Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans

drew_ · January 2001

...tonight will be covering the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 5 mph bumper crash tests on a variety of vehicles, including the MB C-class. Don't forget to catch it! I already know the results, but I won't spoil it for those of you who don't. Let's just say that I was not particularly surprised.

FYI, the full 40mph IIHS offset crash tests are usually conducted about a month after these bumper crash tests. We all already know that the C-class will do very well in the 40mph test, based on MB's own internal crash test footage.

Drew
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newmbfan · January 2001

These guys crack me up! My salesman just gave me the same line. My C240 is on a truck on it's way to NC. The only thing they are worried about is getting the sale this month so they get paid this month. I am involved in some intense meetings at work all week and I told him I could not pick the car up until Sat.

He just about blew a gasket. He wanted to deliver the car to the office. NO WAY JOSE!

BTW. I ordered the car on 10/30. It would have been here a few days ago but the ship ran into some bad weather.

The dealer here is sticking to the .00445 lease factor. This seems strange since the rates have come down and the lease rate was to high to start with.

They are going to install the CD for $795.00 and add a pinstripe.

dennett · January 2001

I really don't know what to tell you. BUT if it were me I think I'd order an 01. I think 2-3 years from now the 01 will have held it's value much better than an 00, even more so in 4-5 years. If it's all about money, why not order an 01, black on black, 6spd and the C2 (I think that's the right package #, includes sunroof, power rear sunshade and rain sensing wipers) I believe that car would MSRP for just under 32k. You'd have leather seating surfaces, 4 years free service, the new design which won't be replaced for 6-7 years, all the airbags and pretensioners etc. etc. If you really like the older style, then try to use the fact that you Could get an 01 for under 32k, and the used 00 ought to be 28k or 29k. I have no doubt what so ever that the 00 is a great reliable car. Only you can decide what's best for you. Let us know what you decide to do, and good luck!

diwc240 · January 2001

newmbfan, we worked with I=9.36% in November.
MF = 0.0039
I definitely expect the Interest rate to be lower
by the end of tomorrow.
Residual = 70 % after 36 months (15K miles/year)
Residual = 66 % after 42 months same mileage rate.

djasonw · January 2001

Well I saw the results of the bumper test and the MB got a POOR where the Hyundai Elantra got a GOOD. Talk about bias!!! How about testing the car in the real world. Do you think the Elantra would protect the occupants as the MB would? How often do we bash a car into a pole at 5 MPH? Give me a break!! Hmm... maybe I'll trade my MB for three Elantras!!

drew_ · January 2001

It's not really biased. Dateline NBC has no say in the IIHS tests. And, it is possible for these things to happen in real life. Let me just say that AFAIK, the MB cars have not had very good bumpers. This is what I meant when I said that I was not particularly surprised (ex. the E-class has never done well in Consumer Reports' 5mph bumper basher tests). It is also true that MB should really work on more effective bumpers to reflect the car's high price tag. At least you got to see what a Magma Red C-class looks like :-) I am interested in why MB says that changing the bumper designs on its vehicle will compromise safety?

"Mercedes says its cars are specially designed to protect occupants and changing the bumper design to reduce repair costs would compromise safety, which it says is their biggest concern."

Feel free to pester MBUSA about this via their e-mail address at http://www.mbusa.com. ;-) I sort of have an idea as to why, but I'm not certain. Wonder what the salesguy/service advisor will think of this when I show the info to them tomorrow when I pick up my ML from its service.

Here is the IIHS news release: http://www.hwysafety.org/news_releases/2001/pr013001.htm , as well as tonight's Dateline NBC transcript (which has video clips) of the IIHS bumper crash test segment: http://www.msnbc.com/news/522137.asp

FWIW, the 40mph IIHS offset crash tests are usually conducted about 1 month after the bumper crash tests, and cover the vehicles that were involved in the bumper crash tests. This means that the C-class very likely will be crash tested again. But as I said, we all already know that it will do well based on the MB internal crash test footage clips that I posted a while back (thanks to Tarik). In the offset crash test, the crumple zone was so effective in absorbing and containing the damage that the windshield was not even damaged/cracked in the test!

