Hey everyone, I currently have a BMW 3-Series coupe and am curious to know the thoughts of C43/C450 and even C63/S owners who've switched over from BMW. To be honest I wasn't even looking at the C-Class until very recently.

I loved the look of the S550 since it came out in 2014 but for some reason I didn't care for the 2015 C-Class. I never disliked the exterior at all. Maybe it was the iPad tacked on the dashboard or the column shifter which looks like a modern twist on a Crown Victoria gear shifter (yes, I know this originated from the 2007 S-Class). But it has since grown on me and I agree that the interior is of a lot higher quality than the F30 3-Series (although I wouldn't say that the 3-Series is really cheap, either - the XE is a little 'cheap' IMO).

I've driven the regular 340i Luxury edition and I've driven a '16 328i M-Sport with Track Handling. The steering on both models was pretty good, not overly light as I was afraid.

I currently have a 2013 3-Series Coupe with every option except comfort access, heated seats, power rear sunshade, and parking sensors.

I'm looking at the C43 with the following build:
- Panorama moonroof
- Black interior
- White or black exterior
- At least P3
- Leaning towards performance exhaust
- Leaning towards black leather
- Maybe ventilated seats
- Maybe heads-up display

My configured builds on MB USA ranged between 63-68, I think.

For those of you who have a C43 or even C63 and who have come from a BMW, what are your thoughts on the steering, handling and overall driving dynamics? I don't drive like a jackass (anymore) but I've been in some emergency situations where I narrowly missed getting in what would've been a bad accident and yet the BMW never made me lose confidence. My car has the always-heavy hydraulic steering which to my great surprise was actually heavier than a 2009 M3 coupe I test drove, also with hydraulic steering. I understand that basically every car out there is going to have EPS. How does the steering feel/weight compare to the current 3-Series?

How are the AMG performance seats? Are they stiff for long drives?

How is the Nappa/Dinamica steering wheel? I've seen Alcantara on steering wheels before and they look awful after a few years.

How does the Burmester sound system in the C43 compare to the Harman Kardon system in the BMW? People say that the C43 Burmester isn't great but that the Burmester in the E43 is amazing (and for $83K it better damn well be amazing!).

How do you like the look/feel of MB-Tex vs. real leather? I know the C43 has Dinamica and MB-Tex, but how does it wear over the long term? Is this like the Alcantara in the Audi S4? How do you clean and care for it?

Is there a grade difference between the black leather with red trim vs. all black leather? From pictures the black leather with red seems to be a bit grainier.

Does the P4 come with the automatic fragrance thing in the glove compartment? Does it eat up all the space in the glove box?

How do you like the static LEDs? I have adaptive bi-Xenons and the auto-leveling and swiveling headlights make a noticeable difference in parking garages and turns. I was afraid that the high beams were halogens but a quick trip to the dealer showed that they indeed were high beam LEDs.

From all I've read everyone says to go with the performance exhaust and on video it does sound great. But in reality cars on the lot with PE are hard to come by. The standard exhaust does sound pretty good.

How do you like the 9G-tronic transmission? From personal experience and research, BMW clearly spent the money on its transmissions than their interiors, no question. I have a 7-speed DCT and on acceleration it spits gears out like nobody's business. It does get a little jerky when driving along parking lots but not noticeably so.

How loud and noticeable is your car with auto-start stop on the inside and outside? If someone has a video somewhere that would be great. The C300s I notice everywhere are noticeably quiet and almost sound like an electric compressor starting. How does the C43 or C63 sound like with auto-start stop activated? I saw a 650i with this and it sounded awful, with the otherwise glorious-sounding V8 starting and stopping, it looked like the guy was stalling. Very intrusive and 'unnatural.'

Parking assistant - worth it? I can parallel park myself so I wouldn't ever use this feature but I think the surround view would be very useful in tight quarters. Where are the side cameras located? In the mirror housing? BMW has these ugly exposed lens on the front fender lips and they are noticeable and ugly. They're exposed too so they're going to trap a lot of dirt.

