"Nonnawagon" The Trousers Mercedes S204 C180 Estate.

[Snake Charmer]

Edit: This is a bit of a long ramble. Being fatigued and combination chemotherapy and a couple of Whiskey Mac's didn't help the edit.

We bought this S204 last year to replace the VW Golf MkIV 1.6 as the arrival of twin grandchildren required a arger Nonnawagon. Had to be ULEZ as Nonna was still working just within Heir Khan's regime and I needed it for horsepiddle in Carshalton every 3-6 month at the time, currently weekly with driver.

The Golf should have had it's own thread too, proper Autoshite, a really tidy car given to me with a cooked catalytic converter and melted valves. I was later given an identical 1.4 that l had kept on the road shoestring style for friends until it was not financially viable to Mot and a replacement bought. I built one from two and it stood me in £145 in parts on the road not including brief. After the sale of a few wee bits off the 1.4 and weighing in at a good price, change found with and fuel drained it was the car that kept giving. I ran it for a while then the Vauxhall Rectum CDTI 150 threw a driveshaft and it became The Trousers daily. 5 years and 26k miles later a friend l grew up with has it at a bargain price and l shared the proceeds with the old friend who donated it to me. He bought lunch that day, much of it liquid! 🍻

The S204 came up on a Mercedes forum and sat a while. I was tempted a couple of times by S203 C55 estates that come up occasionally but as a Trousers daily not financially practical. A price drop gleaned a little more interest with HID and we trundled off to Poole in my S211 for a butchers. Apart from being automatic, it went down well and we brought it home. Once home we bought it, the seller let us take the car with a small deposit and funds transfer next day. Trusting or fekkin desperate? 😁

Needs a bit of work to keep on top of things. Blown 3 H7 bulbs as the Sport suspension wipes out the Night Breakers that were fitted and a fog lamp bulb. One fog lamp bulb holder has suffered from heat, must have been owned by a fog lamp wanker at some stage.

The Carshalton horsepiddle trip hammered the front drop links and Sachs rear dampers to buggery, Febi drop links through work and Bilstein B4 rear dampers from Autodoc have stopped the knock knock knocking on heavens door.

Needs a decent set of tyres as they are all budget from memory, a wheel refurbishment and 4 wheel alignment. Wheels are AMG line from factory with the Sport suspension, Sport body kit and rear badge delete. No parking sensors for Mrs Brady unfortunately but a leccy tailgate and no awful satnav just Bluetooth for the phone as that's all the Nonnawagon needs for connectivity as she knows where she is going.

Head rests need looking at before Mot as showing a fault and blowing a fuse. Latest is lack of blower boost, no EML showing either so she may have problem with her boost flaps.  Oerrr missus. At least it's not like darts night 7 up in her Sierra 2.0 GLS where her flaps were dragging. (Titter ye not.)

I find the car a bit small in the cockpit area, plugging the seat belt is a bit of a search due to the wide centre console and me being a lump now.  I also think it resemblesa Vectra inside   compared with my S211. Definitely would have been a nicer drive with a V6 compared to the 1.6 Kompressor but it is returning over 30mpg without the blower blowing.

There's a shite repair n/s rear and a bit of lacquer work needs doing on the roof rail trim. I hit some animal that ran under the A308 central barrier on the way home one night and damaged the front o/s bumper and wing. A dirty paving slam some cnut dropped in the dark wet Sainsburys car park smashed the n/s undertray, ironically l worked in that car park area when it was Petter Diesels Causeway site mid 80's. Where the slab was cannot be far from the boiler chimney l used to sleep behind!

 

[Tickman]

On 01/05/2026 at 20:30, Snake Charmer said:

Head rests need looking at before Mot as showing a fault and blowing a fuse.

What kind of nonsense is having a fault with your headrests!

[Cookiesouwest]

44 minutes ago, Tickman said:

What kind of nonsense is having a fault with your headrests!

The wonderful world of Mercedes

 

[Snake Charmer]

2 hours ago, Tickman said:

What kind of nonsense is having a fault with your headrests!

NECK-PRO "luxury head restraints" apparently! 🤣 

l disconnected the power supply to each seat a while back as the fuse was blown with the intention of fault finding and the dash fault codes disappeared. Must have been a coincidence as they came back a few days later for left and right head rest faults. Shows a fault code with a reader and l have until the end of August to dive into that rabbit hole. 

Nonnawagon went babysitting last night and reported back the boost seems to have returned. I had stored codes but no management light has been seen, clearing them was all l did then Googlefoo to see where the boost pressure control flap lives. Expensive bit to replace, can be dismantled for an internal inspection and cleaning.