rajmisha · January 2001

Is it possible to get voice activation without getting the MB phone? Your help is appreciated. I will be ordering mine soon. Thanks in advance.
raj

drew_ · January 2001

Do you notice this when shifting between gears (ex. R to D)? Or perhaps between gears (ex. 1-2) when the engine is cold? If so, both are perfectly normal. Here's why... The transmission is computer controlled, and is smart enough to protect itself against damage. Obviously shifting into R to D, or D to R and stepping on the gas, moving before the car has completely stopped is not good for the tranny. As such, it won't allow this, and waits till the conditions are right before shifting. Pretty neat, but a little annoying sometimes. Just remember this, and shift (referring to the auto tranny only, of course) slightly earlier than your normally would. I suspect that you'll get accustomed to this soon.

You can actually test this feature by leaving the gear in neutral, revving up the engine to perhaps 2500 rpm, stepping on the brake pedal and shifting into "D" before the revs drop. You'll see that the transmission will not allow you to shift into D until the revs drop to a safe level. Just don't do this in front of a house to be on the safe side! Find a clear road or parking lot to experiment.

As for the 2nd issues, when the engine is cold (ex. after startup), it can hold the gears slightly longer to higher revs so that the engine will warm up quicker. This is because cold start emissions are the highest, and this is one of MB's ways of making the engine warm up quicker (the 3 valve per cylinder design helps in this too).

BTW, have any of you noticed how quickly the interior cabin heat comes in after a cold start? Most vehicles take 5 minutes to bring the coolant temperature up, but the C-class warms up extremely quickily (as does the M-class) and heat seems to come in after just a minute or so though. Very nice! The reason is in the paragraph above.

Hope this helps!

Drew
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rajmisha · January 2001

Is it possible to get voice activation without getting the MB phone? Your help is appreciated. I will be ordering mine soon. Thanks in advance.
raj

pk6 · January 2001

what was most disturbing was the trunk so damaged that it wouldn't close. At 5mph, that's
unacceptable in everyones book I think.
And wouldn't ya know it, the other bad loser was a Chrysler, albeit a Town & Country.
ay yi yi.

zmeenow · January 2001

Drew..the lag in shifting rarely,if ever occurs when engine is cold.... revs remain high for the first few minutes....more often when im travelig at,let say 20 mph..and need to move onto hiway..ill step on gas,,, engine will rev for a second or two... then trans will engage and off I go... its not consistantly like this..but enuff for me to notice..doing a"manual shift"will usually avoid it... but i really shouldnt have to,,,agree?

404c · January 2001

Since the USA got rid of the 5 MPH bumper test, most cars sold there have only met the 2.5 MPH standard.

However, in Canada, there is STILL a 5 MPH (8 km/h) bumper standard in effect. This, like the original US standard, is not a "no damage" standard, but rather a safety systems integrity test: all lights must still work afterwards, and I imagine that a trunk popping open in the test would be grounds for failure.

Although I am not familiar with the specifics of the Canadian Market C bumper reinforcements (if any), I do know that many other cars are modified for the Canadian market in order to meet this standard. For example, the Peugeot 405 had different bumper reinforcements in Canada than in the USA (therefore it's not legal to import a US 405 to Canada without changing the bumper reinforcements). The 405 wagon was never sold in Canada because its rear bumper was incapable of meeting the 8 km/h standard. Even now, BMW wagons are not sold here, presumably for the same reason. There are many other examples.

In conclusion, I'd like to see the CDN version C in this test; perhaps it would have been better.

gb16 · January 2001

"based on the MB internal crash test footage clips that I posted a while back"

I couldn't find your past post. Also couldn't find crash info for C-Class. Was the test a 2000 C-class? If so, what were results or where could i find them? Thanks for info.

norcalmike · January 2001

Of course Hyundai's have strong bumpers. That way they won't fall off the car when they are going down the highway hooked up to a tow truck!! ;-)

zmeenow · January 2001

is it possible the bumpers give.. so as to allow for less damage in cabin?... nah...too simplistic.
maybe they figure anyone that buys a car for 35,000 and up.. just can afford a $1000 repair... and doesnt care?? nahhhh.. to cynical... maybe..... maybe... ;=0 ????

