Mercedes-Benz CLK (2005 and earlier)

gottabee

If I put in an order for this car, what are the exact prices/fees I would expect to pay if I would get the C5 package? Should I be expecting to pay advertising fees, filling the gas tank, etc? My first time buying a car and am not sure what type of scams they can try and pull, esp. by way of saying that it is b/c it's a new car or something like that.

s852

Jsut add up the prices listed on the Mercedes web site.
I would think they would be able to throw in a free tank of gas and absorb any small fees if you are paying full MSRP sticker on a car that will probably average about $29K or more with options.

Peterun

I have read a number of reviews on this new car . . most of them rather favorable. Perhaps 4 individuals have mentioned the new "panorama" sunroof rattling and creaking. Is this a consistent problem? A design flaw? I have ordered this car . . and I expect to take deliver in mid-July. Certainly a deal-breaker for me if there are rattles of any sort. Any help would be appreciated. Pete

Peterun

Anyone have any idea of the price for the premium package. Includes leather, Bose,panorama sunroof, and rain response wipers. Website still is without a price. States "to be determined." Essentially all other options and packages are priced out at this time. Pete

tommyp13

But, he said that you should be able to save about $300 vs. buying them separately, if that helps.

I'm as concerned as you are about the panorama roof. Hearing of creaks doesn't make me feel too good about the option, though I'd probably get it still.

mpgman

Guess I'm missing something. Unless you live out West in the wide open spaces, what's the difference between 6.5 seconds and 8.0 seconds other than 1.5 seconds? You can only go as fast as the car in front of you. Both are rather quick in relation to everything else on the road. Personally, I wish they'd offer the C230 with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel. Who needs to keep filling up the tank with premium every other day?

tommyp13

That's a pretty big difference in acceleration. But, if you're going for 0-60 times in a new car, there are much better cars out there at this price point.

Living where I do, having a car with no acceleration is a deathtrap.

s852

Is there a chat log available of past chats?

tarik

Interesting views, let me add my two cents...

Not enough power/acceleration is relative, and whether it takes 6.5 s or 8 s for the 0-60 is insignificant. Don't get me wrong, I can't have enough power myself, but how much do we actually NEED?

In Germany, cars of this caliber (weight) are sold with 120 and 130 hp engines, and still allow for proper merging onto the Autobahn, into much higher average speeds driven. Granted, it takes planning, determination and a little courtesy, unknown to lots of american drivers, but people over there do it every day. The US-hp-hype only gives drivers a (false) sense of superiority, and has nothing to do with safety (rather the contrary).

Tom, excuse me, but an 8s acceleration time hardly qualifies as "deathtrap", LOL.

Curious-as-to-driving-skills-up-north Tarik

tommyp13

Um an 8-second 0-60 time is pretty slow these days for a $27k car, in my opinion. Sheesh, my '90 crx, when it was stock, did that. Before you can type "apples and oranges", my point is that 8 secs. was a benchmark years ago for performance. Applying the word "sports" to any car that gets 8 secs these days is pretty ballsy. BMW took alot of shots for the lack of acceleration in the 318ti, and it had 8.somthing times.

Couple of misc. points: Jersey is not setup like the autobahn. There are no long merge lanes, and most traffic is "hurry up so that I can slow down"-type. Also, as you said, drivers are not as nice here either. So, having a car that's quick does help with Jersey driving. Don't knock it before you try it; it makes the morning commute more interesting.

jcb_digger

Hi All,

I've just found this group and since I have one of these on order for early next year, I thought I'd share my test drive experiences with you.

I drove a C200K with a Sequentronic 'box, with Panorama roof (more on this later)...

The Sequentronic is Merc's half-way house between a manual gearbox and a full automatic. Don't expect to be able to slip the box into it's auto mode and have smooth gearchanges, but when crawling through traffic it means you're not having to clutch/declutch all the time. It does give much more 'involvement' than a standard automatic.

Smooth changes are possible (despite what you may have read from reviews) if you lift your foot off the gas (as you would in a conventional manual), push/pull the gearstick and then re-apply the right foot. I found when reversing that it didn't seem as 'predictable' with it's power delivery as I'd like - I even managed to stall it when reversing into a gap. I guess that with more practise that I'd improve (though I'm ordering my car with Parktronic as rear visibility isn't as good as you'd think, even with the split panel below the spoiler).

The Sequentronic box will automatically shift up if you're in danger of red-lining the engine and will also shift down if come to a stop at a junction.

After half an hour or so of 'experimenting' I was reasonably happy, but don't order the Sequentronic until you've given it a proper roadtest.