I will order the gaskets and have it apart, trouble is the car is needed Mondays for Nonna sitting and Fridays for hospital. Currently our only car and needs to be ULEZ so if l break anything we are a bit screwed, running without boost is a safer option.

I did have one little win, removing the tailgate struts and lubing the ball and sockets has stopped the coffin lid sound which gained a few Brownie Points. 😇

[Snake Charmer]

I drove Nonnawagon last night for vital beer supplies and boost is back, hospital today and boost still there. I still think it's a bit wimpy for the claimed power output. 

The expensive Yuasa battery voltage was not great using the laptop and needed the engine running so that is getting a proper check and might be under warranty with Half-assed-fords. I ordered one before the previous owner reminded me it was fitted 2022 with a 5 year guarantee. Knowing what my S211's play up like with low battery voltage l will swap it out before starting any further diagnostics or dismantling.

[Snake Charmer]

New battery fitted Tuesday night, voltage and charging all OK, the car was faultless Wednesday and Thursday as we went to Bournemouth overnight. I can now try and fault find the head restraint system when l can be bothered!

Gave the headlights a bit of a polish, with my new toy, a small cordless poliser. They need a proper going over as there is still product on them but look much better.

Needed a bit of a wash so l tried a few new toys and products out. Wheels first with Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel. First time l have used it, quite impressed.  Goes on, wait a few minutes whilst it goes a funny colour then pressure wash off. Next victim will be my S211 with the wheels off and a brush.

The new short gun for the pressure washer is nice to use and the snow foam cannon is easier to use.

I bought some Carbon Collective Ultimus Snow Foam as it was on offer. Instructions said 50ml for normal foam and 100ml for a long lasting thick coat. They weren't kidding, seriously thick and stayed put, almost needed peeling off!

Bit too tired to vacuum the interior and fault find but looks better now for Nonna duties tomorrow. I did check the oil though.

[vaughant]

Good looking cars these especially in estate form. 

We've got the next model on w205 and both love it.

Really good car. 

Only thing that's ever put me off these is they rot on the rear subframe.

I'm told the model I have does on very early ones too but mine looks pretty good so far 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼😬😬😬. My mates 64 has had a few advisories for his on the MOT.

I think Merc do it for free* anyway but it still costs a decent sum of money as there's loads of silly consumables to replace. 

 

[Brigsy]

Looks decent. Bilt Hamber auto wheel is amazing stuff, makes light work of heavy brake dust.

[Snake Charmer]

7 hours ago, vaughant said:

Good looking cars these especially in estate form. 

We've got the next model on w205 and both love it.

Really good car. 

Only thing that's ever put me off these is they rot on the rear subframe.

I'm told the model I have does on very early ones too but mine looks pretty good so far 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼😬😬😬. My mates 64 has had a few advisories for his on the MOT.

I think Merc do it for free* anyway but it still costs a decent sum of money as there's loads of silly consumables to replace. 

 

I also think they are a good looking car and felt the same about the rear subframe problems when looking at them. The interior reminds me of the Vectra we had, lots of grained plastic, l'm wondering what the leather interiors are like. Nonna likes it and is happy with the additional boot capacity over the Golf MkIV.

My only concern at the moment is the timing chain on the M271 as there is a bit of a rattle on cold start, once my hospital visits are completed that will be getting done as Nonna can use my S211 for non ULEZ Nonnaring. 

[Snake Charmer]

Spotted at St.Helier hospital today whilst seeing my consultant, a tidy S204. We pass an identical S204 in black on the trip up to the hospital, never seen it move.

[Snake Charmer]

I noticed the side lights had a couple of bulbs out so grabbed 4 501 capless bulbs, looks like the PCB inside the headlamp is broken and two of the bastards are floating about. That will have to wait

Copped a shot of the black S204 that never moves, 3ltr V6 CDI non ULEZ. Probably why it never moves, Mot expired 24th  May,  Tax 1st June. Must resist knocking on the door... .. 

 

[Cookiesouwest]

10 hours ago, Snake Charmer said:

I noticed the side lights had a couple of bulbs out so grabbed 4 501 capless bulbs, looks like the PCB inside the headlamp is broken and two of the bastards are floating about. That will have to wait

Copped a shot of the black S204 that never moves, 3ltr V6 CDI non ULEZ. Probably why it never moves, Mot expired 24th  May,  Tax 1st June. Must resist knocking on the door... .. 

 

Go knock

 

[Snake Charmer]

3 hours ago, Cookiesouwest said:

Go knock

 

Not going past until 11th June, sadly l have no need of another non ULEZ Mercedes.