Which C200K?

It depends what your budget is.

The range used to be:

C180 - 2.0 litre uncharged - 129bhp C200K - 2.0 litre supercharged - 163bhp C230K -2.2 litre supercharged - 192bhp

After 2002, it was modified:

C180K 1.8 litre supercharged 143bhp C200K 1.8 litre supercharged 163bhp C230K 1.8 litre supercharged 192bhp

If you can afford it I would go for the post 2002 engines, they are *much* more refined and you won't be able to tell them apart from a V6.

Also, the C180K provides more than adequate performance because it has lots of torque - 220Nm from 2500rpm to 4500rpm. The C200K has about 10% more torque which is hardly noticeable, and in the UK, new it costs an extra £1500, which is almost enough to pay for satellite navigation, which I would far rather have.

Additionally, the newer engines are more economical.

...until you hit around 30k miles, and all of a sudden it starts running rough and you need a new cylinder head cos the valve guides weren't put in straight during manufacture. Then you will be able to tell it apart from a V6.

Right-hand drive C-Class are made in East London, South Africa. (See UK Sunday Times, 28 Sep 03, Driving section.)

Not sure if that's relevant to quality issues, but there it is.

DAS

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Some are, but not all of them. 8th digit of chassis number is R if it was built in SA (203xxx-2R-xxxxxx would be an SA car)