usually next year models come out at end of august/beginning of sept. so, it should be at dealerships end of summer 2005.

I remember when i was looking for my C230 the salesman was my dad's "friend" and he let me test drive the 2005 C230 in April of this year. I settled for the 2004.5 cuz i got a great deal about $27,800 including tax and everything and plus the free maintenance(got every option available except the BIX and the COMAND which i soon will have ). So if you'd push a bit you could probably get them to let you test drive earlier because they have them way before they actually say they do.

You owe it to yourself to go and drive the Jag X-Type 3.0

We have a C-240 and a 3.0 X-type and the X-type is bigger, faster, more comfortable and has the best leather interior.

Give it a look.

My girl drives a 2005 C230K Sedan, my mother drives a current-gen Audi A4 3.0, and I drive a BMW 330i. I'll head out right now to test-drive the Jaguar X-Type 3.0 at the dealership in Santa Ana, California and give you an unbiased opinion as someone who has extensively driven all of these vehicles.

I like the x-type 3.0 with the sports package the best. it looks nice

yeah let me know what u think

the benz would be the 320 for me tho, the 230 was pathetic when i drove it, esp for that money

the question is, is when is the 3.5 liter going into the 320. that will make it quite a car with 270 hp.

Just got back from test-driving a Jaguar X-Type 3.0 w/ Sports Package and X1 (Premium) Package at the Jaguar Dealership in Santa Ana. While the vehicle retails at $38K, I was informed that they will go down to $2500 below invoice. Personally, I wasn't too impressed by the vehicle. The center console looked more out-of-date than that of a W208, the feel was quite harsh, and it offered a very boring ride. Also, i'm not a fan of the "look" of the X-Type, so I found no reason to actually buy one. Personally, if I could do it over again, I would still go with the BMW 330 as agility, luxury, and "fun" are the three most important factors for me when purchasing a vehicle. The Jaguar offers mediocre amounts of all three, the C230K is neither particularly agile nor fun, and the Audi A4 3.0 offers a very boring, albeit composed ride. I would still recommend going with a W208 if your budget is in the $30K - $40K range. Personally, I will likely purchase a W209 in the next few weeks.

did u try a c320

forget the 230, itsa waste, im amazed so many people like it. heck i thought i was gonna, but a 4 bangerin a car that size and pricy aint worth it

Most people like the C230 because its a good buy around the 35k mark. I personally couldnt live with it along with the 325i and A4 1.8. My V6 Camry had more pull then these cars. The frickin altima has 260 horses on there V6.

Yeah, MB is a bit behind right now in the HP wars. The Audi 1.8 is more anemic than a C230, but a BMW 325 with a manual is still decently quick -- does 0-60 in about 7 seconds.

whats the 0-60 times of the 330i sedan, audi 3.0, c320 ss

all autos,

C320 is 6.9.

330 is 7.0.

Audi depends on the quattro...

Edit. A4 3.0 w/ quattro is 7.7, without is 6.9.

btw all info is from official websites.

All Automatics.

In other words, without quattro: They all offer near-identical 0-60 times. If you have a minute, would you mind posting the 1/4 mile times? Thanks.

don't have the 1/4 times but according to the database that mb uses to compare their cars to the competitors' cars, bmw 330 scored the fastest 0-60 time, followed by mb c320. Audi a4 3.0 is last because the standard transmission on that car is an automatic.

bmw 330i = 6.4s (6-speed manual)
mb c320 = 6.8s (6-speed manual)
audi a4 3.0 = 6.9s (auto)

what does the rear axle ratio, or compression ration mean,

is there a difference in the HK stereos in the MB and BMW, does anyone know the wattage
how about the bose?

Rear axle (or final drive) ratio is the number of times the transmission output shaft (typically connected to the driveshaft) will rotate for each single rotation of the drive wheel.

Compression Ratio is the "squeeze factor", if you will, of the piston in the cylinder as it makes its movement from bottom dead center to top dead center.

So, for the sake of discussion, if the cylinder is 500cc and the head chamber is another 50cc, then with the piston at the top of the stroke there would be a compression ratio of about 10:1.

