Max Thrust

Previously we had a 2009 VW GTI (Mk5), 6spd manual - what a fun car to drive! It was really a great time - excellent handling for a FWD - it had a very "zoomy" feel to it. Difficult to put a finger on what made it so much fun, maybe it was just the responsiveness..? Smiles for miles.

So, now my wife and I are talking about getting something like a W203 with four doors, a little more grown-up, etc - looking at some nicer low-mileage ones out there - but we also want a car that is fun to drive, like our GTI was.

I have driven a couple W203's briefly - but never had one for any long term testing.

What do you guys think? Do W203's qualify as "fun to drive" ? Are they "zoomy" ? I guess it's not just about being fast in a straight line, it's probably a combo of quick steering, responsive throttle, etc.

Any thoughts?

Quadcammer

not particularly.

Helped a friend buy a c320. Its a smooth, solid little car, but the throttle response is uninspiring and the handling is nothing to write home about.

Its a good commuter car, but I didn't find it "fun" to drive.

C280 Sport

I have a 2005 C240 I bought years back just for the purpose of commuting. Inexpensive to own, easy to work on, MPG is good if you care about that. It has been very reliable in the close to 130,000 miles with only wear and tear items like battery, suspension that has needed repairs. The interior is cramped and cheaply made so be repaired for squeaks and rattles. As far as "grown up" no it hardly is. It is a car mostly made for younger people. A sweet 16 car if you will. Get into a E Class or S Class if you want the grown up feel in a car. As far as fun to drive they can be if you get it optioned correctly. Mine a 240 and a automatic. So it is slow but has AWD and it makes snow driving easy. I would look for a C230, 320 OR 350 with a manual. All of them can be had very cheaply now. Handling is pretty good for a heavy car and I feel very safe taking corners.

Overall a very reliable little car. Find a 2005-2007. Easy to work on, Cheap to buy, good on gas if you care about that too. Many low mile examples are out there.

chazzz

My wife has a 2005 C230 and I have a 2009 C350. I've driven them (both of them) almost every day. I think 2005 C230 is more "fun-ner" to drive than C350. The C230 is more nimble and better steering responsive than my C350. It has a supercharged engine, I can race against other cars when the traffic light turns green. It (C230) does feel like a fast car.
After my wife drove my C350, she told me "hey, your car is more powerful than my car, I think my car is way too slow!! " LOL. Well, that's true, but her C230 is somewhat a quick car, but not as quick as my C350. I think your wife will like C230. Take a good, long test drive and you & your wife can decide.

I think my C350 feels a bit too big and heavier than C230.

chazzz

Oh, one more thing, you should avoid 2006-2007 C230 (with V6 engine) because some of them have balance shaft & gear problem. I love my wife's little four banger supercharged engine. It's a fun car.

tommy

Honestly, you'll be seriously disappointed by any W203. They're very utilitarian and not tosable at all. The vast majority are slush boxes and mind-numbing, and if you find a manual, they're not in the same league as VW. Why not get a 5-door GTI?

TDC311X

I drive a Manual 2005 C230K SS. I really enjoy driving it everyday. It is the best handling car I have ever owned, however I have only owned FWD American cars in the past. The only complaint I have is that it is slow, but genuinely handles really well. When the Supercharger kicks in, it definitely makes it feel "zoomy", but leaves you wanting more since it happens so late in the rev range. I feel that inside and out it definitely feels grown up. I definitely can't complain about the gas mileage, I get about 25 mpg around town back and forth to work, and 30 mpg on long trips.

Overall it is the funnest car I have ever owned, and that is coming from a 283 hp Chrysler 200, which was fast but handled like garbage.

TruTaing

Hrm, this is an interesting convo. My wife owns a 2008 6SPD 2-door GTI w/ a suspension/wheel mods and I own an old C320 w/ a buncha mods on it.

If you want zoomy, the 5spd auto does not give me that feeling and I have driven other mercedeses w/ the 7spd auto. Those also did not give me a "zoomy" feeling. The lack of control in gearing can easily be compensated with a 6spd manual w203, but those are relatively rare, but still very affordable.

The biggest difference I notice between the my w203 and the mk5 is the steering response. The GTI has variable ratios steering ratios, but its steering is also very responsive and quick, while the w203 has a fixed ratio and tends to feel slower to respond.

Overall, the mk5 was built to be a fun/light tossable car while the w203 was built to be an entry level luxury sedan. If its zoomy you're looking for, I dont think the w203 will offer that feeling.

