I just bought a C230 sedan(see previous post of mine). I also looked at the new Saab 9-3 Arc and BMW 325i. I bought the C230 so guess which one comes out on top.lol

The Saab was a nice car, much better than I thought it would be. The 9-3 is a brand new model and it finally looks like Saab is starting to become competitive with Mercedes, BMW, etc. The 9-3's were being sold at incredible discounts in July. We are talking $4000-$5000 off MSRP. I almost was going to buy one until I checked out the C230. You can load the 9-3 Arc with all of the options and it will still cost less than the C230. However, the Saab had a few things I didn't like. For one thing, I still noticed some torque steer while driving the car(it is front wheel drive). It was subtle but it was still there, even though Saab claims there is none at all in these new models. The engine also had a little lag at times, similar to the C230. But when the turbo kicked in it has some very nice acceleration. Handling was good but not like the C230. In fairness though the Saab didn't have the sport suspension or 17" wheels.

The styling(both interior and exterior) of the 9-3 is also very appealing. Better exterior and interior than the BMW 325i, but not as good as the C230 sedan. The 9-3 felt solid, but not as solid as the other two cars. I test drove a couple of 9-3's and both of them had some rattles coming from the interior. Some 9-3 owners say they have the same problem. I guess it's a problem of "fit and finish" on the new 9-3. I don't think it's a big problem though, especially when you consider that this is the first year of this new model.

As for the BMW 325i(automatic), well its strong points were its engine, handling, engine, handling, engine, and handling. Oh yeah, did I mention the engine and handling? Seriously, the 325i is a very fun car to drive. I just love the sound and feel of the engine. Without question, it has the best engine of all three cars. I thought it would be under-powered but it's not. The V6 has the smoothest acceleration around, no lag at all like in the Saab and C230. Plenty of power through the entire rev band. The handling was fantastic as well, and the car I test drove didn't even have the sport package.

The rest of the 325i is just average. The exterior is starting to look a little dated, the interior is kind of bland, there are a ton of them on the road, and most importantly, it cost a lot more than comparable cars in its class.

Which brings me to the C230. This was the last car I test drove. The first thing that attracted me to the car was the exterior. The car just looks great, the wheels and sporty body panels really make the car. The handling is also just fantastic. Even though I haven't pushed the car yet, it feels just as good, if not better, than the 325i I test drove. The engine is also very nice, but does suffer from some lag. But when the power kicks in it is pure joy. Also, the manual shift feature does noticeably improve the acceleration. Let me point out one thing though about my engine comments. The car is brand new so I haven't pushed it hard yet.

The C230 sedan also has a very solid/well built feel to it. The interior is nice, although I prefer the wood trim. However, the aluminum trim is starting to grow on me. The price was also very attractive. It’s a little more than a fully loaded Saab, but way less than a 325i with similar options. After I saw and test-drove the C230 the choice was easy. No regrets at all, and I hope it stays that way.

Saab 9-3 Arc

Pros-
Great price for what you get(assuming that they are still offering the huge rebates).
Good styling, both exterior and interior.

Cons-
Mild torque steer.
Slight Turbo lag(still a great engine though).
"Fit and Finish"
Handling was good but not great(again, I didn't drive one that had a sport package, which I'm sure would have made a big difference).

BMW 325I

Pros-
Engine(now I see what the fuss is all about)
Handling(if the non-sport 325i handles this good then I can only imagine how well it would handle with the sport package)

Cons-
Exterior styling is becoming slightly dated
Interior is kind of bland
Price(by the time you add some decent options on the price is already $34,000).

C230

Pros-
The exterior styling
Handling
Price(especially considering it's a Mercedes)
Well built feel to it.

Cons-
Some engine lag

In conclusion, The C230 sedan is the best of the three in my opinion. Second place is a little tougher, especially if Saab is still offering the huge rebates on the 9-3's. If they are then a fully loaded 9-3 Arc(including sport suspension and 17" wheels) will cost about $31,000. Much cheaper than even a 325i that is not fully loaded. Don't overlook the Saab 9-3 Arc. It's a great car for the money. If Saab isn’t still offering the huge rebates then the 325i gets my second place vote.

 

Which magazine do you write for?

Nice write-up. It's great to read real-world comparisons like that. This is especially true since I've always wondered about the BMW. We didn't test drive one. And you're right: they're everywhere...

Hope you really enjoy your car.

