Well believe it or not I’ve driven the best part of 800 miles in my first week with my new car and I am chuffed to bits with it. I keep discovering new things about it every day so I thought I do a bit of a first review!
From the outside the Magnetite Black paint looks different in different light. It seems to suit the style of the car and in sunlight the paint pops its sparkle. The AMG wheels, body kit, rear valence and quad exhaust seem to be attention grabbing. I’ve had a number of positive looks/comments including one neighbour who followed me home because he said it looked gorgeous and the exhaust sounded fantastic (more later).
When approaching the car at night and unlocking it, I’m enjoying the mirror mounted courtesy lights which illuminate in the door mirrors so that you can avoid puddles. (A nice little touch that I’ve not had before). When inside the car the door handle and grab handles are illuminated, which creates a glow on the beige leather. Whilst it’s hardly important to have such features they all just add to the appeal and the feel of quality.
On starting the car several different things happen, which are interesting. The Intelligent Lights flash on like lightening and then go from side to side and up and down while they get ready. The seat and steering wheel go through their easy access thing and present you the steering wheel. The seat belts tighten on you in order to measure you before releasing, having told the airbags how big you are. Oh yes and the exhaust will have announced your intention to the world to depart! I might as well cover the exhaust now. The exhaust is cosmetically lovely and striking, the question is the noise. When starting or pulling from low revs it makes a low growl which I have not been used to. My neighbour and others thing it sounds fantastic from outside the car but I have yet to hear my own car from outside yet. I intend to arrange that shortly. When cruising the exhaust is barely audible (good) but when accelerating or driving up a steep hill under load I think it is quite noticeable (not unpleasant but noticeable). I seem to be the only person in the family that thinks this, as everyone else thinks it is fine and just different from the sound of my last car. I intend to see how I feel in a month. If I’ve adapted to it then I’ll leave it as it is and if I have not then I know a man who can “turn it down” for me.
Inside the leather is gorgeous; it may take some regular cleaning but let’s face it that isn’t going to be a problem for me! The seats are works of art - being ventilated, heated, memory, lumbar control and the comfort version rather than the sport version. Knighterrant had previously said how good this seat option is. All I can do is concur.
The kids are loving the rear luxury climate control and its associated zone. They tell me it works well. The whole heating/climate control package seems to be good. I’m not quite sure I have mastered the use of “Diffuse”, “Medium” and “Focus” settings yet, nor have I used REST yet.
The car has the storage package of drawers and nets everywhere. It needs it as the armrest with the media interface seems to get quite hot when it is charging devices with USB. I have therefore decided that you can’t store anything in it as it gets warm and I don’t want devices getting too hot. Am I alone in thinking that?
Talking of Media Interface I have successfully got my Samsung phone working through Comand and charging. It will display/read texts and, after I downloaded the BlueDun app, I now have Comand Online features such as weather. I have yet to activate Facebook and email (I may not!).
Comand, playing back through the Harman Kardon Surround sound make a fine sound. A musician friend commented that it must be hard to get out of the car as you could listen to it all day. I have managed to get a 32GB SD card working but have yet to use the build in hard drive or the Bluetooth steaming. Aux in works fine. The car seems to do a good job of matching up tracks with its built in database and displays album covers even though I’m sure I didn’t have some of them?!
Vehicle Dynamics Package is sensational! Basically you can have two cars in one. When I want to pootle about it sits in E mode and uses its “Direct start” Stop start system to good effect. Using this approach I saw, a frankly ridiculous, 45mpg on the trip computer whilst stuck in the 50mph stretch of the M3!! The ride in this mode is still “Active” but is comfortable. It is as smooth as my Elegance C350 but with better controlled rebound. However, when you press the innocuous looking Sport button on the dash (different from the one next to the gearshift) the car lowers slightly, the throttle is adapted, the gearbox shifts quickly and less smoothly and you can have full manual mode on the flappy paddles. In this mode it is ridiculously fast. Doubtless some of you are thinking “but my AMG has 950bhp and does 60 in 1 sec” well that’s all well and good but my car is almost too fast on normal roads and with the Active suspension in Sport mode, it corners flat as the outside shocks firm up and my bottle will go before it can’t cope. I have a favourite road with a bend that can be taken in my last C350 at about 40mph before the car will understeer over the white line. In this car I took it at 50mph and it had no understeer at all and held its line flat and dead in the centre of my lane. Heck it’s clever. I haven’t properly measured 0-60 but I expect about 5.8/9 ish and that is fast enough for me
Sundry other things: I love the Pan roof although it’s been a bit wet to use it much. Heated Washers are useful. DVD at the station car park is nice. Not used Parking Guidance yet as I can drive!
Conclusion: Does it meet my needs for an upmarket, comfortable performance car with vaguely sane mpg. Answer Yes.
Would I make the same purchase again. Yes definitely.
For: Image, build quality, kit, performance, some green cred for having Stop/Go etc, lovely place to be.
Against: Still getting used to exhaust note. Haven’t mastered heating/climate control.
Overall: Love it!
