2005 Coupe is finally here -- first impressions
10-05-2004, 10:04 PM
#1
2005 Coupe is finally here -- first impressions
Hello all!
My 2005 C230K SC, ordered last June (see my sig for the main options), was finally ready for pickup last Friday.
Again, many thanks to the members of this forum for lots of useful postings and replies. The info that I got from this board was incredibly helpful, first when choosing the car and then when dealing with several snags in the ordering/delivery process.
In a nutshell, I am so far delighted with the car. Here are my quick impressions after 200 miles of mixed city, B-road and highway driving (for my comparisons of (i) the 2004 & 2005 coupes and (ii) the 2005 sport sedans and coupes based on several test-drives, see https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w203/72008-2005-c230k-coupe-test-drive-long-post.html).
The good: fit and finish (except as noted below), suppleness of suspension (despite the sportier 2005 settings), quickness of steering (improved over 2004), overall insonorisation
The not so good:
(i) engine note -- the exhaust is discreet most of the time, but does a sporty car really need to growl so much at parking-lot speeds and to be almost "boomy" on the highway?
(ii) no one-touch close for the pano roof -- am I missing something?
(iii) driver's power window controls -- hard to reach in general and in low light especially (they are unlit unless headlights are on);
(iv) quality of some switches unworthy of MB (sunroof, ceiling lights, windows).
I am sure I'll have some other items to mention, but that's it for now. I will comment on engine-related items after the break-in is over, probably in a month or so.
My 2005 C230K SC, ordered last June (see my sig for the main options), was finally ready for pickup last Friday.
Again, many thanks to the members of this forum for lots of useful postings and replies. The info that I got from this board was incredibly helpful, first when choosing the car and then when dealing with several snags in the ordering/delivery process.
In a nutshell, I am so far delighted with the car. Here are my quick impressions after 200 miles of mixed city, B-road and highway driving (for my comparisons of (i) the 2004 & 2005 coupes and (ii) the 2005 sport sedans and coupes based on several test-drives, see https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w203/72008-2005-c230k-coupe-test-drive-long-post.html).
The good: fit and finish (except as noted below), suppleness of suspension (despite the sportier 2005 settings), quickness of steering (improved over 2004), overall insonorisation
The not so good:
(i) engine note -- the exhaust is discreet most of the time, but does a sporty car really need to growl so much at parking-lot speeds and to be almost "boomy" on the highway?
(ii) no one-touch close for the pano roof -- am I missing something?
(iii) driver's power window controls -- hard to reach in general and in low light especially (they are unlit unless headlights are on);
(iv) quality of some switches unworthy of MB (sunroof, ceiling lights, windows).
I am sure I'll have some other items to mention, but that's it for now. I will comment on engine-related items after the break-in is over, probably in a month or so.
Last edited by ayilar; 10-05-2004 at 10:20 PM.
10-06-2004, 01:18 AM
#3
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
Congratulations & Welcome to the COUPE CLUB !!
if you get a chance, post some pics, especially of those new 2005 features that set it apart from the older CL203's.
if you get a chance, post some pics, especially of those new 2005 features that set it apart from the older CL203's.
10-06-2004, 08:04 AM
#5
One additional "not so good" item:
(v) The instrument legibility could be improved. The main dials are hard to read in some conditions unless the headlights are turned on. I don't have such a problem on my 2002 Passat. To make things worse, part of the rev counter is hidden by the steering wheel in both of my preferred seating positions.
Here is a picture of the car in front of the Washington monument last Sunday. I down-sampled it for faster loading. I'll try to post some additional pics when I have had time to take them, likely during the week-end.
(v) The instrument legibility could be improved. The main dials are hard to read in some conditions unless the headlights are turned on. I don't have such a problem on my 2002 Passat. To make things worse, part of the rev counter is hidden by the steering wheel in both of my preferred seating positions.
Here is a picture of the car in front of the Washington monument last Sunday. I down-sampled it for faster loading. I'll try to post some additional pics when I have had time to take them, likely during the week-end.
Last edited by ayilar; 10-06-2004 at 09:34 AM.
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10-06-2004, 01:22 PM
#8
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Stock suspension looking much better than in 2002 when the car sat 6" off the front wheel.
the rear sits perferct though.
10-06-2004, 07:01 PM
#10
Thanks all!
IMHO, MB should have made these revisions earlier in the car's cycle. Like many people, car journalists included, the pre-facelift model left me with ambivalent feelings. I liked the 2004 enough that I put it on my short list with the Mazda RX-8 this Spring but, without the 2005 changes, I'd have bought an RX8. With the revisions, I bought the Coupe.
