[S350L-E240]

Sir,

First of all congrats on a brilliant review, you might end up putting most of us to shame for the details you have added considering it's your first,

Now the car, What can I say? I live eat drink breathe Mercedes-Benz, and the C has had one of the best needed upgrades ever and has made the car pretty good, yes I personally prefer the new 3 but that is yet to be launched and keeping all that aside you have a seriously good automobile, it's a good thing you got one at Pre-Budget prices, as the Post-Budget price makes this car a little too expensive for what you get,

And Until the 3 is out, you have got the best in the segment, enjoy it to the fullest and there is no better car brand then Mercedes-Benz, Yes they have had a bad decade, but this decade shall define "The Best or Nothing"

I wish MB India soon add the 7G-Tronic etc. The car badly needs it, and will need it a lot more once the BMW 3 is out.

Regards,

Originally Posted by madnish30

[i]First of all it's my first review so the disclaimer that it might not be as you expect it to be. Also, I express my opinions very blatantly - no offense intended to anyone.

[Karan1981]

Congrats on your new ride madnish30, great review and pictures there! While I personallydidn't like the Merc LED lights and interior space was to Less, however as you said each to his own!

Enjoy the beauty and keep us posted on the maintenance and upkeep costs.

Cheers!

[madnish30]

Originally Posted by cityvic

Thanks for the lovely interior shots.

Some more exterior ones please.

Coming soon, along with a few more interesting interior shots.

Originally Posted by Jeeper1941

Excellent choice! Congrats on the great car, you won't regret buying a C-class!

My dad just ordered a C250 CDI yesterday. Our car is white, and in the Avantgarde trim, but without a sunroof. The car will only be delivered in the middle of June. I'll post a detailed review when we get it.

Enjoy your car madnish30!!

Congrats, you and your family will surely love your C250 - I did not know that the Avanatgarade trim is offered without Panoramic roof as well - was it special request, any price cut because of the same, and why did you chose to do that?

A white C class with a full black glass roof really does look very hot!

Originally Posted by PlatzdaTurbo

Congratulations !
I knew i had to respond on this thread as soon as i read it as your liking and choices are diametrically OPPOSITE to that of mine !
Am sure the 500nm of torque has completely blown you away.
Trust me i know how it feels driving around in a not so subtle 240hp/500nm specimen myself.
That apart , i adore Audis (for obvious reasons), really like BMWs for the driving pleasure they derive and absolutely hate Mercs & reasons are plenty (pardon me here)
But like you said it all comes down to personal choice.
Enjoy!

Glad we agree that BMW is the most fun to drive amongst the three and that in the end it's all down to personal choices! Enjoy your ride, mate!

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

Sir,

First of all congrats on a brilliant review, you might end up putting most of us to shame for the details you have added considering it's your first,

Now the car, What can I say? I live eat drink breathe Mercedes-Benz, and the C has had one of the best needed upgrades ever and has made the car pretty good, yes I personally prefer the new 3 but that is yet to be launched and keeping all that aside you have a seriously good automobile, it's a good thing you got one at Pre-Budget prices, as the Post-Budget price makes this car a little too expensive for what you get,

And Until the 3 is out, you have got the best in the segment, enjoy it to the fullest and there is no better car brand then Mercedes-Benz, Yes they have had a bad decade, but this decade shall define "The Best or Nothing"

I wish MB India soon add the 7G-Tronic etc. The car badly needs it, and will need it a lot more once the BMW 3 is out.

Regards,

First of all, I do recall you helping me with my initial queries regarding trims and difference and other similar things, thanks a lot for all of that - it helped me!

I did factor in that the new 3 Series is coming soon - I did not like how it look, neither from inside nor outside, I do believe the drive is very good - but so is it with the current 3 Series, and if I was ready to give that up, why wouldn't I in the facelift version? Besides, two Bimmers in the same garage is a bit too boring!

Originally Posted by Karan1981

Congrats on your new ride madnish30, great review and pictures there! While I personallydidn't like the Merc LED lights and interior space was to Less, however as you said each to his own!

Enjoy the beauty and keep us posted on the maintenance and upkeep costs.

Cheers!

