2002 Mercedes-Benz C Class

I bought this car with 46, 000 miles on it. Mine is a kompressor hatchback with a filtered sunroof, two doors, cloth upholstery. Surprise! Buying the car is just the beginning of the money pit sucking me dry.

First, the positives: 1) Insurance rates are fantastic, as I understand from my research that this is an extremely safe car. 2) It has power! Love the fact that on the highway, if I need to, I can push the gas and zoom I am out of the way of whatever I need to avoid. 3) No 3. That’s all the positives. So, if that’s all you are looking for in a car, please purchase the Mercedes C230 Kompressor. It is certainly the car for you. Otherwise, read on.

And now the negatives: 1) Since owning this car for 14 months, the ashtray (used as a coin holder) has broken. 2) The cup holder has broken. 3) The sunroof is currently stuck in the open position. 4) The rear brakes are destroyed (down to the rotors, despite my diligent servicing) at a cost of $390 The “check washer fluid level light remains on” despite the fact that I do not need wiper fluid. 5) But the “check oil” light has never come on despite the fact that it seems that it drinks more oil than gas, and I must constantly check it between scheduled changes. 6) And now the front brake liners have to be repaired. I need about $1000 right now to get the car in just good enough shape to be able to sell it. And that, after just only 14 months of ownership.

Cosmetically, the paint and finish appear to hold up nicely, but the front underpinning is very low to the ground, constantly scrapes on the ground, and, subsequently, it is broken and dented in quite a few places. The interior door speakers are also made of the same brittle plastic and have cracked in many places. The cloth on the seats always appear to be wet because of some discoloration around the outsides of the seat, due, I can only assume, to some sort of fading from sunlight. Rear visibility is non-existent. I become anxious every time it is necessary to change lanes because of the blind spots on both the right and left side. This has to have something to do with the lack of windows and the incredible amount of body immediately behind both driver and passenger seats.

The thick constant brake dust residue on the front tires requires literally daily maintenance if I want a decently clean appearing car to drive. I had to invest in a particular product made to clean this brake dust as I could find nothing else that worked, along with a particular brush to get into the rather narrow curves in the hubcaps.

At the first service appointment, when I asked if they would rotate and balance if necessary, the service person informed me that Mercedes tires did not rotate. Evidently, if he is to be believed, a right tire on a Mercedes is a right tire, and a left is a left, and never the two shall meet. I have not had to purchase tires yet, but with this kernel of information in mind, I am dreading just another unnecessary financial surprise.

All-in-all, while it’s a great feeling to have people oooh and aaaah when I get out of a Benz, the routine financial burden is not worth it. I want my Toyota back. Ten years and never did anything but change the oil, put on new tires, and new brakes twice. The price of looking rich in this Mercedes actually requires that one be rich to maintain the machine and the image.