When I look back through all of the cars I’ve owned, one car stands out. My 1998 Mercedes-Benz C230. Offered for two model years in the US lineup, this was the entry level Mercedes of its time, powered by a naturally aspirated, 2.3 liter inline-4 producing 148 horsepower. Not an earth shattering figure, but this car wasn’t about horsepower. For me, it represented the last of the old guard for Mercedes, a time when engineering took precedence over budgets. I miss that car to this day, but on a recent trip to Lisbon, Portugal, it was comforting to see a bunch of these W202 C classes pressed into service as taxis. These are cars with staying power. Those in search for a good one should take a look at this 1998 C230 with under 50,000 miles on the clock.
