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What's different between the 2008 and 2011 C300's?

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Old Jan 4, 2011 | 09:47 PM
  #1  
reedsc's Avatar
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2008 300C
What's different between the 2008 and 2011 C300's?

I have a 2008 C300 Sport on lease that I've been perfectly happy with. The lease will end in April. My options are to purchase my 2008 or lease a new one. What's different about the cars across the model years? Any improvements/changes? I'll add that I have the basic audio and I'd consider upgrading if I lease again.

Any help is appreciated.
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Old Jan 4, 2011 | 10:32 PM
  #2  
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I'm in the same situation.

I may just keep my 2008. MBF makes it easy to finance a purchase with them, you never have to leave your house.

The options available are the main differences.

Now, if you get multimedia, you can also get a back up camera. You can get a special order dynamic handling package that gives you adjustment suspension.

Same say the car might be a tiny bit quieter inside now, like extra insulation has been added, maybe a little, I don't think there is a big difference there.

You can no longer get the power folding outside mirrors.

Memory seats are commonly on the cars now.

Like you, if I had had the Multimedia to begin with, it would really be no question, I'd keep mine for sure.

I think, for me, it might just be best to take a couple years, pay this one off, and then get something else new and special like a E Coupe, but that way get to keep this one too.
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Old Jan 4, 2011 | 11:30 PM
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RLE
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'08 C300 Lux Barolo Red Beige Leather P2 MM 18" wheels '84 944
Originally Posted by reedsc
I have a 2008 C300 Sport on lease that I've been perfectly happy with. The lease will end in April. My options are to purchase my 2008 or lease a new one. What's different about the cars across the model years? Any improvements/changes? I'll add that I have the basic audio and I'd consider upgrading if I lease again.

Any help is appreciated.
Considering that the 2014 C-Class is the all-new car, vastly different to today's model, the cost to upgrade from a 2008 to the restyled 2012 model seems a waste of money.

I know that my 2008, not silver and with almost all options (no rear bags and no TeleAid) will stick around until the W205 shows it's face.
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 01:29 AM
  #4  
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C300 Sport/Palladium Silver on Black/P2
Originally Posted by RLE
Considering that the 2014 C-Class is the all-new car, vastly different to today's model, the cost to upgrade from a 2008 to the restyled 2012 model seems a waste of money.

I know that my 2008, not silver and with almost all options (no rear bags and no TeleAid) will stick around until the W205 shows it's face.
Smart move. Again, sure wish I had all those options. At least I have my xenons I love.

However, don't you think no reason to get rid of it for your next Mercedes either? I prefer to start a collection. ha. Keeps the wear and tear down when you divide it up too.
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 10:46 AM
  #5  
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2010 glk class 2010 c class
Just curious, what kind of deal is MB finance offering if you buy the car.
In the past they have reduced the buyout and/or given me low interest
rates, but the last time on an Ml they stuck to the buyout price which was higher than the retail price, and the wanted 7.9 %. So I turned it
in.
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by levale
Just curious, what kind of deal is MB finance offering if you buy the car.
In the past they have reduced the buyout and/or given me low interest
rates, but the last time on an Ml they stuck to the buyout price which was higher than the retail price, and the wanted 7.9 %. So I turned it
in.
It really depends on the dealer's motivations. MBUSA rarely, if ever, will have special programs to purchase your lease at the end. IF anything, they want you to lease another car; so it depends on the dealer's inventory when your lease is up. If they are filled to the gills with off-lease or used c-classes, you might get a pretty good deal (cut 2-3 thousand off the buyout price). I have never really known a dealer to offer low incentive buyout rates. Your best option is to finance through a bank and you can get like 5% or so.

However, what some dealerships do as an incentive would be to certify it used so you get the extended warranty. But then the car has to be retitled it someone else's name (wife, etc).