Interior is great, all very well screwed together (the Coupe is assembled in Germany, while the Saloon is built in South Africa).

Handling is OK - I currently drive a BMW328 and the Coupe is as much fun to thrown around corners as my Beemer.

Panoramic roof - looks great, nice fancy sunblind which covers both panels when the sun is blazing down (which doesn't happen much over here).

Sadly, I have to report that my test car's roof creaked and groaned like crazy when going over bumps - maybe it's because the car I drove was one of the very first to be delivered in the UK, but I'll be testing another before I commit to having the roof.

Anyway, otherwise it's a great car, and it's comparative rarity will add to it's appeal.

Regards, JohnB. (C230 Sport-Coupe, due March 2002)

jcb_digger

I've just had a look at MBUSA's ccoupe.com site and it seems as though you won't get the option of Sequentronic on your side of the 'pond'.

With that limitation, I'd definitely go for the automatic (the foot break isn't 'fun' for hill-starts)

Regards, JohnB. (with apologies for whetting your appetites about the semi-manual-auto).

drew_

Just a reminder that the MB chat is on tonight (6-7pm Pacific/9-10 pm Eastern). Hope to see you there!
http://www.edmunds.com/chat/mercedeschat.html


Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

Peterun

pocahontas

Hang in there. I think things will pick up once the new C230 starts arriving at the dealerships. Thanks for your participation. ;-)

Btw everyone- I had an opportunity to test drive the new C230 at a recent MB Power Trip in Miami Florida. Really nice car!

Pocahontas
Host
Hatchbacks/Station Wagons Message Boards

tommyp13

By now, most people know the basics about the car, and are generally waiting for powertrips, test drives, or the ability to see all of the options and pricing, and discuss it with the dealers.

Right now, I've got $1k down on a new Mini, but am looking over other options if I don't want to wait until April.

The new RSX is in dealerships now, so I'm going to look at it also. Are you sold on the new ccoupe, or just looking? I think most people are waiting to see if it's sporty enough to warrant the expense. I'm waiting for my powertrip on the 8th, to see just how annoying the parking brake placement is.

mercb230coupe

I went ahead and ordered mine in May with 1 grand down. I always wanted to own a MB but thought that they were either too much $$$$ or too stodgy. But when I heard about the coupe late last year my mouth started to water. (This is a step up car for me from an Acura Integral LS with a 5 speed. I have only bought manuals in my life... although I have been given an automatic or two) My 230 will be black with the premium package, the cd changer and of course the 6 speed. I was told to expect to take delivery the week of July 16th.

The only other car that I seriously considered is the BMW 325 but all in all, I think that this car will be more unique. And it's a MB which to me makes more of a "statement". Add in all of the amazing features this car has, the 21st century design, plus the 4 years of service, and I think quite a few others will come to the same conclusion... that the 230 coupe is a smarter buy than the 325.

Lastly, I read info that the car was tested in Germany with a full tank of gas, two occupants and luggage and that it did a 7.5 0-60. If true, it will have plenty of power for my tastes; maybe not enough for some of the real motor heads out there. But a car, like life, is about balance. Only time will tell whether this car has it. And if it does not; hell, I can always sell it. Even the 318ti held onto its value rather well.

Well pocahontas I added in my two cents.

drew_

Don't miss the weekly MB Tuesdays chat at 6-7pm Pacific/9-10pm Eastern! All MB fans/enthusists/owners/potential owners are welcome to participate. Hope to see you there!

Click on the link below to enter the chat at the times above. Note that the link to the chat is always near the top of this page, just under the discussion topic title:

http://www.edmunds.com/chat/mercedeschat.html


Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

Peterun

The MSRP for my C230 was faxed to me today. As follows: Price on the premium pkg. is exactly $2,700. I know that that was the last hold-out from the CCoupe website. Another interesting bit: The TeleAid System is $750 additional, unless the vehicle was manufactured prior to July 1, 2001. My MSRP reflects Accessory Code 349 for the TeleAid and then the Code 092 which reflects the $750 credit back. The car is due into LA on July 19th. Go figure! Pete

mercb230coupe

Hey Peterun, so the dealership told you that you will get TeleAid for free? I wonder if I will get this freebie? Did one need to order the TeleAid (which I did not) to get the freebie. Did they supply any information as to why some are getting this "gift"? Was it a production gaff?

The $2,700 premium package sounds like a smart combination at a very fair price. But I don't know anything about the quality level of the leather. Is it the same type (perforated) that is in the premium leather upgrade or sport package on the C Class sedan? One would think it should be but on some photos of the coupe's leather I did not see any of those pin holes. Does anyone know more about the leather?

