So I actually have two questions pertaining to 2009 c300s.
First I'll start off with the fact that I am looking into buying a car soon and in my price range I looking at a 2009 c300 or a 2008 audi a4. My thoughts being the c300 is more expensive however is nicer and retains the value more. My girlfriend drives one and it is an excellent car. I googled c300 vs a4 and actually came across these forums with a topic of just that and alot of people said they owned both at some point and chose the c300 overall. A common mention to the a4s turbo needing replaced as a common problem amongst them. So I was almost convinced on the c300. I have felt it drive personally and have read great reviews on it however when I specifically looked up c300 reviews there were more complaints than compliments. It seems like they may have frequent problems and consistently people noted the bumper was too low and gets damged easily and the rims also get damaged easily and the tires need replaced frequently. I have seen all 3 of those happen on my girlfriends car and assumed it was just her poor driving abilities but it seems pretty common actually. That being said what are your opinions on owning a c300 in general and also what are your opinions on a c300 vs the a4?

On a side note my girlfriend hit a pot hole and the inner wall of a rim cracked a chunk off and now leaks air and needs to be replaced she always wanted to replace her stock rims and now has a legit reason too however she found out her rims are different widths and cant find after market rim sets with the two different size widths. I have read a few times even on here people talking about upgrading to 19 inch wheels. Is that only possible through mercedes themselves or does anyone know where you can get a set of aftermarkets in the offset wheel sizes?

 

Well, both are cars you could find much to complain about. Then throw in BMW into the mix, lol.

I've had a bit of experience in VAGs and now MB. I like both but the biggest thing I've noticed is just the perception other people have about a Benz. In truth it's really just a car. For me it came down to the styling and driving feel.

Yes, the car rides very low stock so the front bumper can take some damage. Look at the way most drivers of non suv Mercedes park. They'll leave about 2-3 feet in front of the car.

I'd just test drive a few and see what what speaks to you. When I got mine I was looking at 3 and 5 series BMWs.

 

[QUOTE=michail71;6912582]

Yes, the car rides very low stock so the front bumper can take some damage. Look at the way most drivers of non suv Mercedes park. They'll leave about 2-3 feet in front of the car.



LOL I'm one of the people who parks this way. I just like the styling of the Benz more than the Audi.

 

This is correct.

Drive both, see what you like. Engine is biggest difference.

People generally only go to forums for problems. 2009 shouldnt be too bad, most of the 2008 stuff fixed.

 

If you don't really care about performance, then the 3 series doesn't really provide much more than a typical C class. Being naturally aspirated, the C300 should also be more reliable than the direct injected, forced induction A4. I believe 2008 is the older B8 body style for audi, while in 2009 they introduced the B9 body style that is much more similar to the current gen A4's.

So, if I were you, I would either increase your budget and look into a 2008+ 335i(NOT 328i), a 2009 C300/C350, or 2009 A4.

The 2009 C300 would probably be in your best interests if initial cost and maintenance costs are important to you.

 

All I'm saying is, someone could buy me an Audi A4 & I would sell it for another C300. I have an 09 C300 Luxury with 67k on it...Wouldn't replace it for anything in this world. I'm sure the A4 is a great car, but after owning my C300 for 2 1/2ish years, I've had to replace the tires once due to the fact that there was no tread left on them and I've had to replace a TPS. I did get 2 recalls taken care of but I won't count those because those didn't actually cause problems. I chose to get them fixed. Other then that, I've had to do regular maintenance on the vehicle.

 

Talking to some mechanics I know they all say stay clear of bmw 100% hate bmw. One of those mechanics used to be my boss at autozone and he always told me never touch a bmw and also praised mercedes. So with audi being in a middle ground I never really heard about I gave him a call today and he said stay away from turbo audis. So that being said with all your feed back as well I am convinced on mercedes. So searching a few websites the best deals I can find in my price range in my area are 1) 2009 c300 2) 2008 c350 3) 2004 s55

the c300 is a bit cheaper however you obviously get a bit more with the c350 including the navigation added on this specific one. the s55 I really don't know about and is a bit older but figured id throw it in to see if i get a hell yeah or hell no reaction to it. what do you all think? thanks again.

 

Personally I'd go with either the 09 C300 or the 08 C350. I wouldn't buy a 12 almost 13 year old car but that's just me.

 

My only input is that even in my C350's PACKED engine bay, I've yet to find a bolt/nut that I don't have room to swing a wrench!

 

Benz engineering is a bit more solid than vag - most parts on a 8 year old car have held up well - but not without some fairly common and expensive fixes needed (like the electronic ignition switch). Avoid 4 matic. The Audi does feel a bit better on the road to drive however ..

 

This is absolutely correct, 98% accurate.

But the 2% milk varies: if you increase your budget you could likely get a 2011 c300 even, depending on mileage, the location, and such.

Styling - both stock and mods the c300 is going to be up there vs those 2. 335i if you like the coupes will prolly tie, but >a4 for sure.

All are [relatively] around the same HP. Gas mileage is a difference.

 

2009 C300 - 228 horsepower 3.0L V6 N/A
2008 C350 - 268 horsepower 3.5L V6 N/A
2008 BMW 335i - 300 horsepower 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo

 

I'm in the auto repair business for a very large service provider (think national chain). I would stay away from BMW and Audi in the 8-9 year old car range. They can be very expensive to repair and seem to have lots of little issues that start adding up.
Benz's seem to not have as many issues. You need to figure out what you need. Are you leaning awd for a reason? if not less is more in this case. Go with a C300 or C350 RWD car. So long as the trans flushes have been done and the few issues these cars seem to have (none that break the bank) I think you should go with the merc.

As far as wheel fitment, merc sports models will most likely have staggered wheel set ups (wider in the back, narrower in the front). If you shop at a national chain or someone like Tire rack for wheels they will ask you for specifics on your car. They will sell you a staggered set up. This does mean you cannot rotate front to back, only side to side. If you get directional tires then you can't even do that. Keep in mind that tire warranties are cut in half if you have staggered set up as rotation of tires is something that you should do if you can. I don't know but my feeling is that if you wanted to go non-staggered you would get new wheels and tires the same size as the luxury model which does not have the staggered set up. Keep in mind those luxury cars tend to have smaller wheels and more tire for a more comfortable ride. You should research that extensively before making decisions on your set up. I am just giving you my opinion not advice

 

Thanks for the help guys. I picked up a 2008 c350 yesterday and am loving it. My girlfriend has an 09 c300 and though they're not much different the increased performance and more guttural exhaust have been putting a smile on my face. Now it's time to look at mods!

 

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