View Poll Results: C300 vs G37 sedan vs ES350?
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 87. You may not vote on this poll
C300 vs G37 sedan vs ES350
CL Community Team
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,549
Likes: 230
From: San Francisco, CA
If you are after respect for your car choice, you won't get much respect for a C class Mercedes from anyone who knows much about cars. More like "you paid that much for a compact car with no rear seat room and plastic seats?" Any car enthusiast will be impressed with the G37 for its combination of handling, performance, room, reliability, and most importantly value.
Steve
Steve
and for the record, you can option the car up with leather
We shouldnt go into the MB-TEX versus leather discussion again. that has been exhuastive, but both have their benefits. p.s. I havent met a single person who didnt know my C class doesnt have leather, haha (and I would rather have plastic seat coverings that cloth has provided in base lexus's)Just IMO.
hmm really? I believe the majority of the world out there (car enthusiast or not) would agree that any car mercedes makes demands some sort of respect or prestige. Whether or not you agree it is the right choice, or the best choice (which they usually arent), you know the guy paid a lot of money for the car with a lot of flash. You even said in your post that your opinion is that a guy would pay "that much" meaning that you know mercedes cost more than other brands, and therefore it translate that the owner is of higher class, or "wealthy"
and for the record, you can option the car up with leather We shouldnt go into the MB-TEX versus leather discussion again. that has been exhuastive, but both have their benefits. p.s. I havent met a single person who didnt know my C class doesnt have leather, haha (and I would rather have plastic seat coverings that cloth has provided in base lexus's)
Just IMO.
and for the record, you can option the car up with leather
We shouldnt go into the MB-TEX versus leather discussion again. that has been exhuastive, but both have their benefits. p.s. I havent met a single person who didnt know my C class doesnt have leather, haha (and I would rather have plastic seat coverings that cloth has provided in base lexus's)Just IMO.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 52
From: AZ
Simply being able and willing to pay a lot for a car says nothing about a person's class! The friends I consider car enthusiats care little about what a car costs, but rather how it performs, rides, looks, etc. For instance, few of them would consider a C class as a valid competitor for the Hyundai Genesis in any aspect except to impress the neighbor who knows virtually nothing about cars. As far as comparing MB-Tex (plastic) to Lexus standard cloth, there are virtually no Lexus in the US with cloth while the majority of the C class cars have the plastic interior. With reference to the OP's original list of cars, all of the G37's have real leather as standard equipment. Compared to the C class, the G37 is larger, faster, more luxurious, better handling, better quality (more reliable), and with comperable equipment a lot cheaper.
Just my opinion from driving both.
Steve
Just my opinion from driving both.
Steve
CL Community Team
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,549
Likes: 230
From: San Francisco, CA
Bottom line is that how a car performs, rides, looks etc doesnt define class. the brand of the car defines the class, and anyway you look at it, the prestige image of a mercedes is better than that of an infiniti's, a lexus, and maybe even a bmw.
Im not saying the C class is the better choice. I agree that the infiniti wins in almost all levels of comparison. I am merely saying that the mercedes star badge will say a lot more about class since the OP was having doubts about the image than an Infiniti brings versus the mercedes. Car enthusiast or not, mainstream america (and the world) will see the Mercedes as more prestigious
and after owning my C class for a year and a half with no problems, I can attest to the reliability. I would say reliability is a PRO to mercedes, and no longer a CON
Im not saying the C class is the better choice. I agree that the infiniti wins in almost all levels of comparison. I am merely saying that the mercedes star badge will say a lot more about class since the OP was having doubts about the image than an Infiniti brings versus the mercedes. Car enthusiast or not, mainstream america (and the world) will see the Mercedes as more prestigious
and after owning my C class for a year and a half with no problems, I can attest to the reliability. I would say reliability is a PRO to mercedes, and no longer a CON
Last edited by RXSF; Jan 17, 2010 at 10:41 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,085
Likes: 0
From: California
^^^ehhhh one huge reason is because people have image issues ...
Guest
Posts: n/a
Perfect segway for me thanks 
which again shows that the C-class does have "image" in spades b/c it is a "Mercedes Benz". To their credit this version looks damn good, is larger and doesn't scream "baby Benz" nearly as loud as previous versions.