Peterun

Several dealerships in the LA area have the C230 coupe in as demos. Sat in a silver with cloth and was surprised and pleased at the overall quality of the car. Fit and finish is up there with the rest of the lines. Loved the sunroof, particularly the shade, which I had thought might look thin and cheap. It's very tight, fitting perfectly. Opens automatically at one touch of the sunroof button. The material on the cloth seats . . good quality, but the same exact material as in the Euro version. Very busy with contrast color. Would prefer the leather, for sure. Sat in the back . . loved the way the front seats lift out of the way for easy entrance. Will drive the car on Monday, I think. Pete

gottabee

i test drove one of the c230's yesterday ... but it was the cloth version (they are having a shortage and leather production due to the foot and mouth disease). didn't get to take it on the highway, but drove it around town. the panoramic roof was cool for passengers sitting in the back.

i was surprised by how roomy it was back there and the ease of entry, even though i had heard about it before.

i was trying to decide between this car and the lexus is300. any opinions?

drew37

Please tell us your impression of how the 230 drove. Did you drive manual or automatic transmission?

Peterun

My local dealership has two demo models on the lot. Drove both of them - each for 20 - 30 minutes. Without question, I thought the automatic seemed to make maximum use of gear changing. It held gear until I let up on the throttle, downshifted at corners, etc.. Conversely, the manual transmission felt sluggish, the clutch was unevenly sprung, and the stick itself felt light and notchy. Not to my taste. My primary car is a 2001 Boxster with 5 speed. Both C-coupes were tight as a drum, rode beautifully, cornered amazingly well. There were no rattles from the panorama roof. The finishes were excellent, although I thought the pattern on the cloth seats was a bit much. Also, the manual height adjustment of the front seats allowed only for the front section to be raised, creating an angle. Would definately order the power seat package. One other item of concern: The plexiglass insert in the rear was rather distorted on both vehicles. Also . . the tint was radically different from the glass on the hatch just above. The glass tint was significantly darker. Odd. In general, I truly liked the car (automatic version). My take! Pete

gottabee

I agree with Peterun ... it rode beautifully and shifted gears with great precision. Though I thought it wasn't quite as smooth a ride as some of the other mb's, I didn't mind or notice too much. Extremely stable during cornering and brakes are the way i like them ... not overly sensitive but responds the way you want them to.
I spoke to the dealer again and was told that leather options in the coupe will not be available for a few months, so aftermarket leather will needed. The cloth material is really tacky and feels rough as well. Really detracts from the overall look.
Loved the sunroof. Wished the whole thing just opened up but i guess that wouldn't be so much a sunroof as a convertible top anymore. It's very smooth in opening/closing, and the covers are nice as well.

I also had problems with the plexiglass insert at the edge of the trunk lid. It distorted the view and was somewhat disorienting.

The aluminum touch around the panels and consoles(where the wood trim usually is) added to the sportier feel of this coupe, as did the reddish lights of the instrument panel. The remaining design/setup of the consoles are exactly as the rest of the C-class.

Along with the ample room in back, the headrests in the back seats are amazingly comfortable ... but I can't attest to how it feels for tall people. No cupholders back there, but I suppose coupes usually don't have them.

gottabee

if I were to get aftermarket leather for this car, are there any recommendations about which type and where? and approx how much should I expect to pay?

drew_

The C230K coupe is 10% firmer sprung than the C-class sedan, which gives it a decidely sportier ride without sacrificing little (or any) ride comfort. Also, the new demos on the lot may still have the over-inflated tires from the factory delivery. That would definitely change the ride quality, making it a lot firmer than it actually would be. Just something to consider and check on your next test drive.

Still waiting patiently for our dealerships here to get a demo :-). Hopefully see you all in the MB chat tonight at 6-7pm Pacific.

Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

tommyp13

If I get the c230, I'm going to get aftermarket leather. I don't like the color options, and it sounds like Benz is having some supply problems anyway.

Classic Soft Trim (www.classicsofttrim.com) is a national chain, and I've heard some very good things about their quality. I'd assume about $1200 installed; that seems to be the going rate for VWs, and the C230 should be a little easier of an install, since the side airbags are on the doors, not the seats.

Otherwise, talk to some reupholstery shops in your area for advise. They should be able to guide you, if they don't do it themselves.

