Fifth Ring

Prediction. In 2 or 3 years, having a nav screen is going to be like having an 8 track tape player. With hand-held and portable nav units getting smaller, and phone/media/data handhelds getting more full-featured, and bluetooth integration, and the evolution of fold-up/roll-up displays, you'll see an evolution away from massive "hard" nav screens which, IMHO have ruined the layout of many cars. The BMW/Audi nav screens make the dashboards look silly..

I've had newer C class loaners, and while the C32 is not "pretty" I prefer it's "business-like" interior to the newer Cs.

jgsx

I strongly disagree. I have Telenav on my KRZR and iGuidance on my smartphone. Both are pretty good navigation programs. They don't come even close to the convenience of having navigation in my dash.

I say in 2-3 years pretty much every nice car is going to have navigation standard.

ScottW911

I have to agree with jgsx on this one. I have it in my C32 and my Treo. Since I bought the C32, I've never used the Treo Nav. It is just more convevient in the car.

Nav will be like power windows. Used to be only the luxury cars had them. Now every car does.

tee_tz

Strongly disagree ... wait, strongly agree with jgsx & ScottW911 here ..?? Wait, I'm not sure...

The newer face-lifted cars with navigation screens that are more centralized in the dashboard is the new 'modern car'. The fact of the matter is the C32 interior does not look more modern or better than a C55, I think 99.9% people would agree with me. The C55 is based on the same interior just face-lifted to make it look more modern, wider screen, better speedometer (I hate that you can't easily see the temp), and the fact of the matter is while the C32 looks "business like" in the year 2010 it'll just look "business like old".

Look at a 1995 Mercedes S-Class, and compare it to the new one, it just looks dated. Times change, and eventually things look old, that's all I was saying. And as you diss BMW about having the navigations center in the dashboard, the new S-Class is the same exact thing!


Tee_Tz.

m3_eater

If I had it to do over again, I'd have searched for a C32 WITHOUT nav. I like the nav fine, but having spent extra for it means I get to miss out on the really great aftermarket nav/sound systems. Plus, there's the extra weight, and the C32 is already porky.

jgsx

Yup, I insisted on buying one with COMMAND. I just ended up yanking it out to go aftermarket. Oh well

FrankW

I like the Comand because I like how it's flush and matches all the interior bits. The aftermarket Pioneer NAV kick ***, but I can't stand it because it looks out of place.

ScottW911

Some of us don't have a choice. I had to get the Nav for my work. Would I like a better Nav? Hell yes. For now, it's the the best mix of form and function available for a 2002. Someone, riding with me this week, was surprised to see that an '02 even had Nav in the first place. I guess we think of these systems as a more recent offering.

SilverBulletAMG

Benz has offered that since mid-90's haven't they?

ScottW911

I suppose so, but the average schmoe doesn't know that.

RacerX0911

i think 97 might be the first year...but not sure....

c32used

if i was planning on keeping my car i would probably down the line take out the oem command nav and replace it with a good AM one too.

Slater126

I agree. If I upgrade my C230 to a C32, I'm going to insist that it Not have Command. Nothing like an Apple IIe computer crammed in the middle of the dashboard to make one's car look dated. Isn't the Motorola phone for these like 10 generations old already? They'll send you down the street to the museum if you ask for a Motorola V60 phone nowadays.

Plus, the way I see if, if I'm too dumb to find my way with a map like my father, great grandfather and great great grandfather before me, then I shouldn't be driving!

RacerX0911

i cant see myself buying a C32 w/o a warranty...even american mercury stop supporting the C32's

m3_eater

The service I experienced at my local M-B dealer was so horrendous, that I am absolutely delighted to NOT have a warranty anymore. The thought of going back would almost scare me from even using it if I still had one

RacerX0911

well that sucks...

Fifth Ring

The only thing better than an extended warranty is a GOOD independent mechanic. One benefit of joining the local MBCA chapter is a referral network.

RacerX0911

soo my question to you guys now is...is it still worth buying a C32 w/o the warranty?

ScottW911

My warranty expires in 54 days. Am I worried about owning a C32 without it. Yes. Will I sell it off because of the worry. No. To me, the pure joy of owning this vehicle is worth the risk.

My vote is: Yes. If you have cash on hand.

SilverBulletAMG

Honestly, I wouldn't. I love my car but I don't think I would recommend this car to any close friends. I've dealt with several MB dealers in the past as well and the sales side is great. They kiss your butt and do everything and anything to help you. Obviously because they want your money. The service side (warranty work) of the house however has almost always been horrible. Out of 6 dealers I have worked with only 2 would be worth going back too.
It sounds like you have pretty much ruled out the C55, but if you are still trying to decide between the two, and based on your concerns, I would go with the C55. No brainer...

RacerX0911

i no a Gs430 would get eatin alive by a C32 but the car has some neat gadgets...what do u guys think of that? just do the bolt ons and make it look nice...sacrifice performance for the reliability!?

gkstar

I have had the car for a few months only but from what I have read on this forum I see this. Maintaining the C32 is not that bad or even expensive if you have a good mechanic or dealership/garage. Seems that people spend a lot of money on things that did not actually cure the issue, unnecessary expenses.

For example, two of the more prominent issues are the faulty I/C pump and S/C noise (see the recent thread on it). Changing pump or bearings ended up being not that expensive at all if you do the right things. Though dealers sometimes charge much more to diagnose and are inclined to replace whole modules instead of refining the problem area.

Being able to communicate and share knowledge with fellow owners on this forum is a BIG plus to owning a C32, IMHO, even if you had the warranty (which I do).

Fifth Ring

Well said. A lot of repair cost horror stories come from an ill-informed customer getting unnecessary work from a ****-poor dealer technician. This is particularly true when work is done under warranty. The dealer know the customer is not paying for it, and the customer just wants the car fixed. I'll bet that half of the compressor replacements were unnecessary, and were probably bearings.

I intend to go without a warranty, and as long as you have $5,000 available for the unlikely horrible failure, then you'll be fine.