Comfort class - this is from the German word "comfortklasse" comes the conditional classification of cars of the C-class type. And that's about the Mercedes-Benz W203, a car that was launched in 2000 and completed in 2007.
Despite the date of birth (the second generation of the C-class), it, as before, looks impeccable outwardly, retaining an exquisite interior and a desire for energetic driving. Age! Yes, the return is not small. Did it affect the renowned reliability of the Mercedes family?
Let's go through the basics
Subject to analysis the body of the legendary Mercedes-Benz W203, the conclusion suggests itself, confirming the reliability of this part of the car.
It is fully galvanized by double-sided galvanizing, by immersing the entire body in zinc electrolyte. The applied zinc layer is from 9 to 15 microns. High quality galvanizing. Cars even fifteen years old show no signs of body corrosion. Of course, if the car body has not been exposed to external influences such as scratches or bumps.
Electronic part Mercedes-Benz W203 does not cause as much optimism as the results of the body analysis. This is probably one of the most vulnerable parts of a car.
Suddenly, you may encounter an ignition problem, which is quite unpleasant. And the matter may not even be in the very proprietary ignition key, which does not have the familiar "blade". The problem may be more serious - in the electronic unit that reads the information and controls the ignition itself (800 €). You can either stay on the street (there will be no access), or become the owner of a Mercedes as a real estate object.
The restoration of the lost ignition key itself will cost 100 €. And that is not all. "Surprises" are presented by the SAM unit (up to 450 €), which processes electronic signals and distributes energy. Its inaccurate operation may drain the battery, affect incorrect ignition of lamps and the functioning of various sensors. The result can be disastrous - non-working electric drives, which are abundant in expensive configurations. Specialists of service centers warn that the "life" of the unit may end from a banal disconnection of the battery.
Faced with the sudden illumination of indicators of failure of the anti-lock braking system (ABS), the dynamic stabilization device (ESP), the emergency braking assistance system (EBA), it is necessary to take into account the age threshold of the car, which causes instability of the electrics.
At first glance, there may be two reasons: a malfunction of the conventional non-latching button of the brake light switch on the brake pedal bracket (25 €) or a malfunction of the systems control unit (1250 €).
All auxiliary elements of the machine, directly dependent on the operation of electrical circuits, do not work reliably. For example, electric drives for the head restraints of the second row of seats, curtains on the rear window and mirrors. And the answer is obvious - it's age.
Long-term exposure to the atmosphere negatively affects the glass and mirror control units (130 €). Humidity is the root cause of their erratic performance. It also makes the operation of the luggage compartment lock, the pump that pumps fuel between parts of the gas tank unstable. Raising the luggage compartment lid, for the same reasons, is no longer the same as in the old days.
Trouble can be expected from hood lock... If it fails, the operation of both the wiper blades and the windshield (windshield) washer stops. As for the standard alarm system, its unreasonable work is provoked.
With the replacement of the switch, problems will not arise, which cannot be said regarding the malfunction of the rods of the servos of the air conditioning system, because to fix it, a part of the front panel must be disassembled. Contacting an official service center with this ailment will cost 500 €.
About motors
Highly reliable operation of a gasoline engine is possible only with proper maintenance of the power units. The service life of such an engine in the Mercedes-Benz W203 is significant - 400,000 km is not the limit for it.
Owning a C-class Mercedes with a gasoline engine, it is necessary to regularly clean the throttle body (replacement up to 1000 €), aiming at the purity of the cross-section of the through passage, which changes the volume of gasoline flowing through the medium channel.
Passing the threshold of 100,000 km requires replacing the air flow sensor and the V-belt tensioner (up to 400 €). The mileage is slowly doing its thankless job, so such an element of the power unit as the rear support can become unusable.
When the border of 120,000 km is reached, it may be necessary to replace the valve cover gasket and the coolant pump. And there is not far from replacing the chain in the gas distribution mechanism.
After 120,000 km on average, it is time to replace the pump (coolant pump). It is not possible to replace individual parts of the pump due to the peculiarities of its structural design, therefore, the replacement will have to be entirely.
By this time, the gasket under the valve cover may become unusable. At first glance, it seems like a trifling element that does not affect the performance and technical performance of the motor as a whole. But this is only at first glance. If it became the cause of the leak, then expect big trouble. The motor must be dry and clean.
