W202 vs W203

[BadaBing_1996]

I'm having a HUGE dilemma.

 

I don't know what to choose.

 

 

No, it's not a C43 AMG, it just has authentic Monoblocks. 2000 C280 Kompressor.

 

 

Ditto. 2003 C240 4Matic.

 

Both cost $2,900 and both have less than 150k miles.

 

Come on GTAF, help me choose.

Edited August 12, 2018 by BadaBing_1996
Also, neither cars in the pics are the actual cars. I do not want to get sniped, you feel me?

[stinomontana]

i'd pick the w203.

 

but it would all depend on wich one is in best condition.

Edited August 12, 2018 by stinomontana

[BadaBing_1996]

6 minutes ago, stinomontana said:

i'd pick the w203.

Spoke too soon.

 

W203 was sold this morning, well sh*t.

[sivispacem]

Probably for the best, the W203 is basically the bottom of Merc's 90's build quality nosedive. Most of them are rough as hell these days.

[SouthLand]

I like the W202 more, but that's just me.

 

I like 90's Mercedes car in black "Mafia Style"

 

[el carlitos]

Clearly w202.

Myself I own the w202 1.8 as daily car and the w201 2.6 as hobby car.

My parents own the w203.

Of course it depends on the condition of the cars. If the condition is quite good here is my recommendation. Based on own made experiance.

1. w201 by far still the best quality. It´s not modern but simple and perfect, if in good conditions even no rost problems. It runs and runs. Driving is great. I enjoy it.

2. w202 , still very good. I own it since 14 years and never had problems. Only problem I see here is rust. Driving is fun. Enjoying this one, too.

3. w203 experienced a lot of problems and the quality was very bad at that time. Did visit the shop many times.

Mercedes did experiences with suppliers from china at that time to save money as much as I know. It´s really not Mercedes quality anymore. I prefer the newer models. The early 2000s models aren´t that good. Even driving isn´t fun. 

 

If you check test reports on google you will find a lot of information.

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2018 by el carlitos

[Zyo]

Speaking as an mb enthusiast, I wouldn't wish either of those on anyone.

 

At 3kish, get a 124 or a rough 129 or even a 190 and enjoy it. 

 

Edited September 9, 2018 by Zyo

[Ratney]

Out of those, I prefer the older one.

[M22]

For looks, I'd go a W203, however for reliability and old Mercedes quality, go a W202 chassis.

Surely for the same money, you'd be able to acquire an older W124 E-Class or...if you really want to risk your life, you could buy a W140, however, this is quite a costly vehicle even in S320 form.

Up to you...

[BadaBing_1996]

Damn, this thread is still kicking?

 

I purchased a '97 Lexus LS.

[Adrenalist]

Good job! One of the pinnacle cars for automotive reliability, right there.  

[BadaBing_1996]

I still have an itch for the W203, this one is the cheapest in my area at just $2,700.

 

Only needs an A/C fan, thinking of getting rid of the SUV since it's an unreliable gas guzzler.

 

[Burbalade]

On 10/31/2018 at 2:15 PM, BadaBing_1996 said:

thinking of getting rid of the SUV since it's an unreliable gas guzzler.

 

Might want to consider repair and maintenance costs on the Mercedes vs other options. With a sub $3k budget I'm assuming you don't have a ton of money to throw at it and if you're in the States, parts for a Mercedes aren't as common as they are in other places. You can't walk into any local junkyard and expect to see 50+ W203s lined up for you to pick through.

[BadaBing_1996]

On 12/23/2018 at 3:52 PM, Burbalade said:

Might want to consider repair and maintenance costs on the Mercedes vs other options. With a sub $3k budget I'm assuming you don't have a ton of money to throw at it and if you're in the States, parts for a Mercedes aren't as common as they are in other places. You can't walk into any local junkyard and expect to see 50+ W203s lined up for you to pick through.

You'd be surprised how common it is to find parts for them.

 

Older german sedans have never ran out of popularity despite the worries about long-term dependability and maintenance costs.