Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans

wenche · January 2001

Anyone here have the picture of the standard seat come with c-240?And,is MB start to ship any c with command now?

lperakis · January 2001

Andy, C class cars with command systems were built beginning in mid-December and have begun to arrive in the USA now. I take delivery of my C320 with this option in about 2 weeks.

breese1 · January 2001

I am considering getting a C32 AMG next year. I was also thinking of doing the European Delivery. I checked the MBUSA site and it did not show any AMG models for euro delivery. If ordered far enough ahead of time is it possible to do this?

wenche · January 2001

Thanks,Leon.Can you tell me when did you place your order?I place my order end of Sept,00.but my rep still can not give me any update....And,BTY,how is your command work?can it play audio CD too?

spndx · January 2001

breese1: I don't believe you can order a car under the European delivery program unless it would otherwise be available at your dealer. All the transactions take place like a normal vehicle, except you pick up the car (configured for the U.S.) in Stuttgart. I couldn't do euro delivery for a regular C until that model hit the U.S. in September, even though it became available in Deutschland last Spring.

spndx · January 2001

With all the issues/gripes/kvetching about....

* Brakes
* Trunk
* Radio/cell phone
* Driver's Seat...

...got me to wondering whether anyone has been able to find a German Web site similar to this one?? The C has been available in Germany for almost a year now, and I'm curious what is being written about it there.

rexconde1 · January 2001

There is no Eurodelivery program for the AMG line yet. However I anticipate that they will change this. But I cant say it will be soon.

The reason is that the cars after being pulled off the line is then delivered to the AMG workshop where they work their magic and perform the conversion. We tried to do it for our CLK55 but they said no since it is not part of the regular production line.

Robert

4murphy · January 2001

I am taking my car in tomorrow to have the squealing brake problem addressed again. Has anyone experienced a tick, tick, tick, sound coming from the engine when at idle? I sounds like it is running rough. I use Amoco 93 octane. It doesn't happen all the time but I have noticed it quite a bit lately, especially when I am at a stop light. And finally, has anyone had a faulty seat belt chime? It goes off every 3 or 4 times when I start the car. I apologize for bringing all my problems to this board, but I don't know where else to turn. Thanks.

vfchang · January 2001

I picked up my C320 (C2, C4, Xenon, leather) about 1 week ago, after waiting 3.5 months. Except for 2 issues (mentioned here before), the car has been great. I'm still learning about all the features on the car. There is sometimes a tapping sound from the engine at idle (sounds like either the injectors or noisy valves), and occasional brake squeal during light braking. I'll deal with these when I go in for service.

If anyone has some experience with the engine noise at the dealer, please share. I'm also looking for some info. on tire pressure and the climate control system. According to the sticker inside the fuel filler door, the pressure should be 28F & 32R. This seems a bit low in the front. The car was at 32F and 36R when it left the dealer. Is this a common number?

When the climate control is left in the auto mode, I don't get much heat at the floor level. I have to go to a manual mode to direct more heat to the floor. Is there a "right" setting for the diffuser on the top of the dash board?

I would appreciate any insight on the above.

Thx,
Victor

zmeenow · January 2001

my understanding is this is how a mercedes engine sounds. personally it is of less interest to me how noisy the engine is OUTSIDE the car(within reason of course),as long as its quiet INSIDE the car...
no chime problems

re climate control... ive found in the past also with with other cars.. that in ititially letting the manual setting warm/cool the car more quickly... then switching to auto... to maintain the temp at desired level try using the recirculate switch too..also i keep the winshield diffuser closed when i need maximum heat to the feet or face

thomas4 · January 2001

I, too, noticed my feet were cold when driving at highway speeds. I could put my hand down there and feel a breeze! The outside temperature was well below O so this was pretty uncomfortable.

I asked the dealer to look at it, assuming a seal had come loose. They inspected it and told me that what I was feeling was simply the vent designed to bring fresh air into the car.

I said, "It's DESIGNED to dump cold air on the driver's feet?!" He replied, "And the front seat passenger's, too."

