Germancar1

Are you kidding? That ugly **** is no more classy than putting lace on a bowling ball. They are not the only standard wheel in all markets, how in the world would you know that. Good, they're ugly enough for winter wheels. Class? A joke.

M

Pete1968

rather then us agreeing to disagree, why don't you just be quiet.

.

Germancar1

Nah those wheels are ugly as hell, so agree to disagree. They look like 80's hubcaps.

M

Pete1968

Just so you know it: Stepping on other peoples feelings, and banging your chest, is not going to help you meet the right guy.*




*Not that there is anything wrong with that...

StanNH

Nor will it make you many friends.

Germancar1

Pot meet Kette. You're the one that said I had no class because I didn't like a damn wheel on a car. You have issues to say the least if you going to cry about hurt feelings now.

M

MBNUT1

My observations are of C3004matic:

Styling - Beautiful with exception of ipad screen (this is a big problem for me)
Size - Perfect
Ride Quality - Excellent
Handling -Excellent
Engine - Off idle hesitation, Sounds like a Camry, plenty of power
Price - Too high given that it is made in the US
Mercedes Vault locomotive tracking like feel - While I'm sure on every engineering metric it is a more solid car it doesnt feel like it.

Overall assessment - It's a better car than the competition (but that is supposed to be, given that that is the natural order of things and the competition doesn't do much for me either) but I'm disappointed because I really wanted to buy this size of Mercedes and it is beautiful to look at and has a good suspension but the value proposition and Mercedes DNA seems to be lacking.

I reserve the right to change my tune after driving a C400 (would have to overcome objection to ipad and figure out how to get a luxury front end)

alsyli

This is what I find puzzling (I haven't driven it myself, but I'll take your word for it). Even if the car is bigger but lighter, the similar-sized 300E (which also weighed about the same) had the vault-like feeling in spades. Oh, well.

Where you able to drive it on the freeway? If so, what was the steering tracking like? I have found this aspect of the facelifted W204 to be singularly disappointing (and significantly worse than it was in the pre-facelifted version).

K-A

One of the first things I noticed was a lack of "tank like" feel and imperfect fit/finish. I chalked it up to perhaps side effects of the cost saving measures re: being made in America (including less German parts if the above quote is true).

It feels softer overall to me. The steering is over-boosted, light and clinical to me, but that's how MB's are meant to feel, increasingly so, which isn't my cup of tea.

MB-JIM

You keep complaining about a car in which you have no interest. Isn't it time you let it go???

K-A

You keep complaining about posts which you don't agree with. Isn't it time you let it go???

floridadriver

I think MB hit a home run with this car, offering all the niceties of their fagship in life sized package. Not really a need to step up unless you need more size. Wouldn't personally be my choice if wanted a sports car, but then neither would BMW. Several variations of the C currently and more coming. I agree on test drives of the C and of other 2015 cars, the CAFE related weight reductions, electronic steering and smaller charged up engines are a little different, yet the dawn of a new era. I'd still choose the new ones.

MB-JIM

I never said I disagreed with your analysis. You have provided a lot of critical analysis to the W205's. No car is perfect, including your beloved BMW. I, like you, found our W211 and W212 models far from perfect.
My point is that this forum is for people interested in this new C Class. You have given your inputs, and I thank you for them, but with absolutely no interest in buying the W205, I feel you have said enough.

StanNH

At some point, the constant stream of negative comments looks less like constructive criticism and more like harping.

Every car has its strong and weak points, and those areas need to be discussed and pointed out, but not endlessly.

Sportstick

A different question which may get closer to the topic again.

My wife continues to love MB in general, and her W211 in particular, although it's approaching 100,000 miles (but in fine shape so far). For those who now have a W205 and have E Class experience, given the advances in technology, luxury, and some bump in size, do you think a W211 E Class owner would find themselves happy in a W205? The next gen E Class price may make this a reasonable alternative. Thoughts, please?

K-A

Unless you work for MB then I don't see why you'd be so sensitive to it, unless just chalking it up to the misguided defensiveness of a fanboy.

