Hi all,

First post so I hope that I do ok. I have been looking at getting a new car recently. I am trying to find a family car, but something that is fun as well. I have narrowed it down to 2 cars-C300 and Audi S3. The C has a nicer interior and exterior but is much slower and seems to have quality issues. The S3 is fast and fun but not as comfortable and is somewhat small. The costing is similar.

I wanted to get opinions on my thoughts and what I should do. I understand that this is a Mercedes site, but I know that folks can be objective. I am struggling and figured worth a shot.

Last note, my wife liked the C much better

Thanks,
Ryan

 

The C300 is more a luxury cruiser so fits more into your "family car" requirements. Interior proportions rank among the best in the class. The interior design is extremely upscale. I found power adequate for my daily driving needs. It is less of a "fun" car compared to the Audi S3 but drives well for everyday driving. The only drawback has been first year build quality and reliability. My 2015 C300 turned out to be a lemon so it was taken back by the manufacturer for mechanical failures. If you must get this car, I suggest waiting for the 2016 model.

The S3 is a performance oriented car with a high output 4 cylinder engine. The drawback is a cramped interior, particularly the rear seat. This car would satisfy the "fun". However, the limited interior volume may not fit the "family" car requirement.

Have you looked at the Infiniti Q50S, Cadillac ATS 2.0T and/or 3.6 or Lexus IS 200T/IS 300 or IS 350 F Sport?

 

What about a C400/450? Fits both requirements, I love mine

 

The both for the. I would love a 400/450, although it is just above the budget that I was looking for. Maybe it is best to wait a bit and the prices will com down.

 

I have the C300 Sport and I've driven the S3 as well. So here are my thoughts.

1) Suspension: From my experience, the S3 (at least with magnetic ride) is way more comfortable than the sport tuned suspension on the Merc. So if you go the S3 route consider getting that option as bad roads make me cringe whenever I drive over a small pothole. However, if you're going for the Avantgarde or Comfort trim with the C-Class that shouldn't be as much of a problem but I assume you want the sport trim since you're comparing it with an S3.

2) Dynamics: The C300 with sport suspension does feel pretty tight on initial turn in but does exhibit a fair amount of body roll. Also with the 18's and Continental run flat tires (which are crap btw) overall grip is quite disappointing relative to the non-sport 328 BMW I drove (a direct competitor I was interested in). The magnetic ride of the S3 did feel a bit floaty at really high speed but was ideal in every other circumstance. It's adjustable dampening settings places it somewhere in between the handling ability of the 328 and the C300 but still way better at absorbing bumps than the C300. Since this is your family car I doubt you'll ever drive as fast as I did during that test drive to notice the S3's a bit floaty so I wouldn't worry about it lol.

3) Interior: Main reason I got the C-Class was because its interior design and quality exceeds that of many modern cars that cost significantly more. It's a nice place to sit and I love the red leather even though it does absorb quite a bit of dye from my jeans and the bottom of the driver's seat is now maroon. However, while I can't comment on the back seats of the S3, I will say that for a smaller car the S3 is very spacious and doesn't feel as tight as it might seem from the outside and I was very impressed with that. They managed to make it feel very roomy, at least up in the front and personally I prefer the pop-up Google navigation from Audi way more than the iPad-style mount of the C300. Trunk size differences between both cars aren't too bad.

Engine: The C300 is slow. If I could go back I would rather get the C400 with no options than an almost fully loaded C300 because I am disappointed with the fact that you never get that kick in the back feeling you probably also experienced with the S3. That's something to consider but obviously your wife probably doesn't value that as much as she does interior design and overall space. This one is tough. The S3 (if you're into any form of tuning) is a way better platform for modifying as companies like APR have ECU tunes for them that render them CLA45 AMG fast with the click of a button. So if you plan on doing that at all, buy the S3 and ignore everything else I say.

Pricing and value: The C300 and S3 are similarly priced but the S3 comes with so few additional options that it's a fully loaded car at that trim level. A lot can be added to the C300 like driving assistance packages and faux/real leather options so consider that. All in all, if you plan to lease their residual values (I think) are both above 50% so payments may be similar but interest rates may vary so double check.

Overall: If you want an elegant, comfortable/roomy mid-sized vehicle (as your wife probably does) get the C300 but not with sport suspension. If you care about performance convince her that the S3 is a better option but probably add magnetic ride to keep it comfortable since I'm not sure how harsh it is without it. Good luck.

And just to add since people will mention it: Yes, my C300 has its issues. Namely, misaligned fuel filler and rear bumper covers, rubber trim around the roof is totally off. In the winter, at low temperatures, my break squeak louder than a train stopping. Occasional jerking from transmission and minor things like the collision prevention sensors malfunctioning when its raining or dirty. Apart from the brakes not much of this bothers me. You buy a new gen product, first year of production in a plant in Alabama. I kind of wish I picked out of the 100 units that came straight out of Germany into Canada but wanted unique options. In either case, buying luxury isn't necessarily buying reliability. Some get lucky some don't.

 

I traded in the s3 for the c300 love the c300, the s3 is not a nice car, I kept it for only 3 months, and it has a lot of issues as well, mine was a lemon, the c300 has issues but not as bad the audi,

 

Thanks for the reply arifiuze. Great write up. I guess it is not easy getting both luxury and sportiness unless there is a great budget. I am thinking of waiting at this point for a bit to really see how things go.

 

I have never compared a car to a smaller, yet a faster one, although I think "Fast" is not as important as "Bigger, Luxurious & fast Looking" - especially when the price is about the same.
With the strict speed limits everywhere (30-50 km/h city, 120 km/h highway), unless you plan to do track days occasionally, I don't see how the S3 will be notably superior to the C300.
Did you consider the new A4 with 2.0 TFSI instead? It's 50-70 ponies short (compared to the S3), yet a simple tune can get you there again.

 

It's really hard to compare a C300 to an S4. The apples to apples comparisons are the C300 to the A4 and the C400/45 to the S4. With your initial request, you need to decide if the performance of the S4 outweighs all the pros of the C300, especially with regards to technology, design, and interior quality. If the performance is your preference, you should get the S4, the C300 isn't a slouch but it's not in the same league as the S4.

If you want performance, ask yourself why not wait for the C450, that will be the best of both worlds and likely no compromise. If you don't need the performance of the C450, then get the C300.

In other words, you need to determine your priorities and pick accordingly. The only reason IMHO to get the S4 over the C300 is performance, that being said, for some performance is the primary factor, in which case there's your answer.