No Budget Reviews (with Driven 247): 2000 Mercedes-Benz C200 (W202) Classic Selection Automatic

Google Form Link for ordering Mugs and T-Shirts: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...
-One 2000 Mercedes-Benz C200 (W202) Classic Selection Automatic
-One Mobile Phone
-No Fancy Outfits
-No Obscure In-Jokes
-No DSLRs
-No Shotgun Microphones
-No Fluid Head Tripods
-No Idea about Exposure
-No Budget Whatsoever
It is time for the newest instalment in that beloved cinematic automotive KZbin experience where we film practical cars that can be bought for less than £1,000 in a manner befitting of their inexpensive value! This may go horribly wrong (and frequently does)...
Amber's Driven 247 Channel: / driven247
This time, as we test a 2000 Mercedes-Benz C200 (W202) Classic Selection Automatic in much better condition than the last W202 I drove. Marvel as we move the rear headrests by electricity, discover all round parking sensors, find an engine which does not have a leaking head gasket, enjoy a foot operated parking brake and drone on about very little of any importance at all. Nothing untoward, then...
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As an independent vehicle consultant, I take potential buyers through the whole car buying process from choosing a make and model to a vehicle handover and road tax. In addition to information on this service, I also have a selection of written and video reviews of cars that I have owned, hired, borrowed or have somehow come into my possession. Please use the Contact Me page on my website to get in touch, visit my Facebook page for latest updates and share this video if you like it! Thank you for watching.
Website: www.lloydvehicleconsulting.co.uk
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[@Driven247]

Thanks for a great afternoon my friend and good honest words about my Mercedes!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

No, thank you, my friend! Super video about the Rover, and I enjoyed driving a proper example of the W202 C-Class with a lot more equipment than the last one. Hopefully, we can do another one of these swaps soon!

[@Driven247]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting thanks for the kind words 🥰

[@johnbusst200]

W124, W129, W140 and the W202. Last of the proper Mercs.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, it all started to go a bit rubbish with the W210 and W203, sadly...

[@seancooke7332]

I absolutely love this first C Class. Like the 190 the C Class was a very solidly engineered and built car. A proper Mercedes Benz. This one did seem quiet and serene. Headroom looked good. A nice classic saloon shape. Better looking even than its replacement, which was a good looking car also. The cry of the seagulls was a nice touch in this beautiful setting.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the plusher models definitely show this W202 series of C-Class at its best. The rear legroom is quite poor (I didn't even bother showing it), but then it is the same story in the Rover 45. This was indeed a very classic Mercedes shape, similar to many other models they were making at the time. The 190E has more classic appeal at the moment, but this is in lovely condition.

[@alansimpson835]

I have to confess to not being a massive fan of Mercs of this era but Amber has indeed found the exception to my rule here. This car is a beaut and a great find. Love the collapsible rear headrests too. Loving the channel crossover too.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Oh sir, we have been enjoying the crossover this week! It is indeed a lovely example, so much better than the one which I drove back in May, which had a blown head gasket. Amber absolutely loves it.

[@Driven247]

Thanks Alan glad I met up with Joesph to film each other’s cars was good fun!

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Lovely example of a C Class testement to Amber there, excellent review Sir, I see what you mean it does look a regal car with the 3 pointed star on the Bonnet.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

It is the last car which Mercedes launched with this sort of design language, I think. The W210s started to have the four headlamp design, and thus moved away from it. It does feel very regal with the three pointed star there...

[@Driven247]

Thanks kind words and glad I did find a good example of the car, well worth the money!

[@markonmotoring]

A former neighbour of mine bought a C class direct from the factory in 1997. Occasionally I still see him driving the car.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

They seem to still be around in relatively large numbers for some reason, as are the W201 190Es. I remember the option to buy them directly from the factory back in the day!

[@markonmotoring]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Maybe they really were just better built back then. The gentleman in question was working as a HGV driver doing work on the continent at the time. It was around the time there were lots of articles about the difference in car prices between the UK and mainland Europe.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@markonmotoring , yes, I remember masses of debate about ridiculously high new car prices in this country in comparison with the rest of Europe in the late 1990s, hence why that was a popular thing to do at the time.

[@frothe42]

This is a very nice, well equipped generation of C class! We in the US never received fabric interiors, only leatherette or leather seating. Also, to get this level of interior options one had to select option groups, which made this Mercedes-Benz expensive. Climate control was automatic with a "Rest" mode which used engine heat to keep the interior warm up to 30 minutes! Engine options were 2.3 litre 4 and the 2.8 6, as well as the AMG versions. I don't remember if, by this time, the Kompressor engine was standard. Very nice to see front and rear Parksense™ parking assist. Parking 🅿 brake and cruise control are very typical Mercedes-Benz, at least from this American, all US Mercedes-Benz vehicles had them. And yes, if unfamiliar with a Mercedes-Benz, you could activate the cruise control if wanting to signal a turn, and vice versa. Also, this is a very low mileage example! A testament to the owner of this vehicle, as it is well loved! Thank you very much for the review Joseph!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, we got an awful lot more engine options over here, and the specification varied considerably. Using that parking brake with a manual gearbox is an absolute pain, as I think we have previously discussed, but with an automatic, you don't even need to use it most of the time anyway, so it is not really a big issue. Mercedes have finally fixed the issue with the cruise control, as their latest cars have it on the steering wheel! This Classic Selection is really loaded with extras, probably one of the reasons Amber likes it.

