BenzyBoy

At the moment I own a 2000 Honda Civic Si. Its just about 3 years old. For some reason, people are paying some good money for this particular model ($16k), so I have decided to sell it. I have been looking at a lot of different cars, and just recently the c230k caught my eye. The horsepower, the 6speed!!!, the interior etc etc. The c230k has it all!! I have a few questions though.

Do you big guys ever feel cramped in it?? Im 6'2" 220lbs, and my Civic is a bit cramped....add my equally big brother in the passenger seat, and its like I am in a clown car.

Did any of you guys ever feel like this car was too.....feminine??

How old are you guys?

Im 20 years old, in college, and the $29k price tag is kinda steep, but I can afford it. Although sometimes I wonder if I should go for a car that is in the same price range, but may offer more for my money (A4, WRX, Lancer EVO which is coming soon). Any of you regret paying so much for a smaller car??

KWiK

I'm 6'/220lbs and I fit fine. If you want a little more headroom just don't get the sunroof.

With only the C7 package and CD changer you should be able to get the car for under $25K.

taylor192

1. I am 6'2" and 205 lbs and have more than enough room, even in the backseats. The 2-DR is something you either love or hate, so decide if you want a 2-DR and keep moving the seat to get things in the back. This is when I feel the car is cramped coming from a 4-DR where all I did was open the back door and throw stuff in the backseat.
2. Too feminine, of course, this is a "cute girl's car" but seeing that you're 20, and I'm 23, this could workout to your advantage. My manager put it this way "you gotta use the right bait to catch the fish", and this car will not only catch "cute girls" but also hot ones that understand its still a Benz.
3. I just graduated and the $41K CND price tag was kinda high BUT for bang for the buck you can't beat it. The Audi A4 1.8T didn't have a true 6-speed manual, the Lancer EVO is overpriced for the extras you get, the WRX is the opposite of the Benz, if you want sporty take the WRX, if you want luxury take the Benz.
4. With the notice that a C-class sedan is coming out with the 1.8L Kompressor early next year... yes I feel kinda disapointed, but the price would probably be $1-2K higher than the C230K even with most options.

You've obviously looked around, just decide, do you want another hatch-back 2-dr coupe like your Civic, or will you wait and pay for more a sedan, or can you live with less luxury but more performance?

BlackC230Coupe

The C230 Coupe is very roomy to me. I am only 5'9 without shoes lol and 150lbs. To me there is more than enough room in it. I have had a couple friends in my car well over 250 Very fat kid...... and he fits fine.
The car is just as big as any C-Class sedan.

I personally do not think the car is feminine at all. Neather do alot of other people i know. Although girls do look at the car which is not a bad thing.

BTW- I'm 17


If you are looking for serious performace i do not think the C230 si for you. It will definitly not be in the same speed class as a Evo or WRX. Although if you have enough money, there are aftermarket mods that make it very decent.


goodluck

BenzyBoy

Thanks for the input guys.

Can you tell me more about the c-class sedan kompressor thats coming out?? Maybe some pics?

I have no problem with the 2-Dr...in fact, I really like the overall look of the car....it doesnt look like every other benz on the road.

Im not looking for an all out sport-compact racer, but it would be nice to have enough power to haul some *** through the twisties, or if a ricer wants to race etc. Can you buy AMG parts for the car?? Like maybe more powerful cams...exhaust etc ??

The compromise between power and luxury seems perfect. I would get the M3, but that is out of my price range until I get out of college.

Kaefer

I don't think the car is feminine at all. I love the car. It's not a "bimmer beater," but it has plenty of power, and that supercharger is just sweet. The handling is tight, and it hugs the road.

I got leather, sunroof, C2, and the automatic for 27K. Tell me what other car offers the kind of luxury, safety features and panache as a 27 - 28K Benz. I have not had a single problem with the car, and I am incredibly happy with it.

the 1.8 liter engine is a new engine that MB has been working on for years. It is supposed to be quieter, smoother, and more fuel-efficient that the 2.3 liter. All of that, and it puts out about the same power as the 2.3.