Separately, it is worth dwelling on the 1.8-liter engine - M271... Cars of this series, over 10 years old, suffer from a weak single-row chain. With a run of 60,000 km, it stretches. A knock from the depths of a cold engine is a direct offer to immediately contact a service center. The threat is obvious - breaking a worn chain. As a rule, the drive chain on the balancing mechanism is also changed at the same time. The total cost will come out to 800 €.
The travel resource of 100,000 km for such motors reveals the loss of mobility of valves with coked stems. The consequence may be loss of thrust at high rpm or the engine at idle speed "walks" (floats) within insignificant limits, then the use of flushing is already a useless option. It's time to change the valves that have special grooves on the stems, along with fresh valve springs.
The next drawback of the serial M271 motor is weak crankcase ventilation sleeve... It regularly falls into disrepair, which will be evidenced by a peculiar sound emanating from under the shell of the air filter. Difficulty in cold start is manifested in "floating" zero load. Upon reaching 100,000 km, the generator wheel starts to make noise.
Noteworthy is the six-cylinder engine of the series M112 with working volumes of 2.6 / 3.2 liters. In terms of its specific shortcomings, one can note an insufficiently successful crankcase ventilation device, failures of the crankshaft sensor, as well as destruction of the elasticity of the crankshaft pulley damper with a resource of 60,000 km. If appropriate measures are not taken, a loose wheel will damage the motor cover.
A special feature for this series of motors is the definition of two spark plugs and three valves per cylinder. Twelve candles are designed for engine operation up to 90,000 km. They change 2-3 times more often than established by the operational documentation. The costs are 200 €. The reason is the same - the use of low-quality domestic fuel.
"Thrifty" compromises the performance of the oxygen sensor and neutralizer, the debris of which could harm the cylinders.
The late six-cylinder 24-valve engines of the M272 series with a displacement of 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5 liters, used on the modernized C-class cars, turned out to be less whimsical. Typical shortcomings in their work were malfunctions in control units, camshaft position sensors, damage to the flaps on the intake manifold.
For a significant part of engines with a mileage of 80,000 km, the wear of the teeth of the balance shaft sprockets is so great that the phases (periods) of opening / closing of the intake / exhaust valves are lost. Replacing the sprocket and the shaft itself is carried out by dismantling and disassembling the motor itself. The cash equivalent of the costs will be € 2,500.
A little about diesel. The diesel engine certainly attracts. However, the majority of cars with a similar engine have a very high mileage. Hence the conclusion that the greater the mileage, the more own financial investments.
Will have to change high pressure fuel pump... It is expensive! The reason for its replacement, as a rule, is the insufficient quality of diesel fuel at domestic gas stations (filling stations). To prolong the "life" of the pump, pay more attention to changing the fuel filter. Otherwise, the pump operation will be limited to 160,000 km, maybe a little more. Their cost is in the range of 1,000-2,000 €. You should also reckon with the work of injectors and pressure regulators, limited to a resource of 100,000 km.
Separately, it should be said about serial diesel engines OM611 and OM612... They are characterized by a serial drawback - the ill-fated conical connection of the nozzles in the area of the upper part of the engine, where the gas distribution mechanism is located. The nozzle seal and heat-resistant grease treatment of the landing points during each maintenance will extend the expected service life. Failure to comply with the recommendation when reaching 100,000 km will lead to the fact that when removing the stuck injector there is a possibility of purchasing both a new valve cover and a block head (1,000 - 1,200 €).
It may happen that a decent enough engine, having lost traction, suddenly starts to smoke. In this case, it is necessary to inspect the integrity of the valve actuators for the variable intake manifold. In the absence of pressurization of a serviceable turbocharger, or fixing a clean, carbon-free valve in the recirculation device, it is recommended checking the sealing of the vacuum lines... By the way, the turbocharger is designed to operate up to 200,000 km of motor life, and its replacement will cost 1,200 €.
Behavior of the Mercedes-Benz W203 gearbox over time
Evaluating the transmission, it is worth noting the unconditional operation of the manual transmission with an indicator of 716. It is limited to new oil only when the mileage is 100,000 km. In some very rare cases, the manual transmission needs to be replaced with a backstage element (250 €).