Karan, you too very instrumental in answering my questions in the pre-booking days and a big thanks for that!

Yes, personal choice is what it all comes down to, Audis have sadly never appealed to me! Add to that the bad experiences of fellow BHPians - especially you and Androdev helped me stay away from even a TD (I have driven friends' Audis - A4, A6, A7) and Merc it was!

Sure will keep you guys updated!

[souravc]

Congrats on your proud drive , loved every bit of the post .
Wish you fantastic miles !

[Hayek]

Great review. I test drove this car, and the torque blew me away. Far better to drive than the E200 CGI. The only thing I found surprising is that you found the rear seat space acceptable after having a Camry. Personally, I found the rear horrendously cramped, especially if there is a tall driver. But this is clearly a great self driven car - of course one has to wait for the new BMW to have a fair contest between the two. OT: any idea when that is coming to India, seems to be delayed.

[Jeeper1941]

Originally Posted by madnish30

Congrats, you and your family will surely love your C250 - I did not know that the Avanatgarade trim is offered without Panoramic roof as well - was it special request, any price cut because of the same, and why did you chose to do that?

A white C class with a full black glass roof really does look very hot!

Thanks! The Avantgarde is offered without a sunroof option as standard here. The sunroof is an option, which will add $3500 (approx. Rs. 1,90,000 at today's exchange rate). The sunroof is part of the "Vision Package".

Have a look at the standard equipment here:

Mercedes-Benz Australia - Equipment & Accessories - Standard Equipment

The various equipment packages are listed here:

Mercedes-Benz Australia - Equipment & Accessories - Equipment Packages

We got the vision package, but without the sunroof. Somehow my family don't like sunroofs and none of our cars have this feature! The vision package minus the sunroof is $3500.

[androdev]

Congrats madnish30! That is a fabulous ride you got there. Like you mentioned in your review - this car offers the best combination of luxury and practicality. I too went through a fair amount of evaluation of cars in these segments. Obviously there is no loser car at this level, but I feel C250CDI is a better package overall. Not to mention the most graceful front of any Mercedes Benz :-)

Be safe and have fun!

[vb-saan]

Thanks for the excellent review. For me, the current C is the most radiant mainstream car from the Merc stable in recent times. Personally I really love the massive logo on the Avantgarde trim. But as Androdev rightly mentioned, the classic looking 3-point star (on the elegance) is the ultimate statement of luxury for many.

[madnish30]

Originally Posted by souravc

Congrats on your proud drive , loved every bit of the post .
Wish you fantastic miles !

Thank you Sourav! One more coming soon for the Vento with which you are currently helping me - thanks for that too!

Originally Posted by Hayek

Great review. I test drove this car, and the torque blew me away. Far better to drive than the E200 CGI. The only thing I found surprising is that you found the rear seat space acceptable after having a Camry. Personally, I found the rear horrendously cramped, especially if there is a tall driver. But this is clearly a great self driven car - of course one has to wait for the new BMW to have a fair contest between the two. OT: any idea when that is coming to India, seems to be delayed.

Camry had a boat like back seat - but nothing in it gave me the feeling of luxury (same with the current 320D - awfully cramped - way less space at the back compared the the A4 or the C250).

C250's backspace is very good - enough for my needs (at best we are two at the back not more).

Yes, it is a great drive - I did TD the E350 too as there was a slight possibility to get that as well, couldn't feel a lot of difference between the E and the C - well done to Mercedes there - however needs a little more power refinement - the 3 series is a little better - only for spirited drivers - for casual calm drivers C class anyday! - I did not find the A4 even close to either of the two, sadly!

About the facelift - I last read it was coming in Q3... but also ready it will be priced starting at 30-35L Ex Showroom versus 31L OTR for current 330D Highline - so not sure if it will be value for money. Pricing your new car's base at your old car's top end's OTR price is a little adventurous - but it's all speculation, take it with a pinch of salt!

Originally Posted by Jeeper1941

Thanks! The Avantgarde is offered without a sunroof option as standard here. The sunroof is an option, which will add $3500 (approx. Rs. 1,90,000 at today's exchange rate). The sunroof is part of the "Vision Package".

