That's why I'm moving to Porsche.

 

Then what, BMW will become a has been like Mercedes?

M

 

I honestly think that the C and 3 couldn't be any more cut and dry this generation.

The 3, even going softer, is much more dynamic and sharp, while the C blows away and makes a joke of the 3's interior.

BMW and Mercedes build their cars to a cost. So it would make sense that BMW puts more into making sure that through its softening, it remains the more dynamic of the two. MB seemed to invest so much into the interior, the drive seems to be more muted for this generation, and interestingly, both kind of coincide together.

BMW 3: More fun.

Mercedes C: More comfortable.

Seems like after them trying to invade on each other's turf on other cars, they get into their respective corners this round. And yes, that's taking into consideration the softening of the 3.

 

Thanks for all your observations but please don't ruin this forum, where you have no interest in the car, as you did in the E Class forums.

 

Everyone builds cars to a cost, the only difference is what the cost is. Even the S-Class is built to a cost, but a high one that reflects it from the moment you open the door.

Yes Mercedes is returning to their roots and rightly so, sales are soaring worldwide now. They don't have to pander on price anymore nor do they need to chase down BMWs in every corner to be a success. That said, there is still the AMG cars that have slapped BMW's M cars around quite a bit in the last few years. Nor have they totally given up on sport either. A C450 will be announced soon with AMG specific tuning an a 362hp 3.0 Turbo V6. What Mercedes is really doing is put the premium back into their cars and it started with the S-Class.

M

 

You know what, stop entertaining yourself with the vitriol bait fest via these valueless posts and that won't happen. People sharing opinions about the C Class. I've driven one, so here I am. Simple as that.

 

Just tell us what interest, if any you have in the W205's. Again I saw you doing this same thing day after day on the E Class forums. What is your point? We know you don't like the W205 and many others feel the same so why not let it go?

 

Well what they're doing is taking a page out of BMW's book. Artificially inflating MSRP and then selling them at huge discounts once the market gets a grip on the cars value. MB has been discounting like crazy for some time, but the C appears to reflect a new realm of MSRP.

Sales don't mean anything to how good a car is (otherwise that would support BMW and Audi anyway as even with less offerings they've held sales leads). I don't think that's an argument for enthusiasts to make. That comes down to which models are cheaper and who's flooded the market with more, namely downmarket vehicles, which MB has been doing at a record (for them) pace lately. BMW too, but MB has a larger model portfolio by quite a bit.

MB is pandering on price more than ever, but they're bringing out more models to spread it around.

I'd say that the C is a return to MB focusing on luxury again, rather than trying to be several different things at once. The W222 indeed brought back that "old fashioned" MB approach. Though I do think carrying it down to the C has some negatives to go with the positive (interior).

 

The C-Class is not pandering on price, that was the point. The CLA and GLA are to a degree. Audi is doing the same and BMW is also. They're all discounting. None of them are getting sticker for most of their cars anymore. Sales do mean something as to how good a car is, how much so is debatable, but to say it means nothing is just wrong.

M

 

Indeed it doesn't mean nothing. But it generally has to do with things enthusiasts don't choose cars for. The C has a high price now. The one I drove wasn't that loaded and it was around $50k. Once we see how massive the discounts may be, or how artificially incentivized the leases are is when we'll know what the market thinks about MB's newly attempted suggested price.

 

Then we disagree. People don't consistently buy bad cars in the luxury car space, especially at these prices. Sales do mean something. I don't care about the C's discounts and what will happen, not even talking about that.

M

 

I added one more negative point:

No On/Off button for the climate control - in the old C350 there was an On/Off/Auto button that made it very easy to turn on an off the climate control in Auto mode. Now you have to keep pushing down the fan/"Off" button several times to turn it off. Can anyone tell me if there has ever been any car built (even the cheapest car) without a clear on/off button for the climate control?

 

True. But people will buy the MB or BMW badge especially when it's a new car. The nicer the car, the better, but I think discounts and stuff like that will ultimately lead when it's between brands like those. Of course, reliability, etc. The Lexus RX is a sales leader and I think it's the lamest car in the world. Good cars equal different things to different people. For example, if MB sucked the soul out of their car and made it a glammed up Camry, it might appeal to a massive audience. But it would devalue the car on an aspirational and cachet level namely to enthusiasts, and especially long term. And like underground music, enthusiasts are usually the ones who dictate what's going to be highly regarded in the next generations, etc.

To me, the more character and distinctive traits, the better.

 

Well I guess that's another area MB took from BMW.

On my Bimmer I believe there is no off button .

I heard on the 3, you can't even sync both sides of the climate control. Which would be pathetic and a total PITA. I hope for you guys' sake, the C doesn't have that issue.

 

*wishes someone else had an OFF button*

 

Wow....things got heated during lunch!

For me, the bottom line is that MB has realized that they are excellent at making luxury sedans and has brought the C back into the fold. The W205 is outstanding at accomplishing that objective for its size and price position.

