First Merc -- C230K?

I'm looking to get into the entry luxury market for the first time and am leaning toward the 2003 C230K pretty heavily. (The other two on my short list are the 2003 Infiniti G35 and the 2004 Acura TSX.)

I took an extended drive in the 230 today and was very impressed. The instrumentation was intuitive -- by the end of the hour drive I had all the buttons, the stereo, the climate and moonroof figured out. Smooth ride for Chicago roads, good acceleration, very comfortable and looks great!

There are a couple of things that I would like some commentary on this where you all can provided it.

- There's definitely the feel of turbo lag in the acceleration of the one I test-drove. My 1998 Accord is a weak four-banger but it does have more initial giddy-up than the 230. Once the 230 kicks in, of course, no contest, but is this lag common?

- I see the 240 which has the AWD option. Living in Chicago and having my garage dump into a one-way-out-only alley, I worry about getting stuck in deep snow that's not plowed in a rear-wheel drive, so AWD is a potentially attractive option. Does anyone have snow experience in a RWD 230? Can you comment?

- Any other distinctions that can be drawn between the 230 and 240?

- How does the 230K hold its value over time?

Thanks for the insight, folks.

Chuck

Reply to
Chuck Hildebrandt
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turbo lag? On a *supercharged* engine? Are you sure? thought this is impossible.

I think merc should kill off the 240. Its absolutely pointless. Its slower, more expensive, less ecomical than the 230K. It is there for people who believe a luxury car must have 6 cylinders. But this is not the case as modern 4 pots incorperate such excellent balancing systems as to be indistinguisable from 6 pots.

Dunno about the US market, but probably better than anything else ;)

Reply to
Oliver Keating

Not sure this is a semantics issue or not. What I mean is, when I press down the accelerator, it delays a second or so before it really kicks in. That's what I meant. It's not an immediate acceleration.

Reply to
Chuck Hildebrandt

I may be wrong I think it has something to do with the exhaust. Like the catback being too small, it takes a little bit longer for the gases to get out but once it does you get that kick feeling. It'll pretty much always happen on cars, all GM's do it (well, maybe not the Corvette...but Camaros, Silverados, LeSabres, Cavaliers, Blazers, TrailBlazers, Caprices, and Savanas that I've driven do it.).

Reply to
Phillip Schmid

There's absolutely no lag in my C200K: it pulls strongly throughout the rev range. I think any delay you are experiencing is more likely to be the auto box taking some time to change to lower ratios. If you're not using the tip function to change down maybe you're not flooring the acelerator enough to engage kickdown.

Reply to
Neal Milne

I noticed a throttle lag in a normallly aspirated 2004 W211 I drove last year (euro version MB test car).

Reply to
Richard J. Sexton (At work

Regardless, if you nail the kickdown switch the car will go for it, doesn't matter if you have been driving like an old man or a boy racer for 100 miles beforehand.

Reply to
miknik

Yup. Did he floor it?

Kal

Reply to
Kalman Rubinson

I think the new C looks terrific. One parks near our home and I admire it almost everytime I walk past it. And its 'only' a 180.

DAS

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Reply to
Dori Schmetterling

Make sure the W/S gear switch (black button at the left of the gearshift gate) is in "S[tandard]" mode. The "W[inter]" setting will start the car out in Second gear, with a slower take-off and more conservative shift points upwards. The shift display on the instrument cluster will display either "W" or "S" at the top of the gear display to indicate which mode it's in (S,P,R,D,3,2,1), so that's where to look to verify it's in Standard or Winter mode.

The supercharger kick-in does have a slight lag, about a half-second or so, since it disables when sitting at idle. The lag is really only obvious when trouncing on the pedal; in ordinary driving, the power takeoff is seamless and the engine performs like a much larger engine, with much better mileage.

Reply to
rugbyguy

I can't answer your specific question, but I'd strongly advise you not to get a MB 230K. I have one and it has been an utter nightmare. I've taken it back to the dealer over twenty times for fault after fault. I'm trying to sell it right now as I've just had enough of the hassle.There are a lot of quality problems on MBs at the moment. Only get one if you really like sitting for hours and hours in your local dealer's showroom....

Reply to
Ric

Was your car one of the first Sport Coupes to be built?

Reply to
greek_philosophizer

Both are better value for money.,

There are two factors : a) transmission -> auto vs manual. b) Japanese cars tend to have a higher "ooomph" factor -> less gas pedal equals more acceleration, but more gas pedal has less impact. Like a poor man's traction control.

AWD won't help if the snow is too deep. Your car will still get stuck on on its frame and you will have 4 wheels instead of 2 spinning.

Reply to
GT

I have a 03 230 sedan and drove 240 several times. The 230 definitely looks sportier and nicer IMO but the 240 has smoother ride and less noise from the engine. I also experience the lag you said especially when the car was first started in the morning. Value is an issue. Many people in the US think a better car should have at least 6 cylinders but I am fairly sure the depreciation of 230 is much better than any Infinitis.

Reply to
JoeC

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