I tuned my car two days after I purchased the car. superb performance. super tight cornering. still runs great even 96000miles. high resale value.

engine started to leak some oil from 93000miles(couple drops everytime, I drive). high cost labor. high cost dealer service. I guess repair for European cars are all high though.

BMW has overrated reviews, overrated comment. I think BMW has more problems than Merc. many electric problem. weak engine. too many small (useless) options, even like interior lights. so I ended up buying the car with high proce because of some options like sport package and premium package(I think BMW can combine those two options into one option). the bimmer is pretty good, but I was expecting much more than what I paid for because of those overrated reviews from car magazine(at least two bmw cars always end up top ten cars of the year).

Even though my merc is over 5 years, I rather drive my merc. I am sure I have to sell that merc pertty soon, but I rather buy another merc than bmw.

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BMW 528-1998.

Great aceleration, awesome new body style, plush interior, cool new tech features, great grip to the road

Not enough power, weird looking headlights

I would recommend this car to anyone, for the money its a great car!! You can't go wrong with mercedes. For those who want more power wait for the C32 Kompressor, 352 hp....

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BMW 328, not the same performance, but benz has better interior

Nice little car. Bought it for my mother and its fits her just fine with the one exception of reliability.

Reliability: This car has been in the shop way too many times. Issues are material problems, not minor nits. Power steering failed, front shock failed, crankshaft harmonic balancer failed, front suspension bushings needed replacement, idler arm failed, car has been inoperative at times, don't get copies of work orders when it goes into the shop, after asking three times for a complete history, still have nothing (we purchased the car new), oil leaks, tailpipe rust after 2 years (what happened to stainless steel?)

This is an update to a very positive review we wrote shortly after we purchased the car. Having now owned the car for 2 years, a different view exists.

This car is not worth the money. Its underbuilt and a far cry from past MB's we've owned.

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Been buying Mercedes since 1961, three BMW 5-series

Superb handling, great rumble from the engine, great road feel, great seats, huge torque through the entire rpm range, great brakes (but not at the same level as a 993 TT), a good thing considering the massive acceleration it can provide, extremely stable at high speed (145mph is the fastest I've had it at, and it felt rock solid). Sound system is also very good, keep the driving normal and you can even enjoy it! It even has a Super high tech cup holder!

This beast needs a 6 speed. I've had it not shift correctly under very hard acceleration
Rear leg room is not great, but works.
The on-board computer could have a few more features given the price (even my 993 TT has more features!)

This is a phenomenal all around car, but it NEEDS a 6 speed manual as an option. It is not a car for the timid; it can really get away from you. The power is instant and can really startle the unknowing driver. My wife did not like driving the car for the first six months we had it (now she loves it and is always asking to take it).

The car begs to go fast, at 85mph it is just screaming to be unleashed. A quick blip of the throttle and you are at 100mph. You really need to hold back and control you right foot.

I've spent some time with the BMW 540, BMW M5, BMW M3, and Audi S4. The M3 ('98) is a bit more "precise" in handling, but is no longer available in 4 door. Off the line the M3 ('98) will beat the C43, but once you are over 40... forget it the C43's power kicks in and you are history.

It has been a great daily driver for just over the last year, never a problem with over 15K miles logged to date. (given my summer car is a 993TT, those 15K miles were compressed into ~7months)

I will probably trade mine in for a BMW M5 for the additional room and the 6 speed.

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BMW 540, BMW M5, BMW M3, Audi S4, nothing else compares

It is a great car. We had the car for a bit of time now. The cool sport
tires and wheel caps gets you the most attention other than a lot of other
cars. The inside BOSE speaker system will throw you away.

One thing is that the foot space in the back.

Over all the car has great safety and its great looking.
A good thing is that it will start in any condition cold,hot it will start.
Its a great car.

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We compared it to nissan maxima, dodge carvan,and toyota camery. This car blowed them away.

Excellent power for a stock 4cyl. Sexy looks with 6spoke rims, and 3d carbon trim. Im·pec·ca·ble handling with sport package. All the more tight and peppy than my old C220 (supercharger and sport pkg did the trick)

Does sound like a diesel sometimes (under acceleration) but I usually can't hear it with my Bose 6disc fiber-optic sound system.

Safety, quality and the prestige of a 3-point star on the hood are just icing on the cake when you experience how it drives. If you have the means I do recomend picking one up.

