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-Avoid full throttle
-Try to keep the rpm below 4-5000
-Vary rpm at highway speeds [try to avoid steady speeds at the same engine rpm for extended periods]
It's really hard to abuse these engines - a little common sense is all that's necessary. After 1000 miles or so, feel free to let it rip....
Long time ago the guys from Car Talk (Saturday PBS station) stated that there were no real benefits of using premium .... even if was recommended.
We didn't experience any long-term negatives in the past 8 years using regular gas.
Any similar experiences? ..... Cost of gas is not the issue.
Acura models recommend premium but regular is OK for Honda.
I have been wondering if I can do this but not brave enough to try. I have had other cars also recommend high test and have used reg. gas and had no problems. I have the 300 C 4matic since Jan, so far a great car.
At the pump prices in our area, the difference between regular and premium is about 5%; since your fuel mileage will be reduced by about 2-3%, you're left with 2-3% savings....utterly pointless.
I lease my cars...and I am not worried about carbon buildup in that short time. I have never actually found a difference in gas mileage between using regular and premium fuel...and I have run four tankfuls of both to compare the results. Since I have never floored the gas on any car, if there is a slight decrease to the pep, I don't see it.
If I owned the car or noticed a difference (knock/ping) I would burn premium....or at least I would burn premium every few tankfuls...I'd probably burn the medium grade fuel normally.
If you are buying a used car, you have absolutely no idea who drove it. It could have been me...or it could have been that guy who took the brand new car and floored it at every light and screeched to a halt at the next light completely ignoring all break in recommendations. How about those used cars from the car rental places where they don't do any real maintenance, they are driven thru pothole after pothole, and have never ever seen premium gas.
Believe me...you really do want my car. I break it in correctly, I put on gentle wear and yes, I burned regular gas...but if you want to run premium, the computer will adjust almost immediately.
It states, among other things, that most experts agree that regular or mid-grade is OK in luxury cars.
.......The number of new vehicle models that either require higher octane fuel or run better on it has risen steadily to 282 this year, from 166 in the 2002 model year, said Robyn Echard, a spokeswoman for Kelley Blue Book, an auto pricing guide........from the article.
One wonders why?
Very interesting how passionately others feel about the issue of Regular vs. Premium.
Please keep sharing and explaining why regular is OK.
Most Toyotas [ and Lexus ] that make more power with premium come with the statement from Toyota that LOWER OCTANE IS OK, as long as you don't care about the extra hp. BMW and Mercedes and Honda [ some Acuras ] are crystal clear about what they have designed the engine to use - for them, premium fuel is not about power or economy, but the long-term health of the engine.
I've owned 50+ cars since 1962, and always follow the car maker's requirements for fuel. Most have used regular happily, but I have never compromised when the owner's manual is explicit and uncompromising.
As always, do what you feel is best - but this is not a case of some "conspiracy" to make you spend more money than you should. From my perspective, if this is a deal breaker, focus on a make that is designed to use regular - there are certainly plenty of them out there.
Absolutely true, but you're overlooking something that's very, very (very) important in this segment (and many others): People can see if you're driving a, let's say, "less expensive" car. They can't tell if you're cutting corners in order to afford the fuel for it.
Appearances are what count. Otherwise the car leasing business would be a fraction of the size it is -- only makes financial sense if you can write it off for business.
There used to be a town in the White Mountains of Arizona called McNary. It was a lumber mill town built by Southwest Forest Industries, and there were more Cadillacs in front of shacks in that little settlement than I'd ever seen before or ever have since, not that I've looked too hard lately. I don't need to -- I spend time on these boards.
Some things never change.
If you say so.....
People who spent time in the lab testing the differences would do us a big service. Maybe then we would know something 'for sure'?
Let's remember, this is a discussion and let's not make fun of others who may have a different view.
I bought my C280 4Matic via the European delivery program. In the EU, I was allowed to fill up with Regular gas. Yes, all MBs are allowed to run on 87 in the EU. I had to sign a paper that said that I understood that when the car was sent to the USA, the timing would be adjusted so that it would require Premium gasoline, and that I promised to comply. Seriously. I have still have my copy of the form.
Why, one might ask, does a Mercedes in the EU run on Regular and that same car, when transported to the USA, get retimed for Premium? Emissions standards. The MBs don't meet the standard correctly with Regular. It's not carbon build up, or anything like that. Modern engine computers are designed to constantly adjust the fuel mixture to get proper combustion. The timing may not be ideal, but that's not going to hurt a modern car. You won't have lots of carbon build up on your valves. But you won't meet emissions standards either, and if MB didn't require that you used Premium, they couldn't sell their cars here.
I have been using premium for the first 3 years of ownership (except the 1000 miles in the EU I drove, where it was Regular), but that is when it was only 19-20 cents more. Now that gas stations have gouged the price up to 40+ cents, I'm going to try it on the next two fill ups. Then try "Plus" for a couple, and see if I can tell the difference. But I know I won't damage the car.
We have the auto locking programed in. The other day we had a small child in the back seat who couldn't wait until the car stopped and the driver unlocked the doors. Well, the child pulled up the knob to unlock the her door and the knob came off. The knob cannot be reinstalled securely and pops up every time the car is locked (the knob does not go deep enough). No big deal, we drive without it as we rarely have passengers. Normally, the door knob would bring the rod up and unlock the car... or be pushed in to lock.
Has anyone had this problem?
Thanks
....... One culd do away with auto locking.
