C350 or C350CDi

[st4]

What does the coupe do that the saloon doesn't?

Both will drive the same, the saloon is nicer, so if you must have the 350cdi get a saloon, if you must have a coupe, get the petrol....

Whats more important, coupe bodyshell, or diesel engine?

Or you could get a most excellent BMW335d coupe or BMW330d coupe, or the less excellent Audi A5 3.0TDi coupe.

 

[redbaron]

What does the coupe do that the saloon doesn't?

Both will drive the same, the saloon is nicer, so if you must have the 350cdi get a saloon, if you must have a coupe, get the petrol....

Whats more important, coupe bodyshell, or diesel engine?

Or you could get a most excellent BMW335d coupe or BMW330d coupe, or the less excellent Audi A5 3.0TDi coupe.

just buy a new boxster - the coupe rear seats are fairly rubbish.

 

[st4]

just buy a new boxster - the coupe rear seats are fairly rubbish.

No diesel....

 

[redbaron]

No diesel....

Diesel is finished... they will ban it soon... it kills babies... not as many as speed, but diesel makes baby rabbits cry.

 

[NISFAN]

just buy a new boxster - the coupe rear seats are fairly rubbish.

Now there is a brilliant idea .........sadly it is a company car (ish opted out) but would have a tough time convincing the boss that the Boxster is OK to take clients out for lunch....not that I do that very often

 

[st4]

Diesel is finished... they will ban it soon... it kills babies... not as many as speed, but diesel makes baby rabbits cry.

The only right place for a rabbit is cooked, served in a red wine jus

 

[NISFAN]

What does the coupe do that the saloon doesn't?

Both will drive the same, the saloon is nicer, so if you must have the 350cdi get a saloon, if you must have a coupe, get the petrol....

Whats more important, coupe bodyshell, or diesel engine?

Or you could get a most excellent BMW335d coupe or BMW330d coupe, or the less excellent Audi A5 3.0TDi coupe.

As said, with W205 or whatever the new C class will be named, just around the corner, can't see myself buying another W204, as much as I like the face lift version.

I won't touch another Audi product.

BMW yes, but again new 3 coupe must be getting close to it's end, and strangely I prefer the E91 saloons more hard core lines over the jelly mould coupe. The 335D engine is a belter though, coupled to the new 8 speed box it must be like motoring heaven. Sod it maybe F30 335D is my next car .....so much for sticking up for MB you guys

 

[st4]

. Sod it maybe F30 335D is my next car .....so much for sticking up for MB you guys

You seem keen on a diesel coupe and if you don't want the C class petrol coupe or another C class saloon....

Try an E350cdi coupe. Nice cars those....

But I love BMWs and a 335d is such an immense car, it really needs considered. If I didn't fly the BMW flag, I would be doing you a dis-service.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The 335D engine is a belter though, coupled to the new 8 speed box it must be like motoring heaven. Sod it maybe F30 335D is my next car

If you are to put yourself through the embarrassment of owning a BMW, forget the diesel and buy the 335 petrol. Suits the car so much better.

 

[Magoo]

The C350 petrol is a wonderful car. It's refined & smooth, whilst being every bit as luxurious as a good Merc should be. It's not as raucous as an AMG or even a BMW 335i nor is it as frugal as the saloon's C350 cdi or BMW diesels. However, the C Coupe lines are far nicer than the higher sitting saloon or the all-too-common 3 Series Coupe. Inside, there's plenty room for 4 adults, a reasonable boot and great toys with the pan roof etc etc. Don't kid yourself that you'll get anywhere near the 40 mpg quoted though (I'm getting around 32 on a good run/ feathering the throttle), but you'll have super fun when you start flapping the paddles and skimming it down your favourite B road.

All in all, if you're looking for a quiet but confident modern head-turner, don't want to follow the crowd with the default diesel choice and want to have hours or years of fun, then I'd happily recommend a C350 Coupe!

 

[riaz]

RE cash purchase, I always buy in cash. Only borrow money on house. Everything else in life I take the view that don't buy if you can't afford.

I think either C350 or C350cdi are excellent cars however, a bit cramped if taking out clients. If that were an issue then it would be E all the way. A E350cdi drops in value a lot and even a <1y one is probably less than a new C350cdi.

Just my thoughts

 

[NISFAN]

Good philosophy riaz, if everyone was like you we wouldn't ever have credit crunches

 

[bpsorrel]

riaz, I could have written that myself! Excellent thinking!

