Mercedes-Benz C230 Problems

From personal experience I would advise against buying an old Euro, they can be expensive.

They can be nice to drive, and it’s nice to have a prestigious brand in your driveway, but parts can be expensive if you need to repair them.

My dalliance wasn’t with a Mercedes, it was another European brand, but I was regularly forking out for repairs as one thing after another failed and I mean seriously spending money. The problem is that they all look like new on the outside, even when they’re clapped-out.

It would need to be low mileage, less than 100,000 km, properly serviced, should have no oil or water leaks, no exhaust smoke, the engine should be smooth running, and the transmission should be smooth and seamless in operation.

Servicing isn’t necessarily expensive if you avoid dealers and use an experienced specialist mechanic.

LIKE you, I prefer rear-wheel-drive cars for the way they drive and feel on the road. I'm also in favour of buying used BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes because you get to drive a better car than you might otherwise be able to afford, but they can be expensive to service and repair. For that reason I am loathe to recommend them. But I also agree that some of the cars coming from Japan look good, and I particularly like the new Lancer. I wouldn't be concerned about front-wheel drive at all, there's nothing wrong with the way they drive, handle, steer or brake.