Sold Merc w202 C250TD estate sold

[rml2345]

I'm half considering a change from the 940 Turbo auto with loads of dents if you're keen/desperate?

Edit: Sorry, I should have read the post above.

[skattrd]

A bit late rml2345, I would have considered a turbo brick.

[skattrd]

No worries Adrian, I should have mentioned my intentions the other week at the SVM meet.

[320touring]

Yay- you have n estate car! Now you're cool*

[KruJoe]

I've agreed to buy...

 

Wow! How 90's is that?

 

That hue would better suit a Rover Metro... but meh, you won't loose it at Asda!

 

Enjoy the refinement Chris

[Cavcraft]

Veg friendly?

[skattrd]

Veg friendly?

Theoretically yes.

However it has a saddle fuel tank which apparently means it's not advisable to run them on veg.

More research shall be done before the good stuff is put in the tank.

[skattrd]

Cheers Joe I'm already looking forward to the comfort for the 460 miles it shall be doing next Monday.

[Cavcraft]

Not advisable, my arse. The only way to find out is to try, try try. Plus, if you break it, you could always buy a petrol engine Zafira instead.

[forddeliveryboy]

Theoretically yes.

However it has a saddle fuel tank which apparently means it's not advisable to run them on veg.

More research shall be done before the good stuff is put in the tank.

 

Fine down to about 1/3 of a tank, according to those who have. Some use tank connectors and a length of pipe between the two halves to make them fine all the way to the bottom. The thinner the oil, the better - ie rapeseed not GM Soya gloop and a drop of diesel and petrol.

 

Check no sheared-off glow-plugs before you buy - 'tis the season of diesels sold with knackered plugs which are seized/broken off! These engines are well known for it.

[skattrd]

Check no sheared-off glow-plugs before you buy - 'tis the season of diesels sold with knackered plugs which are seized/broken off! These engines are well known for it.

Funny you should mention this, but it needs glow plug 2 changing, he has the plug but hasn't done it. I'm guessing it may be stuck. Any idea which end is plug 1?

[twosmoke300]

Sharp end I would imagine.

 

When changing the plugs blow out the holes with an airline , fill it up as best you can with decent penetrating oil . Then take it for a good hard drive up plenty of hills to get it as hot as possible . Idling wont work on a diesel . Then use a 1/4 drive set to try and unscrew it . Its better to leave it in not working than to snap it off . If it comes free but is tight all the way dont just keep winding or you will take the threads out with the glow plug . Work it back and forward with more pen fluid.

 

Good luck.

[forddeliveryboy]

Yes, they count front to back. If one has gone then assume the rest aren't far behind, unless there's visual proof to the contrary. There's every chance no2 is seized in, you may as well assume it is. Using a 1/4 drive set to remove is great advice, better snap your tool rather than the gp.

[skattrd]

Cheers guys. I'll ask about the glow plugs, he said the light stays on for about 20 seconds which was because #2 was lazy, the others may have been changed in which case I bet it's seized.

 

I did briefly toy with a live collection thread, but as it's a new(ish) car and 1hr away I don't think it's worth it, collection tomorrow morning.

[mark165]

I ran mine in veg... Didn't really like it, although I had the usual third of a tank problems, the veg really eats at the thirty thousand o rings mercedes used in the fuel lines and pump.

[forddeliveryboy]

^ Earlier ones didn't rely on the O ring sort of connector.

[skattrd]

Deal done, this is what £650 gets nowadays. 5-pot Merc dizzler wagon with pretty much everything working and 10 months MOT

 

 

The seller, who was 74 yrs old ya know, was very chatty and seemed quite honest about a few little niggles, nothing major. We have decided that we will attempt to change glow plug #2 next weekend, the spare was included. Allegedly the light came on, the garage diagnosed the faulty plug, ordered a new one, but never got round to fitting it.

 

I've now driven about 50 miles in it,  and it drives very nicely. The autobox is taking a bit of getting used to and the kick-down seems a tad lazy, but my brother has spare ATF and filter for one of these he said I can have, so that'll get done after I retrieve them from Norfolk.

 

Shopping list so far just contains tailgate struts as they're a bit weak, so I'd better change them before the thing falls on my head.

