Is it Worth it? 2 Year Review of My 2013 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4matic in 2024
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- We bought our 2013 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4matic nearly 2 years ago to the day and wanted to tell you why the W204 C-Class is worth buying in 2024.
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This episode of TestDrive Garage goes over the ownership of our 2013 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4matic that we bought at the start of 2022. We go over all the maintenance and repairs we've spent on this vehicle in the 2 years we've had it, along with some common problems you might experience, and all the reasons why we love this car.
Whether you're looking for your first car, your first luxury car, a winter beater, or just something reliable, we think the W204 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the way to go. This is the ultimate used luxury car.
TestDrive is proudly produced in St Thomas, Ontario, Canada.
I just picked up a 2010 C300 4Matic Sport with 64,000 miles on it. It was dealer maintained. Feels like a brand new car. So pleased!
That's awesome, enjoy it! Sounds like a nice low-mileage model.
i drive that exact same car with 155k miles on it, in silver. it's the best car ever. to me, it's the best looking of the w204's
That was my 1st mercedes. After a few years I bought a 2012 c300 4matic. They are very similar but a ton of upgrades. I was driving somewhere late at night and had an alert pop up saying 'Drowsiness detected". I don't even have that stuff in my 2023 Ford Taurus. It blows my mind how much better they are even in older models.
Got into a 2014 C300 about 2 years ago. Older gentleman traded it in with only 39k miles. Spotless and always serviced at MB. Car is an absolute joy to drive and has more than enough get up and go for me. Always do my oil at 5k. Did plugs at 60 and transmission service at 70. Just hit 80k recently and so far so good. Not to mention a beast in the snow too. These Germans sure do know what they’re doing there 🤣. Knew a guy that had one 2013 with almost 200k miles ran flawlessly. Maintain them and they will maintain you.
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you scored an awesome deal. Can't go wrong with the W204 C-Class, ours continues to serve us well.
I have a m271 version, the 2013 C250. It runs great no problems, never left me stranded. I always do my oil changes myself every 5k miles. Had the car for 5 years. Bought it for 13k with 36k miles, now has 104k miles still runs great.
I convinced 6 friends/colleagues to buy post refresh W204s in the past 2 years. Unbeatable for the money and super reliable. Mine was totaled in a crash last month 😢.
Sorry to hear about yours! I'm thoroughly impressed with this car, I'm really glad I bought this over the Audi A6s I had been shopping at the same time.
I totaled mine too, and im still pissed. Thinking of picking up another one.
I'm looking at one myself, hence why I'm on this video, Im not sure whether to go for a C300 Or C350 when I have the money saved up. I just know the C350 makes 300 instead of the 250 that the 300 makes.
@@lemurrust522I have the E350 Model, currently racked almost 200,000 miles with no catastrophic failure other than serpentine pulleys going out and dry rot around the axle boots
Love older car reviews! Very well done
Glad you like them! We had the chance to do some this past year, but we're hoping for a lot more opportunities in 2024.
My dad bought this car back in 2015,the milage was low since it wasn't used a lot and I gotta say it's the best car, mine is more of like a sporty look and interior but overall it's the best car mercedes ever made and your reviews are very well done
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve had my 2012 c250 for more than 5 years currently over 210,000 miles!
Awesome! We're at about 234k kms now, hoping to hold onto it for at least another few years.
I've had my 2013 for eight years. It just hit 100K miles. I made two upgrades. First, I got the ECU tune from Kleemann. Makes the throttle more responsive. Then I replaced the Becker Navigator with a CarABC Wireless Carplay module and an aftermarket backup camera.
Glad to hear it! I did get a third party accessory screen that doesn't require replacing the original hardware, although I do think it would be a worthwhile upgrade. Mines been great so far, I just don't drive it much as it's used to shuttle me between OEMs each week while I swap press cars.
@@PRNTestDrive oh, it's not a third-party screen. It's a replacement of the built-in navigation system using the Command interface.
@@plawer8do you have a c300? I just got mine and was looking to get CarPlay but didn’t want to rip out old hardware, is it easy to use?
