I own a 2005 230Komp and my girlfriend has the 2006 230v6 mine has been fine no real problems just the headlight when out 5k miles into my ownership, but with hers shes takin it in 7 times total 3 for the same problem with the tranny because it has a shake when it is shifting from 1st to 2nd in automatic. This is my first Mercedes Benz ever and it might be my last i will only buy a AMG (when i can afford it) from now on, i feel that Bmw 325i is even a better performing car than ours.. With the 335i coupe out now why would you want a CLK?

What do you guys think, would you give your car back if you had the chance?

 

I would never trade my MB for a BMW for several reason, service at the local BMW dealer is bad, really bad, no free car washes, too far from home and I feel the interior on the Bimmers is lacking. Also consider that I paid $25K for a brand new C230 and at the time, they were getting pretty close to list price, maybe a grand or two off on 325i's so even though the cars are very similar in list price, the MB was far less expensive. Also at the time, both MB and BMW provided free maintenance wich may affect my decision next time but probably towards Audi or Ford (love to have a Mustang GT convertible with a Roush s/c, 415HP, ouch).

As for realibility, from what I've seen MB and BMW are both bad, specially compared with new asian and american cars. It's all a matter of luck and in many cases, how good the mechanics are, afterall, bringing the car in 3 times for tranny problems just tells me the mechanic who worked on it is an idiot. I had the same problem with my last C230, everytime I brought it in for 1 complaint, it turned into 2-3 visits. It's also the car company's fault too. They only pay to fix something, not to properly diagnose it. So if the tranny isn't working, they don't get paid to spend 2-3 hours delving into the problem, they just start replacing parts. As an example, I had an Infiniti I30, nice car but the A/C wasn't working right. 4 attempts at 2 different dealer and factory rep involvement and they still couldn't fix it, was it the car or the mechanic? Didn't care, let the lemon law sort it out and I got a full refund.

 

You state MB and BMW has lacking interiors/low quality, and state American and Asian cars have better reliability? Are you kidding me?

When was the last time you sat in an American car that didn't have that all too familiar plastic-bottle-quality interior, flimsy fit and finish, and overall sub-standard build quality, before the Europeans started helping them out? In Chrysler's case, who do you think improved their quality? It sure wasn't themselves! In Ford's case, they borrowed heavily from their PAG divisions. Even with European help and certain quality upgrades, American cars still don't compare to Euro makes, IMHO. In short, if Chrysler was not absorbed by Daimler-Benz and Ford did not acquire Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Volvo, etc, they would not have the technology and innovation those marques have brought them.

Second, have you also driven/sat in a Nissan/Infiniti? You want to talk about low quality interiors, read up on the G35's interiors. Practically every respectable car magazine in the world agrees that though the car has its performance high points, the one blatant flaw are their low quality interior materials, which won't very long with normal wear and tear. The Infiniti QX suv was voted one of the worst vehicles of 2005 by Forbes and JD Powers. Honda is probably the only good Japanese car maker with an untarnished reputation in quality. Toyota recently suffered a massive recall, a recall that included close to 1.5 million vehicles worldwide. What happened to their otherwise flawless reputation for quality?

Don't be so quick to judge. Merc's and Bimmer's have their issues, but I'd still get them over any comparable American or Japanese rival. At the end of the day, they are still solidly built cars from prestigious marques.

Just my $0.02.

 

I have a '07 Chevy Avalanche LTZ, and It is my 1st american car in many years, and I have to say the fit & finish of the interior & exterior is excellent. The interior, including the dash, is very nice to look at. I was shocked when I saw it for the first time, because I never expected an american truck to be so refined. The truck that I traded in was a Land Rover, and british interiors are hard to beat, but the Avalanche comes close.

 

Asian cars DO have MUCH better reliability in comparison to German cars. I know from experience and thousands of posts on mbworld and e46fanatics. It's a well known fact that if you want a car that will lost forever you buy an asian car like a Honda.