As a new model, it might take these places a while to get the patterns straight.

drew_

Just a reminder that the MB chat is on tonight (6-7pm Pacific/9-10 pm Eastern). Hope to see you there!

http://www.edmunds.com/chat/mercedeschat.html

mark0868

I received word from my dealer that they too received 2 cars in last night. They are demo and will not be available for sale until 9/01. One is an auto and the other a 6 speed manual which I drove today. I agree with most of the comments above. The car was tight and rode quite nicely. I got on the highway a bit and had it up to 75mph. It accelerates nicely but for 192hp (as the sticker claims) I would expect a bit more oomph. I still love the car and will buy one when the dealers are more willing to deal. My one disagreement with gottabe is with the cloth interior. I drove a black C230 with a beige cloth interior and the cloth pattern was much nicer than the other model which had more options. The pattern was more subdued and stylish rather than sporty. Perhaps that was because my car was the base model and had no additional costs. It snickered for $25595 with best. cog. The rear glass however is a bit distorted depending upon how you look at it. I did not use it much in my driving unless I wanted to see the bumper of the car behind me. I guess it would do well in parking!

tommyp13

I really don't see MB coming off of sticker for the forseeable future. So, if you're thinking that you can wait until October, and the prices will be lower, I don't think you will.

I've already heard of dealer allocations being taken until September.

mark0868

I spoke with a dealer about a 4hr drive from me and he was already willing to discount the car about $500 off MSRP. I think I can wait a while. The dealers may be anticipating a big demand but considering the economy is still not out of the woods yet and the holidays around the corner from Set/Oct when more inventory will be available, the demand may be there, but I anticipate it will not be as great as dealers had hoped.

wedgebunny

Today I saw my first C-class Coupe. My local dealer had a couple they were prepping as dealer cars, they were in bays so I could not drive them. One was in paprika and loaded, nice color. The other was a base model, no sunroof even and in silver.

I must say I was impressed, it has a pleasing look and a somewhat more aggressive nose than the C-class sedan. The hatch area was not an afterthought, it completes the cars look.

Being the owner of a '99 C230K I have no doubt it is quick, especially since they bumped the HP a bit and smoothed out the harshness of the original Kompressor. And that MB 5sp auto is a real beauty with this motor. Once it learns your style it is a dream.

I heard that a loaded one will be around $30K, whether that includes COMMAND or not I'm not sure.

PS - Is it just me or is there anyone else out there that find the new C-class instrument clusters sort of...well...out of place, reminds me of a late 80's Chevy S-10 cluster. It works well on the S-class though.

tommyp13

It really doesn't seem to work on the c230. I would have preferred a simple dash with a tach that was bigger than a quarter.

I looked at one last night. I think that I'm starting to come over to the brake pedal, as the center console is really nice without an e-brake handle there.

Other than the dash, it seems as though they have really designed it well. Still have to take a test drive in the 6-speed manny, though.

s852

If you look at the price of the options, you will see that a loaded one will be much more than just $30K.

skobola

Can someone direct me to the new C-Coupe pricing... As my lease will end in April 2002, it seems to me that the CC could be a nice alternative to my Bimmer... I drove one on the MB Power event, and it felt really solid and very driveable. However, if the price with certain options will go high, i.e., in the Bimmer's range, than, huh, I still believe that a 6-cylinder Bimmer will be a better option. Thanks.

billytt

I will be taking delivery of my C230KMT this afternoon...I believe this is the first in Scottsdale Arizona. I have an Audi TT so will be doing some serious comparisons this weekend. For those interested, I will post my impressions early next week.

FYI: my C230K is Magma red with Oyster leather, 6-spd, pwr/memory seats, sunroof, TeleAid, and Bose stereo. The list price is $30,520.

jrct9454

Pricing is posted at the MBUSA.com web site. There is no reason to spend more than $28k in my mind, but I expect early cars to have heavy option loads. If you want a basic automatic, like I would, then the only way to get it is to order it, I'm sure.

tommyp13

Such as the 17" wheel option, which will be $750, and will include color-matched door handles (not sure about more).

Yes, billytt, I'd be interested in what you think, so please post. Couple of things I'll be interested in: what you think of the manny tranny, the placement of the parking brake, how annoying the instrument cluster is, and if there are any creaks with the sunroof open.

If you could post answers after some seat time, that would be great.

Congrats on the purchase.

I agree with the last post. It seems that, if you want a non-loaded car, you might have to order it, which will take 3 months or so. That's what I'm going to have to do, since I know exactly what I want, and the color (Orion Blue)

joeandcarol2

I test drove a black 6 speed version today with essentially no options. I thought the car handled very well and could be zipped through country road curves with ease. I also thought acceleration was a bit lower then I expected for the published torque and horsepower figures but maybe the car weighs more than it looks. However, when the revs get up around 3,000 the car pulls very nicely and has plenty of power for me. I thought the manual shifted for the most part very smoothly although downshifting into second or first was a bit "notchy". One surprise to me was the wide gear spacing between second and third (which probably makes the transmission work harder when downshifting into second). The revs jump way up when down shifting into second.
One piece of information that I cannot seem to find however is the size of the gas tank. Does anyone know this??

drew_

Don't forget that these brand new cars haven't been broken in yet. On most MB vehicles, the engine is noticably stronger after being throughly broken in. The coupe is indeed not much lighter than the sedan. The reason for this is crash fortification. MB didn't want the C-class coupe version to be compromised safety-wise in anyway vs. the sedan.

