Jump LinksMercedes W204 C350 Common IssuesFor the last 33 years, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class has defined compact luxury and was, until the smaller A-Class arrived, the most affordable car to wear the three-pointed star. It has gone up against many rivals, most notably BMW’s 3 Series, but the fact that buyers continue to flock to this entry-level luxury sedan shows that the brand’s “the best or nothing” approach has continually struck a chord with consumers. It is also an increasingly attractive used proposition, with older generations having depreciated significantly since they were new. Does this, therefore, make the Mercedes C350 a good used buy?The C350 was part of the C-Class lineup for the second and third generation of the model, being introduced in 2005, offering a throaty V6 engine with a bit more power than the lesser V6 models. It was, in fact, the most powerful Mercedes C-Class model outside the AMG models, such as the C32, C55 (both only part of the second generation lineup), and the bonkers C63 AMG. This makes it an ideal choice for those who want a bit of sportiness in their Mercedes sedan, but don’t want to pay the premium costs associated with the AMG badging.Before you go ahead and take a punt on a used example of this compact luxury model, it is worth arming yourself with all the information about it. The pros and cons of how reliable these two generations of C-Class have turned out to be and how much you can expect to lose over the years, either in depreciation or maintenance costs, will all be explored below…This article highlights the pros, cons, and technical gremlins associated with the Mercedes-Benz C350 as a used purchase. All specifications are sourced from the manufacturer and from reputable tests, and maintenance information has been sourced from RepairPal and owners' forums. Used pricing varies depending on location, condition, and specs, and your results may vary. Second-generation C-Class (W203): A Quick Overview 2001 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan (10)After the first-generation W202 C-Class replaced the W201 190 in 1993, following the change in the company’s nomenclature that saw the introduction of the lettered models we are familiar with today, the second W203 C-Class sought to bring Mercedes’ smallest sedan model into the 21st century. Launched just after the turn of the millennium for the 2001 model year, it introduced much softer curves to the design language with fried-egg headlights, meaning it had undergone the same design evolution that the flagship S-Class had a few years prior.Mercedes The second-generation C-Class saw a wide range of body styles it was available, with a Sport Wagon offering extra cargo space and the Sport Coupe version, which was a coupe-style hatchback aimed at a lower price point to attract younger buyers. It was available with four-cylinder or a V6, and in the case of the C55 AMG, a V8. For the gas V6 models, there was the option of a 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system, and five- and seven-speed automatics were the main transmission options.Mercedes The W203 generation C-Class brought with it many technical innovations that people had come to expect in cars for the 21st century. These included a multifunction steering wheel, adaptive airbags, dual-zone climate control, and Bluetooth connectivity. The C350 was added to the lineup in 2005 and incorporated the M272 V6 engine, which produced 268hp, getting it from 0–60 mph in 6.4 seconds. Buyers had the option of either a rear-wheel-drive or 4MATIC all-wheel-drive. W203 C350 Common Problems And Maintenance Costs Mercedes The development and arrival of the W203 C-Class, unfortunately, coincided with measures that were being made to cut the costs of producing their cars in an attempt to compete with new rival manufacturers like Lexus in Japan. As a result, reliability suffered, and some of the common issues are engine-specific. Several electrical systems were known to fail, as well as a potentially nasty fault with the Takata airbag. Its inflators could potentially rupture upon deployment, with the metal fragments released potentially causing injury. This was an issue that affected multiple C-Class generations and a widespread recall had to be issued to address it. The M272 V6 engine was also affected by a balance shaft gear defect, which could potentially lead to check engine lights and reduced power.Mercedes-Benz Mercedes W203 C350 Common Issues Electric sunroof failure Premature battery drain Electric seat system failure Airbag inflator rupture/non-deployment Balance Shaft defects As one would expect, given the premium maintenance costs that all the German luxury brands like BMW, Audi, and Mercedes command, fixing anything that goes wrong with a C350 was never going to be cheap. Add to this the fact that a lot of the potential issues with this car concern its advanced electronic systems, and it makes sense that annual costs are reported by owners to be between $1,000 and $2,000. If several things go wrong at once, it could be more, as fixing the sunroof alone costs around $1,000. The balance shaft failure can have a repair cost as much as $5,000. W203 C350 Used Price And Value Mercedes When the W203 C-Class launched a quarter of a century ago, it was competitively priced, undercutting the BMW 3 Series in the compact luxury segment. However, as the saying goes, there is no such thing as a cheap Mercedes-Benz, and the C-Class was certainly not cheap in the grand scheme of things. Added to this, the C350, with its V6 engine and extra power over the C320, meant it was higher up in the range in terms of asking price, and only being offered from 2005 until 2007, when the next-gen C-Class arrived, makes it rarer.Neither of these things, however, prevent the W203 C350 from having an accessible bargain-basement used price. Like a lot of German luxury sedans, the second-generation Mercedes C-Class depreciated in value