mhass350

So, the wife and I took our R350 in for the 'B' service and other warranty repairs and we received a C250 Coupe as our loaner.

At first I was PO'd because we brought our large family vehicle in for service and received a 2-dr -- we expected a GLK or C300 like usual. But, it turns out we really enjoyed the C-coupe - we just didn't take the kids anywhere that weekend.

Overall I was very impressed with the speed and power of the C250s turbo-4. Coming from the larger V6 I thought I would notice a big difference, like when we receive the automatic C300s as our loaner, but I didn't. I mean it was certainly slower but it moved pretty well. It certainly moved better than my 2005 C230k with its 189HP SC 4-cyl. - thanks mostly to the 7-speed auto; I assume.

I have to say that I really liked the interior. From looking online the coupes seats looked a little goofy to me but they were snug and very comfortable. The fixed head rests in the rear took a little getting use to as they are much larger than the head rests in my C350.

The 2012 MB-Tex, at least in the coupe, was amazing. When I first got in I was like is this leather? I had to look at the window sticker in the glove box to be sure. It is certainly more leather-like than the MB-Tex in my 2008 C350 or my wife's 2010 R350. Not sure if the same can be said for the sedan. I also liked the white contrast stitching on the black seats.

Despite it being a two-door I found it far more comfortable than my C350. I'm 6'1 and in my C350 have a hard time getting a good seating position, no memory seats or power steering column for the US in 2008 doesn’t help matters. The door pillar being a few inches back certainly helps getting in and out and the flat bottom steering wheel also helps as does the easy exit feature, which was sans for 2008 - even though it was in my 2005... anyway...

I also enjoyed the standard panoramic sunroof. My wife's R350 has this as did my 2011 Grand Cherokee but in the coupe setting it really makes the vehicle that much airier (is that a word?)... it seems more open and larger inside.

I really liked the new gauge cluster with the new message center, much nicer to look at then the old black and white display. Although, I’ll take black & white over red/black like found in the Audi/VW lineup any day.

I liked the exterior's lines. I wasn't happy at first with the new headlamp design as I like the 2008-2011 style - I felt like the 2012 was a step back to the '05 S-class but it works with the lines. I would certainly order the lighting package though to obtain the LEDs and Bi-Xenon’s. The trunk-lid spoiler was also missing as it was a near-base C250 but that would have added to the overall appeal as would sharper looking rims - The loaner had the std 5-spoke 17" rims. I'm not sure if I would opt for the 18" 7-spoke AMGs or the 18" twin 5-spoke AMGs.

The dealerships little ploy worked with us as we are now looking into trading in my C350 for a 2012 coupe. Honestly, from what I experienced in the C250 for those two days I would be happy going from my 268-HP V6 to the new turbo-4. *I've not driven the new C350 so we will see if my "need for speed" attitude changes after that test drive on Friday .

Anyway, I snapped a few photos of my 2008 C350 next to the 2012 C250 in Iridium Silver for some side-by-side comparison.

Enjoy,


*Mods, sorry if this should be in the 2012 C-class section

mhass350

more pictures...

venchka

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Small Freerunning Turbos. They are addictive. I doubt the 7 speed had much to do with your fun. A 5 speed also puts a grin on my face.

Wayne
"Mama don't take my Turbo away."

AdidasC230

I dont know why you would be upset you got a free loaner car to use when you could have had nothing at all, plus its a loaner not a replacement car, its to get you around not do every duty your car could, S class and Maybach customers get C classes, you can handle it.

The new C coupe is nice, and very roomy we have customers requesting them

Sportstick

Thanks for the great write-up, comprehensive, and very descriptive. You asked a question, and yes, "airier" is perfectly good English. But, as you seem interested in such things, "I was like" instead of "I thought" runs afoul of the "like" grammar police!

mhass350

Good to know. I've only owned one 4-cyl vehicl, my C230k, and I have never driven a turbo engine so I likened it to my older supercharged 4-cyl; seems that was an inappropriate comparison.

Not to get too off topic but I think you read too much into my being PO'd. I was "upset" because the dealership I bought both my R350 and my C350 from has a "Dealership for a Lifetime Experience" (or something similar) and, as it was explained to me, we would receive a free, equivalent loaner car for any major service or repair work, warranty related or not, that takes longer than 2-hrs to complete.

