lightcycle

Hi all,

I've just recently joined the forum, and I just picked up my C230 yesterday! I thought I'd do a little writeup from someone who is new to Benzes and post a few pics as well (cause everybody loves pics, right?).

Just a bit of background so you know where I'm coming from: My winter beater of 12 years died earlier this month, so with the Canadian tundra creeping down soon, I was pressed to find a car in a hurry. I wanted to find something with a very nice interior, fun to drive but not too expensive that I would regret leaving it in garage for weeks at a time when my summer car comes out of hibernation. Power didn't matter that much, as I wouldn't be drag-racing too much with 8" of snow on the ground.

After much research, I decided that the C230 with a manual tranny fit my requirements perfectly, and Mercedes had a year-end lease deal where they waived the security deposit and the first month's lease payment. Stick-shifts are not common in Benzes, and the car that the dealership found for me also had Bi-Xenon's, Sport and Premium Packages, which I absolutely had no objection against.


Here she is! Ain't she a beauty?

As the saleswoman explained all the features of my car, I was instantly glad I got the Sports Package. Here are some of the features:


3-spoke steering wheel, Bird-Eye maple wood trim


Brushed stainless steel pedals - very boy racer! Me likey!


Short-throw 6-speed shifter - that's me grinning like a fool in the reflection


17" 6-spoke alloys w/ sport suspension and brakes, perforated rotors. Michelin Pilot Primacy summer rubber


AMG-stamped stainless steel dual exhaust tips


Rear-deck-lid spoiler


Body kit

Also included were sports seats in the front, which I neglected to take good pictures of, and blue-tinted glass which was not really noticeable from stock. The seats are nice and supportive, offering manual lumber support. Not fully powered, so it's not possible to store each individual driver's settings via their key. This is somewhat of a pain, because my wife has longer legs than me, and she likes to raise the seatback angle so her nose is touching the windshield granny-style... So everytime we switch up, it takes a minute or two to get the seating position just right again.

As I drove the car away, the first thing I noticed is how light the clutch pedal is. Very un-German-Car-like. The short throw shifter was nice, as I could change gears with a flick of the wrist instead of rowing back and forth, and the shifter was nice and precise, not rubbery at all, which is very German-Car-like. The next thing I noticed is how gutless this car is, which I kind of expected, but it makes that manual tranny all the more important. I really don't see how a 7-speed auto would mesh with 200hp? It would be hunting for the narrow power band, all the time!

The car feels very light on the road, and as I took some fast corners, I was also glad I opted for the sports suspension. I bought my dad a 325i a couple of years ago, and comparing the C230 to that, the Mercedes suspension is not as tight, and the steering is not as precise. It would seem that the C-Class is aimed at a higher-aged demographic than the Bimmers, less performance-oriented.


3-pointed star on the hood is very bling!

One thing I did fall in love with are the looks of the car, inside and out. I was sold on the car based on the interior, the Birds-Eye Maple is very classy and all the levers, buttons and knobs feel very substantial. A couple of minor gripes: no overhead compartment for sunglasses and the storage under the armrest is a large unorganized bucket! With such a deep space, other manufacturers would have divided it into layered stages to allow more organized storage. With the amount of junk I usually store in there, I'd need a really long shovel to dig out the items at the bottom! The sound system is pretty good. Originally, I wanted to put the iPod Integration kit in, but after hearing how expensive it cost to install, I looked into getting the AUX IN cable. Turns out that they changed the plug for AUX IN for 2007, and nobody I've talked to (even the dealer) knows what the part number is for 07s. If you know, please drop me a line, it'd be much appreciated!


Very cool key - don't lose it, a replacement costs $350!

I like the exterior styling as well, more so with the body kit. Although I did order it in this colour, the paint worries me a bit. This is my first black car, and already I'm seeing how hard it is to keep clean and shiny. Even within the first 24 hours, dust and dirt seem drawn to the paint like a magnet! I picked up a California Duster this afternoon... How is this thing going to be like in the rain and snow? Speaking of which, I ordered a set of Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSis which I'm going to mount on the stock 17"s. I'll have to sell the Michelins that I've currently got on, because the plan is to go up to 18"s next summer. If you want brand new Pilot Primacy's (less than 100 kms on them), let me know, we'll work out a deal.


Bi-Xenons: I love the W203 lights. I've seen the W204s, don't like'em as much

I haven't driven too much at night yet to notice how effective the bi-xenons are, but one thing I have noticed at night is how distracting the mirror-dimming features are. I've got to dig through the manual to figure out how to turn this feature off. My eyes are bad enough at night, I don't need my mirrors conspiring against me as well!


Nice A$$!!!

Overall, I'm very, very happy with the car. It suits my needs perfectly, and it's a good introduction to the Mercedes-Benz lineup. It'll be interesting to see how the dealership and service departments treat an owner with the lowest-priced product they sell. It'll determine whether I continue to buy other MB cars in the future. Stay tuned!


Here's one of my favorite shots to leave you with

Here are some other shots of the C230, if you are interested:

http://mym0ry.smugmug.com/gallery/2174480

MercedesFTW

Why didn't you go for the 4matic version if it's going to be a Winter Car?

Anyways, it looks great! Almost the same as mine!

Stavlo

Off topic, great pictures. Very proffesional looking.

Also, since I live in wisconsin and we get some pretty bad winter snow, I think youll really like the car. I like my 05 alot. And with the traction control its almost hard to tell your driving a RWD unless you REALLY try to.

yeuchau

i believe all 230 are sports model
so i don't think you have any choice on sports or not
but it's always better to have sports package

harpz

Not in Canada my friend!...lol...

enjoy your car!