Have a look at the standard equipment here:

Mercedes-Benz Australia - Equipment & Accessories - Standard Equipment

The various equipment packages are listed here:

Mercedes-Benz Australia - Equipment & Accessories - Equipment Packages

We got the vision package, but without the sunroof. Somehow my family don't like sunroofs and none of our cars have this feature! The vision package minus the sunroof is $3500.

Ah, din't notice you are in Oz - good to see them offering lot more options there, here it's only color and interiors and accessories.

What is the C class considered there? Is it a luxury or an overrated sedan?

Originally Posted by androdev

Congrats madnish30! That is a fabulous ride you got there. Like you mentioned in your review - this car offers the best combination of luxury and practicality. I too went through a fair amount of evaluation of cars in these segments. Obviously there is no loser car at this level, but I feel C250CDI is a better package overall. Not to mention the most graceful front of any Mercedes Benz :-)

Be safe and have fun!

Thanks Androdev, your S350 made me feel even more confident about the Merc and their brand value! Oh yes! The front of the car get's my heartbeat going faster - it's hot!

Cheers, to many more miles on our 3-point star cars!

Originally Posted by vb-san

Thanks for the excellent review. For me, the current C is the most radiant mainstream car from the Merc stable in recent times. Personally I really love the massive logo on the Avantgarde trim. But as Androdev rightly mentioned, the classic looking 3-point star (on the elegance) is the ultimate statement of luxury for many.

Thanks vb-san!

If the car was going to be used solely by me - then I would have gone for the Avantgarade trim with the huge logo and aluminum trims inside - that indeed looks more sporty, but for a family sedan - I thought it's a bit loud and a little less elegant, so chose the Elegance options

[Jeeper1941]

Originally Posted by madnish30

Ah, din't notice you are in Oz - good to see them offering lot more options there, here it's only color and interiors and accessories.

What is the C class considered there? Is it a luxury or an overrated sedan?

Yeah, initially the C-class wasn't very popular here. But with the new look models (starting with he 2007 model C) it has soared in popularity. I see lots of new C-classes on the road now, which is great. It is considered a "medium luxury car", here. The C mainly competes with the BMW 3 series (I have to admit the new 3 looks fantastic), and the Audi A4. Merc offer a lot of options as "standard" now which is excellent. Plus all new Mercedes cars sold come with a built in service option - for 150,000km or 5 years, where you don't pay anything for the standard scheduled servicing of the car.

Nowadays Citroen is also emerging as a competitor with the C5 sedan. I drove a C5 diesel the other day (it was a loan car as I had left my car for servicing) and its absolutely brilliant to drive. The fully loaded C5 with navigation and other gadgets built in is still $6000 cheaper than a base C200 here. Same goes for VW with their Jetta and Passat models.

But I guess people buy BMW, Mercedes and Audi to make a statement as well - they are premium brands, and Citroen, and to a large extent VW, are still considered to be a sub-premium brands here.

[vinj14]

Originally Posted by madnish30

[*]Have to switch on the recirculation mode each time one starts the car - irritating

Is that recommended? In my Laura (with dual zone auto a/c) i never use recirculation mode. Even the manuals recommend using recirculation mode only for a brief period. Does the car also have an air quality sensor which can sense the in-cabin air becoming stale while on the recirculation mode ??(skodas, and VW have this)

Im soon going to take delivery of the c200 avantgarde. Just wanted to get this doubt cleared. Also does palladium silver come only with black interiors in the avantgarde trim? My dealer has one with beige interiors but he claims the palladium silver color cars from now on will come only with black interiors. That means this one with beige interiors might be from older stock, in which case i'll steer clear of that. I love the c-class in black but its not the easiest color to maintain. Especially for a pedantic person like myself.

And, oh.. congrats!! The facelifted c is a stunner! Best looking executive sedan by a far distance IMHO!!

[madnish30]

Originally Posted by vinj14

Is that recommended? In my Laura (with dual zone auto a/c) i never use recirculation mode. Even the manuals recommend using recirculation mode only for a brief period. Does the car also have an air quality sensor which can sense the in-cabin air becoming stale while on the recirculation mode ??(skodas, and VW have this)

Here you can't have the vents open for long man, it's too dusty and smelly especially when you pass over drains - so prefer vents closed (re-circulation mode) - like all German cars, Mercs too take in fresh air at regular intervals so that inside air does not get stale.