Infiniti makes a solid car but they do have a lot of issues with image/perception, just shown here again.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...yota-tops.html
I think most of us would agree a G37 priced like a C300 is by far the better vehicle and we can argue G37 vs C350 which is better. However most people do not care! They want a "Benz" and that is that! HP is not everything and "sport" doesn't mean squat to most buyers. Sorry if you didn't get that memo. Also again to the C-classes credit, it is a solid car, its not bad or terrible or anything so an "Infiniti" has its work cut out for it.
It is kind of amazing to me on the internetz people want to dismiss and throw out image/prestige/panache out the window of all the sudden.
There is a "feel good" factor with Tier 1 brands, thus why people flock to them no questions asked. It is why the ES is last on this poll but in the real world, people love it.
Hell I can admit that Lexus has image/prestige issues with a lot of people who simply will NOT consider a Japanese brand, no matter how good Lexus is. To them, they would rather a base C class with nothing in it than even a LS 600h L! They don't care, to them the Benz/BMW etc prestige means that much. I am not here to say they are stupid or not, that is their PREROGATIVE!!
Past all the b.s, it is one of the main reasons people purchase a luxury vehicle! Otherwise we would ALL be driving loaded Accords, Camry's and Altimas!
which again shows that the C-class does have "image" in spades b/c it is a "Mercedes Benz". To their credit this version looks damn good, is larger and doesn't scream "baby Benz" nearly as loud as previous versions. Infiniti makes a solid car but they do have a lot of issues with image/perception, just shown here again.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...yota-tops.html
I think most of us would agree a G37 priced like a C300 is by far the better vehicle and we can argue G37 vs C350 which is better. However most people do not care! They want a "Benz" and that is that! HP is not everything and "sport" doesn't mean squat to most buyers. Sorry if you didn't get that memo. Also again to the C-classes credit, it is a solid car, its not bad or terrible or anything so an "Infiniti" has its work cut out for it.
It is kind of amazing to me on the internetz people want to dismiss and throw out image/prestige/panache out the window of all the sudden.
There is a "feel good" factor with Tier 1 brands, thus why people flock to them no questions asked. It is why the ES is last on this poll but in the real world, people love it. Hell I can admit that Lexus has image/prestige issues with a lot of people who simply will NOT consider a Japanese brand, no matter how good Lexus is. To them, they would rather a base C class with nothing in it than even a LS 600h L! They don't care, to them the Benz/BMW etc prestige means that much. I am not here to say they are stupid or not, that is their PREROGATIVE!!
Past all the b.s, it is one of the main reasons people purchase a luxury vehicle! Otherwise we would ALL be driving loaded Accords, Camry's and Altimas!
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,085
Likes: 0
From: California
Perfect segway for me thanks which again shows that the C-class does have "image" in spades b/c it is a "Mercedes Benz". To their credit this version looks damn good, is larger and doesn't scream "baby Benz" nearly as loud as previous versions.
Infiniti makes a solid car but they do have a lot of issues with image/perception, just shown here again.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...yota-tops.html
I think most of us would agree a G37 priced like a C300 is by far the better vehicle and we can argue G37 vs C350 which is better. However most people do not care! They want a "Benz" and that is that! HP is not everything and "sport" doesn't mean squat to most buyers. Sorry if you didn't get that memo. Also again to the C-classes credit, it is a solid car, its not bad or terrible or anything so an "Infiniti" has its work cut out for it.
It is kind of amazing to me on the internetz people want to dismiss and throw out image/prestige/panache out the window of all the sudden. There is a "feel good" factor with Tier 1 brands, thus why people flock to them no questions asked. It is why the ES is last on this poll but in the real world, people love it.
Hell I can admit that Lexus has image/prestige issues with a lot of people who simply will NOT consider a Japanese brand, no matter how good Lexus is. To them, they would rather a base C class with nothing in it than even a LS 600h L! They don't care, to them the Benz/BMW etc prestige means that much. I am not here to say they are stupid or not, that is their PREROGATIVE!!
Past all the b.s, it is one of the main reasons people purchase a luxury vehicle! Otherwise we would ALL be driving loaded Accords, Camry's and Altimas!
which again shows that the C-class does have "image" in spades b/c it is a "Mercedes Benz". To their credit this version looks damn good, is larger and doesn't scream "baby Benz" nearly as loud as previous versions. Infiniti makes a solid car but they do have a lot of issues with image/perception, just shown here again.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...yota-tops.html
I think most of us would agree a G37 priced like a C300 is by far the better vehicle and we can argue G37 vs C350 which is better. However most people do not care! They want a "Benz" and that is that! HP is not everything and "sport" doesn't mean squat to most buyers. Sorry if you didn't get that memo. Also again to the C-classes credit, it is a solid car, its not bad or terrible or anything so an "Infiniti" has its work cut out for it.