Such a manual transmission is quite rare on C-class cars with engines of a working volume of less than 3.2 liters. If it is added by the automatic Sequentronic system, then it is necessary to expect replacement of the clutch element (300-350 €) after reaching 150,000 km. Here we should expect repair (replacement of the pump) of the hydraulic drive for transferring programs (380 €).
The first five-speed automatic transmission "Mercedes 722.6" was installed on various cars. Before being delivered to the Mercedes-Benz W203, obvious shortcomings were identified in the early periods of its operation and eliminated. For example, the most famous drawback is the collapse of the bushing at the junction of the primary shaft with the secondary shaft.
However, this did not affect all cars. So, boxes of "Mercedes" two thousand years suffer from jolts when switching, the reason for this - failure of independent travel clutches... In all C-class cars of the period before the modernization, there is a vulnerability - the likelihood of spoiling the automatic transmission with antifreeze, which can get into the gearbox oil through a leaky radiator. It is joint with the cooling system.
The automatic transmissions distinguished themselves by the leakage of oil through the wiring connector, as well as by the failure of the speed sensors of the primary / secondary shafts, combined into a common electronic board.
Cars, produced since 2005, were equipped with a seven-speed automatic transmission of the 722.9 series, which does not differ significantly from the 722.6 series. It is equipped with a new electronic control system, an auxiliary planetary mechanism that has generated new vulnerabilities.
Racks and shock absorbers
Anti-roll bars on the MacPherson strut front suspension on rear-wheel drive cars older than 2004 knock from 20,000 km. The reason is the weakness of the aluminum levers with joint ball joints (two on each side). Costs for them: 140 - 150 €. They will need to be replaced after 30,000 km. Their replaceable silent blocks (25 €) change after 40,000 km. In practice, the replaced components worked 2 times longer. The upper supports on the front shock absorbers (65 €) rarely "walk" up to 80,000 km in modernized cars.
As for the shock absorbers (front / 250 €; rear / 180 €), external silent blocks of the rear multi-link suspension, tie rod ends (50 €), they are most likely to work for 100,000 km.
Other components and parts are stronger, including the steering gear. Potential knocking when driving on uneven roads does not give cause for excitement. However, it is worth knowing that the construction is disposable and if it leaks, the replacement will cost 1,800-2,000 €.
The choice is made by everyone, whether to hire a veteran or not. It is not particularly reliable. Its best representatives are modernized (restyled) Mercedes with manual transmission, six-cylinder gasoline engines of the M112 series with a displacement of 2.6 liters or a 2.2-liter turbodiesel. The price of a veteran falls, and for a 4-year-old or 5-year-old they will ask for from seven hundred thousand to a million. For that kind of money, you can take a "fresh" problem-free "Japanese".
Although, who knows? "Japanese" is not "German".
As they say, to consolidate the material, we suggest watching the video
Almost twenty years ago, a memorable event took place - the Daimler-Benz concern made an unexpected and, as it seemed then, unnatural move for itself by releasing a small car.
Almost twenty years ago, a memorable event took place - the Daimler-Benz concern made an unexpected and, as it seemed then, unnatural move for itself by releasing a small car. Prior to that, the concern for many years has been dealing with, and very successfully, exceptionally "large" machines. In 1979, for example, the fantastic debut of the then revolutionary S-class took place. And now, three years later, like a bolt from the blue, the Mercedes 190 appears ...
This model, which determined the stylistic strategy of Daimler-Benz for almost a decade, represented a breakthrough in automotive design and took its rightful place among the best examples created in the entire history of the car. The body shape has not become obsolete until now, but marketing considerations and "obsolescence" forced to replace "one hundred and ninetieth" with a classmate who received an alphabetic index instead of numbers. The Mercedes C-Class has not achieved the same fame as its predecessor, but it has also become a notable phenomenon in the automotive world. However, the magazine told about the history of the two "Mercedes compacts" in sufficient detail ("Motor" # 4, 2000). Now we will talk about the new generation - at the beginning of this year, the third C-class sedan made its debut. The third "edition" with the subtitle "C200 Kompressor" got the editorial test ...
The Mercedes of the C-class looks almost like the "most important" Mercedes, only in smaller dimensions. A sloping roof with an arched C-pillar, "combined" headlights and taillights, bumper air intake cuts, bonnet and door connector lines, turn signal repeaters in exterior mirrors - why not an S-Class in miniature? If you dig in, you can find other examples of what is called "corporate identity".