djasonw · January 2001

I wouldn't knock Hyundai too much. Contrary to what everyone thinks, their quality has increased dramatically from the 80's. I had a '99 Elantra as a commuter car and put on over 15,000 miles with never a visit to the dealer. I sold it because I no longer have to travel far to work. I'd have no problem buying another one. At least I'd have good bumpers and NO squealing brakes among other things! <<AND a 100,000 10 year powertrain warranty!!>>>

donsturdy · January 2001

Is there anyone who would care to share what sort of discount they received and with what options. Am Considering a C240. Also is the HP ample for the car.
Thanks

lperakis · January 2001

In the dealer supplied brochure on the 2001 C there is a picture of a person opening their car door with the 'smartkey' and the seats positions and AC setting change automatically to the key holders desired position. This changes for each keyholder's key. For the life of me, I can't see how this is set up or done. Any suggestions?

cnorristn · January 2001

Like other New C owners, I too have noticed an occasional ticking sound at idle. According to my service manager there is a pump or valve that removes gasoline fumes from the tank and injects them into the engine for combustion. When facing the car from the front, the device is attached to the body at the right (about 10 inches inside the hood). There are wires that enter from the top and tubes that enter from the front and back. I believe this to be true as a vibration can be felt with each tick. Can anyone else confirm the same? Thanks.

ghorne · January 2001

We own an '00 C230 w/ the Sport Package. I would recommend getting a set of snow tires if you are going to drive it in bad weather.

My opinion, but our car handles very poorly in snow and ice... at least I don't like the feel of it. Those performance tires just don't lend themselves to good traction.

Although we don't get much snow and ice in Oklahoma, the MB sits in the gararage when it does.

That aside, we really like the car. What options are on this car? 30K sounds like to me it might be a little high unless it is really loaded.

newc230 · February 2001

I have C230 Kompressor 2000 and when it is idle after a drive for a short time it makes that sound. I have a gas empty light comes on since yesterday after I filled the gas tank. I closed the the gas tank top but still it shows empty and the light stays on. Any suggestions?

doomday9999 · February 2001

Here is the crash test that drew posted a while back. you need apple quicktime to view it
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download
http://www.off-road.com/mbenz/videos/ta_offset.mov
http://www.off-road.com/mbenz/videos/ta_fullwidth.mov
http://www.off-road.com/mbenz/videos/ta_water.mov

fedssocr · February 2001

Excuse me for getting excited, but I was just told by my salesman that my car was "released to the trucking company" this morning which means that it must be at the dealership within 72 hours, although I can't imagine it taking more than a day from Baltimore to No. Virginia. So, my 4 month wait is almost over. I will finally be able to tell everyone what Oyster looks like. I'll try and take a bunch of photos and post them somewhere.

This better be good. :-) By the way, I am using Eloan to do the financing. I'm paying 7.06% for 48 months which seems to be about as good a deal as possible.

w2p2 · February 2001

Its only been 10 weeks! This is not the car I ordered, but it will have to do. The only difference is that this one does not have heated seats. My car that I am driving is DEAD. It has been in the process for about a month. I called my Sales lady, Kay, and told her it had died. She offered me a loaner until mine came in. Luckily my car came back to life and lasted till yesterday. It died on me again, while coming back from the Doctors office. I was knocking on deaths door with the flu. Hauled myself inside and there on the answering machine was "THE CALL". ay had a C-320 same color options except the heated seats. It will be here Saturday! I am donating the old car and it will be refurbished and fixed so everyone will benefit.
Anyone try Progressive auto insurance? They don't have a C-320 when you fill out the quote application.

lperakis · February 2001

I STRONGLY recommend that you make 100% sure the dealer will allow you to use eLoan. NO dealer in the SF Bay Area will deal with eLoan or PeopleFirst.com bank drafts. Good luck.

