2014/2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Thread
#857
#859
#860
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
pretty funny it's in shots with a mustang. ford must be happy.
#862
The BMW M3 has long reigned as the king of the sports sedan segment. However, two new challengers have arisen: the Cadillac ATS-V and the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. The Cadillac was honed on the Nürburgring, and with its twin-turbo V6, packs 40 more horsepower than the M3. The mighty AMG, on the other hand, is based on the brand new C-class platform and sports a 503 horsepower twin-turbo V8. Does either challenger have what it takes to steal the belt from the M3? Find out on this episode of Head 2 Head.
#863
Lexus Test Driver
We have a C300 on loan today. Comes with "eco" drive which shutting off the engine at idle and starts when accelerating. Rather clunky IN THIS CLASS. I'm pretty positive in the upper echelons of the Mercedes line up this is not the case. Some quick thoughts on the car.
Being an audio guy the fit & finish of the Burmester is HORRIBLE. The outer speaker grill one can file your finger nails on. I"M NOT KIDDING. Lot's of burrs in the aluminum grill. First thing I'd do is take a polisher to that.
Seating is top notch. Feels good and I like the seat adjustment controls on the door where it's easily accessible.
Acceleration is not bad. Stepped on the pedal here & there lightly to pass/merge and I wasn't lacking for anything. Of course I'm not a drag racer and won't do this to a loaner. if I owned it..
Coming back from dinner my wife & I came to a VERY quick judgement. The ride is VERY bumpy. Holy moly! On one stretch of road we were nearly lifted into the air as I hit the side of the door. Discomforting to say the least. While the rest of the ride was simply jostling . We'll take our Lexus IS convertible ride over this car ANY day. Retail at 48k I expected a more luxurious ride. This even one "comfort" setting jiggles you around inside the cabin unlike anything I've driven.
Took a little getting used to having the shift as a "stick" on the steering wheel. Kinda cool.
Pics to come.
Last edited by rxonmymind; 09-04-15 at 09:57 PM.
#864
Lexus Test Driver
Also got a chance to sit in the S600!!! It's ok It comes with a fridge that's located in the middle of the back seat pass through. Kinda kills having a sub in the trunk.
#865
Lexus Fanatic
#866
Lexus Test Driver
Ah, that's where you would be wrong sir. There are some audio aficionados who love superior sound. They would outfit that trunk with the folliwing amps Brax, Sinfoni, Mosconi or even perhaps Audison Thesis(15k a piece) Then buy Focal Utopia's BE 7.6 or Sinfoni Grandoisio and not blink an eye. Then put in an SQ sub where that damn fridge is. SOME want the ultimate experience in car audio and wouldn't hesitate to spend $10-30k in equipment alone. Been there, seen that.
#867
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Did the C you drove have the airmatic suspension or just the steel springs in Sport trim? They say the ride is already better than the outgoing C which I have. Airmatic is supposed to be the best of both worlds
#868
Lexus Test Driver
Airmatic. Yes the ride is noticeably better than the last one we had-while the same.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...edes-c250.html
This C300, the ride is better in terms of cornering, emergency maneuvering and spirited driving on smooth back country roads and had excellent acceleration. However on city streets that are not kept up this car will jostle you around. My friend came over to test drive it and I didn't tell him my impressions so as not to color his conclusions. He came back and stated "very bumpy ride".(He also happens to be our stealth master mechanic, retired, but also a great friend.) So he knows a thing or two about cars.
What one is immediately aware of compared to the Lexus IS 350c the Lexus body "drops" in response to the shocks as it absorbs the bumps in the road. Where the Mercedes "lifts" the entire car in response to bumps in the road thus giving you a jolt. Hard shocks even in comfort mode. To be fair my car has 65k on it so would the Mercedes bushings, shocks and overall chassis loosen up after 65k? Then again I'm not sure I'd want to wait that long for a car to break in. I also notice the steering wheel vibrate a touch more than the IS350C. While getting in and out of the car is MUCH better than the outgoing C and 100% better than the IS250.
At least now my shoulders aren't hitting the pillars on either side of the car and my head doesn't bank itself on the roofline of the vehicle.
My experience while in Germany(1992) is they tend to like things on the harder side. As Be it cushions that I sat on to cars. Here in U.S. we like soft couches to a supple ride. Lexus seems to have hit the sweet spot. Also Mazda to a degree.
IS250 exiting. Not working. The 300 is much better.
Last edited by rxonmymind; 09-08-15 at 01:03 AM.
#869
Lexus Fanatic
2014/2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Thread
Originally Posted by rxonmymind
Ah, that's where you would be wrong sir.
Do you realize how few S600s are sold every year? Of those very small number of cars, what % of people would rip out the already incredible upgrade Burmester audio and put in another system "with a sub in the trunk"? We're talking maybe 1 person each year in the U.S., if that.
It's just not a concern on a car of this level.
Anyway, fridges between the rear seats are nothing new. The LS has had one available since 2001.
#870
I'm interested in buying a C300 sedan for oldies.
Does anyone know how reliable these C Classes are these days?
Are they assembled in Germany or South Africa etc?
I had a 2000-2007 C240 2.6 that sort of fell apart, but I'm not sure if Benz has improved significantly since then?
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicl...C/model-C300WB
.
Does anyone know how reliable these C Classes are these days?
Are they assembled in Germany or South Africa etc?
I had a 2000-2007 C240 2.6 that sort of fell apart, but I'm not sure if Benz has improved significantly since then?
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicl...C/model-C300WB
.
Last edited by peteharvey; 02-10-16 at 11:59 PM.