The car looks solid, "big" - pulls at least the middle class, in accordance with the recent tendency to "move" class in the upward direction. (The same can be said for prices, which are gradually approaching the cost of a decent Moscow apartment.)
The visual "enlargement" of the car was achieved mainly due to new body shapes, the real increase in its length and width is small, and it is difficult to catch it by eye. The car became slightly lower, the wheelbase was increased by 25 mm. (For those wishing to look for other external changes, we refer to the April issue of "Motor".)
The indexing of the models remains the same. Gasoline are designated C180, C200 Kompressor, C240 and C320; turbodiesel - C200, C220 and C270 (all with the letters CDI). The numbers indicate the displacement of the engine. But there are also changes - almost all engines have been updated, and the C240 version is now equipped with a 2.6 liter engine. It's time to change the nomenclature ...
As already mentioned, for the test we chose the Mercedes C200 Kompressor, which occupies the middle position in the range (there is a feeling that this particular modification will be most popular with buyers). The volume of the engine, as you might guess, is roughly 2 liters. The word "Kompressor" indicates that the engine has an air blower. It is mechanical and has a number of advantages over the more common turbochargers, first of all - instantaneous reaction and no turbo lag.
The presence of a compressor allows the engine to develop a power of 163 hp, the torque is kept at 230 Nm in the range of 2500-4800 rpm. Indicators - almost the same as the 2.6 L V-shaped atmospheric engine Mercedes C240. (Another comparison: the same 2-liter engine without a supercharger, standing on the C180, produces 129 hp and 185 Nm.)
The box is a five-speed "automatic" with the possibility of "manual" control. It should be noted that this is an option; as standard, the Mercedes C200 is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.
There have been changes in the suspension. In the hallway, they decided to "return to their roots." Now in the front - as on the Mercedes 190 - MacPherson (in the "second reading" the scheme on the wishbones was used). At the rear, no fundamental changes have occurred, for the third generation of these cars is equipped with a "textbook" multi-link independent suspension.
Another radical change - instead of the usual "Mercedes" screw with a ball nut, a rack and pinion steering mechanism, more precise and sharp, has finally appeared.
The chassis is stuffed with electronics, as they say, "to the eyeballs" - from the traditional ABS with an assistant in the person of Brake Assist to the stability control system that has become mandatory in all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.
The seemingly massive door swings open easily, and we find ourselves in a cozy corner. Comfort and peace. Yes, Mercedes is Mercedes. You seem to be carefully shielded from the outside world. In addition, in the event of a serious accident, all those sitting in the cabin will literally be surrounded by airbags from all sides: in addition to the front ones, side and window airbags are provided.
It is quite spacious inside, despite the massiveness of the internal door panels. The torpedo looks solid, some of its elements resemble similar parts of the S-class, but simpler. Everything is done with taste and quality. The driver's seat is traditionally stiff but comfortable. (Later it turned out that you can "jump" on it - the seat is spring loaded.) I get settled ...
You can move the seat back using the handrail from the bottom - like on the "old" 190th. The “end point” was so far away that I “caught” myself behind the wheel and went back forward - any basketball player could easily fit in the driver's seat. Electricity helps to move up and down, the steering column is adjustable in length and angle. Landing - on the yat.
The steering wheel is comfortable to grip; it has buttons for controlling the "music", on-board computer and mobile phone (it is installed for an additional fee). The center console is crammed with controls for music and air conditioning, as well as various "little things" like seat heating buttons. Everything is within reach. The pedals, the selector lever with a zigzag cut of the trajectory, which is traditional for Mercedes cars, are also in their "proper" places.
Visibility is not on the "five" - massive front roof pillars eat up part of the visible space in front and on the sides. Just sitting behind the wheel, I noticed that there were two wipers. The right one is familiarly "dancing", expanding the area to be cleaned in the upper part of the glass, the left one is usual.
To improve the view back, the "mountain ridge" of the three rear seat head restraints can be folded in parts with buttons on the dashboard, but you will have to manually return the "parts" to their original position. The back seat is roomy enough even for long-legged ones. However, this was also the difference between the previous "compact", the distance between the seats did not change. There was a little more space above the head.
The car rolls easily as soon as you take your foot off the brake pedal. The engine is almost inaudible - either at idle or in motion. The cabin is almost completely silent. The engine responds very quickly and clearly to the movements of the gas pedal, but the box does not always keep up with it when shifting down. The creators of the car claim that they gave some thoughtfulness to the “automatic machine” on purpose - it’s useless, they say, for a car of an almost luxury class to pull riders.
