2008 Mercedes-Benz C300: Most Three-Pointed Stars In Segment

"It does, however, boast a class-leading nine three-pointed-star logos (grille, hood, trunk lid, wheels, steering wheel, shift knob)."

Doesn't this mean that most of the people who bought the Benz are getting exactly what they paid for?

Drove the C300 4Matic in the Audi performance driving event and my impression is just the same: steering is light and uncommunicative. The car felt like a tank but not in a good way...

Let me get this straight - you are surprised that a Mercedes is over-priced? When has this not been the case??

Each of the nine three-pointed-star logos cost ~$4600, the rest of the car is worthless.

A Benz owner only care about the three-pointed-star logos, the rest of the car is irrelevant.

To all Benz owner, any Infiniti or Lexus are just another Nissan or Toyota, just another cheap Japanese car, they are not good enough for them to sit in, let alone consider buying one to replace their three-pointed-star.

Benz owners don't even know what steering feel is, or what is horsepower......so they don't care.

Besides, they have never driven any other cars other then Benzs, since they have nothing to compare with, what they are used to must be the best.

actually the thing is they like light and uncommunicative. the type who buy benz's complain about how communicative the bmw's and infiniti's are in comparison. these benz's are cheap and attainable for those who seek to rise up in class... and when its between an infiniti or a benz, its a no brainer for them. (the benz)

$41,370 for this car?! Are you serious?? I'll take a Honda Accord EX and a loaded Honda fit, instead, please. (:

I own a Benz and I do like to drive, hence my C230K being a manual and having the sport package. It's no BMW or other truly sporty car but it's firm and does have good steering feel. Of course mine is the previous generation and the current one lost many of the things I enjoy about mine namely the efficient 4 cylinder and hatchback style and gained more weight. Of course new mine would have been less than $30K and I find the extra cash hard to justify for a new one. A manual rear wheel drive car with a backseat is hard to find outside of the luxury segment, and a handy hatchback is even more so. As for not having driven other cars I came into the Mercedes from an SRT-4 (fast but not good for a daily driver) and also previously owned a Miata (and absolute blast to drive and own), a great car but without the room and budget for an extra car I had to get something more practical.

I have a MB SLK350, an Infiniti FX45, and a MB E500 4matic. I've driven several G35 sedans as loaners and rental cars, and have also owned a BMW 330i, Audi TT roadster, Honda Civic, and a Nissan Maxima.

I have to say that Infiniti, while good for the money, are not quite as nice as comparable MBs. The switches are not quite as nice, way the doors feel when you close them, etc. In my experience, the dealer service with Infiniti is much worse than MB. It feels like only a slight upgrade from the Nissan dealer. The roadside service from MB is much better than the service from Infiniti. They actually dispatch someone from the dealer and roadside is included for the life of the car, not just the warranty period as Infiniti.

What you do get with Infiniti is better performance for the money. IMO that gets old if you're someone who doesn't value performance above all else. Infiniti doesn't sell modestly powered cars, where you can get your C class in many different varieties from the C300 to the V8 C63 AMG. I think MB caters to a wider audience and the base C300 is going after a different customer than the G37s.

A couple months ago, I was looking at the C-Class and got an email offer from MB of Manhattan for left over 2008 C350's for $29,995 (MSRP $37,xxx). I would take that over the G37, even though it is still short on power in comparison.

Another completely worthless and uninformative entry about this car. I guess you were too busy feeling the steering wheel of the G37 and forgot to count the amount of times the Infiniti logo and name pop up on that car.

How about 14 times? So actually the Infiniti boasts a "class leading" 14 Infiniti logos or the word Infiniti. The logo doesn't seem to be enough for them and they actually have to spell the name of the brand out in case you think you're driving a Nissan and not an Infiniti. 4 wheels, grill, trunk lid (word and logo), steering wheel, seats (word and logo), clock (word and logo).

