M3billy

hello everyone, i am new here and i have a question that maybe you can help me with.

while searching for a new car for my wife we test drove the MB C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan and i love it!!!

AMG looks
beautiful interior
quiet as a mouse inside
comfy

i friggin love my e46 M3 but sometimes i yearn for a car that is more practical and less "racecar" like. sometimes you just want to go for a nice drive and relax and the M3 is always anxious, clunky, and noisy. now don't get me wrong, i love its anxious, clunky, noisy attributes but for the price of the benz its hard to beat. it certainly aint got 333HP but its a beautiful car...especially with its AMG look.

try really hard to not be too biased in your thoughts as i know this is a benz forum!!! i asked this over at a BMW forum and people thought i was nuts.

obviously, there is zero comparison in performance, but the C230 offers so much in practicality with stunning looks, more doors, and a better monthly payment for a married guy looking to get his first mortgage. the money is not a real issue in the decision, just a nice bonus.

so, am i nuts? thoughts?

thanks in advance!!!

ctC230K

I'd rather have an M3 but those are $$$$$ for everything, expensive payments, expensive mods, expensive repairs, expensive insurance.
Have you looked at the 330ZHP? That was my first choice but it's also expensive. What about the e90 330? Those might be nice.

M3billy

well, i've kind of hit the peak with BMW performance buy owning/driving an e46 M3 (until the e90 M3 comes out). so, to go back to a 325 or even a 330 would be essentially the same cabin with a ton less power/performance. the C230 offers a totally new driving experience...minus a ton of HP. but, honestly, you get used to HP and you're never really satisfied!!!

ideally, if i had the funds to do so, i would get a C230 for my daily driver and the M3 would be my fun/toy/summer/track car.

Kar don

benderM3, I think you should. I own both (well not an M) and I prefer the W203 C-class. Personally I would get the 320 just because i dont like the sound of the 4 cyl. What dealer did you go to?

ctC230K

But isn't your wife going to be the one driving it?

inFiniTE LooP

C55 AMG an option? good mix of luxury and power, plus the AMG looks

nicedeboy

You will miss the "get up and go" the BMW has over the benz. Benz lacks the quick 0-60 times that the BMW has. But the Benz feels much nicer.

nukblazi

Again, you're posts confuse me. Of course a C230 compared to a M3 is going to disappoint 0-60, but the C55, C32 or Kleemann supercharged C320 will leave nothing to be desired and/or surpass the M3 in simple 0-60. How do YOU know what HE'LL miss??? The Benz feels much nicer because the suspension is tuned for comfort. Install a set of coilovers and sways and you are at M3 feel.

That being said, utimately, the e46 is not the best track car. The additional suspension adjustability can be had in the e30 and e36 M3 in the Imporved Touring and Prepared classes. And you can surpassed the M3 HP in a S52 e36 M3. Depends on what HIS comfort level is on the track, how much HP HE really should have.

If I was in M3Billy's position, the ultimate solution would be the C230 sedan on the street and a clean e30/e36 M3. 2/3's or less the wieght of the e46 M3 and 250HP. Highly tuned that motor can throw down 300.

I am using the '02 C230 Coupe at a decent level of tune for street/DE/autocross and preparing a 1991 325i for SpecE30 Club racing. Why? Learn to drive a slow car fast. That is what will make a fast driver.

808_230K

you, sir, have answered your own question. on a performance standpoint, it is no issue, the M3 beats the snot out of the kompressor. hell, the G35 is a STEAL, given the price vs. performance standpoint. evo 8, sti, included would all beat the MB, imo.

but that isn't what you are looking for, is it? there's a reason some of us have ended up buying the C230

Saprissa

wait for the C350 and you won't loose so much of the HP/torque feel.

The C230K has too little HP. The C320 is a bit better and can be tweeked (my V6 Coupe will running around with 240 hp) up from 215 hp stock.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

clkcadet

m3billy before you get rid of your m3 check your pm!

mbny

LOL, well said. that's exactly my situation. I intended to get the M3 after my 330Ci, but 15 points on the license later, here i am in the C230

i took a look at the 325Ci but like M3billy mentioned earlier comparing lower end bmw's over the M3, the 325 just felt like a slow azz 330. at least with the C230, i have a completely different car which is keeping me happy.

jedcred

Coming from a 535i (slightly different from the M3, of course ), initially I was disappointed in the loss of power and the lack of balance in comparison. However, for the power given compared to the gas mileage, the more comfortable sport suspension, the much better interior (something BMW really has to do something about), I'm much happier with the C230. Plus, in comfort mode, you don't have to work to have a smooth takeoff when you are driving around, compared to an I6, where you have to be more careful that it's not rough.

