normal, but ive heard no one else complaining about it. so am i the only one?
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!
Value you just can't beat!!!
I've had it for 3 weeks now and have already passed the 1000 mile mark and I love the car. I got it because I drive alot for my job and needed a fuel efficient, comfortable car...and I got it! It cools well. The sunroof is great. The Bose sound system is better than other Bose systems I've heard. But, I wish I could fit a full set of golf clubs in the trunk (I also have a convertible BMW 328, and they managed to do that). Also, I have the Nav and w/o the CD changer, you can either listen to CDs or do the Nav (not both).
Good Car, Little Problems
Overall this is an excellent car, but it seems to be bothered by small, nagging problems with reliability. Over 7500 miles several small problems (none are close to being critical) have come up, which is a little disappointing. But, compared to the positives (decent power, crisp handling, excellent brakes, solid feel, safety, luxury), the shortcomings (rattles, notchy 1-2 shift) are easy to overlook.
It's been real good
The car is coming up on seven years old. In those years it has been quite reliable. The supercharged engine gets 32-35 MPG on the highway, but still has great pick up when you need to punch up acceleration. City MPG suffers a bit in stop & go traffic. I am 6' 1" and find there is plenty of leg and head room. The hatch is great - too bad Americans do not favor this handy body style.
Great Car
The 2.3L is fun to drive, has good hp and torque over a rather large rpm band. The Editor's reviews have cupholders getting as much weight as the engine performance. No, the cupholders aren't too functional (although their "ejection" mechanism is cool), but I'll take the car's performance/value ratio over the cupholder/big gulp ratio.
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.
THIS CAR ROCKS!
This is my second car ever and I love this one. I love how little it is without having to compromise confort. Even people that sit in the back have plenty of leg room because of the way the back of the front two seats are curved in. My dad, who has had tons of cars, most more expensive than mine had fun playing with the automatic wipers .. with the hose!
Quality?
Got it instead of a loaded Passat. Fell in love with the handling, the pick up, and how quiet it is. Now that I have had it for almost 6 months, the true mass market to America is rearing its ugly head. Mercedes cannot seem to get the rattles fixed, the A/C is spazzing out, the sunroof shade sticks and sounds like a shotgun going off when the spring pulls it away, and the cupholder is already jamming up. This is a great car performance wise (quick, great cornering, and quiet), but not worth the 31k that I spent. I am probably going to sell it now before the 2003's come out,so I can get the best bang for my buck.
Awesome car
I recently purchased this car, and have loved every minute of my driving time since!
Over Priced Neon
Noisey! Sunroof constantly squeaks dealer unable to eliminate. Drivers seat squeaks. This is the noisest car I've owned since my 1980 Citation. Stereo system sub-par. Can't hear rear speakers (mounted in lower door trim) Way over priced
great car
I've really enjoy the build quality and preformance. Its hard to image a hatch back could get much better. The 230K has many of the nice features from the Smart. Cool
I am growing to love this car
I could not pass up purchasing a MB for under $30K. I was luke warm on the back end styling and really wanted more trunk space and 4 doors, HOWEVER, after owning the car for over a month it has really grown on me. It does so many things well that I have changed my mind on the styling and found that I can easily live with 2 doors. I had two minor cosmetic flaws which are being taken care of. Otherwise, the car is fun to drive, full of gadgets (I am still not finished reading the owners manual), and has real curbside appeal.
Benz
Got my C230 in Jan. love the way it handles, good speed in the mountains.
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.
J-C230k
Afterall, it is a Mercedes
Great Ride But Fix Pull To Right
CONS - Car pulls to right. Dealer & MB have checked alignment and tires several times and still no fix after a year. Advise if you have similar problem via edmunds.com review or e- mail to ajt38ca@yahoo.ca. Similar sunroof noise problem fixed by dealer by removing roof liner & installing foam sheet and silicon. Brakes spongy & non-linear in feel. PROS - Good looking especially in Paprika with lots of looks from others; fantastic interior ambience with panorama roof & top quality leather ; excellent interior materials, fit & finish. Both better than A4 or X-Type. GENERAL - Ride is firm. OK if you are sporty driver, not if more comfort oriented.
i geess i got one of the good ones
not alot of people are happy with the c230. the only reason i purchesed mine is because the dealer drop it $6500.00.m-b gave the dealer $4k because of slow sales.discounted it another $2500 , took it. have 10,000 miles on mine and have had no trouble with it other than having to replace the sun shades.it gets 33 mpg on the hwy.i dont care for the stiff ride or the way the auto shifts. and dont even try to put xm radio with the m-b radio.cd is about $900 extra if the dealer puts it in, and no other cd changer will work with the bose system. i would not recomend this car as many of the coupes are having too many problems.
C230 Hatchback - fun
this car is really fun to drive. It has acceleration when you need it and is easy to manuver in and out of traffic etc. We have three Land Rovers so this is a nice change!
Great Car
I purchased this car in May of 02 and always wanted one ever since I saw them on msn autos. Runs great, gas mileage could be better, the front looks awesome but the rear could look better. The front looks similar to the SL class. Still a thrill to drive and sure do get looks. Afterall, it is a Mercedes and you get a lot more for your money, definitely a smart buy for a sporty car.
