GDawgC220

I'm looking to purchase a new MB at the end of the year and I'm deciding between the '05 coupe or '05 sedan...both C230 Kompressor.

Any suggestions as to which is better of the two, advantages/disadvantages? I know the coupe is about $3k less on the MSRP...so with options and such, I'll probably be up to about 30-31k? I priced out the sedan to about $34.5k (xenons, KH sound system w/ 6-CD Changer, power drivers seat, sunroof, homelink, 6-speed manual (still deciding between auto or manny))

Thanks!

Oh, btw, if I don't get the DVD NAV, what goes in place of that? Thanks again

CitronC230K_03

for me id go with the coupe. just my style. i like the versatilty of a hatchback and the two doors since i dont have kids and its just me. if you plan on hauling around a lot of people id go with the sedan since its easier to get people in and out of. weigh your options, requirements and make your decision from what would suit you best.

GDawgC220

90% of the time, I drive by myself...sometimes when I go out on weekends, I drive a friend or two. Hauling stuff, I get stuff from the supermarket, so that would fit the coupe well.

if I go out with my family, we take either the ML or the S, so my car doesn't get much passengers.

Is it hard to get people in and out of the rear seats on the coupe? How is the space back there? Decent enough? Thanks man, I appreciate the help and anyone else that can add some feedback

CitronC230K_03

the space is awesome in the back. with the seats down you can haul alot of stuff and have extra volume due to a hatch rather than a trunk lid. id go for the coupe. i love mine. small enough to get thru traffic, park in tight spaces and after they retyled the rear lights and the interior, its top notch in my book. over a sport sedan and coupe, personally i would still go for the coupe.

TNblkc230wz

I agree with Citron. If this is your personal commuter, I'd get the coupe. On the occassion you can get in the back easy enough. You really can haul a lot with the seats down or even one seat down. You may want to consider the 320 coupe as well.

GDawgC220

yeah, I priced out the C320 coupe as well...with the options I wanted, came out to about $34k, same as the C230k sedan with the options.

Is the I4 peppy enough to get around town? Last time I drove a I4 Kompressor was my grandfather's '99 C230k sedan.

thanks!

Yang1815

When I was making the purchase I went through the same decision... the coupe or the sedan? Well I picked the sedan because I PERSONALLY don't like the styling of the coupe. The rear is kind of high which makes it look fat, but at the same time it feels like they just chopped it off and left the car like that. I also don't mind taking people around. I think if people want to ride in my car then there's gotta be something special about my car or me. Money obviously isn't an issue with you... Well, about hauling stuff, I'm sure your ML could do the job fairly well. Which style do you like better? Maybe talk to some of your family members and have a vote or something... Good luck and either way they're both wonderful cars.

Narcissus

I had both and prefer the Sedan because of the 4 doors, although I do miss the hatch when hauling stuff around

I can tell you that the space in the back is the same for both, although access to the back can be hard for taller people and if you are tall and your front seat is way back they're gonna have problem going in.

My only advice, especially if you buy the Coupe, is to buy it used.... Unless you really NEED the new interior style, you're better off with a 2002 2.3 or 2003 c320, depreciation is a b*tch and you're gonna be kicking yourself the same way I did after 1 year of ownership

Cheers!

Yang1815

how's the depreciation on the sedans?

ayilar

Here is an excerpt from my own review of the 2005 coupe, posted a few days back (for more details, see this thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=72008):

The 2005 sport sedan & coupe drive pretty similarly, but there are a few noticeable differences.

The pluses for the 2005 sedan are its much better seats, greater headroom and straighter side window than on the coupe. I also liked the power rear-window sunshade and the dashboard switch to retract the backseat headrests, both of which are unavailable on the coupe.

Pluses for the coupe include the pano roof (a matter of personal preference) and less noise. Specifically, I was surprised by the fact that the sedans have a resonance on various road surfaces that is simply not there in the coupes. It seems not to be a matter of tires, because we had the exact same experience with a 2002 C240 that we test-drove almost three years ago. As an aside, I felt that the 1.8 engine was less noisy with the stick than with the auto– there is a slight “boominess” on the latter that is not there on the former.

