• Two owners from new

• 53,688 from new

• Full-service history

• Excellent interior with leather seats

The Compact executive market has long been a fiercely contested arena, with the premium German brands often sharing the spoils between them and the C-Class is up there amongst the very best. This 2003 C200 Avantgarde SE makes a spectacular sight with its uncommon Jasper Blue paint finish, giving this model a unique place within the well recognised W203 series. 

It is often seen as a better equipped and plusher experience than its arch-rival, the BMW 3-Series. Fitted with the smooth and efficient 1.8-litre Kompressor petrol engine, it looks very much like a scaled-down S-Class, but the perfectly sized C-Class also offers the same refinement with dynamic road holding at a far more agreeable cost.

With just 53,688 miles on the clock under the careful guidance of two previous owners, this example is a perfect candidate as an up and coming modern classic, with the safety, comfort and refinement of the modern car.

The Avantgarde SE adds an improved visual aspect to the W203 models, with additional exterior side skirts, body-coloured bumpers and larger alloys. The interior is furnished with plenty of goodies too, including a full set of optional leather seats, cruise control, CD player and all-round electric windows.

The started its life in Scotland and appears to have been lightly used, confirmed by the service records suggesting it had only covered 25,653 miles up to 2015. The car was then sold to a buyer in the west country, who happens to be have been a former double British Rally Champion driver, but thankfully only used the car as a daily driver and kept on top of its servicing needs.

The natural instincts of the current owner who previously worked in the motor trade have not weakened in his retirement years, and when he took this C-Class under his wing in August 2020, he noticed the apparent potential in it.  Describing it as a usable and spirited drive with plenty of style, he refers to the C-Class as a proper car in the traditional sense.

The owner feels totally confident in the dependability of the car, happy enough to use it at any time of year and begin on a journey, whether it's across the New Forest or along the motorways.  This outlines its sheer usability and its built-in natural abilities, but its increasing lack of use as a second car has meant that it now needs to be sold.

The car comes with a full schedule of service stamps, meticulously carried out by Mercedes, specialists and independents over its course of three careful owners. The most recent service was carried out in July 2021, with a new set of front pads and a battery installed at the beginning of that year.

 The car also received a set of four new tyres and saw the air-conditioning regassed late in 2021. The car comes with a printed record of previous MOT’s, with the current MOT being issued to August 2022. It also comes with two keys.

A summary of the interior has to be described as very positive, with no significant signs of wear noted. The carpet in the cabin and boot are above the expected condition of a car of this age and add confidence that this car is a well kept and cherished example. The interior plastics have held up well, with not much more than light age related marks in places and the core sections like the dashboard and centre console have benefited from years of sympathetic owners.

The dials, controls and switches are in good condition, with no issues in terms of their functions, with the owner confirming that everything works, including the air conditioning. The door cards are in very good condition, with just the lightest of scuffs noted on the driver door, all of the door cards respective switches and speakers in good order, with electrics windows all functioning without issues.

There is very little to report in terms of the condition of the seats, emphasising their near-faultless appearance. The leather has been well looked after, with no tell-tale signs of heavy use, with the bolsters in excellent condition. The headlining is clean, with no damage or suggestions of cigarette smoke. The leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear column are in good shape.

The car's structure is also another positive, with no notable aspects of damage to the floor pan and jacking points, inner wings or boot section, although the chassis rails within the engine bay do show signs of surface corrosion. The bodywork is in good shape, with the shut-lines and panel fits all looking cohesive and even, with no issues with the placement of the bumpers. 

The metalwork is straight throughout, with no significant suggestions of careless car park damage or parking errors. The doors all open and close with ease, all with good rubber seals to maintain that expected Mercedes quality. In terms of visual presentation of the body, a slight cluster of bubbles can be noted on the offside rear arch lip but the overall picture is good. 

The attractive Jasper Blue paintwork really sets off the styling and has retained a good sheen throughout, with the paintwork retaining a pleasing lustre. There are a handful of small paint touch-ups, mostly on the bonnet and rear bumper being the most notable observation but otherwise, the paint is in good order. The lacquer has held up well with just a minor blemish noted on the roof. 

The door edges are pleasingly free of significant paint-chip damage too. There are the odd light scuffs spotted on the bumpers and a light scratch on the boot but certainly not enough to distract the casual admirer.

The glass is in very good condition, with no damage in terms of cracks, chips or lamination damage, with their respective rubber seals all looking good with no significant wear. The headlamps are in good shape, with some suggestions of age so could be a perfect candidate for a polish. Both rear lenses are visually intact with no damage.

The cars exterior trim detailing is complete and in good condition, with the chrome embellishments retaining a healthy appearance. The 17" alloy wheels are in keeping with the car's age, and they do have scuff damage, but they can easily be repaired by an alloy wheel specialist.  On the plus side, all four of the Sumitomo tyres are recent fittings and all have excellent tread.

The engine fires up straight away, with all of the dashboard management lights remaining off while the engine was idling. There was just a slight hint of squealing from the belts but soon disappeared after a few seconds. The car is said to run very well, with no issues with the unit itself and no excessive exhaust smoke was noted as the car reached temperature.

It behaves well on the move, with the owner confirming that no untoward clunks or creaking coming from the steering or suspension. The gear change is slick with no issues with kick down, with no delays in shifts. The car has seen the braking upgraded, and now sports vented front discs that were sourced from the C-Class Elegance model by the previous owner.

The C-Class offers all of the virtues one expects from a Mercedes; usability, space, comfort and ergonomics to go hand in hand with style, performance and quality. 

The car still retains its prestige, thanks to its watertight build quality and thoughtful design, so as a result, it's no surprise that the best W203 C-Class series cars are now being snapped up. 

This well-cherished example is the most obvious gateway into the relatively safe prospects of modern-classic motoring if you appreciate a teutonic taste for quality.