young

what single feature makes you think that the c-coupe is better than:

bmw325
audiA4 1.8T
acura RSX
acura CL
lexusIS300
and others...

feel free to briefly (BRIEFLY) and w/out any flames, expound if you'd like...

benzomonterey

If given the chance all over, now that Acura has the CL with the 6spd I would take that.

MARK CUMMINS

WE... My (WIFE) PICKED the C coupe over several cars...Including the CLK CAB GO FIGURE!COULD NOT SEE OUT THE BACK
with the top up OH well...SHE likes the COUPE a LOT its small and drives ok has good power (THANKS to SOFTWARE and PULLEYS)and its a great VALUE at almost the same as my beater BEETLE GL Just my .02

columbus

All of the above - minus the last answer

dasMafia

I believe that the C230 has earned its spot atop the premium Sports-coupe market by offering a unique list of VERY high-end features in a car that is deliverable under $30,000.

the RSX is really not a competitor (too rough around the edges, and $5,000 cheaper),

the BMW 325s are either 4-door or $3,000-4,000 more expensive, with a less exciting and fresh design.

the Audi is a 4-door only (although probably the best spiritual match for the C230).

the 3.2CL (type-S or not) is LOTS bigger and is a near-luxo-barge when it comes to style/ride/driving experience (it goes like stink and manages to corner very well, but it is a luxury coupe, not a sports coupe)

the Lexus is really aimed at the RSX crowd about 4 years down the road. (great tuning platform, ugly, funky, cramped)

one car NOT mentioned that is probably the best single car to compare it to is the Golf GTI. while it is definitely a bit low-rent in comparison materials-wise, it does offer similar build quality, equipment, power, and overall performance at a slightly lower price point. the new 180hp turbo is a perfect comparison to the blown 2.3 in the benz too...

while these cars are the best comparisons to the C230, you'll notice that none of them combines the plethora of features with the prestige, quality, safety, and uniqueness of the coupe. it really is a distinct and wonderful little car that is destined to go the way of every other premium-compact in the mistory of the US market--into the sales toilet.

TimmyC230boy

After my recent events of a car wreck I am drawn to the safety features of the Benz. Although its a good looking car too

MB-BOB

Ooops, got me again. For a while there I thought you were actually trying to say something complimentary about this car... Enjoyed the build-up, but the predictable slam-dunk at the end spoiled it for me... again (as always).

TimmyC230boy

Is he the one with the Z3?

tommy

Well, he is right. Doesn't that count for something?

MB-BOB

Sooo, you enjoyed spending 30-Large on a car "doomed to fail" in the marketplace? That won't be good for your resale value, will it?

dasMafia

no, no, no, bob... you misunderstand me... that last comment was made as a lament... I WISH I saw as many C230s running around this town as I see WRXs and Acura CLs, but it just isn't happening.

the "sales-toilet" comment was in reference to the fact that hatchbacks made in europe tend to sell very poorly in the US
a) SAAB 9-3 (previously 900)
b) E36 BMW 318ti
c) MERKUR
d) BMW Z3 coupes
e) ... C230???

even japanese hatchbacks have been suffering lately.... notice the only Civic hatch sold is the Si, that the toyota celica and Acura RSX are selling in pitiful numbers, nissan and Mazda don't even try to sell a hatch (IIRC) and BMW decided against bringing the E46 "ti" to the US to avoid repeating previous blunders.

you've got me all wrong man... I'd have saidthe same thing about the BMW compact given the chance. I believe that the other day someone said that Laguna Nigel in SoCal had 30-some coupes on the lot... not exactly staggering demand is there?

trench

Actually I felt dasMafia's comments were pretty on target and complimentary. I think the concluding "toilet" remark has more to do with the general perception of hatchbacks in the US, and with the poor sales seen in the past for the more expensive/luxury hatchbacks (318ti). For some reason this body-style is assumed to be the kiss of death here.

BT

dasMafia

not so fast... this car is VERY similar to the BMW 318ti from the 90s... and that car has GREAT residual as it has acchieved cult status here in the states among enthusiasts.

and who give a rip if its a "success" in the marketplace or not... the car is great looking, great driving and has great feature content... who cares if MB makes a killing on it???

trench

Wow, popular thread, I post what I thought was a timely reply and by the time it shows up it's already outdated!



