mis3

I am researching for a new car, probably a C Coupe, to replace my w209.

I have a question for your guys. If you are buying a new car and maybe keep it for 10 years, do you want to get one with all options?

I asked because there are 2 schools of thoughts:
1. More options because you will enjoy them for a long time.
2. Less options so less repair in the long run and the car would be less expensive.

In Canada, base price of a C300 Coupe is $48K CAN. With all the packages (Sport, Premium, Premium Plus, Intelligent Drive) and leather and a few other individual options, the price will reach $63K.

abqhudson

I would buy the softer riding one for a keeper. Tend to like simpler also. My advice is to get what you will enjoy.

mis3

Of course, I like to get them all. My concern is more options mean more maintenance down the road.

I am not a DIY guy but I am one who would fix every single issue of my car (indie or dealer).

Last time I bought a car was many years when cars were a lot simpler then. Now we have parktronic, lane assist, blind spot assist, illuminated door sill, etc....

Rudeney

Personally, I'd forgo all the self-driving crap, although Distronic cruise control is useful if you take a lot of highway trips. Otherwise, I load it up. I would not want to be 5 years down the road with regrets.

sailorben

If the options have the ability to be coded out, I wouldn't worry myself. I would certainly go with the highest spec interior, distronic. Everything else is so-so. Many of these options are quite simple in theory, with little mechanical parts to fault.

However I would personally take a lower spec E coupe than a high spec C. They are far more attractive imo, and that matters to me more long-term.

mis3

I myself like a smaller car and the C Coupe is perfect. The current E Coupe is visually bigger and I read that the new E Coupe is even bigger.

Distronic is automatic cruise control, right? Do you trust it 100%?

MrSocrates

This may not be true for the coupe which is definitely a step up, but I've driven a C300 sedan with sport and extra packages, and one absolute base model without it (both as loaners in the last year, both with very low miles). The base model without sport suspension was bouncy and obnoxious. Felt floaty on the highway, and wobbly in town. Way too soft for my tastes, and I couldn't have lived with it. The small changes with the sport model made it much more planted and fun to drive. I liked the sport model so much I seriously contemplated leasing one instead of keeping my CLK 550. The sport model wasn't as harsh as the CLK 550 (I have the sport suspension), but fun to throw around, and comfortable and stable feeling on the highway.

I'd seriously consider checking out the sport package, it was a night and day difference for me, at least on the sedan. Most other options will be obsolete and forgotten in 10 years, and not bring back much value, especially relative to the added costs, IMO.

Oh and the little spoiler always looks good, gives it a little extra street cred

EDIT: My other impression was that the glossy black interior/center stack would scratch easily and look like an old refrigerator in a few years, and is also impossible to keep smudge free. Would definitely go with the wood version if possible, but that's also my aesthetic preference.

mis3

By glossy black, are you referring to Piano Black? If so, I agreed 100%. It looks great in the beginning but I can see how it would look in a few years. I would definitely go with open pore ash as an interior if it is available. The wood trim in my w209 still looks good after 13 years.

Good tips on the sport suspension. I will keep this in mind.

Rudeney

Regarding the gloss black trim, it would depend on what it is made from. If it's plastic, then yes, it will probably scratch and not wear well over time. But it could be painted wood or metal, and in that case, it could be engineered to last a long time without scratching. Another thing yhou can do is wax it to hide and prevent scratches. I actually do this with my burlwood trim.

mis3

By self driving, do you mean parktronic, blind spot assist, lane keeping assist, pre-safe, etc?

Rudeney

Yes, all that "autonomous" stuff. I know the arguments about these being valuable safety features like airbags and ESP, but I don't care for them. Every car I've driven with these features has been terribly annoying. Lane keeping often gets confused and will jerk the wheel more aggressively than I'd do it myself if I found myself wandering into the path of a speeding tractor-trailer. The self-braking is way to intrusive, especially in heavy traffic where you are trying to eliminate gaps, such as in an intersection when trying to get as many cars as possible through on green. How fun it is to find your car slamming on the brakes in the middle of an intersection because you are two inches too close to the car ahead.

I just read an article by Peter Egan in C&D about the ridiculous idea of self-driving race cars. Actually, it wasn't a joke - there are companies actually working on this. Really? I mean, it's an interesting exercise to prove we can do it, but just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done. So, here's a point to ponder: once the age of autonomous cars is upon us and "drivers" are a thing of the past, what will happen to this forum? Will we be discussing how to add more USB ports to charge our devices? How to increase the speed of the built-in wifi? Maybe we will have a section devoted to customizing the armrests to add more cup holders. Wow, what fun that will be.

mis3

Rudeney: Agreed. For example, with blind spot assist, does it mean that we don't have to check the blind spot anymore? Not a good idea, what if it goes defective.

