splunge

Motorweek did a very positive full road test of the C450AMG on its latest TV episode .
Test results in summery were : 0 to 60 - 4.5 secs
1/4 mile -12.9 @109 mph
Their conclusion was : Price closer to C300
Performance closer to C63 AMG
I wonder if these figures will improve with the C43, having a 9-speed transmission ?

Mr. J

We picked up our C450 Friday evening.

Here's some of the specs:

Palladium
Cranberry
Black ash wood
Night Package
19" black split spoke rims
Car is loaded with all the goodies except for C-fiber, AMG seats, and window shades.

Initial impressions:
Visual- (I'll post pics once I shoot some decent ones)
The car looks amazing. I was a little worried at first that the black AMG rims would be over the top. When viewing the vehicle in person, they blend perfectly with the night package trim and the pano roof while offering great contrast to the exterior color.

Interior-
I love the color and between the wood and leather. The basic leather is of much higher quality than I anticipated (the model we test drove did not have leather). It feels thick and durable to the touch. While I'm sure it is plastic coated, it did not demonstrate that "plasticky feeling" that many leather interiors have.

The controls are well made and feel great to the touch. I like the redundancy of the switches. This makes it a lot easier on the driver.
The seats are very comfy. The adjustments are nearly infinite. The lumbar adjustment is very nice. I'm still getting used to the driving position since I've been in either pickups or SUVs for the last few years.

Stowage compartments are sensible and well placed. I like the little cargo net on the passenger side of the lower console.

One thing I find odd is the memory adjustments. Rather than just pressing the button, you must hold your memory button until the seats and mirrors have reached their preset position. This takes a bit of time if the primary and secondary drivers aren't the same size.

Driving:
Definitely a fun car to drive. The power comes very quickly and is nearly linear as it builds. I haven't driven it hard yet but in regular highway backroad cruising there has been no perceptible turbo lag. Gear changes were quick and crisp.
I have not yet noticed the issue of delayed acceleration from a rolling stop that others have complained about here. There are quick a few opportunities to test this near my house with 4 way stop signs in a residential neighborhood that almost beg you to perform a rolling stop Hopefully MB had worked out this bug prior to our build. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

The steering on this car is excellent. Very precise both at speed and while slowly maneuvering through parking lots. The feedback is there but not overpowering at all, even on Portland's poorly maintained excuses for roads. The suspension comfort is average in the comfort setting. It is smoother than all of our previous vehicles. It will feel a little harsh if you are coming from a full size American cruiser or German equivalent. But even in the comfort setting, body roll is nearly non-existent. The car hugs the roads and responds exceptionally well to cornering at speed. I was expecting a much harsher ride since we have the 19" rims and the Conti run flats. The ride quality is subjective. To put it into perspective I am a 39yo man, above average height, with occasional lower back pain. Some of the roads in my city rival those found in 3rd world countries. I found the ride quality to be adequate and not overly harsh. I would not definitely not use the sport or sport+ suspension setting for daily driving. I plan to set up an individual mode as follows: Engine=Sport, Suspension=Comfort, Steering=Sport.

Thanks for reading my very amateurish initial review. I'll try to throw some pics up in next couple days. Hope you all are enjoying your cars as much as we are

Mike5215

Congrats! I think you've accurately summed up the car. Especially the bit about ride being relative to your frame of reference. If you find with time that for DD duties "Comfort" isn't quite there, replacing the run flats with something like the Michelin Pilot Super Sports buys you just enough "give" to take a little of the edge off. Like having a Comfort + setting. Less noisy too.

Any pics?

Mr. J

Roger that. I'll be replacing the Conti RF with std tires once they wear out. I'll have a few months to see how other peoples' aftermarket tires wear in. Hopefully there will be a decent amount of data on here by then.

I'll try to get some decent pics up this week.

Mike5215

I'll let you know how the MPSS wear on the C. I've had them on every car I've owned since 2007. On my previous S550 a set of staggered rears were done at 9k miles (at almost $800 a set!) but that car was heavy and RWD, so that plus all of the torque involved in getting it moving from a stop ate the soft compound up. Fronts lasted twice as long.

With the C450 being fairly light and AWD spreading the torque around between front and rear I'd expect they'd hold up better. Good summer tire, okay in wet conditions but totally useless once temps get below 40, so not a year round tire except maybe here in FL.

Cocheche

This is the loaner I've enjoyed since friday afternoon, a long rainy weekend. Really impressed of this engine's performance and how sticky the 4matic is in wet conditions, i'd say outstanding. Rims, night package, pano roof and clock, but i've enjoyed every bit of it. I think i'm going to cry like a baby tomorrow when i deliver it back to the dealer, mine's not coming 'til summer.







Not happy with the seats (none in the family actually), does anyone know if the designo luxury ones would be more comfy than the stock ones? Are the performance ones comfy, anyone?

By the way, this unit is wearing Dunlops (sport.. something), and they're great in the wet.

DapperStyle

Mike have you felt a difference in the handling with the MPSS on? Upgrading the tires on my W204 turned it into a much more grippy and nimble car.

topsider

I have noticed a big difference in handling since switching to non-runflat pirelli pzero all season plus, on exit ramps the car just hugs the road now. With the standard conti's, I always felt like I was at the limit of adhesion.

