While the Mercedes C230 Sport coupes 1.8 supercharge engine producing around 190HP is hardly something to get all worked up over but it does appear to be a relative bargin out there.

There is an article @ http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=04579823 that stated that MBUSA is offering customers a $1500 rebate NOW and they are actually giving there dealers a $4000.00 rebate on all C-class's until the end of the month. The only catch for a MB dealer to get a $4000 price deduction off the car it has to be used as a demo or loaner car at least once within 4 months and has to be sold as used even though it was never titled.

The 230 MB Coupe is a really nice RWD car for under $25,000 but its rear Honda CRX-like window needs to get painted over to make it look right.

Heres a picture of a modified MB 230 Coupe if you avent seen one -http://www.renntechmercedes.com/vr/pics/C-Class/coupe(6).html

front shot-http://www.renntechmercedes.com/vr/pics/C-Class/coupe(1).html

cool profile picture- http://www.csportcoupe.com/forums/at...s=&postid=6755

 

Having these things pile up on dealer lots with huge deals and fire sale prices is going to hurt them big time. Add that in to sinking quality ratings now below mainstream automakers and.... uh oh.

I remember when you saw a Mercedes you thought "wow, that person must be loaded" instead of "look another yuppie". Soon, it will be "look, another college kid".

They already cheapened the brand so much they had to give their fanciest car another brand name (Maybach).

 

There's a guy on my street that own's one of these things... he's always washing it and stuff, so it sticks out in my mind...

I like the front end, look like Mercedes... but the back end reminds me of Hyundai or something

 

Why has Mercadies stepped out of the Luxury car market??

at least it is RWD

 

Europeans always have such weird-looking hatchback designs. They insist on keeping the car's length as short as possible so the hatch is very steeply raked down to the back bumper. The BMW hatchback was the same way and it sold like crap here as well.

Mercedes still builds some very fine cars but some of the shine has come off their luster for sure. A sub-$25,000 Mercedes doesn't help. Why not have Chrysler offer these kinds of cars?

 

At least you get a $25,000 mercedes that has a four year warranty with a free loaner car if its ever in the shop and the fit and finish on these cars is far superior than a $25,000 GM vehicle right now.

The rear of the 230 coupe isnt that bad if you put a small wing on the back so it doesnt just drop off and someting still needs to be done with the crx-like rear window. The panoramic roof is really big and is a lot bigger then a traditional sunroof and there ae after market intake, exhaust and superchargers, pulleys, and etc to give it some more power but it will never be a 300 HP+ chevy small block :-D

Th 215 HP v6 version of the coupe called the 320 sells for about $2,000 more.

 

I'd challenge you on the fit & finish issue... There have been more than a few car mags out there that have, are you ready for this?... Said that this cars quality is NOT up to Mercedes standards, and that it is quite a disappointment for being a Mercedes, even at that price.

On the flip side, I've been on record saying this, and I'll reitterate it again, My 2002 Monte Carlo SS has been flawless for quality thus far. It has 65xx miles on it.

My fiances has a 2001 Monte Carlo SS with 52,xxx miles on it, and the only quality issues have been the 'soft touch' paint has flaked on a few areas of the console... she's not particularly easy on the car, but still... and second the black-out paint on the mufflers has worn off on the insides halves of each muffler... other than that, we couldn't ask for more in a car that has seen heavy duty since day one...

 

Mercedes is going to make a Chrysler version of this car and its called the Crossfire. While the Crossfire looks better and more Audi-like it does use the same rwd chassis and v6 engine as the Mercedes 320 coupe but while the 320 coupe is around $26,000 the Crossfire is going to be closer to $36,000.

I agree the Monte has really good fit and finish but when I sat in the 230 and 320 Coupe the quality of material was more Caddy the Chevy and even the cheapest Mercedes is better then the most expensive chevy. The main problem with Mercedes is that their engines are anemic except for when you shell out $60,000 for an AMG version.

 

For some unknown reason, Mercedes sent me a brochure on this car in the mail. It was inside a metal tin. I thought it was a metal cigarette case or something. As soon as I saw the HP, I saved the tin ad threw the brochure in the garbage. 250hp in that little car $25000 woulda brought me in for a test drive.

 

The crossfire is based on the SLK, not this coupe.

 

The 230 and 320 coupe and the SLK Convertible share the same chassis and engine options.

I also realized that Mercedes needs to dump these car and get them on the road so it reduces Mercedes overall Cafe average. MB's bred and butter is the E-class and those larger gas guzzeling V8 luxo cars are mostly why people buy a Benz anyway so these low cost coupes just serve as a way to lower the average MPG and get first timers in a Benze hoping in the future they can move them up to the really profitable E-class when they get older.

 

Good advertising campaign--if chevy only sent cool cigarette case things...even though i dont smoke...its a conundrum

 

If mercedes could sell (or dump) a RWD sport coupe for under $25,000 ( I even saw the Supercharged 4cyl. advertised in Sunday news paper for under $22,000 with sunroof and loaded ) then why not Chevy. Even the FWD 200hp+ 2004 supercharged Saturn Ion quad-copue will most likely sell for over $25,000 making the cheap Mercedes look pretty good.

An aftermarket company called Brabus has actually dropped 400+ v8 in that little MB coupe, now that would be one hell of a ride if that sold for $25,000

 

It's going to be hard for them to maintain their image as a luxury nameplate when Saturn is selling more expensive cars.

 

Who would have ever thought that Saturn would sell cars for the same price as a Mercedes and vice-versa.