Have never bought a car on credit, and never will. If I can't afford it, I go without. And, on the C or E coupe question, E350cdi coupe all the way! (personally, I'll go with a 250cdi, but that's me not needing the 350 performance)

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Until the last few posts, I was beginning to think I must have lost the plot. I paid cash for my brand new C350 petrol in March, having still got well over £4k as the "dealer contribution". I see no point in paying the 4.8% interest which equates to thousands. I'm with Riaz: except for a house, if I can't afford it I wait until I can.

What's my opinion of the 350 petrol? It's the smooth 6-cylinder that I'd craved for, with a steady push of power right the way through as opposed to what's been described here as a diesel power surge. I know that the power is always there when I want it, and I make progress every bit as fast as the diesel equivalent but in a far more refined manner. I don't have to put up with the deathwatch beetle rattle on start up but I will admit that the direct injectors are slightly noisier than conventional systems. But of course you don't hear any of that when driving, just a gorgeous roar when you put your foot down. Even SWMBO loves that sound, which is probably why we haven't quite achieved an average 30mpg in the first 2000 miles of very mixed driving. I love my C350 petrol and wouldn't change it for anything else of equivalent value.

 

[Magoo]

Until the last few posts, I was beginning to think I must have lost the plot. I paid cash for my brand new C350 petrol in March, having still got well over £4k as the "dealer contribution". I see no point in paying the 4.8% interest which equates to thousands. I'm with Riaz: except for a house, if I can't afford it I wait until I can.

What's my opinion of the 350 petrol? It's the smooth 6-cylinder that I'd craved for, with a steady push of power right the way through as opposed to what's been described here as a diesel power surge. I know that the power is always there when I want it, and I make progress every bit as fast as the diesel equivalent but in a far more refined manner. I don't have to put up with the deathwatch beetle rattle on start up but I will admit that the direct injectors are slightly noisier than conventional systems. But of course you don't hear any of that when driving, just a gorgeous roar when you put your foot down. Even SWMBO loves that sound, which is probably why we haven't quite achieved an average 30mpg in the first 2000 miles of very mixed driving. I love my C350 petrol and wouldn't change it for anything else of equivalent value.

Spot on. On all counts. :bannana: Nice to hear a like-minded sole on this forum.

However, I do like the sound of the aural aids on the new 250's as you have to work the C350 petrol block a fair bit into the higher reaches of the rev range to hear the full soundtrack (& that's not permitted on many roads).

On the pricing: NISFAN, you can knock £5-£6k off the sticker price of a new one with the right haggling, which also takes you into 2nd hand dealer car territory, so buying new is still an option for those whose other choice is to receive diddly squat (less tax) for their hard earned. It also puts it miles out of the C63's league, new or used.

 

[mct_cars]

I'd go for the 350 petrol, sounds allot nicer & smoother and with 306bhp or so I think its fast enough, that's the same as the old 500V8!

Although impresive that Merecedes have got the same power out of the new 350 as the old 500, it's torque that matters. The 5.0 had 80% of it's torque available just over tickover - which is around 270lb ft. The same as the peak torque in the 350.

When it comes to torque, there's just no substitute for capacity (or a wacking great turbo!)

 

[Magoo]

Oops...

 

[Magoo]

Although impresive that Merecedes have got the same power out of the new 350 as the old 500, it's torque that matters. The 5.0 had 80% of it's torque available just over tickover - which is around 270lb ft. The same as the peak torque in the 350.

When it comes to torque, there's just no substitute for capacity (or a wacking great turbo!)

Can't argue with that, but the 350 petrol is a car you can buy with your head, heart, reasonably sized wallet or all 3!

 

[wilsodg]

Although impresive that Merecedes have got the same power out of the new 350 as the old 500, it's torque that matters. The 5.0 had 80% of it's torque available just over tickover - which is around 270lb ft. The same as the peak torque in the 350.

When it comes to torque, there's just no substitute for capacity (or a wacking great turbo!)

Which leads you straight back to the 350D which produces up to 500lbs ft and while it has a narrower band, for the most part still is above the petrol. It would be interesting to see a petrol 350 alongside a 350D doing a 0-100 sprint.

 

[Miopyk]

I just bought a C350Cdi Wagon and while I haven't been able to fully stretch it's legs yet (only done 300 miles in it so far) it is deeply impressive in terms of acceleration and economy. So far I've been getting an average of 38 mpg on a 35 mile round trip mixture of suburbs and motorway.

By the way I have a Boxster as well which I love driving but haven't looked at it once since getting the wagon.

Miopyk