Jorel C320

To tell you the truth guys...i dont think Psuns question was asked to be mean. It seems like he really didnt state an opinion. Who knows?? He might like the 230k. He just pretty much asked a question that has been buzzing around. Just reminding you guys incase you forget what he was asking....i knoe most of you are really pissed off.

Now if he said "THE C230k "IS" a POORMANS CAR"...now thats a different story.

slkride

if you don't care what you drive and only want quality, why did u get an mb instead of an acura tl? that car is reliable, has bang for the buck and performance that is better than a c230. tell me, with all the available cars on the market within the same price range, why didn't you purchase them. they have equal quality and some are even more reliable than mb.

if you are happy driving you c230 and dont' care what anyone thinks, then this post should even bother you. but from the sound of your msg, you seem to be bothered by it. now you sound like the insecure person trying to defend your purchase.

i'm not trying to create any tension here but rather voicing my opinion so relax. last time i check, we still have free speech in america.

Jorel C320

I totally agree...maybe they'll come out with a g35 GTR....that would be sweeettt.....but i guess i'll settle with the coupe.

JeT

In response to your first question, your argument is totally subjective...why does nayone choose one car over the other...what appears to be more value in yours eyes might not be in someone elses...you can't scoff at someone else because they have a different opinion.

And to answer your second question, like I said I'm not bothered at all about what I drive because I don't equate the car I drive with status. If someone walked up to you on the street and told you you are a poor bugger because you wear flip flops, do you care...I wouldn't think so coz what would he know about you just by looking at your shoes...get my point?

But if you think I'm bothered because of what I have in my garage...well hey, sure, if you think so well I'll agree with you!!

dswildfire

i think they're only reason for not doing twin turbo is it doesnt meet emissions. same reason that you can get an SR20DET in the US (and it meets emissions), while the SR20DETT you can't (well, you can, but it pollutes like mad, says the gov't)

Accord

Taylor, about BMW... it should be...

"If my first car was a BMW, I would end up buying a Mercedes-Benz."

One experience with a BMW is all it takes to switch your brand loyalties to Mercedes-Benz .

Hehe .

Lockbuster

A C230K is a great automobile, my wife drives it more than I and she gets looks everywhere she goes, it is a great vehicle with excellent power and handling. I truly think it is a good automobile with a proven powertrain. I do not think that this Mercedes is any less of another Mercedes, in fact I think it is equal to any of it's sisters. Remember it came from Stuttgart. It is a real automobile and not a fake.

taylor192

And what's wrong with that? Here's a list of "poor man's cars"

The Boxster is the poor man's Porsche.
The 9xx used to be considered a poor man's 911.
The NSX is the poor man's Ferrari.

I don't know about many here, but I wouldn't feel poor driving a Boxster or a NSX.

I'm sure there's a bunch of Bently and Rolls Royce owners out there saying you're driving a poor man's car too.

taylor192

1. Safety, MB has more bang for the buck than most out there.
2. Service, MB service is near the top, even if reliability isn't.
3. Resale value, because of the "status" associated with MBs, these cars maintain their value longer.
4. Image, yes some of us bought the C230K to get into an MB to have a car that is more of a status symbol, along with all the extras.

But as for being a "poor man's car" then some of the C240s qualify too. The C230K is $34K base CND, while you can get into a C240 for $37K base. Add the leather to the C230, and you're at $36K, not much of a difference.

So how about we take the opinion that you and your friends call us C230K owners "poor men" and start calling C240 owners "poor men" too.

So C240 owners, do you feel like you drive a "poor man's car"?

taylor192

That's hilarious, but it didn't even take one experience for me, I skipped looking at a BMW from the start, too common, and the people I usually see driving a MB that are around my age don't convey the image I want to, and that's not being rude, that's just not my style.

psun786

it is interesting to see SOME the c230 owners cry out loud for themselves~ but still 1/3 of ppl here agree with the topic, right?

of coz, it is clear dat MB is trying very hard to introduce their brand name into young ppl's mind (-20+ the largest age group on earth) but does c230k holds the traditon of MB, which best know for their luxury, reliability, comfort? or it has to sacrifice some of these inorder to fit into a "poor man"'s budget?

