On Saturday morning I had a test drive scheduled at the M-B dealer about 40 miles from where I live.Here are my impressions of the vehicle this of course is one of the vehicles I am considering for my new car purchase.Standing start acceleration was somewhat lethargic but once you got going it had some pretty good pick-up.Handling was good over both smooth and bumpy roads.Turning radius was also good.Interior was nice with excellent fit and finish.Standard stereo system also sounded pretty good.A very solid feeling vehicle that did everthing well but nothing really outstanding.Safety is a prime concern for me this vehicle would rate high there and it has a lot of nice interesting features.So I guess the question I have to ask myself is,is this vehicle worth almost 35K MSRP.Which of course I would not pay MSRP.I test drove an automatic because that is what I would be driving.Ah decisions,decisions as it is right now I am leaning toward the 05 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited.But I cant get over how cheap looking the interior is and the stereo is not that impressive.And the Climate Control system did not seem to operate properly.What to do.
MBMikey4

i didn't even test drive the car when i decided to buy mine. I just liked the way it looked compared to the other cars in the price range

You must have driven the slushbox, the manual trans is plenty fast for me. It's that snap off the line you don't get with auto MB transmissions, sort of what feels like a 1 second delay. Don't know how loaded a car you are getting but my 2004.5 cost me $25K back in June with sunroof/metallic paint, most stuff is standard. I drove the Subie at a Car and Driver event, very nice but you are right, it's hard to get over the plasticy interior after driving a european car. If you want something that's the size of the Legacy, consider the Jag X, you can get the 2.5 for low to mid twenties on a 2004 leftover (depending on options and trans type) and it comes standard with awd like the Subie and it has 4 years free maintenance, neither the MB or Subie gives you that, I figure that's worth $2K right there.

The Auto C230k just doesnt cut it. Look at slighly used C320. As for handling you can get some AMG sway bars and Eibach springs. But if you want a new car out of the box that will take care of your driving needs get the subaru.

I just test drove one last wk as well, thinking about selling my FX45 and downsize..I was not impressed with the performance since it was slower than my 99 slk and way way slower than my FX. Of course, i am comparing apple to oranges if i take the FX into consideration but I thought the updated interior/exterior were gorgeous. If I can get a buyer for my FX be4 year ends, I will definitely go lease a C230K with my 1500off coupon, which makes the car to me around 27 to 29k range, depending on my negotiation skills off the 35k msrp...

Can you tell me more about your FX45?? Might be interested......thanks!

thats an amazing deal for a new c230, how did u get that?

Originally posted by MBMikey4:
Cheap looking interior ?

Not that I'm a big Subie fan but the one thing I was impressed with is the new interior. Maybe yours had a funky color combo or something but the one I drove (interior was sand leather with wood and brushed metal inserts) was quite nice.

I am really satisfied with my 2005 C230 Komp. For the price that is offered...I am really happy. I got the auto transmission though and I didnt even test drive. I just like the car.

it was a floor show car they put in the mall. the only real option is the sunroof he mentioned, and since it's out in the mall for who knows how long (or what ppl did to it) as well as 2005 came out in less than 2 month he got great discount. Personally that wouldn't be my way of picking out a car.

I think he might be trading it in for a new Mustang soon since I remember he said his old Mustang was more reliable than his new car. Isn't that right Buell? We might have one less ppl who bought MB because of FREE cookies and carwash from the dealership.

I am actually a die hard subaru fan as well as Mercedes. I had 2 WRXs and have been throwing around the idea of a Legacy GT as well. It is hard to compare the two really. To me it all boils down to a few things 1) brand image, 2) resale, 3) and really....how long will you own the car.

I LOVED my WRXs. I dumped a ton of money into them (mods). The bottom line is though, as fun as the Subies are to drive, the novelty wears off after a few months. Yes they are cool cult cars (the Legacy is now part of the Subie performance cult), but when you are at work, out for a night on the town, going on a road trip, etc.....you can't beat the Benz. The Subie wins on back roads, but I have had enough of a blast with my MB to justify it better than the Subaru (Legacy or WRX).

...NOTE: I am warning you - don't test drive an STI or you will buy it and be stuck with one ugly wing on your car. That car is sick.