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