Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Mercedes-Benz CLK (2005 and earlier)

1212224262731

Comments

  • petercrasepetercrase Member Posts: 19
    My Camry engine shut down many times while on the freeway over a six month to 1 year period several years ago. It would last for a few seconds, then it would restart spontaneously. I didn't figure it out until one night coming home from work, I hit the threshold speed (about 110 - 120 mph) for the protective speed limiter to activate. That activation was identical to what was happening at normal highway speeds. After that intentional shut down, the problem disappeared and has not reoccured over the past few years. It was like I rebooted my computer at work to take care of a software or hardware glitch of some sort, and when I turn the computer back on the problem is gone.
  • shiphroshiphro Member Posts: 62
    The options listed at www.mbusa.com have changed. The C230 options list now contains a Lighting Package (C4) which includes the healamp washing system and Xenon headlamps.
  • ciracira Member Posts: 37
    I have a c230 with automatic and I notice that at highway speeds, the gear shift will vibrate, so much so that it is uncomfortable to rest my hand on it. You can't see it vibrating, but you certainly can feel it. Has anyone else had this problem?
  • jjpeterjjpeter Member Posts: 230
    that the rear wheel wells of the C230 are lined with some kind of coarse felt material? What happens to this stuff when one runs into muddy conditions? The front wheel wells have industry standard plastic linings, much easier to hose off and keep clean.

    Are the rear wells lined with the different material for sound deadening?

    Any thoughts?
  • tariktarik Member Posts: 344
    I didn't know the Coupé had that, but it looks to me that the described lining will help to reduce spray from the rear wheel wells significantly. Years ago, a German institute ran tests with such linings on 18-wheelers, and the (positive) effect in rainy conditions (obviously) was astounding. Dirt shouldn't be an issue, it will be washed off next time it's wet.

    Tarik
  • tommyp13tommyp13 Member Posts: 146
    Unless you are using the manumatic part of it (and I have no idea why anyone would), you shouldn't have it there anyway.

    HH is right about the C7 pkg - the exhaust setup is slightly different; it's not just the tip, as mbusa would have you believe.

    Xenons aren't available yet for the '03s; should be Nov/Dec.

    I do agree about the sound level - if you want a silent car, I'd pass on the ccoupe.
  • mmarshall79mmarshall79 Member Posts: 5
    I am considering buying the C230 as my first car but I a bit concerned with the fact that it is a rear-wheel drive car. I know that rear-wheel drive cannot compare to a front-wheel drive car when driving in snow or sleet but what I really need to know is it acceptable or will I be spinning all over creation just trying to get to work? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated as this is the only thing that is holding me back from the MB.

    Thank you!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...means you won't be spinning anywhere. How much traction you'll have, and how much forward progress you can make safely, is determined strictly by tires - you need to plan on being ready to spend the money for a tire/wheel package with winter tires that you can swap every year. TireRack and others offer them at reasonable prices. For lookalike alloys and good winter tires, figure $800-$1000 for four ready to mount on the car, delivered to your house or a tire shop of your choice.
  • jmessjmess Member Posts: 677
    I am sure you also meant weight distribution also. That is why FWD is effective in the snow, because there is more weight on the drive wheels. I raced FWD cars for years and we would kill the higher HP RWD cars whenever it rained. The tires are also huge. I have had performance tires on FWD street cars that we horrible when it snowed.

    Snow tires mounted on extra rims are the way to go with any car. You very seldom ever have too much traction on winter roads.
  • mmarshall79mmarshall79 Member Posts: 5
    Thank you both very much for responding to my post, however I am hearing two different things. One seems to be saying that the winter tires will ensure that I am going to be able to get up a slick hill without spinning and the other seems to be saying that no matter what tire I put on I will be in trouble in the rain since the weighting of the car is different. I have no problem paying for the extra tires, if they really will make winter driving possible. Any clarification would be greatly apprecitated!

    Thanks again!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...and you're getting contradictions, which is the nature of the beast.

    I've driven both front and rear-drive cars, and owned a baker's dozen of MBs. Going uphill in snow will be just as easy in a C with the right tires and traction control as it will in a fwd car similarly equipped, maybe even easier. If you want absolute security in crappy weather, it's hard to imagine a better car than any modern Mercedes. OTOH, some people like the feel of fwd, especially in snow, and I wouldn't try to talk such a person out of such a car.

