AMG4Me

I've only been on this forum for a couple months but I notice this slk guy is in this forum a hell of a lot. So much so I bet he was looking through this forum coz he was thinking bout getting a C230, but then he decided he would take out a bigger bank loan, max his credit out and then announce to the whole world that he is better than everyone else because he got an slk. And why shouldn't he, he's probably this geeky looking dork, never had a girlfriend (or boyfriend for that matter), probably still lives with mommy despite being in his mid 30s and so can put all his money into a car he can't really afford. Good for him!!

Most of the time he sounds like hes trying to convince himself that the c230 is a crap car.I mean for crying out loud, why would someone that has no intention of buying the car, doesnt even think its worthy of even some other brand names, spend sooooo much time in this forum, it makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever!! And his only argument is a crumby poll in which half, if not more, of the votes are his other aliases. Oh and dont forget, the car must be crap coz all you guys keep responding to him trying to defend the car.-- ooooh, you pulled a good one over all them didnt ya slk, high five's to you city slicker!! You'd be a genius in a debating forum. Man u deserve to be a trillionaire!!hehe!

You're my kinda guy slk, lets meet up some time and we can stop by the park and tell all the kiddies they are a bunch of children!!!

BTW I don't even have a Merc so your "stop-trying-to-defend-your-car-as-the-poll-says-it-sucks" argument wont work! LOL

Boo2

You will rarely hear of a "poor man's" Honda, Acura, Toyota, Cadillac, Ford, etc. The only reason Mercedes and BMW get so much flak is because America has stereotypically associated it with wealth and prestige. I have heard the following theme many times: "I will never buy an ML or E-Class because so many people can afford it!!!" Just face it, we have C-class cars. They are good, but they are still at the bottom. Shut the f*ck up about what you could've bought, cuz if you didn't get it you probably couldn't. And the reason you didn't buy it is the reason you couldn't. Remember, the people who bought them are most likely proportionally in the same boat as you. You don't hear SL owners bragging that they could've bought a 550 or a Murcielago. To go from an SL to a Coupe makes no sense. An SL500 to a CL55 or even a CLK55 is more logical. Be true to yourself, and don't try to be something your not.

shtatc

I think alot of people buy things above their means.....and on the contrary.....alot of people buy under their means. Does that mean people who buy above their means are "rich" or does that mean people who have alot of money then buy a Honda or Chevy are "poor". What is the issue here? Poor person's car...rich person's car....who cares? Most every car maker has a variety of makes. So, does it mean that if I buy a Ferrari 360 Modena that I am poor, because I can only afford a $160,000 car and not a 550 at $250,000? I think we should all be above all this material stuff....it time to grow up. Sorry...I 'll get off my soap box now. Thanks.

Rick

funny anecdote...

When I was visiting the MB booth at the 2001 NY Auto Show, the model they had showing off the Paprika C230 was positioning the car as a "fixed roof SLK" for a younger, more dynamic audience.

The SLK is a great car, but remember, it shares the same drivetrain (in SLK230 form) as the coupe.

For my money, I need the back seat and cargo space before I need another drop top car...

So it all makes sense, now. MB-Bob...feel free to lock this thread or terminate it at will.

'nuf said

MB-BOB

No way! I'm having too much fun reading all this BS...

Boo2

You have just become my favorite moderator!!! This is the type of thing that spices up this forum.

Duffer

like an Audi TT is a poor man's Porsche

The Coupe is a fine car -- and allows MB to entice another market segment to purchase its products -- it stands on its own as a fun to drive MB with some unique features and lots of value

slkride

what the hell? what kinda of comparision is that? why are you even comparing models from different makes? do u even know how to make a comparision?

AMG4ME: you're just too funny. probably funny looking too. where you do come up with all these assumptions?

if you can read, i never said the c230 was a bad car. i just said that i agree that the c230 is labelled as a poor man's merc. get it? as jackie chan said in rush hour 2 "do u understand the words that's coming out of my mouth?" judging by the way you responded, you sound like you own a c230. why are you getting so defensive?

and one more thing. LOOK AT THE POLL!

AndrewK

I dont know too many poor people who spend $30,000 on an automobile...

Pweb

Oh yeah? I know what you are doing!
Ok, give me some time (1-2 days, you'll see how it's gonna grow to "NO")

Accord

Hey, what about me! lol .

Duffer

Do you know how to write a sentence?

The poll question was a comparison? A comparison to what? Do you know how to make a valid comparison? Usually, in a car frame of reference, one would compare one model to another model.

I hear the Porsche/Audi TT comparison frequently.

I would say the original poll question is a "poor" question as one usually makes the comparison that a Camry is a poor man's Lexus ES300, or a Cadillac is a "poor" man's Mercedes, but one usually doesn't hear a Mercedes Model is a poor man's Mercedes. I would say a VWGTI is a poor man's C230K and to me that comparion makes more sense than the poll question. One usually doesn't hear, "How does the C230K compare with all other MB models?" And that is the comparison? the pollster is making.

