Used 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 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.
CONSUMER BEWARE!
Starting about 20 min after buying this car I started to have serious problems. 1)Dead battery, jumped start. 2)Auto- transmission stuck in 2nd, car towed and computer reprogrammed. 3)Rough braking, all discs/pads replaced. 4) Pulling right, car was re-aligned. 5) Small crack in rear plastic window, car needed new window and body panel which needed re-painting. The car have 600 miles, + been for about 2 weeks out for repairs. The dealer refuses to take it back. I am being forced to try the lemon law.
Great Car - Styling is unbeatable!
I am as well a first time MB owner and given my experience with this car, I look forward to my next MB. This car is a great driving car, comfort, safety, responsive and great handling at high speed. Having read these reviews I agree with may points: Im 6 and find the interior room adequate. Styling is outstanding as compared to other cars in this range btw I think BMW needs a new design team yuck. As far as the cup holder and temp controls, I do agree, seems to take more effort than necessary, but my decision criteria generally involves other features.
- C240 SedanMSRP: $8,800119 mi away
- C240 SedanMSRP: $8,000174 mi away
- C230 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $6,797207 mi away
Great Hatchback
This is a great hatchback. It is quiet, handles well, great build quality, and gets good gas mileage. For a little more than a Honda you get a Mercedes with all maintenance paid for 4 years. The C230 is peppy and fun to drive.
what is not to like on a C240
this car has one main drawback and that is the dash control design. In bright sunshine its almost impossible to read the orange lettering on the dash. I have experienced only one problem with this car which walters corrected and that is the computer that detects the braking force also detects other functions. Otherwise it runs faultlessly in city and on the highway.
I Love My MB!
I've had my MB C320 4Matic for two years now and I just love it. I live in Alaska and endure a lot of miserable winter weather with icy roads, deep snow and -40F. At first, I was concerned that the severe cold would have a negative effect on the performance, however, just the opposite. My car flawlessly handles all of the bad road conditions, provides a graceful, comfortable ride with superb handling. I will never own anything else but a Mercedes. My husband is frustrated that the car requires using Super Unlead Fuel, especially with these high fuel prices, but I think it's worth it. Oh...I love the heated seats, too! It's a very safe vehicle and one I'm proud to be driving!
Fun to drive
A car that will run 152 mph, gets 33 mpg highway, great looks, and a Mercedes to boot. Look no further than the C230. One drive and my wife and I were hooked. Driving a big SUV took the fun out of driving. This car is a blast.
Low Price High Ecomony Benz
When selecting a car by price, around 25000, nothing beats a new Mercedes, hands down. You get all the toys, quality, and 40000 maintence free miles along with 26-32 mpg. The car has so many gadgets that it takes 3 hours to read the owners manual and it is packed with precision engineered components. The tap shifter and Supercharger combine to thrill the driver from 0-60. The car wants to go,go,go, and at higher speeds is very stable. Go look at everything in the price range and then drive the Benz. From the 2 moon roofs to the ESP to the unbelievable acceleration, the car is plush.
Silver Bullet
I just took delivery of an almost new C- 230 Sport Sedan (thanks dad!) and drove it from Wisconsin to California. Averaged 32 MPG driving 75+! Performance was excellent on the twisties in the mountains near home! The interior is a little tight for cross country touring, but the seats are outstanding. Acceleration from a stop is mediocre, but the 80-100 mph is quite good. Excellet brakes and steering, good ride. Mine is Brilliant Silver with Ash interior and the look with the blue tint windows is well, stunning.
I love my C320 Sport
My car is as fully loaded as it can get, including the COMAND system, sport pkg, and voice control. Contrary to what alot of car magazine editors are saying, I have absolutely no problem using the navigational system or the voice recognition program or all those helpful buttons on the steering wheel. And they call themselves car enthusiasts. Hah! I would have gotten the C32, but my wife said that I would have gotten myself killed.
MY CAR
I LOVE MY MERCEDES..C240..THE ONLY THING I WISH I HAD IS A CD PLAYER ACTUALLY INSTALLED AS PART IF THE RADIO. THIS IS MY SECOND MERCEDES AND NOW LOOKING FOR MY THIRD FOR 2004..I AM SPOILED..I HAVE DROVE ALL THE CARS ON THE MARKET...AND THE SECOND TIME I WENT BACK TO A MERCEDES..THIS THIRD TIME, I WON'T EVEN WASTE MY TIME...IT WILL BE A MERCEDES..!! THANK YOU..JEANNETTE
Interior needs work, the rest is great
I have had my 2003 Mercedes-Benz C32 AMG for a little over six months. I love the engine, it seems to be put together rather well (I haven't had any problems in 4,000 miles), but the interior is awful. The ac/heater/wiper/c.control/pwr seat controls are worse than in the 1990 Nissan that I had. The cup holder is only symbolic, the lack of navigation and an in dash multi disk CD player is absurd at these price levels. If I could have taken my 2001 Saab's interior and put it into this car it would be perfect. Fortunately as soon as you put your foot down the thing takes off!