Just the video I was looking for in 2024 I’m so close to going and getting one of these and this is helping me get excited about it
Glad to hear it! We just published a video today about adding an aftermarket infotainment unit to this, I still need to wire up the backup camera but it’s already proving to make the car even more enjoyable to drive.
Happy you're keeping the car. I hope we see more videos of it.
Address that water leak ASAP. Water could flood the electrical connectors in the door sills and it would be a headache to fix. Happened to my W203 and I believe the W204 has the connectors in the same places.
I definitely will! It only seems to happen at the car wash, I had some heavy rain with this recently and it's dry. I know the engine bay is clear but I'll have to double check the sunroof. It almost feels like it's coming in from the door though, as it drips down from between the door and the dash.
W204 with the M276 engine is very reliable. I love this car. I wish i could own two of them. It can take a beating. Change your oil every 3000 miles. Change all the fluids. Change the spark plugs every 60, 000 miles. I am so thankful i bought this car when it had 87K miles.
Couldn't agree more!
@@PRNTestDrive i bought mine from Car Max. I have owned it for almost 2 years problem free. First thing i did was replace the tranny fluid. A year later, i replaced the power steering, brake fluid, radiator coolant, rear brakes and rotor, rear diff fluid, spark plugs. I am getting ready to replace the belt assembly----good idea to do this before 120,000 miles. I replaced the air filter. I replace the air filter twice a year. I replace the coolant with Zerex G48 every year. I use Royal Purple 5 quarts of 5w-30 abd 1 quart of 0w-40. It loves it.Changw the oil every 3000 miles. Always let the car warm up for about 10 minutes. It was a great car when i bought it. After all my preventive maintenance, this car got 35% smoother and better. When i get to a traffic light, you literally cannot tell if the engine is running or not. It is that quiet and still. So, i am essentially giving the car the maintenance it needs. Because it is direct injection, there is a good chance the valves are clogged up with carbon. The Italian treatment with frequent oil changes at first (every 2000 miles), is one way to get rid of some of the carbon and gink inside the engine. Drive it in sports mode during the Italian treatment period. Add sone Royal Purple Max (quarter of a bottle) fuel treatment in the gas tank every 3 months within the first 6 months. After some months, the throttle response gets better if you do these preventive maintenance together with Italian treatment. Once the response improved, i now drive it in economy mode most of tge time. I try to hit at least 5,000 rpm to 6000 rpm each time i drive it. This car wants and needs to be driven at high speeds and some times at high rpms. I use Royal Purple engibe oil because Royal Purple does clean out internal dirt, gunk, and carbon in the engine.
I was looking into a 13’ C350 I'm thinking about picking up one with 100000KM-120000KM, thoughts?
Safe to say that as a first car, if I had to get a C300, I’m better off with getting a CPO or one with under 100K miles, they are pretty bulletproof
I think it would be hard to find a Mercedes CPO vehicle on this one at this point, as most programs are 8 years or newer at the dealership level. Low mileage doesn't necessarily mean lower costs of maintenance, as you may find you need to do more preventative maintenance. We always recommend getting the service history of the vehicle so you know what's been done with it.
Just hit 113k miles on my 2013 C300, had to change the timing belt but that’s it. It even saved me in a snow storm 😂 great car and I drive a lot, first got it with 77k miles 2 years ago
Great to hear! Ours keeps on working great for us.
Ive had the 2013 c300 4matic for 4 years, such a reliable and fun car. Its good on all tiers except for power, decent performane, good gas mileage, good looks, easy diy maintainence, cheap parts (if u do part number research), good relaibility, perfect stability. All its needs is a little power🤔🤔
Check if you can still get the ECU tune from Kleemann in Denver. Removes the detune and makes it perform a bit better than a C350.
@@plawer8 i get 23mpg in sport mode tho😂
@@AJ_C300 I get 26-33 MPG in eco mode. I only use sport mode when I need it.
@@plawer8 I run e85 and sport mode lol😂😂
I'm not getting a lot of use out of mine as it's serving as my leave-behind car while swapping out press vehicles, but it fires up every week without issue and continues to serve.
I just purchased a 2014 model in silver, wish me luck!
Enjoy it! Silver is a sharp colour for this generation.
