ddentrec
Active Member
I have ordered a new C-Class estate for my wife. The dealer called to say that it was built yesterday (at precisely 4.42AM, build slot 20, or so they said) in Bremen and it should be delivered in 10 days.
This is our first M-B. It is a C180K Avantgarde SE Estate in Amethyst Violet (Ugh! But that is what she asked for).
I will use this thread to communicate to you what our experiences are with the car.
But first the reason why we she chose it (in priority order)
1. EuroNCAP 5 star rating.
2. EuroNCAP 5 star rating.
3. It is not a BMW.
4. Audi wanted £1800 for Byzanz Purple (to match M-B’s Amethyst Violet).
And the reason why I chose it (in priority order)
1. It has a chain-cam engine; not more timing belts for me.
2. It is not a BMW.
3. The M-B dealer gave a 9% discount; this made the car marginally cheaper than an Audi A4 1.8T with same spec.
4. Being an estate, it was built in Germany, not South Africa. My neighbour had a south African BMW 3 series and it was poorly finished and had paint defects so I do not care what anyone says but it has to be German built.
5. Car has a proper auto transmission; my friends A4 Multitronic had a clutch failure that the dealer refused to repair it under warranty, citing ‘driving style’ as the cause. Audi refused to give a me a letter stating that they would include the clutch in their warranty if I bought their A4.
What we do not like (but not so much it did not stop us buying the car):
1. Interior trim is naff; our VW Golf is better finished. For example, the air vents in the M-B are wobbly and the gadget box above the radio is bare plastic whilst in the humble Golf it is felt lined. M-B are definitely cheapskates here.
2. M-B brand image. But since the kids are going to wreck the interior, and we NEVER wash our cars (unbelievable, but true) it will stand out as the grubbiest M-B in our village, that’s for sure.
This is our first M-B. It is a C180K Avantgarde SE Estate in Amethyst Violet (Ugh! But that is what she asked for).
I will use this thread to communicate to you what our experiences are with the car.
But first the reason why we she chose it (in priority order)
1. EuroNCAP 5 star rating.
2. EuroNCAP 5 star rating.
3. It is not a BMW.
4. Audi wanted £1800 for Byzanz Purple (to match M-B’s Amethyst Violet).
And the reason why I chose it (in priority order)
1. It has a chain-cam engine; not more timing belts for me.
2. It is not a BMW.
3. The M-B dealer gave a 9% discount; this made the car marginally cheaper than an Audi A4 1.8T with same spec.
4. Being an estate, it was built in Germany, not South Africa. My neighbour had a south African BMW 3 series and it was poorly finished and had paint defects so I do not care what anyone says but it has to be German built.
5. Car has a proper auto transmission; my friends A4 Multitronic had a clutch failure that the dealer refused to repair it under warranty, citing ‘driving style’ as the cause. Audi refused to give a me a letter stating that they would include the clutch in their warranty if I bought their A4.
What we do not like (but not so much it did not stop us buying the car):
1. Interior trim is naff; our VW Golf is better finished. For example, the air vents in the M-B are wobbly and the gadget box above the radio is bare plastic whilst in the humble Golf it is felt lined. M-B are definitely cheapskates here.
2. M-B brand image. But since the kids are going to wreck the interior, and we NEVER wash our cars (unbelievable, but true) it will stand out as the grubbiest M-B in our village, that’s for sure.
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