"The roadside service from MB is much better than the service from Infiniti. They actually dispatch someone from the dealer and roadside is included for the life of the car, not just the warranty period as Infiniti."

I certainly hope so, given how much MBs tend to break down over an Infiniti.

"What you do get with Infiniti is better performance for the money. IMO that gets old if you're someone who doesn't value performance above all else."

That's probably not as true as you think. My father has owned a Benz and an Infiniti. When he had the Benz all he did was complain about it and the number of times it broke down. The Infiniti has never drawn a complaint. Not to mention that in regard to the power, my father who dives 5 mph under the speed limit at all times praises all of the power the car has and the car's ability to get him out of tricky traffic situations. It doesn't sound like all of that power is a mere novelty to him. He's certainly not going to track days in any case.

"4 wheels, grill, trunk lid (word and logo), steering wheel, seats (word and logo), clock (word and logo)."

You forgot about the logo that appears when the navi starts up. Even still, it sounds like you're just bitter because your Benz is no better than a Nissan. Too bad.

Well, according to the recent comparison test here on Inside Line, the Acura TL had a better interior than the G37. Rather disappointing to here that that Mercedes isn't even that good. I thought that was supposed to be its trump card.

"(grille, hood, trunk lid, wheels, steering wheel, shift knob)"

The only thing unusual here is the double front logo (ie grille and hood) and maybe the shift knob. The rest are pretty standard.

"You forgot about the logo that appears when the navi starts up. Even still, it sounds like you're just bitter because your Benz is no better than a Nissan. Too bad."

I would hope a 2009 Nissan is better than my 1963 220S Mercedes, but then again, I wouldn't bet on it.

I'm just glad to see a post on the C300, negative or not. The G37S is quite the drive. I enjoyed my time in one.

This isn't even an apples to apples comparison. The 40K Infiniti is fully loaded, while the 40K Benz has VINYL seats!

If you knock off some of the options on the Infiniti, you can easily get it down to $35K. That makes it even more of a no-brainer compared to the C300. I know several people who own MBs, and every one of them bought it for the pointy star and the prestige that goes along with it. They'll proudly admit that.

The Infiniti is nice and I'm definitely keeping it on my list for when I buy a vehicle next year (along with the G8 GXP, 135i, and 335i). As for the Acura TL, the dash design that would make H.R. Giger proud was a turn off. That's too bad since they will have a manual version of the car for 2010.

Just picked up a 2009 C300 Sport 4matic as a company car. Had my choice between that or a Chrysler/Dodge, so it was easy to choose the Benz.

No problems so far in 5500 miles. The steering is overly light - one good sneeze can put you in the next lane if you are not used to it. But after a few days it was no problem. Averaging 23.9 mpg in mixed driving, which is very good considering it's rated at 17/25.

Can't speak for the Infiniti, but I have no real issues with the Benz. Drives nice, handles well, ride is good considering the Sport suspension & Michigan's horrible roads, & power is fine from the 228 hp V6. The body structure & controls have a nice solid feel to them. Even the fake leather is decent.

Just finished driving 3 straight Honda Preludes to almost 200K miles each so I'm used to good driving characertistics, high reliability, & good fuel economy.

Would I spend $40K of my own money on a C class? Probably not. I'd take a CTS instead, but Benz seems to be selling a good number of the C classes so they probably aren't sweating bullets over the competition yet.

Before I say anything else let me first state a fact: the R&D plus other engineering development costs for the current generation C-Class was billions higher than that for Infiniti's current generation G. That has to be paid for somehow, thus a higher MSRP. Top this off with the fact that a dollar will buy you almost ten Japanese Yen but only 8/10 of a Euro. All of these factors must be considered to fully understand the C's vastly higher price.

Secondly, the average C-Class buyer is a 45 year old woman. I hardly believe that the main priority of most middle-aged women drivers is all out performance. They prefer a smooth, quiet, and isolated ride; all things the C does considerably better than the G37. It just makes good business sense to continue to appeal to that very faithful group.