Fun to Drive
This car is simply fun to drive. The automatic transmission matches very well the engine characteristic and the manual shift option is just perfect for those mountain roads. With black interior and leather option it looks and feels very high quality. The seats are perfect, the huge glass roof is gorgeous and there are just too many little useful implementation details to list. The list of safety features is just complete matching high end full size cars. However the major difference to my previous new cars is that 9 months later it still totally excites me to drive this car very much like in the first week.
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.
C230 Coupe
Some minor problems initially (oil leak and rattles)that were corrected by the dealer within the first 7K miles. I've got 27K miles on it now and the car has been flawless. I ordered this car and have been driving it daily since Nov 2001. Great in the snow as long as you have four snow tires mounted.
Huge disappointment
This was my first and probably last MB. $32000 was paid and within 2 years the AC system was replaced twice. Electrical systems are a constant headache. Front right blinker stopped working and was redesigned (not recalled due to ongong failure)and then one day started working correctly again. Quality of the product is poor. I had hoped for an experience like my last car, a Toyota. Drove the Toyota for 200K miles. I would not recommend a MB to anyone.
Great car
To start, I am a Mercedes loyalist. When I was forced to buy a new car, I considered the BMW 3 series, volvo S60, and the Audi A4. I am really glad I chose this car. It's fun to drive, great to ride in, has great handling, performance, etc. Long trips are fun; short trips are fun.
sweetness
It's a miracle I love this car!!!!! I never thought that I would be able to afford a mercedes untill the C230 came out. this is one of the best deales around!!!!!!
Good Ride
Still new to the ride..about 2500 miles. My second Benz. So far fuel consumption excellent. 4 people and luggage, 300 miles RT...31 MPG. Power and six speed excellent. Fit and finish awesome.
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.
fun time
The 230 has been a fun car, good power to overpass others or, to win merging wars at on ramps. radio (non bose) is fair, installing after-market radio can be a bear! tinting of windows should be done by a REAL pro if not, you will make a trip back to the dealer to replace both the am/fm powered ant and the alarm ant.! "b" piller is poor hard to see others on both sides! back seat is good for small kids front seats are not great if your a larger person. sunroof is big and fun.
Athletic
Can only be described as an athletic car. Durable, fun, quick, handles solid, built like a tank. Manual Transmission is a MUST. Good on gas. Engine sounds nice with sports package. Great wheels. Fantastic interior. Leather is of the best quality. I like everything about it.
A Chrysler in MB clothes
Don't fool yourself that MB quality is great.Car has 16,300 mi and been in for;supercharger,hatch,foglight,cupholde r,hatch repaint. It starts rough at times and I'm concerned it's another repair waiting to happen. Thankfully, it's all under warranty. Upon recent B service at MB of Hagerstown, rims came back scratched. I wouldn't expect that of your local garage, let alone an award winning MB service department! They promised they'd be "touched up" next service. Despite its faults, a blast to drive. Overtaking is easy and onramp/offramp driving loads of fun. However, we will be getting rid of ours prior to the warranty expiring for fear it will be a burden.
Best Choice
I never associated MB with value, but that's what the C230K gives. It is incredibly fun to drive, and lots of looks from other people as I drive by. The Kompressor growl going up hills is great. The C230K can easily accomodate 4 adults (its bigger inside than it looks). The panoramic sunroof makes an ordinary sunroof look downright inadequate. The C7 wheel package is a steal, and makes the car look even better. Like others, I was considering an Acura RSX hoping to save some bucks. The C230K is worth every penny of the price difference, and more. Drive the two cars and you will know immediately which one you want.
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.
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.
DON'T TRADE-IN
OURS NEEDS CHANGED SO WE WERE TRADING IT IN FOR THE MERCEDES SUV. WE HAD ALL THE UPGRADES (LEATHER) IN, WHEN WE WENT TO TRADE IT IN THEY ONLY WANTED TO GIVE US$18,000 AND ONLY 7000 MILES ON IT. THEY DEPRECIATED IT HALF WHAT IT COSTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE STILL HAVE IT, UNFORTUNATELY A CAR WE LOVED, NOW WE FEEL STUCK WITH. ON TOP OF THAT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP WE TOOK IT TOO WAS EMABARASSED TO HAVE THESE CARS ON THE LOT. SAID IT WAS A MISTAKE MERCEDES MADE BY PRODUCING THIS MODEL.
Love it!
i drove the vehicle for 10 straight months to commute appro. 50 miles each way and it handled everything! it is so comfortable and smooth... difficult to keep you honest on a 65mph speed limit highway because you don't even realize you are going 80. the subtle details are absolutely appreciated... especially the way it lights up when you remotely unlock your doors. i like that they did not add rear-winshield wipers to compromise the design concidering it is not that useful and looks tacky on a small car. another great feature is whole fog light system!! i test drove several cars in it's range and none felt as solid, classy and worthy of the cost... i love it.
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.
Awesome MPG
Today I was was getting 41 MPG on the highway and the trip was about 40 miles. The car is fun to drive and I don't feel too guilty when I know that I am going to get 400 miles per tank. The seats are supportive when going through sharp corners. Automatic wipers are very nice option. Panaramic sunroof works well. Cons: Wish I had a digital led for the climate control. The bass in the stereo should be stronger.