Issues.
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Newbie
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3
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From: Lancaster, CA
'08 C300 Sport with Auto Tranny in Steel Grey
Issues.
Hey guys. Well I bought my C300 on the 30th of March and Im sitting in the dealer right now. I already came once and for squeaking noise that couldn't be resolved. Now I'm in here for that noise again, my tire exploded and has to be replaced, the right side of the glovebox between the door is breaking off, the front left vent moves on itself, the air conditioning smells bad after being turned off, and on the outside of the doors in between the chrome the black plastic trim looks like it has grease which is not removable. Grrrrrr!!! This is annoying. And now I'm being given a rental car.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 469
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Hey guys. Well I bought my C300 on the 30th of March and Im sitting in the dealer right now. I already came once and for squeaking noise that couldn't be resolved. Now I'm in here for that noise again, my tire exploded and has to be replaced, the right side of the glovebox between the door is breaking off, the front left vent moves on itself, the air conditioning smells bad after being turned off, and on the outside of the doors in between the chrome the black plastic trim looks like it has grease which is not removable. Grrrrrr!!! This is annoying. And now I'm being given a rental car.
1) You hit something sharp/hard that causes the tire to rapidly deflate.
2) You filled up the air on those tires too high.
3) Combination of 1 and 2.
If it was number 2 or 3, is this your first car? There are max psi numbers on the tires for a reason.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,828
Likes: 1
From: United States
2008 R350 & 2008 C300
I feel for ya I've been in your situation before, just be thankful with all the other reports popping up on this board about transmission troubles, engine troubles and electrical gremlins that your problems are minor. If your looking for good news you can be assured that the warranty will take care of your concerns. The reason for the loaner car is because I would be most certain that the service department doesn't have the parts you are needing in stock, they seem pretty random and haven't heard of others here having those problems.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,828
Likes: 1
From: United States
2008 R350 & 2008 C300
Bremen car here...and I've had problems with mine. Gotta be careful with starting threads about problems people are seeing with cars though. I attempted to do a thread for people to state what problems they were having after I had my trouble, but I got shot down here pretty quick. The people that haven't had any problems will flame you for posting.
Last edited by chilledbenz; Jul 4, 2008 at 07:51 PM.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 678
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver WA
'14 GLK250 Diesel
I think the real issue is trying to draw grand conclusions, either positive or negative, from the truly microscopic sample that is represented online. Whether your experiences are positive or negative, there are simply too few cars represented here to make a statistical sample that is worth much.
Which is why Consumer Reports is so important - their data represents the only decent sampling that is not under control of the manufacturer; the car makers themselves are the only other ones that have real data, and needless to say, they aren't talking. JD Powers, and similar pollsters, also represent samples that are too small to be really useful.
In my personal sample of ONE, our car has been issue-free and a joy to own. It has been significantly better in every respect, including build quality, vs our W203 C240, and just about every other German car we've ever had. I could draw one kind of conclusion from that, or accept the fact that it's just one experience.
If you've had a problem, it's tempting to look for others with the same problem, and then conclude that it's a widespread or genetic weakness in the car - but it takes a lot more cars than we can sample here to know anything important about reliability and potential inherent weaknesses.
Some of you seem inclined to be pessimistic based on what you've experienced or read here - others, like me, see the W204 as a real step forward for MB, and a sign that they've turned a corner. Neither view is "right" until a lot more time and miles have passed under a lot more wheels than are represented here.
Which is why Consumer Reports is so important - their data represents the only decent sampling that is not under control of the manufacturer; the car makers themselves are the only other ones that have real data, and needless to say, they aren't talking. JD Powers, and similar pollsters, also represent samples that are too small to be really useful.
In my personal sample of ONE, our car has been issue-free and a joy to own. It has been significantly better in every respect, including build quality, vs our W203 C240, and just about every other German car we've ever had. I could draw one kind of conclusion from that, or accept the fact that it's just one experience.
If you've had a problem, it's tempting to look for others with the same problem, and then conclude that it's a widespread or genetic weakness in the car - but it takes a lot more cars than we can sample here to know anything important about reliability and potential inherent weaknesses.