    Try the new Accord EX V6 when it comes out next month, or a TL. Then jump into a C or a BMW 3er, and see for yourself how things feel from behind the wheel. The kind of weather you get in New England is not a huge challenge for any of these cars, especially with the right tires, which I would want to have no matter which set of wheels is providing the power. I think a better question is what car you want to be driving all 12 months out of the year, not just the 3 worst.

    In most of continental Europe, the prime market for the Germans, conditions tend to average far worse in terms of both wet and snow than you will every see in New England, but rear drive cars still sell like mad. Are they better drivers? Yes, but that's another discussion...
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    asking for opinions ...and you're getting contradictions, which is the nature of the beast.

    Well stated.

    I've driven both front and rear-drive cars, and owned a baker's dozen of MBs.

    I've driven FWD winter cars for the past ~20 years or so; its been a long time since I've driven a RWD in the winter, but it was what I learned & grew up on (which I'll be applying to my C230K this winter).

    Generally speaking, the big factors are tires and the car's weight distribution. Its easy to change tires.

    [it seems that I'm being told] ...that no matter what tire I put on I will be in trouble in the rain since the weighting of the car is different.

    Sort of. If the car is RWD and has a nose-heavy weight distribution, you may still have poor winter traction performance, even with snow tires.

    Specific to the C230K, I've done some limited driving of it in the rain with the Traction Control (TC) turned off, and I've found that the TC does contribute more than I expected in keeping the rear end planted: I'd say that the car has some tendencies of being "light" in the rear end, which might mean trouble in winter snow (with or without snow tires).

    But... I do need to mention that the amount of power you're putting to the ground does influence things. You can have an otherwise "good" weight distribution, but because you have a ton of torque/power, it can act "badly". Its easier to keep a grossly underpowered car planted :-)

    In any event, one fix to this is simple and its why our parents put boxes of sand in the trunk: all you're doing is biasing the existing weight distribution by putting more weight on the drive wheels. The problem is that this "fix" is pretty limited - adding 200lbs to the trunk increases the total vehicle's weight (longer braking distances, etc), and may only have a a net effect of 5% on the weight distribution. But sometimes this is enough.

    The ancient VW Beetle was a good snow car because it had a rearward weight bias and it was RWD. Its Front-Rear weight distribution was probably somewhere around 35%-65%. Many FWD cars are biased 65%-35%, which again is putting weight on the drive wheels and thus, why they tend to be good in snow.

    The general challenge with RWD is because the engine is up front, figuring out what mass you can shift backwards (so as to achieve a good weight distribution) is a challenge. Many older US RWD cars were particularly bad at this, so RWD got a bad rap for winter driving. For example, I had an old 1968 Chevy Caprice, and it probably had a 65%-35% weight distribution similar to FWD cars, but because it was RWD, it was pretty bad in snow (at least, with an empty trunk). On the sports cars side of things, you'll sometimes see designs where the engine is in the front and the transmission is in the rear, just to improve weight distribution. IIRC, Porsche did this on the 928.

    I have no problem paying for the extra tires, if they really will make winter driving possible. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated!

    I'm going to pick up a set of dedicated snows and see how I do.

    FWIW, the other things I generally always carry in the winter in any car I own is a (small) box of sand, a grain shovel, a blanket, a spare pair of gloves, a cellphone, and some power bars & water, but the one item that's the most important is a big dose of common sense & good judgement.

    -hh
  • scscarsscscars Member Posts: 92
    I've come across a scratch in the black polycarbonate spoiler on my C230K. Can this be buffed out, or does the entire piece need to be replaced? Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, how was it handled? Thanks for any advice on this.
  • paul_ppaul_p Member Posts: 271
    My experience with a 1995 C220 was that it could crawl through any amount of snow, as long as you put it in drive and did not step on the accelerator to any degree - just let it crawl.

    It felt like it had a 50/50 weight distribution, and could even get through packed snow clilmbing a significant (though not steep) grade.

    On the other hand, my 1991 Ford Ranger pickup could not climb hills in the snow. On a similar grade even with 200 lbs. of sand in the bed, that made little difference. It could literally "not make the grade" in the snow. I remember having to take a 5 mile detour to get home once because I could not climb the 1/4 mile hill in front of my house.

    - Paul
  • jjpeterjjpeter Member Posts: 230
    I know this comment was posted on the 14th, but just to respond, I have no vibration through my gear shifter (auto) at >70mph, under acceleration or at any other time. I'd have the dealer check it out.