Other options: ventilated seats, Obsidian Black Metallic, heads up display. I haven't tried the Mercedes ventilated seats but if they're like Lexus, where they give you the sensation of having just wet your pants immediately after turning them on, then maybe not. I have Black Sapphire Metallic on my car and love it. I love the regular black also and not sure I'd pay the extra $720 for it. Is the heads-up display worth it?

What's your real world fuel economy been like, city & highway? My freeway driving is 17.8 I think, and from what I've read about my car, this is somewhat normal so I guess I could live with the C63S lol.

Would you get the prepaid maintenance and is it worth it? Also how much and how good is the tire/wheel insurance? My car has runflats and they cost $450-490 per tire on Tire Rack before installation. I know how easy it is to blow a tire and wheel hitting a pothole on the freeway so I'm probably going to get this.

I want the MSRP before discounts to be around $65K or less but am not holding my breath for too many discounts from my local dealer for a car on the lot. I can pretty much forget any discounts if I special order the car. And I really hate how adaptive LEDs aren't a standalone option like the panorama roof is.

I'm probably going to get one close to the end of the year. My preference is to get something off the lot but my salesperson strongly suggested that I order one, albeit a 2018. I was hoping that the 64 color ambient lighting was coming but that would likely come in the model refresh, in 2019.

I thought about the S4, which is gorgeous, but I drove a 2013 A4 once and was totally unimpressed by the driving experience. The Audi sales guy told me that the S4 wasn't going to be THAT much different than the A4. Super light steering is a major turnoff. I think I could do a Jaguar XE or XF for the same price point but their lease program doesn't do MSDs and they wanted a deposit. They did offer me 2.99% if I finance, however. So it kind of looks like I'm going with a C43 or even a C63S if the lease numbers look right.

I haven't test driven the C43 yet although the salesperson has been eager to get me booked for a test drive. I told the salesperson that I'd do a test drive once I narrow down my options.

If you do come from a BMW, please list the year and model as a 2010 X3 is going to drive very differently from a 2015 M3, etc.

Finally, other thoughts unrelated to the car but the buying experience is that the Mercedes dealer is noticeably better than the BMW dealer. It really does sort of feel like being in a nice hotel as opposed to buying a car. And while BMW sales is no pressure, the salespeople do size you up depending on how you dress. I purposely dressed down when I went into both the BMW and Mercedes dealers and got much better service from Mercedes than I did from BMW. Plus the BMW dealer already knows what I'm paying per month and the Mercedes dealer didn't even know what I drive initially.

Sorry for the novel but I'm totally new to the brand. Thanks in advance for any thoughts and suggestions!

 

Wow, that's quite a list of questions. We recently took delivery of our C43, but we spent a lot of time test driving BMWs. We test drove on several occasions, a 440iX, a 340iX, and an M240iX. We did drive a 440iX Grand Coupe once, but my wife didn't like it's looks. We have friends who are really into BMW and they have had great experiences with them.

As for the 3 series, everything I read said they didn't get the feel of the last car correct until the 340. They said the earlier 335 and 435 felt sort of dead or numb. I only drove the newer 340/440 and M240. I liked the steering in those, but I really like the way the C43 drives. I though the C43 is more fun to drive (unless maybe if one is getting a manual transmission in the 340/440.

After numerous test drives in the 440iX and M240iX, they both just seemed rather dated, both exterior and interior. The interior really looks like something I'd expect to see on a car from 10-15 years ago. Also, to be at nearly the the power level and sound as good as the C43 the 440 or a 340 needs the power and sound package (a roughly $3K port or dealer installed option). The only way I felt the BMW came more alive and felt very involving was with the manual transmission. The 440 and M240 are getting some updates, this summer, but nothing major and I still don't think it will be truly competitive with the C43. I think BMW won't have a truly competitive offering until the next generation of 3 and 4 series are released in a few years.