[@Alexsassets]

Nice to see a higher spec than my dad's C180 Classic. The lack of "handbrake" is what made me really not like the car (with manual box) . Hill starts are painful

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, I did drive that C200 Manual last year where the head gasket had blown, and that was tricky, as you can't put on the parking brake unless the car is in neutral. The release is fine, though. The automatics were always more desirable than the manuals.

[@PlanetautoUK]

Having owned both one of these, well a C180 and the C124, the difference in build and reliability is light and day, the 180 suffered from oil leaks to alternator failing and all manner of problems with relatively low mileage, where as the C124 everything bar the box issue is in good working order, interesting to see a last one from Daimler Chrysler, to be honest it did have a tough act to follow, the 190’s are extremely loved.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the M111 engines in these are not as strong as the older 2.0 engines in the previous W201 190E. They can be fine if they are low mileage and well looked after like this car, but they do have their problems. Amber's car is in excellent condition, but the one I drove last May was not. The C124s certainly are notoriously well made!

[@karlwood2268]

Another great review there Joseph. Nearly bought a near identical one of these a few years back, except it had the tin worm and a pond in the boot - think seal had gone round rear window.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Thank you, sir! There are lots of rough ones of these around, like the one I filmed last May, so one does need to be a bit careful when inspecting them. We don't like tin worm and ponds in the boot, do we?

[@karlwood2268]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting no we don’t, seen plenty of this era of C class with very scabby bodywork.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@karlwood2268 , yes, this one is almost immaculate by contrast.

[@trabali5168]

great cars, my fathers last car before he stopped driving C220 P reg elegance.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, this one is in lovely condition, Amber does look after it as well. Much better than the last one I drove, I think they were very popular with retired people who used to own W123s and W124s.

[@gerardusch]

After my 30 year old 190E got totalled in an accident (not my fault) last june, I used the insurance money to buy a 1998 C220 CDI Automatic (with 355.000 km !) It feels and drives a lot more modern than my sparsely equipped 190E, but in fairness, it's not built as bullet proof. And yes, there's rust (my 190E was completely rust free). The previous owner provided me with a full service history which shows that quite a lot of parts have already been replaced, whereas my 190E went on and on with almost no work required other than regular maintenance (it had 310.000 km when it got crashed). So my experience kinda shows the first glimmers of decline were already noticable in the W202 !

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, I think the W201 I drove last September did feel a bit more solid than either W202 I have driven. Over 300,000 km is quite a lot for any car, to be honest.

[@mattw8332]

Lovely! Another superb C-Class.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

It certainly is, sir!

[@matthawkins6875]

Lovely example. 24/7 better than the later C class (pun intended)!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, it is a low mileage car in really nice condition. Lots of tatty W202s around now, I drove one of them last year (link in the description), but this is worlds away from any of those. The W203s were worse as well, as you say.

[@Driven247]

Ha ha, nice one and thanks Matt!

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Very agreeable car MR Lloyd, I do remember runout specs at the time, when I was working at a prestige car dealer. I was very impressed by the extra equipment fitted, the overall quailty of the fit & finish. It felt like a miniature W140, suffice to say we were all very disappointed with the C-Class that followed.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the specification on this one is absolutely superb. It just needs a beige leather interior, really, but this will do. Amber's car is in superb condition, so much better than the last one I drove!

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes I also noticed the electric steering column adjustment by the ignition, very rare on a C-Class. Yes more wood and a beige leather interior would be splendid.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. , we are doing better than last time, as I suspect they threw all the options at these Classic Selections to get them out the door, but just a couple of further refinements would result in even more excitement.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting The worst spec I recall was the Esprit, it was very barebones, even by Hubnut standards. Only the passenger side mirror was electric, that was it.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. , I think the early Classics were even worse, no electric windows!

[@Robsnake]

Such a beautiful car

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, in superb condition for a car that is now 22 years old! Thank you ever so much indeed for watching.

[@alaricbragg7843]

Yes, we have these in New Zealand. Yes they would still be worth something here... A dashboard handbrake??? That would catch a learner driver out when parking on a steep hill! Jokes aside, great video! Amazing there's no rust! A caryard would sell this for about NZ$8000.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, secondhand cars in New Zealand are much more expensive than over here, even if the prices have risen considerably in the last six months. Amber's car is really good example, so not quite in No Budget Reviews territory, but, as we saw last year, you can easily get a rough one with an MOT well within budget.

[@alaricbragg7843]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes I am impressed. If I could buy that car I would - Being made in 2000 it would scrape over vehicle safety legislation threshold and only would require one WOF test a year, whereas the other Mercedes you are referring too (I am yet to see that video but I understand that was a 1996 car!) would need TWO tests a year and would probably be too much of a hassle to keep on the road.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@alaricbragg7843 , click on the link in the description below and have a look at the video of the previous W202 we covered. That car had an MOT, of course. It has since been scrapped.

[@alaricbragg7843]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Thanks!

[@colinhicks4174]

Wow, did they throw every single option into this car. It looks very well kept. Had to do the obligatory Autotrader check. Of the 20odd pre 2001 model year listed, only two were £1k or less. And they looked, well, ropey. Some are listed for strong money with low mileage. C280 for 8k with….. a tan leather interior. And every option except parking sensors. Also a 15000mi L reg (must be one of the first) for £5.5k

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, W202 C-Class prices seem to be quite variable, although you can pick one up with an MOT for less than £500 (which is what happened with the last one I tested). There were a lot of options on this car, some of which were a lot of fun...

[@Richard-Bullock]

You have done well to find a W202 that doesn't run on the devil's fuel!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Neither of the ones I have driven have been powered by the forbidden fuel, sir, as you might expect!