    How are you all doing with your gas milage? I seem to be averaging about 21-25 with mixed driving, mostly city.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I picked up a caop of eurotuner magazine this afternoon at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport (BTW, I now know why they call it HOTLANTA). There's an article in it about a RENNTech C230 K Coupe. They gave it a widebody kit which I don't particularly care for, but the quad exhausts are a nice touch in the rear (If it were dual with the stock tips it would be nicer). They did some suspension tuning and put some big (18"?) wheels on the car. The major upgrade to the engine was some ecu upgrades that increased the boost to the SC and the HP total was increased by 50 I think.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • tommyp13tommyp13 Member Posts: 146
    The renntech pulley upgrade is what's mostly responsible for the increase in hp (in conjunction with the chip that works with it).

    Their wheels are light for the size that they are (I think they might have been 19's, but not sure). But, at over $800 each, they should be.

    The pulley debate has been ongoing at mbworld, if you're interested in learning more.
  • rockribbedrockribbed Member Posts: 44
    I read with interest the discussion about the philosophy of which end of a vehicle to drive. I have not raced any vehicle, but find the average driver BELIEVES that a fwd will do better in the snow/slick conditions. This may contribute to the sense of well being in this type vehicle, but IMHO fwd can be dangerous during wet/ponding conditions on a high speed interstates. If a fwd hydroplanes the added impetus of the drive system can prevent the wheels from regaining traction and/or allow them to gain it when not pointed in the correct direction. This leads to UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES. I have experienced this condition myself a couple of times and know of another in my extended family.

    FWD with minimum HP (typical econo cars) are ok and that is what FWD is best suited for, but any vehicle with more than adequate power can be a hand full if you're not careful. It's funny that the world got along real well with RWD cars for a looong time in all types of weather.....
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    I read with interest ...[and] the average driver BELIEVES that a fwd will do better in the snow/slick conditions.

    And how much of this is because many RWD vehicles were designed so poorly? I can recall driving some very poorly balanced American Iron; those big motors up front made them very nose-heavy (and thus, tail-light).

    ...fwd can be dangerous during wet/ponding conditions on a high speed interstates. If a fwd hydroplanes the added impetus of the drive system can prevent the wheels from regaining traction and/or allow them to gain it when not pointed in the correct direction. This leads to UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES.

    True. The limitation of FWD (particularly with respect to racing, etc) is that you're asking one axle to do two functions: apply power and turn/steer. Since the amount of friction is finite, the sum of the work performed by these two tasks can never exceed 100%, something has to give.

    FWD with minimum HP (typical econo cars) are ok and that is what FWD is best suited for, but any vehicle with more than adequate power can be a hand full if you're not careful.

    Precisely. If for example you're using 75% of your tire's friction potential in acceleration, this only leaves 25% for turning. Or vice versa.

    In any event, I do like driving a FWD in winter conditions, because its very easy to do "thrust vectoring" with it in really slippery conditions. But this does take driver skill.

    It's funny that the world got along real well with RWD cars for a looong time in all types of weather.....

    Or 4WD/AWD. I laugh at this one too. Of course, our parents had several advantages that most people today lack:

    #1: dedicated snow tires
    #2: actual driving skills
    #3: a box of sand in the trunk & other self-help tools
    #4: a set of chains, if it got really bad
    #5: the ability to plan ahead

    and most importantly:

    #6: the common sense to not even go out when its bad

    -hh
  • rockribbedrockribbed Member Posts: 44
    Hi Hunt, Long time no write. My fault actually, the new wore off the C230K (still love it) and summer time was calling me (line from an old beach song - NOT beach boys). Good points all but you left one out: (7) tire width. The old 5.60X15's on my old bug cut thru the crust and snow to get the best traction it could (aided by the rear weight). Even econoboxes have at least 70 series tires now that act like snow shoes to keep the car on the slickest part of the snow.

    Talk again later....
  • kycchickenkycchicken Member Posts: 6
    Just got a 02 C230 coupe; red, automatic, C5 premium package, C7 wheel package and CD changer for $27300. This is $1657 below invoice! And no I didn't took the one that sitting in the parking lot; they located one from NY and ship it back to NJ for me.
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    Sounds like you got a great deal. Thanks for sharing the details. We look forward to hearing more.... Happy motoring!


    Revka

    Host

    Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards

  • mbenzc230kmbenzc230k Member Posts: 5
    My C230K makes a clattering noise when starting cold. The noise goes away after a few seconds. According to the dealership, this is coming from the lifters and is normal. The noise cannot be recreated at the dealership when the engine is warm/hot. Has anyone else experienced this? My car is 5 months old and has 1400 miles.
  • tommyp13tommyp13 Member Posts: 146
    Mine does it, it's normal, and you have nothing to worry about.