So, did I get a free loaner car? Yes. Was it nice? Hell Yes! Was it equivalent? Certainly not.

We have an R-class for a reason, to tote the kids to school and all their gear; strollers, pack-n-plays etc.

FWIW, a day into the work the dealership wanted to keep our R350 for a week while waiting for parts because they didn't want to put the steering column back together - I understand this. However, I told them that wouldn't work for us because of our family situation and that I needed for them to put the car back together and I would schedule another appointment. Now, if I had a GLK (like we've received in the past) I could have let them keep the R350 because we would have been able to go on with our normal routine for a week.

Don't get me wrong I understand what you are getting at and I was certainly appreciative but that is part of the reason I purchased & service my cars at this dealership.

Sorry to all for that tangent and I don't want this to turn into a "well the dealership gives me such-and-such or no loaner car thread" - not my intent but I felt compelled to explain.

But back on topic, yes you are right the C-coupe is very nice and very roomy inside.

Haha, yes, I know. My mother is an English professor at the University of Baltimore and she reminds me of such things on a daily basis. She uses the e-mails that I send her in her classes

It's funny, I did not notice I wrote "I was like" until you mentioned it. I know that would never say "I was like" when speaking with someone. Thanks for looking out though.

AdidasC230

fair enough just as long as you know that your dealer kinda BS'd you. The "dealership for life" thing isn't just them, all mercedes dealers supply you with a loaner *if its available* for any service over 2 hours, but you have to ask for it, and you don't get your choice of car, a *request* can be put in but its just that and 90% of the time not honored.

Just wanted to be sure you where not taking the fact you got a loaner for granted, being on the other side of the service drive, people abuse the fact that we have loaner cars and feel we should be at their call for one, its a nice service that is provided but when there isn't one avail people act like the worlds ending or they don't get what they want they get mad, I just say well go PAY for one then if you want what you want, don't wine about free

mhass350

That's good to know. I thought it a dealer specific "perk" as this was the only dealership of the four we shopped to mention this as part of thier sales pitch. Granted that's my perspective on the loaner situation so it is nice to hear one that is more global.

FWIW, I had a reserved a loaner when I made the appointment a week prior and I guess I was just surprised considering what we have received in the past. But like I said, we loved the C-coupe so all was good.

Hopefully the rain in MD holds off tomorrow because I have Veterans Day off and I am looking forward to test drive a C350 coupe

Bayou Benz

At least you were lucky enough to get a Benz. My dealer sent me home yesterday in a Dodge Charger it smells like armorall and stale French fries.

venchka

"Imported from Detroit."

Wayne

NickCats

Thanks so much for the write up ! I test drove the c250 coupe a couple of weeks ago and was also very surprised with the performance ( it really didn't feel any slower than my c350 ).

Love the exterior and interior design of the coupe as well. But, I would like to test drive the c350 coupe, just not sure I want to shell out that much cash on my next car...

Nick

joshg1001

wow these things are already being supplied as loaners? I have a service coming up on Monday but I am not even crossing my fingers

venchka

My dealer in Tyler, TX has a few on their lot. One even proclaims that it was built at the Bremen plant. I thought all C-Class production had moved to South Africa?

MDMercedesGuy

I've seen a few coupes with Bremen on their stickers.

I just ordered my C250 Sedan earlier today. If I wanted to force the issue with 07P to get a German built car, I wouldn't have it until the summer. I went with a South African build to get it in mid/late February.

venchka

It is interesting. The only vehicles on that lot with country of origin stickers are from Bremen. Not very many of those either.

AdidasC230

Yeah its dealer wide, although smart on them for adding it into their sales pitch.

Request are hard to do because its 1st come 1st serve and some times all the cars you expect to come back dont so its odd, we have a matrix that tracks whats in and out but some times some one on the spot picks one out so things change, its almost a 97% likly hood you wont get the car you want. I suggest walking back and looking at whats sitting in the loaner fleet, they usually have a easily identifiable tag or a sticker to let you know there a loaner, then you can ask for that particular car.

Also the "request" are usually in notes that the loaner agent doesnt even get so he prob didnt even know u asked lol

mac911

mhass350 -

I think it's awesome you got such a new car as a loaner. I just got a 2 year old C300 as a loaner. ha.