Having said all that the G37 is a far better deal and would be my choice if I was shopping in this segment. The C is a supremely well built car that I have no doubt will hold up better than the Infiniti over time, but I just find the G to be a lot of fun. It has all the performance of a 3-Series without the yuppy image.

"I certainly hope so, given how much MBs tend to break down over an Infiniti."

so true....Infiniti owners would never know how good or bad their roadside service is since they never use it.

"You forgot about the logo that appears when the navi starts up. Even still, it sounds like you're just bitter because your Benz is no better than a Nissan. Too bad."

No better? IMO Benz are inferior to Nissan.

"Well, according to the recent comparison test here on Inside Line, the Acura TL had a better interior than the G37. Rather disappointing to here that that Mercedes isn't even that good. I thought that was supposed to be its trump card."

The only trump card Benz has is the badge.

Scratch that. My exchange rate info was intiquated.

For me personally sometimes I like uncommunicative steering. Sometimes I don't want to know what's happening at the wheels, what the engine is doing, what gear I'm in. That's when I drive my 300E. For days when I want razor sharp steering, tail out fun, being bashed over the head with info from the road, I drive my Miata. I guess the G combines the two.

"I know several people who own MBs, and every one of them bought it for the pointy star and the prestige that goes along with it. They'll proudly admit that."

As long as they admit it, it is all good.

I think the Benz and Infiniti speak to a different audience, so the comparison is a little flawed in that manner. However, for your purpose as a "sport sedan" your observations are spot on. Another thing you pay for in a Merc is that they are (in my humble opinion) built for a different purpose than most other cars. Maybe you should keep both cars for 15-20 years then revisit the comparison, then you will find out why you pay extra for the Benz. Even just looking at the cars on the road (especially in LA) you'll see a LOT of 10 yr old mercs, but relatively few Infiniti's (or even Lexi), especially when you consider their relative sales volumes when new. Having been a long term owner of vehicles from every major region (USA, Japan, Germany) I can tell you firsthand that my Mercedes is much better suited for the long-haul. I'm not talking about reliability (though mine has been flawless) but about how well the ENTIRE car holds up over repeated use (and abuse) over time. I also worked in the automotive test industry for 15 years, measuring simulated and accelerated wear/tear on vehicles from every manufacturer, and the same generality is true from region to region, with Germans first, USA second, and Japan (are you surprised?), third. There are exceptions, but that's the general rule I've found in my extensive experience. Since I CAN afford to pay a little extra, and keep my cars for 10 years or more, I am willing to pay more upfront to know that my 10 year old car is still as tight and solid as a new car from Japan, Inc.

"Just picked up a 2009 C300 Sport 4matic as a company car. Had my choice between that or a Chrysler/Dodge, so it was easy to choose the Benz.

No problems so far in 5500 miles. The steering is overly light - one good sneeze can put you in the next lane if you are not used to it. But after a few days it was no problem. Averaging 23.9 mpg in mixed driving, which is very good considering it's rated at 17/25."

For the same price, I rather have a Dodge SRT8 then a C300.

I sure hope it doesn't have any problems in 5500 miles.

"Having said all that the G37 is a far better deal and would be my choice if I was shopping in this segment."

A mercedesfan would own an Infiniti? I don't believe you!

The solidity and build quality isn't even comparable. Much of the price of a MB is in the R&D, as well as build quality that you can't see. None of the Japanese "premium" manufacturers have caught up to the European premium builders yet, when it comes to that. Go find a very qualified MB consultant, or better yet someone from MB Training and Education, and ask them to go through the car with you side by side. No comparison.

When it comes to techy features, the Japanese do well, since they sell their cars on first impressions, not solidity and longevity. However, I'll still take the voice control in a C over anything the Japanese have to offer.

