Your Opinions On Old Mercedes Benz Class C W202

[pistachios]

Gf's mum is a private nurse for an old & rich lady who will buy a new car soon. She likes us a lot and it is very possible that she will offer us to buy her old mercedes for a very good price.

It is a class C 220 w202 that looks like that

It is in excellent condition. The interior is still looking as new (even though the brown-yellowish inside is not really of my liking). The car has a low milleage and has been maintained thoroughly over the years. In fact, the mechanic has already offered the grandma to buy it several times, which is a good sign (i guess?).

Is this car a good ride? Anyone owned one and know its + and - ?

Actually I fear that it could become a poisonous gift. I don't know much about cars and I worry about maintenance costs. I have no idea about spare parts costs, their availability for such old model, or if I should use a mercedes mechanic. I guess it could become very expensive soon. I suspect most benz owners in thailand don't really care about maintenance costs and are getting slightly screwed by benz dealerships. Also, we live in phuket and that restrict the choice in establishment that could take car of our car.

Good idea or not?

[BSJ]

I am not sure if it's your GF mum or the 'old & rich lady' who owns the car, but I am assuming the later. Wait for the offer and if it's some insanely low price take it. If it's not, just say thanks but no thanks, I can't afford to own a MB.

The cars probably in tip top condition. I wouldn't be worrying about it's condition.

[pistachios]

The old lady owns the car. My worry is that if it's going to cost 100k everytime i have to change a part like the drive belt or fuel pump, it's maybe not such a great deal whatever price she will offer.

[JAS21]

Google W202 ... there is a W202 forum ... masses of info. You don't have to go to a main Dealer for Merc Car repairs. Spares should be available and reasonably cheap for that model ... hopefully someone will confirm

[keemapoot]

I had the Kompressor version of that car, which was a fast and fun car. Your prospective purchase rightly did belong to the old lady, BUT an excellent car if it's had care, and would give you years of service likely. I wouldn't be worried about parts for older Benz, they are plentiful, I've owned both C and S class Benz in Thailand and not a problem.

Running costs, costs of fuel, might be more a concern for you, though not too bad on that small engine. If you get a good price, go for it. Check one2car and Taladrod for current retail tent pricing.

[wprime]

It's not a particularly safe car and the interior is quite cramped, running costs would be comparable to a new Toyota Corolla (including cost of capital). If you want to drive one of the old Benz's, you're better off getting a W140 S Class - if you can find a well maintained one they make a very safe and luxurious car for Thailand.

[HarryMilton]

It's not a particularly safe car and the interior is quite cramped, running costs would be comparable to a new Toyota Corolla (including cost of capital). If you want to drive one of the old Benz's, you're better off getting a W140 S Class - if you can find a well maintained one they make a very safe and luxurious car for Thailand.

What's unsafe about a W202?

The poster is showing concerns about potential large expenses and you're suggesting a W140 would be better! You must have one for sale.

[HarryMilton]

It's not a particularly safe car and the interior is quite cramped, running costs would be comparable to a new Toyota Corolla (including cost of capital). If you want to drive one of the old Benz's, you're better off getting a W140 S Class - if you can find a well maintained one they make a very safe and luxurious car for Thailand.

Unadulterated nonsense.

What's particularly unsafe about a W202?

The poster is showing concern about future expense and you're suggesting a W140! Got one for sale have you? Just see what sort of expense goes with one of those if anything goes wrong. Great cars until then.

[steveromagnino]

check out www.one2car.com or taladrod.com for prevailing prices on benzes.

There are plenty of places outside of the authorized distributors to service them; the car is fundamentally a nice enough model, but expect to pay 2-3X more part for part vs. a Japanese car as a rule of thumb.

The biggest things will be the usual issues of a 2nd hand car mechanically, and a few oddities that Euro cars tend to develop (or may already have developed) such as the roof liner (the cloth) glue failing, cracks in the interior leather, wiring and electrical issues - things that are often the result of heat. If you can park it out of the sun and heat, that will help a lot.