How has it treated you since you bought it?
would love to see an apple carplay or android auto integration into the OEM radio or atleast a rear view camera install into the oem radio. Great videos btw
I've been toying with that idea, there might be a way to install an OEM backup camera kit on this, but a full radio replacement would likely be easier since none of the car's settings are controlled through the system.
If you have the Becker Navigation module, you can replace it with the CarABC module and get Carplay/Android Auto. I have had mine for 18 month and no real issues with it.
Still have my 2012 C300. Had it for 3 years. Awesome car
Glad to hear it! I get to drive mine every couple weeks when I swap out press cars. I enjoy driving it, but I was reminded this week that the A/C doesn't work and summer is quickly approaching.
I have a w204 with company installed glk 350 system .. I call him samson he’s a beast put a performance exhaust sounds and runs like a champ better than other w204 cause of the glk 350 system
As far as I know the engine in the GLK 350 is the same engine as the C 350, which is the same engine as my C 300 just de-tuned. What do you mean by yours having a GLK 350 system? Not sure I follow what's going on with that.
👀
I have one a2913 c300 only 58600 I love it and you are right 4 months park and it turns no extra battery boost 🙏
Enjoy yours!
I've had mine for 7 years and it's given me no problems. Super reliable the m276 is a great motor
Glad to hear it! Mine keeps serving without complaint.
I got one last year, lunar blue 2012. I got loaded options. Its been a pleasure. 139k. 11k with a warrenty.
Very nice! I always enjoy driving mine even if it's just for a short period every few weeks. Never lets me down.
Great car but you got ripped off! I just bought a 2012 C300 also Lunar blue with 46k Miles for $9800. Bought it at carmax
milage wise they are staggered in milage, good find there though, is this with a warranty as well and 4matic?
@@trbocar 4Matic, Navigation, Moon roof, back up camera, Luxury package. Car looks brand new. Although I didn't get Warranty.
@@marcoperez4555
I shopped around for a couple months for mine, It took a bit to find a dealer that 1. had the inventory and 2. even offered the warranty, It was not easy but no worries over a year later things been a tank.
Our c250 was an absolute nightmare after 2 years. We bought it used and might have been dodgy repairs from previous owner but we cant be certain. I have been so scared to buy another mercedes after that it has totally changed my opinion on the whole brand. Im buying a BMW that i have done tons of research on but still love the look of these and would probably save me tons of money compared to the newer bmw im looking at😭
Sounds like you may have had a bad one. Mine just keeps on doing what I ask of it, I don't get to drive it much but it never lets me down.
Probably a lemon but to be honest BMW are not behind in problems liter germ cars are. Good luck 🙏
Nice to see you kept it.
I'm glad I kept it also.
Hey! I’m looking in the near future to getting one of these cars! The tear in the driver seat looks to be a common problem. Also, I would try replacing the windshield cowl for that leak
The seat is definitely a common issue, it seems to be due to the cheaper materials Mercedes used. Any of these W204s I find have ripped seats if they're leatherette.
Thanks for the update
You bet!
I have the exact same car. It was good up until a couple days ago when I was driving and the conductor plate in the transmission went bad. Now I'm looking at a several thousand dollar repair. Only 100k KM and impeccable maintenance history.
Sorry to hear that! That's really low mileage considering.
I’m looking to buy this car. Do you know how to check to make sure that the one i’m buying doesn’t have that problem ?
Hello! Just have a question about the facelift version having carbon build up issues. Is this something that has to be cleaned every so often? Compared to the pre-facelift. Great video btw!
From my understanding the post and pre-facelift engines have the same tendency for carbon build up. It seems like a relatively straightforward process to DIY it, and something I may look at doing with my car in the future. So far I haven't noticed any performance issues at 232k kms.
Just got mine back after water damage repair. That leak is cuz of the sunroof rails being clogged. Cost 3.2k to fix but insurance covered 3K
Why did insurance pay for it I thought that was only if there’s damages on the outside
thanks for updateee
Glad you found it, thanks!
Beautiful car but you should review my daily TDI Golf, sitting at 242km on a fresh suspension and "breathing" mods
Thanks for reaching out via email! We love hearing from local enthusiasts and always jump at the opportunity to feature classic cars on the show.
