[bimmer_335]

Hi all,

This Saturday I stopped by a local dealership to test drive C400. They had none on hand but had multiple C300 available. Here's quick rundown on my impression of C300.

First a little about myself: I'm in the market for my E92 replacement. My car is bone stock, non-RFT tires, loaded with all options and i love every bit of it. Two cars on my radar are GC435 and C400 (I need 4 doors).

Test Car: 2015 C300 4Matic with Sports PKG, 18" wheels

Design:
Some love it while others don’t. In my opinion car looks stunning inside out. I’ve read about high quality interior materials and they are spot on. My only gripe with interior was the positioning of the seat adjustment controls that are on the door.

Drive Train:
Most reviews I’ve read say that C300’s engine is smoother than the C400 V6. I’m not sold on the “smoothness” part of it. Comparing it to what I drive I was not impressed. Given that V6 is less smoother than the I-4, I’m not sure if I’d like the V6. C300 had enough power to get the car moving and I never felt lacking power. Transmission is spot on. Shifts are quick in sports mode and smooth when cruising around. I-4 does sound like a 4 banger on higher revs... you have been warned.

Driving Impressions:
The car strikes a decent balance between sportiness and comfortable cruising. However coming from a RWD coupe which sits lower, I found it lacking. Going around the corner I felt the car resists turning. With E92 I can exit the corners with pretty decent speed that brings smile to my face all the time. I also found it lacks that “hugging the road” feeling and confidence that I get from E92. 4-matic may have something to do with it as well… I can’t say for sure.

Some will say E92 vs. C300 is not a true comparison and I know it, but that’s all I’ve to compare it with until I drive GC next week. My wife’s best friend picked up a GC last week. She has been in it and absolutely loved it. She already thinks I’d like the GC better!!!

[mike@x-ph.com]

thanks for sharing

[moviebumm]

Originally Posted by bimmer_335

Hi all,

This Saturday I stopped by a local dealership to test drive C400. They had none on hand but had multiple C300 available. Here's quick rundown on my impression of C300.

First a little about myself: I'm in the market for my E92 replacement. My car is bone stock, non-RFT tires, loaded with all options and i love every bit of it. Two cars on my radar are GC435 and C400 (I need 4 doors).

Test Car: 2015 C300 4Matic with Sports PKG, 18" wheels

Design:
Some love it while others don’t. In my opinion car looks stunning inside out. I’ve read about high quality interior materials and they are spot on. My only gripe with interior was the positioning of the seat adjustment controls that are on the door.

Drive Train:
Most reviews I’ve read say that C300’s engine is smoother than the C400 V6. I’m not sold on the “smoothness” part of it. Comparing it to what I drive I was not impressed. Given that V6 is less smoother than the I-4, I’m not sure if I’d like the V6. C300 had enough power to get the car moving and I never felt lacking power. Transmission is spot on. Shifts are quick in sports mode and smooth when cruising around. I-4 does sound like a 4 banger on higher revs... you have been warned.

Driving Impressions:
The car strikes a decent balance between sportiness and comfortable cruising. However coming from a RWD coupe which sits lower, I found it lacking. Going around the corner I felt the car resists turning. With E92 I can exit the corners with pretty decent speed that brings smile to my face all the time. I also found it lacks that “hugging the road” feeling and confidence that I get from E92. 4-matic may have something to do with it as well… I can’t say for sure.

Some will say E92 vs. C300 is not a true comparison and I know it, but that’s all I’ve to compare it with until I drive GC next week. My wife’s best friend picked up a GC last week. She has been in it and absolutely loved it. She already thinks I’d like the GC better!!!