The feature is good for clean cities, not polluted ones like mine - but one can live with it.

And yes, there is indication on stale air "ION" appears on the display and circulation (vents open) starts on it's own till the air is fresh again. But as soon as you switch off the ignition the vents will open up on next start.

Hope I din't confuse you further

Im soon going to take delivery of the c200 avantgarde. Just wanted to get this doubt cleared. Also does palladium silver come only with black interiors in the avantgarde trim? My dealer has one with beige interiors but he claims the palladium silver color cars from now on will come only with black interiors. That means this one with beige interiors might be from older stock, in which case i'll steer clear of that. I love the c-class in black but its not the easiest color to maintain. Especially for a pedantic person like myself.

And, oh.. congrats!! The facelifted c is a stunner! Best looking executive sedan by a far distance IMHO!!

The Silver trim on the dashboard is standard on all Avantgardades (doesn't go with beige - which is why I chose elegance as black interiors were not avail in pre budget stock). Silver Aluminum trims on doors etc are only present on Avantgarade cars with black interiors (and they look hot!)!

If you are going for black interiors on avantgarade you will get silver panels and trims all over.

If you are going for beige interiors on avantgarade you will get silver panels on dash and brown wood everywhere else!

Ask for the VIN number before you register the car - and you can check the manufacturing date easily so the dealer cant fool you

[madnish30]

Pictures - Interiors

[vinj14]

Originally Posted by madnish30

Here you can't have the vents open for long man, it's too dusty and smelly especially when you pass over drains - so prefer vents closed (re-circulation mode) - like all German cars, Mercs too take in fresh air at regular intervals so that inside air does not get stale.

The feature is good for clean cities, not polluted ones like mine - but one can live with it.

And yes, there is indication on stale air "ION" appears on the display and circulation (vents open) starts on it's own till the air is fresh again. But as soon as you switch off the ignition the vents will open up on next start.

Hope I din't confuse you further



The Silver trim on the dashboard is standard on all Avantgardades (doesn't go with beige - which is why I chose elegance as black interiors were not avail in pre budget stock). Silver Aluminum trims on doors etc are only present on Avantgarade cars with black interiors (and they look hot!)!

If you are going for black interiors on avantgarade you will get silver panels and trims all over.

If you are going for beige interiors on avantgarade you will get silver panels on dash and brown wood everywhere else!

Ask for the VIN number before you register the car - and you can check the manufacturing date easily so the dealer cant fool you

Thanks. But i wasn't talking about the silver trim on the dashboard. I wanted to know if the silver color (exterior color) car comes only with black interiors or if they do have beige as an option.

I've seen the avtangarde silver trims on the interiors and it goes ok with the beige interiors IMHO. And the advantage of the beige in the avantagarde trim is that the lower section of the doors and the mats are black so maintenance would be relatively easier.

Also, did you inquire about navigation? I've read some posts where people seem to suggest that its a fairly simple add on.

[madnish30]

Originally Posted by vinj14

Thanks. But i wasn't talking about the silver trim on the dashboard. I wanted to know if the silver color (exterior color) car comes only with black interiors or if they do have beige as an option.

I've seen the avtangarde silver trims on the interiors and it goes ok with the beige interiors IMHO. And the advantage of the beige in the avantagarde trim is that the lower section of the doors and the mats are black so maintenance would be relatively easier.

Also, did you inquire about navigation? I've read some posts where people seem to suggest that its a fairly simple add on.

Nope that is not correct interior colors can be chosen from 3 options on ANY CAR COLOR. Yes beige interiors look great in C (better than black IMO) but on Elegance (IMO) as it has complete beige and wooden panels!

I did find out the cost of nagiation + rear ICE - I was quoted 1.2 lacs - I don't know what was the break up - for navigation dealer told me that it's not standard because merc's navigation provider SatNav doesn't have great coverage in India and merc is exploring local options - and the S class is the only merc which comes with navigation enabled!

If you find out the cost and the process for navigation activation please do let me know as well.