twinspark

Hi Guys,, just to refresh ur memory,, I own a 2008 C280 (231 BHP) and a 2008 BMW X3 3.0 SI (272 bhp)

BMW claims 0-100 in 7.3 to 7.5
Merc claims 0-100 in 7.2

However,, when i raced a friend of mine who owns another C280 with my X3 in a straight line from rest..

I conquered him!!! which made me really sad and confused too!! I got this car for comfort & performance. Honestly,, the X3 feels and performs alot faster and its also comfortable and handles great, even when it comes to sharp turns and curves (thanks to the X-drive system)...

I am truly disappointed !!! any comments ???

Note: Yes,, he used the tip-tronic shifts and launched on 1st gear (he tried both C & S mods too)

AsianML

Tiptronic (touchshift actually) is slower than auto.

abqhudson

I don't doubt it - 0-100 km/hr in 7.2 secs sounds about right. That's approx 0-60 mph.

webada

hrm, if it matterred that much to you, you should have gotten the c350.

anyways, it could just be you are a "faster" driver, weight less, steady hands... etc.... 0-60mph test is never conducted with a "race" this does not provide the same control. Same driver, same road, and a clock test with different cars is the way to go.

never the less, I drive a 528i now and that feels faster than the c300, go figure...

twinspark

[QUOTE=webada;2566189]hrm, if it matterred that much to you, you should have gotten the c350.

I would have gotten it if it was available in Egypt,, but unfortunately, the C280 is the biggest engine around here and its slow compared to my X3....

chilledbenz

C300 2 wheel drive with auto trans= 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds.
C300 2 wheel drive with manual trans= 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds.
C350 2 wheel drive with auto trans= 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds.

I have yet to find honest numbers for a C300 4matic with auto trans, but going from past numbers you can probably add a full second to a second and a half to the 7.1 number (say 8.5 range).

I own a C300 4matic and I've already mentioned on another thread, but its slow. Its not clown car slow, but it desperately needs to shed some pounds and bump up the horses and it would be near perfect save for some minor interior upgrades.

S-Clusiv

Comfort I can understand..but..you bought a C280 for performance?

Didn't they let you test drive it before you drove it off of the lot?

Untertürkheim

Where did you get the 6.5s figure for the C300 MT? According to the global specs for 0-100 km/hr the MT is 0.1 second slower than the auto.

twinspark

By that time, i was driving a 2006 1.6 FSI passat. So the C280 was impressive. However, when i got the X3,,, it turned out to be a lie !

Honeslty, I am thinking of selling it when the new 330 sedan facelift is out

I hate the current 3-series

chilledbenz

January 2008 issue of Car and Driver. They do a match up of manual equipped cars. I'm willing to guess from what I've been reading that the auto transmission C300 is probably a bit faster than MB says, I was going by the brochure for that number.

430752

Huh? Any basis for the 4matic guess on acceleration? Usually, awd cars of the same engine/body/etc. are quicker not slower on the 0-60 times since the awd allows it to get off the line like a scalded cat. Of course, the 1/4 mile or 0-100(mph) or 30-90 (mph) times are usually slower cause then the extra weight of the awd unit plus increased loss of power from crank to wheels due to awd inefficiencies kicks in.

Anyway, I agree the 4matic is a bit of a pig. Have always said it, despite buying one, and have been jabbed on this forum and others for saying it. So watch your tounge, the Mercedes Fan-Boyz won't have the truth be known!

AsianML

AWD may be quicker off the line than most of it's RWD counterparts....but the C300 is kinda weak so I doubt AWD will give it any traction advantage over the C300 RWD.

Now, if we were talking Carerra 2S over the C4S that's a different story.

Krytech

I think the AWD advantage is moot since neither the 300 or 350 have enough power to spin the wheels off the line, so there is no traction advantage. Second, the 4matic adds weight and decreases power to the wheels.

twinspark

I second Krytech... the C300 doesn't have the power to spin the wheels even on the tiptronic mode when you launch full throttle on 1st gear.

It will only add more weight !!

KiwiRobbie

I had a 2007 1.6 FSI Golf, that was slow, I'd hate to think what a pig a Passat would have been with the same motor.

If you hate the current 3 series then you are going to hate the facelift, it's not a lot different, pretty minor really, you can't turn a pigs ear into a silk purse, the c class is much better looking, if you want a car for looks then keep the c or get the new A4, it's a stunner, and the interior is stunning for the class of car, way nicer than the 3 series and a littler better than the C.

Uga Uga

I think you will be surprised what it can do, turn esp off and give the accelerator a very rapid stamp, MB accelerators have a slight hesitation before take off in order to give you a smooth take off.

rb23lb

dude, c300 are very slow... not like the c350 is fast, but its quick enough to be sufficient, as to where the c300 feels similar to 4 banger's I have driven on much lighter japanese cars

Krytech

Are you saying you can spin the tires on your C Class? Did you slick them up first or were you on sand? Sorry, but even with the ESP off you ain't gonna break dry traction on those 245/40 tires with an automatic.

chilledbenz

Couple of reasons. First being that the 4matic system has a gear ratio set more for getting you out of situations than for putting down power (I believe with this new version of 4matic the torque split is 50/50 now instead of the more sport oriented 40/60 split of the BMW 3 series or of the w203 for that matter). Second the 4matic system itself weighs quite a bit and adds more weight to a car thats already struggling with power without the 4matic. Third, going by numbers for the w203, the 4matic versions were anywhere from 1.5 - 2 seconds slower than the non 4matic cars.

Numbers really depend on weather conditions, track conditions, tires, drivers, ect., so there are +/- with all the numbers posted in tests.

AsianML

50/50 is the torque split for the 'Bama three models I believe. Perhaps it has changed with the new generation 4Matic system, but I believe the previous systems had 40/60 F/R split.

chilledbenz

Ha ha yeah me and my fuzzy math..its 40/60 I couldn't add, I changed it now.

But the S class is 50/50 now, so I was assuming that the C class got the same new system.