On 9/13/2014, I drove a C400 and I thought the performance was adequate but not great.
The exterior design was odd. The interior was too busy for my taste.
I thought the materials used were terrible. Too much hard plastic. The Burmester radio was awful.
Starting with 2015 C Class, the car is made in Alabama which is unfortunate.
Also, the C400 is in very high demand and very little supply. As a result the prices are incredible.
Even more so if you want to lease. I priced at the dealer a $63,000 C400 and the
lease payments were $600 per month with $18,000 down. 36 months, 15 miles per year.
I was quite disappointed not only with the design but also with the payments. I am so happy I ordered a 435.

[metrathon]

Originally Posted by moviebumm

I priced at the dealer a $63,000 C400 and the
lease payments were $600 per month with $18,000 down. 36 months, 15 miles per year.

WTF?!?

[moviebumm]

Originally Posted by metrathon

WTF?!?

Exactly. The C400 is an overpriced POS.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by moviebumm

On 9/13/2014, I drove a C400 and I thought the performance was adequate but not great.
The exterior design was odd. The interior was too busy for my taste.
I thought the materials used were terrible. Too much hard plastic. The Burmester radio was awful.
Starting with 2015 C Class, the car is made in Alabama which is unfortunate.
Also, the C400 is in very high demand and very little supply. As a result the prices are incredible.
Even more so if you want to lease. I priced at the dealer a $63,000 C400 and the
lease payments were $600 per month with $18,000 down. 36 months, 15 miles per year.
I was quite disappointed not only with the design but also with the payments. I am so happy I ordered a 435.

Ain't nobody got time for dat!!!

[eric135i]

Originally Posted by moviebumm

On 9/13/2014, I drove a C400 and I thought the performance was adequate but not great.
The exterior design was odd. The interior was too busy for my taste.
I thought the materials used were terrible. Too much hard plastic. The Burmester radio was awful.
Starting with 2015 C Class, the car is made in Alabama which is unfortunate.
Also, the C400 is in very high demand and very little supply. As a result the prices are incredible.
Even more so if you want to lease. I priced at the dealer a $63,000 C400 and the
lease payments were $600 per month with $18,000 down. 36 months, 15 miles per year.
I was quite disappointed not only with the design but also with the payments. I am so happy I ordered a 435.

agreed, 3 weeks ago right before i took delivery of my '14 335xi, i contacted a few Benz dealers for pricing on the C400, no discounts at all, they didn't want to deal with me on negotiating. pricing was INSANE (also indicated on the Benz forum) C300 with msrp in the mid-high $40K was in the $600+'s

the initial pricing are for the suckas out there who want the newest toy right now. it doesn't matter how great they make this car out to be.

[metrathon]

Originally Posted by moviebumm

Exactly. The C400 is an overpriced POS.

Well now, hold on cowboy. You start to sound like a fan-boy, and of a low quality that is All reviews say it's a very good car, better than the F30 in some aspects, worse in other. You say it's a POS. Now, hmmm, who should I believe?

[skw]

Originally Posted by bimmer_335

Design:
Some love it while others don’t. In my opinion car looks stunning inside out. I’ve read about high quality interior materials and they are spot on. My only gripe with interior was the positioning of the seat adjustment controls that are on the door.

Trust me, not the worst thing in the world, you get used to it. One of those things that becomes second nature.

Originally Posted by moviebumm

Starting with 2015 C Class, the car is made in Alabama which is unfortunate.
Also, the C400 is in very high demand and very little supply. As a result the prices are incredible.
Even more so if you want to lease. I priced at the dealer a $63,000 C400 and the
lease payments were $600 per month with $18,000 down. 36 months, 15 miles per year.
I was quite disappointed not only with the design but also with the payments. I am so happy I ordered a 435.