Anyone have any insight on that?

djasonw · January 2001

Well... now I know that Car & Driver is biased. I reviewed their article comparison and the order of finish was Saab 9-3, Merc C240, Volvo S60, IS300, Audi 2.8Q and first place was of course the Bimmer 325. Of course you have to read between the lines but the comments they made regarding the Mercedes were anything but flattering. I have to admit that the S60 I test drove recently (2.4t) was a really nice attempt at Volvo to steal market share. VERY nice ride... seats were better than the Benz, brakes, auto shifting,ride... all better BUT.. you don't have that 3 pointed star. Makes you REALLY think. Would never consider the top 3 though. Still LOVE my C280 MY2000.

jjsani · January 2001

Here are two web sites that you may find useful.
For those of you who are really frustrated with all your problems, this site may be useful http://www.mercedesproblems.com/

This site has links to tons of other MB related sites. It may have a site to voice your dissatisfaction with the service you've been getting or lack of. It also has some other sites you may find interesting. Like everything else on the internet you have to weed out the junk sites.

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/9323/links.htm

w2p2 · January 2001

Anyone buy the Velour floor mats from Clair? I don't need the winter mats living in Georgia and since there is no picture of the Velour I was "a" wondering if anyone had bought them. Yes I know that's a run-on sentence, but thats how I talk!
Thanks.............. am suppose to get my C-320 in two weeks!

sandiegotom · January 2001

This is a follow-up to my earlier message reporting the "TELE AID VISIT WORKSHOP SOS!" malfunction warning that I got on my C320 Instrument Cluster Display. I took the car into MB of San Diego yesterday to have the Tele Aid software "reflashed". I got kind of a bafflegarb explanation of the problem - something like the Tele Aid Center could see that the car velocity was 0 and the direction was not changing, yet the car's position indicated that it was moving. Anyhow, the Tele Aid malfunction appears to be fixed.

Of interest, the MB dealer offered a free rental econobox loaner while my car was being serviced, or, for $10 I could drive around in style in one of their seventy(!) ML320 loaners. They sweetened the deal by not requiring the tank to be full on return, as they do for the rental car. I did not buy my car at MB of SD - perhaps there's a different deal for those that did, but I don't think so. They did ask me if I had purchased my car there, but that seemed to be only to check if I was already in their computer.

Three months - 2500 miles - no regrets...

Tom

thomas_l · January 2001

I think these guys must get kickbacks from BMW. This thread came up on the Lincoln LS board with respect to 60-0 braking. One author praised the BMW braking performance and in a different article made a slap at the LS even though the LS stopped a few feet shorter! Those writers really need to pull their heads out of that BMW a**.

maroon95 · January 2001

how does MB fare in winter driving? i live in NY. there's 4-wheel driving like the new BMW 325xi

...

jonorato · January 2001

...doesn't like any cars that don't handle and accelerate really well. They're all about the driving aspects. So I read their comparo of those five models, and it was music to my ears. Good road isolation, no wind noise, etc...this is what I wanted in a car, since suburbia and my increasing age inhibit me from doing a lot of serious racing. LOL. The BMW doesn't even come standard with Cruise Control, for God's sake. No thank you.

As best I could read it, they said it was the best PASSENGER car of the bunch, and that is exactly what I had in mind when I bought it.

jonorato · January 2001

...only work right when it gets here.

sleake · January 2001

My car is at the dealer as I speak (write) so they can make a second attempt at correcting the AM radio static. Last time they gave me a free Mercury Mystic. Yuck. Today, however, they gave me a free, ML320 with only 200 miles on it. I don't particularly care for the vehicle, but at least it's an MB and new. 2040 miles on my C320 and I'm still very happy with it.

dennett · January 2001

Tom, we got our car at MB of SD and have been pleased. The loaner service they gave is standard treatment. We too got a new 2000 ML when our car was serviced, and the $10 does include gas, even if bring it back on empty. Our salesman told us to have plans to use the ML on days we have the C serviced, or go for a long drive, and that would make up for the $10. All in all what were your impressions of the service department? Have you gotten your oil changed yet? Ours has just over 2200 miles on it, and I plan to have oil changed in a couple weeks or so, sometime before 3k. After that I'll stick with the free service.
One more thing, I believe the MB owners from the S. Cal. area at MBZ.org are planning a fun run sometime next month, if your interested I'll get you the details, whenever I get them, nothing finalized yet. They did one back in Sept, I think and from what I've heard it was a real good time.

