I'm pretty sure the junkyard where I bought these wheels for my truck had never seen a Mercedes-Benz in the parking lot. And judging by the looks of the guys who helped me load the wheels into the C300's trunk, it was definitely the first time any parts from said junkyard were ever actually deposited into a Mercedes-Benz.
But as you can see, all four wheels fit just fine. And thanks to a lovingly thrown down towel, it suffered no permanent scrapes or bruises.
In fact, it seems as though our C300 has suffered very little wear over its 21,000 miles. The doors still close with a light touch and a solid thunk. There are no squeaks, no rattles, nothing. There are virtually no signs of wear anywhere in the car as far as I can tell and that's nothing to sneeze at given how this car has been passed around.
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 21,007 miles
greenpony says:
10:44 AM, 01/20/09
I've never been a fan of M-B, but if all their cars hold up as well as you say this one does, it may be worth consideration.
cruiserhead1 says:
10:46 AM, 01/20/09
MB must have started reading the blogs because all the sudden the entries have magically become glowing.
It's still an average car in a segment with far better choices for less money.
I can't believe that horrid, cheap all-black interior gets any praise. Old MB's had great interiors that were "germanic"=stark. THis is not one of them!
mercedesfan says:
11:18 AM, 01/20/09
I am really glad to see that the C is getting back to its roots by placing an emphasis on quality. I can personally attest to improved MB quality as my car is almost 3 years old now with over 50,000 miles on it and still looks and feels new. There are no signs of wear, no rattles or squeeks, and everything operates just like it did when new with the same careful damping and precision.
As a side, cruiserhead1 I am completely in agreement with you that the interior design of the new C is pretty dull, but it is actually extremely well crafted. I would suggest you spend some time in it. The dashboard material is harder than I personally like, but everything fits together extremely well and all switchgear feels of the highest quality. I would venture to say it is the best built car in its class.
jederino says:
11:42 AM, 01/20/09
This is positive news, and a small merit over BMW, which seems to have a serious problem with the peeling soft textures applied on their plastics. Those applied treatments strike me as a terrible idea. Honda and Acura like to do something similar by using plastic chrome on interior door levers. Invariably, I am poked by these sharp, peeling pieces, from the Honda Pilot to the Acura RL. Seriously lame in an otherwise thoughtful product line!
cruiserhead1 says:
02:28 PM, 01/20/09
mercedesfan,
the point is most all the competitors are well crafted and much better place to spend time.
I see that huge hood gap and ugly interior and that's just the start...no thank you.
I admit the C is much better than the travisties they were hocking a few short years ago but have a way to go before they reach the "legendary Mercedes" quality they once had.
I am not pushing this image on MB. They earned it through years of cost cutting and piss poor quality.
roar02ram says:
04:19 PM, 01/20/09
cruiserhead - I know what you mean. Mercedes-Benzes used to have this very austere, traditional feel to them (they somehow managed to avoid feeling cold, though). They had the build quality to back it up, too. They felt like tanks!
The previous generation of Benzes (intro'd for 2000 with the S-Class) might've ushered in more expressive styling & flimsier materials, but I'd encourage you to go check out this current generation (begun in 2007 with the S-Class). They're more solid, and in a weird way, more austere, than the previous generation. The GLK in particular is actually quite '80s in more ways than one.
MS3lvr92 says:
05:00 PM, 01/20/09
So the ultimate question for you guys down at inside line is: CTS or C300?
billt9 says:
05:31 PM, 01/20/09
MS3lvr92,
Obviously the Audi A4.
nhlcookies says:
01:45 PM, 01/23/09
CTS?? Why buy a GM over a Merc, BMW, or Audi?
racerbmw says:
07:35 PM, 01/24/09
I would choose the CTS over the C300. The caddy is bigger, better looking, and has a better quality feel to it ( leather stitching on the dash and the doors. And if you buy the 2008 model you can get a good deal on it.
nhlcookies says:
08:01 AM, 01/26/09
The price difference between an '08 C300 and '08 CTS is about $2,000, the Merc with the advantage as far as savings.
As far as value is concerned I believe the C300 is certainly the better choice. Superior build quality, drivability, and even affordability.
And not having to worry about the dealership you buy it from closing shop is always comforting. =)