Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans

diwc240 · June 2001

Sirus32; I took delivery Feb. 15th, last 5 of serial # 77335. Everything else is working perfectly, (except for mirrors that "drift" just ever so slightly on occasion). I'm at 4400 miles.

Took a bad stone chip on front windshield (low on passenger side). Had www.novusautoglassinc.webatonce.com come to my office on Friday at noon and he did an excellent repair in 45 mins. Cost $60.

Drilled a very shallow small pilot hole in the marble/star crack chipped glass, filled it with urethane, then used a tool to spread the urethane into the star cracks, and another fancy tripod with a threaded plunger to apply pressure to the urethane to fill the hole and cracks, then applied a hardener resin, used a UV light to cure with cellophane covering the mark. Peeled away the cellophane and used a razor blade to scrape away the excess. Final mark is a touch bigger than the head of a pin. (BTW he just replaced an ML front windshield at $900.)

I highly recommend "Alex" from Novus for anyone in Jersey that may need autoglass / stone chip repair. My MB dealer referred him to me.

winnyv · June 2001

Don't let those windshield installers B.S. you about the cost they RAPE insurance companies for. Call a glass company and ask them the replacement cost for your windshield and tell them you are paying for it not your insurance. You may be surprised at what you hear. I was quoted ~ $200.00 for a windshield on a C230.

krimpie · June 2001

The list price will be $25595.

Leather seats - 1400
auto - 1300

4381077 · June 2001

Bought one last week w 12,000 miles after a brief test drive in the city. Had put the coupe through the paces earlier and didn't believe I needed to repeat the process. This was a major mistake. The cab has a hard time getting out of it's own way off the line and when I checked the MB website they acknowledeged the cab is 3/4 or more of a second slower from 0 to 60. Same drivetrain but a few hundred pounds heavier. Doesn't seem possible the car could be that much slower. Anyone know why, and if there's any aftermarket fix to improve the situation?
The car will need tires in few thousand miles. Any suggestions on makers, ratings, sizes?

skobola · June 2001

I drove the new C Coupe on the MB event in Miami, and was pleasantly surprised with the performance and driving "feel" - they really made it sporty, i.e., seats and suspension felt firmer than other Benzes. However, I believe that a nice Coupe will be more than $30k, same as my 99 BMW 323i, which had a base price of $26.5k, but it cost me $34.2 equipped with stuff that I wanted. Oh, the Benz was automatic, and I did not like it - it took too loooooong to adapt to driving style, and there was a significant lag during shifts. I hope that a 6-speed will be much better...

dvancao · June 2001

The C320 does have the lighted dials and the C240 does NOT. It's in the C brochure, under the Specs - Interior Features section.

Quote for C240: "CFC-free automatic climate control with dual temperature controls. Electrostatic dust filter. Humidity sensor."

Quote for C320: "CFC-free automatic climate control with digital dual temperature and airflow controls, plus illuminated vent adjusters. Electrostatic dust filter. Activated charcoal filter with smog sensor. 4-Way sun sensor."

Dat

michhala · June 2001

Tim -- I did find out about the use and purpose of setting "Key Dependent" from the foreman of the service shop at my dealer (his specialty is the computer) I am afraid it will not be of help to you, but I feel better about it.

Since I am using only one key, it is not necessary for me to have the "Key Dependent" setting on, because the 320 has its own capability to keep three seat memory and temperature settings without key dependency. However, if there are two keys being used, although the settings on the second key are saved in memory, they will not always be with the correct memory number. This means, of course, you were correct having "Key Dependent" enabled, but in my situation either would work.

Miki

michhala · June 2001

I purchased a Road Hazard policy for my Conti's today from the tire company with whom I have been using for many years. It was $43.49, and their service has always been excellent.

Miki

michhala · June 2001

Tony -- I cannot thank you enough for sharing the info on the shift knob. I ordered one on June 6 at $79, and it arrived UPS ground on June 8. LOL -- the company is just over the hill from me.

I had to speak to the service foreman at the dealer today on another subject, and he installed the knob without charge.

It looks wonderful and feels wonderful and I love it! If you remember, I was going to exchange knobs from a former 320, but decided against it.

Miki

benz747 · June 2001

is anybody heard about 2002 C 240s ??
1. prices
2. delivery schedule

thanking you in advance

johnny2000 · June 2001

Hi all,

Costco Wholesale stores are offering a $50 dollars off for Michelin Tires. The sale is on from June 18 through July 1st only. Besides, a coupon is needed and you could ask for it at customer services before making the transaction.