massively, but this has largely now run its course, so its used values are at least stable. Expect to pay no more than $5,000 for examples with five-figure mileage and between $1,000 and $3,000 for models with even more wear and tear. While these low prices might seem tempting, it is important to keep in mind those high maintenance costs. Third-generation C-Class (W204): A Quick Overview Mercedes-BenzThe third-generation W204 C-Class arrived at a time when Mercedes-Benz was trying to fix issues with its earlier cars that had been criticized for not looking or feeling expensive enough and suffering from poor reliability. Being free from the ill-fated Daimler Chrysler partnership also meant the purse strings weren’t so tight, so more money could be spent on making the C-Class for the new decade a higher-quality product. The styling of the W204 C-Class reintroduced some of the sharper lines that the Mercedes sedans of the past had, and the materials in the cabin were vastly improved with more brushed aluminum and soft-touch plastics.Mercedes-Benz With a longer wheelbase and a stiffer bodyshell, the dynamics of the 204 C-Class were also vastly improved, but it also offered more passenger space, especially for those in the second row of seats. The engines offered for the W204 C-Class were initially the V6s from the W203, updated and carried over as they were still relatively new, and smooth V6s were the engines Americans had an appetite for.Mercedes-Benz Everything changed in this regard when the facelift of the W204 came along in 2012, as new emissions regulations required the creation of a new 1.8-liter turbo inline-four for the base C250, while the C300 and C350 were both powered by a new M276. The AMG-tuned C63 was through the W204’s life powered by the iconic 6.3-liter atmospheric V8. While the same body styles as in the W203 were available, the coupe version was a full-size coupe rather than a more budget affair, which meant that in 2012, a C350 coupe was available for the first time. W204 C350 Common Problems And Maintenance Costs Mercedes-Benz The W204 generation represented somewhat of a return to form for the C-Class, and part of the reason for this was that it enjoyed improved reliability over the previous generation. However, this doesn’t mean there haven’t been any common problems with this generation that need to be looked out for before purchasing a used example. The issues faced by the W204 C-Class are a mixture of engine problems, brake problems and electrical problems and a lot of them are inherited from the W203 generation. This is the case with things like the airbags, as this C-Class was also fitted with the Takata airbags, and the early models as discussed had the same V6 engines as the post-2005 W203. Another issue with this generation concerns the brakes, which saw incorrect discs fitted to a large portion of 2010 models resulting in the need to replace them further down the line.Mercedes-Benz Mercedes W204 C350 Common Issues Airbag faults Balance Shaft defects Infotainment glitches Brake failure As for maintenance costs, they can be in the hundreds or in the thousands, depending on how severe the issue is. The good news is that RepairPal rates the annual maintenance cost of this generation of Mercedes C350 at $724, which is lower than it was for the W203. It may be higher than this if the balance shaft defects rear their ugly head with the M272 V6. This could cost $3,000 or $4,000. Other issues, such as fixing the COMAND system or even replacing the brake discs, shouldn’t cost more than $500. W204 C350 Used Price And Value Mercedes-Benz Even though the third-generation W204 C-Class is newer than the W203 and only went out of production eleven years ago, it has, like its predecessor, seen its depreciation run its course. Taking a look at the most recent pricing trends on our nifty new price trends function shows that values are pretty stable, but more likely to go down, rather than up. The C350 is not likely to be anywhere near as valuable as the AMG model with its coveted M156 V8, but having a larger engine than the C250 and being more powerful than the C300 does push the used price up a little bit. Expect to pay around $5,000 for an older, high-mileage example, but $10,000 or more for a lower mileage or post-facelift model. The extra power offered by the C350 4MATIC and the extra sportiness offered by the C350 coupe mean they typically fetch around one or two grand more on the used market. Conclusion: Is The C350 A Good Used Buy? Mercedes-Benz If you are enticed by the allure of the Mercedes-Benz brand and want to enjoy the status that comes with owning one of its vehicles, the C- Class has always been one of the best cars to choose in the lineup. It has always been more compact and has come in at a lower price point than the midsize and full-size sedans in Mercedes’ range. Despite this, it still has the silhouette and a level of luxury you would expect from the brand, unlike some of the models it has come out with.Mercedes-BenzGiven that a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class starts at nearly $50k and none of its versions come with a V6 engine, is it a good idea to take a punt on an older, used C-Class with a V6 for a fraction of the price? And if so, which of the two generations of C350 should you go for? Either of the two should offer decent pulling power and comfort with tech features that a modern hatchback may not necessarily have. The more recent W204 generation, however, has a design that has stood the test of time far better, and it comes to many people’s minds when the C-Class is mentioned, even after two subsequent generations. It feels more solidly put together, and although both generations have had various reliability issues, the W204 has had fewer, and so, provided you have the slightly bigger budget that is required for this one, we would recommend choosing it. Just make sure you have half of what the car is worth in reserve should something go wrong.