ChrisMB

Hello Everyone, this is my first post on this board which I found doing some hunting around. I wanted to read about any complaints and such before I order my new C230K. This is where my questions start...

I went to the dealer and they say that if I order the car now, that it will no longer have the 2.3K motor in it, it will be a smaller, newer 1.8K engine. He had no idea about the performance, but he said that it will have the same HP as the 2.3K. I am hesitant about ordering the car before I have the chance of driving it. I would imagine that it wouldn't have as much torque as the 2.3 and it would definately rev a little higher.

Does anyone have any info on this? He also said that the 2003 will have a Harman/Kardon stereo instead of the Bose system.

thanks....

Mike T.

The new 1.8 L engine series is called the M271; check out the MBSpy website for details on this series.

You are right to be concerned about torque and to a lesser extent, peak power.

In Europe the M271 powered C 230 K is rated at 192 HP (DIN) @ 5800 rpm, compared to 197 DIN HP @ 5500 rpm for the outgoing 2.3 L engine. When the US power ratings are formalised, it'll likely be rated 187 HP (SAE net), as the 2.3 has a 192 HP SAE rating, so there's a slight loss of peak power, and the new engine develops it 300 rpm higher up in the rev band.

The torque rating is where the real difference lies - here are the official torque figures:
2002 C 230 K: 280 Nm @ 2500-4800 rpm
2003 C 230 K: 260 Nm @ 3500-4000 rpm

So the 1.8 has significantly less torque and its torque curve is much peakier as well. In practice, this means that you'll have to rev the car a lot more to get the performance from it. M-B Deutschland says the new 2003 1.8 L C 230 K is only 0.1 second slower than the 2002 model to 100 km/h, but I'd expect the difference in torque and power to be more apparent at higher speeds. Unfortunately M-B does not quote standing start 1 km times or even 400 m (1/4 mile) times.

In the favour of the 1.8 L engine is that it gets better fuel economy (about 7%) than the 2.3, and it should be smoother due to the smaller displacement and Lanchester balancers on the engine (counter-rotating shafts). And in absolute terms, the car should still be quick enough for most people.

Outland

Hi, I'm new to the board, and Ive got similar concerns about the 1.8. I'm interested in buying a C230, but I'm wondering if 1.8Litres is enough for a relatively heavy car....

If you don't order a car, do you think its still possible to find a silver 6 speed 2002 with C5 and C7????

Lynn

Plaza Motors in St. Louis has Silver, auto, C5, C7. Have your sales rep do a nationwide search. You might find a car to your spec or you might have to make some compromises on color and options.

Considering your posted location, I guess you won't be concerned with the location of the car in the US.

c240x

Did your dealer tell you when the car would arrive? I think typically September cars are considered next years model (2003). Just wondering if it was delivered prior to Sept, would it still be considered a 2002.

ChrisMB

The dealer said that the 2003 model will start arriving at the end of July.

sdcaclint

Outland,
where are you located? if you want a silver c5, c7 with the 2.3, call san diego mercedes benz. that is the car i originally ordered, and it is currently on the boat. it should arrive the first week of june. talk to craig in sales. tell him clint sent you.

Fuzzo

OUtland -
I agree with the others... if you want the 2.3, then you will have to go for a 2002. If you are cool with that. ..you should haveyour salesperson see if there are any cars to your taste... you will more than likely find some...

i have seen 1 or 2 coupes sitting at the local dealerships.... good luck..

omgitsroy326

besides the better fuel wouldn't it be better to have the 2.3L . I mean it makes sense that the 1.8 comes close to performing withthe 2.3L, but shouldn't the 2.3 be more appealing?

sdcaclint

i believe there will be some drawbacks to the 1.8 such as reduced torque. but there will most likely be improvements in the smoothness of the engine. the 2.3 isn't the smoothest engine around. don't get me wrong, it is smooth and i love the torque. i would guess that the 1.8 will be a fine engine. the 2.3 has been around for a while, and would guess that there is going to be some more refinement in the new engine. with all that being said, there is no replacement for displacement.

pokerFACE

i'm sorry.. maybe I'm not up to date with things.. but if the 2003 C230 Coupe is getting a 1.8K engine, then shouldn't they start calling it C180K Coupe??

hokusbenz

if they start calling it the C180k in this country no one would want to buy it

Outland

I think MB shot itself in the foot with this one...even if the motor is smoother, the drop in output is a step in the wrong direction. Why didn't they just produce a 2.3L version of this new engine? The 1.8 has a 107HP per Litre output, not too shabby....along that same lines, a 2.3 litre version could make as much as 245HP. Certainly, that would end complaints about the power. I really like this car, but I sometimes wonder if MB is intentionally hobbling it, perhaps because the old guard at MB doesn't like the idea of the 25K coupe?

Obviously, MB is worried about the gains that the Japanese luxo brands have been making...so why hold back? 245HP in the COupe would stuff cars like the RSX Type S and the IS 300. These two seem to be the cars that buyers of of the C-Coupe also have interest in... And styling wise, the C-Coupe is a much better looking design than the boxy IS300 or the bland RSX.

leepolun

I wouldn't consider the RSX for a sec. over C230K. Maybe the IS300.

Fuzzo

i don't know if you can compare the coupe with the IS300... the IS is really a good car.. i drove my friends the other day and it was much much more receptive than my 240... i would have gone with the IS if they had a manual when i got my car and also if someone makes an aftermarket tail light that takes away the chrome look... i would just like a clean red light or something...

i'm pretty sure someone will make one for the IS, so that it looks different to the others....

hokusbenz

the IS-300 is good if you want a hopped up toyota over a benz- not my taste personally. it doesnt look much better to me than a Prelude or something....

viper

I am sure the 1.8 will be more than satisfactory. The 2.3 is a proven engine but they would not introduce the 1.8 if they did not have confidence in it.

gab

I wonder if they gonna put the 1.8K engine into SLK as well??

Lynn

The current SLK will continue with the 2.3. The next gen SLK gets the 1.8.

Outland

No, neither would I. The RSX is just an overpriced Civic. Civics are nice economy cars...and the RSX is a competent coupe, but its still a civic, even looks like a civic with aftermarket headlights.

The C230 is what I want given my current situation, I need a car with a backseat(childseat). A used C5 Vette would be a hoot, but again, no backseat... The TT is fun, but that non existent backseat and frankly overpriced window sticker turns me off. I thought about the A4, but I don't want a four door car right now...I want a fun coupe.

Anyone know if the current upgrade paths(i.e. pulley) will work on the 1.8? I'm gonna want that for sure if I get stuck with the 1.8. At least we'll get the Bi-Xenon light option then. Damn those look cool.

viper

Just to add some perspective to this - the 2.3 engine was added to the coupe simply because they had nothing else at that time that would have reasonable performance. MB has to be careful with pitting the coupe and SLK too close together in terms of performance or they will lose SLK sales. With both having the same powertrain this year they were probably losing SLK sales. And I am sure the new 1.8 engine is cheaper to manufacture.

Zerostatic

is the 1.8 engine going to be N/A or is it going to be supercharged?

trench

The version for the North American market will be supercharged.

Cheers, BT

session

i don't think they could get 187 HP out of a naturally aspired 1.8L. my bet is that it's supercharged.

MarkL

A few posts back, Lynn said the next generation SLK would also have the 1.8L engine. If this is true, then this point is moot. Both the SLK and CxxxK still have the same engine.