It is kind of amazing to me on the internetz people want to dismiss and throw out image/prestige/panache out the window of all the sudden.
There is a "feel good" factor with Tier 1 brands, thus why people flock to them no questions asked. It is why the ES is last on this poll but in the real world, people love it. Hell I can admit that Lexus has image/prestige issues with a lot of people who simply will NOT consider a Japanese brand, no matter how good Lexus is. To them, they would rather a base C class with nothing in it than even a LS 600h L! They don't care, to them the Benz/BMW etc prestige means that much. I am not here to say they are stupid or not, that is their PREROGATIVE!!
Past all the b.s, it is one of the main reasons people purchase a luxury vehicle! Otherwise we would ALL be driving loaded Accords, Camry's and Altimas!
Guest
Posts: n/a
If you are after respect for your car choice, you won't get much respect for a C class Mercedes from anyone who knows much about cars. More like "you paid that much for a compact car with no rear seat room and plastic seats?" Any car enthusiast will be impressed with the G37 for its combination of handling, performance, room, reliability, and most importantly value.
Steve
Steve
But you want "real" image when there's the S class, heck even the E class
No offense. That's like buying the cheapest and crappiest house in Beverly Hills just to get that zip code when there's the multi-million dollars
I like the C class, but I wouldn't get caught up with the image thing about it (except if it's the C63
) 
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,085
Likes: 0
From: California
On no I didn't take it that way at all I totally agree whole heartedly. Heck at one time I had this mentality too when I first got into Lexus'. I had a friend who had an Avalon when I had a second gen LS and even though the Avalon shared some spirit of the LS there was just no way on earth I would settle for it. At the time it was simply because my car had the fancy L in the grill and it impressed my colleagues but as I grew in my love of cars and NOTE: maturity, I begain to appreciate quality more-so, badges have become more or less invisible to me. Hopefully one day the OP will discern and or learn/appreciate to be driven by the true and wonderful qualities of a car and if able, purchase not the image behind a badge but the car itself. Hence becoming a true car enthusiast.
CL Community Team
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,549
Likes: 230
From: San Francisco, CA
I agree with you. If you're looking for a brand image, yes the C class will give you the "image" over an infiniti and say the ES.
But you want "real" image when there's the S class, heck even the E class
No offense. That's like buying the cheapest and crappiest house in Beverly Hills just to get that zip code when there's the multi-million dollars
I like the C class, but I wouldn't get caught up with the image thing about it (except if it's the C63)
But you want "real" image when there's the S class, heck even the E class
No offense. That's like buying the cheapest and crappiest house in Beverly Hills just to get that zip code when there's the multi-million dollars
I like the C class, but I wouldn't get caught up with the image thing about it (except if it's the C63
) Also depends on your age. If you are 60 and are driving a C class for prestige, then at the end of the day, you arent really getting that much respect. If you are 21 and are driving a C class, thats a different story
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
From: Stuttgart
The weird thing about these cars is that they don't really compete with one another.
The ES is in a class of its own and in theory is the complete opposite of what a C class and G are. Where the G and C class are about "driver involvement" (especially the G), the ES is about cutting off its passengers from the outside world.
The C class and G37 sedan could be competitors, but given the comparison here between the C300 and G37, I would say they don't compete based on engine differences.
Also, the C class is more comfort focused than sport. The sport trim will give you some sharper steering response and a sturdier suspension, but at the end of the day the car is still not a sport sedan. I've owned a European spec W204 C class which I really liked. I can only stress how comfortable the car was on long-distance trips, which me and my then-girlfriend undertook almost every weekend. And, having had the small entry-level diesel motor under the hood meant that I had an incredibly long range (over 600 miles). I thus spent hours inside the car when driving down to Italy or to France. The comfort was simply outstanding.
I've never experienced an Infiniti. From the reviews I read about them, which admittedly are few, I know they're targeting BMW and that driving dynamics are their forte, not so much comfort. I've only read good things about the new 3.7 VQ V6 and I guess this engine is what somebody looking for a real sports sedan would expect.