fedssocr · February 2001

I asked about this a month ago and my salesman just asked that I make sure to have everything set before I went to finish the deal. I don't understand why they wouldn't accept it since the draft is from Bank of America which will be listed as the lienholder. I also have another bank draft from LendNetwork.com which is also drawn on Bank of America. I'm sure as hell not going to pay 10% interest to MB!

zmeenow · February 2001

my dealer in nj wouldnt accept e loan draft.. they had probems where check wasnt covered in the past.... i got my loan thru mb.. 8.25%... not the best... not the worst... but i had just sold a 2000 acura tl privately... got a great price... big down payment.. so my monthly cash out of pocket is minimal anyways

anthonyv1 · February 2001

How is the pick up on the C240 (i can't afford the 320 and want the 6-speed). I know it's not a race car; I'd just like a little speed when I need it, especially in city driving (I live in L.A.).
No dealers out here have the stick shift; does anybody out there drive one? What do you think?

Also, is there room for negotiations with MB on the C240?

Thanks

pk6 · February 2001

Your problem arose with a couple of people in this forum over the last year or two where the gas gauge warning light wouldn't go out. Apparently there was a fix of some sort issued on it. Had something to do with the sensor in the tank needing replacing, under warranty.

pk6 · February 2001

Saw a Wedgewood blue E in the showroom today, charcoal interior. Very nice... has anyone here bought that color for their C?
A gold C was displayed beside it and really from any distance the size difference didn't appear extreme, that the same color would look just as good on the C.

zmeenow · February 2001

i find the pickup on the 240 really pretty good for the most part... i dont think youll be dissapointed at all..i have auto trans... ill bet with the 6 spd.. it will really move!

newmbfan · February 2001

After waiting for 3 months, my (wife's) C240 arrived today. The dealer had it prepped and ready so I picked it up tonight.

Black and ash with a gold pinstripe! AWESOME
C1, C2, Automatic, Bose and CD changer.

We heard the TICK, TICK, TICK while the salesman was giving us the walk around. He programmed the garage door opener and that did not work when we got home but I am sure I can get that fixed. I also am having a few problems getting the memory seat set up but I will play with that some more also.

So many gadgets and so little time! My wife and I are going to take a 200 mile day trip on Sunday to get used to everything.

First impression ---------- everything I expected and more.

dennett · February 2001

Hope you enjoy the new car! We sure love our 240!
Quick question, does your car have the LATCH babyseat brackets, between rear seatback and seat bottoms, that hinge out and lock or does yours have them perminently out and visible? Ours has the type that swing out and lock, but we talked to our saleman this weekend and he said the last few they've gotten in have them out and in the way of adults sitting in the rear! Just curious! Keep us posted on how it all goes with the new C!!

diwc240 · February 2001

Anthony, I've ordered the 6 speed. Test drove it 3 times. Spec is 0 - 60 in max. 8.2 secs. 168 HP but 177 ft-lbs torque - that's what counts ! I'm driving a 3600 lb car 5 speed AWD 165 HP and 166 ft-lb torque.
So at 3300 LBS (C-Class) I found it to be very good acceleration, but test drive it yourself, (there must be a dealer within a 100 miles with a 6 MT ?)

joshuah1 · February 2001

I think the design of the new C class is fantastic except for the dashboard. Why the big speedo and tiny tach? For many years, Mercedes dashboards have slowly evolved, and you can trace the looks of today's e-class back two or three decades. But the new C and S class dashes are radically different and in my opinion not an improvement. Does anybody else miss the traditional dash layour found in the earlier C class / 190 models? Joshua Harrison

mongo11 · February 2001

Had my C320 in for squealing brakes for second time. Kudos to my dealer who went to the max by replacing all 4 rotors and new pads all around. Hope this is the fix. Did hear that it was not just the C series but also the latest S430/500s doing the same thing.

As for the rear child seat rings, if you don't want them, two minutes with a bolt cutter will fix that issue.

