My C230 vs BMW 535i

[Adam230K]

Yes its a mindless race thread, please ignore if you dont like this type of thread .

This guy in an unmarked 2002 BMW 5 series was provoking me from a few miles on a piece of motorway, everytime i'd try to overtake he would speed up equally so i couldn't pass, he would then slow down again to keep me behind him, which i thought was a bit silly. So at the next set of lights (not knowing it was a 535) I launched quite aggressively but perfectly and got myself infront of him, and i noticed he was right on my tail so the thought popped into my head (what could that be? its quite fast!), he then proceeded to re-overtake me again (as i had let-off) and put himself infront of me, then we approached the next set of lights.

He rolled his window down and said "is that a manual AMG?", clearly doesn't know much about mercs, i just said, 'no its a 2.3 litre 4pot, nothing special, but yes its a manual' I didnt tell him it was supercharged , and to his dismay (after calling me a liar, trying to tell me he 'knew' it was the 3.6 amg LOL) he was actually quite cheesed off!

Lights set green again, but this time we had the whole of the road ahead of us to ourselves, i again got the jump on him and i was infront of him until 70mph, while i was in third gear he edged his way beside me and into 4th he actually started pulling past me verrrry slowly, at which point i slowed down because it was obvious who had the low-end and who had the high-end. but at the end of it, he didnt get more than a car length infront of me.

But wow, i really didnt expect that, and it was really fun, and i know i know! shouldn't be racing... but sometimes its just fun to see what your car can really do... i was mighty impressed.

Still want to buy a 540 though!

 

[wemorgan]

Looking at Parker's Guide your car is ~250kg lighter than his. That's quite a benefit when the lights go green.

 

[chord]

The 535 is a 3.5 V8 with 245 bhp. Apparently the 0-60 is 7.5 and your car is listed as 8.1, but that would be stock

I'm sure any V8 driver would be unhappy being beaten by a 4 pot!

 

[st4]

Nice thread - no grief or holier than thou cr4p from me.

I recall following a C230k in my 4.4i X5 and lets just say me and my bonkers for speed mate were that has to be an AMG as it took an age to reel it in. He did have AMG badges on it but it was a C230k 202. It was on a dual carriage way and we were progressing safely in the ban zone, but so was the merc in front of us, so we had to get a closer look.

Happy days, rapid cars them.

 

[d w124]

The 535 is a 3.5 V8 with 245 bhp. Apparently the 0-60 is 7.5 and your car is listed as 8.1, but that would be stock

I'm sure any V8 driver would be unhappy being beaten by a 4 pot!

That`s a bit slow for V8

 

[horsesuitedfool]

I had a 535i E39, they are like trains once moving but they are pretty heavy so not that quick off mark.....The 540i isnt any faster is it?? The BMW to buy is a current model 535d with a remap, they absolutely fly, DMS had one that was quicker than an M5, standard 535d with remap.....

 

[chord]

That`s a bit slow for V8

The maual is 6.7 I think, BMW auto boxes really suck the life out of the engine.

 

[d w124]

The maual is 6.7 I think, BMW auto boxes really suck the life out of the engine.

Every manual car can do better on a drag,but it`s hard to belive that for a V8.A w124 300-24 has nearly 240bhp

 

[James Rothwell]

The E39 535i Steptronic isn't an especially lively car in a straight line, it's pretty torquey and will get from 80-100mph in good time but low end it isn't anything special. Most big cars aren't the most impressive big car I've ever encountered was an S8, they really are something else. Think the facelift post 2000 S8 40v is something like 5.2 seconds to 60mph.

 

[Adam230K]

A Manual C230k can EASILY (and this was before i modded anything) get 0-60 times of 6 seconds. My brother recorded this when i was ~10k miles into its ownership:

YouTube - C230k 0-60 (stock)

I dynoed my car not too long after fitting the amg exhaust and it achieved 191bhp to the rear wheels = 225 bhp which i was mighty impressed with. So i was expecting to be a competitor for this debadged 535. I was just as surprised as him, because both our cars are debadged, ooohhh the fun .

I remember when he was next to me, hearing that v8 roaring is soooooo nice, hard to describe, but i felt a bit intimidated but equally exhilarated upon hearing it roar at its redline before he changed gear.