Very satisfied overall, but............
I only had this car for 2 weeks so it's difficult for me to give an in-depth evaluation. This car is competitively priced with other vehicles in its class. Great value for a car wearing a badge that was once reserved for the wealthy few. I have had one problem so far. The gas gauge registered 1/2 full when I ran out of gas. The dealer said it's a known problem with the C-Class and they will repair it under warranty.
mb serie c kompressor
it has been 1 year since we got our mb serie c kompressor and we are delighted with the performance, the conform and the look., it gives yoy and extra incentive to go out into the concrete jungle.
The car is tops.
I am in love with this car. It is my first Mercedes and won't be the last.
Wonderful car
this is the best car i have ever had in my life.
First time Benz owner
I am a first time buyer of MB. I was a bit disappointed with the interior quality of the C320. The cupholder was not design as user friendly. Climate control is cumbersome to use to turn off and control the temp. Driver sit made too much noise with cheap plastics. Key still doesnt work evenafter two replacements. Overall it is too pricey for inferior quality to Acura or Lexus.
Sweet C32
The C32 is a great car to drive. I love the way the car picks up, lots of power to spare. If you get a chance test drive one. You will want to take it home.
Oh What Fun
I just got my car in June of this year and find every excuse to go out and drive it. It is responsive, fun and good looking. My only complaint is that it uses premium fuel, but I just love it.
C240
The best car ever for under forty thousand dollars. very worth buying. would consider buying again
On Rails
First MB wont be my last. Test- drove every comparable car in its class including the G35 SC. Solid ride in a small car, you think youre driving a tank. Quality better then I expected.
awesome ride
great in every way. sporty ride and acceleration. comfortable. nice CD and sound system. can't wait for the snow for the 4wd
Best Buy ever
I looked and looked and I'm glad I found this car. I had never own a Mercedes before but I can see why people buy higher class models. This car is super fun to drive. The air-con controls are a little odd. I just hope I made a smart choice.
2003 C230 - 5 speed automatic
My first Mercedes. So far so good. The car is very quiet. It drives like an improved version of my '99 Passat. Considered an Acura RSX, but for a few dollars extra, you get a lot more car.
Bad wiring, poor service
In the 6 months I've owned my C-240 I've had 5 problems, all electrical (Elect. ignition switch, alarm, gas gauge, head lights & brake lights). Other than that it's a pretty good car: good mileage & handling. Interior design could be better: cup holders, location of switches and screen. However, the service I had from my dealership was poor, especially when after the first couple of problems I heard from the owner himself, "I don't know what to say. I don't know what to tell you. I don't kwow what I can do." You know what, that's not it. I may get another Mercedes in my future, but it won't be a C240 and it won't be from the same dealer.
glad I bought it!
Never listen to critics! This car is fun to drive and reliable. My friend bought hers last year and feels the same way. Much better quality than Lexus IS300 and the Infinity and more for your money!
MB = Mostly Broken
Been in shop 6-7 times in 20 months. Out of service about 30 days. Biggest complaint was occasional hesitancy in acceleration and rough idle. Took dealer a year to fix. They tried to convince me it was "in spec". Various other problems. MB has promised a "trade assist" for a new car. We'll see!
New 2003 C240 Sedan
All in all, I love my new Mercedes Benz C240. It's comfortable with both short distant stop and goes, and long distant trips. Luxury abounds.. which is a nice change from the older more spartan Mercedes. Definately a good buy in my opinion. With 4 years of service included from Mercedes, you can't go wrong.
7 months & still in love
Just took the 230SportSedan in for Service A this week (13,600miles). In that time, mileage has gone up from 28mpg on the highway to 34mpg on the highway! This car is very comfortable on long trips, and is quite fun to drive through twisty mountain passes. The amazing thing about this car is how effortlessly it does everything! The car never loses its composure, and never causes stress for the driver. Almost the perfect balance between sport and luxury! (maybe a coupla more ponies would be nice)
Geat car!
great car ! totally dependable and reliable ! sweet body and an awsome engine ...
Oh Lord, please let me drive a Mercedes
This vehicle is a head turner. I had it moving very fast on the highway...The higher the speed the smoother the ride~absolute beautiful vehicle. I would like to say the heated seats are wonderful~Would recommend rear heated seats~Mercedes does not offer this in the rear~not a problem though, the rear heat is excellent~
Matt's Review
Great Fun Ride, love the sound system and the feel behind the wheel. Could do better with suspension like BMW does, and the black paint can get spiderwebs which do not look good after awhile. You have to keep buffing.
No regrets at all
This is marketed as the "cheapest" MB available on the market, but despite its price, it is really fun to drive (6-speed manual) with excellent performance with fuel economy. The optional leather seats and sunroof sure adds up the cost, but it's still great price for a car that has the style and performance not far from the CLK320, and looks much more interesting than the ubiqutous BMW 3series. I must add that when I test drove the BMW330Coupe, it has excellent performance too, but my wife and kids hated the ride as front and back passengers, which made them nauseated, so I settled with the Mercedes in which they tolerated well as passengers.
