delbomber

What a nightmare trying to get this thing....I was working with 5 dealers at one point, each one playing a different game. FINALLY found a dealer in Atlantic City who would charge me the right price and keep out ridiculous transportation charges. Both major Philly dealers pulled a lot of shenanigans, one just as I was about to sign the Purchase Order. One idiot dealer said there were "no manuals left ANYWHERE". The general consensus was that there are 13 left in the country with a stick. Anyway....

C230, 6M, Brilliant Silver (I know, how boring...but it's the nicest, classiest, cleanest) w/ black, Entertainment, Sunroof, Lighting, Heated & Pwr. seats w/ mem

Tossed in free wheel locks and cargo nets...paid invoice and got +700 vs. market on my trade-in. Good deal I think. It only took 5 dealers and 5 hours a day for a week!! =)



Had the chance to order an '06 and have it here by end of June. I passed. Those engine specs are scary, and the German MB site lists the 0-62 time as >8 seconds! With worse gas mileage to top it off. A few more ponies for less torque? Suckers. I am driving a loaner C240 until my car arrives from the dock. The thing is not as much a dog as some would lead to believe.

My question to you guys is, in the same situation would you have gone for the 05 or 06?

mick1

congratulations on your purchase

don't know about the new smaller 6 cyl engine since my c320 is only 0.7 sec faster (0-60 mph) than the c230 according to mbusa.

0.7 sec is nothing. That is even steven to me.

mick1

i saw the specs for C350 and C280 there. C280 0-62 mph = 7.3 secs auto, 7.2 secs manual

C230 0-60 mph = 7.6 secs

inFiniTE LooP

i would have gone for the 05 for the gas mileage and negligible speed difference. unless you were ordering the C320, then i would have waited and gotten the C350, but i think you made the right choice

delbomber

Ha, it's funny you say that. I told the dealer I would order a C350 sight unseen were I wishing to spend >40k, but not a C230.

...although by getting an 05 just a month for the 06's are out, I'm taking a year of depreciation in a month....

Moving to this from a G35. Didn't want to spend an extra 10 grand on the C350 just so I could keep asking myself why I paid 10 grand more for equal or slightly weaker performance. ;-)

Kenzmbz

Congrats, the 1st 3k miles will be hard. Im at 3000 and now im putting the Kompressor to the test. I went heads up with my friends 2001 c320. I jumped out on him but he came back. Its a fair game with the 320's if you ask me.

mick1

the c350 is better than the c320 in everyway except for the windshield decal. I like my "G. Daimler" better than "Mercedes"

elchinocache

delbomber, did you have a g35 coupe or sedan?

delbomber

The V6 C230 (2.5L to be introduced here in June as the 2006 C230) IS listed on the German site. It shows...

8,4

That's right. 8.4 Seconds from 0-62. Disgusting. To rob gas mileage AND speed all for the sake of a V6 badge? Can this possibly be right? It boggles my mind that MB's research told them that horses, not acceleration, sells cars.

delbomber

Sedan...the first of the 03's, so the first full-year model. At the time it beat everything in its class (save for the 330i) and most above it as well.It set the mark for <$40k cars in terms of HP and Torque. Then Nissan gives its non-premium line MORE power. Now everything is gunning for crazy power.

I loved the car. Steady, reliable and responsive power everytime I needed it. Never failed to get me where I needed to zoom. Great car, just time for a change. City life can be tough on these dames...

mick1

oh I see. the c280 must be the replacement for the c240 then.

good decision.

mick1

OMG, that spec sheet shows 8.9 secs for the 7-speed automatic transmission.

Guest0001

8.4? That is for the automatic right?? That has to be a mistake. right?? That is slower than the current C240 at 7.8.

mick1

take a look.

8.4 secs (6-speed manual)
8.9 secs (7-speed automatic, G-Tronic)

Guest0001

9 seconds for the auto......................... There is no way they are bringing that to the states. That will not sell here.

The C280 is nice though. I would have waited that one. I think its an improvment over the 230 and 240. and the C350 is just bad ***!

Delbomber, Congrats on your purchase on the '05, Enjoy it!

Capt Nemo o2

The German MB site said the C230 with the 1.8 was 0-60 in 8.6 seconds or something like that. MBUSA's #'s are faster than the German MB site. If anyone can find that out if the '05 specs are still up you will see...

Jim Banville

delbomber. can you check the vibration through your shifter? I find "normal" vibration at idle w/ A/C off, but after driving for a while with A/C on and sitting at idle, I feel 2 knocks per second through the shifter. Do you?

delbomber

Sorry Jim, still waiting for the car to arrive from the dock. Will let you know by end of the next week (I hope!!).

Cheers.

delbomber

One would think...but MB has a history of detuning engines so as to not compete with the higher end cars. Perhaps the C180, once known for good performance at a good price, is now living on the name to fill a niche over there, with a slower-geared engine. Plus, if you translate the engine HTML page using Google, it says the C180 has 143 HP. The C230 at 204 (correct). What other conclusion can one draw? The 0-62 times appear valid, in which case, WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING???

Also, the other C's listed seem to be dead-on. WHy would the C180 through C230 be so far off?

I would love to see the 05 German specs for comparison's sake. I did read somewhere that the German site is listed in "streetnames" and not seconds. ???

mick1

i checked the time for the C55 AMG on the german website (0-100 kmph, 0-62 mph = 5.2 secs) and the time for the C55 AMG at mbusa (0-60 mph = 4.9 secs). I think the times are about the same, it's just the extra 2 mph that is causing the differences. Couldn't check the time for the other models because they are not the same as mbusa's offerings. Only the C55 AMG is the same.

Capt Nemo o2

I could swear I saw a bigger gap between the times. Yes, the slower the car the longer it would take to go that extra 2mph, but I thought it was almost a second off, which is alot for 2mph in any car. Maybe I'm just mistaken... I dont know!!!

benzpro230

It dont really matter. I would have got the auto vs stick just enjoy the touch shift, only thing you dont got is the clutch. Plus its easier to sell the auto vs manual. Far as gas milage the 05 vs 06. Go with 05. Plus why yall catz worried about 06. Why would you go cop a 06 C-Class when they changin the body in 07 ? Wait another year. It dont make any sense at all.

delbomber

Have you seen the spy pics for the 07? HIDEOUS...it's like some bizarre Audi/Accord/3-series amalgam...monstrosity, rather. One of the nciest things about the current C230s is how distinctive they are from all the other cars in the class. The 07 has no identity. See for yourself (although by now these are no great revelation)...

http://www.mbcanada.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2073