Buy the current Mercedes C-Class or wait for the new model

This is a bit of a milestone car with plans to own it for 5 - 7 years.

BHPian naidusown recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi, a big thanks to the Team-BHP community for a user-driven perspective and advice over the years.

Need your inputs on a decision

• Is the W205 C220d a good buy at this time?
• When will the W206 C220d likely launch in India and at which price point?
• Merc has increased the C-Class ex-showroom prices from 39L to 51L this year.

Context:

We are a family of 4 who have had Hondas (CRV, City, Jazz), Hyundai Santro, Duster & an Alto in the past.

We are now considering the C-Class as the main family car, with a Jazz auto as the second car.

The car will come as part of a company lease, but with only 30% funding by the firm - rest is our investment

This is a bit of a milestone car with a plan to own it for 5 - 7 years.

Cars considered:

• BMW 330i and the 330 Li - The cars themselves are absolute hoot to drive, but interiors feel a gen behind the Merc
• GLA 220d - Nice new gen GLA. Strong diesel engine, loads of features. The rear seat feels a bit jumpy (could be over inflated tires) and the car has a bit of body roll as well.
• Also it’s a small SUV, while the C-Class feels a much like a much larger vehicle for a little more money
• Considered the Skodas - Octavia and the Superb - but it didn’t feel as special as the Merc
• Also the Fortuner is close to 48 OTR for the top version - and feels overpriced, but reliable and strong
• Did not consider Audi
• We like the C-Class for the very well-appointed interior, a diesel option, the marquee value and it fulfils the need for a family of 4.

Look forward to hearing your inputs.

Thanks for the time.

Here's what BHPian lamborghini had to say on the matter:

If it's worry about maintenance and reliability, I would suggest having a relook at the Audi once again, unless you are sold on the C Class: the C Class has the highest routine maintenance costs and extended warranty pricing plans amongst its peers.

Regarding between the W205 & W206 - points to consider:

• W206 will be worth the wait and will be more contemporary given you plan to hold on to it for a while. Should be launched next year. Expect a 5-7% increase in prices as compared to now and at some point, you may question whether it's worth buying the W206 at sticker or a discounted G30 5 series / Audi A6 (would suggest checking them out now in fact if you are able to strike a deal - better ride & handling, power plants, etc.).
• First batch of W206 could be Launch Edition which could come with some more goodies albeit at a higher price.
• W205 would have most niggles and issues ironed out by now, but the W206 may be more prone to niggles.
• W205 makes sense at a hefty discount. Typically there is a good Rs. 3-5L variance between same year previous gen v/s new gen models during resale after 4-5 years (by when the W206 facelift would be out). If they are offering a substantial discount, it would make sense to pick up the W205 but if you're paying close to sticker - invest the money for a year and buy the new one next year with full 6 year extended warranty.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

Considering you guys are used to some well built cars, the old Hondas and Duster, you will find the W205 C Class a bit of a let down once one initial wow factor wears off. The central console is prone to rattles and you’ll hear a few squeaks every now and then. No such issues with Audi and BMW. Beemers are overall the most reliable premium cars from a long term ownership perspective. Will strongly suggest that you reconsider Audi. The A6 is an excellent all-rounder, basically a full segment above the C and 3. It is fairly well priced to begin with, and there are great deals to be had, which bring it within touching distance of the C.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Current C-Class has been around for 7 years and is too old + too common. Wait for the new C-Class. If you want to buy a car now, get yourself a heavily discounted A4 2.0 TSI (a Mod just bought one for 39 lakhs OTR), a heavily discounted A6 (a close someone got one earlier this year for 49 lakhs) or a Camry. You'll be surprised by its quality & refinement - it's a damn Lexus with a "T" badge. What's more, the new Camry is a little fun to drive too.

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