C230Ken

Guess we can't laugh at Jaguar using Ford parts in their new cars. Check out the dash and especially the radio in the new Chrysler Crossfire.

schwarz c230

Thats great, maybe they will use up all the crappy hu's Mercedes uses here in the US

Buellwinkle

Actually that radio and a/c controls are from the SLK and not the c-class. The SLK, a car in it's last year of production in the current body style. They are getting the old stuff and the new SLK will get all new stuff, fair trade from my perspective.

phattbam

that actually looks a lil sporty...

grn300m

C230Ken

You're obviously not keeping up with the class. The Crossfire is mostly Mercedes mechanical. The drive line and most electrical. It is much more than a head unit. This is the first joint venture between Mercedes and Chrysler.

Vince

i don't know why people don't like this car. I think it should be pretty good. It's even going to be made in germany. Not a bad colaboration.

Unlike Jaguar, which is putting ford parts inside it, the crossfire has mercedes parts in it.

FrankW

Actually the a/c and radio header is the same as those were in the W202. So, you can say it's from the C-class too.

RJamesC240

But for many, now it will become an issue about getting a "Mercedes" without paying the price. Despite the name, like you said it is mostly Mercedes. Besides, where is the brand loyalty? For me thats exactly why I didn't even bother looking at Jaguar or Lexus. It seemed that BMW and Mercedes were the only car manufacturers (luxury, yet in my price range, even at the low end) that had loyalty to their name; but, with this, Mercedes has just lost that. And, the Mini does not count, I doubt there is a single part on the Mini belonging originally to a BMW. Wow, I never thought I'd say anything good about BMW, but there it is.

Outland

No, you can still laugh at Jaguar using ford bits, because ford is a mainstream "bread and butter" brand...using them in the Jaguar is a "step down" for the jag, thus devaluing the car, at least in the mind of the oft snobbish luxo car buyers mind...

The Chrysler(another bread and butter brand) is using MB bits, and MB is a premuim brand(if not THE premium brand), so using the MB bits in the chrysler does nothing to dilute the MB brand, while at the same time it elevates the status of the Chrysler.

BTW, that's not the same H/U from the c230.

There's plenty that's BMW...the rear suspension is a modified 3 series unit, and several other "unseen" components are as well. Make no mistake, this will change dramatically with the 1 series debut in 04...they will share plenty with the MINI. And what's wrong with that? The MINI is a damn fine little car.

I think you guys are looking at this the wrong way...if Chrysler bits and bobules begin showing on a MB, then its time to worry.

Mercedes

Yes it is. You should go and take a look at youre car. The only thing thats diffrent about the one in the picture, is that its painted aluminum

shtatc

I think you can safely say that MB is still staying pure to its roots. Jaguar X-type is actually a European model Ford Mondeo - add all wheel drive and some jaguar parts and you get a Jaguar...but in my opinion it is still a Ford vehicle. The Crossfire may use MB parts, but it is still a Chrysler...they are not trying to disguise it as a MB vehicle. You can find BMW parts in other brands also...I think they are using BMW parts in the new Range Rover. So, it is becoming a more global market...good or bad....economics play a bigger role than being pure to the brand.

Outland

You should check your own car, first. I looked, its not the same unit...similar, but not the same unit painted aluminum as you claim.

This pic is from SESSION's wonderfully illustrated Audio 10 install...my head unit is identical.

Jim Banville

Looks like the same radio, but with squared off corners. It's probably the same radio behind the "faceplate".

Buellwinkle

It's not the same radio, it's the one from the SLK. It shares many components with the SLK. When you combine two negatives like poor reliabilty of Mercedes with poor build quality of Chrysler do you add the two negatives or is the poor reliability squared? This is not the first time that Chrysler would have failed by making a car off shore with snazzy nameplate and shared components, remember the Chrysler TC by Maserati? People go into a Chrysler/Plymouth dealers for minivans and economy cars, not for exotics unless they are built in such small numbers like the Prowler that they aren't really for sale at the dealers.

Mercedes

You forgot the viper.

MB-BOB

I'd like to wait until I see the pricing of the Crossfire before saying that people will be getting a Mercedes at a Chrysler price. I'll bet the price of the Crossfire turns out to be within $3-5K of the SLK. In which case, I'd say people are stupid to pay the Chrysler price and not have a full Mercedes. It's just a matter of perspective... and opinion, of course.

Outland

Ahhh...good 'ol Buellwinkle optimism.

MB's are not unreliable cars...just because they don't score #1 on the JD power surveys, doesn't mean they are unreliable. Sure, youve had some problems...but youre one guy. Most unreliable car Ive ever owned? Honda Accord...it had problems that make yours look like petty complaints. Every car company has problems.

Maserati, snazzy nameplate? Exotic, but hardly a name I'd associate with quality and reliability. The Crossfire is pretty damn cool looking, Chrysler has got a winner there. The German engineering isn't doing them no harm, either. Chrysler has some neat stuff coming out. New Viper, Crossfire, and the cheap but fast SRT4...cheap, but one fast machine.

And as far as Jags go, they ARE not very reliable cars...my neighbor's kid works at the local jag dealer, nearly every vehicle they sell comes back several times according to him.

viper

Nearly every Jag comes back several times eh ? I guess that dealership can't fix anything right the first time.

FrankW

the head unit is from the SLK, and also the W202 C-class, W210 E-class. and the W208 CLK-class. It's basically the same behind the rounder faceplate.

Outland

Rear axles are a big high profile problem, sorta like Honda's 1999-2003 automatics...and the cars sit for weeks when it goes. Then they come back for other issues.

le848dave

On an interesting side note, I wonder what is going to happen when these cars need service? I mean, from the sound of it this car will have an all fiber-optic system just like the MB SLK, why would they modify their radio/HVAC/electrical system instead of just inserting the standard MB one. Also, if most of the mechanicals are from MB, who is going to service this thing? I mean, there are only what, 300 MB dealers in the US? There is going to be some significant investment into every Chrysler dealer to get the equipment to be able to service these things are handle MB diagnostics...that's quite a bit to ask of every dealer. To me that would point to the fact that this is just the first of many Chrysler vehicles to become MBified...I mean, otherwise all the dealers would scream at all the training of personnel to handle this car and the cost of dealership upgrades to service them.

All in all I think it's a good thing...it will ultimately drive down the cost of parts for MB...I mean, economies of scale and all. Who knows, maybe we will get some of the lower MB cars that aren't sold in the US, just have them rebadged as Chrysler. Oh well...just $0.02 from me.

dave

Jim Banville

Based on the anecdotal ramblings of the posters on this forum, it seems that most of the current MB dealers don't have the knowledge to fix the "real" MB cars as it is

BlackC230Coupe

thats not the same HU thats in our C230's. I have that HU in my CLK430 and the SLKs have it to, although they are very similar to the ones in the C230s there different. You can see the buttons are shaped different.

They are also using the same Flasher button as the MB's.

dswildfire

i think MB prices have gone don, relatively anyway. I mean consider an MB from 10 years ago. Even if it were priced exactly the same as they are now, it was still more expensive if you readjust the value to account for inflation. A $30k car from 10 years ago would be the equivalent of a $37k car today (inflation only, not purchasing power which often unaccounted for). combine that with MB's lowering of prices in general, and you see that there has been a significant reduction in the price of an MB. I mean, yeah it may be good to bring price down, but to drag it down for a better market share just doesn't seem right, esp if it means a possible sacrifice in quality.

session

jaguar is putting ford parts in their expensive cars.

chrysler is putting mercedes parts in their cheaper cars.

big difference.