The dynamics of acceleration is quite decent, but nevertheless the C200 is not a car, it is not easy for a two-liter engine to accelerate intensively a car with a 1.5-ton curb weight, even with mechanical "doping", especially at low revs.
In normal driving modes, the "automatic" works clearly, the switching is smooth and almost imperceptible, you move as if in one virtual gear. Acceleration in "manual" mode is noticeably more cheerful, sports "notes" begin to come from under the hood. With a manual transmission, things would probably go even more fun, but a Mercedes car, albeit a compact class, is somehow more suited to automatic ...
Braking dynamics was at an exorbitant height. The informative pedal with low travel and comfort force provides extremely confident and intense deceleration. Happy owners of new items from Mercedes-Benz should develop the habit of pressing the brake pedal lightly from time to time - the flash of the brake lights will warn those driving behind you about your braking ability.
The suspension provides a high level of comfort, largely thanks to it, the car demonstrates a very light ride. At the same time, it has acquired a pleasant rigidity, not very characteristic of Mercedes (especially older ones), which, in combination with the steering wheel becoming sharp at high speed, provokes the driver to drive quite actively.
In corners, the Mercedes-Benz C200 is excellent, accurately tracking a given trajectory - both with and without the ESP system. In the latter case, side slip increases slightly, but the car perfectly obeys the steering wheel and continues to drive as the driver wishes. The combination of a clear gas pedal with a sharp steering wheel and good grip properties of rubber allows you to enter turns at different angles and at different speeds, and the output result is invariably positive ... And then came the first and last moment unpleasant in the test - it was time to return the car.
Let's summarize. Undoubtedly, the car has become better both externally and “internally”. More precisely, the steering, the suspension is more perfect, the comfort is higher (the silence in the cabin alone is worth something). According to sports data, the "compact" Mercedes is one step closer to its eternal rival - the "three-ruble note" BMW. But the rival in "sports games" began to play twenty years earlier, is there any point in catching up with him? This is probably why Mercedes - quite rightly - focuses on increasing the luxury rather than sportiness of its new model (just remember the operation of the box or look at the small tachometer in the corner of the dashboard). However, the C-class coupe has already appeared, and after a while they promise an all-wheel drive modification and a version from AMG ...
SPOON FEEDING
The mechanics of "Mercedes" engines are traditionally reliable, and the motors of the 203 are no exception. Timing drive - chain, there are no problems with it. And an increased oil appetite for motors is a rarity. But the power supply and ignition systems on our fuel often fail.
The most common culprit for engine interruptions is candles that have drank metal-containing additives. To protect the catalytic converter in the event of a misfire, the engine control unit simply turns off the injector of the faulty cylinder. And even if you missed the burning Check Engine light, it is difficult not to feel the "shortage".
In case of deposits of tar on the injectors (again from bad gasoline), the control unit adjusts the time of their opening, but only for the time being. When the adaptation limits, hardwired into the ROM, are exhausted, the Check Engine lights up (error code - lean mixture). The DFID may also be the culprit for the same mistake - over time, it begins to "ascribe" excess air masses.
Most often, a sensor defect manifests itself in a hot season with a frequency of two seasons or 50 thousand km In engines with a mechanical supercharger (compressor), the EGR valve is clogged with soot (error - failure during afterburning). It makes no sense to change the valve, on our fuel its resource does not exceed 20 thousand km, this function is easier and cheaper to disable.
To extend the life of candles and injectors, you can "reflash" the control unit for 92nd gasoline, which is not so "watery" (issue price - 40 euros). True, you will have to come to terms with some deterioration in dynamics.
We extinguish Check Engine only using a special scanner (Star Diagnosis, hereinafter - SD). By removing the terminal from the battery, you can break the wood: without power, the engine control unit resets the correction data for the mixture composition (adaptation) and goes to the standard factory settings. If before that the car was operated for a long time with the Check Engine turned on or the problem arose quickly, then the correction could be far beyond the normal values. Then you risk not starting at all - you will need new candles, nozzles, mass air flow sensor and, possibly, a gas pump. Compared to the savings on a visit to the dealer, such a set of parts is much more expensive.
