TheBossman

Hows it going guys!! just thought id post up with my first few questions and comments here. Well Im looking into getting a used c230ss. Now Im not going to be able to get an '05 or a new one basically so I was wanting to know if there are any features in the 02/03 area that are still as good as the 05's? I noticed that the exposed exhaust tip is only on the '04/05s I guess and wanted to know if the other 02/03 models will still have the exposed tip. I want to run a dual set up :v Also, will the 02/03 SS's have the aero kit like the 05s? Just need to know what I may be missing out on with getting a used and older year. All I really am looking for right now is black on black, bixenon headlights, or xenon at least, sunroof, auto (cuz of CA traffic) and the 6 disk changer hopefully with the harmon kardon system. I have a vw gti currently so I dont know much about the benz side of things- yet my dad owned a G wagon, an e class and a few others before in time. But ive been in vw's and land rovers personally...so im a newb to the star side. Thanks guys in advance, and I love seeing all of your cars up on here- giving me ideas for the future Peace
-Geoff

EDIT: also heres my current car- 03 vw gti 1.8t with seriously too many mods to list...

r3v1ls

Whoah you got it really wrong comparing 02/03's to 04/05's. First off the 02's had the M111 Engine, which was a 2.3 superchaged. The 03's and up have the M271 engine which are 1.8 supercharged. The M111 engines have a little bit more horsepower and torque and run at a lower boost. And the pulley kits + chips seem to do a lot for them. Cept unfortunutely i hear the kleeman is discontinuing their products for m111's... not to sure about that.
Otherwise i think the 04's or the 05's get a nice 6speed transmission with the rod shifters instead of cable. Uhm also i think the 04 or is it the 05's get better shocks / springs, and they get 17in rims standard. If anyone would like to add to this or correct plz do.

TheBossman

thanks bro...yeah I admit I really dont know much about the benzes, but hey thats why Im here asking and I got you guys with the knowledge here helpin out. Thanks bro

vdubpower

that gti is insane, u should keep it, my bro has a AE, that pretty phat, and i used to roll a A3 jetta, back in teh days

TheBossman

thanks bro, but unfortunately me recently joining a band has made the hatchback very unpractical in hauling around a 5 piece drum set haha...i guess coupes are just not as practical for me right now in my life

vadim

How can a sedan be more practical than a hatchback in hauling a drum set (or anything for that matter)? What are you going to do with the kick drum - put it on the roof rack?

TheBossman

ah i was afraid of this..well I have a full system in the back of the hatch, no rear doors, I cant fold down my front seats due to my harnesses and the back seats are unuseable also becuase of the harness brackets. So I can easily put my snare drum in the front passenger seat, all 3 toms in the back seats, and the bass along with hardware in the trunk. if anything I can make 2 trips- but the gti is so small man! I had a jetta, and I know I was able to fit my entire dw set in that..i think the sedan would be much more practical

r3v1ls

Wow that GTI looks gorgeous, where was the first pic taken at?
Also can someone explain to me what DTM is? I've heard the term used countless times, never really looked into it though

vadim

With folded rear seats the C Coupe is a cargo truck compared to the C Sedan - no contest. I suggest you measure the sedan's dimensions first - the C Class is a really small platform overall.

vdubpower

how much do u want to part with for the gti, what are the mods, etc

TheBossman

thanks, well I actually took that photo with my brother driving the gti. I was hanging out of our mini cooper-s at around 40 mph while I took that . Its up in Irvine/ Newport Beach area on Bonita Canyon Dr. by newport coast. I have a few other locations that I always use too. Oh and DTM is the german market its D____sumthin german Tuning Market. Its the same for JDM. but I dont know the D___ part of it, i speak french, spanglish and socal. not german

Moviela

D is for Deutchland! Which is what the Germans call Germany.

That GTi is insane! Nice photography too, but I am afraid a Volkswagen is not a car, its a disease!

dmatre

DTM = Deutsche Tourenwagon Masters (or similar):

http://www.dtm.de/index.en.php

http://www3.mercedes-benz.com/motorsport/d/

TheBossman

so any other info on the c230ss?? I want to make sure this is going to be a great long term car. I told a few of my friends and they said nothing but 'eh id get a bimmer instead man, benzes are dogs' and similar things.

808_230K

german touring car racing series... MB/Audi/Opel

bossman-you're from the 'tex, yeah? anyway... as stated before, an '02 has a different engine, suspension, etc. from the '05. it also does not come w/the AMG kit, and the OE system was bose, iirc. If you're only looking into it as being a daily, then you could probably cross-shop it against an early E46 and go either way, but being a four banger, it gets decent gas milage. If you're planning to mod, there seems to be a larger aftermarket for bmw as well.

wasn't in the market for the sedan, but as far as the c coupe was concerned, all of the face-lift items were "I don't like this" on the previous MYs, and it was enough for me to wait...

TheBossman

Teddy, yeah im on the tex but I got the SN from Bill...aka thebossman on there. But thanks again for the info. and mod wise all I am looking into would be the clear side markers, maybe some 20" wheels and....aftermarket headunit maybe? thats it, it will be a daily so I cant go all out like I did with the gti. BTW any good cat back exhaust systems available for the c230ss? Im wanting something that brings the car out but nothing to take away from it being a benz you know. If anything Ill run a dual setup like the C55's...

r3v1ls

You should be easily able to do all those things. Lotta ppl on this forum changed their head unit and added some nice wheels. And the sedan has tons of exhaust options, eissenman, lorinser, brabus, amg, lotta stuff out there . Most people just add a pulley and a chip to get a lil more power from the car, i'd say it's a great daily driver.

808_230K

i still surf the 'tex, mostly the OT and the hawaii boards, my SN's Rider_Wanted haven't really looked at the mk4 board since I got rid of my gti

I've got the eisenmann cat-back on my coupe, it's really tame at idle/low rpm, but gets a nice, 'tuned' sound to it at WOT. for $700 it's on the cheap end of mb-specific exhaust systems. If you end up getting an older C, you'll probably want to drop it, too, it's got a little bit of that 4x4 stance out of the box. eibach and H&R both make sets for the w203s

Guest0001

First of all Welcome. Second nice GTI!

The C230 Sport Sedan came out in 2003. It uses a new 1.8 litter(189 hp blown I4), rather than the 2.3 from the coupe. Before only the C240 was the base sedan(168 hp V6) and that was intruduced around 2001.

Unless you buy an 05 model there is not signifcant difference from the 03 to 04.5

03 sports come with the 7 spoke wheels

04 sports came with 5 spokes wheels

04.5 came with 5 spoke wheels, larger brakes, and bigger exhuast tips

05 as you know is the biggest difference. you get the AMG kit, upgraded interior, factory projectors without having to by bi-xenons, and larger brakes and better suspension.

IMO if you want to buy used go ahead buy an 03. you will likely not find it with xenons buy you can order it from Steve. MBenznl. (do a search on him)

You can get your options easily. btw before 2005. Bose was used, not Harmon Kardon.

Hope that helps.