So, I would say the original poll question is somewhat faulty and insulting. The pollster implies that M/B has placed a product on the market that is less than other Benz models as "poor" people can afford them. He might also imply that M/B should not allow certain people to purchase a Mercedes. He implies that MB has placed a "cheap" product on the market. The pollster also implies that only "poor" people would purchase a C230K.

The pollster is the type of person that would say of "poor" people - "let them eat cake."

And as for the pollster and others of his ilk, IMHO, they can suck on my exhaust (and all that implies).

Boo2

Start throwin down, and you'll get up there!!

Boo2

It is "less" than other benz models, as you go up the model range, the price reflects what you get ("More"). I say again, "poor" is a bad choice. "Cheap" is more appropriate, and I DON'T mean cheap in a quality sense.

slkride

dude, you're funny too. so you're saying i signed up for 40+ email accounts just to vote? are you as dumb as you sound?

ever heard of typos? you sound desperate to bring this up in your losing argument. whenever someone brings up a pointless statement like this, they're just grasping for something to hold on to.

porsche and audi shouldn't even be used in a same sentence. don't make comparisons about a poor man's xx product to a different maker. a boxster is a poor man's porsche not an audi TT.

just accept the label "poor man's mb" because that's how people think of the cheapest (pricewise) model. are you just in denial? i say YES YOU ARE!

Duffer

As many typos as you have usually are signs of a disorganized, chaotic mind that cannot write a legible sentence or wouldn't know a valid argument if it hit them between the eyes with a 2X4.

You a troll of the worst type - a fricking a-hole - so go to the hole from where you emanated and pull your head out of it.

You will get no further response from me - I don't have the time to waste on unintelligent life forms.

slkride

see what i mean? is this thread about grammer and spelling or about a c230 being a poor man's mb? i'll leave that exercise to you grasshopper.

man, don't get your panties in a bunch now. this was just a dicussion and it looks like i ruined your day or something. you know what? too bad! if you can't hold it together, especially when discussing a topic such as this, then how the hell do you get through life?

lastly, i agree with boo2 on his last post.

vadim

Ok, troll, let me help you solve this mystery of the century:

1. The C230K is a poor man's MB.
2. The SLK is a rich man's MB.
3. The rest of the MB lineup is not to be considered, or else it would ruin a perfect picture described by pp.1 and 2.

You can drive around happily in your SLK now, with a warming feeling of inherent superiority.

Case closed now? Or are you a masochist, too?

MB-BOB

OK, time to mention that the discussion should be as objective and on topic as possible... Let's refrain from calling names.

On topic, it was mentioned much earlier, that a descriptor "poor-man's this or that" is all relative. If the premise is that the moniker always applies to the lowest priced model in a car's line, it's important (IMO) to distinguish in what context. For instance, Mercedes-Benz sells several car models WORLDWIDE that are less expensive than the C-Coupe... The A-Class and Smart Cars for example, maybe others.

Keep in mind this is an international forum. Most of the MBs we see in the US rank higher in the MB foodchain, because MB-USA wants to sell only upmarket models in the USA, C-Coupe included. Just because the C-Coupe is the least expensive model sold here does not make it a poor-man's MB elsewhere.

slkride

what's up with all the name calling? very immature to do that simply because one disagrees. i hope that's not how some of you handle situations in real life.

have my posts insulted anyone personally? i don't think so. have i called anyone names? nope. have i used foul language? no. just an open discussion that not many people here can handle.

by getting all angry, it just shows that some are insecure OR something.

Accord

I don't think we should factor in the Smart car since it is not marketed as a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, it is marketed under the "Smart" name, same thing with the Maybach.

Nearly everybody in Europe who has a Mercedes-Benz has a low end version with a small diesel engine, why? Because it is economical. To get a full tank of a gas on a car like a C320 costs something along the lines of $50 USD... for ONE tank of gas! This is why most people over there buy the low end diesel versions.

Most of the S-Classes sold in Europe are the S320 CDI or the S400 CDI. Nomatter how much money you have, nomatter what type of car you can afford, $50 dollars to fill up a tank of gas is a lot of money anywhere in the world.

Most of the C-Coupes in Europe are composed of the C220 CDI. It just isn't economical to own a car in Europe with a beastly V12 engine, or an AMG.

Whether you like it or not, the C-Coupe is considered the "poorman's mercedes' in the United States by the public and dealerships. In Europe, the C-Coupe is not considered the poormans mercedes, infact nobody in Europe considers any Mercedes-Benz vehicle to be a "poormans" model, only people in North America.

C230K

I like being poor

vadim

only SOME people in NA... my neighbors don't, nor do my co-workers or any of my friends.

slkride

ever think that they're just sparing your feelings? happens all the time. if you think about it, you probably have done it too.

AndrewK

come on, slkride, you are just inventing crap now. Most of the people I talk to take a different attitude. When I point out that its the cheapest Mercedes, the common response it not, "yeah its a cheap fake Mercedes", its more like "but its still a MERCEDES!"