 

"...As for the BMW 325i(automatic), well its strong points were its engine, handling, engine, handling, engine, and handling. Oh yeah, did I mention the engine and handling? Seriously, the 325i is a very fun car to drive. I just love the sound and feel of the engine. Without question, it has the best engine of all three cars. I thought it would be under-powered but it's not. The V6 has the smoothest acceleration around, no lag at all like in the Saab and C230..."


Hey, great post, but the BMW is a straight six, not a V6...

You made the right choice BTW.

 

You should have also looked at an A4 1.8T and the new Acura TSX. Both great cars.

 

Nice review, must say I agree with you on most points. Only thing I want to add is that my friend has a 9-3 and he complains how often it is in the shop. True, it's not fair to base it off one guy's experience, but...

Anyways finalheaven had a good point. TSX/A4 are terrific cars as well. The S40 from Volvo and G35 would have been both worth looking at as well. (How about you go test drive those for us and come back with a second article? )

 

I6s are way smoother than a V6. The power delivery feels more linear.


CZ

 

An I6 is very slightly smoother than a properly designed (60 degree) V6. An I6 is much smoother than an imporperly designed V6 (90 degree) and somewhat smoother than an improperly designed v6 with a split pin crank and balance shafts (MB V6).

 

I picked up a C-230 Sport Sedan last Tuesday night and absolutely love it. My brother has a 325i so I was able to put it through it's paces without a sales person breathing down my neck. After driving his BMW, I checked out the C230. I feel I made the best decision, plus saved a boatload of coin.

Now, part of the reason I love this is I came out of a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer. I had forgotten how much fun a sporty sedan can be to drive. This is also my first European sedan, and so far, I am very impressed with the quality, something I could not find in my Trailblazer.

 

Thanks man!

You just sold me to a BMW 325i!

I like BMW's styling and feel better than Mercedes-Benz.

 

Reply to all:

I didn't proof read my post, didn't mean to put V6.

The A4 1.8T is a nice car but two things turned me off. The price and engine. I have read that the 1.8T is really underpowered. I never bothered to test drive one to see if it's true.

midas888, I will get started tonight on that second article.

Kain, the 325i sells itself. It is such a blast to drive. I personally like the looks of the C230 better, but to each his own.

 

Hey, welcome to MBWorld.

Glad you love your sedan.

Even though we've had ours since March, I still go out to drive it for almost any reason whatsoever.

Hopefully your dealer has a great service department too. Today I put ours in to get the passenger seat recline & up/down fixed, and they fixed it as well as the headrest (which I didn't even mention to them). Also, they drove me everywhere I needed and also washed the car.

 

It feels the same as the C230K even though on paper it's .75 secs slower to 60. The 1.8T is silkier than the 1.8 in our cars. The interior of the A4 is heads and shoulders above all other cars in this class and it's the cheapest of the 3 (BMW,MBZ,Audi). The reason I did not pick one up is that there are SO many out here. 3s and A4s everywhere, they are almost as common as honda accords.

CZ

p.s. I like the look of the C230K better also, except for the rear track being too narrow which is easily fixed with 20mm spacers from H&R
Almost everyone who's seen my car says it looks great.

 

Also, weren't there a couple threads a while ago about people chipping the 1.8T's and getting about 225 hp or so out of them?

 

Of course, it voids the warranty. They have this new chipping method now where you can program your computer through the OBDII port.


CZ

 

I drive my friend's BMW with auto xmission.. the engine is so refined and the throttle is instantly responsive, that it is boring compared to the 230K engine which is noisy and often non responsive.

 

My brother in law's audi was babied and it still was a hunk of crud, the reason why he got rid of it. I love audi's but everything electrical gave him problems on it. I know 2 other people with audi's that had same problem........ thus the reason why i didn't get a TT, even though i loved the car.

 

pick up a copy of eurotuner.... it's sick the amount of mods available for the 1.8T.

 

So that's a huge potential market for tuners. Now if the 1.8SC finds its way into the SLK and if the C230K sells well ( I think it is ) then some tuners will support it.


CZ

 

The four versions of the 1.8 are sold worldwide in various C, E, and CLK models, and no doubt will be used in the SLK.

 

Maybe you shouldn't listen to other people and find out for yourself!

I have a 325i, A4 V6, and C230K with 1.8K and previously I had a Audi with 1.8T. Speaking from experience, the Audi 1.8T is not under powered compare to the MB 1.8K but it sure is much much much much much much more smooth. The MB 1.8K engine idles more rough and makes all kinds of noise that I didn't expect from a MB... What gets Audi down is the weight not horse power... that's the trade off you have to accept with Quattro.

As far as BMW I6, it is one of the best. No V6 comes close.