I realize that its personal taste, but for the life of me, why would you want to hang a pin stripe on the C? This car is a pictue of understanted elegence without the K-Mart hang ons. Reminds me of the "Gold Treatment" on certain Toyotas and Cadillacs.

cletuse · February 2001

I'd have to agree w/ ghorne. I am not thrilled w/ our '99 280 Sport in the snow. Snow tires would probably be a sound investment. Fortunately my other ride has 4WD. I have a fairly steep grade (5-8%, I'd guess) leaving my condo and it just won't make it in the snow. Last week I couldn't crest the hill and slid back down about 10 feet and just about soiled my leather seats. Of course, being from Texas I'm new to this whole "Winter" thing. Damn, now I wish I had those heated seats and steering wheel me and my wife laughed about.

patscar · February 2001

I drove the 6 speed yesterday and the auto last week. The manual c240 has plenty more jump and feel. It still seems to lag a bit, however it was hard to gauge in a 25 minute test drive. The clutch catches low to the floor so it takes some getting used to and that may explain the lag that maybe I was creating. Plenty of power though once you get going. Should be no problem passing others and avoiding accidents when you step on the accelerator. I have yet to drive or see a model without the sports package. I'd rather not spring the extra bucks for the package, plus I prefer the wood. Does anyone have an opinion on how different the sport package makes the exterior appear? The more I test drive these cars the more I love 'em. Solid feel, smooth ride, and it looks terrific.

zmeenow · February 2001

snow in n jersey was worse than its been in yrs.. tho i didnt drive on a road with several inces of fresh snow... i did drive the morning after a major snow storm on somewhat plowed roads... i found that the rear wheel drive,with the esp was reasonably good... though not at all like driving a 4x4... but what is...? i think that reasonable expectations of what this car can do are very close to a front wheel drive.. i spent my college yrs in ithaca ny..where it snows nearly every day for months on end... learned how to drive in snow... so im pretty comfortable with the cars handeling

anthonyv1 · February 2001

Pat scar, nice to hear your thoughts on the 6 speed. Still have not had an opportunity to drive one (all the dealers in LA.. have automatics and I might test one of those tomorrow, although I definitely want the stick). My concern is also with the power, but as long as I have enough on demand to pass someone off the line, that's fine with me, no need to burn rubber. What I've read on other boards is if you like the sports package, it's better (and cheaper) to do it yourself by adding the stiffer shocks and 17 inch wheels. That way you get to keep the wood interior instead of the aluminum which takes away the class of the interior. There's some fine discussions at www.mbworld.org/home.html that might benefit you regarding this subject.

anthonyv1 · February 2001

Thanks for the info. That's great you were able to test it out 3 times when I can't find one. A few are coming in in Mid February and the dealers are supposed to call me then (yeah, right). I heard 1st gear is rather odd in that you need to shift to 2nd very quickly. Is that true. Also, what's the deal with the emergency brake. Is that posing any problems on inclines?

mga3 · February 2001

After reading a previous post of new C's having the hidden rear baby seat latches changed for cost reasons, to permanately visible latches. I called the Mercedes Benz client assist number today and was assured that was not so.
I am taking delivery of a Black C320 w/th C2,C3,Full Leather and CD changer in mid March. With a build date of Feb.20th,2001.
So obviously,I was concerned about that previous post. As the present design is perfect. Just push the button and you can either pull out or fold in the latches as deemed necessary.
I called the client assist center based on a suggestion from a salesman at the manufacturer owned dealership here on Park Avenue in Mahattan. He explained to me, how they get daily notices via intranet of any factory changes to car models. Being the dealership is actually owned by Mercedes they get first notices of changes before other dealers do and he had not seen any notices of that issue. He took it one step further, by giving me the client assist number in NJ, saying, they actually get notices before his dealership does. The number is:(201)573-0600
Remember,this is the manufacturer owned dealership who provided me with with all this info and I'm not even leasing my car from them. I happened to be in their area and walked in off the street and brought up this concern. If I'm not mistaken, the Mercedes dealership on Park Avenue and on West 41st and Eleventh Ave. in Mahattan is the only Manufacturer owned dealership on the East coast.
Though I live in Manhattan,I am leasing my C320 from Prestige Motors in NJ. Because, they gave me the best deal in the tri-state area.
Feel free to call Mercedes and inquire as well, as this will only make sure they wont change the design if they are thinking about it.

theonlyroberts · February 2001

For those of you thinking that you can add parts of the sport package by having the dealer install individual parts, better check with your dealer.