Fuel tank capacity is 62 litres. About 8 Litres of that is a reserve. The MB UK site lists fuel consumption as 14.9L/100 kms for city, 7.1L/100 kms for highway, and 9.9L/100 kms combined city/highway. 0-100 (62 mph) km/hr is 8.0 seconds, and a top speed of 240 km/hr, at least with the tires they have in Europe.


Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

tommyp13

We here in the US completely forget about metric after the 8th grade.

Have you driven the c230 yet? I finally drove a manny yesterday, and was very impressed. It's not a scorcher, but has ample power for me. I'll be keeping the modded crx anyway, so if I want to try to kill myself with excessive speed, I can always take that.

Anyone with any experience with the c class stereo? With the fiberoptics, it looks like you have to replace the entire system if you want to do real upgrades (I'm not talking about the Bose "upgrade" here). Will a standard DIN size fit? Can you fit an additional DIN-sized unit below in that empty bin? I haven't really seen much discussion on any forum about stereo upgrades. Anyone?

joeandcarol2

Drew. Thanks for the fuel tank information. However, I am confused (ignorant actually). What does 8 liters in reserve mean exactly? Is this usable fuel or what sits in the bottom of the tank where the fuel pump cannot get to it? By the way I neglected to mention that I was very impressed by the car and may buy one. Joe

jrct9454

The so-called "reserve", which MB has always counted in its measurement of the total tank capacity, merely marks the point at which the warning light is going to come on to start nagging you to get on with finding a fuel source. Thus you have a bit over 2 US gallons left when the light comes on...keeping in mind that there is nothing less precise in your 21st Century vehicle from any manufacturer than the fuel measuring system...

mercb230coupe

A few posts earlier I described the Coupe that I ordered in May. I picked it up on Saturday and am very happy that I put my order in; even though the car was sight unseen. Performance wise it meets my expectations. Fit and finish, and handling, it exceeds my expectations. Also, I ended up getting the teleaid feature for free, complete with one year of the service. (This issue is something that Peterun and I each described in prior posts)
MB just put out on Friday a new booklet detailing the entire C-Class line, including the C-Coupe. (I urge all interested parties to get it!) That publication lists the 0-60 times (under German specifications I am told) as 7.2 seconds with the 6 speed and 7.5 seconds with the auto. These numbers are listed as estimates however. For some reason MB also changed some of the mileage estimates from the previous little "handbook" that they released on the C-Coupe back in May.
I will give more details as I enjoy the car in the days and weeks ahead. I am really looking forward to taking it outside of Philly on some of the country roads.

drew_

I can't give you all of the answers, you have to do some work too you know ;-)

No I have not drive the C230K because it has not been launched in Canada yet. As soon as I do get the chance to drive one though (it will definitely be an auto), I'll let you know of my impressions.

You can replace the speakers and or add amps, etc. However, if you have the Bose Audiopilot (which is pretty darn good, I might add; I'd certainly buy it and save the hassle of upgrading later. After all, what aftermarket system has active noise cancellation specific for this car?) you will probably have to rip everything out for the best effect. Yes, it's a standard DIN size. There aren't too many people upgrading because for the most part, everyone is pleased with the sound, especially the people who ordered the Bose option.


Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

joeandcarol2

Yes I agree gas gauges are notoriously inaccurate. For Japanese cars at least I find that highway mileage is very consistant. I do what pilots do. I litteraly calculate my range knowing mileage and gas tank size and then set the trip odometer. Works much better.

ligart

I'm hoping (drooling) for the 3.2 V6 in this car. Now THAT would be sweet! :-D

drew_

Sorry, won't happen since a larger engine would make it compete with the CLK-class, as well as the C320 sedan to a certain extent.


Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

skobola

Drew, how do you know that it will NOT happen? To me, this sounds as a possibility if the C-Coupe will be selling enough and if there will be a demand for a more powerful car... And especially as the MB is trying to get into BMW's territory of entry-level luxury sport cars. Though, MB will probably milk the 230K first, and when it starts not to sell as well, then they may introduce a more powerful model once the sales start going down. You know that saying, never say never! Or you have some definitive authority source for your info?