 

toyota is well known best reliabllity, no electric or mechanic error. Whereas German car such as Audi, VW, Porsche, MB, BMW all has problems. You can say becuz they have technology and the Japanese car don't. But look at the re-sell value for the Jap car and euro car, you will see why Jap car resell value is higher, becuz they don't have to fix their car as often as the euro car.

I have a friend tell me his uncle been driving the Toyota Tercel for 11 years, and it still runs smoothly, no stalling or needing to go for dealer repair. But one time it was totalled by some idoit. He said if it wasn't that case he would still be driving it now.

American car? no thx. I love turning corners rather than going straight road drag racing which a 5 years old kid can do it as well. How hard is it to step on the gas pedal?

 

I said MB and BMW reliability lags American and Asian cars, you can even see that even Hyundai beats MB in realiability in JD Powers or Consumer Reports as well as just about every American brand. As far as interiors, just comparing BMW to MB, MB is good, BMW is not so good. But putting nationwide surveys aside (because the losers always say it's rigged, haha), I've owned 6 MBs, one has been very reliable, close to my experience with my Ford and Chevies, the rest are less than reliable, 1 taken back under the lemon law for design flaws they couldn't fix, the 1st C230 was in 17 times in one year, 2 problem required 3 visits, our current SLK has had check engine light twice for 2 different things, top relay, interior paint peeling and blinker module go out and that's just in the past month (BTW, the same year, same mileage Mustang has been flawless since new, just maintenance and fuel). I may not speak for the nation but I own 6 vehicles, 2 of them MB, Ford, Chevy and Jeep and a Suzuki, nothing takes the cake for mechanical failures like MB. Then to add salt to the wound, MB charges insane prices for parts, really insane, for example, MAF $420 (are you kidding, this is an $80 part on American cars), Blinker Module $790 (another insanity, a blinker relay for an American car is $10 at most).

So IMHO, Chrysler taught MB how to build more reliable cars, hence my 2004.5 is much more reliable than any pre-DC MB I've ever owned. Same with Ford, they taught Jag how to build reliable cars and now Jag consistantly beats MB and BMW in reliability, not bad for a British car.

 

LOL! When Ford took over Jag/LR their quality improved, not Fords! If Ford didnt take over Jag, they might not be around today, and are still tetering on that edge.

 

In that case, looks like my next car will be an XJ!
Those things are sweeeeet.

 

Are you kidding me ?????? Has to be the funniest thing I've read on here yet, Chrysler taught MB how to build cars, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

I concur!!!

 

Did you see when they unvieled the new XK concpet? It rolled out with one headlight out! LOL! Lucas, Prince of Darkness! Somethings never change!

 

Thats so true right there. Mercedes is a way better looking car even the guy with the fixed up Mustang GT that looked so sick the guy said my car has way better interior.

 

The XK suxors. It looks like a retarded Ford Taurus.

The only Jaguar worth getting is the XJ sedan.

 

Yes! And it still had that poor Ford Taurus grille that Ian dug up in Billy's garage.

Jaguar=Junk.

 

Of course, I take the MB. My '04 C230SS with manual transmission was much more fun to drive and peppier than a used '06BMW 325i I just drove. No contest in my opinion.

I want to compare a new C350 SS with manual to an '06 BMW 330i with manual. That would be a good comparison I think. Anyone know?

 

i currently own a 2005 c230k sport and a 1999 bmw 323i, the c230 is much faster and sharper handling in the corners than the bmw, no body roll, no bouncing up and down, no drama. the c230 stays flat in the corners, the bmw just rolls and bounces with occasional wheelspin. granted the bmw has 150k miles and the springs and shocks are probably badly worn, still no reason for the crazy rolling and bouncing.

 

Definitely the 2006/07 325i BMW. You cant compare, the BMW is way more advanced than the outdated C-class. Once the w204 we will see.

 

We test drove the new 325i for my wife...it was OK...very disappointed with the interior...we looked at the Lexus IS and also the Acura TL...when it was all said and done...my wife loved the c230 so that is what we got and she is happy