Vdhroso

I had my W204 at the dealership being serviced the other day and they gave me a C300 loaner car and I have to say, it's a really nice car. I liked it a lot more than I thought. Obviously I got a base C300 with very few options. A few things I would like to point out:

• The exterior looks amazing. Very luxurious looking car as opposed to the sporty looking w204.
• Love the headlights
• Interior also looks amazing. Way more luxurious looking than the w204 again.
• At first I thought aww man a 4 banger, this car is going to be slow. But I was pleasantly surprised at how quick this thing was.
• Feels roomier than the w204.
• Everyone complains about the ipad like screen on the car. I think it's awesome.
• The ride is a little more comfortable than my car I am guessing that was due to the smaller tires and air suspension. Going over potholes and bumps was not that bad.
• It was comfortable and smooth but I didn't like how much body roll I experienced. I was surprised that Mercedes would build a car that has more body roll than its predecessor but I guess you have to sacrifice some things in order to make others better like ride comfort.
• All in all I enjoyed the car except for its lack of stiffness but I'm sure that can be fixed with a couple of mods.
• The only thing that is keeping me from purchasing a w205 is the shift stick location on the steering wheel. Total buzzkill. I'm sure you get used to it but I love the sporty feeling of the shift stick being on the center. Even the new C63 doesn't have the shift stick in the center. Huge disappointment.

But I do envy those that own a C400 because I test drove that and that is one fast car.

Boudicca

*]Everyone complains about the ipad like screen on the car. I think it's awesome

I agree, after all the reviews that made note of the screen as looking tacked on, poor design etc I thought this is a compromise I will live with, having driven my W205 for 6 weeks and 4,000 km I would not want to go back to an integrated screen. It's actually based on very good design principles taking into account ergonomics and safety IMO .I have the larger sized screen and especially for navigation and reversing it's brilliant.
I have just come back from a 36 hour 1,000km round trip. Any concerns I may have had with the C200 around speed and power have been allayed. Overtaking road trains on the highway- no problem. Quick and safe. This is what I want responsiveness and speed for. Not interested in racing some dude at the traffic lights.
Run flats are loud on some road surfaces but I will be looking at changing to conventional tires when these wear out.

PeteInGilroy

I too have only positive things to say about the C300. Initially I thought the 8" nav screen would stick out like a sore thumb. But I don't even notice it's "tacked on". It actually makes a lot of sense to position it partially above the dash. There is less of a chance of taking your eyes completely off the road, compared to others that are mounted lower.

Of all the issues reported on MBWorld, I finally found one to report after 12 days and our first rain. My wipers stutter, although they are silent. I'm hoping they will smooth out after they have a few hours on them. If not, I'll replace them with the Bosch wiper blades.

alnamdds

That's cause you have air-suspension. Coil does not have body roll- one of its major advantages.

notabenex

Really? Why?

C_Class_Dad

A little trivia ...

"The only thing that is keeping me from purchasing a w205 is the shift stick location on the steering wheel. T"

When I first learned to drive in the mid 1980s - most shifts were still on the steering column. It was only then when the shift (for automatics) became "standard" on the console area between the two seats.

BTW, a fraternity brother had an old pickup truck (1960s) - with a manual transmission that shifted gears on the steering column


p.s., still getting used to shifting on the steering column. Good thing the cars goes into park when you power off

Wolfman

One has to blame the bangle-butt BMW 7 series for inventing the small electronic shift lever with the park button and Mercedes taking it over in almost unchanged format.
Since it's just a non-mechanical electronic switch, they could have just as well changed to a button format away from a lever altogether...

vols1

Since it's just a non-mechanical electronic switch, they could have just as well changed to a button format away from a lever altogether...[/QUOTE]

Just like the 1960 Plymouth Valiant.

StanNH

Airmatic has no anti-sway bars?

Wolfman

They don't but there is a misconception here; coils/springs have some body roll as well as Airmatic. It's a question of a particular stiffness setting. AMG Airmatic will be stiffer too. ABC/MBC will have less body roll as they actively counteract it.

Vdhroso

Did not know that. But it was super comfortable at least.

solarflare

Switch to sport settings and it should be better.

abstractls

yeah i wasn't sure about the ipad like display either but I have gotten a lot of compliments on it. Would be great if it folded in, but honestly i think it looks great and hasn't bother me at all. Only reason i wish it folded in is because i live in the city and I am waiting for the day some junkie thinks its an ipad and breaks in to steal it

Vdhroso

i think people just want to find something to hate on when it comes to the new w205 since its nearly the perfect compact luxury sedan. However in the future, probably the next generation of the C class, i think the ipad screen will go away. I think they will make the dashboard look like the S class with 2 screens. It's already being implemented on the 2017 E class. It's only a matter of time until we see it on the C class.

cleankutazn

I doubt they would give loaner cars with airmatic.

Sol01

Yes I think they are going back to integrated command Screen as well or just the one digital screen on the dash which is what Audi are implementing recently and looks amazing in TT

mihaelb

Good point.
Vdhroso, are you sure you had Airmatic? Was there a height-adjust button underneath the agility adjustment on the console? If not, then it was just regular suspension (and the agility adjustment would have only controlled transmission shifting behavior and steering).

BoboPolo12

Fortunately or unfortunately, you would get used to the column shifter position very quickly, likely within a couple of days. I'm actually out of state at the moment and have a rental car with the automatic shifter in the typical center location. Over the last two days, I must have accidentally turned the wipers on and off at least five times when I meant to put the car in either reverse or drive!

Bradf

My wife switched the shifter by mistake because she was used to having wiper in that position. That put car in neutral and stopped the car in the middle of a busy road. Good thing the car Behind her is far enough so she did not cause any accident.

rediesel

After a few months with my column-shift E550 I don't miss the console at all. In fact I catch myself trying to shift from Reverse to Drive in my 507 with a non-existent column shifter frequently.

puzzled

The column shift frees up space for storage. I prefer it.

Vdhroso

maybe Im just biased because I have w204 but honestly I feel like Im in a 80s oldsmobile with the shift stick on the steering wheel. If its electronic then they should have done what Chrysler did...throw in a rotary shifter even though it still doesn't have that sporty feel that a traditional shift stick does.

StanNH

Personally, I prefer the column mounted selector. It's simple and very convenient to have it sitting right behind the steering wheel.

It is an odd arrangement but, after you get used to it, it makes perfect sense.

dave-t

Column shifter makes it easier when you have a coffee etc in the cup holder. Drink does not interfere with the buttons on the front console like most cars.

Don Nguyen

Based on the W205s that I have had come in to get some car wrap work done, they all seem to be a big upgrade in look and quality from the W204 bodies.

-Don