Fact is your immediate responses have been what engage this conversation further. So I guess according to your true feelings, I haven't said enough. Talking cars is one thing, getting butthurt because you think that by expressing my opinion of the car is peeing in your cornflakes isn't my problem. I can dissect cars all day long. I just wish I got paid for it.

alsyli

I don't own a W205, but what does your wife like specifically about the W211, and what is she looking for in her new car?

hpilot

I have a 2000 E-320 with only 64,000 miles on it. I really like the car because of the great ride, and the perfect size for me. Unfortunately I have spent $20,000 on repairs over the years, so I have had a lot of C-Class loaners from my dealer. I really hated them, and was always happy to get my E-Class back. However, the 2015 C-Class is a different story altogether. I will be placing my order for one shortly.

Germancar1

I think the lightweight aluminum construction is the difference in the feel with the new C. The doors are light as a feather now and don't close with that thunk of the previous car. That is the cost of making it lighter I guess. Check out the doors on the new S Coupe, they feel like they have rocks in them.

M

MBNUT1

So keep in mind my frame of reference that being a C300 W204. I think the primary difference is the weight of the steering feel and the heaviness of the front end associated with the six cyclinder.

Didn't get a chance to drive it on the highway so can't comment but I do concurr with your observation about the facelifted W204 the steering seemed different from the prefacelifted.

MBNUT1

Clinical is a good work to describe it. I find the current 3 series the same way and find it uninteresting and soulless. Great car from an engineering perspective but short in the personality department.

To me that is not how Mercedes are meant to feel at all otherwise I would have no interest in one.

You *****ed about the E Class you had but to me sans the harsh ride (which I didn't find so bad in my sisters 2013 sport E3504matic) it feels like a Mercedes, strong like a tank that will last forever unerring tracking down the highway.

alsyli

My frame of reference is fairly extensive, going all the way back to the 190E (which I drove frequently as a teen). The 190E was significantly smaller, of course, but it was also much lighter (around 2900 lbs)? The C280 (W202 which was, IMO, the last "true" old-school MB) was also very solid and probably weighed about the same as the W205 (but, again, was significantly smaller). My parents also had at least one 6-cyl C300 W204. While the original steering was light, the car itself still felt solid. So, while I'm not an engineer, I can't help think that it isn't simply the car's overall weight or the steering by themselves.

The suspension of the facelifted W204 had also apparently been retuned. Superficially smoother but not an improvement, in my opinion (worse body control).

Also not sure who was responsible for the calibrations on the variable power steering (which I assume the W204 has), but they should be fired. It makes no sense to have the steering feel HEAVY at low speed and then have it feel LIGHT at high speed.

While I agree that MB's shouldn't have light steering, I recall one European video review mentioned that they *liked* the light steering. Ew. Apparently European tastes have changed. ::shudder::

Sportstick

I should have asked her before posting! She said the top three characteristics are 1) Confort/luxury, 2) Performance, and 3) Size and she thinks the new S looks very nice!

Atcdude

I think the issue these days with steering is pretty much universal, and it's due to the emergence of electric steering vs hydraulic. I haven't driven a single vehicle with electric steering that had feel anywhere near that of a good hydraulic system.

I'll give the C Class this in regards to the steering; it is accurate. However I do find it somewhat devoid of feel. Audi doesn't have the best steering either and I would certainly knock my A4 on that for sure.

Don't think I'm slagging just the C Class, I think this is a general
problem with electric steering across the board. I just hope it improves as time goes on.

MBNUT1

When I said that my frame of reference was a W204 C3004matic I was saying that I had jumped into one immediately following driving the 2015. It felt heavier which I find more satisfying. On the other hand it was a sport with 18in wheels and the ride quality of the sport W205 was vastly improved.

I agree that the facelifted W204 steering was too light at highway speeds in a way that I didn't notice with the prefacelift ones.

My experience with these cars includes owning a ponton 220SE, a 62 220se coupe, '89 190E 2.6 5 spd (my favorite car) and '06 E3504matic as well as a lot of seat time in my dad's '67 250se.