1998 Mercedes-Benz C Class

n the mid-80's, Mercedes decided to be all things to all people, so they came out with the 190E. And it turned out to be a pretty good entry-level car, so in 1994, they decided to try and make their base car more relevant to the current market by introducing the C-Class.

After $2.5 billion dollars of development, Mercedes emerged with the all new C-Class and it was a hit with the young, 'recently promoted' professional crowd.

Young, urbanites raved about the controlled handling and blissful ride of the new C-Class, two qualities that the BMW 3 couldn't say in the same sentence. And this baby-Benz was the first Mercedes to have integrated cup holders, a first for this benchmark luxury brand.

1997-2000 C-Class are rear-wheel drive and can be had as either the C230 Kompressor, which offered a rather spirited, 185-hp, super-charged version of the 2.3L 4-cyl, or the 194-hp, V6 C280. 2000 saw the demise of the exciting C-43, a 302-horsepower sports sedan prepared by future in-house tuner AMG.

The C-Class offers comfortable seating for four and the front bucket seats are firm and supportive. Leather seating inserts are standard, while full leather (which covers the seats entirely and door panels) was an option.

A C6 Sport package was available for either model and added leather sport seats in addition to stiffer suspension hardware and faux carbon fiber trim on the dash, doors and center console. The C-280 used an automatic climate control system, while the C230 Kompressor used manual heating and air conditioning controls. People who suffer from Hay fever will find relief from the dust and pollen filters and owners living in the snow-belt will warm up to the MB's ability to recirculate residual heated air for up to 30 minutes after the car is parked.

A power driver's seat was standard along with power windows (with auto-up and auto-down). Plus every C-Class sedan had an integrated three-channel garage door opener, outside temperature gauge, auto-dimming mirror, cruise control and heated power side-view mirrors. All Mercedes C-Class' come with Mercedes' SmartKey system. The key fob uses a radio unit for remote locking, while the ignition key is a miniature infrared unit which exchanges a code with the key slot. The code changes every time the car is used, making it more difficult to steal the car. For added theft resistance, the engine is disabled, and an alarm sounds if thieves try to tow the car.

The C-Class' rear-wheel drive setup combines a double-wishbone front suspension and a five-member multi-link rear suspension. The double-wishbone setup is superior to a strut-type design and the multi-link rear suspension means that the car tends to be more stable in corners, under hard braking and during hard acceleration.

Brake Assist, standard on both C-Class models, goes one step beyond the standard anti-lock braking system and detects panic braking by how quickly the brake pedal is pushed and applies full braking force.

ESP, or Electronic Stability Program, which was standard on both C-Class models, combines wheel speed and yaw sensors with a computer program that detects impending slides or spins and helps prevent either by braking a single wheel.

All C-Class models had a driver-adaptive 5-speed automatic transmission. The computer modifies shifting to match how and where the car is being driven at any given moment. By sensing throttle position and speed the computer can determine that the car is going downhill and will hold the car in gear, rather than upshifting, to provide engine braking. Press the pedal quickly and the computer will assume the driver wants to downshift for quicker acceleration. The system reduces hunting between gears by discerning uphill grades. It also uses data from the cruise control system and engine temperature to control shifting.

Ok, by now you're impressed with the C-Class. It's pretty, technologically advanced and the standard of entry-level luxury. And it really is, but...

This author's automotive specialty is Mercedes Benz. I've owned and sold a boatload of them, so I kinda' know a little bit about them. That being said, I don't like this generation of C-Class. The engine's are great and will run forever, as long as they're properly maintained. But these "modern" Merc's are wayyy to complicated. Which means there's more stuff that will break. There's sensors to monitor the sensors and believe me, those sensors are expensive. But perhaps this car's greatest fault is the parts that MB used to make it....half of the electrics are either made in China, or worse....made in China by General Motor's part division; Delphi. If that means nothing to you, think of it this way; Go to the most expensive restaurant in your town and order the most expensive meal on the menu. Then, when the waiter brings you a TV dinner, still in the half-melted plastic tray, thank him and tip him 25%.

While this generation C-Class bares the coveted 3-star hood ornament, it lacks the fastidious attention to everything that Mercedes is known for. Even though Mercedes was trying to stay competitive and give buyers what they wanted, they, in my opinion, sacrificed quality to sell quantity.

With that said, this generation C-Class is still better than a Bimmer, but expect to spend some money maintaining it. And for heaven's sake, buy a good one. By that I mean, don't buy one for $2,000 less than what it should be. Get one from a private owner that has the service records. And don't buy it from a car lot, unless it's reputable.

These are good cars IF you KNOW it's been treated and maintained PROPERLY.

Model Year to Year Changes 1997: The base C230 model replaced the C220 and the new 5-speed automatic transmission replaced the 4-speed unit. The airbag system also included a front-seat occupant detection sensor, which deactivates the passenger-side airbag if it detects a weight of less than 26 pounds on the seat. 1998: The C-Class looses its incline 6-cylinder in favor of a V6 engine of the same displacement and horsepower rating. Also, the V8 powered, C43 was introduced along with the "Smart-Key" anti-theft ignition system. 1999: Changes included standard traction control, and a new sport handling package on C230 models. The base engine was a supercharged version of the old and sported an additional 39 horsepower. 2000: Automatic transmissions got Touch Shift manual-shifting capability, with a separate gate. And a telescoping steering column and antiskid control moved from optional to standard.

Model Year Things to Look For: 1997: Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor - $410.

1996-00: Climate Control Malfunctions (C280) - $700. This control unit is known to, uh, stop working

1997: Refrigerant Pressure Sensor - $200. The EC warning light may come on indicating loss of A/C refrigerant, which is caused by a faulty refrigerant pressure sensor.