The road surface conditions in my neighborhood and along my commute are so bad that I wouldn't buy ANY tightly-sprung car, no matter how powerful or "fun" it may be.

The comparison being made here is somewhat apples-to-oranges IMO, but if the Benz rides smoother over poor surfaces, then that's the one I want.

Seems like some of you are drinking the MB kool-aid. They want you to believe that MB offers superior engineering and build quality so that they can justify the high prices. That seems to be their primary marketing technique, and I guess it works on some.

I've never seen anything to back up those claims, however. MB always ranks in the bottom half of the quality/reliability ratings that I've seen. As far as personal experience, a friend of mine has a 2004 S430, and it has plenty of rattles and squeaks. The seats are worn, and the doors no longer close with a solid thunk (if they ever did). Basically, it's about what you'd expect from a 4-5 year old car. Not sure what all that superior engineering has bought him...

bloodyr, I think what happened is, that Benz was the best car from the 70s to the early 90s....I believe that and agreed. But since the early 90s, they continue to go downhill, they hit rock bottom a few years ago, to be making the worse cars on the market. And ever since Benz started going downhill from the early 90s, Japanese luxury brand have improved drastically, they caught Benz in the mid to late 90s and surpassed it in 2000. And seems like a lot of Benz's fan are stuck in the 80s/90s and continue to think Benz is the best and all Japanese cars are still a tin can.

And I think with the Genesis, even the Korean surpassed Benz in quality.

bloodyr, I think what happened is, that Benz was the best car from the 70s to the early 90s....I believe that and agreed. But since the early 90s, they continue to go downhill, they hit rock bottom a few years ago, to be making the worse cars on the market. And ever since Benz started going downhill from the early 90s, Japanese luxury brand have improved drastically, they caught Benz in the mid to late 90s and surpassed it in 2000. And seems like a lot of Benz's fan are stuck in the 80s/90s and continue to think Benz is the best and all Japanese cars are still a tin can.

And I think with the Genesis, even the Korean are about to pass Benz in quality.

Lazyhater, could you be a bit more transparent in your hate of Mercedes? Wow.

One way to settle the "MB offers superior engineering and build quality" discussion:

Take the 10- or 15-year-old (MY between 1994 and 1999) Lexus LS and MB S-class. Strip them apart and see if the MB indeed held up better than its Japanese competitor.

Should be a nice project for Edmunds IL don't you think?

Mercedes did hit a quality low in the late 90's early 2000's, but are def back now to producing high quality cars proven by the quality results, if you believe them, and also plenty of reviews.

bloodyr, the amount of money Mercedes spends on R&D and such is actually fact and not just crazy MB fan-boy mumbo-jumbo. The current generation C-Class had a rigorous 15 million mile testing regime, which is the most of any car in history. On average Mercedes spends 2-3 years more time on R&D than even its fellow German rivals. That development cost is just staggering (I'm talking multiples higher than the competition) and puts Benz in a compeltely different league than everything else out there when it comes to quality control.

For comparison the 1999-2006 generation cars were tested under considerably lighter standards. The development cycle was short (sometimes 1 year less than the competition) and the testing cycle barely on par with the luxury competition. Juergen Schrempp (previous CEO of DaimlerBenz) decided the money would be better spent on new electronics and a new design philosophy. This is the reason so many engineers left the company at the end of the century to find employment elsewhere. This is also the reason the previous generation S-Class ranked at the bottom of the heap in all measures of long-term quality and reliability.

Times have changed, Zetsche is ushering in a new era and inviting many of those engineers who left back to the company. All I need to do is drive my 40,000 mile, 2-year old S550 to feel certain that the company is finding its way once again.

You all can say what you want. I currently own a MB SLK, E500 and an Infiniti FX45. While they all cost about the same and are nearly the same age, sticker price nearly $60,000 are all 2004 or 2005, the MBs has far better build quality than the Infiniti.