Actually, I started this thread more on reliability concerns. There are options which may or may not last for more than a few years. One end of the spectrum is GPS which seldom breaks, the other end of the spectrum is the convertible open/close mechanism. These intelligent drive features are probably not a good idea if one keeps the car for 10 years.

Rudeney

To me, blind spot monitoring is a pretty silly option. In order to use it, you have to check your side view mirrors. If you have your mirrors positioned correctly, there is no blind spot. So, this is a feature for people who don't want to take the time to properly adjust their mirrors.

As for reliability, these are all mostly electronic features, and if you think about it, electronic components are not what are failing. Look at the forums and see what people com here to fix. Yes, there is the odd door controller failure, EIS failure, or blown SAM, but most of them are related to moving, mechanical parts. The facilities for operating the brakes are already there - they've been there for decades with ABS/ESP. Turning the steering wheel is a function of the electric power steering (in place of the hydraulic systems our cars have). I think by now, car makers, including MBZ, have pretty much tackled the reliability issue with solid state components in a car.

mis3

Good to know. You are right, most failures are mechanical related. The open/close mechanism of a convertible is a good example, too many mechanical parts. You own both CLK and SL convertibles, what are your experiences?

As for the blind spot, it is silly that so many people adjust their side mirrors to point to see that the rear end of the car. The blind spot can be easlly minimized just by moving the side mirror further out. Why look at the back of the car? LOL.

Rudeney

When I made the decision to buy the SL, I really had to do some thinking on how badly I wanted one considering all the potentially expensive failures. The big concerns are problems with the pneumatic system that controls the door, trunk and storage compartment locks and multi-contour seats, the hydraulic system that operates ABC, the top hydraulic system, and the SBC system that uses an electric motor in place of the typical vacuum booster. Ultimately, my decision was based on the benefits of these systems outweighing the cost of maintenance. It's called the Value Proposition: It's the point at which the buyer sees the value of the purchase being worth more (even $0.01 more) than the purchase price. I don't see the value in "self-driving" technology, but I do see the value in technology that makes my car ride more comfortably, yet handle more precisely. Oh, and those pneumatically operated silent door locks are pretty sweet, too!

mis3

You are OK because you are a DIYer amd you are mechanically inclined. I cannot say the same for myself!

I drove my friend's CL500 a few times. I found it's too slow to open doors.

Rudeney

Ah, that's the "soft close doors" and that's a different option on the CL and S that the SL. I was talking about the door locks that are pneumatically operated on the SL. Instead of a "clunk" when they lock or unlock, its just silky-silent soft movement. Is it worth the troubles of the pneumatic system when it starts to leak? Probably not, but there is just soooo much luxury in silent door locks!

Anker

For the life of me, I can't get my wife to adjust her mirrors properly. Like most drivers, she adjusts them so half of the mirror is showing the side of the car. Properly adjusted, you should just be able to see the side at the inside edge of the mirror. This maximizes the angle at which you can see other objects.

mis3

Not for me for sure.
Remember I am in Canada, parts alone would cost double. Then the labour cost...

Rudeney

There is only one way to fix that problem - get a new wife! No, they probably all do that, so that won't work. Maybe you can bribe her with jewelry? Or, does her car have a seat memory function? If so, sneak in and adjust it for her, then save it to her setting.

Here's how to adjust them:

http://www.cartalk.com/sites/default...alkMirrors.pdf

Anker

Thanks Rodney. I hadn't thought of changing her memory settings. Will do that and see what happens.

I have 1 and she has 2 in my car, but her Prius doesn't have the memory function.

Fatz

I had decided it was just due to my communication skills that none of the females and several of the males just don't understand my point that the side mirrors are best used for enabling a wider view of the sides toward the rear of the vehicle and that the rear view mirror is amazingly effective for viewing vehicles/traffic directly behind you.......

xsever

I was taught by my driving instructor that after adjusting the side mirrors and the rear-view mirror, I should be able to see a panoramic view across all three. A very handy tip for adjusting them every time I get in a new car.

Rudeney

My wife thinks the rearview mirror is for putting on lipstick. BTW, she has the innate ability to remove any car's rearview mirror with one hand motion as she is trying to angle it toward her for this task.

2150john

I would definitely have the backup warning and even the front sensor warning. I am also one who likes the blind spot warnings. On braking, there is a level of assist that only warns you and only assist with braking if the car senses you will not stop in time. I have found that useful.

Drive a car with and without the sport suspension. It is a matter of personal taste which you will prefer. I have the sport package on my E350 and wish it was a little softer. However, it is still a very nice ride.