I inquired about putting in the springs/shocks for my C320 and when the service department inquired, they said they said it is not possible.

To get the springs from MB, you need to supply the VIN # and only exact replacements are allowed. Not sure about the shocks. In addition, they said any mods to the suspension with out MB approval voids the warranty.

This did not apply to wheels/tires as long as the outer diameter of the tire was the same.

--Dale

dennett · February 2001

Glad to hear my dealer was wrong! It would suck to have them out all the time! They are perfect the way they are!

diwc240 · February 2001

I did not find that I had to shift to 2nd any more quicker than my current 5 speed Subaru Outback wagon. My concern is the Revs, I would think you would want to shift by 3500 rpm ?
at least while the car is new. I will get advice from my Dealer on break in.
I hardly ever use the parking brake now, while in traffic. Find it is just time in the seat and you get comfortable with the clutch brake gas...
I will definitely practise on some hills (with no other cars around...)

fedssocr · February 2001

Well, tomorrow's the day. The car was dropped at the dealer this afternoon and they need to prep it and install the CD changer. After all these months my new baby will be mine. I walked over to the dealership the afternoon and the salesman gave me the manual to read over tonight to get acquainted with things. Yikes! This is one big textbook. It's really pretty amazing how much stuff this car can do! It's sort of hard to get it all without actually being in the car, but I think I've picked up most of the high points.

I walked past the side prep lot and I'm pretty sure I saw my car, it was the only green one, so I figure it must be mine. The color actually looked a bit lighter and brighter than I expected, and the interior seemed a bit more beige than gray, but I was viewing from a distance.

I'm figuring the Eloan thing should be fine. Even if they want to keep the car until the bank draft clears I think I could deal with that, but I don't think it will be necessary. After all, they will take a personal check from me for the part I'm plunking down on my own, so I assume the bank draft will work fine. I will let everyone know of course.

Hopefully my car will be one of the trouble free samples. :-)

zmeenow · February 2001

'BOUT TIME EH?!.enjoy your c!! let us know how u like it!

newmbfan · February 2001

I just went out and checked the baby seat latches and they swing in or out. Since I have 5 grandchildren, I doubt I will use them much!

We just went for a little 60 mi drive for dessert and coffee and the car was perfect. I got the memory seat figured out and the garage door opener programed. The acceleration is more than adequate. I ran it from 60 up to 85 so quick I was surprised. very quiet!

The dealer put the pinstripe on just to see how it looked. I have not even seen the car in the daylight yet so I don't have an opinion yet.

No Zaino yet so I guess I will have to wait till next week for that job!

kimj1 · February 2001

Here is my situation: I ordered my C240 brilliant silver/ash with c1, c2, c3, auto and command on Nov. 11, 2000. At that time I was told it would be about 6 months. Okay, I accept that. This is a hot car. Well, in reading some past posts I have seen some who ordered around the same time that I did and are already getting their new C. I thought maybe it wouldn't be 6 months after all, so my husband called our dealer and spoke to the Sales Manager. He was told that my car isn't even scheduled for production yet. He said that it takes 90 days from the time of order for the car to get into production. Now I am really confused. If it takes 90 days to make it to production, how is it some have already received (or are about to receive) their car? Are you just getting lucky and choosing a car that was already in production or are you buying in a larger market where you can get a car quicker? By the way, I ordered mine from Mercedes of Austin.

It's not that I need my car, It's that I really, really want it. Every time I read a post about someone who gets to go pick up their car I get really jealous. Oh well, I guess mine will be all the more rewarding when I eventually do get it.

Keep up all of the wonderful posts. It is nice to see so many truly enjoying their new C.

Thanks a bunch,
Kim

pmvi · February 2001

It sounds like this is an issue with your dealer (either they've filled their allotment, or is taking you for granted). Have you called another dealer to ask them how long it takes them?

Look on the bright side, maybe most of the minor bugs will be worked out by the time they build your car!

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans

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