Some of you seem inclined to be pessimistic based on what you've experienced or read here - others, like me, see the W204 as a real step forward for MB, and a sign that they've turned a corner. Neither view is "right" until a lot more time and miles have passed under a lot more wheels than are represented here.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,828
Likes: 1
From: United States
2008 R350 & 2008 C300
I think the real issue is trying to draw grand conclusions, either positive or negative, from the truly microscopic sample that is represented online. Whether your experiences are positive or negative, there are simply too few cars represented here to make a statistical sample that is worth much.
Which is why Consumer Reports is so important - their data represents the only decent sampling that is not under control of the manufacturer; the car makers themselves are the only other ones that have real data, and needless to say, they aren't talking. JD Powers, and similar pollsters, also represent samples that are too small to be really useful.
In my personal sample of ONE, our car has been issue-free and a joy to own. It has been significantly better in every respect, including build quality, vs our W203 C240, and just about every other German car we've ever had. I could draw one kind of conclusion from that, or accept the fact that it's just one experience.
If you've had a problem, it's tempting to look for others with the same problem, and then conclude that it's a widespread or genetic weakness in the car - but it takes a lot more cars than we can sample here to know anything important about reliability and potential inherent weaknesses.
Some of you seem inclined to be pessimistic based on what you've experienced or read here - others, like me, see the W204 as a real step forward for MB, and a sign that they've turned a corner. Neither view is "right" until a lot more time and miles have passed under a lot more wheels than are represented here.
Which is why Consumer Reports is so important - their data represents the only decent sampling that is not under control of the manufacturer; the car makers themselves are the only other ones that have real data, and needless to say, they aren't talking. JD Powers, and similar pollsters, also represent samples that are too small to be really useful.
In my personal sample of ONE, our car has been issue-free and a joy to own. It has been significantly better in every respect, including build quality, vs our W203 C240, and just about every other German car we've ever had. I could draw one kind of conclusion from that, or accept the fact that it's just one experience.
If you've had a problem, it's tempting to look for others with the same problem, and then conclude that it's a widespread or genetic weakness in the car - but it takes a lot more cars than we can sample here to know anything important about reliability and potential inherent weaknesses.
Some of you seem inclined to be pessimistic based on what you've experienced or read here - others, like me, see the W204 as a real step forward for MB, and a sign that they've turned a corner. Neither view is "right" until a lot more time and miles have passed under a lot more wheels than are represented here.
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Member
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: yorba linda, orange county california
2008 C-300/ 19' maya MRS black wheels H@R Springs//powerchipped//Brabus Trunk spoiler//HID Fogs//
.
How can you find out whether or not your car was made in Germany or not?!?! Id like to find out about mine
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,828
Likes: 1
From: United States
2008 R350 & 2008 C300
There are a couple of ways of finding this out. The first way is your car came with a window sticker stating where it was made, but sometimes this sticker is removed when you take delivery. Then it can become a little complicated but see if you can follow me, the first cars that rolled off the line were all Bremen cars and at some point around Nov/Dec of 07 the London South Africa plant took over the making of all rear drive C300's. If you took ownership of your car after Nov/Dec of 07 then the quick way to tell where it was made is in the options, if its a 4matic then it was made in Bremen, if its rear wheel drive it was made in South Africa. The C350 seems to be the odd one out and if I'm not mistaken is only made in Bremen. There is also a link that was floating around here somewhere where you typed in your vin number and it told you were it was made, but I'm not so sure I would want to be typing my vin number in on some website.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 616
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From: Kirkland, WA
c300
Bremen car; lots of little issues.
Holy christ, if this car is 'turning a corner' I shudder to think how bad the w203 must've been. Every time my wife gets in the car, and the mirrors squeal
or the sunroof squeals she just shakes her head and says, 'you just had to have this car; remember that'. She's no BMW fan, really she hates them with a passion and likes to refer to them clarkson style as '***** cars', but her other favorite saying around my car is, 'you gave up your BMW for this?'
If this is the best Mercedes has got, they've got a long way to go.
others, like me, see the W204 as a real step forward for MB, and a sign that they've turned a corner.
or the sunroof squeals she just shakes her head and says, 'you just had to have this car; remember that'. She's no BMW fan, really she hates them with a passion and likes to refer to them clarkson style as '***** cars', but her other favorite saying around my car is, 'you gave up your BMW for this?'