I've used Roadside Assistance from both and have had better response and followup from MB. There are others on the Infinitifx.org forum that can report their roadside stories.

I've had a 2008 G35 lowner and a C300 loaner at home at the same time and directly compared them. They are both kinda cheap and crappy, but I felt the MB was better put together and well thought out. The C has a much nicer ride over NYC pot holes, but the G had a lot more power.

I think the best deal right now is a used 2004-2007 E500 or E550. They go for $20-40k depending on year. Much more luxurious than either the G or C, faster in a straight line (E550), and much more comfortable. The only drawback is the boring styling.

"And I think with the Genesis, even the Korean surpassed Benz in quality."

Lazy hater, hilarious. I thought you would be too lazy to come up with something funny.

"Since I CAN afford to pay a little extra, and keep my cars for 10 years or more, I am willing to pay more upfront to know that my 10 year old car is still as tight and solid as a new car from Japan, Inc."

Thats the biggest load of bull I've heard. The old Mercs you see are owned by the badge snobs who don't have the money to buy a new Merc and would rather have an old car with a Merc badge than buy a quality new Infinity, or Accord or Lexus or Acura. So if a car is more unreliable than say, a Lexus in the first year of ownership will fare better in 15 to 20 years than a Lexus. That the hell do you figure that? Ever heard of the JD power forums? The top ten most reliable cars are usually for the Asian countries, even the Koreans are moving up in reliabilty and build quality. Ze Germans are the ones going down the line.

ace47 the highest ranked car in initial quality for the last two years has been the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The CLK-Class and E-Class have also been singled out as the highest ranked in their respective classes. The brand as a whole is now ranked 4th in the industry behind Porsche, Infiniti, and Lexus with the average Benz only having 5 problems per 100 vehicles more than Lexus; so they are pretty much on the same plane for first-year reliability. In recent years BMW and Audi have gone down, but Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have surged.

Also, my father drives a 1996 S500 and has owned it since new. The car currently has 250,000 miles on it and has never been in for anything but scheduled maintenance. He loves the car and can't bare to part with it. Not everyone is a brand snob.

Since you guys depend on JD Power and Consumer Reports, maybe you should look at the latest results that ranks MB BMW and Audi ahead of all Asian and US automakers except Lexus and Cadillac.

You accuse people of living back in the 80's when MB's were at the top of the game, while at the same time you haven't caught up to the current times and are still thinking MB is what it was in the late 90's and early 2000's where it even admitted to having problems.

PS: It was the latest JD Power results that were released yesterday.

"Lazyhater, could you be a bit more transparent in your hate of Mercedes? Wow."

I don't hate them, I just have zero respect for them and won't spend any money on them. If someone let me drive a Benz for free, I'll drive it.

"One way to settle the "MB offers superior engineering and build quality" discussion:

Take the 10- or 15-year-old (MY between 1994 and 1999) Lexus LS and MB S-class. Strip them apart and see if the MB indeed held up better than its Japanese competitor."

You don't have to take them apart to tell, just look at how many 10-15 years old LS and S-class are still on the road. You see LS everywhere and almost no old S-class at all. Also when you see them, listen to them, the LS is still very quiet and smooth as silk, old S-class sounds like an old clunker.

The worse is the 2000~2006 W220 S-class, as new as they are, they are almost all off the road by now, either they are all in the shop, in junk yard, or owners are too afraid to get stranded in them, so don't drive them much.

"Lazy hater, hilarious. I thought you would be too lazy to come up with something funny."

I am not trying to be funny, I am just telling like it is. The truth make it funny. It is funny how things turn around, Hyundai is about to make better cars then Benz. And Nissan GTR is smoking Porsche 911 Turbo. I got a pissed off friend who owns a modded 996 Turbo that just got smoked by a bone stock R35 GTR!