Last edited by jctevere; Jan 5, 2011 at 11:33 AM.
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 11:55 AM
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2010 glk class 2010 c class
I don't think the dealer you leased from has anything to do with it.
I actually turned my car in to a dealer 1200 miles away from the one
it was leased from. Once the car is financed, it doesn't matter what
dealer you go to for service, or to turn it in.
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 04:21 PM
  #8  
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C300 Sport/Palladium Silver on Black/P2
Originally Posted by levale
I don't think the dealer you leased from has anything to do with it.
I actually turned my car in to a dealer 1200 miles away from the one
it was leased from. Once the car is financed, it doesn't matter what
dealer you go to for service, or to turn it in.
Exactly.

Financing with Mercedes Financial at the end of your lease, is 100 percent through them. What I love is that they make it simple. I submitted a form, exchanged a couple emails, and I have paperwork.

I didn't directly ask if they would take any money off the buy out, but the residual is significantly under what dealers have the cars priced at on the lot.

The interest is record breaking, 5.something, but I'll just stick with them for the ease if I don't get a new one.

One question, I am looking at a C350, but it has the burl walnut.

Any idea on costs to have the burl walnut replaced with aluminum trim on the inside?
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 04:33 PM
  #9  
Distinct's Avatar
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2011 C300 4MATIC
Originally Posted by mac911
You can no longer get the power folding outside mirrors.
I have a 2011 and it has the power folding mirrors. I have the DVD navigation but no memory seats.
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 04:34 PM
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2011 C300 4MATIC
Originally Posted by reedsc
I have a 2008 C300 Sport on lease that I've been perfectly happy with. The lease will end in April. My options are to purchase my 2008 or lease a new one. What's different about the cars across the model years? Any improvements/changes? I'll add that I have the basic audio and I'd consider upgrading if I lease again.

Any help is appreciated.
I think the only real difference that I've seen are the loss of fog lights in 2011 and I have the LED lights on my 2011. Pretty much everything else is exactly the same between a 2008 and 2011?
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Old Jan 5, 2011 | 05:05 PM
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2008 C300 Sport, RWD, US
No one interested in going into an "E" class?
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Old Jan 6, 2011 | 06:50 PM
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2008 300C
I'm going to the dealership tomorrow and see what my options are. Another thing that I would change is the tire selection. I have the AMG wheels with the low profile tires. They are beautiful and the handling is great but I replaced the rears at 20K and the fronts will need it soon. Ouch. As for the E Class, my wife would like it but I don't like the looks as much as the C. I also don't care for the price.
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Old Jan 14, 2011 | 05:48 PM
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I just discovered another difference in the 2011 vs 2008/2009 c300. The speedometer cluster for mph is different. Each individual tick is a bit thicker and more pronounced and the main increments markings (I believe every 20) are a bit smaller. I prefer the look of the 2008/09 speedometer.

Also, I noticed that the front two windows now hit the top normally in one motion like the prior years, but also seem to give one last jerk upwards (almost as if they were indexing). Can anyone else with a 2011 confirm this. At first I thought they needed to be re-synced but its not that, and it happens on both driver and passenger front windows, but not the rears.
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Old Jun 11, 2011 | 09:52 PM
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C300
Great discussion. I am in almost the same position. I have a 2008 C300 coming off lease in September. It only has 15,000 miles and a buyout of $23K. I am thinking of buying. I really like the option of having them certify, then having my wife purchase. Is that a "normal" option? Sounds like a great exit plan to me.

Also, I know that there is a long running discussion in multiple threads here regarding lease vs. buy. I am self employed. So leasing is beneficial, but not a huge benefit as I don't run up many miles (see above).
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Old Jun 11, 2011 | 11:16 PM
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@pepto: If you have taken care of the C300, $23,000 with 15k miles is the bargain of the year. Under tax laws, you cannot yourself purchase the car that has been written off in previous years as a lease without refiling and paying a tax penalty. The reason: the lease is then not a lease, it is staggered financing of an asset. This requires your wife's purchase. You may even be able to "flip" it and make $5,000, $28,000 s not unreasonable for a C300 with only 15k miles and CPO.

