Used Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet 2016-2021 reliability review

What should I look for in a used Mercedes-Benz C Class?

Despite being a highly desirable long-distance cruiser, the C-Class Cab will have been used in tight city centres and in supermarket car parks, so it’s worth checking the front and rear of the car for any damage to its extremities. Small scuffs and dents can cost a lot to set right. Also check the alloy wheels on the sportier trims for signs of any kerb damage. It’s certainly worth making sure the electric hood works as it should, with no hiccups when lowering or raising it.

A prestige brand image isn’t always an indicator of superior quality, as the data for the Mercedes C-Class shows in our reliability survey, with nearly a third of cars presenting a problem.

This list of faults reported have been numerous, so you'll need to check everything. Try all the electrical items work while you poke around the interior, try the sat nav and make sure the air-con blows cold air and that there are no weird smells. During your test drive, listen out for any interior rattles; pay attention to the gearbox and that it operates smoothly and that there are no nasty knocks and bangs from the suspension over bumps.

Check also that the car doesn't pull heavily to one side as you're driving down the road, and that it also doesn't deviate under braking. The engine should have a smooth power delivery and not have any flat-spots or surges of acceleration. On automatic versions, make sure the kick-down function works under full acceleration - when it is safe to do so.

Is a used Mercedes-Benz C Class reliable?

In our most recent reliability survey, the Mercedes C-Class finished eighth out of 24 cars in the executive car class. This is an improvement on its performance in recent years.

Reliability rating 93.0%

What went wrong? Non-engine electrics 11%, exhaust 6%, fuel system 4%, battery 3%, bodywork 3%, infotainment/sat-nav 3%, brakes 2%, steering 2%, engine 1%, gearbox/clutch 1%, interior trim 1%

A third of C-Classes went wrong, according to owners, who reported a wide range of issues. Faults rendered more than a third of cars undriveable, and one in four was off the road for more than a week. Although 81% of cars were fixed for free, a small percentage of owners paid out more than £1500 in repair bills.

Owner’s view “This is the worst car I have ever bought. Faults haven’t been properly fixed and the service from the dealer has been poor”

Mercedes as a brand finished in a disappointing 24th place out of 32 manufacturers in the same survey. Check out the full list of brands here.

Used Mercedes C-Class reliability: the owners' view

As part of our annual Reliability Survey, owners of the Mercedes C-Class told us that their cars were mostly proving reliable, with a good portion of owners highlighting that their cars remained dependable even after several years of use.

Of the readers who did experience faults, some mentioned that the car’s exhaust gas sensors could be prone to failure. And putting those sensors right could prove costly, especially on cars which had covered less than 50,000 miles.

Experience of Mercedes’ dealer network was varied, with some readers noting expensive servicing costs when using the brand’s own dealers. The cost of updating sat-nav maps, as well as consumable parts, was also noted.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.

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