So, there we have it. The ES, C300 and G37 are all completely different in what they offer and were designed for. If you ask me, the C300 should be replaced with IS350 or BMW 335i because those cars are far more sport-focused than the C class.
The ES is in a class of its own and in theory is the complete opposite of what a C class and G are. Where the G and C class are about "driver involvement" (especially the G), the ES is about cutting off its passengers from the outside world.
The C class and G37 sedan could be competitors, but given the comparison here between the C300 and G37, I would say they don't compete based on engine differences.
Also, the C class is more comfort focused than sport. The sport trim will give you some sharper steering response and a sturdier suspension, but at the end of the day the car is still not a sport sedan. I've owned a European spec W204 C class which I really liked. I can only stress how comfortable the car was on long-distance trips, which me and my then-girlfriend undertook almost every weekend. And, having had the small entry-level diesel motor under the hood meant that I had an incredibly long range (over 600 miles). I thus spent hours inside the car when driving down to Italy or to France. The comfort was simply outstanding.
I've never experienced an Infiniti. From the reviews I read about them, which admittedly are few, I know they're targeting BMW and that driving dynamics are their forte, not so much comfort. I've only read good things about the new 3.7 VQ V6 and I guess this engine is what somebody looking for a real sports sedan would expect.
So, there we have it. The ES, C300 and G37 are all completely different in what they offer and were designed for. If you ask me, the C300 should be replaced with IS350 or BMW 335i because those cars are far more sport-focused than the C class.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: CA
If you are after respect for your car choice, you won't get much respect for a C class Mercedes from anyone who knows much about cars. More like "you paid that much for a compact car with no rear seat room and plastic seats?" Any car enthusiast will be impressed with the G37 for its combination of handling, performance, room, reliability, and most importantly value.
Steve
Steve
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: CA
The weird thing about these cars is that they don't really compete with one another.
The ES is in a class of its own and in theory is the complete opposite of what a C class and G are. Where the G and C class are about "driver involvement" (especially the G), the ES is about cutting off its passengers from the outside world.
The C class and G37 sedan could be competitors, but given the comparison here between the C300 and G37, I would say they don't compete based on engine differences.
Also, the C class is more comfort focused than sport. The sport trim will give you some sharper steering response and a sturdier suspension, but at the end of the day the car is still not a sport sedan. I've owned a European spec W204 C class which I really liked. I can only stress how comfortable the car was on long-distance trips, which me and my then-girlfriend undertook almost every weekend. And, having had the small entry-level diesel motor under the hood meant that I had an incredibly long range (over 600 miles). I thus spent hours inside the car when driving down to Italy or to France. The comfort was simply outstanding.
I've never experienced an Infiniti. From the reviews I read about them, which admittedly are few, I know they're targeting BMW and that driving dynamics are their forte, not so much comfort. I've only read good things about the new 3.7 VQ V6 and I guess this engine is what somebody looking for a real sports sedan would expect.
So, there we have it. The ES, C300 and G37 are all completely different in what they offer and were designed for. If you ask me, the C300 should be replaced with IS350 or BMW 335i because those cars are far more sport-focused than the C class.
The ES is in a class of its own and in theory is the complete opposite of what a C class and G are. Where the G and C class are about "driver involvement" (especially the G), the ES is about cutting off its passengers from the outside world.
The C class and G37 sedan could be competitors, but given the comparison here between the C300 and G37, I would say they don't compete based on engine differences.
Also, the C class is more comfort focused than sport. The sport trim will give you some sharper steering response and a sturdier suspension, but at the end of the day the car is still not a sport sedan. I've owned a European spec W204 C class which I really liked. I can only stress how comfortable the car was on long-distance trips, which me and my then-girlfriend undertook almost every weekend. And, having had the small entry-level diesel motor under the hood meant that I had an incredibly long range (over 600 miles). I thus spent hours inside the car when driving down to Italy or to France. The comfort was simply outstanding.
I've never experienced an Infiniti. From the reviews I read about them, which admittedly are few, I know they're targeting BMW and that driving dynamics are their forte, not so much comfort. I've only read good things about the new 3.7 VQ V6 and I guess this engine is what somebody looking for a real sports sedan would expect.
So, there we have it. The ES, C300 and G37 are all completely different in what they offer and were designed for. If you ask me, the C300 should be replaced with IS350 or BMW 335i because those cars are far more sport-focused than the C class.