    Mine is about a year old w/15k miles.

    Obviously, you can't recreate it when it's warm because there's no noise when it's warm. What you could do is park it at the dealer overnight, and start it up in front of them to hear them say, "Ah, yes. THAT noise. It's normal, now leave." :)

    Don't worry about it. If you want to worry about anything, focus on: the fuel sensor, the oil level sensor, and the panorama roof blinds. These are real problems that are fairly common. Oh, and soon we'll be hearing "where's my torque?" posted by '03 owners.
  • mbenzc230kmbenzc230k Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the info on the clattering lifters. I'm knocking on wood about the other things you mentioned above.

    Just a thought about the 2003 C230K, I also noticed that the engine size is down to 1.8L but is still called the C230. Another irregularity is the C240 which has a 2.6L engine, not a 2.4L. What ever happened to MB's naming convention? As in C230= 2.3L, C320= 3.2L, SL500= 5.0L, SL55= 5.5L, CL600= 5.8L (close enough to 6.0L?) and so on.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...is that it became convenient to "cheat", and both BMW and MB have been doing it for years, even decades. A brand new model typically is correct [like the original 190E for the EU market in 1983], but after that, there is this tendency to try to associate in the mind of the consumer a car "name" with a particular model they remember in the lineup from the past.

    There are so many examples, it is hard to know where to start, but for MB there is the 2.6 V6 called a C240 because there once actually WAS a 2.4 in the EU lineup that slotted in this spot in the heirarchy. BMW did the same thing with the E46 3er when the 2.5 engine was introduced as the "323i" for the first couple of model years, then magically became the "325i" for the last couple, without any change in actual displacement. This is because the car replaced a model [which we never saw here] in the EU lineup that actually HAD a 2.3 liter 6 cyl engine.

    The Coupe now represents an extreme case of this syndrome: it is sold with the same 1.8 liter displacement SC engine in at least three states of tune and hp levels, and badged 180Komp, 200Komp, and 230Komp, depending on hp and the model being replaced. The displacement in all three cases is the same, but the engine is producing three different levels of hp and torque.

    Only in the twisted minds of the marketing divisions...
  • jhunter57jhunter57 Member Posts: 2
    So would the 2003's 1.8L engine be considered worse/better/no real change from the 2002's 2.3L? HP and torque are down, but very little, and M-B gives the same 7.5s 0-60 time for the automatic.

    Is there a bulletin board for the C230 (or M-B) in general? Something like saabnet, or vvspy, would be very helpful.
  • tommyp13tommyp13 Member Posts: 146
    If you look at a dyno comparison of the two engines (was one posted on mbworld a couple of weeks back), the torque peaks quicker on the '02, and keeps a nice plateau, whereas the '03 peaks later for a shorter period of time. In the real world, where torque is at least as important as hp, you will be missing low-end grunt on the new engine. It is lighter, though, so the differences will probably only be really noticeable if you drive them back-to-back. Of course, since I have an '02, I'll have to mention it to '03 owners that I meet. :)

    Websites:
    www.benzsport.com - more for modding, but people there have very good technical knowledge
    www.mercedesshop.com - very detailed stuff for D-I-Yers
    www.mbnz.org - mostly dead unless you have an slk
    forums.mbworld.org/forums - very good all-around fourm ccoupe is W203 gen, btw (except for sometimes it's CL203, which is more specific for the ccoupe only, not all c class cars - for example, Brabus lists the CL203 as a seperate gen on its parts listings)
    www.edmunds.com - to hear Hugh's rants on fwd vs. rwd :)

    HTH
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...is an improvement in every respect [noise, vibration, fuel consumption, mtc requirements, weight] except one: torque is down slightly, as noted above, and arrives further up the rev band. How significant this is in the real world on real roads is marginal, at worst. In general, I'm a fan of the new engine vs the old.
  • jhunter57jhunter57 Member Posts: 2
    How significant are the NVH, etc. improvements? None of those issues seemed overly bad during my test drive, but better is always better, and a significant improvment in MPG (seems unlikely) would be nice.

    Right now, the 02s are ~$2k less than the '03s, some of which I could reduce by not getting a sunroof on the '03 (but I'd probably spend $2k on COMAND which I would almost never use), but otherwise seems to tip the edge over to the older model.