BMW has wandered from its brand core competencies of prioritizing driving enthusiasm over more traditional luxury for the 3 Series on up. The 2 is true to its' brand promise, and hopefully, with their recently newly announced 35UP platform for future programs, BMW will find its way back to its prior excellence at its unique position versus MB. (I considered and rejected the 3 and 4 before getting the 2, their current best car, IMHO)

Neither market position is "bad" nor "good"....they are different and we are best served when each brand focuses on and does excellently what we want from them.

 

Porsche doesn't use one either.

 

My 2000 E-Class is the same way. Not a big deal for me since I almost never turn it off...

 

Just took a test drive of a C400 and I have to say I'm very impressed with the torque on this car! The differences between Comfort and Sport + are night and day but either one will give you the acceleration for day-to-day driving.

The interior is amazing! I will say though that I felt that the door handles were a little cheap feeling. Almost as if I yanked hard enough it would probably break. The wood trim is really nice in most places. I did however notice that the "veneer" on the center console was a little thin. It's clearly rolled on to a curved plastic surface but there's a noticeable seam between the curved part and the vertical part. it's the same on several models I looked at today. Dials, buttons seems solid. The passenger seat controls are a bit deceiving. The headrest control is present but serves no function as the passenger head rest appears to be manual only. Would have been nicer to not have a knob there at all. While I was driving I noticed the high-beam, low-beam and another indicator all lit up briefly for no apparent reason. The cranberry red is a little darker than it looks online but still a must have with a black exterior. The panoramic roof is a must have. I know my kids are going to love having their own little window to the sky. BTW, manual side sun shades are listed as OPTIONAL but in reality their standard. On my build invoice I have a credit for the cost of the option. The stitched pleather dashboard is an attractive touch and really makes the car look top-notch. The steering wheel looks great with the flat bottom but the center piece looks cheap and plastic-y.

Exterior, what's to say really? The front is aggressive, beautifully designed and flows perfectly with the sides of the car. I don't care much for the rear on this car. It seems that the car is longer in the front and stubby in the back. But when you put it all together it just works. Unlike the CLA's rear end which just looks horrendous. The LED DRLs and tail lights are really cool looking and add to the overall sharp-edged look MB is trying to accomplish.

The engine is full of torque and the Sport + feature takes full advantage of it. It's an almost instant attitude change of the car when you switch it on the go and floor it. Your head will be pressed into the headrest all the way up past 90 MPH, guaranteed. My Audi S5 would be hard pressed to keep up with this car from the line.

Bottom-line: Someone on this forum said it best and I agree. Audi and BMW have both been called out and it's as if they were both caught with their pants down. The 2015 C Class makes their models look plain and lacking in comparison.

So will I buy it? I mean I'm an Audi enthusiast and believe in their products. The answer is a resounding YES! The car has class, speed, technology and quality all over it. It's not perfect, and it certainly NOT an S-Class, when it comes to overall quality but it's not that far from it. My plan is to lease it for 24-30 months and get whatever new and improved version is out. Hell maybe even the C63.

 

I think part of the reason why some people react negatively to your posts is because you sometimes simply don't know what you're talking about.


MB has been "artificially inflating MSRP" (whatever that even means) and selling their cars for far less than the MSRP since at leas the 1990s (my father got $10,000 off his $47,000 300E w/o much effort). When the W126 was getting long in tooth in the late 80s and early 90s, they'd offer you $10,000-15,000 off WITHOUT YOU EVEN HAVING TO ASK.


Likewise, the LS400 was $35,000 when it was first introduced in 1990. That was about the same MSRP as our 190e. The LS is now $72,000. Did Lexus "artificially inflate" their price? Or were they getting government subsidies or willing to simply take a loss temporarily for market share?





You do realize that, at least as of a few yrs ago, delayed-off interior lights were an OPTION on a Porsche Cayenne, right? Every manufacturer engages in this, and MB is no better or worse than most, in this regard. In fact, one could argue that Porsche and BMWs are the kings of hugely expensive option packages.... (the $78,000 base Panamera comes w/... PARTIAL leather seats as standard).


I don't think you're a troll at all.. In fact, I imagine you're probably a pretty nice guy. But, as strange as this sounds for an enthusiast's forum, I think you need to stop taking what you drive so seriously. It's just a car. Seriously. It doesn't define who you are.

 

How about trunk space?

I spotted a new C400 in a parking lot this morning, and first thing I noticed is how stubby the rear looks, when viewed from the side.

The trunk looks like it made have a hard time even fitting standard roll-along overhead suitcases.

Am I wrong?

 

LOL, not wrong at all. Long in the front, short in the back. The trunk space is nothing special other than the opening is huge so you'll better utilize it. I wish it had the grocery bag add-in like the S Class has.

 

BTW after reading this I went and checked. All the passenger seat adjustments are the exact same as the drivers. Including motorized headrest. I had to double check but maybe something wasn't connected properly

 

You have to have the optional memory upgrade to get seat memory on the passenger's seat. The Premium package only includes the driver's seat memory. Without the extra memory package, the power headrest switch on the passenger's side is not functional.

 

Ah gotcha, I have every option under the sun but the auto parking feature. Didn't realize that was an extra