Thanks.
Only thing that I notice is what I would consider an inordinate amount of dirt (brake dust?) on the front rims. The rims are almost black between washings. I was at the dealer yesterday and they sell something called wheel wax. Reading the description, sounded to me like the wax was made just for that purpose. Maybe I will try some sort of protectant and see what happens.
Also, my C300 Sport is driven almost exclusively on short, frequent trips.
Good luck,
Bob in the Mile High city
What is the msrp, invoice on the c300 luxury sedan with p2 and multi-media 4matic? What monthly payment am I looking at on either a 27 or 36 month lease 12k? I can eliminate the all wheel drive from the equation to lower my monthly payment. I live in northern nj. I'm not sure if there are any '08 left..
Feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
I remember that one of the person on the forum wrote that the dealer replaced the whole system due to known mechanical 'stresses'. I thought that the button came off when the passanger tried to unlock her door ..... because ......it wasn't glued properly or something. Perhaps the passenger had to pull very hard because the button was stuck? .... more than it should?
I'll be more enlightened on Friday and let you know what happened.
I expect Mercedes to address this in the future, but probably not before the 2010 model year. In the meantime, be warned to unlock the rear doors electronically - pulling up on the pins can be risky behavior.
P. S. The Dealer has been great to deal with also.
Thanks.
http://www.gominigo.com/NHLPB-MB.html
We installed it on my girlfriend's 2008 C300 6MT Sport. Works great. Goes into the towhook spot. Don't get the idea in your head that you can make the kit yourself, as the MB threads are proprietary. I found this out after visiting a few machine / bolt shops.
Hope this helps,
Jim
Seriously....0045...I just laughed and walked out.
2009 Mercedes C300 Luxury
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
2009 Mercedes C300 Luxury 4matic
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00235 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
2009 Mercedes C300 Sport
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
2009 Mercedes C300 Sport 4matic
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00235 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
Before I buy, can you tell me if you like your car? I read through the board and a few people did express how much they did like the car but just two that I could find. Are you guys enjoying the car? Did you compare it to the 328xi? Same price really.
Would love to hear your impressions!
I've owned 15 Mercedes, and 38 other cars since 1962, and the new C is the best we've had - smooth, quiet, quick, responsive, comfortable, and reasonable fuel use [though I would have preferred the new twin-turbo 4 cyl diesel - maybe 2010]. We have had no issues and no problems. It is a wonderful long-distance tourer, which is precisely why I picked this car.
The BMW competition [E90 3er] has a couple of things that I really go out of my way to avoid, the most important of which is the mandatory run-flat tires, which I hate. It was also moderately noisier when we tested it, which I also attribute to the run-flats. No one who picks the BMW would get a serious argument from me - it really depends on what you value most. I don't need a "sports sedan" - if you do, your choice might be different.
The Lexus IS didn't compete - its back seat is so tight as to be unusable...trunk space also too small for our trips.
In short, I think the W204 C is a great choice. Ours has been everything I wanted except 40 mpg. That will have to wait for the latest diesel, if they ever decide to sell it here.
I liked most how the cabin felt secure, quiet and comfortable. I think the electronics are a fantastic and I love the looks of the car. The acceleration is OK, it's not a sports car and the "reported" MPG is something I can live with, but hoped for better. Maybe the diesel you talk about can help when I return the car in 3 yrs, after the lease expires.
I was also pleased to hear you had no mechanical problems, which for many has been a problem with the older MB's. I have owned 6 MB's and never really had an issue.
I too have owned a lot of wonderful cars in my life, my all time favorite car was my 1996 S500, which was a dream on wheels.
I look forward to hearing about other's impression of the car as well.
We only have 3000 miles on our 2008 c-300 Lux. We didn't like all the stuff the Sport come with (aluminum trim inside, the pedals, etc.) We did put the sport grille on because we like it .... the other grille is OK.
We looked at IS, BMW-3 and TL. C-300 has a fresh look (to us).
We only had 1 minor thing (with the loose door knob) which the dealer promptly took care of (Lokey in Clearwater, FL). They even replaced (at no charge) the driver's armrest (because of a little imperfection) and gave us a new c-300 sport for a loaner. I think ours rides better.
If you are quoted a $300 monthly payment on a 24 month lease with $4800 down, then your real monthly cost is $300 + (4800/24) = $500 a month.
Dealers just love to advertise and quote deals with low monthly costs and high down payments....because most just look at the monthly payments. Don't fall for that...be a smart buyer.
However, if you lease the car and you total it, the "fair market value" paid by the insurance company may be less than you owe the leasing company. This is covered by the gap insurance provided in most leases. But, if you've paid money up front, then that's used to pay the gap....not the insurance.
Hopefully, you won't total your car, so it doesn't matter...but if you do, you will likely lose your total up front payment.
The other reason not to make an up front payment is something that most folks leasing don't know about. It's called "multiple security deposits"....and it's a much better use of that money. In return for your loaning the leasing company multiple security deposits, they will reduce the money factor on the lease. Yes, Mercedes leases have this option. It's a security deposit so you get the money back at the end of the lease.
You have to work out the numbers with your dealer....but in general, multiple security deposits pay you 8-12% on the money you loan (not the entire lease) by saving you money on each payment because of the lower Money Factor. That's far better than you can do keeping that money in a bank. The only reason you wono't get the money back is if you have damage to the car when you return it, but you have to pay for that no matter if you have multiple security deposits or no security deposits.