Buying a Used Mercedes-Benz C230 CGi: Yes / No?

[kartik98k]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum. I'm from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. And as of now we have an Innova in the family which we bought in 2010 but now we'd like to add another car to the stable. What I'm confused about is should I go for used a used premium sedan or a new D segment sedan considering my budget of about 14-16 lakhs.
After some research, I've come across a Mercedes C230 cgi W204 - 2009 November that has run about 55000 kilometres being sold for 12 lakhs. Now the C230 has a 2.5L V6 engine that manages to produce about 204 bhp. And I figured, in my budget I could add some performance as well as some aesthetic mods ,
Performance racechip - 50000
Magnaflow exhaust with AMG quad tips- 60000
245/40/18 tires with alloys(momo hyperstar18") - 1,30,000
H&R sport springs - 45000
Car wrapped in cherry red (maybe) - 50000

The grand total comes to about 14,50,000.
Which is, very well in my budget.
Not to mention, I'll get for myself a very fun to drive 270 bhp C class.
Or I could just get a plain Jane base Jetta or Octavia.
Please feel free to give your advices.
The car that is put up for sale is in pristine condition, non accidental and company serviced 1st owner. With all proper documents.

 

[Akash1886]

The grand total comes to about 14,50,000.
Which is, very well in my budget.
Not to mention, I'll get for myself a very fun to drive 270 bhp C class.
Or I could just get a plain Jane base Jetta or Octavia.
Please feel free to give your advices.
The car that is put up for sale is in pristine condition, non accidental and company serviced 1st owner. With all proper documents.

I would say Kartik go for the Merc. A decently maintained and decently modded Merc would definitely be a lethal combo. It is much easier on pocket to maintain it than a Jetta/Octavia considering the ASC of VW/Skoda. Moreover, I believe, in comparison to VW/Skoda cars a well maintained Mercedes would prove to be more reliable. Go For It

Regards

Akash

 

[kartik98k]

Thanks for your advice akaash.also I've heard that Mercedes spar parts are notoriously expensive and even little things cost a fortune. You said it perfectly for Skoda and VW's aftersales though.

 

[Akash1886]

also I've heard that Mercedes spar parts are notoriously expensive and even little things cost a fortune.

Well, If you buy spares from dealers then obviously premium is there but peace of mind is also there. Just in case you feel that spares are expensive, you can try out good and reliable mechanics and after market shops in your place and look for those who have a good & reliable history of dealing with premium luxury cars like BMW, Mercs, Jaguars et al.

Regards

Akash

 

[kartik98k]

Thanks for your advice Akash1886 but sadly I was away on a business trip and when I came back the merc was sold. So once again I turned to various sites and dealers in search for a nice car that'd bring a smile on my face. Haha. And I've come across a SKODA superb 3.6 V6 FSI 2011 model that's run just 12K kilometres. It's in baby blue colour. I'm probably gonna wrap it I buy it.The only thing that's scaring me right now is SKODA ASS. I drove it and my god she rides like a beast. Plenty of power for daily runs. And the cabin is pin drop silent with almost zero vibrations. Please do give your opinion as I plan to seal the deal in coming 2 weeks. Thank you for your valuable time and thoughts.

Mods - you may change the title of the thread as seen appropriate by you.

 

[nag2fat]

Thanks for your advice Akash1886 but sadly I was away on a business trip and when I came back the merc was sold. So once again I turned to various sites and dealers in search for a nice car that'd bring a smile on my face. Haha. And I've come across a SKODA superb 3.6 V6 FSI 2011 model that's run just 12K kilometres. It's in baby blue colour. I'm probably gonna wrap it I buy it.The only thing that's scaring me right now is SKODA ASS. I drove it and my god she rides like a beast. Plenty of power for daily runs. And the cabin is pin drop silent with almost zero vibrations. Please do give your opinion as I plan to seal the deal in coming 2 weeks. Thank you for your valuable time and thoughts.

V6 is a killer. You will surely enjoy and have a wide smile whenever you drive her. However, as the new superb came in, the V6 has been stopped. Hence procuring spare parts may be difficult(Usual skoda horrors). And the thing which pricks me is, again the skoda's ASS and the steep maintenance costs.

Why can't you try for used corollas? It will be reliable and easy on pocket...

 

[kartik98k]

Hey there nag2fat, we already have a Toyota and honestly it's totally amazing how the company cares for their customers but we'd like to opt for something else now. Also, I've driven the corolla and simply put the driving experience is a tad too bland and boring. A couple of my friends own lauras and they haven't had such horrible experiences with SKODA. I have one other option too, there's a 2008 523i pre facelift on sale for 14 Lakhs. Should I go check that out?

 

[amitpshelke]

As you presented the budget and calculation, it seems that it could be better package if the car is best condition. Else for every spares & repairs it would cost you huge.