BT

tommy

I think that my leather has already precluded me from getting a decent resale amount. Which is fine with me. As long as I don't blow the loan, this car will be with me until the day that it or I die.

So, yes, as long as I like the car and it shares its guts with other c classes, I could give a rat's a$$ how well sales figures go.

The crx died the year after my model year ('90), and I couldn't be happier. In fact, the del slo gave used crxes a boost in value.

benzomonterey

Texas man tortured for days in small Nebraska town
Fri Jan 18 2002 11:39:56 ET

A Texas man was tortured and held against his will for nine days inside a downtown BMW Dealership by its owner in Wayne, Nebraska, it was reported on Friday.

dasMafia

thats just mean man... and wayne is like 150 miles from here.

MB-BOB

I’m just a C-Sedan compatriot, trying to instill a few positive vibes for the C-Coupe. My guess is that while Mercedes-Benz would LIKE to succeed with the Coupe in the U.S., it will have no impact whatsoever to overall C-Coupe profitability worldwide if it doesn’t, any more than BMW’s decision not to sell it’s Ti stateside affects BMW.

However, if you early adoptive owners are pessimistic about the Coupe’s sales success (here), then it probably deserves to fail, as most people who will buy the bulk of these cars are not as enthusiastic about it as you…which, apparently, isn’t much. Or, perhaps instead, the follow-on Coupe owners will represent the steady, long-term prospects for success with the model, while you early adopters flitter away like moths to each new flame that appears to the market. The more I think about, the more my product management experience tells me the latter will be the case.

In the meantime, neither I nor dasMafia have any skin in the game. Sales of the New C-Sedan are up 25% over the W202, and both the SLK and dasMafia’s Z3 appear to enjoy equal success at the “premium end” of the Mazda Miata niche. So, IMO, it’s a shame that one can “lament” MB’s surrender of the “premium compact” niche, before the game really starts… and so readily get your concurrence.

So, I think I'm going to turn in my Sport Coupe Cheerleader’s card. You actual owners are not holding up your end, so I’m not inclined to continue wasting my time.

Liking my sedan choice more and more with each passing day…

benzomonterey

Please don't give up on us.

We can't lose our Cheerleaders

MB-BOB

LOL, Benzo. Thanks.

Now if only I can find my Prozac?

dasMafia

hey bob... don't give up that cheerleader's card yet, I love the C230 (hell, I love the C320 Sport too). my comments simply reflect my (generally) pessimistic outlook on life. I PRAY that the C230 will be a sales success, I was just shocked at L.Nigel's inventory and that really started my head spinning. I hope that people begin to realize the gem of a car that the C230 is and STOP buying more and more BMWs when most of them don't have a bloody clue how to DRIVE them (the only reason to live with low-rent bavarian interiors). if MB could find a way to transfuse the great energy of the C230 into the (generally ponderous) C240, then 3-series sales would drop off a cliff.

Goggles Piasano

I will definitely buy other Mercs but not necessarily C-coupes.

Lynn

MB-BOB, keep on being a cheerleader, Iam. For the past several weeks, Plaza has had 12 to 14 coupes and Tri-Star 6 to 9 in inventory. But, the numbers of the various colors keep changing, so they are selling the cars. If a large dealer has an allocation of 40 cars a month and is selling 40 cars a month, he may well have 20 or 25 cars on the lot at any point in time.

When I was at my dealer last Friday for an oil change, one coupe was being prepped for delivery and another was marked as sold.

tommy

The reason why I think that sales will taper off is that the American public generally doesn't respect how versatile hatches are, let alone one over $25,000. It has nothing to do with the car or even MB's support or advertising.

Of course, if they were all Orion, then there would be no inventory at these dealerships. :p

dasMafia

"of course, if they were all orion, they'd never be able to sell the bloody things!"

"if they'd just tell marketing that Benzes come in two color schemes, Black on Black and Silver on Black, then ther'd have no problem making a fortune off the little buggers"

(sorry, had to)