 

[Seamster15]

A Manual C230k can EASILY (and this was before i modded anything) get 0-60 times of 6 seconds. My brother recorded this when i was ~10k miles into its ownership:

Wow you are right my Boxster S really was a POS with a 0-60 time of only 5.9

 

[Smatt]

A Manual C230k can EASILY (and this was before i modded anything) get 0-60 times of 6 seconds. My brother recorded this when i was ~10k miles into its ownership:

YouTube - C230k 0-60 (stock)

I dynoed my car not too long after fitting the amg exhaust and it achieved 191bhp to the rear wheels = 225 bhp which i was mighty impressed with. So i was expecting to be a competitor for this debadged 535. I was just as surprised as him, because both our cars are debadged, ooohhh the fun .

I remember when he was next to me, hearing that v8 roaring is soooooo nice, hard to describe, but i felt a bit intimidated but equally exhilarated upon hearing it roar at its redline before he changed gear.

I have the manual 1.8 230 rated by MB at approx 190bhp, but I don't believe it will do 6seconds! The same manufacturer quotes claim about 8.1 secs & that will be with lowest possible weight, emptyish fuel tank & 1 (?tiny)person only onboard. I have not done any engine mods; I am not sure whether my bi-xenons make it go any faster

 

[Meldrew2]

Well, that explains why I have always been more than satisfied with the performance of my SLK 230K..... which was bought as a replacement for a BMW M3.....

The M3 may hacve had more bhp... but the power on the SLK is just where you need it.

Give me a winding "A" road and a sunny day, and I love the SLK, and the 230 Kompressor engine is, in my opinion, perfect.

 

[Shude]

The same manufacturer quotes claim about 8.1 secs & that will be with lowest possible weight, emptyish fuel tank & 1 (?tiny)person only onboard.

Not true! The 0-60 figures are for half fuel, some luggage and at least two people on-board to give a "real-world" value. This is in stark contrast to a magazine article I read about Lexus where the journalists stripped the car out of all accessories etc and still failed to reach the brochure 0-60

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I have the manual 1.8 230 rated by MB at approx 190bhp, but I don't believe it will do 6seconds! The same manufacturer quotes claim about 8.1 secs & that will be with lowest possible weight, emptyish fuel tank & 1 (?tiny)person only onboard.

I agree, 6 seconds dead does seem a little too quick for a stock 230K.

Assuming the W202 C230K is about 1400kg, I think you'd need around 250bhp to get low 6's, but with a perfect launch then high 6s should be possible with the 225bhp Adam has mentioned before - I think it was dynod at 190bhp at the wheels).

 

[Shude]

I agree, 6 seconds dead does seem a little too quick for a stock 230K.

Assuming the W202 C230K is about 1400kg, I think you'd need around 250bhp to get low 6's, but with a perfect launch then high 6s should be possible with the 225bhp Adam has mentioned before - I think it was dynod at 190bhp at the wheels).

From what I have read 7-7.5 is achievable for a stock 202 c230k. Anything lower than that is probably down to the driver holding the stopwatch and using "indicated" 60mph to mean 60mph

 

[wemorgan]

Wish that Parker's and others would quote more than just the 0-60 times.

30-50 and 50-70 mph are of more interest to me as they reflect the real world driving I do.

 

[Adam230K]

I agree, 6 seconds dead does seem a little too quick for a stock 230K.

Assuming the W202 C230K is about 1400kg, I think you'd need around 250bhp to get low 6's, but with a perfect launch then high 6s should be possible with the 225bhp Adam has mentioned before - I think it was dynod at 190bhp at the wheels).

ok well since i'm being taken literally , (i know i can sound enthusiastic sometimes), but if you look at the video of my 230k achieving what was actually 6.3 seconds to 60, in first gear, it takes me like 1-2 seconds to hit 30mph (please dont take this literally again, haven't timed it properly)because of clutch dumping, which is a big strength of manuals vs autos. I think this is what contributes to this great 0-60 time and i'm also sure if i made a video of my car doing 100-200 kph it wouldn't look anything special at all.

 

[Howard]

but if you look at the video of my 230k achieving what was actually 6.3 seconds to 60, in first gear.

Your car hits 60 in first gear ?

 

[Adam230K]

in first gear, it takes me like 1-2 seconds to hit 30mph (please dont take this literally again, haven't timed it properly)because of clutch dumping

Probably bad grammar on my part. guess it happens sometimes when you're writing quickly and dont proof read