That'll be the prestige / cachet / glamour / thesaurus of Mercedes ownership that you're paying extra for. }:---)
(See 4x4 thread for details.)
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I just happened to be up in Northern Ireland yesterday ( I live in Dublin). I took a new shape 200 petrol automatic ( Elegance) for a test drive. It was a lovely car to drive. I will definitely order one with darker plastic at the top of the dashboard. That orangy colour is awful. I know MB have put most of the money in to the new suspension and in to safety.I have a suspicion, that I will now go for a 220 diesel Avantgarde. In black, the Avantegarde front looks much better.I have no doubt that the car is well made. I don't like sliding roofs.>> It also seems rather expensive to me.....
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Excuse me!! I didn't write that last sentence about expense!!
Somehow a bit of someone elses letter got put in there.I don't know how someone elses sentence can suddenly get there.
It's naturally not very cheap; but for what you get in this car,it is certainly not bad value. Prices haven't been allowed to rocket over the prices of the old model. You have many choices with this car. If you look for the right package it can be a darned good car. I was very impressed with the one I drove yesterday. Naturally the quality of an E Class is superior; because you pay a great deal more.
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I very much apologise!!! I know what happened with that other letter of mine. I clicked at the end of my letter to have some of the other persons's letter included. Unfortunately it printed a sentence I didn't want. Luck of the draw, my mistake. Sorry!!
Everybody thinks different when they see a car for the first time. Probably the mature thing to do is to check actually how much thought has gone in to this car. Give it a chance. Of course some people either hate or love a car at first sight.
I used to hate the looks of the present BMW 5 series. Now I love it's looks if the colour is correct ( the recent update has improved the looks though).
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MB must be having a ying/yang period. I saw a new CL today and that looked the business!!
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I absolutely love the look of certain MBs. CLs are lovely. I never grow tired of the lovely CLK and my wife always loves to see the sporty CLS ( that certainly was a big change in design). The Mercedes sports cars look superb.
I always love the E Class. It is certanly a case of true understated elegance. I have heard that a new model of E is on the way. It will be bigger.
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I definitely think that choosing the colour and style ( one's own personal preference)of the new C Class ( sporty or traditional front) is extremely important.
After looking at both model shapes of C Class, I think a black Avantgarde with light grey seats looks pretty nice. That bold front suits the style of the new C Class. I thought they have done a good job with the shape of the back.Nicely curved, but nothing too extreme.
Most people have major differences in what their preferences are. It's what makes life interesting.
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If I was buying a car in this "segment", it would be the Lexus IS for me. The Merc would be bottom of the list.
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Petrol, maybe, but the tests all seem to put the IS diesel at the bottom of the league.
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I have tremendous respect for both these cars.
The first time I thoroughly checked the Lexus IS I was amazed at the quality of the cabin and the car in general to be honest. I found that the space in the rear is too little for what I need. Also I have noticed that people complain that the diesel engine should be more refined and that the manual gear ratios were incorrect in the diesel car; but it had been improved with the sport diesel. If they bring out a good automatic gearbox with the normal diesel, then the car should be lovely.They also complained that the ride in the sport diesel was too hard.Apparently the correct size of tire is an important factor.
The new Mercedes C Class offers more rear space, including a large boot.The ride of the C Class should be excellent with the new special suspension. I have driven the car in automatic on a number of different types of road. I was very impressed.
I firmly believe that the assembly quality of this new C Class should not be an issue. MB. have spent an absolute fortune making sure this car will be a success.I read that apparently MB. have never tested a car so much.The new ones both in the Irish Republic and in Northern Ireland are definitely assembled in Germany.A number of people in high places have told me that. I definitely plan to buy a new C Class( probably Avantgarde with 220 Diesel engine).
I have tremendous respect for Mercedes, Lexus, Audi and BMW( I don't attempt to put them in any particular order). I know Lexus is of fantastic quality; but all I say is give this C Class a chance..
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I had a good look at the C Class Avantgarde yesterday. It was in a dark colour and inside had the darker dashboard and the metal bits instead of wood. It actually looked and felt classy when I sat in it.A darned nice car!
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'I had a good look at the C Class Avantgarde yesterday.'(quote)....
I havn't had the opportunity to view the car yet and I am presuming that you have seen the various models in the range. Having regard to your comments I just wondered if you prefer the Sport over the SE / Elegance specs?
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Why is everyone going on about a non existant 'Avantgarde' spec in the new C class?
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Repeated post snipped again -PU
See Mercedes Ireland website below.
tinyurl.com/22t6jg
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Anyone aware of why the Irish MB website lists an Avantgarde model whilst the UK website has it it as a Sport?
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Anyone aware of why the Irish MB website lists an Avantgarde model whilst the UK website has it it as a Sport?
