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Mercedes-Benz CLK (2005 and earlier)
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Comments
I definitely will get the estimates and price shop (with my wallet and checkbook at home!).
Also, I found out from one local dealer that the specs for the 2004 will be finalized soon. He expects that orders can be placed in about 3 weeks.
Anyone who has the C320 COUPE with the V6 engine, automatic: please tell me what you think of the car: reliability, PROBLEMS, general impressions. C320 coupe has the body of the C230 but the more powerful V6 engine. My dealer is offering me a price too good to be true ($25000 cost on $32400 MSRP) and I'm wondering why? Have you found a lot of problems with the car? Owners/driver please give me your impressions. Thanks
Will be test driving one, hopefully this coming weekend.
Thanks
Best of luck with your shopping.
The 320 is a great car and you are getting a good price. If you like it, and you feel you want the V6 over the SC4, GET IT! Make sure you test drive both first, though. You might find you like the 4 even more, and that gets better mileage. (0-60 times are only .6 second different with automatic, gas mileage is 23/32 vs. 19/25) I find it very hard to stay off of the accelerator, and yet I still get 20-22 when I am ENTIRELY in town, 27-28 on highway @ 77-83 MPH.
Best of luck with your purchase.
Though I have put less than 40 miles on it, I love it. The acceleration is great. My last car was a 200 bhp V6, and the C230K's supercharged 4 is far superior. It is both quieter and smoother plus the torque really floors you! This is also my first RWD car, so I will reserve some judgment until winter arrives. (I live in Virginia, and the winters normally are mild.)
I will share my experieces (as I have them over the next few months) with the group. I would love to hear from other new owners, too. Especially if there are any problems.
For now, though, I am off to figure out the CD player, which is pretty complicated (to say the least)...
Enjoy your new ride!! There's nothing like acquiring and driving a new Benz, as I've done it twice. Looking back over the 8 years, it's one of the best automotive decisions I've made.
Please keep up posted (no pun intended)...
- Paul
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
Brilliant Silver/Blk Leather interior
Sunroof,auto,6disc changer, heated seats, auto headlamps,rainsensing wipers.
Very sweet car, love the new wheels. He was shopping 3series bmw,G35, Acura 3.2, I turned him onto C-Class, and he was sold. We were looking at the C240, but when he saw the C230 he was hooked(the blue tinted windows and the wheels).
One dark cloud is sitting on your horizon, though that you should be aware of. I'm not talking about the various and sundry electrical grimlins/sun roof type. Plan on buying a set of tires in a couple of years. Just replaced the Michelins (MXV's) today at 19.5K miles. Also pay particular attention to the inside of the rear tires - the belts were showing on one of mine!
Not a major problem, just expected the Michelins to last a little longer. My tire man said the inside wear on the rear tires is typical for M/B's. It not obvious and can seek up on you if you don't watch for it. Start looking at about 15K.
If you rotate the tires, as recommended, you will extend the tire life.
I understand the NORMAL tire wear for both front and rear wheel drivers. The wear I experienced was NOT normal and difficult to detect being on the inside of the rear wheel, just letting the newbies know to be aware of the possibility and to check on it.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
BUT ... when I listen to the radio, specifically when I have it in "Ambiance" mode, it sounds to me like the tone in the sound fluctuates, some of the speakers come in and out, and perhaps the station comes in and out of stereo mode. It's very disconcerting, and I've had it to the dealership twice already. They continue to tell me it's been fixed, and today they installed a whole new system, but STILL I hear the fluctuations in the sound (as do my friends) and it's driving me NUTSO!
My question ... should anyone else be familiar ... is whether or not this is a trait of that ambiance feature and I should just ignore it (despite not listening to it in that mode due to mind-boggling craziness).
Has anyone else noticed this odd behavior in their stereo system? I don't seem to notice it in CDs, only the FM stations. And until I can figure out exactly what causes it, or how to stop it, I'm going to continue to go whacky!!
Thanks for any insight you can provide!
~ Sabrina
1. The rain-sensing wipers were fun at first. I don't mind that they sometimes click on for no apparent reason, but when it really begins to pour I can't wait the extra few seconds as the car figures out that this requires full power.
2. Every time I make a sudden stop at speed (for example, when the car ahead of me on the highway slows unexpectedly) the car adds more braking. The brakes are already powerful enough - now I get the emergency stop I didn't request. What if I only wanted to brake half-way?
3. It also brake-assists and uses engine braking (downshift) for regular traffic stops. I find that the fact that it downshifts to first or second every time makes for jerky starts in traffic. Most other automatics I've driven don't try to act like manuals. That's why people buy automatics!
4. It tries to guess what I mean every time I hit the gas, so after several weeks of driving the car still surprises me with it's gear-shifting sequences. Things got really wierd when I accidentally put it in "C" mode ("C" stands for comfort. It was formerly "W" for winter) for a couple of days. Then you'd press the accelerator and it it pretty much say "dude, I don't want to go anywhere right now, can't I just sit here and think for a while?" In those two confusing days as I considered calling Mercedes service I made a lot of use of the D+/- mode shifting for sanity's sake.