One thing I do miss, though, is a really nice tiptronic. MB's tiptronic requires you to start from drive, then dial down. BMW had a nicer system where you can shift over a gate, then downshift from the current gear. A small complaint, but something I personally miss.

inFiniTE LooP

this is something i hate about this car, it seems every manufacturer does it the way you described, but mercedes chose to do it this way for whatever reason, and it also will not reset to first gear for you (in the gauge cluster anyway, even though it does mechanically do it) which i hate as well. some car mags and reviewers praise mercedes tip-tronic but i really dont see where they're gettin this stuff

nicedeboy

You confuse your own self LOSER from Maryland. All the crazy freaks are from your state. LOL Just enjoy your cheap low class benz and shut up.

M3billy

thanks for all the replies guys!!!

you all seem like a cool bunch of people from the replies as well as from the threads i've been reading.

i think i've decided to keep my M3 for 2 reasons...

1. i love the car too much and i know i will eventually really miss the 333HP (as well as the laguna seca blue color)

2. my wife wants the C230 so i'll just drive her (our) car a lot :p

EDIT: so, since we will hopefully be having a benz in the family then i look forward to getting to know all of you!!!

for those that are interested, here is a pic of my M3 (her name is Mildred)

Guest0001

carbon black>laguna seca

Outland

You're such an idiot. Why isn't this loser banned yet?

FreeStylinSurfe

nukblazi

God, you are one dumb mo'fo. Hmmm, "your own self"... really cheap paint...

You are the current mbworld dumb@ss.
You live in the armpit of NJ, PA and MD, funny a guy from the forgotten state is throwing blows...
B!tch I am from NJ, even worse
Oh wait, C230 sedan?, cheap *** benz too ... currently the cheapest benz being sold in the states...
Go suck on one of those industrial exhaust pipes and save us the agony
You make no sense and you clearly know a little nothing nothing about cars

I have every option less teleaid and nav (~$33k) and around 15k in functional mods... Last thing I am worried about are your retarded insults. Most people read the threads here and know you're just full of *****. The shame is that you are the only one that fact seems to be escaping. Wish it was different but it isn't.

My assumptions;
You're a teenager or equivalent (mentally), otherwise you'd realize that a C-Class is a C-Class. Coupe or sedan, same fit and finish, same paint, same suspension, motors, mounts, leather, carpet, gauge clusters, headliner, transmission, etc. 4 doors and a C55 knock-off spoiler don't make it better fool. Dis the coupe you dis yourself. Funny to watch, please don't stop.

Secondly and most importantly, it's highly unlikely that someone with your inability to absorb information and simply restate it accurately could hold a job requiring any skill. So, you likely bought your Benz with an inheritance or Pops sprung for it.

Now that's cool, wish my parents could have done the same, but know your place. Check your ego at the door to the forums. Even the most knowledgable people learn something new frequently. Assuming the coupe is cheap is just stupid. Truths say differently.

Falsely driving around thinking you aren't the bottom of the barrel yourself is one of those "It's your lie, tell it the way you like" things. You're obviously not interested in any truths.

For you and others like you. Keep the bull***** on myspace and stick to facts about MB cars here... that might make some sense. The only thing truly classless on this forum is your dumb@ss...

Now come to one of our meets, park next to me and think about how nice it'd be to have what I've invested into my cheap *** coupe. Maybe you could learn something.

Tom


M3billy, sorry for the garbage on your thread but idiots like the dumb DE "boy" exist on every forum. Very nice M3. I've got a 91 325i I am preparing for competition in SpecE30 and the Improved Touring classes. Eventually I am going to transplant a e36 ODBI M3 S50 into her and run in it Mod. Both MBs and BMWs are great cars. You really can't go wrong either way.

FrankW

does Audi S4 ring a bell? the one that's coming w/ the facelift is sexy and it can handle like a sports car with practicality.

anywayz, phoenix yellow > seca > carbon black :P

I'm not helping am I?? lolz

couple things you can do to the M. 1. painted bumper reflector. 2. some lowering would do wonders for the look or get some BBS LM or the CSL rims. Those are hot. 3. Tint the window. 4. ACS exhaust sounds the best IMO. My friend has GruppeM titanium exhaust which sounds like rice IMO. 5. don't read e46fanatics.com or you'll go crazy with mods...LOLz

enjoy the stay