"Thats the biggest load of bull I've heard. The old Mercs you see are owned by the badge snobs who don't have the money to buy a new Merc and would rather have an old car with a Merc badge than buy a quality new Infinity, or Accord or Lexus or Acura. So if a car is more unreliable than say, a Lexus in the first year of ownership will fare better in 15 to 20 years than a Lexus. That the hell do you figure that? Ever heard of the JD power forums? The top ten most reliable cars are usually for the Asian countries, even the Koreans are moving up in reliabilty and build quality. Ze Germans are the ones going down the line."

Well said!

"ace47 the highest ranked car in initial quality for the last two years has been the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The CLK-Class and E-Class have also been singled out as the highest ranked in their respective classes. The brand as a whole is now ranked 4th in the industry behind Porsche, Infiniti, and Lexus with the average Benz only having 5 problems per 100 vehicles more than Lexus; so they are pretty much on the same plane for first-year reliability. In recent years BMW and Audi have gone down, but Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have surged."

Initial quality means nothing to me, I sure hope the car is perfect when it is brand new. What matter the most is when the car get a little older, the JD power Dependability Study for 3 years old car is a much better gauge. Benz was 4th initially, and fell to 17th when it is 3 years old, behind Hyundai and Mitsubishi, where it has 95 more problems per 100 vehicles more than Lexus. This paint a very clear picture of how Benz hold up as they age.

Maybe you are a baller and can afford to trade in your new Benz every 1 or 2 years, then it is not an issue for you. But I am poor and like to do it like your dad, I like to keep my cars for 10~15 years with 200k+ miles.

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/000_08jdpoweriqs.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/00jdpowerdepend.jpg

"The worse is the 2000~2006 W220 S-class, as new as they are, they are almost all off the road by now, either they are all in the shop, in junk yard, or owners are too afraid to get stranded in them, so don't drive them much."

True it was probably the worst by Mercedes standards in it's early years, but I'm not sure where you get the idea that htey are almost all off the road. I personally know 5 different people that still have theirs, and some had no issues and the people that did have early issues, don't have any now.

lazyhater I am not disagreeing with you. I simply brought up the intial quality ratings because it is all we have right now to gauge new Benzes. The JD Power Dependability Study released earlier this year was for MY2005 models, which I have said time and again were not up to Mercedes standards.

Am I dumb enough to think that in the 2010 JD Power Dependability Study, when the MY2007 cars are analyzed, that suddenly MB will be on top? Heck no! I do, however, expect that they will improve and really that is all the more that anyone can hope for. Lexus has been well managed for years and stuck true to its formula so I don't see them being unseated anytime soon, but if MB can get back into the top 10 that shows me that they are really trying to turn things around.

It is very interesting to see people using JD Power rankings to support their claims of Mercedes' inferiority or superiority. I can't imagine in 1980, for instance, that the "superiority" of the Mercedes would have even been questioned. Mercedes cars had a complete, all-encompassing aura of strength and impeturbability, especially the S-Class cars the 1970s and early 80s -- you simply knew they were the best because, after all, it was a Mercedes. They always looked and felt like they were built for the long haul.
The W220 S-Class did not have the same presence or aura; it seemed that they were just different (not saying they were bad cars; in fact, I enjoyed myself every time I rode in one).
The current S-Class seems to be a step into the right direction in every way, but I have yet to ride in or drive one.

mercedesfan, I agreed and I am with you. But even Lexus have started to slip a little, the 07'+ LS460 are not as well build as previous generation cars, they feel less solid with more problems. And I am saying that as a Lexus fan. I think that happen to most people/companies, when they get to the top, they start to relax, idle and start slipping, going downhill. So Benz is not the only one.

sgude, without using JD Power rankings, all we can argue with is personal opinion, experience and what we heard.....which we know how that goes.

I drove a 04' E320 a few months ago, I can honestly say it is one of the worse car I have ever driven, I can't believe how crappy it felt overall.