By buying 2nd hand that sort of model the depreciation is starting to get quite slight, the cost instead will be one of maintenance; stay on top of it, and the car should serve you quite nicely for a while if it is well looked after as you describe.

Even an older Benz does tend to provide a slightly lower level of annoyance from cops etc. Given the year highly unlikely but would be worth it to check who brought the car into the country should be Mercedes Thailand or one of the dealers...you don't want to touch a grey market car now.

[Ace of Pop]

Check out the Insurance side first. You may be better off and safer, buying something new.

[ignis]

I thought the 'C' class and the 190E before it was built in Thailand ? should be very few if any lower or base model cars coming from the GREY market ? an older 'C' class is not a high value Luxury car.

IN the NEWS.......Targeting cars of 14 million baht and higher

[BSJ]

Parts and service wouldn't be to expensive. Same model was/is used as taxi's in some markets.....although different engine.

[wprime]

It's not a particularly safe car and the interior is quite cramped, running costs would be comparable to a new Toyota Corolla (including cost of capital). If you want to drive one of the old Benz's, you're better off getting a W140 S Class - if you can find a well maintained one they make a very safe and luxurious car for Thailand.

Unadulterated nonsense.

What's particularly unsafe about a W202?

The poster is showing concern about future expense and you're suggesting a W140! Got one for sale have you? Just see what sort of expense goes with one of those if anything goes wrong. Great cars until then.

They're not outright dangerous, there are just a lot more safer cars in its price range. A good quality W202 will cost around 400k, a good quality W140 goes for around 550k - in my experience, the V8 W140s tend to be in much better shape than your typical W202. They're only costly to maintain if you insist on having every little electrical system working.

[Ace of Pop]

Good Point about Cramped. If your over 6 foot foreget it.. .Quasimodo Designed it.

[keemapoot]

If the price is right, don't worry about service in Phuket. There is a Benz service place I used for years, that does great work at reasonable prices, and much, much less than a dealer. If you buy the car, PM me and I'll give you the service shop, it's on the south side of the island. Also, if you're mainly using it for running around the island, not taking long road trips to Bangkok, etc., you don't need to worry about its age much.

It's rare to find one that truly has been owned an driven by a little old rich lady, who always had it serviced. There is a reason the mechanic wants to buy it.

[Ace of Pop]

I'm so Happy retirement had rendered me Benz Free. Now i crave a B.M. 5 when, or if it ever arrives here in undiluted form.

[pistachios]

Thanks for the answers everyone, It seems this buy should be a good idea. Now we have to fend off the other interested buyers (the mechanic, the maid's brother and another dude seem to be circling around the car ), and wait for the replacement car to come. Curiously she is hesitating between a honda freed (she find it cute !?) and a new benz (her daughter would not want to be seen in something else than a benz), go figure!

My gf spent almost all of her summer in the old lady's house during her childhood, she's kind of a grand daughter for the family, I feel we have a home advantage!

As for the safety, wprime has a point... only 2 star at EuroNcap ratings

[HarryMilton]

Thanks for the answers everyone, It seems this buy should be a good idea. Now we have to fend off the other interested buyers (the mechanic, the maid's brother and another dude seem to be circling around the car ), and wait for the replacement car to come. Curiously she is hesitating between a honda freed (she find it cute !?) and a new benz (her daughter would not want to be seen in something else than a benz), go figure!

My gf spent almost all of her summer in the old lady's house during her childhood, she's kind of a grand daughter for the family, I feel we have a home advantage!

As for the safety, wprime has a point... only 2 star at EuroNcap ratings

Sounds as though you and the other "circlers" are just trying to take advantage of the lady. Why do you have any interest in the car in view of it's "safety" ratings? Are you driving something a lot safer than a Merc already?

[pistachios]

Yeah, this defendless old lady owns land on sukumvit that she is renting to a shopping mall, and a few percents of some SET company, you have no idea...

As for the safety, who would not be concerned at least a bit about it? I don't know what is the point you are trying to make.