If this is the best Mercedes has got, they've got a long way to go.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,321
Likes: 0
C300 Sport/Palladium Silver on Black/P2
Also, like the last letter in the VIN, numbers after it, it is R on South African cars, F, on Bremen Germany cars.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
Bremen car; lots of little issues.
Holy christ, if this car is 'turning a corner' I shudder to think how bad the w203 must've been. Every time my wife gets in the car, and the mirrors squeal
or the sunroof squeals she just shakes her head and says, 'you just had to have this car; remember that'. She's no BMW fan, really she hates them with a passion and likes to refer to them clarkson style as '***** cars', but her other favorite saying around my car is, 'you gave up your BMW for this?'
If this is the best Mercedes has got, they've got a long way to go.
Holy christ, if this car is 'turning a corner' I shudder to think how bad the w203 must've been. Every time my wife gets in the car, and the mirrors squeal
or the sunroof squeals she just shakes her head and says, 'you just had to have this car; remember that'. She's no BMW fan, really she hates them with a passion and likes to refer to them clarkson style as '***** cars', but her other favorite saying around my car is, 'you gave up your BMW for this?'
If this is the best Mercedes has got, they've got a long way to go.
Unfortunately, some people(not naming you) expect a C-Class to have the same qualities as an S-Class. Hyundai can't do it with a $40,000 car, so let's be really realistic here, the C-Class is NOT ever going to be MB's best. C-Class was always been the entry level item to their whole brand line. In the US, there is no other way but going up the model lineup. Think of the Ipod from Apple on the first three generations. They were full of problems, looked cool, costed quite a bit for an mp3 player, but opened the eyes of consumers to their more expensive computers.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 678
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver WA
'14 GLK250 Diesel
All I know is that our car has been a real joy to own and drive.
Sorry if your experience differs.
And I can tell you from BMWCCA and the E90 boards, there are plenty of people wondering why they bought a BMW 3er. As noted above, if you want perfection, you'd better be buying Japanese.
Sorry if your experience differs.
And I can tell you from BMWCCA and the E90 boards, there are plenty of people wondering why they bought a BMW 3er. As noted above, if you want perfection, you'd better be buying Japanese.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
From: Kirkland, WA
c300
A few of us had the mirror squeal. I've had it, yet it's not a problem for me because I see it as a realistic problem. I've lubricated the seals and since then it has never squealed. No car will be 100% perfect off the lot and I could honestly say that since I've had cars that had small problems like you complained about but then turned out to last 100k miles and still strong after I sold it.
Unfortunately, some people(not naming you) expect a C-Class to have the same qualities as an S-Class. Hyundai can't do it with a $40,000 car, so let's be really realistic here, the C-Class is NOT ever going to be MB's best. C-Class was always been the entry level item to their whole brand line. In the US, there is no other way but going up the model lineup. Think of the Ipod from Apple on the first three generations. They were full of problems, looked cool, costed quite a bit for an mp3 player, but opened the eyes of consumers to their more expensive computers.
Unfortunately, some people(not naming you) expect a C-Class to have the same qualities as an S-Class. Hyundai can't do it with a $40,000 car, so let's be really realistic here, the C-Class is NOT ever going to be MB's best. C-Class was always been the entry level item to their whole brand line. In the US, there is no other way but going up the model lineup. Think of the Ipod from Apple on the first three generations. They were full of problems, looked cool, costed quite a bit for an mp3 player, but opened the eyes of consumers to their more expensive computers.
I find the "entry level" argument a bit of a cop out.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Galveston, Texas
2001 E430 Designo Edition, 2002 C230K Sport Coupe & 2006 C230 SS
Regardless which body style you select, the C Class, in the long run is a lot of car for the price. I just sold my 20 yr old "entry level" 190D which provided me great service over the years. The squeeks and rattles are little things and when the other cars are complete junkers, your "entry level" Benz will still be running and looking good.
Last edited by Benzalot; Jul 7, 2008 at 02:40 PM.