Got also a w204 facelift stil the best
Love this car and I am looking all over to try and find a good price - seems like there's nothing under 17k CAD. Bummer
Where bouts are you located? I know they come up often enough here, strangely I'm seeing a lot of W221 S-Classes pop up on my feeds.
@@PRNTestDrive Ottawa region
@@hassanhannawi1767Get at me bro I have a 2013 c250 amg package 8500$ 126,000 miles well taken care of new parts n new engine only 80k on engine ‼️ only if your serious clean title 1.8 turbo
One thing to keep in mind with all w204 mercedes is the common esl failure issue
Thank you very much for such an interesting video. Could you please advise the name of trim in your car? I want to replace the one in my C250 with this one.
Should I buy one 6.8k 116k mileage clean title ? 2013 c300??
Good question I’m in the same situation right now lol
@@Makeitcount110 😂
Sounds like a good price and decent mileage. What’s the service history look like?
@@PRNTestDriveI’m getting one for 1k from one of my homies 90k miles only thing the ac is not working F
For a thousand bucks you can't go wrong. Should be able to replace every component of the AC system for about the same amount, I priced it out from RockAuto last year and wasn't too expensive.
Hi, stumbled upon your channel and they are great. What do you think of a 2017 C300 4 Matic? It has 79,000 miles, selling for $17,000 plus $1,500 Doc Fees with the Mercedes dealer? Closing the deal tomorrow. Would really like your advice on this, coming from a female perspective with no mechanical background. Thank you in advance.
I do like the W205, we drove one around the time it was new, back in 2017 or so. I don't think there's much that goes wrong on those over something like these, I believe they sorted out some of the electronic issues this car had with newer safety tech. Sounds like a decent deal given the mileage, and if it's at a Mercedes dealership then you should be in good shape, as they don't typically hold onto vehicles older than 5 years. if they're selling it, then it likely means it's a really good car.
2012 c class c300 8k USD asking 140,000 miles Carefax has alot of maintenance at Mercedes dealers up until now. What do you think? Thanks for all you do!
Sounds like a decent enough deal, always have it looked over by a trusted mechanic first just to be safe!
Hey sorry to bother u but im thinking about getting a 2013 c300 sedan 97,000 miles for $9,000...is that a good price and what should i look for being this will be my 1st car
Sounds like a decent enough deal, low mileage for the year considering. I'd make sure the service history is included as you may have some major maintenance-related items coming up in the near future, especially if it's your first car. Mine's been very good to me so far, aside from the A/C I haven't had any major issues with it. As long as buying this car doesn't put you at the maximum of your budget, you should be fine. You'll want to keep a couple thousand set aside for the first year in case there are any unexpected repairs that you need to do.
@@PRNTestDrive thank you
Seat ripping, should be able to buy seat cover replacement from either aftermarket or if you want, mercedes have them too, but since you have heated seats, you'll want to buy the heating panel too as you cant exactly transfer the heat panel well.
Sunroof drains, theres 2 holes on front edges of the sunroof. Get compressed air to blast it or drain snake thats small and long enough.
I'll double check the sunroof drains in spring, I find that in winter the seal freezes and it sounds like something snaps if I open it. Plus it doesn't close properly, I have to stick my hand out the window and push down on the wind net for the panel to close, it thinks something is in the way and opens to avoid crushing it.
Hi would u recommend the c class elegance from 2012-2013 diesel edition as I prefer the look of that over this vehicle
We didn't get the diesels here in Canada, but I imagine they're pretty solid engines overall.
Got my c350 tuned To 330hp 400nm
Hope it works out for you!
Thoughts on the 220 diesel engine? Thinking of buying one, currently driving a VW polo 9n3, kind of a big upgrade (for me).
Unfortunately we never got the diesel versions of these here in Canada. I'd imagine the engine itself is solid enough though, Mercedes historically has mad excellent diesel engines.
great video
Glad you enjoyed it!
Looking at one for 13k usd with 70k miles and one year warranty through the dealership. Thoughts?
