heat010

Hi,

I've finalized my last 2 candidates for purchase in 2002. But I can't decide. They both have their pluses and minuses.

Acura: Fast, sporty, less expensive to buy and to maintain. Insurance is higher, less prestige.

C230: Great style, Mercedes prestige, unbelievable sunroof, plush ride, less insurance. Heavier, more expensive, long waiting list, more expensive to maintain over the long haul. I heard the engine is quite a bit noisier.

Both are great cars so I would like you owners opinions perspectives.

Thanks.....and if I do get the C230, I will definitely use this forum as a resource of information. You guys are great. Thanks.

gab

I test drove the Type S and it's constantly reminding me of my old civic ex, without VTEC kicking in around 5000rpm the car is only slightly faster than my 95 EX (125hp with only 2450lb car) and I feel that 0-60mph for the C230 is not that quick and first two gears are very short. 60-120 is relatively much better. The RSX will require a good launching skill to achieve good time since you have to launch at a much higher rpm to get on to the powerband. So I guess performance wise the RSX-S and C230 the difference are very small, if not the same.


I would think RSX sell a lot to the under 25 crowd. The RSX more or less convey the boy racer image which doesnt suit me anymore as I more "grown up" from that age already. So ask yourself what is best for you. I always think that the 325ci is more of a major competitor with the C Coupe as they appeal about the same age group and same price range.

young

its pretty amazing how much the the acura and the mb are compared. its been brought up before.

i was actually looking to get the Acura CL (not type S) or the MB. if i was young-er i would have considered the RSX type S (yes, i know its a manual). but i'd been driving the integra for a long time and wanted something really different. i think the MB is a much nicer car but more expensive. but, of course, the free maintenance/lifetime roadside service/safety features sort of offset the cost difference. but in the end, which car makes you smile and sing (badly) geggy tah when you drive it around? for me, it was the MB coupe! :thumbsup:

gab, the problem for me w/ the bmw is that there are so damn many of them. mostly sedans, but they look just like the coupes. i wanted something a bit different.

MarkL

I've got a C240, so I can't help with those specifics. But, where are your priorities? It sounds like you've got the issues outlined. If you're saying the RSX is faster and less expensive, and those are your high points, then there's your decision.

For me, I wanted the MB for a number of reasons, and speed and maintenance costs were not an issue. I plan on selling it after 4 years, so I'm covered as far as warranty and maintenance are concerned. I already had a German car and wanted to move up. The only other competitor I looked at was also German. If German performance and prestige doesn't do it for you, buy Japanese and be happy . Good luck with either choice.

(I don't know: "Great style, Mercedes prestige, unbelievable sunroof, plush ride, less insurance" sounds good to me!)

tomqbui

I had the same buying decision, and opted for the MB (black,stick,C2,cd-changer). I got a pretty good deal, so it was not that more than an RSX Type-S (with nice wheels, etc.)

The thing that pushed me over for the MB was the fact that I wouldn't see that many C230s around, but I was bound to see tons of RSXs. Also, the MB comes with more safety features (side head airbags, traction control, brake assist, etc.) and seemed better made, overall. The back seat is bigger too , and oh, that roof...

I guess I was willing to pay more in repair and upkeep costs in the end, but hey, that's what you get when you buy MB.

So my pro/con list:

RSX Type-S:
+in-dash 6-cd changer standard
+leather standard
+sunroof standard (but small!)
+better feeling manual
+cheaper in cost
+more fun to drive (sportiness wise)
+cool looking red dash
-center console looks cheap and plasticky
-no traction control, brake assist, etc.
-every other car you see is either a BMW or an Integra/RSX
-low torque on low-end (have to rev really high)
-not a MB!

C230:
+more safety features
+MB build quality
+MB prestige/name
+not common
+much nicer sunroof
+more fun to cruise
+bigger backseat
+free maintenance (4 yrs/50k miles)
+great torque on low-end
-leather optional
-panorama roof optional
-6-cd changer optional
-no wheel locks (optional)!
-everything costs a bundle to fix

young

nice list tomqbui! yes, you are going to see a ton of RSXs (i already see more of those than the coupes). i disagree w/ the MB quality as an advantage; imho, acura is a better made car (less defects). if you get a basic MB, you're close to the RSX (which basically comes w/ everything standard except for the Navigation system, i think, which is DVD based!) but as soon as you add C2, C5, C7, you're getting up there.

dasMafia

it totally depends on why and how you use the car... if its a toy, get the acura, if its an investment [sic] and a something you expect to take care of and last, get the benz... also consider your age... no matter how old you are, the MB will get more gold-diggers, but also the sophisticated women who know what they want... the RSX will get the crazy freaky ones that blow your mind. you choose.