So far so good
While highly skeptical about quality/reliability when purchased for my wife, so far it has been almost flawless. No electrical problems. Cup holder replacement is it. Knock wood. She loves it, likes the size.
the good/bad/ugly
Car handles great on long and short drives. little things have gone wrong. EZ to fix pain to get done Ps radio antenna stinks.
Sweet Ride
I "unfortunately" have the automatic transmission, and that has taken some getting used to. Overall though the car is awesome looking. I have never gotten so many complements from strangers on what a nice looking car it is. The color is "orion blue", and I recommend you look at it on any car on the lot. I know that SLK's come in the color, but have not seen it on anything else. The tire/wheel package on the sport model really sets apart the grandma 240 and the 230. Performance for me is adequate, these 189 do just fine, and at 30mpg highway doing 80... not bad either.
c230
great car with lots of options.
Fun at a great price
I love my little Mercedes. It is so distinctive to look at and very fun to drive. It never lets me down. When I press the pedal down - off we go. I was a little leary about buying a starter level Mercedes - the thought of paying for just the name. mBut that wasn't so. What is so is the dealerships treats me like royalty, whether is spent $27K or $270K. THey and Mercedes have made a believer out of me. I don't think I'd ever go back to a non-Mercedes vehicle. Buy it with confidence and Enjoy!
My first Mercedes
Having driven many Mercedes in past but never owning one until now, I am not disappointed. I bought mine barely used with only 3000 miles on it over 18 months ago and the true market value on Edmunds for Private Party sale is about the same as what I originally paid. Great value for the money. Would considering buying again when the next model comes out. Definitely worth buying compared to comparably priced cars such as Accord V6, Acura RSX, etc.
2003 C32
Great car. No problems
Alot of bang for your buck!
I couldn't be happier..I was concerned about "get up and go"..what a joke that concern was. With little effort it engages and it reminds me of the star wars.. warp speed! the only thing I would do to imporve it.. is make the seats a little more luxuriest. Mineis loaded so I have the leather..but would like to see a little "cushier" seats. IF you are able to purchase from Calabasa Motors DO. the service is beyond good.. it doesn't matter how small the issue is.. you are sent way with a loaner, no questions asked.
Great ride
I have now owned this car for 2 1/2 years and thought an update would be appropriate. I purchased this car in Honolulu but have since moved to the mainland. This car has been from Louisiana to California twice and to Chicago and back once. All three of these trips averaged around 29 MPG, with an average speed nearing 75 MPH! Not bad. The last trip was a 1705 mile trip over two days; I had no back pain with very few stops. This car does have more creaks and rattles than I would like, is very small, and doesn't handle much luggage, but for a work day runner and with the cost of gas today, I still made a fantastic choice.
Oh so smooth!
Have had it for eight months now and simply love my C230. Solid road performance; accelerates, handles, responds. Smooth ride. Sunroof makes it feel like a convertible. Controls easily accessible. Had problems with the sound system (CD and antenne stopped working) but the MB dealer fixed both in no time, hassle free.
New 230K Sport Sedan is a hit
Traded a Sport Ute for this Sport Sedan. Great upgrade, should have done this years ago. Fun, safe & stylish. The new for 2003 Mercedes-Benz "Sport" packages are wonderful. Sporty 17 inch wheels, powerful Supercharged & Intercooled engine, sport seats, its a great package. Looked at the Audi A4, the Cadillac CTS, the Jag X, and the BMW sedans. THe C230 Kompressor Sedan was the best package for the price.
Lemon
Worst engine ever driven period enough said.
Not Happy
Drive train vibration comes & go's,dealer can't find problem, BAS,ESP light came on twice Dealer said it was The computer the first time, the second time they said it was dirty contacts.
Fun car, great buy!
Picked up my Citron Green C230 up 2 ½ weeks ago. Love it! Car is great, smooth, fun to drive, & looks sporty. Bi-xenon lights add a whole new look to the car. Panorama roof really makes the cabin open. The leather has a great feel, seats are firm yet comfy & the power seats add a touch of luxury. Aluminum trim contrasts well with the charcoal interior. C7 package is the best deal going w/ 17" wheels, larger exhaust tip, & short throw shifter. Base price is a gr8 buy, but options really add up fast. Before I knew it I paid $35k out the door. Tho it was a special order (an additional $1150) it was definitely worth the $$$ and wait!
best value for the money
we had our c230 for over 2 months now, and we love driving it a lot, great gas milage especially for hwy driving,
Fabulous, FUN car!
I love this car. It has zip and my bike fits in the back...without a rack. It's a great car!
Most excellent car
I love this car. The only thing I did to make it better was to install stiffer springs and swaybars. AMG swaybars actually. Directly from MBZ for only ~$200. Car drives like a sports car for real now.
wow
This car is the best bang for your buck on the market today. Great look, great fuel economy, great ride, and very fun to drive.