In case if you opted for new Skoda Octavia or VW Jetta, the maintenance cost would be little less as the zero dep' insurance will anytime help you better.

A 2009 model means its is almost 7 years old so zero dep is not possible mostly. Plus the insurance cost for older merc would as good as the new Jetta or Octavia. Considering you are driving on India roads so the performance test would be almost similar even if you modified the Merc with jet engines.

You may need to improve a budget a little more but you could get a good car for long term.

 

[kartik98k]

Hey amit, thank you for your inputs. What are your thoughts about the superb v6 3.6 FXI?

 

[type-r]

Thanks for your advice Akash1886 but sadly I was away on a business trip and when I came back the merc was sold. So once again I turned to various sites and dealers in search for a nice car that'd bring a smile on my face. Haha. And I've come across a SKODA superb 3.6 V6 FSI 2011 model that's run just 12K kilometres. It's in baby blue colour. I'm probably gonna wrap it I buy it.The only thing that's scaring me right now is SKODA ASS. I drove it and my god she rides like a beast. Plenty of power for daily runs. And the cabin is pin drop silent with almost zero vibrations. Please do give your opinion as I plan to seal the deal in coming 2 weeks. Thank you for your valuable time and thoughts.

The Superb V6, although being a great car has some issues, like it runs on 97 octane best or else you will not get the full performance. Spares can be an issue since it was a very very rare model.

The 523i is a good deal but its too expensive for the year. I think max it should be 10-11 lacs.

 

[Akash1886]

I've come across a SKODA superb 3.6 V6 FSI 2011 model that's run just 12K kilometres

Firstly, check the history of the vehicle and ascertain as to why in 5 years it has such low ODO. Had it been any other brand, I wouldn't have bothered as much but SKODA cars have a long history of unreliability and poor after sales. Get the details of it's owner and talk to him/her personally. He/She may give you the real reason behind selling off the car at such a low ODO. It is not always good to fall for lesser number of Kms on ODO.

The only thing that's scaring me right now is SKODA ASS. I drove it and my god she rides like a beast. Plenty of power for daily runs. And the cabin is pin drop silent with almost zero vibrations. Please do give your opinion as I plan to seal the deal in coming 2 weeks. Thank you for your valuable time and thoughts.

People who buy a new SKODA car make 100% sure that nothing shall go wrong with it yet they often land up in mess. So, as you are buying a pre-owned SKODA, make yourself 200% sure before sealing the deal. Check for Vehicle's History and Service Records. Skoda makes Good Looking, Performance oriented and Feature loaded cars but it all goes down the drain the moment ASC and reliability are spoken about. In my opinion, up till now, the safest bet in terms of Skoda cars has been the Rapid and to some extent the Yeti (as it is Yeti SUV doesn't sell much). Sit down, think in calm way and then decide. Whether its a new or pre-owned car, you as an owner should have your peace of mind which I am sorry to say, with SKODA, is difficult to find. Skoda Cars in my view, though are nice but pathetic After Sales and ASC network make it a life-long liability rather than a asset for buyers.

Regards

Akash

 

[max_jeopardy]

Hello Karthik,

Skoda is notorious for expensive maintenance and superb has major imported components which are not shared by many cars here. Procuring these items may be a risk at a later date.

I would suggest as you have a nice budget, and looking for big brand cars, why don't you look for a company certified off lease luxury brands.

Mercedes already have a certified pre owned car sales network, and I heard even Audi was starting one through their existing dealership network.

It may be a bit on higher side but the peace of mind and manufacturer guarantee makes up for it.

These cars also come with some minimum coverage on transmission and engine that you may miss on other used cars.

Give a try to these dealers and bargain hard, you can easily get them in your budget.


Cheers !!

SG

 

[kartik98k]

Thank you everyone for your valuable inputs. I almost finalised on the superb 3.6 until the owner told me he already had the dsg mechatronic changed once. That put me off and I heavy heartedly decided not to go for it. Max_jeopardy I checked with Bmw and Mercedes used cars and apparently they don't have any cars below 22 lakhs. But I've narrowed down to these three-
A BMW x1 xdrive20d 2011 highline model that's run 47k and is with the second owner on sale for 14 Lakhs.
A 3 series highline 2009 model 1St owner run 25K asking 15 lakhs.
Neither of them have BSI.
And an audi A4 1.8 tfsi 2010 1st owner run 50k asking 13.5 lakhs.
Please do share your thoughts.

 

[type-r]

The 3 series is like worth 9-10 lacs. The A4 is no fun to drive. The X1 is okayish and it should be the best bet of both.

 

[kartik98k]

type-r Thank you for the quick reply. What would be your thoughts for a 520d 2011 that's done 90K and doesn't have BSI ? What should be the price? The dealer is quoting 19 lakhs and I really liked the car.