I am seeing these improvements with a good set of all seasons, so Mike's experience must be even better.

toobrokeforC63

If I could get a c450 at this price I would be jumping around and high fiving random folks. My local dealer is selling used c300 at a price higher than your c450.


http://www.mercedes-benzstnicolas.co...d0f4b65c4c.htm

inhartwetrust

Also factor that it's a bare bones C450, the C300 is likely much more fully equipped.

$54K MSRP on a C450 is pretty much as bare as you can get. Most are in the $62-$66K range.

toobrokeforC63

I agree the c300 in the add must be more equipped. But one of the reason being the value of our dollar I think we tend to pay near 10k more for a car in the range of 55k in Canada right now.

DapperStyle

That's great to know!

BRBM

Thank you, Splunge, for the heads up. Goin' to check it out right now; Public TV idiotas in my area can't seem to consistently run the show @ 3:30 pm on Saturdays. What's up wit that.

Anyway, gotta say......with Motor Trend getting it down to 4.4, 0-60, breaking into the 12s for the quarter is very nice to see.

So to answer your question, all reports say the 9-speed is an upgrade, so yes. Should impove by (hopefully) a couple ticks.


I think I'm love with this white girl and her long, sweet lookin' booty. I'm moving back to Rota.

topsider

not to mention that the ride is now 10x better than it was. the non-runflats absorb bumps and cracks in the road amazingly

DapperStyle

I must be spoiled then because the W205 loaner with RFs rides much smoother than my 2014 C300! I think it's because of the slightly longer wheelbase but that means I have a ton of comfort to look forward to when I decide to upgrade next month.

mambrose23

Dealer sent me a copy of the 2017 C Class Dealer Ordering Guide. Not all pricing is listed for the AMG models including the 43, but at least all the options are listed now. If anyone wants me to post it and can help me out on how to do it, let me know...

inhartwetrust

Post away, brother. Thanks!

Mike5215

Hard to say. It may have been my imagination but I felt like in corners the RFs were approaching their limits faster. Probably the extra give in the sidewalls of the PSS and a grippier tire in general.

DapperStyle

Upload it here, I've pointed in red at the icon you need to select to upload.

mambrose23

Thank you. I tried, but it says that it is too large. 4,700kb max. This is 7,400kb.

inhartwetrust

Just watched the MotorWeek episode (forgot I had set it to DVR), nothing just positive things to say really. Pretty solid, makes me even more excited for mine to deliver at the end of the month.

z28lt1

Here's mambrose23's doc


EDIT: I see that some of the pages are sideways. I'll try to fix and repost in a bit.

EDIT 2: New attachment, should be oriented properly now.

iluvdaBenz

I picked up my C450 from the dealership last Thursday. What do you think of the Cardinal red / designo Saddle Brown Nappa leather combo? I like that this combination is quite uncommon. You might notice my temporary "all season mat" in one of the pictures while I wait for the actual all season mats from the dealership!

So far, I am pleased with the vehicle. MB has really outdone themselves with the exterior styling and interior materials. It is light years ahead of the equivalent 340xi from BMW. I have driven ~250 miles so I am 1/4 through the break in period. I have never owned a car with a rear view camera so experiencing the 360 camera is simply awesome. It makes parking very accurately in a parking lot simply a breeze. I got the hands free option (my car is fully loaded) and enjoy opening and closing the trunk by kicking just for kicks! (pardon the pun!) The active lane assist appears to work better for the right lane. It was quite unsettling the first time the car turned the steering wheel to put itself back into the lane! I have not tried the parktronic features yet.

One negative is the fact that I have experienced the delayed response of the transmission when accelerating from a rolling stop. I knew this coming in but it is still irritating nevertheless. I just could not wait another 6 months for the C43.

Now some pictures because as they say, "Pictures or it aint happened!" Pardon the phone pictures and overcast day.

iluvdaBenz

I do have a few questions:

1. How do you wash the car at a carwash without getting scratches? I assume those big brushes could cause micro scratches using the dust already on the paint.
2. Do you hear a humming sound from the assembly that controls the pano roof?
3. Did you discover that the C450 needs an ECU or software update? How can you know if it is necessary?
4. Could you recommend a good radar detector so that I can freely put this car through its paces without fearing being pulled over by you know who?
5. What are the restrictions and other considerations necessary when tinting a leased car?
6. Do you trust a valet to park you spanking new C450? Have you experienced your car getting scratched by a valet before?

topsider

1. When it's winter I bring my own washing mitt to the self serve bay carwashes, or I just use the touchless washes that do a really good job.
2. When the roof is opening and closing, I do hear the motor that opens it and closes it, don't think that's too uncommon.
4. I have a Valentine 1, unreal. Probably has save me thousands of dollars in tickets.
5. I think you can tint a leased car, all my friends when I lived in Florida did that, non uncommon.
6. My mom's ML got a dent in it last month from a valet, she noticed it and went in to the hotel to tell them and the hotel's insurance company cut her a check for $1k.


The red and brown combo looks great!