I like the Coupes too, but you have an amazing car! A C350 from your year is still fantastic.

Honestly, if your car is in great condition, and it looks stunning I must say, you should just keep it. Later on, just get the next generation coupe or something and add to the collection.

Unless something is wrong with your current car, I just don't know if it would be worth the extra expense. Honestly, in your pictures, I thought your car looked at least as good and with a better engine!

LandSeaAir

What do you mean by 07P? I didn't even know it was possible to still get a German built C-class in America anymore.

MDMercedesGuy

There's actually a factory code 07P that I found out about on here. It will specify a German built car. They were aware of it at my dealer, but if I wanted to force the issue it would have taken longer than 3 months to get my car, and I just don't know if I have the heart to wait much longer.

I think I now know more about East London, South Africa than some of their residents after reading up on where the car will be built

mac911

LandSeaAir has it right.

Most of the W204s at the start of the model year, if not all, come from Bremen,Germany and a few from Stuttgart too. We didn't have any Stuttgart ones in the first couple years, but some on the lot right now are Stuttgart (there is an A later in the VIN if Stuttgart, F if Bremen, and R if South Africa).

Once those German cars start to sell out on the lots, the South African cars take over for the rest of the year. Then it's primarily whatever German car was left from summer/fall that you will find.

I will say, while I like having a German built car for the idea of it, the South African rentals I have had, always seem at least as good, if not better.

Beginning with the W205, supposedly, you will still have the odd one or two C Class from Germany, but Alabama will be taking over the South Africa work. There will be no more South African Mercedes in the U.S. once the W205 arrives it seems.

AMG C Classes, even the W205, will supposedly continue to come only from Germany.

AdidasC230

I just strolled our lot and then asked our invtory manager and she said all S32 launch package cars are all South african, and that very few where germany and that they came from either Sindelfingen or Bremen. And the stickers I saw all said the same. The only Bremen car we had was a 2011 C350 though. She confirmed what Mac911 said, she said south african ones are much more common now, and my service manager said the SA built cars where just as good if not better in repairs as Bremen cars.

boycjo2

a 250 could use a rentech tuning, i'm sure with the turbo there could be nice gains.

300 tuning just doesn't do much without turbo. (if you know any good ones let me know)

2012 c350 - already awesome - can't wait to see what the cpu tuning does.

totally off topic, but my two new '12s were built in germany, not SA.

mac911

Yes, it's that one letter towards the end of the VIN.

R is South Africa.

F is Bremen, Germany.

A is Stuttgart, Germany.

This time of the year you can find some German built C Classes here. However, about this time, a lot of the South African cars come in and pretty much all new stock rolling in will be South Africa.

Glyn M Ruck

South Africa is not set up to build the Coupe. They will all be from Germany for the foreseeable future.

Sindelfingen is a German town near Stuttgart where the plant is. There is no plant in Stuttgart but they are so close that many consider them one & the same place. Bremen is Bremen.

When W205 production starts in 2014/15 at Tuscaloosa, South Africa picks up the supply contract to Asia to back up the Chinese plant etc. Asia is Benz largest growth market & the SA plant will be stretched to the limit even after expansion.

mac911

Yes, sorry, I wasn't mentally thinking about the title of the thread being "Coupe."

Yes, I have visited Stuttgart, and sadly, I'm one of the morons that call Sindelfingen the same as Stuttgart. A bit like calling all of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, my apologies again. But I do this with all cities. Not fair to the smaller one I know.


I understand that for the W205, the same quantity of cars will come from Bremen & Stuttgart as currently with the W204, which is not that many, I agree! At the start of the model year that is where they come from, and then South Africa takes over.

I don't know if the times of the year will be the same as to when the Alabama cars take over, but I understand there will still be the odd car or two from Bremen or Stuttgart (sorry Sindelfingen) when the W205 rolls out. This must be to fulfill some contract with the workers in Germany?

Furthermore, I have understood that every AMG version of the C Class will continue to come from Germany, hopefully that won't change.

The South African plant was amazing. I think it's a bit unfortunate to lose that plant in our NA market. My W204 is Bremen built, but whenever I got a South Africa loaner, it seemed even better made, though it could have been in my head.