To discourage exporting them from one market to the other - happens with several brands, e.g. Irish-market VWs come as comfortline, trendline and highline, not S, SE etc.
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Bill Payer Well done for solving the puzzle!! Many thanks!
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Cjay{P} Sorry about the puzzle. I didn't realise that they possibly call the same Sport mdel Avantgarde in Ireland.
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Georgie1 I definitely feel the sport (Avantgarde in Ireland) has the most satisfying appearance. I thought that bold front with the large badge on the grill suits the more agressive design og the new C class. ( It would never have suited the lines of the old model). I was puzzled; because the other day I sat in both an Elegance and an Avantgarde( sport) in Southern Ireland.Apparently the sport ( avantgarde) has a slightly harder ride.The Avantgarde ( sport)I saw the other day in the South of Ireland didn't have the two different levels of suspension. The suspension was harder than the Elegance suspension; but they don't yet have those two levels for the sport in Southern Ireland. The seats had good support; but were harder than the ones in the Elegance. So far I have test driven one new C Class and that was an Elegance automatic with a 200 petrol engine. That was up in Northern Ireland last week.I loved the car and loved driving it. I didn't like that orangy colour on top of the dashboard. So far the best looking was the Avantgarde( sport) I saw in Southern Ireland on Saturday. It was a lovely dark metallic grey. It had a grey dashboard with the chrome inlays. The seats were a silver grey. Funnily enough that actually looked the best so far.
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... I thought that bold front with the large badge on the grill suits the more agressive design og the new C class etc...(quote)
Thanks for your brief but informative assessment of the new models.
A trawl of the MB worldwide websites tends to indicate that the UK is about the only country that refers to the model options as SE; Elegance and Sport..elsewhere they are referred to as Classic; Elegance and Avantgarde as per the outgoing models...must be a marketing hype for the UK only!
Whilst the new 'C' Class is presently on my list of possibles, on 'paper' I have a present preference for the 320CDI Elegance albeit I have a liking for the Sport / Avantgarde grille...perhaps the grilles are interchangeable along with the 3-pointed star bonnet emblem?
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Geordie1 Unfortunately the more agressive grill only seems to be for the harder sprung harder seated Sport ( Avantgarde). What a pity.
The present Elegance would have the softest seats and ride.
When I took the test drive whilst visiting Northern Ireland from the South on business, they allowed me to drive an excellent test route which included a 70 mph motorway at the end. The dealership I visited actually won the top award throughout the uk for customer service. I actually have never come across a nicer more polite dealership anywhere. When I was driving, the Avantgarde(sport) went the other way, it looked stunning in black.
The more sporty model did have very supportive seats and excellent back support. My head when I tried the rear seat was near the roof. I am over 5 feet 11 inches tall.
I really like what they have done with the back of the C Class.It is more rounded and looks so much better than the old model.
I definitely want to buy this car. I like this size of car, as it is easy to find a suitable parking space. Certain other cars are too long for normal parking spaces. I remember seeing them sticking out too far at Dublin airport etc.
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The C Class (and 3 series Beemer) are about the size I'd like next and the C Class looks good. Could not jusify cost.
One thing I read I think.... the C Class Sport (so assume Avantgarde but never assume anything) has different size rear/front wheels. Might matter if you like rotating wheels.
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rtj70 Yes the sport sits slightly lower than the Elegance.
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Apparently we have to pay approximately 16,000 Euros more for a new C Class Elegance in Dublin than you pay in the U.K.
The tax on cars here is crippling. There is no point in my buying one in Northern Ireland, as they catch me for tax when I return it to the Irish Republic. You can get off a lot of tax if you claim the car has been six months at least resident in the UK.
What a shame,they have to stop all the fun!!
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I actually meant to front and the rear wheels on the sport were a different size on the car, like a BMW M3 or something. I know it sits lower on sport suspension but rear/front are different on the car. Or so I read. Worth checking out? Do you get run flats or a can of gunk to inflate a flat?
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Or so I read.
I have the (now) old shape C Class Avantgarde and it does indeed have different width tyres (and wheels) front and back. It is a pain, because the fronts tend to wear the edges and the rears tend to wear the centres, although playing with tyre pressures a bit helps to minimise that.
Do you get run flats or a can of gunk to inflate a flat?
Like most other cars these days, it comes with a space saver spare.
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Bill Payer. I wonder if it is best to go for the Elegance model set up, as with more sporty wider tyres and harder suspension,I wonder if you get a better grip in bad weather and longer life out of the normal comfortable tyres on the Elegance.
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I've not seen it in the metal, only the advert on telly, but to me the front looks like, not the latest but the previous model astra and the rear looks like a Lexus.
