jstaneff

Agreed.

I had one Accord stolen from my driveway overnight. Found out about it when the police called to ask if I knew where my car was? I said "driveway" and looked out to see the police cruiser sitting there where my car was supposed to be. They had found the car a few blocks away, totaled.

Another one was thoroughly banged up just sitting there while thieves were trying to break it open to steal it or the radio. Over $4K of body work later to restore that car.

Yeah, Accords attract thieves. The C doesn't. Maybe the immobilizer works?

451/443=EW

Funny thing is I think a comparison with an Accord is great. But the question I would ask is why buy an Accord if for only a bit more you can get a Benz! The vary fact that the C is in a different class to an Accord but the C is now closer in price and far better value, So why would you buy an Accord?

And I do think the Accord is a great car.... for my neighbors!

ProV1

well since MBs have such *****ty resale values, 2 yr old c-class will be worth the same as a used accord.. so u can cross shop em

daiso'

i like the 2 door accords but not a fan of the 4 doors! w204 is a great car but i still like the 2 door accord? if i wanted a 2 door i would pick the accord

C300Sport

I agree that the two doors are pretty nice. I just can't get over the massive front/rear overhangs and the "buttoney" overwrought interior.

08w204

My boss drives a new VW Golf... He's always teasing me that he paid $17k for a car that still gets from point A to B just as well as my C-class, and he paid less than half. He has a point....

Cars in the end are merely transportation, but for those of use that are enthusiasts, it's a lot more than that. Whoever wrote that comparison clearly didn't understand the word enthusiasm, nor does my boss.

jstaneff

Once upon a time when I needed a car for business, I bought a used Rabbit (US Golf, sort of). It had nearly 50K miles on it. On the way home, I stopped at an upholstery shop and had the driver's seat re-stuffed (it needed it, badly). Later I added a package shelf behind the rear seat so I could "hide" things under it.

That car was fun. It was quick and it was nimble. It got rubber in 4 gears, even with over 90K miles on it. Wow! If only the C were as fun to drive as that.

Of course I'm older now, and want a more sedate ride. The sport C does that, and it's much quieter/better ride than the Accord. Most of all, if I need it to, the C can handle well and avoid accidents, etc. Great car.

If there's a word for the C, is it "Refined"?

08w204

Refined is a great word! The C-class isn't spectacular in any one thing, such as the 3-series or other cars. I always tell everyone it does mediocre better than anything else on the road in its class. It may sound like it's a slam against the car, but it's actually a huge compliment.

cjh.

C class vs. Accord? NO.

C class vs. Acura TL? Maybe.

LILBENZ230

I had to chime in here as a former Honda/Acura owner (6 Accords 1 TL). I find the new Accord to be hideously ugly in two or four door form. It's too big, period.

However, lots of people threw around the word "safer" in this thread when talking about the C vs the new Accord. There's no data to back that up. Both are top safety picks. The Benz has no real quantifiable advantage over the Accord at all.

What it comes down to is how it feels. The W204 (I have a 08 C350 loaner right now) feels so much better to drive and is so much nicer to look at. It's an emotional advantage. IMO, worth the money. But I have to say, Honda builds some fantastic (albeit ugly) vehicles.

flagman

I assume I'm not alone in finding these "review" articles pretty lame? The Accord is not in the same class as a C and shouldn't be compared to it. That's not to say it isn't a decent car.

I've had a TL (basically a high-end Accord) for the last 4 years, so I can say from experience that they are very good cars. They're built on the same platform as the Accord, on the same assembly line as the Accord, in Marysville, Ohio, and share a lot of parts and features. When I was shopping for my TL in 2005, they offered a lot of technology for the price, and the car has been very reliable, so I have absolutely no regrets. If Honda/Acura hadn't uglied up and porked up the TL for 2009, I would probably be looking at another TL to replace mine when the lease expires. I considered the TSX but without more power it didn't appeal to me.

My shopping list for the TL replacement included the C, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS. I felt the C offered the best overall package and that's why I will be taking delivery of my C350 4Matic within the next week!

kaputt

The Accord is a fine car. My sister has one and its a great car to drive, but no where near the same as a C. I had the opportunity to drive an Accord, C Class, and 3 Series all in the same day and the differences in ride and interior make up between the Honda and the two European cars was noticeable.

That being said, as someone in college the Accord has an appeal in terms of price, and I think if I could get one in black, with a 5 speed, and some dealer added 18" rims I'd be fairly content.

On a related note the Accord coupe is an outstanding looking vehicle. It's too bad I really enjoy the practicality of a 4 door, cause the coupe is one good looking car.

