i think it's always easier to buy a loaded car than to install everything afterwards when you want to. it's a lesser hassle that way. to me, the 07's are a really good deal. you say you dont need those options now, but later you might want them and that will be hard to get. these are just my opinions, do what you feel is right for you. hope you get the car =]

 

thanks for your opinions, but back to my main concern... the tranny. I know it depends on your own personal driving style etc, etc etc but basically, how good are the manuals vs the automatics, because I've heard some negative things about the benz 6-speeds, but i wanted to hear your guys' opinions (although perhaps a bit biased!) who actually have experience driving the car every day.


btw, sick looking car vinci . the white looks so fresh, must be a pain to keep clean. I think I settled on black.

 

I used to drive a stick shift, but the benz automatic is not bad.

 

thanks!! yah i try to wash my car when i have time. it gets dirty really fast and everytime after i wash my car, it starts raining .

 

well... the availability of bixenons right makes it still possible to get them... so if you can guarantee that you can find them and install them aftermarket... you can easily sell your clear halogens to someone else.

if you want stick.. get stick, b/c thats not something most people are willing to change aftermarket... but lighting is.

in the end you will have a car with bixenons and stick and you will be happier.

i drive a stick and though the shifting is a little rubbery as some may say...i think its pretty smooth and will choose it again over auto any day. basically when i was buying my car... i had to choose between a fully loaded auto with leather and navigation OR a cloth interior with no cd player and stick...i chose stick and i'd do it again if i had to.

interior is harder to change and is a bigger deciding factor than lighting IMO... so: 1. make sure you can find bixenons now and order them. 2. get the car in stick. 3. sell your halogens... and drive happy knowing you have the car with the exact specifications you wanted.

(wow i didn't intend to write that much...)

 

tranny - based on your style of driving

you can potentially save more gas by going stick, but if you rev up to the red line all the time, then it will do the opposite. Stick is for people who enjoys driving and like to have a feel for their cars, to be in total control. You can rev like a sport or cruise smoothly depending on your own style - hence you create your style

Automatic - not as much freedom as it "automatically shifts" but nonetheless, since the tranny is adaptive, you can choose sport or luxury when you feel like it. Less work on the hand and more concentration on the road, which is always a plus. Getting home from work/school (depending) will be less stressful than manual tranny. you can also reset the adpative system by following some simple instructions. Lastly, if you really feel like a manual, there is always steptronic which will somewhat be like a manual. Overall, auotmatic offers comfort over sport, depending on your driving style.

Options - I got a C280 so Sport package is not available, but if I would do the choice again, definitely a C350 Sport. Sport offers the full package of spoiler, skirt, and front AMG style, oh and I forgot the chrome exhaust tip and sport suspension + rims. So, I say the sport is a good buy

Bi-xenon - aftermarket is easy to install, depending if you want to spend the money on stock (also adds to your residual value when you sell the car, where aftermarket means zero return) xenons look great, those who didnt buy the lighting package will get HID sooner or later (i did myself) so bi-xenons is a must

Color wise, I have a diamond black, awesome looking color, but dont be fooled, it's also pretty obvious when you didnt wash a car (especially with all that stupid rain here)

HK Sound system - good and bad opinions all over the place - stock is good enough, I think HK sound is awesome, some people prefer other things

Interior - Black looks nice, easiest to manage

Leather - dont think that is a choice for c230, so out of the option

premium package - comes with memory seats, 6 cd player +Mp3 compatibility, memory mirrors, auto dimming mirrors and all that stuff... Basically everything becomes automatic (no more manual adjustable this and that) - this is just for the gimmicks, is it really worth the money? umm, IMO no... but if it is already equipped on the car? yes.

SO - all in all, I think SPort package, lighting package is a must, Premium package is a (if you have the money) good buy.

Ipod Integration - not worth it if you ask me - there are DIYs for it anyway

good luck with your choices

 

It's up to you who you want to listen to. A lot of the people that have posted are "newbies" to the forum.

Trust me, if you don't want to buy a car that you'll regret buying later cuz it doesn't have certain options, get a car with bi-xenons even if it has to be shipped from another dealership (they can find one and just swap one that they have with another dealership).

If your main concern is the transmission, then do what I said and have the dealership find another one that they can trade with OR fly out to wherever one with a manual transmission is available (if you're set on getting a manual).

For someone who got a 2004.5 a few months before the 2005's were released with all the changes, I really wish I would've done more research than I did. Aftermarket projectors / HID kits don't compare to bi-xenon and are nowhere near the quality.

 

cool cool ... good luck with your car. i just bought 02 benz and i totally love it. the reason i bought 02 is i don't want to lease or dealing with the bank or whatever. so i bought it cash down ( less headache tho ).

and don't forget to post a pic after you bought it. welcome to the forum.

 

yeah your benz is really something . I remember seeing a picture of this online and showing it to my buddies, they all love it. Too bad the look is not as good as yours when i do it to my Silver c240... but at least mines easier to clean ;-p lol j/k

 

thanks! my car's nothing compared to some of the guys on this forum, go checkout their rides!

 

hey thanks for the welcome an opinions everyone. I think I've decided on the auto/HID/leather/premium package car. I'm probably going to use this car for 2 or 3 years so the leather wear isn't an issue, and I made a promise to myself the next car I buy will have bi-xenon's no matter what, so i guess thats that! The thing is you can't order 203wz's to your specs anymore thats why I have to choose from what's out there. And plus, if i reeeeally want to drive a manual I can just hop into my '78 fiat spider . I'll make sure to post pics when I get the car this weekend hopefully!

 

good choice!

 

thats great. at least you still can get it "somewhat" your way. When i got my 07 2 months ago. I pretty much had no choice. only 1 out of 38 C had the lighting package and the car's color is "Gold". forget it.

 

Wow, really? I didn't realize they took away special order...one more thing that I was fortunate enough to get (just dumb enough not to get NAV).

Can't they look at dealers that are close to D.C. and swap one of their C's with another one that may have BIX and manual transmission?

 

There is one black 230 sport with the lighting package left on the east coast, the automatic. Hopefully it will be mine soon.

 

Oh wow...that's crazy. 1 left in the East Coast?...Oh man, bi-x is even less available than I thought now.

The BI-X is SO worth it. Despite having to deal with the 7 speed auto, it'll be worth it just to have OEM Bi-xenon. No matter how many people try to go the less expensive route and get the ebay projectors, it really doesn't compare at all.

 

why did you buy your w203? (I'm curious too see the demographics on this board)

 

is been discussed before...

i guess

 

Yes, lighting package is very hard to come by even 4 months ago when I ordered mine. The lighting package was the only thing missing from a few dealers searches, and I couldn't live without it so I ordered it. When I talked to my dealer this morning, he said they made their last order a week and a half ago, and were informed by MB, that they are not accepting anymore orders for the W203. They are finishing up the existing orders for W203 in the Bremen plant and then retooling for the W204.

 

so, I finally took delivery of my new 230 sport! I decided to go with the black/black with the lighting/sound/sunroof/power seats/leather and the autobox. Will post pics up soon.

p.s. this pollen in the air is really pissing me (and my black paint) off!!

 

i can feel your pain..

 

LOL. That is the price we pay for a black car. I never regret it for a second though

 

I love my power seats. It's really funny to see people that normally drive Japanese or American cars trying to move their seat by looking for the controls on the bottom-front or side of the seat. I keep telling them "On the door!" but it takes them a while lol

 

Good choice! Congrats!

ps...pollen in Cali is just as bad for my car and my allergies!...so I feel your pain.

 

i wonder if citron green coupes have noticeable pollen on their cars...