Used 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Consumer Reviews
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Great-not perfect-but great
I’ve now owned my C43 AMG 4Matic for a year. Overall, I’m happy; yet, it’s not been a perfect experience by any means. I’ll start with the “bad.” It spent nearly three weeks at the dealership to fix a severe oil leak at 2k miles (Leaks =?more appropriate) The oil pan wasn’t properly sealed at the factory, and in two places the line to the turbo leaked. That was frustrating, if not unsettling. Despite being dangerously low on oil, the notification msg only came on late into the problem. I’ve also had to have the passenger wiper motor replaced. Cosmetically, the panel between the moonroof and the windshield has a paint defect of some kind that makes it look like it’s been parked in the sun for a few decades. No amount of polishing/buffing has helped. It’s just the one panel though, and while I’ve not pushed the issue, technically MBUSA’s warranty coverage excludes this item. The infofrustration system is just stupid as hell. I don’t even attempt to enter GPS destinations anymore—luckily the Mercedes Me app is simple, fast, intuitive, and can send your destination info to your car with zero fuss. MB uses a subscription model for a lot of its connectivity functions, and the price is way too high for what you get. (Dear Mercedes—I just paid $67k for your vehicle. Can ya toss me a bone and just comp the subscription for more than a few months initial trial period? No? Okay.) The ride is Jeep Wrangler bad. I’ll never get over this one- I realize it’s a sports-ish car. But c’mon, there’s a reason ppl buy Mercedes vehicles, and it’s not to be jolted to the point presenting symptoms of shaken baby syndrome. Also, the steering-while predictable and adequate—provides a numb and non-communicative driving experience Other gripes: silly shifter, tiny trunk, backup camera distortion, useless infotainment interface. Abysmal dealer experience. Did I mention the ride? PROS: And there are a lot— BEAUTY Aesthetically, the design inside and out of this car is magnificent. It’s breathtaking at times, even. It’s faster than a lie from the president’s mouth—but only in the AMG version. The sport exhaust option is a superfluous and completely unnecessary, expensive option that defies logic, but I’d never want to drive one without it. When you get pst the turbo lag initially and start going at jail-worthy velocity —tap the upshift paddle and instantly it shoots the car forward and with a “POP!” You’ll swear a bullet fired right out of the tailpipe, grinning ear to ear the entire few seconds you have until you either run over the car ahead of you or Mr. PoPo hears what he swears is a shootout and pulls ya over. Would I buy the same car again? Absolutely.
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Loaded C300: My 5th New Mercedes (Long Review)
This is my 5th new Mercedes Benz that I have purchased and the second C300. I also drive the heck out of my cars. I maintain them well, but I drive them hard. I go through at least 2 sets of top quality all season sets of tires per car per year. I buy the C300's as cheap commuters and live on Highway 9 and commute into Silicon Valley daily for work. I typically buy more fully loaded GL and E Class's for my wife. This car replaced my 2015 C300 which was the 1st year for the new body style and it was as great car. This car is a significant improvement in every way. My first C300 (2015) had a number of upgrades and was a great car. However, I didn't get too many upgrades. I had command, LED's, Burmeister (if you get the standard stereo you will regret it as it is terrible), Keyless Go & upgraded wheels. My 2018 C300 is completely loaded. Leather, Command, premium, parking pilot with 360 cameras, LED lights, upgraded wheels, Burmeister Stereo, heated and cooled front seats, wood inlay wheel, active lane keeping assist, active cruise control (semi-autonomous), Keyless Go, electric trunk assist, even the silly cabin fragrances. The first thing I noticed is that this C300 was the first one I have EVER driven that FELT like a Mercedes. For example, when I get in my wife's E-Class, it FEELS and drives like a Mercedes. Meaning that its doors close like a bank vault and there is little to no external sound except on the roughest roads. My wife's car feels heavier too but not in a bad way, more like a powerful and sleek way. My old 2015 C300 was a fun little car but it felt very light and I never felt as comfortable throwing it around on mountain roads like I used to do with the 3 series BMW that it replaced. It was quiet inside but not nearly as nice as my wife's E-Classes have always been. Now this new 2018 feels like a completely different car than the 2015. For starters it has a 9-speed transmission vs. the 7-speed in the 2015. The 7-speed was quite capable, but it felt less refined (by a lot) and held gears so long in sport + mode that the engine noise was shriller than thrilling. chunky is the best way to describe it's shifting. The 2018 9 speed transmission reminds me of the Old Thai Airline's motto "Smooth as Silk". The new transmission means that the cars now drives more like a lighter faster version of the normally aspirated E350 V6. I own both, so I can tell you that it is a very nice feeling. Gone too is the HORRIFIC Turbo Lag of the 2015 4-banger in the old C300. I was nearly T-Boned in Tahoe last year pulling out of a gas station as my 2015 more than once in Tahoe just basically STOPPED responding to the gas pedal when pulling out into traffic at the Lake (not at high altitude) when the temperatures were under 45 degrees F. Also, the old 2015 I felt was unsafe to drive in the green lit "eco mode", it was like driving an early 1980's vintage dodge 4 cylinder when you put it into "eco mode". Now the 2018 doesn't do that, it is extremely smooth, powerful and a joy to drive. I loved my old 2015, but I had to adjust myself to its quirks. In my new 2018 C300 I feel like I do when I get into a much more expensive Mercedes. It handles and accelerates like a dream. On the interstate the engine, cabin and especially the seats allow you to take even long trips with ease and arrive refreshed. Like the 2015 the styling is superb, and the car is a head turner. Also in defense of my 2015 C300, I had zero problems with it in the 3 years I owned it. The C-Class is EXTREMELY reliable. I have owned quite a few Mercedes and BMW's over the years. However, on my commuter vehicles I usually feel like I have to make a lot of compromises. However, I have to say that I do not feel like I had to make any compromises with the new 2018 C300. The car is a blast to drive and delivers on the promise of the Mercedes Benz brand.