As for the column shifter on MBs, initially I felt the same way, its sort of like a Crown Vic to having it on the column. However, in reality I realize other than putting the car in Reverse or Drive, I never used the shifter on the console of other cars. So in reality, it removes unnecessary clutter, and I've gotten used to it not being there. There are paddles if you want to manual shift.

Yes, you can get active LEDs as a stand alone option on the 340/440, but there are so many stand alone options on BMWS, that by the time I was done optioning a 340/440 and a C43 as closely as possible to each other, the BMW was more expensive and the discounts were far smaller. Only 3-6% discounts at the BMW dealers I visited. I would shop around if you can't get much of a discount. We ordered a car and had no problem getting MB dealers to discount by more than 10%.

As for options, we went with P4 as we wanted the active LED headlamps.
We also chose the performance exhaust it really adds to the enjoyment of the car.
Yes, the silly fragrance thing does take up a portion of the glove box...not sure why they offer this, I'd gladly delete it.
Living in the north east, it would have been nice if a heated steering wheel was available, but I've never had one and can live without it.

We also turn the auto-start/stop off when we get in the car. This will be a feature on most new cars, so I wouldn't let that make

I really like the cameras so I would get the parking assistant. The side cameras are located on the lower portion of the mirrors.

Our C43 so far is averaging 22-23 MPG...but its just a month old. Maybe after a few thousand miles the mileage will change a bit.

MB Tex, at least in the past did wear really well. We got the all black leather which we really like. We hate alcantara. I don't like fake suede in terms of its feel or its looks. In a lot of cars I've seen it looks like sh*t after a few years.

As for the sound systems, I wasn't that impressed with the Karmon Hardon or the Bermester (although, people say if I make some adjustments to the Bermester, it will be pretty good).

We test drove an Audi S5, overall nice, but we didn't love it. Also their dealer network around me is pretty poor.

As for how the dealers treat you, we dealt with a BMW and an MB dealer that were both super nice and great to deal with, but they offered very small discounts. Other dealers I dealt with some were much better than others (both for BMW and MB). Personally, I don't understand why some people dress down to shop for a car. I certainly wouldn't put on a suit to buy a car, so why do the opposite? I'm buying a car not a friend. If a place is super nice to me even though I showed up wearing flip flops and shorts but they offer me the worst deal, I'm not buying there so what's the point?

Anyway, wishing you luck with whatever you decide.

 

Steering feel is my biggest gripe about the car. It's bad on center, numb/vague everywhere and too light.

I love MB-tex. It is very durable and keeps you much cooler in the summer months.

Reviews of the 9-speed gearbox have been fantastic.

Auto start/stop was more jarring in the c300 than the c450 - it's smooth if you're using it (I tend not to).

Fuel economy is 21 average. I get ~28 on the highway in my c450 (which should be worse off than the 9 speed).

The 2018 DOG implies some of your gripes with ordering should be resolved. Check it out here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1P...GOXdzLXlr/view

 

FWIW, I've got the AMG sports seats and just did a 200 mile trip to which I avg'd 30mpg and at 6'2" i had no issues with them at all. They are very supportive and comfortable. I was hesitant to get into the new C-class for most of the same reasons you did, but after a few months now with it I'm glad I did. Aside from a few rattles which will get fixed the next time it goes into the shop it's an absolute joy for a daily. Only thing I wish I would have optioned out would be the upgraded exhaust. But I bought from lot inventory and got a great deal (-$7k off MSRP) and there's always aftermarket. Good luck!

 

Hey everyone, wow thanks for the detailed responses! I'm a little picky about what I drive and I tend to over-analyze car purchases so if that explains the 10,000 questions...

I've only driven the 2016 340i luxury and 2016 328i Track Handling and was generally impressed with the way it handled. I actually really liked the looks of the car but I agree that the C-Class is a very big step up in terms of quality.

My salesperson can only attest to the quality of the full MB-Tex, and she says it was outstanding in terms of comfort and wear and not cheap feeling at all on her personal C300. The BMW Sensatec was a little cheap feeling and it looked overly grainy but then again my car has Dakota leather, which feels awesome so I'm a little biased. If I could get the full MB-Tex on the car like when they had the C400, I wouldn't gripe about it. The Dinamica looks and feels great but it doesn't look like it will wear beyond a couple years.