I think that the 2005 C230k SC is, by far, the best deal in the MB line-up. At the LMT last month, I drove pretty much everything available. I concluded that I'd have had to pay 50k more to get something _significantly_ better with four seats. The CLK is a prettier but overpriced C; the E is ponderous, a 5 series is much sharper; the SLK 350 is nice but has only two seats. This may seem like an exageration, but (at least until the 350 becomes available on other models) only the S500 seemed worth the extra cash.
Bottom line: too bad MB looks set to drop the Coupe after 2005. To echo others, this car looks like a proper baby Merc and feels like one. Then again, if we like exclusivity, perhaps we ought to thank MB for keeping them rare.
IMHO, MB should have made these revisions earlier in the car's cycle. Like many people, car journalists included, the pre-facelift model left me with ambivalent feelings. I liked the 2004 enough that I put it on my short list with the Mazda RX-8 this Spring but, without the 2005 changes, I'd have bought an RX8. With the revisions, I bought the Coupe.
I think that the 2005 C230k SC is, by far, the best deal in the MB line-up. At the LMT last month, I drove pretty much everything available. I concluded that I'd have had to pay 50k more to get something _significantly_ better with four seats. The CLK is a prettier but overpriced C; the E is ponderous, a 5 series is much sharper; the SLK 350 is nice but has only two seats. This may seem like an exageration, but (at least until the 350 becomes available on other models) only the S500 seemed worth the extra cash.
Bottom line: too bad MB looks set to drop the Coupe after 2005. To echo others, this car looks like a proper baby Merc and feels like one. Then again, if we like exclusivity, perhaps we ought to thank MB for keeping them rare.
Last edited by ayilar; 10-06-2004 at 09:24 PM.
10-07-2004, 12:19 AM
#11
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'05 C230 coupe
Originally Posted by ayilar
I liked the 2004 enough that I put it on my short list with the Mazda RX-8 this Spring but, without the 2005 changes, I'd have bought an RX8. With the revisions, I bought the Coupe.
wasn't looking at an RX-8, but that's pretty much exactly how I went about my car shopping as far as MB was concerned ^_^ congrats on the coupe! *SHOULD* be getting mine by the end of next week, this is driving me NUTS!!!
that fender gap looks pretty good on the front end, I might not even need to drop it
10-07-2004, 12:23 AM
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2003 Citron Green C230KMT
Originally Posted by 808_230K
wasn't looking at an RX-8, but that's pretty much exactly how I went about my car shopping as far as MB was concerned ^_^ congrats on the coupe! *SHOULD* be getting mine by the end of next week, this is driving me NUTS!!!
that fender gap looks pretty good on the front end, I might not even need to drop it
that fender gap looks pretty good on the front end, I might not even need to drop it
10-08-2004, 12:51 AM
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'05 C230 coupe
Originally Posted by CitronC230K_03
did you order the car. when i ordered mine the wait was killing me too.
yep, back in july, for the august build. just got home from the stealer, actually... the boat docks in honolulu TOMORROW! YAY!!! ^_^ according to my salesman, I'll be taking delivery btwn wed-fri at the latest
and through some weird stroke of almost luck, my landlady's son crashed his truck, so he needs a new car, and might buy my GTI, so I won't have to trade it in. so, that would be nice
10-08-2004, 01:56 AM
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2005 C320wz
how do you like the driver's seat moving back and the steering wheel moving up when the key is taken out of the ignition ?
for me, it felt kinda strange for a while but i think I have overcome that strangeness
for me, it felt kinda strange for a while but i think I have overcome that strangeness
10-08-2004, 03:29 AM
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'05 C230 coupe
Originally Posted by CitronC230K_03
sweet! congrats. my brother has a MkIV GTI, and i love my C230 coupe way more than his GTI.
well, there are a few things I'm gonna miss about my dub.. but oh well, gotta move on, eh?
one of the things that seriously drew me to the c coupe in the first place was how it's pretty reminiscent of the corrado, or rather, how the corrado *should* have been ^_^ *cough*rwd*cough*
10-08-2004, 08:36 AM
#17
Mick1: Neither my seat nor my steering wheel moves when I turn off the car and remove the key. Beginner's question: is there a setting that I need to turn on to enable this feature, as is the case for the right rearview mirror parking position?
808_230k: My Coupe is replacing a Mk III Golf Sport that I bought new in 1995. I also looked at the Mk IV GTI, but it did not make my short list, which included the Chrysler 300C, Audi A4 Avant, BMW 330 Cic, Mazda RX8, and the Coupe. If the MkV had been out, my decision might have been harder.