I am 35, by the way.... and currently feeling very old after reading the previous posts in this thread.

Juan

BenzyBoy

So the 1.8L is supercharged right?? Is it the same engine in the SLK?? or is that the 2.3?

BlackC230Coupe

there is no kompressor sedan nor will there be one excpet for the C32 AMG.

Stock u can beat most ricers.
If you want aftermarket parts there are enough other companies that make stuff for the C230. You really can not get anything AMG for performance.
If you get the 2002 c230 with the 2.3L You can get a crankshaft pully which adds approx. 40. maybe a touch less. Cams dont do much for this car.

Yes the 1.8 is supercharged. thats the 2003 engine for the c230.
the 2002 engine is the 2.3 from the SLK.

BenzyBoy

which engine do you think is better? (gas mileage is not a concern)

taylor192

There is a thread on here about the kompressor sedan, but it might just be speculation. There was a 230 Kompressor sedan in the W202 style, just never made it to the W203.
https://mbworld.org/forum/r170/board/home.html

As for power, I can say that this car can hold its own with even a WRX and RSX Type S, although you won't beat them (unless you find a horrid driver) you will stay close. Get the pulley upgrade, cheap 40 ponies.
This is exactly how I felt buying it, so you might have the right car, go test drive one, then you'll have your mind made up. The Audi A4 1.8T was the closest car I found for luxury, options and performance, but the styling just didn't it for me.

preyx

If possible, try to track down an '02 with the 2.3L engine. The two engines are rated to the same HP and torque, but if you look closely, the '02 torque range is something like 2500-4500, while the '03 only lists something around 4250. This means the 2.3L has a wider powerband. (Plus, there are more mods for the '02)

As for if I like it or not, I loved it from the first day I got it, and I have never regretted getting it. My friends thought it looked pretty funky at first, but they've grown to like it too.

Robert Schrader

Ahhh....to be 35 again...

BenzyBoy, why do you care what other people think?
If you like the car, buy it.

Or, are you really asking: "Will it get me laid?"
If so, start a new thread under that heading.

AndrewK

I'm 5'10" and have plenty of headroom. Only problem is my legs are long and I cant sit quite as high or close as I'd like w/o my knees hitting the under the steering wheel (not the wheel itself but the dash).

Other than that there are no problems with it, and it wont look feminine in black w/ 18s and a body kit. Now stock w/ that paprika color is a different story...

and the 2.3 is better.

Mike T.

I'm 6'3" and 215 lbs and in the lowest position there is plenty of clearance between the hair on the top of my head and the panorama roof. I am quite long-waisted too (long back, in other words). Do not worry about size.

The difference between the 2.3 version and the 1.8 boils down to 5 main points:

1) the new engine is down on HP (5 according to DIN, 3 according to SAE);
2) the new engine is down on torque by 8%, from 280 Nm to 260 Nm;
3) the new engine is supposed to be 7% more fuel efficient than the 2.3;
4) the new engine is smoother than the 2.3 due to its lower reciprocating masses and Lanchester balance shafts;
5) the 2.3 has more promise if you are considering a cheap upgrade to performance, as the 2.3 engine is understressed in stock tune at 84 HP/L. In comparison, the 1.8 is wringing out 105 HP per L, stock.

Oh, and the 2.3 is a far more impressive sight under the hood.

About a C 230 K sedan, it is rumoured to be a spring 2003 introduction; a Canada-only version of the sedan. It is supposed to be priced between a C 240 Classic and C 240 Elegance. At the moment there is no official confirmation, and in any case it'll supposedly cost $7000+ CDN more than the Sportcoupé (which is "only" $34,500 CDN). So the C 230 K sedan would be EXCEPTIONALLY poor value, considering the drivetrain is identical.

The smart money's on the Sportcoupé, for sure.

Outland

The 02 is the better deal, performance wise. Either motor is plenty fast.

I love the car. The interior is light years ahead of anything inside of a Honda, Acura, Toyota, etc...no car in its price range has such a nice interior, except perhaps the A4, but the A4 interior is more conservatively designed, and its a Sedan

Interior room is quite good.