I think after reading these comments I'm going to go for full leather and PE. I'm undecided about P4 because I really don't want any of the automated driving assistance.

There's no way that my dealer's going to give me a big discount unless I'm a repeat customer. I think I'm going to have to try out-of-state dealers. All of their C43 sedans have Dinamica and the only one that has P4 is listing at $67K, which is a little ridiculous.

What's your experience in getting the best leasing/financing rates from MB FS? I was offered 0.9% on my 340i M-Sport proposed build last October from BMW FS. I think right now it's about 2.9% finance with Tier 1. I forget what MF they offered me. Do you think the pricing and rates will get more aggressive once the 18s come out? I'd be inclined to get an 18 if it were the refresh but that looks to be coming in '19.

 

I'd honestly just order one (if you have the time). The right dealer is going to allow you to get a great deal on an ordered car. Obviously, year end stock can change that a little but the experience of ordering is so great.

Good deal seems to be 5-10k off MSRP. There is a thread for specifics on this.

 

My biggest suggestion to everyone that leases:

Put 1 or 2k miles on the run-flats and then put them on the shelf for lease return. They are stupid expensive, handle terribly, and wear out ridiculously fast. Best to shelf them and run good quality non run-flats during your lease and then you can put them on when you return the car. No sense in spending your own money on crap tires.

And regarding the column shifter: I was really hung up on it before I purchased the car. I thought it was terribly 'un-sporty'. But after using it, I've come to not only appreciate it, but I now prefer it to the center console shifter.

Not only does it allow for more space in the center console, but it makes so much more sense ergonomically. When you have paddle shifters, you don't need to ever touch a cars shifter during your drive. And having it in close vicinity to the wheel makes it extremely convenient. When switching from D to R or R to D means that you don't have to take your hands off the wheel. I hate it when I get into other cars with a center console "stick shifter".

Hope that helps

P.S. Get the performance exhaust. It's a must!

 

What's the ordering process for Mercedes like? My BMW dealer gave me a 3-4 month window (from when you put the order in till when you actually take delivery) for the 340i, $1000 refundable deposit. They run your credit and do a rate lock through BMW FS that's extendable up until you take delivery. The Mercedes dealer also wants $1000 for the C43 build with a 3-4 month window but says that 90% is refundable. They were saying that the 10% may be credited towards another 'similar' Mercedes should you change your mind.

With BMW I believe you can change the order up until they assign a chassis number (last 7 of your car's VIN) although it's a bit of a PITA to do so once the initial order is submitted. I have no idea what it's like with Mercedes.

BTW is there a reliable Mercedes VIN decoder? The dealer's website is not that accurate. I use Bimmer.work and it's crazy detailed and vindecoderz.com seems to list every conceivable option under the sun - not what's actually on your car. I'm hoping to find something off the lot if I come close enough with the specs.

 

I'm sorry, but it's just YMMV.

I didn't put down a deposit (have a rapport with the dealer). If you can catch a mid production car, that can be altered, delivery can take as little as a few weeks.

If you aren't so lucky, then you will have a ~3 month wait on average.

 

As for the looks of the 3 series, its subjective. Personally, Its been years since I thought there was a truly good looking 3 series (maybe the old e46), and to me the current 3 series is just so dated looking it should get replaced ASAP. I know the 4 series and 2 series are getting minor face lifts/refreshes this summer.

The Dakota leather was very nice. Its the rest of the interior that is a let down. They really need to step up their game on the interiors of their next generation cars.

You may be able to get better rates from BMW as they may have more 3 series cars in stock. Most MB dealer don't have that many C43s on the lot. That being said, MB offered 2.9 % but when I checked and found local banks with rates of 1.9 the MB dealer said they would get me the same rate if I financed through them.

If you aren't happy with discounts in your area shop out of state. I've never bought a Porsche in state because I have always gotten better deals out of state.