I received this info in the mail and I thought of sharing it with you..

Cheers

bobbyrab · June 2001

Today I ordered a 2002 C320 with C2,C3,C4,C6 (sport package), xenon, and multi-contour seat at a dealer in Queens, NY. Having seen previous posts here a month or two ago stating that power memory seats (C1 option) will NOT be standard on the C320, I asked my salesperson to double check this. She opened her 2002 pricing info book and there it was: power memory seats (C1) was shown to be STANDARD in the 2002 C320. Can anyone confirm that C1 is indeed standard? I would hate to take delivery of the car (October 2001) with manual seats.

Thanks.

nyca · June 2001

But if you buy 4 Michelins by June 16th, you get a free digital camera:

http://www.michelin-us.com/us/eng/tire/promo/index.html#

Well, someone had posted scanned copies of the option sheets for the 2002 C320 and C1 was not standard. Maybe MB changed their mind. What base price did you pay for that 2002 C320? Also, why won't it be delivered until October, if deliveries start in July, do they have orders backed up that far already?

bobbyrab · June 2001

I did not see the base price in the sheets; the dealer said it would be no more than 2% higher than 2001. I clearly saw that C1 was standard in the C320 though, looking at the table. Perhaps, Mercedes DID change its mind. The reason for the October delivery is simply because that is when the lease is up on my '98 E320.

ktan · June 2001

I recently had an accident on my 2month old C320 and the car has been in the shop for 10 wks and is still not completed. Does anyone have experiences with body parts for the C320? Getting parts such as bumper, suspension, fog lights etc.. has been a real nightmare. I am very disappointed that MB does not carry any spare body parts for the 2001 C320 here in North America. Comments from anyone would be most appreciated.

gerrymurray · June 2001

Hi,
NICE order! (I live in Nassau County, NY).
Am "just about" to order a 2002 C-240 (C3/C6)
and am in two minds about either Helms or
Westbury. Any positive/negative vibes about
the 'Queens' dealer you worked with?
Gerry
(murray@acm.org)

kenyee · June 2001

ktan:
Sorry to hear about your accident. That's always been a problem w/ new cars. Same thing happened to the MDX, ML, and X5. Parts were all used for production.
Let us know how it goes.

bobbyrab · June 2001

I leased my '98 E320 through Helms Bros. and they are the ones that I placed the order for the C320. No hassles whatsoever; they are reputable and friendly and have had no issues with their service dept. I had gone to the dealer in Rosilyn (Ra....) but did not like the atmosphere there.

nyca · June 2001

Westbury? Rallye MB is in Roslyn. Lakeview auto is in Rockville Center, to me they seem more friendly, but I don't know if either dealer offers, for example, MB loaners. You want a C Class without the C2 roof package? You are going to wait a long time for that car based on posts I've read here and on usenet, and what dealers have said to me.

djasonw · June 2001

To those NY'ers interested, I leased my 2000 C280 through Lakeview and their service department is excellent. They also provide loaners (call in advance). Sometimes their loaners are NOT MB but at least they give you something.

Helms is a nice dealer too but I've never done business with them so I can't comment. As far as Ralleye Mercedes in Roslyn is concerned... NAH. A bunch of snobs and they look at the C class as a POOR MAN's CAR. I may be exaggerating but just visit this dealership and you'll know exactly what I mean.

bobbyrab · June 2001

When I ordered my C320, the salesperson told me that the dealership plans to issue Mercedes loaners to its customers for scheduled maintenance in the near future. In the past, they have shuttled me to the nearby Bayside Long Island RR Station, so I've never needed a loaner. When I went to Rallye, they totally ignored me, even when I told them that I was friendly with a very good customer of theirs. From the recent comments, it seems that Lakeview and Helms Bros. have a similar, more hospitable atmosphere.

dvancao · June 2001

I picked up my C240 on Tuesday night. It has Michelin tires on them. It could be because of sirus32's tire vibrations (same dealer). Did notice that the easy exit feature does not work, but that's OK. Everything seem to work fine.

Dat.

2002mbenz · June 2001

I was just wondering if any members have had their MB rust protected and undercoated? I've heard from some people that it's not required for MB cars. Is this fact or fiction?
Regards - Sandy

michhala · June 2001

>Did notice that the easy exit feature does not >work, but that's OK. Everything seems to work fine.