When any of you have worked in the automotive testing industry, then you can talk about Quality. Quality <> reliability. I sold my 1999.5 Golf to my ex g/f. It has 140000 miles on it. Sure, a few things have been repaired. But, she needed a brake job, so I did it for her, and drove the car, and it FELT better and was TIGHTER than a brand-new Kia Elantra I had as a rental a few weeks prior. That's what I'm talking about. Same goes for my BMW. A buddy of mine and I bought our cars two weeks apart in 2001. He got a G35, I got a 3-series. My car has 145000 miles on it, his has 70000. He gloated that he paid 6k less than I did. At the time I even told him, he'll be sorry. You know what? He IS sorry. His car feels like it's been dropped off a cliff, and he's had many more problems than I've had with mine. I'll remind you that I have 2x the mileage. He got in my car the other day and said, jeez your car is still like new, rides great and nothing rattles or shakes like mine! It was a great "I told you so" moment. It's not that Japanese cars are unreliable, because they are, but they are not built to be a European taxicab for 10 years. Just take one look at the door hinge on the C-class then the ones on a G or IS. Tell me which one will last longer. Put the cars up on a lift and look at the details. I think then you'll see the difference. I will also say that MB DID lose their way for a few years there, and some of their more recent offerings were really not up to their standards, but they've gotten back to business. Now, if they can only do something about their styling...

Funny how you got a competitor car against the Infiniti. Even funnier that you put on twice he miles.Absolutely hilarious that he had more problems than yours. Did he also have to change the tyres twice as many times as you did for the BMW?

I'll just use the SLR as an example. It costs 400K minimum and the Merc fans can check out its reliabily issues through wikipedia. No car site hounding required. Enough said.

But hey, to each his own and I'll just take cheaper, more reliable(in my opinion) Japanese car with all the bells and whistles over some overhyped German model. But the MB fans need to get off their horses and stop looking down at Asian cars and remember that badge snobbery is not a trait found among every human.

My uncle who's a retired Chevy/Buick mechanic mostly owns old GM cars. A Buick LeSabre Wildcat, Buick Regal T Type, Buick Gran National, early 80's Chevy suburban, an old CK Blazer (current project) and a 72 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. He's worked on just about everything in his career and still does small jobs on the side at his home to keep him busy.

He also has 2 Mercedes products, a 1999 Mercedes C43 AMG and a 1989 Mercedes 300TE wagon. Both cars are in great condition. The C43 has about 80,000 miles and the 300TE has about 340,000. I haven't driven the AMG (yet) but Ive driven the 300TE more than a few times as he uses it as his "shop car". Before driving it the first time and even considering its age and mileage I thought it would be a bit rattle trap. Contrary to my assumptions the cars structure feels as robust as any new Benz product. Not a squeak or rattle, the paint is still in good condition (never been garaged) and the interior has average wear given its age and use. The car really impressed me and my uncle who's a HUGE HUGE HUUUUUGE GM follower said in all his years, regardless of manufacturer, he's never seen cars built like a Mercedes...and I have to agree.

I cant comment on new or newer Benz products as I have little to no experience with them but from the few newer models Ive experienced that legendary "bank vault" feel was clearly evident.

My best friend has a 2005 Mercedes C230 Kompressor 6MT sedan. That car has that same feel. Close the door and a nice authoritative thwump emits. No squeaks or rattles whatsoever no matter the condition of the road surface or temperature. The interior panels have no flex or unnecessary movement at all. Everything with this car in terms of overall build quality is world class.

I'm not here to defend Mercedes' as their electronics reputation as we all know is not good but as far as build quality and durability is concerned these cars still set the standard.I would put Lexus a close 2nd although not as consistent as Mercedes.

Taking that into consideration some of you Benz haters may want to reconsider your assumptions. The 3 pointed star isn't just another badge as there is a lot of substance and details that most people don't or choose not to see. Mercedes' image here in the U.S. didn't come from the brand as it was the people who put them on a high horse.