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- AMG C 63 S CoupeMSRP: $33,991In-stock online
- C 300 SedanMSRP: $25,590In-stock online
- C 300 4MATIC SedanMSRP: $23,998In-stock online
A Real Treat!
C300 Coupe with Brilliant Blue on 19" wheels is a real treat! Wish they had a performance exhaust option for this 2.0 Liter turbo though (does for CLA). The interior is just perfect and despite having backseats do not fool yourself; only a child is getting back there. Burmester stereo is great and easily drowns out low road noise. The Dynamic Selection is really good, especially using Sport + on back rural roads where the car comes alive. Very stable over high speeds....decent shifts with paddle shifters too. At times I do wish I sprung for the V6 (C43) but this 4 banger is not bad at all and keeps fuel costs down. Right now fuel (93 OCT) runs about $41 a tank and I gas up weekly (work commute).
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Absolute pleasure to drive
Traded in my 2014 C250 coupe. This is my second C300 sedan. Wow! This car is so nice to drive. Quiet, composed, sporty when you want it to be. I've gotten so many compliments on how beautiful the car is. I didn't get the larger wheels because I wanted the ride to be as soft as possible. Added the $5000 package and it has all the luxury i need. Seats are extremely comfortable, Steering is concise and light. Gear shifts using the paddles are immediate. Fuel economy is pretty good. Averaging 27 mpg combined. If I had one complaint it would be the back seats. They are a bit uncomfortable. Sit a an odd angle and I didn't really feel comfortable in them. Not that I care, really. It's all about the driver seat and that is superb!
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Honeymoon's Over
I purchased my C300 in July of 2017. Mercedes asked for a review right way, in the honeymoon phase of ownership. After 4 years of ownership, here is my feedback for Mercedes. You have over-engineered this car in ways that just don't work. 1. Placement of the radio swivel knob on the console means every time you grab a drink, you change the station. 2. Placement of the automatic gear shift on the steering column, if you have a 2nd car, means when you reach for the wipers, you risk putting the car in neutral at 65 mph on a highway. 3. Conversely, you can't move the car out of park unless the driver door is shut and your foot is on the brake; therefore, quick backups for an extra few inches in the garage or a parking space are a thing of the past. 4. Rear wheel drive is great for controlled situations, like race tracks, but not for driving in weather. I’d choose safety over JNDs in handling any day of the week. 5. The run flat tires last less than 20,000 miles, are expensive to replace and there is no spare, no jack and no place for either in the car. For a touring car like the C300, you should assume the driver will be more than 50 miles from a city (range for a run flat tire) and need a spare. 6. When I did have a flat and called for roadside assistance, they told me it was only available during regular hours. Car was marketed as 24/7 roadside assist. 7. HD radio has very limited stations; for another 80 cents, just add an AM/FM option so we can dial into local information stations or listen to a ballgame 8. The car is noisy. It seems the windows don't seal quite shut so there is a constant "whooshing" of air sound. We bought the car new and it was never in an accident, so this is a production issue. 9. The paint nicks/chips easily. My previous 3 cars looked better after 10 years than this one does after 4 years. 10. Bluetooth navigation for music players is not user friendly. 11. The car sits too low to the road so it is easy to hit even the lowest parking curb. 12. The glove box is too small. What I do like about the car is 1. Comfortable, luxurious interior. 2. Rearview camera 3. Split folding rear seats 4. Collision/blind spot assist warnings 5. Programmable memory for driver's seat, steering column and side mirrors. 6. Gas mileage is better than other gasoline powered cars I’ve owned.
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