3-4 months is average. Sometimes a dealer can trade build slots with another dealer to get you a car sooner, or if one of their own builds hasn't "locked," you might be able to have them switch the specs and get a car sooner.

My dealer asked for a $1,000 deposit. They took my credit card info, but didn't actually charge it to the card.

 

My local Mercedes dealer has pretty good deals on preowned Mercedes, and occasionally some fantastic deals when the preowned cars have been sitting on the lot for too long. (Not much luck with the new side, though.) A good portion of their CPO vehicles are less than 10k miles.

I'm leaning towards new but am open to a preowned '16 C450 or a demo C43 also. Because I think I can get a better deal on a '17 off the lot, especially since I believe the '19s are coming out in September, is there anything I should look out for?

If the build date is 12/16 and it's already mid-May, can I assume that the dealer has had it sitting on the lot since at least January (give them about a month from production to transit to dealer inventory)? And can I assume that if the car's been sitting on the lot, that it's been outside and exposed to the elements pretty much the whole time (snow, sun, possibly hail, etc.)? Obviously the car could've been a dealer trade but I'm assuming that if the car was traded between dealerships it was because someone was ready to buy it.

Ammo NYC recently did a video on new car prep and Larry's friend, who bought a new M3, insisted to the dealer that they keep all of the plastic wrap on at the time of delivery and unwrapped it themselves while still at the dealer. They say this is how you can tell if the car's been damaged during transit/while at the dealership and there's been any body work done, etc.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bM9j4E0jeNU

Finally, what kind of interior trim do you have and how does it hold up to scratches/wear and tear? I love the look of the black ash natural wood. The BMW F10's wood is apparently really easy to scratch even lightly that I've heard of people wrapping their interior trim. Somehow I don't think the black ash would look too good with clear wrapping on it.

 

If you have the option to get ash wood trim, don't hesitate. The gloss trim is a scratch magnet. If you are super careful, you can maintain it. I have it on two cars and it's the worst part of the interior on both. Its harder to maintain than porcelain seats that are sat on with blue jeans daily.

If you are comparing an E92 in terms of driver engagement with the W205, you will 100% be disappointed in the long run. If you accept the W205 for what it is, you'll love it. Depends on what tickles your fancy. My friend has an E92 and purchased an upgraded E92 as its replacement last month. He felt the F32 didn't have the driver engagement he was looking for. The W205 has even less driver engagement than the F32. Personally, I find the F32 to be the sweet spot between the numbness of most modern luxury cars and the archaic nature of BMWs of old.

 

Thanks for the feedback! I've yet to test drive the C43 since I'm not planning to pull the trigger until probably November or December. At the $60-70K range you've got a bit of options. I'm really happy with the driving dynamics of the BMW so I'm sad to hear that about the C43. Then again the Jaguar XE and XF are both said to drive WAY better than either the 340i and 5-Series respectively.

Friends with AMGs have told me that the cars tend to be more squirrelly than M cars but I understand they really cleaned up the dynamics with the C63S to the point where it outshines the M3 in every way. This is great because you don't have to give up sportiness and great handling in an otherwise very posh luxury car. It depends on the numbers of it all. I might get another BMW but I don't have any confidence with the service department of my local dealer.

 

Yeah, if you have the luxury of time, it's best to do as much research and testing as possible. For what it's worth, despite being down on driving dynamics, the C43 is still my pick for the better car to have as a daily driver relative to the current F30/F32.

 

Maybe its been on the lot since late January/early February. Unless it was in the showroom, it would have been exposed to snow, rain, etc.

The latest MBs including C43s are not being delivered with white plastic on the exterior. My car was delivered and it just had plastic stuff protecting the seats etc inside.

We have the linden wood trim. I didn't like the black ash...it reminded me of fake wood grained black plastic TV stands from when I was in college...but YMMV. The coating on the linden wood, carbon fiber or fiberglass can scratch... but if you are reasonably careful it shouldn't be a big deal.