the "poor man" used here are point to those who can't own a MB if there is no c230k~ it is obvious, coz why would MB spend $ research c230k if u guyz are going for other MBs when c230k is unavailable? c230k is just a tool dat MB used for them to compete with compact imports~

i was NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT trying to said dat c230k is bad car which doesn't worth the buck~ but it did bent the standard of MB a little bit (of coz, still higher than other cars). maybe it is just a new trend to see a great increase # of MB on the road~

i never said C320 is any better than a c230k (although it is a fact~ listen, it doesn't how much options u load on ur car~ it is still a c230k, K? u can spend $$$$$ gold plated a corolla but it is still a corolla~) i believe the "C" of a c-class stands for "compact" never expect my c320 worth any more than it name~

why r some guyz so sensitive on the word "poor"? maybe dats why they decide to buy a "Mercedes Benz c230k" hahahahah~ ppl shouldn't fell embarrassing for not to be rich, but it is a shame for those who don't want to admit ~

i don't consider my self rich coz i have a MB & i am not, at least now, coz "rich" should only be 3% of the population~ sometime ago, dats exact the % of MB on the road~

taylor192: u r truly loyal to Mercedes Benz even though u don't even own one yet~ what a irony?

Spyke

Just not right? Cannot be legitimate? I have to wonder how far back your knowledge of Porsche history goes.

Does the 550 Spyder ring any bells? Maybe you've seen one on TV, it's the car the old guy is driving in the "Holy Schmoly" ad. By your "rear engine" logic it can't be a legitimate Porsche either. So I guess Porsche's been building illegit cars on and off for the past 50 years or so? Hmm.. how long has the company been around anyway?

I can understand someone not considering the 914/4 to be a legitimate Porsche, and maybe even the the 924. But a Boxster? Damn, that thing is essentually the '90s version of one of the "purest" Porsches ever made.

TimmyC230boy

It has nothing to do with $$$. I could go get a SLK, CLK, ML whatever. My mom drives a CL500, dad has a rather nice S Class, and we have a ML320 for family trips. As of right now "myself" I COULD spend $60K on a car, but I dont want to. $30K is plenty of money on a car for me. I'm opening my own business, and buying my own house too. I don't think my C230 is any less a Mercedes than your C320.

shtatc

I bought the C240 - and I bet I paid less than some who bought the C230K. However, the reason why I went to the MB dealer in the first place was to check out the C230K coupe. And after looking at it - I decided that I needed 2 more doors. I was sort of set on the sedan to start with, but wanted to see what the Coupe had to offer. Is price an issue? Sure - isn't it always? Unless you have an unlimited budget - NOT ME. But, regardless of what MB you buy..it still is an MB....and people think that it costs more than what you really paid. Is it sterotyping all MB owners? Maybe...but I am not complaining when people oogle at the car and think I paid 10K more than i did.

Is the C230K a compromise to the brand? Because of its low cost? Well, maybe it is great advertising. Offer a MB for base price of 25K - lure people in to the dealership who might not thought of buying a MB, because they may end up spending more for something else. Or because, maybe a sedan is what they really want and the price is more affordable then they thought.

Hey, if MB starting selling the AMG A-class here in the states - I might be one of the first in line to put my order in.

avlis

Are they putting the Boxster engine in the front now?

TimmyC230boy

nah its still in the back. As far as I know.

Shtatc: I went to the dealership to buy a 2000 C280 Sport, but I saw the Coupe in the showroom and fell in love with it. Most people flip when I tell them it was only $28K most think the car is $35K+. As far as I'm concerned price is just a number, its all about what you get for that price. I feel I got a great car, a safe car too.

tommy

Well, I voted yes, because it's the lowest MB model, so it has to be the poor person's MB, right?

Also, the c240 is the poor person's MB sedan, the CLK320 the poor person's MB coupe, and so on. The beauty is that no matter where you are on the scale, there's always someone who thinks that what you has is inferior. And unless the Sultan is here, all of us are not worthy in someone else's eyes.

But, I don't think that it's a cheap car. My honest view on it is that it's far less overpriced than every other MB out there. If that means that I'm cheap for looking for a good car at a good price, then that's what I am. I can live with that.

TimmyC230boy

Tommy: Anyone with 3-toned Smurf Leather is OK in my book!

preyx

The idea that people couldn't be in the market for a Benz if the C230k didn't exist is just plain absurd. The C240 can be had for cheaper, and used CLKs, SLs, Es, etc. with much more power can be had in a similar price range. Just because MB makes a $25k car doesn't mean it's the first and only one. The objective of bringing the C230k over here was to draw the crowd that was interested in sport compacts, namely those in the market for an Acura RSX-S, Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, Toyota Celica sport, etc. The fact that MB provides an alternative for that crowd is, in my eyes, a great thing. It's perfect for a guy my age, and it's just the right price that my parents don't have to worry about the huge hit on the pocketbooks. If there was no C230k, I would most likely be out of the market for a Benz, because my parents would be more reluctant to get me the next level in sports coupe (the SLK or CLK).

