Is a COE 2011/2 Mercedes C180 kompressor a safe bet to own ?

[RTBS]

Hello everyone, I am new to this group and it's been a while since I last own a Merc. I have been considering purchasing a 2011/2012 C180 with 10yrs COE renewal. Am I going to regret making this decision ? My yearly ml is about 10k . I would appreciate any helpful comments as I have not owned a pre-owned car before. Thanks in advance.

[Lawman]

W204 is a pretty reliable car. Just need to watch out on the timing cam which maybe worn out

[kepiting1sg]

On 11/13/2021 at 7:53 PM, RTBS said:

Hello everyone, I am new to this group and it's been a while since I last own a Merc. I have been considering purchasing a 2011/2012 C180 with 10yrs COE renewal. Am I going to regret making this decision ? My yearly ml is about 10k . I would appreciate any helpful comments as I have not owned a pre-owned car before. Thanks in advance.

IMHO Better to look for the C180 cgi aka turbo rather than the kompressor model aka supercharger

[RTBS]

On 11/14/2021 at 5:15 PM, Lawman said:

W204 is a pretty reliable car. Just need to watch out on the timing cam which maybe worn out

Ok thanks for the input , much appreciated.

8 hours ago, kepiting1sg said:

IMHO Better to look for the C180 cgi aka turbo rather than the kompressor model aka supercharger

I think you are on to something there as I also feels that supercharging an engine would unduly strain it as compared to turbos. And I certainly would not want to strain a ten year old engine any further if I can help it !

[Reflection]

Not so much the strain really, because forced induction is similar no matter which application you choose.  A turbo is far cheaper/easier to replace/rebuild than a supercharger any day, and you don't have to keep an eye on more pulleys and belts.  If properly maintained, forced induction doesn't strain the engine any more than a naturally aspirated design.

Get a turbocharged 7-speed model, and service history would be a BIG plus.  I believe the W204s you're looking at will have a mix & match of engines and transmissions coming in different combinations - not all turbo models are 7-speed, and not all supercharged ones are 5-speed.  Get a C200 if you can, because the prices won't differ much, and you get memory seats as well.

[kepiting1sg]

Good inputs 

I had the supercharger on the W203 and W211

At higher rev, the supercharger to me is noisy from the "squealing" noise made by the supercharger

I had the end 2012 C180 1.6L turbo 7 speed and the TC was much quieter and the fuel consumption was excellent (used to be under 6L/100km in the KPE)

[RTBS]

Thanks for the comments !. I am quite sure the 1.8 CGI 7 speed is the one to get but maintenance concerns aside , navigating through the minefield of adverts and car dealers is intimidating . Like I said before, never owned a used car so just praying to meet a respectable dealer .

[asiadj]

On 11/15/2021 at 12:55 PM, kepiting1sg said:

IMHO Better to look for the C180 cgi aka turbo rather than the kompressor model aka supercharger

+1. Take this mentor advice, wont go wrong. 
 

1.6T

[RTBS]

Ok thanks. I appreciate all your inputs. I have narrowed down to a few examples and am gonna head down and see if I can strike a deal. 

[uNcLe pAuL]

I have bought mine around May this year. W204 with sunroof. 2011 Kompressor. My 1st MB and is a COE car.

I have changed AT, done servicing, replaced mounting for gearbox & engine,  turbo charge fluid, cleaned my O2 sensor and replaced a faulty wiper motor. All total up to be around 2K. Waiting for my gear dust bag to be replaced as I found out that I have problem shifting the speed during manual mode as the leather dust bag is stiffen. 

My advice for you, do not trust what the showroom sales reps says but send the car you intend to buy to a reputable workshop where they're specialised in MB and plug in computer and see what's the outcome. Trust the computer and the pro better than the showroom. That's my take.

Hope to see you soon on the road. 

Cheers :)

[RTBS]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. That is indeed wise and I trust that you are enjoying your ride ! Drive safe !

[fesa704]

Nowadays the Game is to send for a Pre purchase inspection(50-80 bucks)

first u Zoom to the models u fancy .

I owns a W204 & was advised by my Dealer  to get the 1.6 version.

theres msny many variation ,the Sky’s the Limit.

The Kompressor version is pretty Slick but Plse Plse ,change the Compressor oil,once h gets it ,plus replace all the fluids in the car

& dun forget the Axle oil,it’s a RWD……….

When u send to the wshop for inspection ,dey will list down all the defects(10 yrs cars after all)& u can ask the shop for a quotation.

so in a nutshell ,the figures are all  transparent.

the car price  & the repair price .

cant be clearer than dat.

U can Whassap me ,96432272 if u wans to talk further.

Good Luck.

[RTBS]

Thank you sir. Now with all your generous help I think the 1.8 CGI might be the one to get. I hope to keep in touch and let you know my progress. Again many thanks.

[kw999]

On 11/17/2021 at 9:33 PM, uNcLe pAuL said:

I have bought mine around May this year. W204 with sunroof. 2011 Kompressor. My 1st MB and is a COE car.

I have changed AT, done servicing, replaced mounting for gearbox & engine,  turbo charge fluid, cleaned my O2 sensor and replaced a faulty wiper motor. All total up to be around 2K. Waiting for my gear dust bag to be replaced as I found out that I have problem shifting the speed during manual mode as the leather dust bag is stiffen. 

My advice for you, do not trust what the showroom sales reps says but send the car you intend to buy to a reputable workshop where they're specialised in MB and plug in computer and see what's the outcome. Trust the computer and the pro better than the showroom. That's my take.

Hope to see you soon on the road. 

Cheers

Hi @uNcLe pAuL and @fesa704

My brother intends buy a COE Merc too. Any reputable workshop specialised in MB to recommend for the pre purchase inspection?

[kepiting1sg]

Guys

When you bring your potential car that you wanna buy beside the Diagnostic checks, get them to 

confirm the actual mileage on the odometer

The actual car mileage will be seen during the Diagnostic checks

There're unscrupulous dealers that "play with the actual odometer"

[zoom321]

On 11/19/2021 at 4:35 PM, RTBS said:

Thank you sir. Now with all your generous help I think the 1.8 CGI might be the one to get. I hope to keep in touch and let you know my progress. Again many thanks.

Hi @RTBS, how did your purchase go? Would you like to share your progress? I think many of us are keen to find out more.