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Aim low, expect nothing & dont be disappointed
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Just got back from my local MB dealership after viewing the new Elegance and Sport models. Whilst I personally prefer the Elegance (including the grille!) I have to say that I have now deleted the new C Class from my list of 'possibles'. It just did not cut it for me overall and I do not think the interior reflects the sticker price of £31,612 (Elegance C320 CDI) and £33,312 for the Sport (C320 CDI) which is my preferred engine choice.
I wandered into the adjacent Chrysler showroom and the 300C is definitely back to my number 1 choice (almost identical engine) at £28,915 for the lux pack version which has every conceivable extra. To kit out the C Class in similar spec would be well over £40k. The facelift model is due soon and I will most certainly wait for that before making my final decision.
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Geordie1. Thanks very much for all the very interesting information.I can well believe that Chrysler are excellent value.One sees a number of quite large Chrysler cars in Dublin. The one I am thinking of is made up of many E Class parts.It is bigger than an E Class.
In Dublin most people will go for a 180 petrol or a 200 diesel C Class. Also in Dublin one sees occasional 1400 petrol Skoda Octavias.I hired a 1400 petrol Renault Scenic here a couple of times. I also see 1600 3 series BMW here at times. Car tax is absolutely terrible here.
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'Cattleman6'...
Just for info...I originally bought a new (original version) C 180 Elegance auto with extras in 1995 for £22k which I ran for 4 years and sold privately for £14k which I thought was extremely low depreciation. I banked the cash pending purchasing the next facelift version but never progressed my intended purchase and there has been a number of model changes since then!
The basic UK spec C Class 180 SE (Classic elsewhere) is £22,937 and would appear better value than the higher spec models. I wish you well with your ultimate decision.
As an aside I just wondered what the OTR price is in Ireland for a Chrysler 300C CRD with Lux Pack?
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Geordie1. In Dublin you get a chrysler 300C ( NEW) automatic for 60,000 euros. The car comes with a generous amount of extras.
The Elegance C Class 220 CDI automatic in the Irish Republic is approximately 58,500 euros.
Thanks very much for your interesting information
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Cattleman6...
Interesting figures you quote from Dublin...
60,000 Euros for a Chrysler 300C CRD (with Lux Pack I presume?) is £40,418.98 GBP. I can presently obtain a new 300C CRD in top Lux Pack trim from a UK Chrysler dealership for 40,837.50 Euros which is £27,489.15 GBP... a staggering differential!!
Your figure of 58,500 Euros (£39,403.15 GBP) for the C220 CDI Elegance auto is equally extortionate as the UK main dealer OTR list price for that model with metallic paint is 40,615.21 Euros (£28,017 GBP).
If your figures are correct you have my total sympathy. I dearly love Ireland but not at those prices!
Have you explored all avenues of purchase elsewhere and importing etc?
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Geordie1. Unfortunately the horrible motor tax hits you in the Irish Republic. Even if you bring a car in from elsewhere. People have been saving money bringing in second hand UK luxury cars.A couple of Taxi drivers spoke about that to me in Dublin. One brought quite a large old second hand lexus back from England, the other an old E Class Mercedes.They would still pay the tax but less. If a person claims to have had the car resident in the UK for 6 months, then they get off a fortune. Most people won't be able to be resident with the car in the Uk for that time.
It was interesting, I heard from a German friend that it was cheaper for Germans to buy Mercedes in Spain than it is in Germany where they make them.So a lot of Mercedes go from Germany to Spain and then back.That's what I was told.
As regards to the figures, my wife is good with figures: we have both been to Mercedes dealerships north and south of the Irish border and she also rang up one of the most important Dublin Mercedes dealers.
The Chrysler figures must be correct, as I checked a major dealership prices on the internet ( near Dublin). I also checked other prices on another site. They were the same quote of 60,000 euros. They said the cars had plenty of extras. One never knows if you get more extras in the UK.
Many thanks for all the facts you did give me before.
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Cattleman6...
Thanks for that response and for the info. It really bugs me that you have to pay such an extortionate amount for your car.
Please let me know if I can do anything within the UK to assist you with your intended Merc acquisition other than provide the finance!!!
If you are aware of any legal loopholes to circumvent the taxation problem etc, I would be prepared to store any car that you purchased within the UK for the requisite 6 months period in the secure garage at my home without any obligation if that would be of any assistance in your deliberations.
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Geordie1. I am completely overwhelmed by your genuine kindness. Of course I would never put myself on you like that.
I just don't understand why the southern Irish don't fight the establishment more. I imagine that they would only tax people in some other way if they can't penalise the motorist. I know in the UK they have a lot of hidden tax. When I was living and working in East Devon for ten years, I remember the public refused to pay the higher prices for new cars and they got their cars from places like Holland.Then the prices in the UK were dropped; but a lot of free extras were removed from certain cars.I like Mercedes a lot; but I will have a broad enough mind to look at many cars.
Very many thanks!
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