These are all very different cars at very different price points, yet they all appealed to me. I eliminated the 300C because my wife simply hated the styling. I dropped the A4, which she liked a lot, because we have a 2002 Passat V6 and in the end the A4 was not different enough. In convertible form, the Bimmer was our preferred car -- but with a kiddo to put in the back seat, we rationalized that the curtain airbags on the C were essential (it helped that the convertible cost almost twice as much out the door as what we ended up paying for the Coupe ). We will revisit the issue when the new 3 convertible gets out and it's time to replace the Passat in two or three years (by then, hopefully, the Cic will have head bags for all passengers like the new Saab 9-3 convertible).
In the end, it was RX8 vs. Coupe. As I said earlier, it was a very close call, and I ended up going with the C. After a week, I am still happy that I did.
808_230k: My Coupe is replacing a Mk III Golf Sport that I bought new in 1995. I also looked at the Mk IV GTI, but it did not make my short list, which included the Chrysler 300C, Audi A4 Avant, BMW 330 Cic, Mazda RX8, and the Coupe. If the MkV had been out, my decision might have been harder.
These are all very different cars at very different price points, yet they all appealed to me. I eliminated the 300C because my wife simply hated the styling. I dropped the A4, which she liked a lot, because we have a 2002 Passat V6 and in the end the A4 was not different enough. In convertible form, the Bimmer was our preferred car -- but with a kiddo to put in the back seat, we rationalized that the curtain airbags on the C were essential (it helped that the convertible cost almost twice as much out the door as what we ended up paying for the Coupe
). We will revisit the issue when the new 3 convertible gets out and it's time to replace the Passat in two or three years (by then, hopefully, the Cic will have head bags for all passengers like the new Saab 9-3 convertible). In the end, it was RX8 vs. Coupe. As I said earlier, it was a very close call, and I ended up going with the C. After a week, I am still happy that I did.
Last edited by ayilar; 10-08-2004 at 10:29 AM.
10-08-2004, 09:36 AM
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'05 C230 coupe
Originally Posted by ayilar
808_230k: My Coupe is replacing a Mk III Golf Sport that I bought new in 1995. I also looked at the Mk IV GTI, but it did not make my short list, which included the Chrysler 300C, Audi A4 Avant, BMW 330 Cic, Mazda RX8, and the Coupe. If the MkV had been out, my decision might have been harder.
10-08-2004, 10:20 AM
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2003 C230K Sport Coupe, 1986 190E 2.3
Originally Posted by ayilar
Mick1: Neither my seat nor my steering wheel moves when I turn off the car and remove the key. Beginner's question: is there a setting that I need to turn on to enable this feature, as is the case for the right rearview mirror parking position?
10-08-2004, 12:11 PM
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2003 Citron Green C230KMT
yeah i like the easy entry/exit feature as well. though i only do the steering wheel right now. im tired of the seat never getting back into position in time before i reach the speed limikt where they stop moving. so i just do the steering wheel right now.
10-14-2004, 11:49 AM
#23
OK folks, here is the 900-miles, 10-days later update. Let me revisit the points I mentioned in the original posts and add a few new ones.
1. The good:
(i) fit and finish.
STILL TRUE: only one minor "rattle" so far, an intermittent buzz coming from either the pano roof or a seatbelt track. Confirmation also that the MB-Tex interior looks good and is easily cleaned.
(ii) suppleness of suspension (despite the sportier 2005 settings).
STILL TRUE: excellent on most roads, though on bad city roads the ride is a tad too bumpy for my taste. Then again, the car corners flat. Trade-offs, trade-offs...
(iii) quickness of steering (improved over 2004).
STILL TRUE: the more I drive this car, the more I like its steering.
(iv) overall insonorisation.
STILL TRUE -- with the exception of the exhaust, as noted earlier.
(v) brightness of the interior.
NEW: I enjoy this aspect more and more. Last week-end, I drove several hundred miles with the car loaded to capacity (4 people + their luggage) on both B-roads and highways. Everyone was quite comfy. Two of my passengers commented on the airiness of the atmosphere even in the back, which is due to the huge amnount of glass.
(vi) manual transmission.
NEW: 3-4-5-6 upshifts and 6-5-4 downshifts are smooth, as good as hoped for (but see below about 1-2 upshift and 4-3 downshift)
2. The not so good:
(i) engine note -- the exhaust is discreet most of the time, but does a sporty car really need to growl so much at parking-lot speeds and to be almost "boomy" on the highway?
STILL TRUE, this is arguably the most annoying feature of the car.
