[Knoll]

Hi everyone, this is my second post to these forums and like many noobies, I come seeking help.

I'm looking to buy a W202 and have come across a 94' C36 with 95,000km here in New Zealand for $14,000. That's about 60,000 miles and $10k in US values.

What the seller has told me is that like many Japanese imports in NZ (about 1/2 the cars on the roads), this one doesn't have any service history. He bought it from a German Aircraft engineer who was the first NZ owner and did his own work, and he supposedly has replaced the engine loom.

I saw it for the first time today and it definitely looks like a C36 (though it was very untidy and dirty), with all the right body parts, etc, but there are two things that stood out for me.

1.) It doesn't have traction control - owner claims this is because this is one of the first 500 C36's that were built without it. Is this right?

2.) The air intake plumbing did not have the 3.6 embossed into it that I expected to see. Is this correct for a 94 model C36?

Here are some snaps. Can anyone decipher the build plate in the photo below, and tell me what it all means? It also had an AMG alluminum and black decal alongside on the radiator crossmember that had 206kw and some additional AMG data.

Finally, I'm going to have it checked over before I hand over the cash, but what else should I look for apart from wiring loom rot? Are there any C36 gremlins I should keep an eye out for?

Thanks in advance to those who take time to help.

 

[DRBC43AMG]

Hi,
If possible, could you post the full chassis number please.
I see the 202 028 on the plate which does identify the car as at least a C280. I believe the C280 and C36 have the same prefix numbers.

 

[jayrash]

what he needs is an engine number,
any way if u can find a 95 and newer one i say go for that, fromt what i have read the old 36s before 95 only made 260hp

 

[Knoll]

what he needs is an engine number,
any way if u can find a 95 and newer one i say go for that, fromt what i have read the old 36s before 95 only made 260hp

Thanks Jay, this is the 206kw version which is the higher HP model, there are some which are only 191kw. I looked this one up on CarJam and it specifies the following details for this car:

* VIN: WDB2020282F132753
* Engine no: 10494122025308

Was imported to NZ from China.:thumbsup:

 

[oups59]

I imported a 1994 C36 from Japan last year. It is a 260 PS. Build date July 29th, 1994. No traction control.

I have a few pics of the engine at:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w20...663-difference-between-early-c36-260-bhp.html

 

[Knoll]

I imported a 1994 C36 from Japan last year. It is a 260 PS. Build date July 29th, 1994. No traction control.

I have a few pics of the engine at:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w20...663-difference-between-early-c36-260-bhp.html

Thanks heaps, I'm getting a little suspicious about that car now.

It has the 206kw decal that you show, BUT it doesn't have '3.6' embossed into the air intake, not did it have AMG on the cam cover (that I can recall) and finally it's engine number does not have an AMG prefix.

What does your engine number start with?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[EVLC36]

It will be a real one - a lot of C36s have the 3.6 intake replaced with the C280 due to breakage etc unfortunately, AMG badge on cam cover also isnt a concern mine was badly heat damaged and pulled it off.

Call Coutts Mercedes and have them check the VIN number, they can confirm if its real or not.

 

[Knoll]

It will be a real one - a lot of C36s have the 3.6 intake replaced with the C280 due to breakage etc unfortunately, AMG badge on cam cover also isnt a concern mine was badly heat damaged and pulled it off.

Call Coutts Mercedes and have them check the VIN number, they can confirm if its real or not.

Cheers EVLC36, now that you say that, it did look like something had been removed from the cam cover so the AMG badge may have been there once. The thing with that car was that the guy is asking 16k on Trademe as a buy now, so I called him and he bought it down to my work for me to look at it, and it was out of rego and generally a bit scruffy. He'd just had the power steering pump repaired but there was oil and dirt all over that 1/4 of the engine bay, and when I asked about the air intake, he just kinda shrugged it off.

As you saw in my other post I ended up buying a 95 for less than 1/2 that price, so even though it's got higher k's I'm pretty happy. Now I just need to source some Monobloc II's for it.:thumbsup:

Do you think Coutts have details on all imports as well as local sales?

 

[BenzMaster19]

You loose major power when a c36 Has it's crossover pipe replaced from the much bigger 3.6 to the smaller c280 one.

 

[oups59]

I will need to verify but I believe that my engine # is:

104941 12 024724

 

[EVLC36]

Do you think Coutts have details on all imports as well as local sales?

Yeah, they were able to confirm my 1995 was a real one before I bought it (not that there was much doubt - it has crossover pipe etc)