pcb

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQxz5...elated&search=

This is the best W204 review I have seen and wanted to share. Informative, humors and oh so true!!

Bokx_350

I hate to bring on this point; but half the features mentioned in that video didn’t make it across the Atlantic. Oh… and did you noticed the gear shifting pads behind the wheel?

MB Fanatic

Thats because idiotic American's complain when they dont know how to use certain features without crying foul or taking time to review the ****ing manual.

qwerty1024

Or could it be because the value of the US dollar is taking a dump? Therefore to keep the price down, a little, the decision was made to keep it simple and leave some features out?

I really don't know, am just blurting that outloud. Regardless, it does suck that some of those features were left out for US - at least for the early 2008 W204 models...

MB Fanatic

Most can honestly tell you that it is the lack of common sense and knowledge amongst some of us across the pond, which has caused Mercdes to decontent the cars and make them "stupid" instead of "smarter."

What happened was that when someone didnt know how to use a feature they would cry foul and go over to JD Powers, Consumer Reports and other useless magazines and publcations and say my car doesnt work, when in fact it does and they just need to read a ****ing manual. Its a shame the new C doesnt carry over many of the great advanced features the Europeans get.

qwerty1024

If you're right, than it reeeealy sucks! I've looked the the video the original poster provided the link for, and sure would have loved to have the paddle-shifters... and other things as well.

also noticed that the backlight of the instrument panel is blue... I would have liked that more than the white.

thanks to OP for the video link.

Bokx_350

This is something that has been discussed several times before it this forum.

How much would it really COST to MB to equip the C with a keyless-go, reverse sensors, memory seats and shifting pads? If you think about it, it should be that much since most of the wiring/technology is already there. I.E. how much more for the memory seats if you already have electric seats; or the shifting pads on the wheel if you already have the tronic trans?

A C class with all these features will definitely end most of the “335 vs C350” discussions (I wouldn’t mind so much the -30hp with so many other features).

Then why didn’t MB include the features?
Cost?! C’mon, it prob. costs less than $150 for MB.

Maybe MB Fanatic has a point. Or maybe MB didn’t want to cannibalize its E class sales.

QQQ

You made a point. Some of new features in C like the intelligent light systems, knee airbag exceed that of S. In Europe, active bi-x only comes with ILS that's why here we don't get the active bi-x.

In Europe the shift pad is part of the Advanced Agility package, whcih is only available 6 months after the W204 debut so that pent-up demand has to be filled but I can see that coming stateside in MY2009 or the facelift in MY2010, or when the CGI engines come stateside.

The Memory seats / Keyless GO issues were beaten to death in this forum. Maybe all future buyers have to pass an IQ test to keep the cars away from idiots who complain to JD Powers and Consumer Reports when they can't figutre out how these gadgets work.