Dat -- Good luck with your new car. If you have the C1 package, your exit feature should work. Be sure to check out if you have it enabled by using the multifunction steering wheel button per your manual.

Miki

drew_ · June 2001

After owning 2 new C-classes, you can now be one of our resident C-class experts! ;-)

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

dvancao · June 2001

2002 mbenz - I read somewhere from MB that their cars don't need Rust Protection and they specifically states NOT to do it, voids the warranty.

michhalla - I did set it to steering/seat setting and it does work (opens up), but then it would not set it back to my seating position. I should play with some more though.

Dat.

benz747 · June 2001

Just talked with me dealer - my car was built few days back and waiting for her turn to be on waters!! but he said MB has not out any pricing details? they are expecting in day or two as the first 2002 car (already sold) have arrived in baltimore and will be ready for roads in a weeks time

does anybody heard something different or do they have any idea about 2002 pricing ?

thanks in advance

dana · June 2001

dvancao, what options did you order? if you got the sports package you probably have michelin pilots.

michhala · June 2001

>After owning 2 new C-classes, you can now be one >of our resident C-class experts! ;-)

Drew,

I always have to buy two of everything.

Miki

mcync · June 2001

Just got my C240 with C2, leather and Nav.
So far, that car amazed me of how much gagets it has through out the car. I am glad to have the Nav. It eliminates having to have maps in the side compartments. It is very accurate! The car is quiet and respond quite well. Also, I did get the full extended warranty for four extra years for a discount! Overall, I am very happy with the car.

I was very concern about some of the post I've read earlier about some of the problems. But, so far, I am knocking on wood. Everything is perfect.

michhala · June 2001

>Michhala - I did set it to steering/seat setting >and it does work (opens up), but then it would >not set it back to my seating position. I should >play with some more though.

The key remembers the last setting it used. If no one changed the settings, then just pushing the little button below the 1-2-3 button should bring you back to the proper seating position. Do this after you have turned the ignition key to the right or started the car. Also remember that if you make any adjustments while driving to the seat, side mirrors, headrest, be sure to press both memory buttons on the door. First the top one and then immediately thereafter the bottom one.

That said, it does not always work perfectly

Miki

bankoh · June 2001

I will take delivery of my 2001 C240 in 3 to 4 weeks. This is the first MB for me. My other cars have been Lexus ES 300 and LX 300. The Lexus cars have been very reliable, and I feel that I wasted my money buying extended warranties. Any advice as to whether or not I should buy extended warranty on my MB? A few of my friends complained about their A/Cs going out when theirs MBs were about 5 years old.

tschreyer · June 2001

Hi. I've been meaning to de-lurk since about June 2nd, but haven't managed until now.

I've been reading "Part 6" since March and have finally caught up to the end, just in time to pick up our new C this Saturday! It's a 2001 desert silver/charcoal leather C240 auto, C1, C2, C4, C6 Sport, CD changer. Ordered 3/30, built last decade May, arrived Baltimore 6/6, arrived Lancaster, PA Wednesday! Paid MSRP -- well maybe $100 off the changer! -- hadn't read enough of this forum yet to try to leverage it in for free! Dealer is Lancaster County Motors in Lancaster, PA.

We also have a '97 Explorer, and are replacing my '95 Eagle Talon ESi. We are super-excited about owning this super-safe, super-advanced, little sports sedan. My two small daughters and my back are looking forward to having four doors. and my non-stick-driving wife is looking forward to another car she can finally drive! My first new car was a '89 VW GTI 16V, and I've been waiting impatiently to drive another German-engineered vehicle.

We shopped (and eliminated in this order) the VW Passat, Audi A4 2.8 quattro, BMW 323(x)i, and the C240. (We toyed with the Lincoln LS, but never followed-up seriously.) The combination of safety equipment, cool features, luxurious appointments, and drive was unbeatable, IMO, in the category, and with the Sport package I think my driving urges will be well met. My radical performance driving days are past (until my sportster!), but I don't expect our new C to disappoint.

Well, I'm eager to join the discussions here -- after reading all these messages I feel like I know you all: Drew's accurate answers, Michala's Tale of Two C's, Dennett's (wife's) magma red, zmeenow's enthusiasm for his early model, kmurphy's frustration and disappointment with his problem car, the mysterious appearance of the flags (to me, they were there all along!), and jrct9454's excellent experience with flat-spotting and precision alignment -- just to list a few. And no slight intended to all the rest of the posters here to what has been, when read end-to-end, an awesome resource for new and prospective MB and C-Class owners!

