Faults:

Tapping sound originated from the hydraulic lifters. All lifters had to be replaced at one week of ownership.

Engine had some strange knocking/clanking sound. Noisy engine.

Oil seepage around the engine head gasket.

Fuel tank had some strange problems. For example, it won't let me fill it up completely with fuel. So I had to keep on clicking the fuel pump trigger.

A/C compressor noise.

Front ABS acted erratically.

Moon roof acted erratically. Sometimes it got stuck and won't close.

Plastic trims on front seats started to crack.

Buttons on the crappy Becker head unit fell apart.

Rear speakers blew.

Front rear view mirror fell apart at around 30,000 miles.

Rear right light bulb often blew for no apparent reason.

I think this car was a lemon.

General Comments:

Nice car on the outside, a real girl magnet.

Handling is nice and crisp.

But there isn't any torque to speak of. Engine feels lethargic and unresponsive.

High maintenance cost and dealer attitude.

Faults:

I have recently experienced several repairs. The ball joints needed to be replaced ($480), the front end suspension bracket snapped ($650), and most recently the air mass sensor ($600). I replaced the front and rear brakes ($800) and had the front end aligned ($80). Under warranty, the dealer repainted both front doors where the paint bubbled up from under the molding.

General Comments:

The car runs great and handles well. I am concerned that this will be the beginning of a string of repairs.

Faults:

The air mas flow sensor was faulty. This was noticed during the first inspection by Cargo East, but not replaced.

During the second service (in Germany) the agent noticed the fault and replaced the sensor unit under warranty, even though this car had been bough in South Africa.

Otherwise, no problems.

General Comments:

The C180 is very underpowered and therefore not what one expects from a Mercedes.

On the reef the low engine power and torque results in poor gear changes, but at sea level this is not such a big problem.

The C180 is a good car for an older, retired person who wants a comfortable car that will give many years of service.

Faults:

I am still having problems with the LED display partially showing the temperature settings. If I tap the display it shows the full letters.

The fuel gauge seems to be sticking at the 1/4 tank mark. It will drastically drop and the yellow warning light comes on with approximately 1 gallon of fuel left.

I had to replace the steering shock absorber. The cost was $75.

I replaced the front rotors and brake pads. The cost was $325.

No other things have gone wrong.

General Comments:

This is a nice Mercedes-Benz. It has the 4 cylinder engine, which is a nice fuel saver. However, due to this engine, it lacks acceleration performance. Granted, I wouldn't ever trade back for my previous car. Fast or not, it's still a Mercedes-Benz.

Interior room is plentiful for the front passengers. The rear seat is just large enough for two average-sized adults. The pull-down center console on the rear seat makes a great place to hold refreshments.

The automatic climate control is the best amenity! I keep the control set at 70 degrees all year long.

Faults:

The gearbox and clutch were replaced at 127,000 miles, although at £960 incl. VAT this wasn't as bad as I first thought it would be.

At 106,000 miles the ABS sensor in the rear differential had to be drilled out and replaced, as it had become 'welded' in.

The ABS sensor on the front right hand wheel has also just given up, but this is a very simple and cheap repair.

It goes through numerous rear left brake light bulbs and generally is a bit quirky with the electrics, e.g. the sunroof switch sometimes doesn't work correctly, the lights behind the right heater position select dial only come on when the dial is turned.

General Comments:

For the amount of use this car has had I am very impressed with it, all the above points are not really grumbles, more like running costs.

I also have a garage local to me in South-London that is an independent Mercedes specialist. It is run by ex-Mercedes mechanics and uses only genuine Mercedes parts, but charges only a third of the normal labor charge. This as you can imagine, means that you get quality servicing and repairs at knock down prices. They also stamp your book with "Keys, Mercedes Specialist"