It could easily be said that no matter what you do to your C320, it's still a C320. Just like tommy says, it's all relative. Making a comparison like that is pointless.

The reason why I see "poor" as a bad way of putting it is because I am certainly not poor. And yes, you are right, one should never be ashamed of being well off. I am well off, and fortunately for me every car that's been "mine" has been a Benz. I already said, my primary car used to be a $55k ML320, and "downgrading" to a C230k is definitely not my definition of being "poor". The sporty nature was the draw, and the low cost was an added bonus. I really doubt that for most people it was the other way around.

And what's wrong with having MB loyalty without even buying a car from them (yet)? Just because he likes something just by talking about it, doesn't mean that loyalty can't exist. It means that his first choice is Benz, and that most likely the next chance he gets he will get a Benz. Loyalty can exist anywhere.

junyo

The only reason I looked at MB was the 230K, not because it was a MB, not because of the low price, but because I was looking for a rear wheel drive sport coupe to replace my Nissan 240SX and nobody else was making one. I really thought I'd end up with an RSX Type S or a Bimmer or an Audi S4. My budget topped out at $40K. I ended up with the 230K because of the vault-like build quality, the safety features and yes, the ratio of fun to cost. Does that make it a "poor man's" car? If so, I'm one of the happiest poor men you'll ever see.

People looked down on the 318ti because it was an underpowered stripper (I think the steering wheel was an optional extra....) that couldn't beat a Cavalier away from a light and darn near doubled in price as soon as you added any options. The 230K bone stock is still a respectable ride and for not that much money can be equipped very nicely. The comparison's invalid, you and your friends are idiots.

Boo2

Nowadays, I wouldn't exactly call the C230 a "poor man's benz". It's funny, but the journal showed that some "trendy" CEO's are even driving VW Bugs. However, I wouldn't go as far as saying that the C230 is on par with the CLK's, E-Class, S-Class, etc. Just accept it, the C-Class is the bottom tranch. If you know how you are financially, then you shouldn't care what other people think. An E-Class can also be a "poor man's benz". What I noticed, is that most of the people here probably bought their car and not LEASED. That is admirable. In my funny opion, if you don't own your own business and you lease a benz that is an E-class or lower; your car is a "poor man's benz" since you are lying to yourself by buying a car you can't really afford. I can also relate to TimmyC230boy. Sometimes you have financial goals that supercede the type of car you are going to buy. His priority is his new business and new home. That is smart. I bought a house before my car. Yeah, I could cash out some equity, buy a 360, a Murcielago, and still have an equity position enviable by most homeowners. Do I drive a C-Class? Yes. Am I ashamed? No. Do I love my car? Yes. Buy i'm not going to kid myself by saying that it's just as good as a CLK, E-Class, S-Class, etc. Sure, i'll probably trade up later, that's just how life goes.

P.S. the Porsche 914 "WAS" a poor man's porsche since it had a volkswagon engine.

MagmaSilk

i agree w/ boo ... there are difference classes of benzs. and i draw the line at those models that get all the fancy toys and tech ... the top being those that get airmatic suspension, brake by wire, air-conditioned seat, and of course a price tag that often better matches a small condo than car ... ie, E , S, CL, SL.

everybody else is still a MB but not quite in the same class. my SLK is often called a "poor man's" SL ... which is kinda true ... i dont mind ... tho i prefer "baby" SL or "lil bro" SL

TimmyC230boy

I mostly see the C Coupe as the CL's little bro. Because the SLK only has 2 seats. The CLK is availible in a convertible. The CL has not convertible option, and it has 4 seats. So hey, If I have the cheapest MB in the USA thats fine by me. I feel sorry for people who think that what car they drive is what makes them who they are.

JeT

Actually, for some odd reason, my C200K is technically a CL200K. I'll ask the MB guys next time I'm there but on all my invoices and service documents (which means its recorded as a CL in the MB datatbase) and in my log books its stated as being a CL200K and not a C200K. Also when I went to a store that sells rims, they had my car quoted as a CL200K. I have no idea what it means!! Might stand for "loser"!!!

preyx

The "CL" designation refers to the coupe version of the C-class. The current body revision for the current-model C-coupe is CL203. This is to distinguish between the sedan and coupe versions. Why they chose "CL" is beyond me, but it confused a lot of people on the boards before. Hope that clears things up for you, and sorry you got your hopes up.