Price seems a bit high given the mileage, I'd also check into what the warranty covers as it may just be on items the dealer missed on their inspection, rather than covering the engine/transmission for any problems down the road. It could be a decent deal though if you have the service history on the vehicle.
Its no dificult you can buy the original cover from Mercedes Benz directly, not very expensive and almost any mechanic can replace it. I just replace it on my C300 2012 sport 4matic Avangarde edition. As for your transmission that is not normal, are you sure you have no leaking from the radiator to your transmission>? That is common on the C300 if your radiator as a crack on the plastic area or your O'ring is bad, I just t also replace my radiator to avoid that issue. Also around 100K miles you may need to replace your fuel pumps. They are worth a lot more then your estimate, I am guessing yours in not in the greatest of conditions.
I was pretty clear where mine is on the market scale, but I also discuss what the price of a good example should be. Same goes for my S-Class, I have 104,000 kms on it and it's worth about $26k, but a poor example is sitting at $9k. My C-Class probably is worth around $6-7k whereas a good example closer to $12-13k.
I’ve been looking at one online at a used car dealership in Ottawa, it’s listed at just under $10k with 220km, what’s a reasonable offer for a price I could go to them with ? I’m a student so I’m looking for something a little more fun but also affordable!
I paid $9k for mine with the same mileage back at the start of 2022 when prices were at a high. Today the market has shifted and cars are sitting on dealership lots, so I would suggest paying less, $8k would be the most I'd spend and that's with a full service history and updated maintenance on it. If the dealer has had it for a while they may have more into the car than it's ultimately worth, so there might not be any wiggle room on price.
The upkeep and mainteance will be too high on these cars now. They are 10+ years old with avg mileage of 140k. The tranmission is very slow and clunky. Mine jerks coming out of a corner when I press on the gas. Sometimes its hunting for a higher gear and then downshifts with a "thud" becuase I pressed on the gas a little out of the corner.
Leakage on 10 yr old Mercedes in unacceptable.
I'm at 233k km on this now, not a whole lot since filming this truthfully, but it just keeps on serving. It'll sit for weeks at a time and fire right up without complaint. Yeah, I know not to kick down the transmission at speed but all cars have weird quirks you have to live with. I'd rather be driving this Mercedes at 233k and 11 years old than a similar Accord , Malibu, or Altima.
Look above at my comment 🙄 ugh. Those drive lines in the 4matic is shit. Rwd in this car is fine. I wonder if your having the same problem I did.
Sounds like maintenance was not kept up with or it was ignored. These things are beats and reliable.
You not driving the car properly simple
i saw a few 2011-2013 c350 online between 60-70k kms with sun roof going for $20k, worth it?
Seems on the high side to me, but it depends on the overall service history and maintenance. A 10-13 year old car with low mileage may still need quite a bit of regular maintenance based on the age rather than the mileage.
How much does insurance premium go up buying a used luxury sedan vs a regular used sedan?
I'm not paying any more for this than I was for my Ford Focus, but it may depend on your area. Often luxury cars have more safety/security tech than a consumer-level vehicle which could be seen as a benefit when insuring it.
In my case, it was also a wash. The '14 Mercedes has better safety tech, and my '06 Accord was a high-theft vehicle. i'm paying about $15 a month more on this 8-year-newer "luxury" car.
The 1500-1600 AC fix hurts
It will, that's for sure. Luckily I'm only using it as a go-between for press car swaps, so I only use it for 5 minutes a week, but that could jump to 45 mins depending on where I need to go. I'll have to get it addressed sooner rather than later.
avoid the m272 engine get the m276 which is the one in this video
M276 started in i believe 2012 if not its in 2013 and 14 for sure.
I got M276 in my 2011 c350
Hey man, I’m in the market for one that has a 150,000 miles on it and it doesn’t have any thing wrong with it going for 6k
What do you think about that?
Sounds like a pretty fair price overall! As long as there isn't any major problems and the service history seems up to date you should be good. I haven't had to worry about mine, every week I use it the car fires up without problem, performs everything I need it to, and never complains. Not much more you can ask from a car!
