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Mercedes-Benz CLK (2005 and earlier)
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Comments
What in dash CD player are you thinking about getting? The Audio 10? I've read good things about it on US 230's.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
The external CD player/cassette method sounds like it will work fine, and is definitely a cost saver - thank you very much!
- Paul
Good luck to all C230k was as you noticed C702000, had a Volvo C70 Coupe and decided I wanted the rear wheel drive and 6 Speed.
http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3
Tom
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Their competition coverage continues to be the best and most timely...everything else is the same litany: we want harder suspensions, nothing but manual transmissions, anything that takes longer than 6 seconds to get to 60 mph is too slow, etc. I've had it with them...so their opinions on this car are no more significant than their opinions on the god-awful number of trucks and SUVs that seem to be splattered all over "enthusiast" publications these days.
You can spend $28k on a Mazda Miata if you want to, and wind up with a very capable toy that is virtually impossible to use in any practical everyday setting. That same amount of money spent on a C-Coupe buys a car that is almost as much fun to drive, but combines real usability in the bargain as well. Just don't expect Autoweek to either notice or tell you...
Except when you consider at least a little rear seat room a necessity. Or maybe the presence of a little torque...
Also for 4 years/50k miles the Benz has all service covered except brakes and tires...
Why Benz? What's wrong with a SAAB 9-3?
That's why it has a star up front! What's wrong with that? I'll never understand social envy that's lacking any grounds and proof. What do you tell people with an SVX?
Tarik
Some young lady drives past me every day at the street corner on her way to work with a C230. Definitely the epitome of the informed buyer, it seems. I looked at the C230 up close a couple of nights at the Benz dealership and wasn't much impressed. The C-class and E-class sedans are trounced in the style and value and sportiness department by Acura, BMW, Lexus, Acura, Infiniti... in short, everybody else.
Benz dealership opened up in my hometown on the site of a closed-up Subaru dealership... the Cadillac dealer gave up on its Subaru franchise. Idiots. A few days ago, this was the same Cadillac dealer that GM used to introduce the SRX to the world.
The C230 is 'good try but no cigar.' Sure it sells, but I can't figure it out. Anyone want to discuss their purchase of a C230, other than it is a Benz? I'd rather go for a Subaru than a Benz in this price catergory.
I don't completely dislike Benz. When I was a valet and sat in them every day, though, I thought the M-class was very silly. (I say the same about the X5). Only Benz I see worth getting (I'm not into convertibles or SUVs, just coupes and sedans) vs. the competition is, taada, the S-class. The styling on the S-class is fantastic, and says more than the 7-Series indeed. Actually, I'd probably go for an Audi A8 if I was going for an übersedan. That's not gonna happen anytime soon... my father and/or Mr. Dow Jones have been messing with my retirement funds. Volatile stock market... oh well, I try not to worry about it.
At this point, I'm a young guy looking at sporty coupes, and the only thing I see a C230 doing is rubbing impressionable types. Yuck.
I hear you...
I have been looking at the fun coupe-type offerings from all the manufacturer's that you list. Most (if any) do not offer anything like the C230 with the same features and price point ... even a Saab 9-3.
Anyway, if you like the RSX so much, just stay in that forum and pump it up over there. People in this forum know of the issues that people have been having the their C230s and we are capable of making our own decisions.
200 lb-ft @ 2500
vs 124 lb-ft @ 5200 on a GS or 128 lb-ft @ 6200 on a GS-R
In other words when you hit that long grade on the freeway, you aren't forced to downshift. You don't need to rev the engine to get someplace all the time.
Oh, and the amount of road noise coming into the cabin is night and day.
None of these are reasons to trade in a 1-year old car, but are worth considering when you are looking to replace a 10 year old car like I am. I drove an RSX and a C230 yesterday. The C230 is still on my list, the RSX is not.
My criteria: A car with good handling and power that I'd be willing to drive for 7-8 years. It also has to be able to handle 98%+ of the tasks that I need a car for. (Every couple of months I can buy a six pack for a friend with a pickup truck or station wagon...) Those tasks include taking 2 or 3 other people out to lunch every couple of weeks.
The RSX was the smallest car on my list and it got knocked off. What is left is the C230, WRX wagon, Altima, Passat, and maybe the GTI...
-Brian
For some people, it does. Not for me, which is why car choices are always a "YMMV."
RSX-S has torque.
Not as much as the C230. And more importantly, anyone who's been driving for awhile realizes the truth in the old adage "we buy horsepower, but actually drive torque".
Torque is what buys you within-gear flexibility, so that you aren't constantly downshifting to do anything (which was partly why I called my Saab a "gutless wonder"). It also gets real old to feel that you have to rev the car constantly to its redline to get anything out of it.
Rear seat room? In a hatchback?
Yes, rear seat room. No one died and made you God to be able to claim that your priorities are more important that mine.