The other stuff (automatic door locks, lighting schemes, etc.) I have some control over, and I can forgive the "auto" climate control for going overboard sometimes, but between me, my girlfriend, and the damn car (OK, they're both beautiful, but just a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] sometimes), there's a lot of learning going on. What happened to the simpler good old days? Am I the only one who thinks this car is too smart for itself?
Perhaps I'm used to my stick shift Subaru, but this is kind of ridiculous! There's a lot of good stuff - the engine is quick, the car is sporty and stiff, and simply looks good, but I sometimes feel more like I'm on a bucking bronco than I'm in tune with this ride. Am I the only one?
I find your comments interesting. I have a 2000 model and was unable to get the auto-sensing wipers, but after your post feel glad I did not get that option. Also on the C230, auto climate control was not available - the fan speed and direction have to be set manually. Back then I found this to be a disappointment, but again after reading your post I am now glad it is manually controlled on the 2000 C-Class.
These cars are unique with their own personalities. I think it's a matter of finding something you like and can live with, and am glad to hear you're going with something else, as the C may not be what you're looking for. Best of luck in your search.
(2004 C230 Sport Sedan automatic)
I now have the auto sensing wipers on a new ML and I think is a nice option over the simpler option that was on our older ML. It was smarter than I would have guessed during a drive through the desert in the last week of July in a wierd monsoon-type weather situation. I do not, however, leave the wiper in automatic setting all the time--I just use it if it's raining.
On none of our cars, from either ML or our C320, does the brake assist become an obtrusive safety feature: all "luxury" class autos must have this as well as many othe features to compete in this class of car so it is not a feature that is unique to MB.
And, ditto above abour correcting the info about the "C" option . . . on our '02 "C" is the "W" or "Winter" option that, when selected, causes the car to start off in 2nd instead of 1st to reduce the torque to the rear wheels in wet and slippery situations. I always know when it has accidently been acctuated--such as by a detailer--but my wife can never tell the difference between it and the "S" or "Standard" setting so it really is not a big deal and obviously is completely under the control of the driver.
As far as the "Coupe" designation: Americans are not as fond of hatchbacks as are the Europeans. The name "hatchback" has been a dead end (see BMW's attempt a few years ago) and seems to designate a cheap little econobox, not exactly the company M/B wanted its new car to be associated.
I have been calling dealerships around my area and the best price after adding options like CD changer and auto transmission is 31,400.00 + taxes. Is this is a good price or should I look around further?
These guys are competent enough, and the salesman I have been dealing with for 4 transactions since 1976 still works there [Franz Krieg], but they have never been the place to find a rock-bottom deal. Lowest prices seem to be in San Jose [see above] and, of course, any place in Southern California, where the presence of real competition results in the most price-sensitive market for these kinds of cars anywhere in the world.
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Share your vehicle reviews
1) Now that you've driven the car, please tell me candidly how you feel about the ride. My concern is whether or not you find it harsh over uneven pavement, given the sport suspension and low profile tires. My wife once had a Lexus IS 300 with the same set-up and it was definitely a rough ride on uneven surfaces. You can only tell so much in a test drive, so I would appreciate your more experienced opinions.
2) What would be the recommended approach on this car for winter time driving? I would assume the standard sport tires are not going to do well. I imagine some of you switch to snow tires in winter, or maybe have gone to all season tires full time to avoid the hassle.
Thank you.
I have been given a budget from my company to get a car. I wanted to get the c230 kompressor with manual transmission - but live in MA and the management think a rear wheel drive car in Boston is going to get stuck - I cant take "advice" from a mercedes dealer - so please help me out - Im sure the M class is nice but the kompressor is what I like!!
please advise...
I would say the only thing you would not want are the 17 inch rims with sport tires - other than that you should be good to go. If you needed additional "insurance" a set of dedicated snows on cheap winter rims would be wise.
JR
2004 C230 Sport Sedan, Pewter, Auto Transmission, COMMAND, Sunroof Pkg and CD changer.
Since I am going to be a mb driver I figured I should check out the message board for this car, Boy was I surprised at the amount of chatter on these cars. This car is going to be my wifes daily driver since she " totally totalled her VR6 Jetta last week. I had never considered safety a high priority untill this almost death inducing accident occured. I was really impressed with MB's airbag design and naturally being 40 + I am more than familiar with MB quality. I hope it's all true, the hype that is. As for pricing I'm fairly sure I did well the car is Black Opal,heated seats,sunroof, cd, I dont know what else, but it listed for 36k and my cost is 33k, it's a lease deal that comes out to 1200 down and 470/mo. for 39 mo. I hope to report my wifes happiness with this car in the near future.
Bye
Joe