My w204 is my most favorite car
I really like mine, it continues to serve me well. I just brought it back to the Toronto area after it's little holiday at home, I never have to worry about it failing to start, or something going wrong. it just keeps on working.
Can you tell me how to fix a lick on the engine of a c300 2014
Hi I am in Toronto aswell, I came upon a 2013 C300 with 150k kms at $12500. Usually if checked can these vehicles last longer?
Seems like a decent enough deal, I paid $9k for mine at 220k kms in 2022, and it's been very solid for me these past couple years.
I've had mine for 7 months now, and it has 86k miles (137k km) ... it literally feels like a new car! It's a southern (US) car, so no rust issues or anything.
how many miles did he say was on the vehicle? i’m looking at a c300 from the MB dealership that has about 150k but is apparently in mint condition and i’m nervous to get into it
Mine currently has about 231k kms on it, or around 144k miles.
Looking into c class Mercedes 13-16
Can't go wrong with them. We drove one of these back when it was newer, a CPO vehicle when we partnered with a local M-B dealership. It's funny now 7 years later I ended up buying one myself, I loved it when I first drove it, and still love this generation today.
wauw hot car Nile
I like it!
Is it worth it to buy C220 diesel here in Albania they are 11-12K but i dont know about parts is it worth it to buy and does it show defects bcs i think i cant afford to spend much money on parts
We didn't get the diesels here unfortunately, but hopefully it works out for you.
Looking at one with 60k km asking price 15k
Considering what I paid for mine that sounds like a steal, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good deal. If it comes with the service history then it could be, but considering the car market has slowed down in the last 8 months I'd say that it's a bit high on price.
What’s your mpg ?
I'm usually around the 7L/100km mark on highway, which is about 33.6 US MPG. In town maybe around 8.6L/100km or around 27.4 MPG.
Should I buy one with 157k miles on it? For 6k? Pls help
Get at me bro I have a 2013 c250 amg package 7500$ 126,000 miles well taken care of new parts n new engine only 80k on engine ‼️ only if your serious clean title
It's very fast to it has a little 1.8 turbo it picks up
I believe we were chatting on our Facebook page, but maintenance/repair bills are always good to have. We mentioned that ours was smelling like gas, turned out to be a very simple fix. Car just went in for an oil change and inspection also.
Found one with 80k miles for 15k
Not bad in terms of mileage, the price seems a tad high though. Depends on service history.
I wish he would blackout the front hood grill
But why 🤷🏼♂️
Dont do it it just gonna look shitty lol
C250 coupe 2015 or c300 2014 ?? not a car guy 🤣 someone please help me
It needs 2 turbos
No turbos has been super reliable for me so far! I don't think I'd want to change it.
Nice car, but I definitely feel you spent too much on it especially with all the repairs.
I don't know about that, it's hard to find a reliable car for less these days, and the repairs aren't anything specific to the car/Mercedes, so they'd come up on any other vehicle. The trade off is I get a fantastic AWD system and a stylishly handsome vehicle to suit it. I have an upgrade I'll be filming on it later in February that I'm excited to try out.
Some of them have u joints that fail at 90k. Learned my lesson. It was expensive to fix and I hate how the seats rip in the c class. Its small and compact, ppl dont actually fit in the back. Its a great car, if your a midget 🙄 I still have mine. Im like 5'10 😒 lol
It's true of most sedans that there isn't much rear legroom. Even on my short wheelbase S-Class the rear doesn't get much leg room.
What's the insurance like on these ?
Depends entirely on where you live. I was paying about $105/mo but without collision or comprehensive.
I'm in montreal 🤝🏽
Do u have one? I’m from Montreal too
Yikes sounds expensive to maintain
Compared to maybe a civic with similar mileage, but everything that I’ve had to work on aside from the AC is typical wear and tear for any car.
i’m looking at a 2017 c300 amg package it has 72k miles what you think about it?
We have reviewed the W205 on the show, they're a nice upgrade over this, reliability seems similar enough although we know some interior pieces seem to wear out faster on the newer models due to cheaper materials being used.
@@PRNTestDrive hi thanks for the reply but i did not end up buying the car because the owner wanted more then what he asked but instead i got a 2016 c300 4matic with 68k miles 👍