Like Tommy said: Why not get a 5 door gti or a mk6 5 door R?

kanadian

i own a C240.. relatively slow.. my car before this one was an Altima 3.5lt v6.. and my god it was a beast!!! i beat everyone i raced except for a GrandAm GT but mpg sucked .. i never really looked into the c240's speed before buying it and i honestly would not have bought it if i wasnt a fan of the look of the w203. i got it for a great price tho. What ever your going to purchase make sure u take a long drive so you can experience the lack of fun it might produce compared to your VW. I cant say the others, like a c35 amg, or c350, are slow as well but i'd assume they cant be nearly as slow as the 240. Around here w203s mostly driven by adults not really any teeny boppers.
Also they sound like ticking time bombs when u hear of the little things that can go wrong and cost a fortune to fix.. like the damn air damper doors or w.e.. And they tend to rust pretty bad around the bottom of the doors.. The guy i purchased mine from was very careful to make sure he repaired the rust just enough for the rust to be undetectable but after a few months i seen it all and am very disappointed. if rust is an issue in your area

Max Thrust

Thanks for the responses, guys!

We are looking for something a little more upscale, I guess, than the GTI - otherwise I would buy a 5-door one for sure, we loved our Mk5 GTI. Nothing against it at all, it really was great.

Hoping to find something similar in terms of driving enjoyment, that's all.

Anyone here had a BMW E46? How does your W203 compare, if so, in terms of driving dynamics?

Some of you have said your W203's are not really fast, so that reduces the fun factor... what about the faster W203's, any experience there?

I'm sure I could talk my wife into something like a C32, or a C55 even... will that up the fun factor? Or are the AMG's still just fast in a straight line, but not so much fun?

Yeah, that GTI really was flick-able. It loved being tossed into a turn. We test-drove a (new) Mini Cooper before we got the GTI, and the Mini also had that same responsiveness and driving enjoyment. But we are in our mid 30's now, kids, etc, so a Mercedes C-class or a 3-series or something similar would probaby be a good choice for us. I particular like the styling of a W203, and have always loved Mercedes.

Thanks for the help!

C280 Sport

C55 would be your best bet for the W203. If you want a faster W203 that is. 0-60 in around 5 Seconds or so. No 3 Pedal manual offered but it moves quick.

alexstaar

While others may disagree, I find my 2003 C230 Kompressor (Supercharger 4 cylinder) fun to drive. From my understanding, the suspension is firmer and steering is more responsive and also more firm than "regular" (C240/C320) sedans in similar pre-facelift years, hence the "Sport" badging. While my car isn't fast or "zoomy" per say, it is pretty quick for a 4 cylinder (0-60 in roughly 7 secs ) and does not hesitate to let loose if you hit the gas. As others have mentioned, the chassis was originally designed to be an entry level luxury sedan, and not a sports car. Therefore the transmission doesn't have lightning fast shift times, but rather a smoother "Mercedes" glide feel. Another plus for the 4 cylinder is the gas mileage. I get about 21-23 city and 28-30 highway cruising at 75-80mph. The suspension, while firm, is still smooth and provides a very comfortable and quiet ride (a much better one than my brother's BMW, IMO). One thing I love is that the supercharger gives me so much low end torque you can't find in a V6. Just give it some gas and it goes, no hesitation and no turbo lag.

tommy

E46 would be more what you want than the W203. The C32/C55 is more of a fast sled than a tossable sedan like the E46, or even an older gen A4. Problem with all of the cars is that they're European cars that are getting older, which means very costly repairs and rust often.

A GLI is a bit more grown up than a GTI. But you're in your 30s; I'm not sure why a 5-door GTI would not be grown up enough for you, especially if you go for the leather instead of the godawful plaid.

TruTaing

Lol @ the Plaid :P

I have also driven e46 sedans and coupes and they are much sportier in the suspension department straight from the factory than a w203 (with sports suspension) and the manual gear boxes are great also. The sound of the straight 6 is also awesome.

In all honesty, any car can have its suspension made sportier w/ aftermarket support. I feel like so much of this discussion is not about performance (handling/power), its mostly emotional. If you love the look of the w203, get one and the folks on this forum will help you get it to stick in the corners more and help you take great care of it.

Remi787

Hi, Im was driving VW Jetta-no more in my life - feels like sitting on wood made chair, same VW Golf In East Europe only young people without $ driving Golf or Jetta ,Passat , Who have more $$$ buying Mercedes or BMW , only my opinion,don`t want hurt anybody opinions.

Max Thrust

We decided on a C55. It has 4 doors, relatively modern safety features, and class. It won't be as flickable as a GTI with a V8 up front... but it will be sporty, and with that V8, it will get out of its own way, which is fun too.

tommy

Ok, enjoy it.

Make sure to keep up with the maintenance.