When driving alone, I love the C300. It has sport sedan handling combined with an excellent engine - each time I drive it I'm reminded how, for the money, I wouldn't need a C350 or a me too 3-series (double "me too!" in black).
Sadly, there is one problem with the C300. The rear seats are sculpted too narrow making it VERY difficult to use my kid's booster seat. It's almost impossible to get the seat belt clipped in - usually my 6 year old can do it himself, not on the C-Class. Maybe this Graco booster is too wide? Not sure but it is a huge hassle. A new $40 booster seat isn't the end of the world but I'd want to know this before I bought the car.
Bottom line, take all your stuff to the dealership before buying any car - iPod, phone, baby seat, booster, stroller - whatever you use regularly, make sure it works and/or fits with the car you want.
Brian Moody, Senior Automotive Editor @ 20,056 miles.
firstwagon says:
09:55 AM, 12/29/08
"Bottom line, take all your stuff to the dealership before buying any car "
Great advice.
My brother discovered most small and mid sized cars will not easily take a modern rear facing baby seat when Mom and Dad are both 6 feet tall.
Not something you want to find out when you bring home your shiny new car and try to take baby out for his first ride.
redliner says:
10:04 AM, 12/29/08
Good post.
mercedesfan says:
11:03 AM, 12/29/08
I was actually wondering if this was an issue with the C, or any of these other compact sport-sedans. Sometimes I have one heckuva time trying to get my daughter's car seat firmly attached in the back seat of my S550 and there is no shortage of space in that car. What is strange is that the same seat fits perfectly and easily in my wife's E63.
It is in this respect that minivans absolutely rule because car seats attach so easily.
the_big_al says:
11:33 AM, 12/29/08
actually - i beg to differ on that minivan front. The other day I was trying to get 3 seats across the back seat of a last generation dodge caravan and found that by the time I got all 3 seats (2 boosters and a regular seat) I could just barley reach the seat belts... for being a minivan I was surprised, but then again it was also the back seat. I would have expected however to have a little more room.
briancam says:
02:36 PM, 12/29/08
big_al - but you COULD do it. Try that in a C-Class or even an E-Class, I think one kid would have to walk.
carfreak8394 says:
08:31 PM, 12/29/08
mercedesfan,
S550 and E63?! You and your wife have some gresat taste in cars!
carfreak8394 says:
08:31 PM, 12/29/08
i meant great*
leescott says:
07:53 AM, 12/30/08
Here was my experience with a car seat and the new A4: http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/11/take-an-extended-test-drive---the-devil-is-in-the-details.html
ttummy says:
07:23 PM, 12/30/08
MB makes a baby seat called "BabySmart" it also automatically deactivates the airbags when it is detected in the seat. It's usually a special order item from the dealer and is made for MB by Britax. Britax makes the best, safest, baby seats in the world, but run around $200, or around $550 for the MB version which integrates with MB's airbag system.
ttummy says:
07:25 PM, 12/30/08
Further, I found this while searching:
"The passenger seats contains a mat with an array of pressure switches and a couple of transponder loops for detection of the child seat, along with an electronics box. There is also a switch in the seat belt latch that is part of the system, an impact sensor in the center console, and side impact sensors below the door. There are three components which may be activated in a crash: front passenger airbag, side passenger airbag, and seatbelt tensioner. The state of these sensors (weight threshold, seat detected, seatbelt latched) and the force and direction of impact determines which of these will be activated."
rafti says:
05:35 PM, 12/31/08
I had the same problem. My six year old finally got used to it and buckles in a very similar seat. All you need to do is pull the seat toward you (and the door) before you sit down. It is crooked until the child sits down and the seat settles in. It was annoying to me and to her at first.. but now we are ok.
I've seen her use the center seat buckle at times and it seems to work fine. I don't think there is a problem with that from a safety perspective. As for getting three car seats in back... this is the wrong car. I have gotten two kids in back and they are very happy and comfortable. The only thing they want in Daddy's car, though, is in-motion video on the screen. I don't know how to do that.
MS3lvr92 says:
03:21 PM, 01/ 1/09
Very good advice about the booster seat. The C300 doesn't seem like the perfect insideline fleet vehicle to be toting baby around in. Next time, try the DGC. dun dun dunnnn....
kingkhalas says:
01:58 PM, 01/ 3/09
Thanks for posting that story. Us parents love that kind of info.