 

I have decided to take this to Dundee tomorrow, which will double the mileage done since the MOT 2 months ago. This should hopefully blow out any cobwebs,

 

Apologies for the lack of pez station shot but it came with half a tank of diesel.

[Richard]

Looks similar to my 850's colour, very 1990s. I've decided that SWMBO's C5 is going to have to go after seven years with us and something like that would be an ideal replacement, it's good to know the bargains are still out there. I always think it's more important to inspect the owner than the car (one of the reasons I don't like buying from dealers) and it sounds as if you've got a good one there. 

[skattrd]

A few miles covered in it now and overall I like the car. Today I set a new pb for distance travelled without pressing a pedal, 180 miles. Cruise is gr9 and I'm getting used to the auto box.

 

A couple of minor niggles though

ABS light is 50/50 on & off, I'll plug it in at the weekend and see what faults I'm told.

Boot lock doesn't lock on central locking, but unlocks with it, the key works though.

 

I do have one major issue with the car though, I don't find the drivers seat very comfy, which isn't great for its intended purpose.

[dollywobbler]

This is the problem with cars. You don't often get long enough test time to know how comfy it'll be. The Rover 75 always felt comfy to start with, but caused backache. The W124 Merc always felt baggy and average but hours at the wheel were always ache-free.

[skattrd]

It wasn't until after 100 miles I decided I couldn't get properly comfortable. It didn't stop me driving for 5hrs and getting out ache free. I just wasn't comfy and rested like in the armchairs in the S80 or XM.

[barmatt]

If you weren't aching after 5hrs I'd say that was a good 'un but I do remember my w202 not being as comfy as the w124, which was as comfy as a comfy thing.

 

I've just remembered that I've also got a set of front discs and pads for one of these in the shed as well if you want them. Not much use to me atm.

[skattrd]

I've just been bumbling around town in this for the last couple of days and it warms up very quickly for a diesel and the autobox changes smoothly even when cold. For short trips the seat feels quite good.

I've been doing some reading on Merc forums and it appears the uncomfortable seat is very common. The padding in the base can be replaced at a cost of about £100 for the insert, that's not happening. I have read somewhere that the seat bases for drivers and passenger sides are the same, so I may look in to swapping the seat bases round as unsurprisingly the passenger seat base padding is in better shape than the drivers.

 

So far I've done 400 miles on the current tank of diesel and there's still about a third left, which if it's accurate would give me about 45mpg. I'd be very happy with 45 as some people reckon 40 is the best they get from the 5-pot OM605. I was driving quite economically on the way up North earlier in the week.

[Barry Cade]

Did I spot this on the back of a breakdown truck earlier? If not it was identical.... On the A92 heading for Dunfermline...

[spike60]

If you're thinking of changing the gearbox oil be sure to get the correct stuff, my 2000 CLK didn't use standard ATF. 

[skattrd]

It wasn't me on the recovery truck sir.

 

I finished work early today due to a the PCS strike but I didn't feel like heading back to the hotel early so I thought I'd go for a little drive down to St Andrews. On deciding to do this I concluded I must enjoy driving the car as going to the office and back wasn't enough for me during the week. I now wish I'd gone back to the hotel early as I think I'm coming down with man flu.

 

 

Quick snap taken this afternoon whilst not broken down

[skattrd]

If you're thinking of changing the gearbox oil be sure to get the correct stuff, my 2000 CLK didn't use standard ATF. 

 

According to barmatt it's expensive Mercedes ATF he's letting me have, he did have a saloon version of this a couple of years back, so it should be the right stuff.

[skattrd]

Maybe I spoke too early, this morning parked in the work car park there appears to be an oil slick coming from my car.

 

 

I've checked all the fluid levels and everything seems to be ok, so I'm not sure what is, unless it's diesel. I'll go and smell it later.

[twosmoke300]

Diesel from the poxy o rings they use on the pipes/ filter housings I reckon

[skattrd]

Diesel from the poxy o rings they use on the pipes/ filter housings I reckon

I was thinking along the same lines, I did brim the tank yesterday as well..

The leak is coming from the under-tray, can't see where because of the damn tray, which will be removed and put in storage (or a hedge) later.

 

I've just been to check it, the leak appears to be coming from where the hard fuel line connects to a rubber hose. Of course this is under the inlet manifold and somewhat tricky to get at.