Alas, the fuel equipment of modern "Mercedes" diesels is also poorly adapted to Russian fuel, the first problems with it happen already by 100 thousand km. Considering the high cost of repairs and spare parts, it is better to refrain from buying a car with a diesel engine.
ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY
Wiring harnesses familiar to many are not found here. Electronics is in charge of everything: many individual units are connected by a multiplexed CAN (Controller Area Network) bus via a "twisted pair", but there is no main manager. Any unit can take the reins of government (more precisely, microcircuits). For example, when braking, everything is subject to the ABS / ESP unit, and during acceleration, to the engine control unit.
If you want to install non-original additional equipment (alarm, navigation system, music, etc.), you will have to purchase a CAN BUS matching device ($ 100-250). To implant a new organ into smart wiring, it is better not to meddle with ordinary wires and a soldering iron.
When MOT approaches, a symbol (wrench) lights up on the instrument panel, which will easily and correctly extinguish only SD, while the mileage is recorded in the depths of the non-volatile memory of the EZS units and the KI instrument panel. In the presence of SD, one can indirectly verify the truth of the mileage by comparing it with the marks of the passage of MOT. In case of illogical discrepancies, it is better to refuse to buy such a car.
Circuit protection against short circuits is managed by two SAM signal processing units, in which, in addition to the usual fuses, there are electronic fuses (most of them). If after replacing, for example, a burned-out light bulb, the circuit still does not work, restart the engine in order to "charge" the corresponding fuse.
HE DOESN'T SLEEP, DOESN'T GIVE TO OTHERS
The weak link in the electronics is the rear SAM unit mounted in the trunk. Surprisingly, his colleague works under the hood in the worst climatic conditions, and breaks down much less often. The block can "end" in different ways: honestly, when it starts to openly lie about the fuel readings and burned out bulbs, and despicably, when at one moment it leaves the driver with a completely discharged battery. According to the "job description", SAM units should "fall asleep" in a few minutes after turning off the ignition, going into energy-saving mode. But the back has insomnia: it bothers the neighbor and other control units, endlessly demanding self-diagnostic protocols from them. The accumulator honestly feeds all the awake with energy. With shallow discharges, when after parking it is possible to start without assistance, SAM is still able to return to normal life. If you cannot do without "lighting" - keep in mind that for SAM this can become a "control shot".
THE KEY TO Tranquility
If for some reason there is only one key left for the car, do not hesitate to order a duplicate. Firstly, this procedure is lengthy: all checks on the criminal base and delivery take 40 days (the cost of the key is 100 euros). Secondly, in case of problems with reading the transponder in the key head, it becomes impossible to determine the culprit of the failure; another key is needed. And the EZS ignition control unit (800 euros), where the key is inserted, can also fail. In this case, waiting for a new key is a waste of time. True, even in the presence of several keys, errors occur in identifying the culprit, but their probability is the less, the earlier the diagnosis is made. Do not hesitate with her!
STAR, STILL STAR
With safety at the "tseshka" - order. The systems working on it are enough even in the basic configuration. They all interact in a single complex, intervening in the protection of riders in stages. The magazine has already written about this in detail (ZR, 2004, No. 6), we only note that according to the results of the EuroNCAP crash test in 2001 (see Model History) on the first try, the car earned 31 points and four stars (five points!). A year later, the EuroNCAP Commission revised the methodology and added 2 more points and one star for the intelligent seat belt warning system introduced shortly before.
However, you should not blindly rely on a five-star safety shield without additional check at the dealer. There are cases when the airbags and belt tensioners that were triggered after an accident were not changed, and the “specialists” simply turned off their self-diagnosis function.
SALVATION OF THE DROWNERS
A large part of the cars came to us from the secondary markets in Europe after the floods. If you do not find a trace of the waterline on the upholstery, do not flatter yourself, it may be on their inner side, although the most zealous sellers washed out sludge even from hidden cavities with an almost complete disassembly of the car. But no one changed the bearings of the hubs, and if under normal conditions they live over 100 thousand km, then the "drowned" may end up unpredictably. The rear bearings are changed separately, the front ones are assembled with the hub. When replacing, we check the condition of the brake discs, their maximum permissible wear is 3 mm. Usually the front ones serve 60 thousand km, the rear ones - about 90.