I'm going to guess you're 20-ish, so I'd go with the RSX... you'll likely want something faster and faster forr quite some time, or at least until your wife "accidentally " backs it into a BIG pole. that car is a TON of fun... i chose the MB becasue i need to settle into something I can send to RENNTech in a few years!

dasMafia

you obviously didn't have YOUR Acura snap its timing belt in the middle of rush hour monday evening... grrrrr (mucho mucho bend-over).

and the Acura Nav (simply awesome product... its in the MDX i'm borrowing while my motor is laid to rest) is not available in the RSX... at least not this year. and yes it is DVD based.

young

dasMafia, yes the timing belt thing sucked. how many miles did you have? i had 75000 when i sold it and the belt had not been changed. the recommended change was for 100,000 miles but the new owner wanted to change it anyway... the same thing happened to a friend of mine - honda prelude - on the highway in LA and that was really scary! i think he spent mucho dinero in getting it fixed.

i meant, more little problems like w/ the squeaky moonroofs (although i haven't noticed), jamming moonroof visors, panels that got loose for me, those kind of things.

MARK CUMMINS

HMMMMMMMM.There is only one option its a MERCEDES!!!
THE WARRANTY IS better!!,the ride is better,you got the great sunroof!!,more choice of options, the 17inch wheel package with the steering wheel,colored handles,sport pedals,muffler tip is a steal!! and btw its a benz.... not a ricer....oh did i say its a BENZ
oh yeah chipped it got 30more hp to smoke the ricer

dasMafia

just turned over 114K... changed belt at about 74K... the engine has been pretty "loose" since i bought it at 72K, and I'm pretty sure i can trace the occurrence to a game tag with an M3 last week... oops!

and Mark, the acura warranty is better if i recall, but their is no service included if that's what you were alluding to. the months/milage is identical and the acura has a better rust-through IIRC.

KWiK

You are leaving out a few very important items. The MB has ESP, ASR, BAS, and Head airbags. Those saftey items alone make the MB the clear winner.

I have owned both Honda & MB. The Honda's are much more reliable, but the MB is by far the safer car.

vadim

A couple of moments... first - as was mentioned above, the Coupe is likely faster around town due to its high low end torque, whereas in the RSX you have to sweat to keep it revving to outdo the Coupe. Second, the 111 Kompressor engine is easily tuned to 230HP by installing a pulley/chip kit, which will make it faster than the RSX hands down

MB-BOB

To get the same ooomph from that RSX, youll have to wind that V-TEC DOHC well above 5000rpm. At that point, I'd venture the RSX is at least as loud as the Coupe! And alot more nervous and frenetic! While the Coupe is, well... style and grace... style and grace...

tommy

Well, if we're going to talk about aftermarket, I don't think that the ccoupe will have a leg to stand on. Vadim, if you add on a aftermarket kit/pulley to a reasonably well-equipped c230, you're talking 31k, more or less.

So, if you can't get a rsx-s to KILL a c230 with eight large in aftermarket parts, you shouldn't be driving.

My main considerations that pushed me to the c230 are the larger amount of room in front, back, and hatch, safety, the option between two colors in interiors, and you can get cloth (for my two-toned leather dream). It just feels more solid as well. Of course, I have a crx backup (now tucked away for the winter), so I didn't want another high-rev Honda product.

It really shouldn't be a hard decision if you have your priorities nailed down.

SteveA

Buy the C-Coupe. Enough C-Coupe sales will encourage BMW to bring their 325ti to the US. Suh-weet! OK I'm being selfish. Really, buy the C-Coupe. As much as I love Hondas, this car has what they don't, class. My wife took one look at the RSX and said, "you want to pay how much for a civic with leather?!?!?" I nearly died laughing.

vadim

Actually, I'd love to see a run of a pulley-upgraded Coupe with a comparably (pricewise) upgraded RSX... FWD cars have their limits, after all.

mbtech208

Seeing as how I have some experience with both Honda and Mercedes-Benz.....

If I were going to lease the car, or keep it until the warranty expired, I'd buy the C230. If I were going to keep the car for the long-haul, I'd buy the Acura. Honda engines will run forever if maintained (that includes regular timing belt replacements), and the rest of the car will last just as long. The C230's engine will run forever too, but once it gets up there in mileage, the rest of the car will start to break, and that gets expensive to fix. I was tossing around the idea of picking up a silver RS-X Type S myself.

o2bsurreal

I debated almost every conceivable point when I decided between the C-Coupe and the RSX. You want to know what clinched the decision for me? It was when I was going to test drive the Acura and it took me forever to get out of the parking lot because of all the 16 year olds. Seriously, it was a frigging swarm of them, and it was 2pm on a school day!