Hope to continue here for quite some time!

Thanks,
Tim

P.S. Pardon me for the lengthy post -- I've been saving up since March!

sirus32 · June 2001

5-7 days after my dealership installed 4 new Michelins on my C240, the vibrations are back.

They still occur between 30-40mph, however after 20 minutes of driving they subside.

I'm sure the vibrations are still caused by the tires, because it's a different type of vibration. I'm the lucky one...I have the only C with an extremely sensitive suspension.

I give my dealership credit, they're willing to keep trying until it's fixed.

Other than the tire issue, the car has been flawless. I love my C!

rowlandj · June 2001

I also have them at about that speed - my trip is a short run to the highway so I only get the vibrations about twice in the AM on two local roads.

Once I get to the highway all is well and then no more vibrations until the next morning. It does not seem to be any worse (or better) even after a few days of the car sitting. There must be some magic number of hours that cause the flat spots to occur. It would seem more than 10 hours based on what I have seen.

I also got mild occurences of the same thing on my 2000 E320 (that has Michelins). My C has Pirelli's. Both cars with 16" wheels.

JR

v_tech · June 2001

the c240 with only 168 horses seems a little weak to me. is this a sports sedan or a nice car with leather seats, power seats, nice air conditioning, navigation, and airplane like cockpit gadgets all over?? i think it is the latter.

then you have the c320 which is essentially the same car. mercedes is just as silly as bmw charging a million more for 47 more horses. the 325i is 5 grand less than the 330i but they are the same cars and now we have the c240 and the 320. i call it marketing genius. i am not saying these are lousy cars but the pricing approach is absurd.

vtech

jrct9454 · June 2001

If you are sensitive enough to notice the vibrations that overnight flat-spotting can induce, and it sounds like Sirus joins the elite club that includes me on that topic, then you have only two choices for true automotive happiness:

- Learn to ignore it. As you have noted, once the tires get sufficiently warm, they get round again. With the carcass construction of most Michelin touring tires, this process doesn't take long, as long as you haven't gone 4 days or more without moving. My general rule of thumb is 8-10 miles at freeway speeds in mild ambient temps.

OR

-If the car is garaged [secure overnight, in other words], then adapt the JMR patented solution: buy two [I actually use all four, but the front tires are the key] cheap floor jacks from a discount store. Attach some cheap toweling or shop rags to the saddles [rubber bands work fine; this helps keep wear down on the car's jacking points]. As soon as the car is done for the day, jack up the car just far enough to get the tires clear of the floor. Make sure you hit the jacking points under the car that are used by the techs at the dealership to put it on the rack - if in doubt, ask [don't want to punch a hole in the floorpan]. This process for all four wheels takes about 2 minutes at the end of the day, and another 2 minutes before the car is ready to go. For me, this has become as essential as checking the oil...we are retired, and have most life essentials [bank, grocery, drugstore, coffee, video, pizza, etc] within walking distance, so the car sometimes doesn't move for up to 7 days, or occasionally even more. I can tell you this works...but only if the tires in question were actually round and straight to begin with, which is one reason I favor Michelin so much.

JMR

dvancao · June 2001

dana - #3429 - I don't have the sport package, C6. This is what I bought:
C240, Brilliant Silver/Charcoal, 6-speed manual, C1-4, Bose, Xenon, CD-changer.
Paid MSRP, free was the all season floor mats and an extra CD cartridge.

michhala - #3432 - Yes, the exit feature works now, but I don't think the seat moves forward enough to be back to my setting.

Dat.

michhala · June 2001

Hi, Tim -- Welcome and safe driving in your beautiful new car. You certainly are familiar with our "stories". This indicates you find the posts as helpful and informative as I do.

So glad you did not "de-lurk" and plan to continue with the forum. Lots of nice people here as you already know.

Miki

michhala · June 2001

>Michhala - #3432 - Yes, the exit feature works >now, but I don't >think the seat moves forward >enough to be back to my setting.

Dat -- Even when you hold down the lower memory button? Are there two key users? If so, are you set for "Key Dependent"?

