USED Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon (93 - 01)

My car

Compared with the current generation of cars, my six-year-old 1999 C240 lacks the frills.

The good points are that it is easy to drive - nothing exciting happens if you corner too quickly, acceleration is brisk, though nothing special for 170bhp.

At 75,000 miles, the car still feels solid. I bought it new with leather. The speed limiter system is excellent for allowing you to concentrate on the road instead of the speed cameras - excellent in traffic such as the M25 where cruise control is ineffective. As the car is smooth and quiet at speed, it is easy to overlook how fast you are going.

Minus points: the auto box smooth but goes to sleep when stuck in traffic, so when you want to get moving again it is sluggish. My car does not have full ASP, just traction control. Tyre choice makes a big difference too. The original Dunlops deteriorated in less than 10,000 miles. Goodyear NCTs have been excellent. With Continentals, the car tramlined and the traction control repeatedly came on, even at relatively high speeds (60+) on poor roads.

The seats are not exactly right for me, but over time I have adapted and I have just survived a near non-stop 800 mile drive from France without a problem. The interior is a bit dull - no pretty pink or blue lights - but on the other hand it is clear and practical.

In terms of running costs - no real frights. The only shock was nearly £300 for a spark plug change (just the 12 of them!).

My car

I bought it originally because it was my dream car and I have never had cause to rethink the choice I made.

Admittedly my running costs are very low because I have a bi-fuel conversion but this has been repaid several times over and by buying LPG in certain selected stations I have managed to ensure that the cost per mile is less than one third of what it would be if I had had to buy unleaded.

I changed the catalyser at 150,000 miles and the exhaust system at the same time but other than a set of plugs, several sets of tyres and brake pads I have had no expensive bills at all. Highly recommended as a quality way to drive at a very reasonable cost.

My car

Good, solid car, not sporty but returns good mpg. It tends to be very slow off the mark when cold (like 1,2,3,4,5, go !!)

My car

It was good for the first two to three years, but after that it started to go wrong. I am unhappy with the level of customer service I have received, too.