Make sure you pop for the C7 package and the panoramic roof, two things that every C230K should have

grn300m

If you are looking to add mods your best bet is to look for the last few 02's that might be available. The options may be limited to colors or feature you don’ like or want, but you can mod the engine. 0-60 times are undistinguishable, the 03 generally losing by 0.1 seconds. If the typical driver ran the 1/4 mile 10 times with each car, they would see greater differences in times, even in the same car.

Most people that complain about the 1.8 are folks with the 2.3. I think it makes them feel better. Of course the people that want the mods have valid complaints. There are like some mods due mid/late 2003. The 1.8 is the MB '4 banger' to replace all applications of the 2.3. MB likely put it in the Coupe to 'break it in' before adding it to higher end the SLK lineup.

I feel my 1.8 is plenty powerful enough. Guys that don't know much about the car will not take it on. Those that will, have mods on there on car. I took my wife to dinner in downtown Portland Saturday night. When we headed home, a 2003 yellow Mustang Cobra flew up behind me and then slid up next to me at the light. He was revving it up and then took off for the next light once it changed. I just drove normally, as I wasn't sure if he was screwing with me or someone behind me. He did the same thing when the light changed, no one was behind us. At the next light, I took off with him and we ran even to the light. We did it two more times, each time he was on the gas a little more than the last, man those pipes sound great. At the last light it’s an on ramp to the highway, which quickly goes from two lanes to one (less than 1/8th mile on an S curve). I knew I wouldn't have a chance, but challenged him anyway just to make him earn the lane. When the light changed, we both took off, he eventually backed off and I won the lane, his headlights faded in the sunset. It was much more of an emotional win than a kill, and afterwards I knew I had done well by the rolling of my wives eyes as I told her, 'C-Coupe, there is no substitute'. You gotta love it.

Sorry, I got carried away there... I am 6'0 230 and I have over 2" of 'hair' clearance (no, I'm not bolding) from the pano roof. The seats move back further than I can comfortably reach the pedals, I have a 34" in seam. I have ridden in the back seat, it's not too bad, but short trips only. Another cool thing, when I need to stretch my legs, I can easily position my feet in the space behind the pedals and completely straighten my legs. I can't do that in many cars.

Matt230K

A lot of you guys are still recommending the '02. Are there many more out there? My dealer hasn't had them for like 2-3 months. Everything is '03's now. If there are still some left over 2.3's, they must have been sitting around for a long time, meaning they are probably strange color combinations or weird options that nobody wants.

Norman J.

I would have to totally agree with this statement. If you want a pulley then the 02s are the only option right now. They are very hard to find now, and if you do find one, it usually has a strange combination of color and options. Also, those who own 02s, and then drove 03s, seemed to have done this when the 03s had not been broken in. My comparison between my 03 with 4000 miles and the two 02s that I drove is this. The 02 had more low end grunt in 1st gear but after that felt very similar to the 03. The 03 is quiter although I like the sound of the 02 when accelerating. Dependability of the 1.8 liter is a question mark since its new. Hopefully no big problems.

The car has plenty of space and is very comfortable.

DCX Engineer

I saw a 2002 C230 advertised at a Detroit area dealer a few weeks ago.

MagicianB

Here's how I saw it. I could've got a faster car the Z, IS300, WRX, etc.... But when it comes down to it, you're never the fastest car and you usually end up comparing yourself to the same car that you have yourself. So I got this car because it looks sweet, I think it only looks feminine if you get red (like my moms CLK) but I got white and I find it very classy and handsome, not cute :-P Black definately looks beastly and I basically think it's not a girly car except for red, but even red can be done right Anyway remember that it is a Mercedes, I mean most people don't know much about cars, see that its a mercedes and will think it's a much more expensive car than it really is The interior is very nice unlike many of the sportier cars in this price range and its definately not slow, just not fast either I think it'll be a good upgrade from a SI for you. Oh yeah the 2000 gen Civics are the best looking and fastest so everyone pays more for them

Norman J.

There are definately 02s available but one would have to look very hard. In Connecticut, the largest Mercedes dealer in Hartford has not had an 02 since September.