gei

I've had my C350 coupe for about a month now, it's replacing an '04 3 Series coupe. As per my post history I'm quite enthusiastic about it in general.

I found a buyer for my 3 series so I had to drive it around for a day or two just to take care of a few things and it was amazing how much tighter the steering was, and how much more road feel there is.

It was quite a shock jumping back in the C350 after a few days of driving the BMW... the steering feels grossly over-assisted. And this is WITH the 'dynamic handling package' with sport mode on (which makes things a little better).

The BMW really is a driver's car. I'm relatively certain once the new F32 3 series coupe comes out I'll be trading up, and save the Benz' until I'm much older.

Anyone else feel the same way?

Igor1080

The dynamic handling package makes the steering really loose below highway speeds. More loose than standard coupes. Personally I prefer BMW steering but the F30 328 was not out when I got my car, otherwise I would have gotten that.

AV1

Not me

I'm totally happy with mine.

However I will agree after having driven most E92 BMW coupes, they drive and handle very very well indeed.

You can improve (tighten up) on the C Coupes handling just by changing tyres if you wanted to, they are geared towards upmost ride quality compared to the more sportier orientated BMW's which are less comfortable, but it's all an individual thing, each to their own

zelko

I agree, I am happy with mine as well...my C350 coupe steering seems fine even at slower speeds - firm and in control, not loose at all. But then again if your coming from a car with tighter steering it is only natural to question your Benz steering...

Showa

Feel you. I have an E46 too and I understand what you mean. When I tested drove the car at the dealer 4 month ago, I remember the steering feel wasn't that light. Anyway it is not a deal breaker for me. I am going to put some high preformance tires in the future and it should improve a little.

AV1

Yep that's the one

I have 2 other vehicles which have been fitted with larger dia. rims and sportier orientated tyres with corresponding lower profiles which have a much stiffer sidewall and this makes a very noticeable change in steering feel/response and corner handling, without any changes to the suspension, but the trade off is ride quality ! go one way with handling and ride quality goes the other way, I too have had an E46 M3, great handling (for it's day) but terrible ride quality, IMHO this new C Class coupe has got to be one of the best vehicles out there that gives an almost perfect combination handling and ride quality

BEH

I currently have a 06 BMW 330i Coupe and just test drove a MB C350 and Audi A5 back to back.
The MB C350 was smooth and power was very linear however, steering felt loose and car was more like a small luxury car with no road feel or "personality"
I was disappointed.
The Audi A5 had lots of torque, was very tight but had some turbo lag.
Ride was more like my BMW then the MB was.
Just my observations.

jctevere

Geez, all you guys complaining about loose steering. I love the way the steering feels on my non-DHP C250 coupe RWD... Not too loose, not too tight, just right. If you want a car with a TIGHT steering wheel, go into a G37 Coupe with the sport package. If I went to the gym the day before and was sore I could barely take a highway ramp the steering was so tight...

whitecatangel

I hv 19" wheels and yokohama tyres on my RWD c coupe, the steering weight just right, really hv good road feel, while not too heavy. i think the RWD has better steering weigh and feel..

Sportstick

I've been struck by how much this is an issue of accommodation. When I first got the car, I also thought the steering was over-assisted. Now, it feels completely normal, of course. When I look elsewhere for my next car (to find a manual trans), I'm sure I'll find that steering under-assisted. The interesting part would be to sit down the steering system engineers from MB and, for example, BMW, and listen to them debate their different specs.

AV1

Just come back from a spin in mine and still think it's the goods, even compared to a couple of other cars I have which both have been extensively modified in the wheels / suspension area

First time I took my C250-CDI up a mountain run with steep hills and tight corners, I was very impressed with the turning and cornering.

Even before I purchased my C250 alot of Aust. reviewers commented on how good or even better the steering was compared with the current E92 BMW coupes, that's saying alot since I too think the E92's are a very good drive as previously mentioned, but to be totally honest I prefer the new C Class Merc in this regard over the E92 Beemers in this regard

AV1

One Aust. review I read up specifically mentioned the fact that MB engineers have tweeked the new C Class coupes steering and handling for the first time setting it in a different class to other MB's except for the highest end models, I'll try and find a link to that review for you guys to read up on

He also mentioned that this revision is for the new C Class coupe only and not passed onto the sedan and wagon models.

If anyone has driven both, maybe they can comment on any differences.

Also wondering if there's any differences between standard and AMG optioned coupes, mines got the AMG kit and it drove differently to a non AMG kit C180 I've also driven.

DinB

Just test drove a c350 4matic today and the steering is way too loose. My current Honda civic drives better. It's inexcusable that the 4matic drives so much worse than RWD C350.

gei

Considering how loose the steering already is with the RWD C350 - that is quite disturbing...

graphicguy

Are these cars equipped with the 18" wheels/tires?

davidwhelan3

I quite liked the looser steering at 1st but after driving my friends 2010 M3, getting back in my car the steering felt waaaaay to loose, i guess you just have to get used to it over time

Breitling65

Would be interesting to compare steering of m3 to c63, otherwise this is not fair.
I came from Infiniti G37x coupe where steering is worse than on my rwd c350, so I dont have bad feelings. It is much sportier car on S mode especially.

jctevere

I am shocked by the amount of people that find issue with the steering. Perhaps disconnect the power steering module and problem solved!

I think this is more a matter of what you're used to driving, and how it compares to that. I think I have quite a variety of brands and models under my belt to offer a fair comparison. The standard C250 RWD coupe's steering with stock 17" wheels and tires without the agility control package feels overall "good". Tight at slow speeds but a little bit "loose" at highway speeds. Perhaps they should try to make the steering adaptive to assist less at higher speeds.

At any rate, the steering is not "WAYYYYY TOO LOOSE". If you think thats loose, try driving a Hyundai, like my grandma's XG350L, I feel like I'm driving a boat in that thing the steering is so loose and disconnected. My first car was a 2008 G37 S coupe (19" rims, no awd) and that steering was a bit too tight for my taste, if I was sore in the arms from the gym it was difficult to turn around a highway exit ramp. My next car was a 2009 c300 4matic which I thought the steering was "good" but could have been better. I think that the steering in my 2012 C250 rwd coupe is great, and definitely great for everyday driving, sporty yet comfortable. These were just the cars I have had extensive driving time behind (about 2 years each and coming up on 1 for the C250).

I have never liked BMW driving dynamics. The salesguy says checkout how amazing the brakes are, you tap them and fly into the windshield, the steering is so responsive, any slight change on the highway results in a large jerk of direction. I find BMW to be a bit too sensitive, but again, these are just my opinions. I guess it all comes down to personal preference and what you've been used to.

AV1

I couldn't agree more ^^^ after driving most if not all the cars in question in this thread and an ex M3 owner.

As said, I'm starting to think there must be something totally different in suspension / chassis and steering between cars in the U.S and the rest out there