According to the German control organization (TU..V), two-three-year "tseshki" take 50th place in the reliability rating (out of 113), and 4-5-year-olds - 11th, that is, major breakdowns occur during the warranty period ... We have a similar picture, so used Mercedes are getting cheaper slowly.
2000 Mercedes С-Klasse, factory index W203. Body: sedan and sports coupe. Engines (car model in brackets): petrol P4: 1.8 l, 95 kW / 129 hp (C180); 1.8 l, 120 kW / 163 hp (C200); 1.8 l, 125 kW / 170 hp (C200 CGI); 1.8 l, 141 kW / 192 hp (C230K); V6: 2.6 L, 125 kW / 170 PS (C240); 3.2 l, 160 kW / 218 hp (C320); 3.2 l, 260 kW / 354 hp (C32 AMG); diesel with "common rail" and turbocharged P4: 2.1 l, 90 kW / 122 hp (C200 CDI) and 2.1 l, 105 kW / 143 hp. (C220 CDI). Rear-wheel drive, M6 or A5.
2001 EuroNCAP crash test, 4 stars, 14 and 17 points for frontal and side impact, respectively. Station wagon (model ST).
2002 EuroNCAP added 2 points and 1 star for the seat belt reminder system, which takes into account the presence of a passenger at each seat. In the C220 CDI model, the engine power is 110 kW / 150 hp, in the C180 - 105 kW / 143 hp. New diesel engines P5: 2.7 l, 125 kW / 170 hp (C270 CDI) and 3.0 L, 170 kW / 231 hp (C30 CDI AMG). 4matic all-wheel drive model.
To which the nickname "one hundred and ninetieth" was attached. The figures indicate the volume of the engine, of course there were many modifications of the power plants for the W201, but cars with the 190 nameplate were more common on the roads. According to the Stuttgars' plan, the "compact" Mercedes was supposed to compete with the BMW 3-series, and as the past years have shown, the W201 has justified the hopes of its creators. The success of the W201 inspired the Germans to release a new model - the car's debut took place in 1993 - this was the first "workshop" to be designated as the C-class. The W202 lasted 10 years on the assembly site and made a worthy competition for. In 2003, a new car, the Mercedes C-class W203, was presented to the public. In this review, we will look specifically at the Mercedes W203, pay attention to the characteristics, features, and equipment of this car. As before, the C-class was produced in three versions: Classic, Elegance and Avangard. We note right away that the complete set of various machines of the same production line can be very different. Classic assumes a classic appearance (without skirts and spoilers), leather is not often found in the upholstery of the passenger compartment, Elegance provides for a more expensive interior trim with wood inserts, and Avangard emphasizes the sporty essence of the car, the Mercedes Avangard suspension is lower, and the rims have larger diameter.
Appearance and Body:
Unlike the two previous generations, the W203 was produced not only as a sedan and station wagon, but also as a hatchback. When buying a Mercedes in the two hundred and third body, first of all, you should pay attention to cars not older than 2004, the fact is that after the restyling of 2004, a new painting technology and new paints and varnishes were used. Rust may appear on dorestyling "shops". The body of Mercedes W203 is galvanized by 85%, for comparison - the body of the previous "shop" was galvanized by 65%. 
The two hundred and third Mercedes behaves much better at high speeds, because the lift has decreased by 57%. The two hundred and third Mercedes in comparison with the two hundred and second became 10 mm longer, the wheelbase of the "tseshka" increased by 25 mm. After the restyling, the diameter of the base rims increased, if the pre-styling cars in the base were shod in tires with a dimension of 195/65 R15, then after restyling, the Mercedes began to shoe in tires with a dimension of 205/55 R16. The drag coefficient of the Mercedes W203 is 0.26, which is comparable to the drag indicators, which is the same age as the monitored car. You can pay attention to the photo, the photos show all three types of Mercedes W203 bodies.
Salon and Equipment:
The two hundred and third Mercedes scored five stars according to the EuroNCAP test results. The good result is partly due to the adaptive front airbags in the basic W203. The idea of these airbags is that at a speed not exceeding 35 km per hour, the airbags open only partially. After the modernization of 2004, four pillows have already entered the minimum equipment of the Mercedes W203. 
The minimum configuration includes light sensors that allow the car to independently turn on the dipped beam. Already in those years, the Linguatronic system was offered as an option for the Mercedes W203 - a voice control system that allows voice control of the radio and other car functions. 