In the end, I do agree there are some people who buy German cars for the badge or prestige however there are some of us who actually realize the power and strength behind the badge. You get what you pay for.

"I do agree there are some people who buy German cars for the badge or prestige however there are some of us who actually realize the power and strength behind the badge. You get what you pay for."

It always bugs me when people assume I bought my BMW because of the badge. I could give two craps less that it is a BMW -- I bought it because of the way it drives.

I wonder why it bugs other people so much that there are fake, pretentious people who purchase things for nothing more than the name. How is that affecting you? If you're not fake and pretentious, cool. Stay that way and let the fakes do what they do.

Perhaps later in life, some of the enthusiasts here will be more circumspect and realistic, like your uncle.

Squde, I fully understand completely although I don't and have never owned a German car.....yet.

I always dislike the people who see someone else driving say.... a base 328i and make rude remarks as if the owner of the car couldn't afford the top model 335i. Most people don't opt for the top model of any car so why should BMW or any German auto manufacturer be an exception?

Badge image isn't limited to just the Germans as certain domestic models can be included. Escalades and Hummers could easily be included as a lot of people buy those to (somehow) boost self confidence.

When it all boils down name a luxury car manufacturer or any manufacturer for that matter who wouldn't want that kind of brand power or recognition where people just purchased the product based on name alone?

Just found this on wikipedia, I didn't made it up:

Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, switched from a Mercedes to a Lexus GS300 in late 1990s/early 2000s, citing its superior reliability; in interviews Mr. Lee said he was tired of dealing with car repairs.

http://wikicars.org/en/Lexus

"Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, switched from a Mercedes to a Lexus GS300 in late 1990s/early 2000s, citing its superior reliability; in interviews Mr. Lee said he was tired of dealing with car repairs."

You might also want to check out the problems with the Porche 911 Turbos, the same ones that people are sayig is the better choice for Nissan GT-R.

"You might also want to check out the problems with the Porche 911 Turbos, the same ones that people are sayig is the better choice for Nissan GT-R."

I don't have to check out, I know.

Porsche build much better cars then Benz, but still no match for Nissan as far as quality and reliability goes.

I understand how it is though, Euro cars is really for rich people, they buy them new, and only own it for 1~2 years and put no more then 20k miles on them, they don't own them long enough to see any issues. I know quite a few pretty wealthy car guys, all their toys that they don't drive much and don't keep long, are all Euro exotics, and all their daily drivers, their work horses, are all Japanese.

In Germany, a C-Class Mercedes is just an average family sedan, like a Ford Mondeo or Opel Insignia. There is very little luxury or prestige associated with a C-class in Germany. In fact, many of them are used as taxi cabs and cop cars.

It's only in the U.S. that they carry a prestige image as a luxury car, and the price tag to go with it. As this article points out, the car is showing its true roots as a blue collar automobile.

stingray454, the 2 C-classed you decribed, Germany vs. U.S., have totally different level of equipment though. You are comparing a C180 in Germany to a C300/350 in the U.S. Of course they are totally different.

MB haters who has never owned a MB, are not qualified to evaluate MB cars. As I have never owned an Infiniti, I am not qualified to give a fair evaluate of Infiniti cars. I currently own a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 and a 2008 BMW X3 Si and I can tell you that both are well built and I love driving them. The BMW is built with performance in mind whereas the C300 has precision and luxury in mind. I've driven both cars for almost a year and I can't find any major problem with them. All of my previous cars where Toyota (Tercel, Camry and Previa) and I love Toyota cars too. Perhaps I will try Lexus next time just to compare with the German cars. As I got older, I find luxury in a car is more important than speed and performance. So for all you MB haters, perhaps you're too young to appreciate a Mercedes-Benz.

dooey1,

I am a MB hater and I love my Lexus LS430, where the average age of the owners are probably 75, so I am pretty sure I am not too young to appreciate what Mercedes-Benz try to offer.