There are a few hatches out there that actually has a rear seat with room. The C230 is one of them, and the Acura (both the old Integra and the new RSX) is not. I'm barely 5'8" and I constantly bumped my head on the rear glass in a coworker's Integra. That was a "STOPPER" for me right there: the RSX could have had 400HP and only cost $10K, and I still would not have wanted one. When I want to drive a car with a joke for a back seat, I drive my 911 (see its pic in my profile).
What sort of young yuppie needs a C230 hatchback to carry around friends?!
If you had a real job, then you would realize that people sometimes go out to lunch with their coworkers.
You don't have friends if you have a C230... you have an attitude problem, more likely, and you want everyone to know you have a Benz.
Nice assumption/attitude...its why I loathe people who worship [non-permissible content removed] cars. Personally, if I could have saved $1000 by having the marquee emblems taken off the car, I would have saved the money. It is the product and only the product, not what label is on it. FWIW, it is kind of funny to hear such sentiments from the perspective that an Acura isn't just a tarted-up Honda. :-)
Why Benz? What's wrong with a SAAB 9-3?
Please! I just suffered through owning a Saab, thank-you-very-much. I do admit that I miss the capacity of the hatch, and having 4 doors does make it easier to put friends in the back seat, but that wasn't enough to make up for its shortcomings.
I looked at the C230 up close a couple of nights at the Benz dealership and wasn't much impressed.
Styling isn't everything...take a look at how ugly the Porsche 911 has been over the years. My old boss nicknamed mine "the Blue Frog". FWIW, did you bother to drive the car?
Sure it sells, but I can't figure it out. Anyone want to discuss their purchase of a C230, other than it is a Benz?
Because people are different. Personally, I like European design philosophy and I like hatchbacks for their utility and I want a back seat. I consider the C230's competition to be the BMW & Audi hatchbacks, but neither bring their versions over to the USA.
Okay then, let's pit my year-old Integra versus the C230 then. Give me a reason to cut down my grocery bills...
YMMV, but IMO, there is absolutely no justification, ever, for cutting one's grocery bill just to drive a different car.
I'll play your game. What's your story?
It was time for a new car, and this one was within budget. There are things about the car that I don't like, but I felt that overall, it was not the worst compromise of my personal priorities.
FWIW, the car in 2nd place was a GTI VR6. Other vehicles considered included the Mini, WRX, 325 Wagon, & A4 Avant. As I said before, the Acura's got taken off the list early because of their lack of a rear seat...and the last time I test drove an Integra, I found it to be chasis-limited, which is IMO the worst design configuration for a sports car/coupe.
Bottom line is always "YMMV", and knowing that resisting the temptation to ridicule potential future employers helps retain a paycheck that can buy such toys. Otherwise, you're stuck in a '79 Honda 1200 that tops out with 57 HP.
-hh
Acura didn't even put stability control (VSA) in the RSX Type-S, something it has in its higher-end vehicles. Obviously a cost-avoidance measure.
Both the C Coupe and RSX Type S were on my shortlist to replace my 2000 Saab 9-3. I drove both and bought neither. Mercedes or Not, they could put a big Dodge emblem in place of the 3 pointed star on the grill and it would still be a beautiful car. I love the C7 Wheels, Panorama Sunroof, & Exhaust pipe that sticks out the back. I loved the torque and handling of the C. The interior was well laid out. Back seat room is definitely a plus. As much as I love Mercedes, I have been a little concerned about their build quality in the last couple of years. Free maintenance for 4 years is definitely a plus. I never drove the 6 speed (none in stock), but was very impressed with the Automatic.
The RSX Type S. I have to admit, I HATED the styling at first, but it really grew on me. The interior is simple & functional without looking cheap. The steering on the RSX was crisper. The torque (or lack there of) is something that would take me time to get used to coming from a Turbocharged Saab. Acura reliability is rock solid. The 6 speed shifter is great. I found the car to be too noisy on the highway for my tastes.
In the end, I went with what my wallet told me to go with. The C230 (as well as the A4 1.8T & ED BMW 325Ci) was a little out of my price range. I had the choice of either paying cash or having a car payment on a $30,000 car (I know the C230 is widely available for under $30K, but not optioned out as I'd want it), I chose NO PAYMENTS. THE RSX did it for me as far as price went. I ended up buying a leftover 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Personally, it wasn't a big deal to me either way: I do have a need to drive in lousy winter conditions and FWD is generally good for this. In changing to the C230's RWD, I've been finding that its "ESP" warning light has been kicking on more frequently than I would have otherwise expected (typically on rainy days, like today), which means that dedicated snows are going to be a "must" for me.
I found the [RSX] to be too noisy on the highway for my tastes.
Interesting, as this was the same observation I had had when I test-drove the Integra: it was actually noisier than the old VW Scirocco (S2) I had had. Interestingly, I still use my old Scirocco as my comparison benchmark, and I've referred to the C230 as a "worthy successor". Kind of funny to consider a MB as an alternative to a VW, eh? :-)
-hh
Interested?