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/members-gallery/186877-c350-amg-sport-edition.html#post2064399
From the outside the Magnetite Black paint looks different in different light. It seems to suit the style of the car and in sunlight the paint pops its sparkle. The AMG wheels, body kit, rear valence and quad exhaust seem to be attention grabbing. I’ve had a number of positive looks/comments including one neighbour who followed me home because he said it looked gorgeous and the exhaust sounded fantastic (more later).
When approaching the car at night and unlocking it, I’m enjoying the mirror mounted courtesy lights which illuminate in the door mirrors so that you can avoid puddles. (A nice little touch that I’ve not had before). When inside the car the door handle and grab handles are illuminated, which creates a glow on the beige leather. Whilst it’s hardly important to have such features they all just add to the appeal and the feel of quality.
On starting the car several different things happen, which are interesting. The Intelligent Lights flash on like lightening and then go from side to side and up and down while they get ready. The seat and steering wheel go through their easy access thing and present you the steering wheel. The seat belts tighten on you in order to measure you before releasing, having told the airbags how big you are. Oh yes and the exhaust will have announced your intention to the world to depart! I might as well cover the exhaust now. The exhaust is cosmetically lovely and striking, the question is the noise. When starting or pulling from low revs it makes a low growl which I have not been used to. My neighbour and others thing it sounds fantastic from outside the car but I have yet to hear my own car from outside yet. I intend to arrange that shortly. When cruising the exhaust is barely audible (good) but when accelerating or driving up a steep hill under load I think it is quite noticeable (not unpleasant but noticeable). I seem to be the only person in the family that thinks this, as everyone else thinks it is fine and just different from the sound of my last car. I intend to see how I feel in a month. If I’ve adapted to it then I’ll leave it as it is and if I have not then I know a man who can “turn it down” for me.
Inside the leather is gorgeous; it may take some regular cleaning but let’s face it that isn’t going to be a problem for me! The seats are works of art - being ventilated, heated, memory, lumbar control and the comfort version rather than the sport version. Knighterrant had previously said how good this seat option is. All I can do is concur.
The kids are loving the rear luxury climate control and its associated zone. They tell me it works well. The whole heating/climate control package seems to be good. I’m not quite sure I have mastered the use of “Diffuse”, “Medium” and “Focus” settings yet, nor have I used REST yet.
The car has the storage package of drawers and nets everywhere. It needs it as the armrest with the media interface seems to get quite hot when it is charging devices with USB. I have therefore decided that you can’t store anything in it as it gets warm and I don’t want devices getting too hot. Am I alone in thinking that?
Talking of Media Interface I have successfully got my Samsung phone working through Comand and charging. It will display/read texts and, after I downloaded the BlueDun app, I now have Comand Online features such as weather. I have yet to activate Facebook and email (I may not!).
Comand, playing back through the Harman Kardon Surround sound make a fine sound. A musician friend commented that it must be hard to get out of the car as you could listen to it all day. I have managed to get a 32GB SD card working but have yet to use the build in hard drive or the Bluetooth steaming. Aux in works fine. The car seems to do a good job of matching up tracks with its built in database and displays album covers even though I’m sure I didn’t have some of them?!
Vehicle Dynamics Package is sensational! Basically you can have two cars in one. When I want to pootle about it sits in E mode and uses its “Direct start” Stop start system to good effect. Using this approach I saw, a frankly ridiculous, 45mpg on the trip computer whilst stuck in the 50mph stretch of the M3!! The ride in this mode is still “Active” but is comfortable. It is as smooth as my Elegance C350 but with better controlled rebound. However, when you press the innocuous looking Sport button on the dash (different from the one next to the gearshift) the car lowers slightly, the throttle is adapted, the gearbox shifts quickly and less smoothly and you can have full manual mode on the flappy paddles. In this mode it is ridiculously fast. Doubtless some of you are thinking “but my AMG has 950bhp and does 60 in 1 sec” well that’s all well and good but my car is almost too fast on normal roads and with the Active suspension in Sport mode, it corners flat as the outside shocks firm up and my bottle will go before it can’t cope. I have a favourite road with a bend that can be taken in my last C350 at about 40mph before the car will understeer over the white line. In this car I took it at 50mph and it had no understeer at all and held its line flat and dead in the centre of my lane. Heck it’s clever. I haven’t properly measured 0-60 but I expect about 5.8/9 ish and that is fast enough for me
Sundry other things: I love the Pan roof although it’s been a bit wet to use it much. Heated Washers are useful. DVD at the station car park is nice. Not used Parking Guidance yet as I can drive!
Conclusion: Does it meet my needs for an upmarket, comfortable performance car with vaguely sane mpg. Answer Yes.
Would I make the same purchase again. Yes definitely.
For: Image, build quality, kit, performance, some green cred for having Stop/Go etc, lovely place to be.
Against: Still getting used to exhaust note. Haven’t mastered heating/climate control.
Overall: Love it!
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/members-gallery/186877-c350-amg-sport-edition.html#post2064399
Last edited:
Alright but not in the rain!