vfchang · January 2001

Gary,

When the engine noise is there, unless the music is on, it's very noticeable from inside the car. I could understand this being part of the design, except that it doesn't happen all the time. When it does occur, it's only at idle, and other controls/settings are unchanged. This makes me think that something is not right.

lperakis · January 2001

http://mbz.org/

mtroy · January 2001

What happened the first time? Tell us what happens this time. My AM static is back.

kmerrick1 · January 2001

I'm trying to decide between a C240 and a BMW 325
The BMW HAS A 24 VALVE v 6 ENGINE 184 H.P. AGAINST THE MB 18 VALVE V6 AT 168 H.P. Plus the BMW weighs more. Doesn't that make it a more desirable car ? Please respond. I'm trying hard to make the right dexision. kmerrick1

fedssocr · January 2001

I don't know that the factors you recite necessarily make the BMW a "more desirable" car. The only thing to do really is to drive them both and see which you prefer. Only you can know what sorts of features and so on you will like better. I would never make a decision to buy a car based solely on HP ratings or 0-60 times or magazine reviews or any of that other stuff. You're the one who's got to live with the car, and the only way to choose is to drive them and see which you like better.

Of course there are also those who would say that a Mercedes has more "prestige" than a BMW and thus is more desirable.

portlander · January 2001

I heard the ticking sound the second night after getting the car. It was late and quiet when I heard it. I was talking to the teleaid agent during the activation process. I asked the agent if he could hear the ticking sound. He told me that he couldn't hear it but go ahead to have the car checked out. I took the car in the next day to have the service people listen to it. The shop was too noisy that they couldn't hear it. That same night my car had the check engine warning and would die soon after it started (engine air intake problem). Since they fixed the intake problem, I haven't heard the ticking sound. I'm not sure if the two events are related though. The car drives great.

w2p2 · January 2001

anyone buy them from Clair? Since their is no picture there is no way to know if they are nice or not. Anyone know?
Thanks,
w2p2

sleake · January 2001

I don't believe they really attempted to fix the radio last time. The got involved in reprograming the the tele-aid first and when they finished that, the radio stopped making the noise. So, they thought it might have been caused by the teleaid. (I knew it wasn't.) Naturally, the radio started making static again, even before I got out of the parking lot.

This time, it's taken the better part of two days just to find the problem. I just talked with the rep and he said they've pinned it down to some part (he named it but don't remembert) that's a component of the antenna connection in the head liner near the rear window. They have to order the part so they can't finish the job until it arrives on Monday. I'll be driving the ML over the weekend. Once I get it back, I will definitely let you know if the problem is solved.

sandiegotom · January 2001

Dennett:

MB of SD treated me just fine - they signed me in promptly, got me into the ML loaner quickly, and called me when my car was ready. They did a good clean and wash job on it (but missed the brake dust on the insides of the wheels - maybe they need a special cleaning tool). On the downside, it's kind of a madhouse in the service area; too many cars, not enough bays. I bought my C320 at Hoehn MB in Carlsbad. They just moved into a huge new facility with about 75 spanking clean service bays. Escondido MB is building a large new service bay area; it might be time for MB of SD to expand and upgrade.

Tom

drew_ · January 2001

I don't know how many of you saw the message at the top of the main sedans topic list, so I thought I'd ask you all here. Which of you C-class owners (or owners to be) are moving/moved from an SUV or a larger car?

Ian, Bill, what vehicles did both of you drive before your C? Ian, I know you're still waiting :-)

Drew
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pmvi · January 2001

Do you really think someone is going to consider you more "prestigious" because you have a C class vs a BMW 3-series???