You can also disable the "Exit" mode and use the door control to move the seat back and forth as you need. I chose to stay with the "Exit" mode enabled and tough it out and get aggravated and have something to complain about. It's not easy being me

I still find my two-week-old Obsidian 320 finicky as far as the memory function, but not as much as my Black purchased in Dec. I also found that my Black's memory behavior improved as it aged

Miki

vkj · June 2001

has anyone else besides dvanco got michelin's as original equipment on a no sport c240?

ralphh1 · June 2001

I too have had the vibration problem. The service department replaced the factory tires with michelin mvx4 series. The ride has suffered tremendously. I have a call back to the dealer requesting 4 touring tires. I would take my old tires with the vibration due to the poor ride quality now.
Has anyone heard/found a bra for the 01 c classes?

mcync · June 2001

I bought my C240 last week. I am normally against extended warranty of any kind. HOwever, I purchased the extended warranty this time simply because I noticed there are a lot of electronic gadgets in the car. Even the Key is fiber optics and the car could not be jumped started without the key. After reviewing the extended warranty coverage in length, I thought it was a very good deal and a piece of my mind for at least 8 years, 100,000 miles. That is how long I intend to keep the car. This is my opinion.

mcync · June 2001

I read some previous messages from people who has problems accelerating with their c240 when the car is cold. I noticed the same problem recently.
However, I discovered that it only happen when I press my left foot on the brake while using my right foot to accelerate. I believe now that this might be a feature rather than a problem. There might be a sensor on the foot brake which will not accelerate the car as long as the foot is held on the brake even slightly.

When I release the brake, the car acted normal.

Like to here from others with the same issue.

dvancao · June 2001

Michelin tires - They are MXV4 Plus, H rated tires. This includes the spare tire. For ralphh1, I like the ride of the MXV4, but then I don't have any comparison.

Exit feature - When I shut off the car the wheel/seat opens just fine. When I start the car, steering wheel and seat move back, but the seat does NOT move far enough to my setting. So I just push and hold down the seat memory recall button until it stops, then it's to my seating position.

Extended warranty - I did buy the one year/100,000 miles extended warranty. Since I drive a lot, I needed the mileage more so than the extra year, so I double the mileage warranty for very little money.

Dat.

rajmisha1 · June 2001

When I was about to sign my lease contract with MBCC ( Mercedes Ben Consumer Credit) I was being charged $900 acquisition fee. Money factor is .00375. I was told that this fees is standard with MBCC. Is it true? Has anyone leased through MBCC? If yes, then how much acquisition fee was charged? I will appreciate your input. I haven't signed the contract yet, somehow I felt that amount was too high. Well thanks in advance.

rag

ctic · June 2001

My acquisition fee was $495 (2+ years ago), but it is negotiable. Even the disposition fee at the end of the lease is negotiable.

Tell your salesmen it's too much. Tell him also if he doesn't reduce it you will publish his name in this forum and what he is charging.

mga3 · June 2001

I assume you are talking about the bank fee,which contains the gap insurance. When I leased my BLK C320 from Prestige Motors in Paramus NJ back in March,I paid $595.00. Though they wanted $695.00. I simply told them, I talked to the factory dealership in Manhattan and was told the standard upfront fees for a MBCC First class lease was 1st month pyment and a bank fee of $595.00,no more no less. They immediately backed off and agreed to the $595.00.

My suggestion is, you call the factory dealership in Manhattan or MBCC directly and ask what the present bank fee is. An inflated bank fee is just another way for the dealer to make more profit at your expense.

doug110 · June 2001

I've been reading this board for a while and your posts convinced me to buy a C320 - thanks for all the information!

I just took delivery and have two questions:

I have always changed the oil on new car at 1,000 miles, but the dealer insists that until the oil change light comes on (8,000 miles +), I don't need to change it. Has anyone done any research into this?

Also, are there any wax/polishes that are especially formulated for black paint?

Thanks!

nyca · June 2001

Zymol makes "Carbon" wax, designed for dark colors. I use it on a black BMW, it's effective. Also, based on the owners reports in this group, putting a coat of wax (just wax, no cleaner or polish) on your new car is probably a good idea based on all the paint chip posts that people have made. Even if you can't get the Carbon wax right away, get a good brand of straight wax (like Meguiar's) and get it on that new car. Straight wax (no cleaner, no polish) goes on and comes off very easily. Your MB dealer may sell Zymol, or a local BMW dealer might.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans

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