Beautiful write up accompanied by amazing pics!

aceer4u

is that diamond black? if so our cars are twins

amgmark

Nicely equipped!

tee_tz

Very good write up! That's one of the best reviews from an owner I've read, it's honest enough to admit the Benz flaws, but still gives the tone of a proud owner.

Enjoy your car, it's beautiful - and that 6-speed short shifter is one of the best things about driving a car like that. I know from driving my bimmer. And yes, I agree that the C-Class has a great interior, actually I think its the best interior for cars in its class. Adding the AMG sport package also attracted lots of people to it. And you're right, it's all about how they make you feel about owning the car after you've purchased it. Will they give you respect or does that attention you had when negotiating turn away? My personal experience is that BMW offers better service than Mercedes (but that's based on the 2 dealerships in my location), but that being said it makes a difference on how I think about my next car.

Anyway, wasn't meant to be long - just enjoyed your write up.


Tee_Tz.

ctC230K

how in the world did you get an AMG muffler on there from the factory? i didn't know they offered that option!

W Cole

All of the 2007s I've seen have the ///AMG emblem imprinted in the muffler. This is accompanied by a nice, throaty exhaust note.

Nice write-up. I had one of these as a loaner car the other day, be glad you got the manual - the 7 speed auto is horrible.

moosejaw

no unbeknownst among our american counterparts, the c230 is availble in Canada as a base and a sport version. This has to do with the fact that Canadians are cheaper than americans. And if you ever waited tables in your life, you'd know what i mean.

Elliott

Didn't realize the 07 had the new key style....not fair

What The!?

Nice write up. My feeling's exactly the same for my 07.

Here's the part number information for your Ipod AUX cable. I bought mine at the dealership for $38. The install took maybe 20 mins, if even that.

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...&highlight=aux

white_w203

thats cool all 07's come with amg exhaust. the cut out on the bumper for the exhaust is wider also. congrats on the new ride. you'll love the 6-speed....it makes a whole world of a difference performance wise.

14cue

good write up + great pics!
congrats on your purchase. i had no idea the 07's came with dual AMG exhuast. that's one hell of a bonus.

LMing

Is the car still made in Germany ? or they changed it ? you can check the sticker on the driver side door. Thank you.

chriz4

lightcycle, that's a sweet car and a great write-up....

tee_tz

Yes, the cars are still made in Germany. And if I'm correct because you ordered a 6-speed stick-shift (and custom options) you had to wait 3 months for your car to be manufactured as Mercedes-Benz does not keep stick shifts on their lots.


Tee_Tz.

lightcycle

Thanks for the kind words, guys! I'm really enjoying this car!

Because none of the 4MATIC's come with a stick shift, at least not in Canada. If it did, I'd be all over that model!

Nope, just basic black. I haven't seen Diamond Black and normal Black up close side-by-side. Big difference?

I'm not sure it's the full AMG exhaust, the brochure just makes mention of the exhaust tips only. I'm sure if it was the muffler, they'd make a big deal about it, as well as bump up the hp/torque numbers!

Here's something else: the saleswoman pointed out that there's a blinking green button in the trunk of the car that you can push to open it from the inside if you ever get locked in. Well, if you know me, you know how this story is going to end... Anyway, last night, I tell my wife I'm going to go to the garage and take a picture of that button from the inside. To which she replies, "You're an idiot". My C230 doesn't have the rear folding seats, so I told her if I wasn't back in 15 minutes, to come down and pop the trunk for me. To which she replies, "You're an idiot".

Anyways, here it is, the inside of my trunk!

tee_tz

Yeah, I believe it's not an AMG Exhaust, just the tips.

Good thing the green button worked.


Tee_Tz.

advans

hey welcome great choice! I should had gotten manny. but when I bought my car, the only 320s in stock were autos. and one silver c230k coupe 6 speed. but it was very stock, no leather, no heated seats. nothing.

but again great choice! its a lease so thinking about any plug and play mods?

lightcycle

No kidding. The wife would probably have left me in there the whole night...

Thanks! Right now, I'm just looking to get the car prepped as a winter daily driver, so that means snows (Nokian Hakkas), iPod (AUX IN), and some kind of cellphone handsfree system for my ancient v60. I'm keeping an eye out for some nice gunmetal grey 3-piece forged 18"s, but I've got until spring to shop around. Modding a leased car doesn't bother me as I've bought out every single car I've leased. I use leasing as a try-before-buy, and usually within the year, I know whether or not I want to keep the car or not. By spring, I'll decide if I want to go whole-hog with go-fast-bits and look-fast-kits! This is a great forum for getting ideas. Not so good on the chequebook, though!

ctC230K

Ohh. Just the tips. That's weird, like buying some Eisenmann exhaust tips, not the muffler but just the tips... and installing them over your stock muffler tips. still a nice touch i guess but I'd want the sound and performance gains from the real AMG muffler.
Wow that is fascinating! Now the question I have for you is what if you are lets say erhm *unconscious* at the time of your trunk entry... i believe the light only blinks for 15 minutes or something. So say you wake up in an hour, the light stops blinking and the whole thing is useless, unless you can feel your way around to hitting it by accident.

14cue

if you stick around this forum long enough you will be moding it like a mad man - i think thats a good thing?

14cue

BTW - i love that key but not worth $350! i was quoted $300 in Vancouver. a fellow member got it for $70 down south - go figure!