There are downsides to leasing. Paying a lease according to contract does NOT improve your credit rating, its a null (who knows why?). Now that financing APR is still so low, one can make lower payments on a 60 month purchase, do a flat amortization of the total value of the car (is it 4 or 5 years now?), and sell it after two years, writing off the loss of depreciation, and improve your credit rating at the same time. One would have to take a spreadsheet to it and look at the total tax exposure. Sometimes a lease is better, sometimes it is better to increase "equity" and credit rating.

Anyway the purchase sounds like a great deal.
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Old Jun 12, 2011 | 01:09 AM
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C300
Originally Posted by Acapulco Bill
@pepto: If you have taken care of the C300, $23,000 with 15k miles is the bargain of the year. Under tax laws, you cannot yourself purchase the car that has been written off in previous years as a lease without refiling and paying a tax penalty. The reason: the lease is then not a lease, it is staggered financing of an asset. This requires your wife's purchase. You may even be able to "flip" it and make $5,000, $28,000 s not unreasonable for a C300 with only 15k miles and CPO.

There are downsides to leasing. Paying a lease according to contract does NOT improve your credit rating, its a null (who knows why?). Now that financing APR is still so low, one can make lower payments on a 60 month purchase, do a flat amortization of the total value of the car (is it 4 or 5 years now?), and sell it after two years, writing off the loss of depreciation, and improve your credit rating at the same time. One would have to take a spreadsheet to it and look at the total tax exposure. Sometimes a lease is better, sometimes it is better to increase "equity" and credit rating.

Anyway the purchase sounds like a great deal.
Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed response. Awesome stuff... Really appreciate the commentary on leasing. I struggle with that sometimes.

I have taken great care of the car. Some would argue too much care given the fact that it is a lease. However, it is not in my nature to trash cars. Most of my miles are "intown" miles with low speed. That said, it needs to be washed more often

The numbers appeared compelling, but I wanted to make sure. Thanks for your comments.
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Old Jun 12, 2011 | 02:26 PM
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I recently did that. i have to say it was the most confusing time for me deciding what to do. I looked at buying it out, buying used E, Lexus ES, RX.

Anyway buying it out didn't make sense to me because the buyout was $29K, then I would have bought the ext warranty so close to $31K. I ended up getting a 2011 with prem pkg. total lease obligation is $23K (incl tax) . Buyout $29K. by the time this lease is up there should be a lot of E class lease returns which may be a good time to get into those.

Aside from the LED there is no noticable diff in the 2011. oh and there is no "c" button, it's now E (default at start up) and S

Last edited by 2nice4me; Jun 12, 2011 at 04:52 PM.
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Old Jun 12, 2011 | 03:12 PM
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'11 C350 '13 F150 lariat
I just got out of a well optioned 2008C350 and into a loaded up C350 2011. much different car. has every option, including the rare dynamic handling package, the paddle shifters and ride control are awesome, and it has a M button as well as C and S. The new ones split up multimedia, you can get just MM, MM w navi, MM navi and HK audio now. Also ESC is in the cluster, no more button by the hazards to turn it off, which kinda sucks. The nav is much better w sirius traffic and more stuff in the MM interface since my 2008. I couldnt justify paying 4 years of payments to buy instead of 33 months of same payment for a 2011, if you can write off its a no brainer, new car every 2-3 years, easy choice for me. My MSRP was almost 52k and i got in for less than 47k overall
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Old Jun 12, 2011 | 06:18 PM
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2008 C350
One thing touched on: The P1 package was changed in 2009 or 10 which removed the power folding mirrors (as somebody mentioned) but replaced it with memory seats and power steering wheel adjustment.

Also, the TPMS will now show you what the current tire pressure is whereas on the 08 it'll only tell you if it's at low pressure.

And I think there's some more info available on current MPG as well but I'm not positive.
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Old Jun 12, 2011 | 08:41 PM
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2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
Originally Posted by reedsc
As for the E Class, my wife would like it but I don't like the looks as much as the C. I also don't care for the price.
That thing might start in the fifties but ill be damned if someone can outfit one to their liking and keep the tag under 65k....
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