Used 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C230 Sports Coupe 2dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl S/C 6M) Consumer Reviews
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Almost entirely reliable for me...
Mark, Tempe, AZ, 06/27/2018
Mercedes-Benz C-Class C230 Sports Coupe 2dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl S/C 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I've driven my 2002 230 Kompressor (Manual Transmission) for about 40,000 miles. I purchased it at 80k. There has been some routine maintenance... tires, brakes, and I did a $700 suspension refresh (shocks/struts/arm bushings/motor mounts/transmission mount) at 110k since the cushy Mercedes rubber had worn a bit. I could have continued to drive with the suspension as is... I chose to be preventative. The only time the car has let me down was related to the anti-theft system. The steering column lock has a junky little Chinese-made motor in it that prematurely fails. Mercedes won't sell you the part, so you are forced into letting them replace it ($2200) or being locked out of driving the car. Thankfully, I was able to buy a $25 emulator from England to cut that part out of the security system entirely. Then, I cut the lock off the steering column with my angle grinder = no more problem now or in the future. For what it's worth, Nissan, Suzuki, and others are having the same steering lock issue. The difference is that those manufacturers will sell you parts for it while Mercedes will not. I find the car to be sporty with above average acceleration (plenty of supercharged torque to spin the wheels), acceptable fuel economy (26mpg avg), and reasonable handling. It feels a bit top-heavy to me, but that's probably because of the copious safety features. This would be a solid car in an accident... much better than the Mazda I drove previously. Lots of air bags, tank-like safety cage, etc. I love the panoramic roof on mine... almost like having a convertible. There's a kit to reinforce the little motors that open it. The kit will keep it running flawlessly for a long long time. The interior is lovely and comfortable; the AC works well. Grippy tires are a must as it's rear wheel drive. Grippy tires (Pirelli P7 Cinturato+) transform the car in inclement weather. My only regret with this car is that it isn't a convertible, lol. Oh, for those on the fence, the 2002 manual transmission model is the C230K that offers the most tuning options (crank pulley for 40+ more horsepower etc) and the least engine/mechanical problems... it's the one to buy if you are looking. One caveat: the paint on these sucks. This was the start of Mercedes water-based paint, so it didn't always get sprayed evenly. As a result, cars driven in snow will need to have a few rust spots corrected earlier than competitors' cars. It sounds like I'm picking on the car a lot here, but I purchased a German engineered Mercedes Benz - the most costly hatchback ever at the time it was sold - for $5,000 with 80k miles on the odometer. Minor issues aside, it was an absolute steal, and I've enjoyed my time with it. I'm guessing that with the maintenance I've done, this car will easily see 200,000 miles with little more than oil changes. The 16 year old engine doesn't drip a thing... clean, dry, and reliable. This was the last year of the supercharged 2.3L, and it was essentially perfected.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
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- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
It's been real good
Brian S, 07/09/2008
Mercedes-Benz C-Class C230 Sports Coupe 2dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl S/C 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class for sale near you
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my german dodge
murrrcds, 05/14/2004
Mercedes-Benz C-Class C230 Sports Coupe 2dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl S/C 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
Quality?
mercedes quality?, 09/06/2002
Mercedes-Benz C-Class C230 Sports Coupe 2dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl S/C 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
Needs a New Stereo System
M Owens, 09/26/2002
Mercedes-Benz C-Class C230 Sports Coupe 2dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl S/C 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.