I test drove both the C240 and the C230 with manual trans. The shift lever (the plastic part and the leather casing seem pretty similar). One must pull the shift lever up and push it over to put it in reverse. When I tried to do this on the C240, the whole plastic/leather pulled up off of the center stack, exposing the metal rod of the shifter!
Anyway, I test drove the RSX type S on the same day. I liked both of the cars, but like some other people here, I'm drawn to the tech features that are on the MB and not on the RSX (curtain airbags, DSC and a nav system were on my want list). I liked the C230 a lot more than the C240 (I like the punchiness and sound of the supercharged 4, although I did notice the C240 has a lot less cabin noise than the C230).
I guess I'm probably in the market for next year's vehicle, though, so I'm waiting on seeing what the new engine is like that's coming over. After reading all the posts on this, I'm still a little bit confused.
My understanding is that of the new 4-cylinder MB engines, all are all-aluminum bodied, and some have gasoline direct injection. The recent Edmunds review of the new CLK mentioned one of the fours that was a 170HP gas DI engine, but my understanding is that the one coming on the US C coupe is a 190-ish HP one to match the output of the current 2.3 liter. (I'd think that either the weight would have to drop a lot, or the price
So does anyone know, will the US engine be DI or not? Are there issues with US fuel (analogous to the sulphur content problem for high-tech diesels) that prevent DI from being put into production for US vehicles?
Been a while since I've poped in on this board. Hope all is well with everyone!
So, long story, but it looks like I'm in the market for another coupe. I would like to do European Delievy. My question is will I be able to haggle on price if I do European Delivery? Anybody have experince on this or know where I might be able to find out.
Thanks so much.
mohan_krishnan, the new engine comming stateside is 187 hp and a 15 lb drop in torque. Remember that you drive Torque and not HP, so you will feel a difference. But the car does get better MPG -- it could not be worse.
I looked at the RSX and the Coupe also. I choosee the coupe and I'm happy I did.
Beth
The latter is strictly an issue with how easily [or not] the engine can be made to meet the more strict emission requirements coming in 2004. Direct Injection has some effect on emissions, but the main attraction is better fuel economy for the same or nearly the same horsepower.
Sulfur tends to poison the catalysts and thus makes it harder and more expensive to clean up the post-combustion byproducts. But its presence or absence doesn't affect the argument for direct injection, which is a good idea in any case.
With early DI engines, esp the DI diesels, there were some extra noise issues that had to be dealt with, but that is mostly history now.
In the grand old days of yore, when there were 10-15% margins on OD cars, many dealers specialized in OD at a discount, though it tended to be jungle telegraph in terms of how the word got around. Now, I presume that no one will want to admit up front that they are willing to knock off anything from an OD...that doesn't mean you can't ask...just be prepared for the answer and be ready to ask someone else.
-Patrick
This morning I was able to purchase a Magma Red C230 with an automatic transmission, C5 and C7 for $27,887. The sticker is $30,365 and I believe the invoice is $28,887. I purchased the car from MB of Laguna Niguel(Orange County, CA). I highly recommend them and the sales person I dealt with, Andre Javardian.
They have over 40 C230s and through Memorial Day they are all red tagged at similar savings, approximately $1000 under invoice. When I was there they had another Magma Red and a silver with the same options. In general, most of their C230s are automatics, most do not have leather, most have sunroofs, and most do not have the upgraded wheels(C7). I was told that they are trying to reduce inventory and due to the pricing they would not obtain a specific car by trading with another dealer.
I hope this information is of use to someone out there. I have only had the car for one day, but I really like it a lot.
#1 of 2 Just took delivery by caha492 May 25, 2002 (05:29 pm)
Today wife and I picked up our new car, a factory ordered brilliant silver, C7, 6-speed.
We love the look without the complicated sunroof and it's blackened roof tint
treatment. The wheel package accents the look of the vehicle far more effectively in
my opinion, plus you get some extra leather trim and color keyed door handles. We
signed a lease for 39 mos. @ $350.66 with $1000.00 down. I could'nt be more
pleased with my purchase
my dealer just informed me that the air flow meter on my c230 has to be replaced at a cost of $650. this car has 48,000 miles on it and has received all recommended service. does any one have any info concerning this emission control problem?
w1pat@yahoo.com
Jon
Thanks,
Jeremy
Another big factor is snow tires. Do *not* go through a winter on "summer" or "all-season" tires. I drove my previous car (an S2000) through part of one winter, and with a decent set of snow tires, I made most of the SUV-driving commuters look like they were even more clueless than usual.
(ahem) By the way... if you should happen to buy the C230, and would like a set of fine Michelin snow tires that are already mounted on M-B C-Class wheels, let me know - I have a set gathering dust in my garage.