Don't get me wrong...both cars are great, but come on!

dennett · January 2001

Good hanging with you at the Friday Freeway chat this evening! As far as moving to the C, it's primarily for my wife and she got it after driving an I30. She'd always wanted a Mercedes so we got one. I really have come to love the car and couldn't be happier with our decision.
I'm planning on replacing one of our other vehicles, 00 Nissan crewcab or 97 Trooper in 02. I'm thinking M-class, but haven't ruled out the X5 or even the Audi Allroad. I don't like the typically Honda bland styling of the MDX, and the RX and X5 are really too small. I'm watching for any info on the new M class and hoping it comes in fall 02 as an 03 model, but I've also heard it may come 03 as an 04 and I don't want to wait that long. I hate buying the final year of a vehicle, although there's certainly risk when buying first year too!!! I'm really intrigued by the Allroad, seems to offer a lot, and by fall 02 will still be pretty new and there shouldn't be any supply problems by then. But I'll almost certainly put a deposit on the new M class so I can be first in line, I can't believe MB would allow the new model to be as problematic as I've heard the 98s were. What do you think of these choices?

sirus32 · January 2001

I'm trading my 97 Nissan SE Pathfinder in for a Mercedes C240.

zmeenow · January 2001

oh! the engine noise(tapping) in my case is not nearly that loud.. i think very early on someone decribed the sound of the c's engine as sounding similar to a diesel.
re:winter driving...last 2 days i had the opportunity to drive the car in both driving snow,, and torrential rain on the jersey turnpike.the car handles very well!
i do business with someone that had been a regional sales mgr for mercedes in the new york tri state area.. we spoke of how mercedes designs the cars so that driving at higher speeds puts more pressure on the rear wheels therefore improving traction and stability.
i guess if i wanted more of a pure performance car i would have bought a bmw.. i liked the balance of performance ,and elegance in the c.
re radio static? demand a new radio!

my previous car was a 2000 acura 3.2tl.. was comfortable,powerful,great value... but.. not a mb

diwc240 · January 2001

I'm finishing a 1998 Subaru Outback 5 speed Lease.
Ordered the New Subaru VDC 215 HP Outback H-6, test drove the LL Bean (same engine as VDC) and decided to go with the C 240 6 speed MT.
Also looked at Volvo T5 Wagon, BMW, and Acura.
Ordered C 240 Nov. 8th. Dealer told me it was to be built this week in Bremen, he should have the VIN # next week, and then will know the date the MB leaves Germany and arrival in Baltimore. ETA in N.J. approx. mid Feb. ...I'm hoping.
Ian

fedssocr · January 2001

I didn't say that I necessarily think a Mercedes is more prestigous than a BMW, but I think there are many people who do think that. There is still a certain exclusivity to a MB. In my area there are tons and tons of BMW's on the road and fewer MB's, but still more than in most other parts of the country I would guess. In Washington I think a MB does have a bit more prestige than a BMW.

I have a personal bias against BMW because their dealers were total jerks to me when I was considering a 3 series 5 years ago. I think the cars look awesome and I'm sure they are great fun to drive. But because of their crappy treatment of me I would never buy one. I'm sure other people have similar tales of mistreatment by MB dealers. My experience with my MB dealer has be excellent so far. We'll see if that changes once my car actually arrives.

However, my original point was that no one can really tell some one else whether or not a certain car is more desireable to own based on factors like raw HP numbers or a whole host of other factors...including whether or not some other people think a certain maker has more prestige. Each person has to judge for himself which car is more desireable and that is a rather subjective judgement based on many, many things.

pmvi · January 2001

I agree with you. You're also right about those kind of experiences souring you on a certain brand even though it may be more emotional than logical.

As far as the BMW vs. MB prestige factor, I think this may be true at the top end of the model range, but definitely not at the bottom. I personally don't think either of these cars are actually "prestigous", and people who buy them to look that way are trying a bit too hard. I do however think that both these cars are wonderful and stylish machines.

Enjoy your new Mercedes!

drew_ · January 2001

Thank you for all of your replies. The reason I asked is because of the following message below.

"Do you have experience researching or buying a small sports sedan? (ex: BMW 3 series, Audi A4, Mercedes C class, Volvo S60, Lexus IS 300, Acura TL) Especially, if you traded from an SUV or bigger car, we have a journalist wanting to talk to you. Ten of you as a matter of fact!"

Are all 4 of you interested in the above? A great way to plug the C-class :-) If so, I will forward your names to the Townhall manager, Dana, and she will contact you directly via e-mail. Gary, I think the journalist would definitely be interested in hearing from you being a former Acura TL owner who switched to a C-class. FYI, the journalist is from the Wall Street Journal.

