belevine

Just test drove a black C55 at a dealer in a Chicago suburb - someone backed out of their order. Awesome ride, V8 sound, and power. A few small disappointments after the C32:
-climate control no longer digital (why??)
-no full size spare (145/70 R 17, I think)
-scheduled maintenance no longer included

Overall, though, a great car. I'll probably replace my 2001 S4 with it.

-Brian

Harris

digital climate control - a mystery, the European specs have it, really dont know why the US models are being discriminated

no full size spare - probably because they have to make room for the quad exhaust, but you are lucky to have a spare, early years C32s didnt have spare at all

scheduled maintenance - MBUSA finally realized this is the best way to make money!!! If you can afford a MB, you can certainly afford the oil change.

Good luck on your purchase. Hope to see you soon on the board.

BlackC230Coupe

Those 3 things dont sound bad at all! Sounds like u should go for it!

IdriveFast

I actually do not like the digital climate control for two reasons

1. I dont turn on the Air conditioning. I find it much more satisfying to just lower the windows.
2. The buttons respond two slowly to not pis$ me off

C32's dont have a full size spair either. Doesnt bother me because I immediately call SOS and goto the nearest tire store.

The scheduled maintanance doesnt occur often enough for it to be convenient for me anyways. The only time I goto the dealership is when I want a free car wash or when I want them to check something. Oil Changes arent that expensive anyways.

Nickerz

I don't get the digital climate control? Can someone please explain with more detail? Digital as opposed to...?

s4iscool

C32 the readout for both is digital numbers, C55 has dials to choose the desired temp.

Nickerz

Awe, that kinda sucks, it's a 2005 and the technology is downgraded? Doesn't make sense? It is a minor thing though. No biggie.

smgC32

MB finally listened to their customers! At last, manual controls for temperature in the top of the line C Class which are significantly easier to use and faster to adjust. Doesn't the SL55 have manual controls as well?

e-fivehundred

Well, the digital climate controls allow for the Charcoal air filter as well as the carying positions of air flow between the passenger and the driver. i.e. the driver can have the air go to his face and feet while the passenger go limit it all to his/her feet. That is the advantage that I see, but the manual is nice while the digital looks MB.

CynCarvin32

DIgital Climate control is an option on all W203's this time around. I think a knob of temp is far easier to use over a digital read out. Trouble is there is no charcoal air filter unless you get the digital system. That having been said this is a downgrade but a downgrade I would gladly take. Going from 60-80 degrees with a button is a joke while a knob makes it a .5 sec job.

belevine

I wonder if the switch to dials is part of MB's elimination of unnecessary electronics. Were there problems with the digital system that might have prompted this?

I couldn't find anywhere on mbusa.com where digital was an option for any C class. Is this something that has to be specified when ordering?

Not a big deal anyway, wouldn't affect my decision to purchase.

pam

I thought long and hard about the maintenance stuff also, but over a 3 year period (lease) you are talking about 4 oil changes max. My wifes '04 BMW has been with us over 9 months (10K miles) and we still have never taken it in for the "free" service - altho I imagine it's coming up soon.
I never even noticed the manual knobs as my current car (00 Volvo S80 T6) also has manual knobs and is much easier to use than the digital display of the BMW especiallly for big changes in temp.
What dealer has the black C55. I ordered mine from MB of Hoffman Estates as no one in Chicago has/had a silver/charcoal C55.

CynCarvin32

Literature says "delayed availability" for the digital system. It is in the presentation guide as an option so i would guess it is on the way. The C55 which is at WI Simonson in Santa Monica (great looking black black example with navi xenons and premium pack) did not have the digital system. So look for it in a few months I guess.

belevine

Pam, the black C55 I drove was at Loeber Motors in Lincolnwood. The saleswoman said they were also getting/may already have a Pewter C55 (I'm not sure if it was spoken for). The Autohaus in Northbrook was also getting a Pewter C55 that wasn't spoken for as of last week.

I'm looking for Silver/Charcoal also, looks great and easy to care for, IMHO.

boopy7

This will not be part of an option for production till end of the year. MBUSA confirmed this.

AMG BRED

haha.. now that you point it out.. it is pretty frustrating.

as far as oil changes, using mobile 1, we are easily looking at 40 - 60 bucks an oil change.

M5KILLR

on my old c32 it literally took 10 seconds (im not patient) to get the ac on full blast. screw the digital readout. also my c32 didnt even have a spare. my e55 doesnt either, just a fancy can of fix-a-flat and an air compressor. To me less is more on fast cars. Id like a SUPER LIGHT version of a c55 than supercharge it and smoke vipers :v

Nickerz

I take it b/c it increases/decreases by one digit at a time.? Too bad they don't have that programmed so that if you hold the button down for 1 second or more, it would increase/decrease at 5 or 10 degrees at a time.

NORTH 44 C63

It seams that the "Non Automatic Climate Control" are not being shipped to Canada. We are getting the digital controls right out of the gate...
http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/index.cfm?ID=3764

Nickerz

That same website lists the C55 engine with a Supercharged V8, it says - "Engine AMG-built intercooled supercharged SOHC 24-valve V-8". I thought it wasn't supercharged.? (click on specifications section)

norb

Why would you go from 80 to 60 on an automatic controlled system? Just leave it on 70 and it will adjust the temps accordingly. That's the whole point of an automatic system.

Also the 10 second delay is because if its hot, and you just turned your car on, you don't want hot air blasting, it waits till the compressor kicks in and you can get cold air.

Part of the reason people complain is because they don't know how to properly use the technology.

NORTH 44 C63

What can u say....BONE HEADS!!

dsC32

One of the TV car shows (AutoWeek?) said that for 2005 Mercedes has REMOVED 600 electronic features, due to quality issues in the past few years. How many are left? Must be thousands.

M5KILLR

i know electronics, i can build a computer, network, engine, house generator with seperate 60 amp panel, etc! what you say (norb) cant be true b/c its not what happens in my e55 or sl74 or my frineds sl600.

ron1

Its different now