    Note: carsdirect has the '02s going for $3500 below MSRP, and the '03s alread $1500 off. Seems very surprising for a just-introduced model year.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Well, at least on the West Coast, the Coupes are literally overflowing on the dealers' lots, so no surprise that deals are already here on the '03s.

    I just bought an '02 C240 at the Sacramento CA dealer for $4500 off MSRP on an automatic with C2. Resulting price before tax/lic was just a hair over $30k.

    Dealers in SoCal are already selling '03 C240s for $600 over invoice or less, and the Coupes are on the same level.
  • mugen000mugen000 Member Posts: 2
    I'm buying a C230 in two weeks and I don't know if I should get a 2002 or 2003 model?
    Any suggestions?

    Thanks
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    You got one response on another board - mine is the opposite. I think the new engine is worth having for a lot of reasons, and would probably go with an '03 if the financials on an '02 are not really compelling to you. But that last point is important: if you can find a dealer with the car you want, deals on '02s are VERY strong right now.
  • paul_ppaul_p Member Posts: 271
    John,

    Congrats on your C240 purchase! I hope it turns out to be one of the best cars that you have owned. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and perspective on owning it after you have spent some time with the car.

    FYI my y2k C230 is fine with no problems, at 6k. The '93 Toyota truck is also fine, at 162k. I just drove it from Boston to Atlanta over the weekend, it wears *me* out. :-)

    Take care,
    - Paul
  • jjpeterjjpeter Member Posts: 230
    Well, its been 30 days since anyone posted here.

    Either thats because:

    1-There is no new interest in the C230 (used or new).
    2-Everyone is completely satisfied and the are NO Problems.
    3-C230 owners are just busy with their lives and posting here is - way down on the list.

    We love our 230, zero problems, runs strong. One thing I did notice recently; while cruising in and out of some early morning fog on the way to Monterey, I was observing the miles per gallon readout. I switched off the lights and noticed the MPG jump up a tenth. So, yeah, running the lights pulls more fuel from the tank - which proves, all energy has to come from somewhere. I was cool though, to see a noticable change in fuel economy.

    We have been averaging 25.7 MPG with combined city and highway driving over the past 4 months.
  • paul_ppaul_p Member Posts: 271
    Cool! I always was curious about that. Knew it had to have an MPG cost, as I could hear the engine RPMs reduce slightly at idle when turning on headlights.

    I only have a 2000 C230, and therefore no MPG readout. Could you please do the same thing with your A/C sometime, and post your results? I'm curious to find out how much difference there is using A/C versus the "Economy" setting.

    Thanks in advance,
    - Paul
  • philly2002philly2002 Member Posts: 41
    I'm debating on purchasing a 2003 C230K or a 2003 Infiniti G35 Coupe. Any thoughts?

    One real life factor that may persuade me to lean towards the MB is storage capacity. Does anyone know if a bike(mountain bike) can fit comfortably in the rear with the seats collapsed?

    I understand that I might have to remove the front wheel if necessary, but if the bike still doesn't fit in the C230K with the front wheel removed then I might as well go with the infiniti.
  • lonestar98lonestar98 Member Posts: 48
    if you can spare the extra $ i would def. go w/ the g35. true, the hatch is more functional. but everything else considered the g35 is much more of a car. however, it's a buyers market when it comes to 230's and the opposite is true for the g. my advise is to wait until the flurry of activity is over on the g. really, if you can wait i think you'll be happier. i like the 230 but it is a budget vehicle compared to the g.
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    Does anyone know if a bike(mountain bike) can fit comfortably in the rear with the seats collapsed?

    It would probably be close. I recently carried a 6' stepladder, and it required me to flop the front passenger seat forward. As such, I'd say that something up to around 5'6" could be accomodated.

    FWIW, even if the I35 has fold-down rear seats, that doesn't always mean that you can easily pass under its clearance limit various bulky objects.

    -hh
  • earlamearlam Member Posts: 6
    On the MBSPY website there is reference to AMG C3 turbo diesel. It is the first diesel that AMG has made. It gets 30 mpg, it is a 5 cyclinder, it looks like it has pretty good performance.
  • jjpeterjjpeter Member Posts: 230
    Just wanted to add that our C230 is a joy to drive! Absolutely love the power, handling, steel vault like construction, decent gas milage, tight turning radius, new car smell (still, after a year!), stereo system, auto tranny, wedgy good looks and bottom gripping seats.

    Have I missed anything?

