CHARLIEBROWN

i actually own the c230k (2002) but i was looking at the stats and it seems that the c240 has less horse power than the coupe . my direct question is , hows the response speed, the drive quality, and the overall experience of the car.
input please ... it is all appreciated.

stating the obvious....
i know that the c240 is a v6 as well, -vs- the 4 banger i drive now.


charlie brown
c230 kompressor 2002

hokusbenz

you are just noticing this now? heheh

BrabusCClass

The C240 is smoother I believe and in the manual we have a different rear end. Thus we make up for the lower hp by gearing. Its not a bad car. Just seats more comfortabliy since it is a 4 door. I like my C240. Runs good and very strong. On the fwy they really seem to shine. The gearing helps a lot just not on local streets anymore for me. hehe.

Rick

I've had 2 C sedans as loaners and here's my humble opinion:

The ride is smoother than the coupe, but not as plush as the E. Performance is marginal...but not disappointing, and I don't think that's the point of this car. Appointments are more luxurious than a 3 series BMW, and the C feels a lot more solid than Audis or S type Jags.

Let's face it, these are not race cars...but nice mid-line luxury sedans with creature comforts one would expect in a Mercedes Benz.

xc240x

good way of putting it rick!!

David N.

Very well said. Thank you.

Jim Banville

The C240 won't snap your neck on take off, but once it gets rolling, the power picks up and it accelerates plenty quick for us!

MB-BOB

Yes, indeed, Rick. Well said!

jrct9454

I've owned 14 Mercedes sedans since late 1968 - our '02 C240 automatic is the latest.

The car's real-world, on-the-road performance is just fine, thanks. When we need to accelerate [on-ramps, passing situations], the car does everything necessary and never feels sluggish or subpar.

We've had two cars in the past 5 years that were quicker: a 98 E320 and an 01 Accord V6. I regret letting the E go, but it felt like an economic necessity at the time we did it. What I miss about the E, though, is its ride quality, not the pure straight-ahead performance.

I would characterize the C240 as the second-best car I've had from MB [the E320 being the best] - we wanted a quiet ride that was comfortable on long trips and compact for around-town use, and entertaining to drive when the opportunities present themselves. I have no complaints about performance, period.

Yes, I tried the Coupe - multiple test drives. The extra torque was more noticeable than the extra horsepower, but the noisier cabin and firmer ride were tie-breakers in favor of the sedan. If we had been unable to get the really good deal we got on our sedan, I could easily have seen us in the Coupe. But the extra money bought more refinement, and I valued that more for our purposes than the Coupe's slight performance advantage.

We wanted a touring sedan, not a sports sedan. I've had my share of BMWs, and a base 325 was a real consideration - but again, acceleration per se was near the bottom of my list of shopping priorities. Comfort and quiet were most important, along with safety and longevity.

CHARLIEBROWN

this is great info,
c240's look so smooth rolling around town that I have been getting a little more attracted to them more and more each day. I might have seen MB-BOB rolling around Lewisville, Texas that sparked my excitement for the sedan.
(MB-BoB is the guy with the 24" rims right)

Actually, i saw an S430 and the C240 side by side at a stop light in Lewisville, Texas and I said to myself..."self... i guess a sedan wouldn't be so bad."

I wont be making any hasty "vehicular" decisions because I am just coming up on service "A" this week on my coupe 2002.

charlie

patronus

Well, they can be race cars. I took 2nd place in H stock class in the Oregon SCCA autocross for the 2002 season with my C240-6 speed. 1st place was won by a C230 Kompressor sedan (W202)!!!