Drove 06 C350
I haven't driven any car in years that seemed to be such an ideal sports sedan. The performance with the 350 engine and 7G transmission seems like a perfect match for this car. Handling, of course, is excellent and even feels better than in the 320 apparently due to the responsive engine.
I'm getting the C350 to replace my 06 E350 which is a great car but not as much fun to drive as the C350. Also, the C350 doesn't have the problem prone SBC brakes of the E Class.
I haven't driven any car in years that seemed to be such an ideal sports sedan. The performance with the 350 engine and 7G transmission seems like a perfect match for this car. Handling, of course, is excellent and even feels better than in the 320 apparently due to the responsive engine.
I'm getting the C350 to replace my 06 E350 which is a great car but not as much fun to drive as the C350. Also, the C350 doesn't have the problem prone SBC brakes of the E Class.

Trending Topics
Sometimes you gotta **** or get off the pot.
There will always be the newest or the fastest or the smartest or the cheapest.
Last edited by Tishers; Aug 22, 2005 at 08:18 PM. Reason: Messed up title
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
but I think when it comes to MB's, it might be just a good idea to hold off on the "brand new" chassis model. I'm not an expert, but I have noted patterns wherewith a new chassis (ex: W201-W202 or W202-W203 ) has inherited the previous chassis engine and some engineering, but all the new stuff is full of bugs and problems. Just like you say with computers.
I believe the 2006 W203 will probably be a more reliable (relatively speaking for all you MB reliability nit-pickers
) than the 2007 W204.And plus the body style is going to be a huge ding-dong for the MB Classique stylists or people are going to love it for the BMW-esque design attributes.
Either way, it's a wait & see scenario, but no doubt technology and design will constantly be changing and re-designing, but not always for the better. IMO.
Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
'05 C230K SS Fully Loaded for $30.5K
what if I told you i got a '04.5 C320 SS Fully Loaded for $27K ?
I'm not bashing you, quite the opposite, congrats on your new car, but do know that better deals are relative, and quite dependent on when and where you buy it.
Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
but I think when it comes to MB's, it might be just a good idea to hold off on the "brand new" chassis model. I'm not an expert, but I have noted patterns wherewith a new chassis (ex: W201-W202 or W202-W203 ) has inherited the previous chassis engine and some engineering, but all the new stuff is full of bugs and problems. Just like you say with computers.
I believe the 2006 W203 will probably be a more reliable (relatively speaking for all you MB reliability nit-pickers
) than the 2007 W204.And plus the body style is going to be a huge ding-dong for the MB Classique stylists or people are going to love it for the BMW-esque design attributes.
Either way, it's a wait & see scenario, but no doubt technology and design will constantly be changing and re-designing, but not always for the better. IMO.
I agree with you about new models. I have wanted a mature car that I can keep for a number of years and I believe a 2006 W203 will be my best choice. I'm taking advantage of tourist delivery with the 7% discount plus some more off from my dealer. It's still a lot for a C Class since I will have full leather, Navigation, HK sound and the rear pass through in addition to the normal options.
Did you get the Sport or Luxury version?
Magazines always said that the c230k was more fun to drive than the c320 because it felt more nimble and light.
How do you think this c350 model compares in that dept. compared to the sedan kompressor. How does that weight feel for comparo in the fun dept.
Did you get the Sport or Luxury version?
Magazines always said that the c230k was more fun to drive than the c320 because it felt more nimble and light.
How do you think this c350 model compares in that dept. compared to the sedan kompressor. How does that weight feel for comparo in the fun dept.
I got the Luxury Version since I'm coming from the E350. The car has a heavy feeling but the handling is excellent. For me it's a lot more fun to drive than the E Class. I have not driven the C230K but a couple years ago I had a 2002 C320. This car feels much better in many ways to the 02 C320 starting with the seat comfort. One reason I didn't want the sport was because I had a 99 CLK 430. The low profile tires were very noisy and the ride was harsh. If you are looking for a light feeling steering the C350 is not your car. I know it's a poor comparison but it feels to me like it's a small S Class that really handles.
The 230 just seemed too "buzzy" but it did have that nice feel like a race horse.
The 240 just seemed sad that it was a six cyl and was getting slapped silly by it's "junior" model (230).
The 320 had a smoother takeoff and a more consistent acceleration.
I went the 350 route after driving an E350 to feel how the motor took off.
I was undecided when I went into the dealership but after an entire day of test driving, then re-test driving, going home to sleep on it and then coming back to drive again. Then I was comfortable with my decision.
Again, these feelings and perceptions of the vehicles were totally subjective
once again you're right on the money.
I find it funny, how people say one car is faster than another, or rides better than the other, etc.... without having driven more than just their own car.
Asking or getting advice on a new car on this forum is not a bad thing, but you get a lot of opinionated feelings and emotions, and the bottom line is that the person buying the car, basically needs to just get out and DRIVE !!
the more you drive them, the better YOU can make a sound decision.
Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
Bashing the C240 is such a bore; I think our car has adequate power for its primary use as a touring car, but the new engine/trans combination has me, like Jim, thinking about making a change. I can get everything I want on the C280 for around $35k...thinking very hard about this....

First time I see here a US guy with a diesel car
The CDI had lots of torque and the 5G transmission was smooth. I didn't like the slight turbo lag followed by the sudden thrust. I prefer the linear acceleration of a non-turbo car. I might have kept the CDI because of its excellent fuel economy but I had a problem. My car had a diesel ordor that stunk up my garage and the dealer wasn't able to find the source of the problem so I decided to trade for the E350.
The E350 is really a great car. Fortunately my 7G transmission was extremely smooth and the brakes were acceptable if not perfect. I could have been satisfied with the E350 but I have always preferred the C Class size car. When I found I would be able to get a C350 with such great performance and the precise handling of the C Class I couldn't resist the temptation to switch.

Its a total different story in Europe, cruising in highways and out of it its just another world, so many twisty roads, perfect for a diesel car and its low band torque and power, not in US, beside of the fuel economy :p