Nuru

Comparing the accord to the C-class, Hmmm, Two different markets and two different sizes. seems to be a bit of an unfair comparison to me. However, I have also driven multiple accords and multiple C class cars and the C-class cars were/are just more fun to drive.

K-A

In terms of the safer comment, I personally used the how the cars looked after Crash Tested. The Accord is bigger, which is a Safety plus, and it performs very well. However if you look at both cars in the Side Test, the C looks like it wasn't even touched, barely any deformation of the safety cage at all, if any at all, the Accord performed well too, but the cage was noticeably wounded. Mix that with M-B's knowledge of engineering real-world crash protection that many automakers haven't, and I'd feel more confident in the C.... Then again, I just checked the NHTSA stats, and the Accord gets 5 Stars ALL AROUND, and the C gets just 4 Stars in Frontal Tests and Rollover Tests.... So maybe it's a toss up between the two.

As for refinement, IMO, the C to me is very unrefined and austere (interior-wise) for a Benz, I've driven and lived with a few Rental W204's, and never could get past how non-luxurious and crude the interior was to me. Along with strong wind noise on the Freeways. That's the main reason an Accord puts up a good battle to me anyway, along with its higher bang-for-the-buck.

However if I did have to choose between the two, I'd say I'd go with the C.

08w204

Anything that's styled after a Rubbermaid trash can will probably be pretty safe! (haha...ha)

JimPap

You make a good point. However, who wants to keep the same car for 30 years?

derf

After driving my Merc for more than a year now, I finally realized that a Car for me is for getting from A to B.. Although i enjoyed driving with it and got a lot of complement with this car, I guess this would be my first and last Benz... I could have got a V6 fully loaded Accord plus extra $$ in my pocket with the price i got with my Basic Benz...No regrets here, Im happy with Benz for now.. With the economic crisis going on right now.. A car with a higher bang-4-the buck might be a good choice...

JimPap

derf,

I know where you're coming from. I go back and forth between keeping the C beyond my original 7 year plan vs getting something else.

Since we don't know where the economy will be nor do we know how well the C will hold up, there are just too many unknowns to make a decision until the time gets closer.

C300Sport

Words of Wisdom for sure. For me it is much, much more about egineering and design...I love most anything with a motor and appreciate the design details a Benz or most other German cars provide. It seems I am always tinkering with the car, the bike or some power tool etc...
For many people, a car is simply a conveyance and they should buy the cheapest, most reliable, most functional vehicle that will meet their needs. Anything other than that, for them, is a waste.
I have always said that being an auto enthusiast is very expensive.

jstaneff

Um ... Well, um ...

There comes a point when you realize that you might be buying your last car. When you get to that point, you make a bet with yourself: will I outlast the car, or will it outlast me?

I'm hoping right now that this isn't my 'last' car, but it's a good candidate if need be. The economy tanking didn't help much: it's harder to 'save up' for that next car, eh? But if all turns to ****, then the C will last and last and last.

When you put a new roof on your house, do you buy the cheap stuff, or look for the 50-year warranty? I've put a roof on two separate houses in the last few years (still have both) and in each case I've put on the "best" - the lifetime or 50 year warranty. It just takes away the worry.

Same with the car. Why buy something that you know won't last all that long when there are other things that you know you're going to be more worried about?

Mark08859

I would agree that for anyone looking at a C Class, an Accord wouldn't even be a consideration. This would be regardless of how it stacks against the Benz. It simply isn't in the same segment.

I would, however, put the Lexus IS and the Acura TL in the same league. For years the automotive mags have compared the IS against the 3 Series. Also, the TL has become more of a driver's performance car in its last two iterations. Just MHO.

Azn_C300

You're correct. The editors should have looked to compare the Lexus IS, Acura TL, Infinity G37...hell even the Hyundai Genesis before comparing it to an Accord.

srafi

I sold the crapy honda and bought the C300. No comparison in both the cars. Honda is to loud and very unstable specially at high speeds.

Love the C class and will stick to MB in the future.

waiszeto

+1

totally agree what he said. Come on man! FWD.. LMAO! To be honest, i think honda accord looks VERY UGLY! It try to be aggressive, but not my type. LOL

encoder

A friend of mine has a 2009 TL. We swapped keys for a day. He didn't want to give the C350 back.

What I expected was a faster car. I was let down. It felt slower than my C350. Significantly so, actually. And something that unexpectedly annoyed me was the turning radius. It's only a few feet bigger than the C but I guess when you get used to the maneuverability of the C, those few feet make a difference. And it made the car feel larger than it was -- though it IS larger than the C.

The autostick was more fun. And I'd be happy enough with the car and possibly the TL with the larger motor would stun me enough to shut me up. But for now, I'll keep the C thank you