On top of that, I got in, looked at the tiny sunroof (nothing more than an airhole really), and immediately noticed the lack of an armrest (I make lots of long trips). When I returned with the car, I knew that the teens could take the darn thing to the prom for all I cared. I loved my Civic EX in college, and it was a great car, but I wasn't ready to get another one, especially one that looks like an Oldsmobile Alero.

---------------------
Counterpoint - I can see how one could enjoy the RSX, it just wasn't for me.

geistmeister

Pretty much everything's been covered. I considered both the RSX and the MB-C and quickly opted for the Benz. The decision was really easy for me--I want/need and automatic and the stupid Honderians only offer the RSX-S in manual.

I test drove the MBZ and the base RSX almost back-to-back one day. There was such an overwhelming (subjective) quality difference. The MB door closed with a "thunk," the RSX with a "thwip." The MB gagues and controls were conservative, kind of boring, but all functional; the RSX interior was really plastic and gimmicky (that afternoon I hadn't yet discovered the MB bloomin' cup holder).

As a previous poster observed, the Acura lot was swarming with young Asian studs. Not that there's anything wrong with that That's just neither a demographic I fall into nor an image I want to project.

Davidta

I was facing a similar choice back in september, and if you like turning heads, the Benz has no equal for its price... Gold diggers and freacky ones alike!

-David

Vince

Imagine you're driving that C-Coupe at about 100 mph. It feel solid on the road and the ground feels like glue. A feeling of reassurance flows through you as you know that you're driving a mercedes and if anything should go wrong, you will be safe.

Same situation but with a RSX. How do you feel?

Iceman's C230

Is it speed you want? Is it the looks you want? If it is the speed you want go buy a Camaro SS for similar $$$$$. If it is looks than go with the benz. Both are nice cars but BENZ is the right choice.

todd

believe there are already 3 pages of replies to this question so I can't stop my self from talking before reading them all.

I have always owned the 'best' car I could, really, afford.

Actually the first gas powered vehicle I owned was a motorcycle, and there are many interspersed between these 4 wheeler that I won't mention because they aren't relevant to the original question.

The first was a 69 VW camper van with huge Body Glove stickers on the sides, applied by the BG shop themselves.

Next was an... 82 or 84, baby blue VW, 4 dr Rabbit.

Next was a 16V GTI.

Next was a Subaru 4WD turbo coupe. (You know that old commercial with the kid flying through the farm and the old guy smiling) whatever that model was.

Next was a Porsche 944 Turbo.

Next was a 911 SC strait from Germany, imported by a helicopter mechanic in the Army. You get free shipping ;-)

Broke TOO many parts, mostly suspension, on that car, on the Angeles Crest. Also drove it from NC to LA in 2 nights, 3 days, on the day I ETSed (End Tour of Service) from the Army.

The parts were SO expensive. I got it working and then traded it in on an early model Integra.

Loved the Integra, rock solid and I beat the hell out of it.

I always loved Honda motorcycles, used to race motocross at Indian Dunes and Carlsbad.

The car was great.

Ended up rolling it in a race, with all things, my girlfriend.

The car was STILL running as I sat on my head.

No seatbelts and not a scratch on me.

Got the hell out of there and reported it stolen.

Got a newer Integra. Now this one I bought from my mom. It was very fast but it was a fu ck en automatic, which I hate.

Ended up giving it to my next girlfriend.

So now, I am looking at the Integra RSX or Subaru WRX.

They are both awesome f u c k e n cars and I wouldn't mind owning either of em, and I have seen both in person.


Buttttt.... I could finally afford......... THE MB C230K, and it smokes, no grinds up, rolls in a fine Havana leaf, ignites with a blue flame butane, and DRAWS........ then exhales.........

on all other contenders.... ;-)

Hope this helps.

Flashman

I know the Internet can make you feel anonymous. But admitting to insurance fraud online, even years later, can come back to haunt you. All it takes is a couple court orders to trace it right back to your computer.

Some advice:
(From Me) Don't defraud insurance companies, it raises my car insurance.
(From Your Dad) What you did was dumb. Insurance would still have covered your car, it wasn't worth breaking the law to save on a couple insurance points.
(From Your Mom) It's immoral and unethical. You totalled your own car. If you are going to race, then do so aware of the responsibilities and risks.
(From Your Lawyer) Never, never, be so stupid as to admit to a criminal offense on a public forum.

Rick