(ii) no one-touch close for the pano roof -- am I missing something?
(iii) driver's power window controls -- hard to reach in general and in low light especially (they are unlit unless headlights are on).
STILL TRUE, the same comment applies to the seat's memory settings (I'd like all controls to be lit up at night)
(iv) quality of some switches unworthy of MB (sunroof, ceiling lights, windows).
STILL TRUE, add to this the fact that the lighting for most controls (orange-ish) differs from the main display's (white). I wish MB had harmonized the lighting, preferably in shades of white and blue.
(v) The instrument legibility could be improved. The main dials are hard to read in some conditions unless the headlights are turned on. I don't have such a problem on my 2002 Passat. To make things worse, part of the rev counter is hidden by the steering wheel in both of my preferred seating positions.
STILL TRUE, quite annoying (you only need to suddenly come to a shaded area to momentarily be unable to read the main dials).
(vi) manual transmission
NEW: though the 2005 stick is OK overall, I was expecting better. In particular, the 1-2 upshift and 4-3 downshift are too notchy. Ditto for the reverse, which is hard to engage. Also, the 1-2 throw is too long -- it feels much shorter on my 2002 Passat, which is not a sporty car.
P.S.: I still have not had the chance to push the engine, since I try to religiously respect the break-in recommendations.
1. The good:
(i) fit and finish.
STILL TRUE: only one minor "rattle" so far, an intermittent buzz coming from either the pano roof or a seatbelt track. Confirmation also that the MB-Tex interior looks good and is easily cleaned.
(ii) suppleness of suspension (despite the sportier 2005 settings).
STILL TRUE: excellent on most roads, though on bad city roads the ride is a tad too bumpy for my taste. Then again, the car corners flat. Trade-offs, trade-offs...
(iii) quickness of steering (improved over 2004).
STILL TRUE: the more I drive this car, the more I like its steering.
(iv) overall insonorisation.
STILL TRUE -- with the exception of the exhaust, as noted earlier.
(v) brightness of the interior.
NEW: I enjoy this aspect more and more. Last week-end, I drove several hundred miles with the car loaded to capacity (4 people + their luggage) on both B-roads and highways. Everyone was quite comfy. Two of my passengers commented on the airiness of the atmosphere even in the back, which is due to the huge amnount of glass.
(vi) manual transmission.
NEW: 3-4-5-6 upshifts and 6-5-4 downshifts are smooth, as good as hoped for (but see below about 1-2 upshift and 4-3 downshift)
2. The not so good:
(i) engine note -- the exhaust is discreet most of the time, but does a sporty car really need to growl so much at parking-lot speeds and to be almost "boomy" on the highway?
STILL TRUE, this is arguably the most annoying feature of the car.
(ii) no one-touch close for the pano roof -- am I missing something?
(iii) driver's power window controls -- hard to reach in general and in low light especially (they are unlit unless headlights are on).
STILL TRUE, the same comment applies to the seat's memory settings (I'd like all controls to be lit up at night)
(iv) quality of some switches unworthy of MB (sunroof, ceiling lights, windows).
STILL TRUE, add to this the fact that the lighting for most controls (orange-ish) differs from the main display's (white). I wish MB had harmonized the lighting, preferably in shades of white and blue.
(v) The instrument legibility could be improved. The main dials are hard to read in some conditions unless the headlights are turned on. I don't have such a problem on my 2002 Passat. To make things worse, part of the rev counter is hidden by the steering wheel in both of my preferred seating positions.
STILL TRUE, quite annoying (you only need to suddenly come to a shaded area to momentarily be unable to read the main dials).
(vi) manual transmission
NEW: though the 2005 stick is OK overall, I was expecting better. In particular, the 1-2 upshift and 4-3 downshift are too notchy. Ditto for the reverse, which is hard to engage. Also, the 1-2 throw is too long -- it feels much shorter on my 2002 Passat, which is not a sporty car.
P.S.: I still have not had the chance to push the engine, since I try to religiously respect the break-in recommendations.
Last edited by ayilar; 10-15-2004 at 09:56 AM.
10-14-2004, 09:30 PM
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'05 C230 coupe
you could use the recyc. button on the climate ctrl to ghetto one-touch the sunroof closed... 
FINALLY gonna be able to my car! pickup is at 10am... yes, I'm taking off from work to get a car ^_^ I just hope I can sleep tonight, it's like freakin' christmas
FINALLY gonna be able to
my car! pickup is at 10am... yes, I'm taking off from work to get a car ^_^ I just hope I can sleep tonight, it's like freakin' christmas