Let me know ASAP (a message here will surfice, unless you wish to contact me via e-mail)! Thanks guys!

Drew
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drew_ · January 2001

The MY2002 M-class will have a mild facelift and upgrades for the interior (ex. automatic climate control, possibly side curtain airbags). I expect the MY2003 to remain relatively unchanged. I seriously doubt that MB will bring in the W164 M-class only after 1 year of this upgrade. The next generation M-class will probably arrive a year (but possibly two) after that.

Yes, the 1998 and 1999 MLs did have their problems. They were basically caused by, 1) a brand new factory in a different country, 2) a brand new domestic work force, 3) inexperience with the domestic parts suppliers, hence causing quality control problems, 4) cost cutting taken one step too far.

WRT #3, I believe MB has traditionally relied on their (German) parts suppliers for high levels of quality control. Some of the US suppliers were lacking in that area and that no doubt contributed to in a major way towards the problems. Interestingly, the German built and assembled (imported) powertrain/drivetrain had very few problems.

MB was no doubt embarassed with the problems and the head of the M-class project promised that the MY2K models would be substantially upgraded. Based on what I've seen and experienced so far, he did keep his promise.

The Audi Allroad is rather pricey (and smallish) for what you get. I love the trick air suspension system and the excellent Quattro AWD system, but worry about problems with the suspension in the future, even though it's made by a reputable company - Continental-Teves; they make MB's (and BMWs) stability/traction control systems, BTW. The BMW X5 has just about no utility to speak of...a compromise for better on-road handling. Again, it's pricey and rather small for what you get. The heavy curb weight (as much or more than a Lincoln Navigator) doesn't help fuel economy either. FWIW, the X5 has not been trouble free either...numerous electrical and engine computer faults. One gentleman had his door locks fail on him and had to climb out the rear window of his X5 several times.

drew_ · January 2001

Yup, I am familiar with the Subaru lineup. In fact, I spend a bit of time reading/posting in the Subaru owner's club topics as well :-) I guess you cancelled the order for the H6 Outback VDC then? It's actually a good choice and I was impressed with the new engine + the permanent AWD/stability control system. The price is a little hard to swallow (with the VDC wagon) though, but it is a nice upgrade from the standard H4 Outback..

zmeenow · January 2001

yes id be interested in sharing my expriences re both the tl and the benz

dennett · January 2001

I'd also be interested in sharing my experiences. We did really look at the IS300, 3 Series, and the A4, but it was always the Benz.
Thanks for the info on the SUVs. I agree the X5's too small, sure drives nice though! We were given a 00ML320 loaner when we took our car in for service, it really was nice, tons of room. I'd be hard pressed to replace our Trooper with something that has less room for our son and German Shepard and the X5 just doesn't cut it. I'll talk with you on Friday.

thor3 · January 2001

Today was a bad day for my father-in-law. He purchased a 2001 C320 about 2 months ago - now it has about 1400 miles. He drove it in the AM and returned home as normal. Thinking it was going to rain more he decided to pull it into the garage. Well, this is when nothing happened. The key would not turn in ignition and no sign of any electrical power...nothing...no lights... DEAD!

Called MB roadside and they responded promptly and installed a new battery within 15 minutes. We were hoping this was the problem (no earlier signs of this though) but it did not cure problem. Still Dead as a nail not an ounce of power to anything. So MB roadside tech called for tow and stated that the dealer would have to look for a deeper problem....

Any Ideas... thought of a fuse (overload) but this would be due to some form of short. There are no after market phones only a dealer installed OEM CD changer. We are very upset and are loosing faith in the new C. My father-in-law had two MB's much earlier in life and both had engine issues... one getting a replacement engine under warranty. Needless to say this is not a good foot forward for MB in our opinion.

Has anyone had a similar problem with an MB that might lead to a fix if dealer is stumped?

Thanks in advance.... Frank

BTW we own a 1999 ML430 and are very happy with it... this C hopefully has a quick Permanent fix. I will post details of repair as soon as we know more.

alanmakca · January 2001

Has anyone replaced their old C-Class (1993 to 2000) with a the "New C"?