    Add too if you so feel inclined...
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356

    Have I missed anything?
    Add too if you so feel inclined...


    I'll add the joy of a manual transmission :-)

    BTW, my snow tires & rims are on order. If your new C230 is going to need winter shodding, recommend that you get around to it soon, rather than procrastinate: we've already had light snow squalls twice in NJ already, I have a feeling that the Eastern Seaboard is going to get hit hard this year...we're due.

    -hh
  • jjpeterjjpeter Member Posts: 230
    hh,

    "I'll add the joy of a manual transmission :-)"

    The C230-C is the first car I have ever bought with the automatic. Have rowed a stick in ever car I have owned since 69. But now, with the shiftomatic feature in the benz, it was time to give my left knee a rest and let the tranny do the shifting, or, a flick of the hand to down and up shift. Now, I am enjoying the lazy mode of driving or leaving it in one gear and rolling in and out of the sweet spot in the curve. Best of both worlds! Whenever I feel the need to remember what its like to manually run through the gears, I hop into my 93 G20 or my 99 Ford Ranger. Meanwhile, the wife isn't burning up clutches anymore! ;^)

    jj
  • tmundartmundar Member Posts: 70
    I know that this is a shot in the dark, but I was wondering if anyone here owns a Citron Green C230 and lives in the Phoenix (AZ) metropolitan area.

    My wife is interested in this color, but she wants to see it in person before we commit to ordering the car in this color.

    Please e-mail me at greenc230@mundar.com.

    Thanks,
    Tom
  • bob1969bob1969 Member Posts: 2
    I am new to the board and have been lusting after this car for a while now.

    My dealer has one 2002 (Bordeaux, Auto, C2, C4) that he seems to be offering me a good deal on. His price is 26875, almost $1000 below invoice.

    Is it strange that he should still have an '02 at this date?

    Is there wiggle room on the price considering it is the older model?

    Is there any reason that I should pay a bit more and get a 2003?

    Also, I love music and it does not have the Bose. Is there a huge difference?

    Any answers would be welcome.
    Thanks,
    Bob
  • gotenks243gotenks243 Member Posts: 116
    It depends on how much more he's asking for the '03 you want. I think I prefer the 1.8 liter to the 2.3, personally, and with the '03 you can get the Bose and any other options you want. All it hinges on is whether you personally think the higher price of the '03 is worth it.

    The dealer may go even lower on the '02 if you start inquiring heavily on the '03, so go for it and see where that takes you.

    I noticed at the link for the C30 CDI AMG that the coupe is available with the n/a 3.2 V6 in Europe. Does anyone think not having this engine here is really a loss? Do you prefer the flat torque curve of the supercharged 4? Would the car be more popular over here if it had a V6?

    Mike
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    The price being offered is good, but not sensational. Here's why:


    In our market [Sacramento, CA], the local guy still has over 15 '02 Coupes in stock. So no, it is not unusual for these cars to still be around. There is [or was - I think the program is still in effect] a $1000 cash incentive to the dealer on the '02 Coupes. So, even at $1000 under nominal invoice, they are still making money on the holdback. Most dealers are loathe to invade holdback, but that's what they would have to do to sweeten the deal further. Holdback is approx 3%.


    The incentive on sedans was/is $1500; this allowed us to buy an '02 C240 sedan in September for a price of $30k even on a car with an MSRP of $34.5k. Here too, they had to dig a bit into holdback to find a profit, but they readily agreed to the deal to move the car at the time.


    Summary: there is nothing crazy or out of line about the deal or the availability of the car. As noted above, if you would rather get an '03 with the smaller [but smoother, quieter, and more economical with fuel] engine, good deals are to be had there, too - as long as you live in a competitive market. In SoCal, these cars are already going for only slightly above invoice. That still makes the '02 less expensive, of course...up to you...

  • sixfeettwelvesixfeettwelve Member Posts: 3
    Wow....glad I drop in from time to time here. I sell Benzes in Connecticut and I believe a current American Market program exists that offers a money factor of .00175 for a 39 month lease( that is 4.12% APR) and if you have to finance, 4.9 for 48 or 60 months and 3.9 for less than 36.
    I will tell you straight....Mercedes-Benz is always the last manufacturer to offer incentivised leasing or financing...this blew me out of my chair when I heard it.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...I don't like financing cars, and like leasing even less, but those are indeed exceptional numbers for MBNA. Nothing like a competitive marketplace and a Federal Reserve that is trying to see how low it can go...
This discussion has been closed.