Highly Disappointed in the new C300
 

Hello guys,
this thread is for discussion and information exchanges purposes.

Anyways I will start with my first touch to the new c300, I currently have a 2008 c300 4matic sport and what I love about it is the grip, it feels like my car is holding and hugging the road for me. since I love my car I started thinking about the new c300 2015 to now. I don't like the exterior but the interior is terrific. I brought one home for extended test drive and drove about 120 miles in 24 hours the car feels nice from inside but leather and most of the stuff in the car feels cheap. the grip I was talking about it's gone. the new c300 has lot of wind noise, road noise coming from tires and it's bumpy. feel like a Toyota. it doesn't have a Mercedes taste anymore. the reason I will buy another Mercedes is because of the grip and feel behind the wheel. The new models has more like ford fusion or a Toyota Camry feel. I think a Subaru WRX feels better than the new c300. I'm totally disappointed and will think about a 2014 or older c-class or might end up with a Subaru WRX. what do you guys think about the new c-class?

did you drive it in all driving modes? I hear its not to bad but like all new models some people take longer for it to grow on them. Your right i hear there are tons of rattles that get annoying but i wouldn't know first hand.

Every time I see the new C it looks a little better to me. Personally I haven't drove one but I will soon. I just want to test out sports+ mode and see how it is.

Don't get me wrong i still absolutely love my W204, I don't think il ever stop loving it unless i have a major problem with it. the quality of the build, it sticks to the road like you mentioned it still looks great compared to other new cars. I just wish it wasn't so expensive to add features hahaha thats my only gripe about it, i still can't get over not having navi. my goal is to retrofit it eventually.

but if your considering an upgrade to the facelift w204 I'm sure you'll be happy about the updated interior. I still don't mind the 2008-2011 interior even though its a lot of plastic. but the exterior still looks awesome on them, with a few mods it makes that look super aggressive.

Yes I tried all modes. For someone like me I will never get into the ne C-Class again, everything feels so cheap and the car doesn't stick to the road like the old ones and the noise is not a Mercedes thing, we Americans messed it up I will say R.I.P. C-class. I will just upgrade mine to a 2014 C300. I love how mine hugs the road for me and it's so quite. I will recommend you to test drive it just so you stop thinking about one lol

I had so many services this year I managed to drive some new C300s for a couple months.

The "cheap" part for me is basically the dashboard and center console area. Otherwise the seats, doors and headliner are all fantastic. The dash and instrument cluster is a rather uninspired step backwards. I hate the AC controls too. They remind me of something from the 1970s. Put the dashboard from the facelift W204 in a W205 and then we'd have a beautiful interior.

I never did hear a W205 with rattles but I had one CLA that sounded like loads of squeaky Styrofoam. There was less than 500 miles on that one too.

There is something light about the handling feeling of the new model. I frequently had slight loss of traction. It handles really well but also feels overly electronic. I couldn't tell if the car did have less "grip" or if I was just feeling a bit more overconfident or disconnected and overdriving.

While Audi and BMW have now messed up their cars throttle responses the W205 seems to have redeemed what they did to our W204s. The agility modes are fantastic and C mode is great for every day driving. S+ is for some really spirited track driving.

Still something about the W205 is so electronic that you almost feel like you're driving in a video game at times. I guess that is the future until cars are all self driving anyway.

Michael,
I will have to agree with you on S+, the interior looks nice even though it feels cheap. The downside for me was harsh driving and not having the same grip that we have in the W204. also road noise is really annoying that it feels just like any Japanese or American daily commute cars, I can literately hear every bump my tires hit. I will just stick with my w204 and keep looking for a 2014 c300 with AMG Package if I could find one.


I appreciate your guys sharing your experience here with me

Maybe the grip issue you're talking about is due to the run flats?
Or maybe the way the electronic steering feels.

You'll find lots of comments from W205 owners about the electric steering feeling "unnatural."

There was also a recall dealing with the steering software IIRC.

I don't know, it's probably just me, but I'm not a fan of all this "fly by wire" stuff ...

I had a w205 C300 as a loaner for a few days around new years... it was ok but I was very happy to be back in the w204 afterwards.

Odd thing is I would say the new C300 is much quieter than my car and a bit on the softer side. Although I have a cupped tire and something whiney in the serpentine belt system. Those two things are driving me a bit bonkers.

Perhaps it could be rougher roads where you are with the run flats? The CLA is definitely stiffer. But I have found the new C300s I've driven to be on the cushy side.

Drive a W205 with decent Michelin Tyres & not run flats & you will be surprised! You soon get used to the steering. The cabin is subjective. Early pre facelift W204 cabins came in for plenty of criticism.

What you should be driving is a C400/450 and not a C300 if you are looking at the W205 models.

Comparing the W204 C300 to the W205 C300 is like comparing a C300 to a C250 to be honest.

The C300 you drove is for sure a 4 banger which no matter what you do will not feel as nice as our model. That could be due to the weight of the car as well/or weight of the engine on the front.

Go and drive the C400/450 which has a V6 and you will feel and hear the difference big time. In regards to the interior, it also might depend if you get the new MBTex or the Actual leather option.

could be, also the road noise from tires could be from the run flats as well. but it could be even from the suspensions too

I was hoping it will be very quite but my w204 c300 feels way quieter and I will have to test the cabin noise on both to make sure I'm right

I will test drive a c400, but isn't our w204s all came with MBtex ?

Ditto! There is no comparison in feel between a 4 banger & a V6.

What kind of tires do you recommend for my w204. I like a good grip and quite ride. I have continentals on mine now

For some reason I can't feel that much of a significant difference between the C250 and C300 and I tend to be sensitive to those things. I test drove both extensively and opted for RWD in the end. Although my car has occasional rough warm starts.

The Michelin Pilot Super Sports tend to be popular if you can use Summer tires. They have the highest tire rack rating for the fit.

You guys are nuts, I currently have a base W205 and it feels SOO much better than my 2012, so much that after a year with the 12 I already want the 16. The car feels SO MUCH quicker in Sport+ than S on the W204 that it is ridiculous. Lets not talk about its looks, the only downside it has is the rear end, everything else looks better and more modern.

I don't know but there is a big feel difference for me between the 4 and the 6. For me the main thing is that raspy noise out of the 4 banger, and the power line is just not as refined as it is in the 6.

The other thing and maybe its just me, but isn't the c450 like 300 pounds heavier as well. That would make it feel different that's for sure. Everything else is going to be pretty much the same but the C450 for me feels much more refined than the C300.

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 is what I've just fitted to my CLK. Any of the PS range are really good on this chassis.

The W205 interior doesn't do it for me. I don't seem to like the interiors until facelifts for some reason. Am I the only one who looks at the gauges in the new C and sees GM? Reminds me of Pontiac. Can't help it, thought it from the first time I saw it.

NO!!! you are not, lol. And the AC controls also remind me of something out of a 1970s Cadillac. Except GM is doing more inspired design work now. This would be an insult to the modern GM.

Mercedes is woefully behind Audi, BMW, Ford, etc. when it comes to some of the interior tech. That is unless you have an S class.

I think we'll see a facelift soon. Some things are nice about the W205. But the designers left me scratching my head on a few things.

I am red-faced in asking - here goes - "How does one identify run-flat tires?".........

What do I look for?

All help here appreciated big time.



ez

It should be on the sidewall somewhere.