Arguably, the coupe has a slightly better looking interior (the aluminum trim’s color is different on the coupe, and looks better to my eyes), and the availability of dark wood trim is a plus if one does not like the aluminum. Those last items, however, are all matters of personal preferences.

Narcissus

It's bad, but not as bad...

My 2001 c240 with 92,000 km is now worth more than my 2003 c-coupe with 31,000 km

In 13 months my c-coupe went from 48,000$ cdn down to 32,000$ cdn

I bought the c240 for 29,000 7 months ago, now the coupe is worth around 28,000 and the c240 still stays at 29,000


that's one hella big depreciation.... forget about selling your car after 2 years or so...

unless you got money coming out of your a$$

Yang1815

o wow... what makes the coupe depreciate so much...

Narcissus

I have no clue... it's a great car..?

Jkw

I like the Sedan, its nicer looking.
It your in a lot of stop & go I'd think twice about the 6 speed.
Good Luck Jkw

Guest0001

These cars are pretty much identical. So the decision becomes subjective. Do you want a hatchback or do you want a sedan? Your choice.

GDawgC220

the only time i'd be in stop & go traffic would be when going to school during rush hour traffic and probably around town at stop lights and intersections.

I'm debating whether to go auto or manny, as I've never driven a manny in traffic yet (only with traffic that is flowing smoothly and a few traffic lights that weren't congested).

Guest0001

Get an auto man, why would you want a manual?

tyro

Why would you want an auto? You can't be in control of the engine. Your are going through a long sweeping curve at a good speed. You give it some more gas and suddenly the auto downshifts and the car completely looses its balance and the rear kicks out.
Sounds like fun, not.
Autos are for lazy boulevard cruisers.
All IMO, of course.

breastroker

On the smaller 1.8 liter engine (2003-2005) with auto trans, I use the auto like a stick. Just a tap on the shifter knob and I am in another gear as fast as a stick. I usually stay in third around town, 4th in heavy freeway traffic, and 5th on light freeway traffic.

The auto does not There is no way I would have a stick in heavy downtown LA traffic.

If I want to build up my leg muscles I prefer to go to the gym, not with the clutch every 20 feet

The auto was actually rated higher both city and freeway in 2003. Now they are the same.

Buellwinkle

I've had a manual trans on most of my cars over the past 30 years so it doesn't much matter to me. I bought the C230 coupe with a manual because in their first shipment three years ago when they first came out that's all they got in, 3 cars, not an automatic in the bunch so I took it, no regrets. I just bought a new sedan and I'm in the same boat, 5 leftovers left and all manual trans so I took one, no biggy. 5% of the time I drive a manual I wish I had an automatic, 5% of the time I drive an automatic I wish I had a manual, 90% of the time I just drive. As for resale value, manuals on C-classes have a higher resale value relative to the original price despite what people tell you, just price it in kbb.com, sure they are worth less used but not as much as they cost less new.

What's funny is when I go to get my free car washes at the dealer, some of the attendents don't know how to shift so I have to wait for someone that does.

HITMAN

I have been in the back of my coupe before and it wasnt as small as you think it would be in the back seat. The 1.8 kompressor has more than enough power to pass and get out into traffic. I perfer the feel of the coupe over the sedan. The coupe lines to me look much smoother over the sedan and i love how from the back of it looks wide. And you can have just as much fun with the auto and you can shift and hold the gear in corners so you can have the blast off when coming out. I love my coupe and it hasnt let me down since day one. The pano roof is one of my favorite things about it also. i would consider if you want to save money and still get a just like new car go with a certified one over a new one. You get the extra warranty and save alot of money.

Coupe all the way

breastroker

Buellwinkle,
Where are the photos of the 2004.5?

Yang1815

I have some...
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=72635

CitronC230K_03

the backseat isnt really that small. im 6'2" and ive sat in my back seat acouple times. its bigger than in my brothers GTI but i think thats because the car has alot more front seat leg room.

Buellwinkle

Hopefully they'll get it out of the mall today but I snapped a pic after the mall closed last night for ya.