As an additional equipment for Mercedes, the Easy-Entry system was also available - the essence of the system is that when the power plant is muffled, the steering wheel rises up, and the seat moves back - this makes it easier to disembark from the car. This function is very exotic for a family car, because it is common on executive cars. Inside the speedometer itself there is an indicator of the selected gear and an indicator indicating the activation / deactivation of ESP, which was also already in the base. The trunk of the two hundred and third sedan holds 455 liters, the station wagon in its normal state holds 470 liters, but the luggage compartment of the station wagon can be increased to 1385 liters, the most modest trunk volume for the hatchback is 310 liters.
Technical part and characteristics of Mercedes C-class W203
It was at the Two hundred and third Mercedes that the CommonRail injection system was installed for the first time on gasoline engines. The line of power units is quite extensive, compressors were often installed on the "tseshki", which allowed the four-cylinder Mercedes W203 to keep up with its counterparts with gasoline V6s. The base engine of the M111 series with a volume of 1.8 liters produces 129 horsepower. The power of the C180K compressor is 143 horsepower, the C200K produces 163 horsepower, in the period from 2000 to 2002 the C200K had a volume of 2.0 liters and produced a torque of 230 N.M, after 2002 the engine volume decreased by 200 cubic meters, the torque increased by 10 N.M, power indicators have not changed. Compressor C230 with a volume of 1.9 liters produces a power of 192hp, torque is 260N.M. Consider the performance of Mercedes six-cylinder gasoline engines. The six-cylinder naturally aspirated C230 produces 204 horsepower with a volume of 2.5 liters. The C240 has a volume of 2.6 liters, its naturally aspirated V6 produces 170 horsepower at the output. The C280 with a volume of 3.0 liters develops 231 power, the power of the C320 - 218 horsepower, the C350 produces 272hp, and the top-end C32AMG - 354 horsepower and 450N.M. The diesel C200CDI 2.2l develops 115hp, the C220CDI, with a volume of 2.4l, produces 144hp, and the five-cylinder C270CDI - 170hp. It is worth saying that the six-cylinder modifications of the "tseshka" cost as much as the base E-class, so when buying a new car, most buyers chose four-cylinder engines, often with compressor supercharging.
In the basic configuration, the "tseshka" was equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, as an option, a five-speed automatic transmission was available, and later a seven-speed automatic transmission. For the C320, an automatic machine was already offered in the database. MCP two hundred and third are considered not serviced, but still every 80,000 km it is worth changing the oil. Clutch two hundred and third with normal driving is 150 - 180 thousand.
The indisputable advantage of the two hundred and third shop is the presence of a timing chain drive; in the gas distribution mechanism, the chain tensioner should be changed every 60,000 km. It is not uncommon for the electronic control unit to turn off the injector in the cylinder because of bad candles and, as a consequence, of fuel not burnt out in the combustion chamber, because the afterburning of fuel in the exhaust system negatively affects the durability of the converter. On compressor motors, the air filter should be changed regularly. It is advisable for owners of diesel "tseshek" to flush the fuel tank every 5000 km.
The suspension of the Mercedes W203 is not as durable as on. The stabilizer bushings usually do not live more than 60,000 km, and the silent blocks of the lower front levers sometimes have to be changed even with a mileage of 20,000 km, the ball ones on the W203 are enough for 60 - 80 thousand. The front shock absorbers run 90,000 km, and the steering tips are enough for the same period. Silent blocks of rear Mercedes levers serve 100 thousand, two hundred and third wheel bearings usually do not disturb the owner up to 100,000 km of run. There are also enough brake discs for 100,000 km.
Let's pay attention to the technical characteristics of the Mercedes C200K W203 with MKP6.
Specifications:
Powerplant: 2.0 petrol, mechanical boost
Volume: 1998cube
Power: 163hp
Torque: 230N.M
Number of valves: 16v
Performance indicators:
Speed gain 0 -100km: 9.3s
Top speed: 230km
Combined fuel consumption: 9.7L
Fuel tank volume: 62L
Dimensions: 4530mm * 1730mm * 1430mm
Wheelbase: 2720mm
Curb weight: 1390kg
Ground clearance / clearance: 150mm
Price
The price of a well-maintained Mercedes C-class W203 is about $ 20,000. Mercedes' price varies mainly from the condition of a particular car.
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