MDMercedesGuy

The 250 and the 300 have the same 0-60 times per MB.

Liquid Metal

This would be true if it is a 2012 C250 vs a 2011 C300 right? I believe that all C300 in 2012 are 4matics which make them a bit heavier. I am not sure if my observation would be accurate. It is just an assumption basing from the obvious of the weight.

The C250 has about 27 less HP but makes up in torque than the C300.

MDMercedesGuy

I'm not sure what they based it on. They both are rated 7.1 sec 0-60.

acr2001

The 0-60 times across all 3 are pretty skewed from what I've read. I would be very excited to see a short straight line race between all three US models. There's no way the 300 and 250 are going to tie.

acr2001

This is all true. A RWD 300 is going to be considerably faster than a 250 RWD.

AdidasC230

MDmercedes guy you really need to give up trying to disprove every ones opinion of the little turbo 4. We get that you bought one, but just like any of the smallest engines in any c class, its looked down upon. It DOES not sound as good as a v6 and it DOES not have the smooth delivery that the V6 has. Its a 4 banger MB or not. Just give up on defending it to the high hills, we get you bought one and you think your opinion and choice is the right one, but many of us have had a m271 powered car and all prefer the 6 M272 or otherwise, its just not a 6 and given a choice over 80 percent or more would opt for a 6 over a 4 in this situation.

To YOU the 4 is smooth and has good power, to the rest of the earth ehhhhh

MDMercedesGuy

The V6 has 28 more horsepower but slightly less torque.

Pretty much every test on google pegs the C250 at 7.1 or 7.2 secs 0-60, the same as what can be found for the C300 of any year, RWD or 4Matic. A side by side comparison would be good to see.

It would be interesting to see the torque curves for both of them side by side for comparison.

MDMercedesGuy

Not trying to disprove anything at all, I am expressing my own opinion, however.

That's fine, that's your opinion.

I'm sure there is a handy ignore feature if you'd like to not read any of my future posts...

splinter

How about you henceforth interject on various topics here without belittling the respected members? Thanks.

Glyn M Ruck

Indeed! Adidas - consider this a warning from me. The tone of your posts is becoming tiresome to all. Keep it up and there is an infraction in your future.

MDMercedesGuy - Take no notice. Up until now I have been at the butt of many jokes on these forums for driving a C240 - The lowest power output available in the US while in ROW it had C180 & C200 ranked below it. I did not care because I loved it & it was not encumbered by the 4Matic drivetrain. The C240's were misunderstood by drivers of tanks with stump pulling torque. It was a free revving, silky smooth little 2.6 litre six that provided more than sufficient performance for my needs at coast & bullet proof. It was also blessed with particularly good gearing for it's power & torque delivery & if you let it rev was sprightly. It's been the most reliable car I've ever owned & I'm sorry to see it go after 8 years of faultless duty.

Interestingly the European motoring scribes always considered the C240 & C270 CDi the best models in the W203 range & the C320 the worst.

Equally I could have got my replacement vehicle in 5.5 or 6.2 litre form. I chose not to because of operating cost & the fact that the vehicle exceeds my requirements admirably.

MDMercedesGuy

I always loved the W203 C240. For a while I was looking at used W203s and I drove a couple - it is a real sweetheart of an engine.

I've always picked the smaller displacement engine in anything I have owned - I don't mind letting it wind out when I need to get somewhere fast. A large engine that doesn't need to/get to exert itself very often just isn't as much fun to me. That was a lot of why I bought the smart - it is smooth when it is working hard and makes pretty nice noises while doing it (although it sounds a bit agricultural when puttering around town).

Glyn M Ruck

The little Smart's are fun once you come to terms with the transmission. A bit of re-learning required there and after that the two of you can get along just fine. Drive it without appreciation & you might not be the best of friends. In fact the same applies to the 722.9 7 Speed for very different reasons. Drive it purposefully with clear & decisive throttle input & it's great. Yo-yo the throttle as many do & try & predict it & the TCU gets confused. Apply 50% throttle if that's what you want & let it do it's thing & all is well. Not a transmission for indecisive or rough & clumsy drivers.

MDMercedesGuy

Good to know. My C will be my first automatic transmission in 12 years. I would have preferred a manual, but I like the 7 speed.

I've always said that the smart is a car for engineers or technically savvy people. When you understand how it works and the mechanics of what it is doing, you understand why the transmission acts the way it does. A little bit of effort with the throttle modulation leads to very smooth shifts - but any time you need to hustle it needs to be in manual mode or you deal with it banging through the gears. The North American transmission is different than the ROW transmission in a few ways, one of which being a traditional P R N D +/- shifter - which leads people to believe it is an automatic when it isn't.

CisternaChyli

Looking at Terry335's dyno plot over on the BMS forums of a stock C250, he got 187 whp or so and 219 wheel torque..so i dont know why people on here are saying the 250 driving expierence isnt great. Maybe it is the transmission programing . My dad just picked up a 2012 C250 and i am really looking forward to driving it once i get home from overseas.