We all know BMW's residuals are inflated but that's ridiculous! Supply and demand in play. If you have people will to pay a certain price, then it is what is. Quick story. Interesting thing about that $600/mo lease pymt. That was my rough number when car shopping last winter and at the MB dealer where I got my ML, we were looking at a '14 E350 sport (facelifted w212) msrp $63,000, $0 down (besides fees, etc), 36mo 12k/yr at $680/mo. At one BMW dealer, order to be built a '14 535i M-sport msrp approx $63,000, same $0 down, 36mo 12k/yr at $600/mo. At another BMW dealer, a fairly loaded '14 535d M-sport, msrp $74,000, same parameters, at $600/mo. Then the same 2nd BMW dealer also offered a low mileage, every option checked rwd 6mt '12 328i sportline to purchase for $34,000, 4yrs at $590/mo.

So looking at what you can get for the same payment, there's no way I would pay $600/mo to be the 1st on the block w/ a new C-class in addition to what they asked you to also put down.

[metrathon]

Originally Posted by skw

At one BMW dealer, order to be built a '14 535i M-sport msrp approx $63,000, same $0 down, 36mo 12k/yr at $600/mo. At another BMW dealer, a fairly loaded '14 535d M-sport, msrp $74,000, same parameters, at $600/mo.

Wow dude, these are too good to be true. Especially the diesel. And you passed?

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by moviebumm

Exactly. The C400 is an overpriced POS.

Is C400 also made in AL?

[skw]

Originally Posted by metrathon

Wow dude, these are too good to be true. Especially the diesel. And you passed?

That was around the beginning of the year, mid-winter, so there were deals around that time. The E350 we passed on because while nice, it was being touted as a "new" model even though it was the same W212 w/ a fresh interior and exterior w/ a new E-class already in the pipeline. And it wasn't as "fun" to drive & wasn't sure I wanted 2 Mercedes in the driveway. Almost pulled the trigger on the 535d just on pure principle w/ those numbers but my heart was set on a manual transmission (one of my biggest regrets not having w/ my e39). Also, the 535d they were giving me the deal on was in their warehouse. The one I drove didn't even have the sport pkg and didn't pull anywhere near as strong as our ML350 BlueTec which I was expecting from the diesel. Again no manual transmission, but probably should not have written it off so quickly. While researching the ordering process for the 535i, we came to the conclusion that we didn't really need the space of the F10 w/ only 1 child. So after driving a couple of F30's w/ different engine and transmission combinations, we ordered a rwd 6MT 320i for performance center delivery as it was the most fun to drive and only $400/mo.

[moviebumm]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Is C400 also made in AL?

I believe it is. I mean the C Class will be produced in Germany but not for the North American market.

[moviebumm]

Originally Posted by metrathon

Well now, hold on cowboy. You start to sound like a fan-boy, and of a low quality that is All reviews say it's a very good car, better than the F30 in some aspects, worse in other. You say it's a POS. Now, hmmm, who should I believe?

I was just responding to someone saying WTF. The C Class is a decent car don't get me wrong but it is nowhere near as good as a 3 Series. Add to that the insane pricing. The C Class is the loser in my heart. Which would you rather have, an M3 or a C400 and ignore gas, insurance, tires and all wheel drive verses rear wheel drive? If you lease the prices are about the same. The C is an expensive car that feels cheap and too busy in design.

[metrathon]

Originally Posted by moviebumm

I was just responding to someone saying WTF. The C Class is a decent car don't get me wrong but it is nowhere near as good as a 3 Series. Add to that the insane pricing. The C Class is the loser in my heart. Which would you rather have, an M3 or a C400 and ignore gas, insurance, tires and all wheel drive verses rear wheel drive? If you lease the prices are about the same. The C is an expensive car that feels cheap and too busy in design.

C lease will come down in a year or so. When a hyped car is launched, it's always the same story: no room for haggle, the lease quotes are horrible, etc.

[Mojave Spirit]

Got a lease quote today. On a $47K C300 they wanted $659 a mo/36 months, i could get 11k more BMW for that price

[metrathon]

Originally Posted by Mojave Spirit

Got a lease quote today. On a $47K C300 they wanted $659 a mo/36 months, i could get 11k more BMW for that price

That's a 535i right there.