If so, how do they compare ( e.g. ride, handling, and so forth)

I am very impressed with the styling of the current edition but I am concerned with any cost cutting that MB may have pursued. My read of the sales brochure indicates some de-contenting. I currently have a '97 C230. It's been great...just wondering if an upgrade is worth it.

mga3 · January 2001

At present,I am waiting to hear from my dealer,Prestige Motors in Paramus NJ for a built date. I put a $1000 deposit on a Black C320 w/th Java interior,C2,C3 pkgs and Full Leather interior on Dec.9th,2000. The built date will hopefully be sometime between Feb.10th and Feb.20th,2001. With a delivery sometime in early March.
The lease deal I struck is the following:
48months,12,000 miles per year for $596.87 per month. The following items were thrown in,meaning no charge, as an incentive to come out to NJ from NYC to lease the car from them. 1)Dealer installed Glove box CD changer. 2)Car Cover(very important for me,since the car will be parked in an outdoor garage here in Manhattan).3)All Weather Mats, and no registration fees,dealer will pay them.
The car will cost $40,090 sub total with Dest.charge of $645. The total cost of the car is $40,735.
By paying the tax up front (an option one can always do,which I plan to do)$2165.45. My monthly pymt. will be $546.83 per month. Total dwn pymt will be $3,357,16. Again remember,I chose to pay the tax upfront to lower my pymts. The dwn pymt could have been far less. Just first month pymt of $596.87 and bank fee of $595 plus tax. Bank fee is $644.88.Total dwn pymt would have been $1241.75. I received quotes as high as $674-700 per month and as low as $592 per month. From Dealers in VT.,MA.,CT.,NY,and NJ. I went with Doug Tucker at Prestige Motors in Paramus,NJ. because he offered everything I wanted, the pkgs,accessories, all for the right price with no hassles and nothing but respect and politeness in a timely manner. Though there was a quote of $4 less per month . They were not throwing in all those extras,nor did they make me feel as comfortable as Doug did about my first lease of a luxury sport car.
I hope some of this info helps any future individuals who are considering leasing. I know all the info I got off this forum helped me alot in choosing my car and negotiating for it. I thank all those who took the time out to relay their experiences. It helped me tremendously. I will provide updates of construction,delivery and overall experience as a new MB driver.-Miguel
PS: There are deals to be made out there.

zmeenow · January 2001

.. bought mine at prestige last oct....sounds like you got one cooperative salesman!

zmeenow · January 2001

clairparts is a mb/porche/audi dealer in the boston area.. they are polite. helpful..and informative when you call them for additional information

boiade · January 2001

I had was given the opportunity to receive a company car in lieu of a pay raise and had to make a decision before 31 January. I own a 1997 BMW 540I and have always been partial to BMW. The maximum allowance 700 per month and all taxes (5%)etc. would have to be included in the capitalized cost and the company would only pay the first month payment and registration fees (150$ max).At the end of the day the only 5-Series that qualified was a 5-speed manual 525 without climate control, no wood, no sunroof, generally a stripped car with only the leather option. The 325 qualified but it was also pretty stripped down and much too small it seemed to me.

The C-320 seemed bigger than the 3-series (I don't know if the numbers bear me out though) and offered alot more amenities than the 525. In fact it is comparable to my top of the line 540I in terms of amenities. It is a little smaller inside than the 5-Series but I'll have to live with it.

Also, I was surprised at the real trade-in value of my 540I. 5 dealers offered between 20,000 to 23,000. Carmax offered 20,000. The Mercedes dealer offered 22,700. That's for a 50+ thousand dollar car that is less than 4 years old. Mileage was a little high 68K, a few dings, but still it was clean. I suspect that Mercedes depreciates a bit less, but I could be wrong.

mga3 · January 2001

My dealer emailed me with my Build date today. Feb.20th. With a delivery sometime during the second week of March.
So far everything the dealer has said regarding schedule has been right on the mark.

My salesman Doug Tucker is the internet specialist at Prestige. Which is how I negotiated my deal,via Internet. With finalization on the phone. The deal I got which is a pretty goodone. May have been due to the fact it was struck over the net,and it was close to the end of the year.-Miguel

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