Compression Ratio is stated as "static compression ratio" since valve timing will alter true compression ratio. With variable valve timing, like on new cars, it becomes very difficult to determine true compression ratio.

sounds good, thanks for the help

that's probably the 2004 X-Type Sport.

I like the 2005 X-Type 3.0 Sport. It looks pretty cool with the full body kit and it can be ordered with a manual transmission
____________________________________________

2005 X-Type Sport
(available November 2004)

http://www.jaguarusa.com/us/en/vehic...type_Sport.htm

Aggressive, New Exterior Styling
From its black mesh upper and lower grilles and chrome-finished dual exhaust tailpipes, to its full body kit, body-colored trunk lid plinth and trunk-mounted rear lip spoiler, this is an X-TYPE that won´t shy away from revealing its aggressive good looks.

227-hp V6 Engine
The X-TYPE 3.0 Sport is powered by an advanced 227-hp, 3.0-liter V6 engine, which features the weight-saving performance benefits of aluminum and magnesium components with an advanced double overhead cam, four-valve-per-cylinder design.

Sport-Tuned Performance
A sport-tuned suspension and the confident handling of Dynamic Stability Control are standard, while a 5-speed manual transmission with a leather gearshift knob is a no-cost option

My friend got the 330ci while I got the C320. Here are my thoughts.

1) The 330ci came out to $44k (or was it $42k? not sure) for him. My C320 was $37k. Sure he had the premium package while I didn't get leather, but damn that's still a HUGE difference in price. And mind you, he went through a friend who works at Autonation, meaning he got a discount. I got the better deal just by pure haggling. MB pricing is more negotiable.

2) BMW service is horrible. His car's in the shop for a week and he couldn't even get a loaner. You can only get a loaner from the place you bought the car, but it's too far for him. German cars aren't reliable. Service is gonna matter.

3) The C320 engine isn't as smooth. At idle you can feel the random vibrations. That's what you get for the cheaper V90 engine vs. the inline 6 of the BMW.

4) To me, the 330 just looks small. That's what drove me away from it initially.

5) MBs rattle like crazy. Not sure about the BMW 330, but the last time I was in it, it didn't rattle that much.

6) Handling, the BMW is better. But that's nothing a good suspension and sway bars can't fix.

7) Audis look like econoboxes. No thanks. :p

No, it was a 2005.

fyi, b7 a4 comes out in feb as a 2005.5/06 model. e90 3 series comes out next summer/fall.

btw, does anyone have more info on the new 3.5 engine for the c-class? when does it come out etc...


i am also deciding between those 3.

The 3.5L engine is the same as in the SLK models that just came out. I wouldn't count on it going in a C-Class before the W204 in 2007.

Many of these posted comments seem very regionally based. Here (Macon, GA), MB will not bargain on price. When I bought my 240 I got a great deal, but it was listed on the window...not my own doing. My last car was a 330CiC loaded and the BMW dealer bargained hard. Also, there are many internet sites that will bargain for you....like carsdirect. I think I looked up a 330 sedan w/ sport/premium/folding rears/xenons/metallic paint and the price guarantee was around $38,000. As for service, BMW here is hands down way above our MB dealership. I bought the MB to save $. My payments are now about half with a C240 rather than my 330CiC (819 v. 460), but I miss my BMW.

As for Audi...owned 2.....1981 5.0GT was AWESOME...best car I ever owned. 1999 A6 2.8 Quattro was HORRIBLE! My wife and I dumped it after 10 months and took a bath on the loan....it was that bad - never ran!

Happy shopping and let us know what you do!

Keep in mind for next time... There are dealers in more "competitive" markets that can sell you a car at a great price and arrange shipping to your location.

I have read from forum members here that purchased MB's from another state at tremendous savings.

Do a search for out-of-state experiences. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Just one more thing for which to thank "The Internet".

hehe. I don't know if i would like a bigger engine. i'm only getting like 16 to 19 mpg on the 3.2. i figure the gas mileage has got to be less on the 3.5 engine.

gas price is not an issue for me. what i don't like is filling up the gas tank all the time.