Liquid Metal

Just test drove the C250 again the other day. Nope. Still no thank you in regards to the noise.

mfkl2

ive gone through the same decision and went with the 250...of course everything from the engine to the car itself is personal preference. just because u like the 250 over the 350, no ones gonna walk by thinking its crap. first off its ur first MB...just like myself...and just the fact that ur driving a benz is enough to turn heads. and i think anyones first car...not only a benz...should be what they want...obviously u wanted the lighting package, lane tracking and panorama thats why u threw the options in ur build...then why not get that?
i rushed myself and went without the lighting package but i still love the car. 2 weeks and im already at almost 1000 miles just because i want to drive it so bad. so far i havent had any problems with power on city or highway. i even took it up the mountain and no problems there either.
my personal opinion is: if ur into racing and speed then go for the 350.
if u want a reliable everyday driver and save at least a bit more of gas then get the 250.
but when it comes down to it...its wat u want...go to ur dealer and test drive both cars...and test drive the hell out of it until the sales rep says stop.
and of course with the options that u want.
u want to see how the options u want change the way u act in the car...controls and button wise...
so good luck with ur car...and congrats in advance if u do get it...just dont regret anything while u drive off the lot...

ps...i dont think lane tracking would help much...unless ur a bad driver...the standard drive assist will keep u awake if u doze off. instead of the lane tracking...how about the keyless go? or amg rims are a good investment too

robertnjax

Back in late November I test drove the 2013 C250 with the AMG Sport plus package and C350 with the AMG Sport package. Both were fantastic cars and was difficult to pick when buying. I finally chose the C350 mainly because the engine was very similar to the one used in my trade-in car: 2003 E320 sedan. No regrets here. The C350 coupe is great, although I have to pay attention to the speed. Seems like it will fly up to 100 mph in no time. The acceleration is very linear and plenty of power. I love the size of this C class - great on U turns and city driving and parking. Didn't get the COMMAND or multimedia package - maybe on the next car. I only have a little over 2000 miles on the odometer and runs just flawlessly. In the past I have owned and S class and 2 E class sedans and this one works very well for me. Ultimately, you will have to choose between these two models based on your individual needs and taste. Have fun in the process.

snowmuch

I would probably go with an well equipped 250 or pay little more money for a decent equipped 350. Depends how long you want to keep the car.

Sulaco

I know this is a dead thread, but I had to add:

If I had 2 choices between the same car, but with a 100hp difference, there's absolutely no way in hell I'd go with the C250. If they're the same price, the C250 would have to come with a free Katy Perry in the passenger (or back!) seat.

In terms of sheer driving fun, I've had 2 w202's with similar powers. My 1994 C280 had 200hp/tq. My C43 has 300 hp/tq. Shocks me to think of passing up the 300hp for the 200hp. But, to each his own, I suppose.

AllEyesOnMe

Does the C350 have the same engine as the E350? My brother in-law has a 2010 E350 and that thing is sluggish.

IStern

I drove a c250 loaner for a day recently, and I was pleasantly surprised. Around town the power was more than adequate. The transmission did a good job in sport mode keeping the revs in the power band. On the highway, the engine more or less fell on its face as I approached reckless driving speeds. I found the engine note a bit buzzy, but that's completely subjective. All in all, it's a fun little car around town.

Project C

That depends where you live and whats your need on daily basic.
if you have the highway , go head with bigger cc and v6 is definitely a smooth car to go.
if for city drive and ain't a lot highway drive, then go for I4 turbo for better short boost.
For Gentle driving c350 v6 , for little fast furious c250 turbo.
Both car have mod potential to higher level.
Either way we all enjoy the beauty of C class isn't that correct
i am always the turbo charge guy. loves the sudden drag feel of the engine.
to me a car needs good weight distributions and most important is the feeling when i drive my car.
And that really makes the MB out stand a lot of other brands.

MDMercedesGuy

The C250 has more than enough power past 100 MPH.

There are vids of a member's C250 coupe on the Autobahn on here. It's not a C63, but I would hardly say it "falls flat on its face". It's certainly more than adequate for the US and our unfortunately low speed limits.

Sulaco

The 2012 and up 3.5l in the C350/E350/etc has 300hp. The C350 coupe weighs a few hundred pounds less than an E350 as well.

C350 has identical performance figures to a stock w202 C43 AMG--and that thing had a 308hp V8.

I don't understand how this could even be a discussion between the performances of the 2 engines. It boils down to: if you want to afford more flashy options and a TV screen in your dash but have a considerably slower car, get the C250. If you want to spend the same amount but skip the TV in the dash and get a very noticeable increase in performance, get the C350. I'm a performance-minded person, so C350 without a doubt.

To put things in another comparison, it's like choosing between a w202 C230K with all options plus COMAND 2.0, or a C43 AMG without COMAND 2.0.

Project C

And not forgetting the Kleemann kit stage 3 for c350