• 

  July 20, 2011 9:23 p.m. mattmacklind SuperDork

  Ok, so I have been driving my W123 for ten years. I'm starting to take some heat for it at work, which is more funny than anything. They call me Columbo, and I have to remind them that Columbo in fact drove a Peugot, not a Mercedes.

  Anyway, I leased a Jetta for 39 months, and it was a decent car. I returned it about a year ago. I bought my truck, but I do think about maybe getting a "modern" car again. There happens to be a 1999 C43 in my area for sale, 101K, silver and black, great shape cosmetically. The price was 9.9K, but was ust dropped to 8.9K, and now I'm really interested.

  My research shows maintenance, minus obvious big ticket items, isn't too bad, and some of it is DIY-able. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on this car? I've always liked them, and 300+ HP isn't bad either.

• 

  July 20, 2011 9:39 p.m. Grizz Reader

  What's a C43?

• 

  July 20, 2011 10:25 p.m. hotchocolate New Reader

  Its a mercedes c-class. 4.3 v8. Its a softer m3

• 

  July 20, 2011 10:31 p.m. Grizz Reader

  Sounds good to me then.

  .........but I didn't know what it was, so take that opinion with a big grain of salt.

• 

  July 20, 2011 11:25 p.m. mattmacklind SuperDork

  it looks like this:

  
• 

  July 20, 2011 11:59 p.m. Luke SuperDork

  I reckon those are very cool cars. I love the subtle, factory Merc hotrods, almost as much as I like M-series Bimmers, (but not quite.)

  OR, continue driving W123. Never wash it again, and buy a thrift-store trench coat to match.

  "Just as a proverb says, one should always ny escort prepare for a rainy day." - GRM canoe

• 

  July 21, 2011 9:17 a.m. Joe Gearin Associate Publisher

  Be careful!

  Around the time that car was built Merc was having a ton of electrical, and build quality issues. It seems they have got their act together again, but for a while Mercedes was the least reliable car on the market.

  Since that is a C43 it may have had extra attention in the assembly process, but I'd be wary.
  

  I stay away from Mercs built around the turn of the century.

• 

  July 21, 2011 9:24 a.m. triumph5 SuperDork

  Joe Gearin wrote: Be careful! Around the time that car was built Merc was having a ton of electrical, and build quality issues. It seems they have got their act together again, but for a while Mercedes was the least reliable car on the market. Since that is a C43 it may have had extra attention in the assembly process, but I'd be wary. I stay away from Mercs built around the turn of the century.

  First thing I thought of, too. Sometime around there M-B started building planned obsolescence ( it seems) into the electrical systems. A good Pre Purchase Inspection might be a good idea.

• 

  July 21, 2011 9:37 a.m. Strizzo SuperDork

  someone said it was something a while back about biodegradeable wiring they tried using in them i think...

• 

  July 21, 2011 10:35 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  Luke wrote: continue driving W123. Never wash it again, and buy a thrift-store trench coat to match.

  THIS!

  Be careful of your words, for someone will agree with them. Be careful of your conduct, for someone will imitate it. -Leih Tsu

• 

  July 21, 2011 11:47 a.m. mattmacklind SuperDork

  Sorry, I mistyped-its a c32. I knew that, I must of just been dreaming.

You'll need to log in to post.