USA-Every thing is a 500

[reflexboy]

Just got back from Florida, and more or less every E,SL and S Class out there was a 500. Even every W202 was a 280 or bigger. In two weeks I only spotted one C220. Mind you, at 35p a litre I suppose they can afford to run the V8 500's.....Lucky sods-I'm emigrating

 

[gary350]

Just got back from Florida, and more or less every E,SL and S Class out there was a 500. Even every W202 was a 280 or bigger. In two weeks I only spotted one C220. Mind you, at 35p a litre I suppose they can afford to run the V8 500's.....Lucky sods-I'm emigrating

Things are changing all my american friends are swopping their 500s for the new 550s as they come out, typical.

gary

 

[reflexboy]

And Im very jealous of them.

 

[Rory]

I'm amazed you saw a C220 - it must have snuck in from somewhere else. Currently the entry level Merc is a C230 (with a V6 engine). BMW also won't sell any 4cyl cars in the US.

It really hacks me off when you see the deals they get - apparently the standard college grads car is Merc C230 or a BMW325 (none of your crappy 318's) and they pay around $300/mth.

Fuel is a *mega* issue for many Americans though - sure it's cheaper, but, apart from the gas guzzlers issue, they generally drive much greater distances than we do, so it's costing them a fortune.


Edit to say: I just looked at the MB USA website. How about:
C280 4Matic (that's 4 wheel drive) Auto, including Sunroof and part leather for $389/mth on a personal lease. OK, it's a on a pretty low mileage limit, but £210/mth, for a *fab* car!

 

[fuzzer]

the C220 must ahve been a w202. They were the entry level models for a while until they got the c230k. The c240 never made it stateside in the W202 body.

 

[Dieselman]

Fuel is a *mega* issue for many Americans though - sure it's cheaper, but, apart from the gas guzzlers issue, they generally drive much greater distances than we do, so it's costing them a fortune.

Can you substantiate this? I suspect that if it is true it has more to do with motoring being cheap so more private motoring is done. I don't think there is a significant amount more business motoring.

 

[reflexboy]

the C220 must ahve been a w202. They were the entry level models for a while until they got the c230k. The c240 never made it stateside in the W202 body.

Yes, it was a W202. God bless America....Oh my god, I'm feeling all patriotic

 

[miro]

Just got back from Florida, and more or less every E,SL and S Class out there was a 500. Even every W202 was a 280 or bigger. In two weeks I only spotted one C220. Mind you, at 35p a litre I suppose they can afford to run the V8 500's.....Lucky sods-I'm emigrating

Don't forget that this is only a prelude. The rest of the time you have to tolerate the Americans.

 

[Rory]

Can you substantiate this? I suspect that if it is true it has more to do with motoring being cheap so more private motoring is done. I don't think there is a significant amount more business motoring.

I didn't mention business motoring?

I deal with people in the US, and my colleagues over tell me that $3 gas is really hurting - see a selection of stories here: http://tinyurl.com/ewcbh

The distance thing is pretty obvious - in most parts of America everything is *very* spreadout. Where we'd battle for half an hour on an A road, they drive 30 miles on a 4/6 lane freeway. Cities like Dallas, for example, are 60 miles across - but it's not like driving across London - you get on a freeway and it takes an hour. You have to drive for miles to get off some housing estates.

 

[Flash]

Just got back from Florida, and more or less every E,SL and S Class out there was a 500. Even every W202 was a 280 or bigger. In two weeks I only spotted one C220. Mind you, at 35p a litre I suppose they can afford to run the V8 500's.....Lucky sods-I'm emigrating

From feedback I have heard that the Yanks have a habit of "re badging" their Mercs...

Also, the cars over in the US/Canada are considerably cheaper to European priced cars BUT the engines are not as powerful as ours...