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My dad likes how it handles better than his E320, says its the best handling car he's ever driven (this jelousy is coming from a man who has had 6 BMW's and 6 Benz's and several Audi's)

Build quality, reliability, engine, resale value, Mercedes reputation

Exterior Styling, handling a little numb

Overall this has been a great car. The 2.8 V6 performs well. Handling could be a little more responsive (should have bought the sport package, but the dealers didn't have any in Silicon Valley). Wife likes the Mercedes name.

There was a long waiting list when I tried to buy my car in 1998. Most of the dealers in the Bay Area were not that helpful (notable exception was Hacienda in Pleasanton). I ended up buying through a broker (www.hammerauto.com) who found the exact model and color I wanted in 1 day. The car was shipped from a dealer in So. Cal. in about 1 week, and the broker took care of all the paperwork and negotiation - best buying experience I have had. Got a nice discount off list, and great financing rate from Mercedes USA Credit.

The car has been perfectly reliable (only have 22K miles on it) - a local dealer performed the first service for free, and I've had a couple of oil changes (one even at the local Firestone shop which is more convenient for me). Engine warning light came on once, but went out after a day.

Gas Mileage is about 16-18 around town and 20-22 on the Freeway (depending how fast you drive). Even though this car was more expensive than the competitors of its size, it will probably be cheaper to own in the long run due to better resale values.

If I was replacing the car now, I would look at the new C320 (drove the 260 and it doesn't have enough power), Audi A6 2.8TT, Volvo S60, BMW 330, Jag S-Type. If you don't need the cachet of a luxury name plate the VW Passat 2.8V6 is a great buy - solidly built, looks and drives great, and performs almost as well as the Mercedes and $1000's less.

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BMW 3-Series - drives better, but had too many reliablity problems
Also considered Acura 3.2TL, BMW 528i, Mazda Millenia S, Audi A6

The level of detail in the interior trim is pretty extraordinary. The layout of the instrumentation is clean and clear whether it is day or night. Acceleration with the Kompressor felt confident and capable. For city driving, the turning ratio is very tight and easy to park. On the highway, the car's ride is smooth and quiet. The abundance of safety features is another plus in the consideration to purchase the car. Similar to the Cadillac's On-Star feature, Mercedes has it's own version which the dealer includes in the purchase price but note, the service plan is only for 1-year but renewable thereafter.

One of the major faults I've found with the Kompressor on the C230 are the harsh sounds during cold morning starts and the irritating noise it makes when the car accelerates. The sound during acceleration is similar to the noise of a flapping leaf stuck in a fan. Although the acceleration of the car is capable of maintaining pace with most traffic situations, I would not consider the car a fast one when pushed for "stop-light racing" purposes. On the highway at higher speeds, I've found that it takes a little more driver input in keeping the car from drifting either too far left or too far right. I attribute the drifting to the boxy aerodymanics of the car. Also, the rear seats will be tight if both the driver and front seat passengers are long in the legs. The car, in general, does not give an air of roominess for the rear passengers.

As for a first car purhcase, I've found the C230 Kompressor an attractive buy. Even though with a $32K end of year sale purchase price, the car is not exactly cheap in comparison to some of it's competitors. If you're considering quality and high resale value. I do recommend giving the 2000 C230 Kompressor SE some thought. The SE, which stands for Special Edition, bundles the Sports and Sun/Moon Roof package together. A decent bargain when you compare it to purchasing each option separately. Although, if you're willing to spend $32K on this car, $5K more should give you a more refined engine found in the C280's V6(without the annoying start-up and acceleration sounds) along with an automatic climate control unit and better Bose Audio system.

If you're looking for a car with an easy and relatively inexpensive maintenance record, I would suggest looking outside the MB family of cars. Unless you have a great relationship with a mechanic, parts and labor on this car are not cheap. This is one expense I do not look forward to putting in my budget.

When it comes right down to it, if you're looking for a name that stands for quality in make and finish, the Mercedes-Benz has a strong history in that department. The resale value of this car for the past couple of years have been consistently high in comparison to its competitors. But I highly recommend re-evaluating the motives behind your car purchase especially when it comes to the C230 Kompressor.

I bought this car because it is not showy. It is a refined car with an understated level of elegance. If I considered a car for pure driving experience, I would've looked at the BMW or Audi instead. The C230 Kompressor to me is more of a touring car made for everyday "normal" driving. It is not to say, the car can not be pushed for phenomenal performance because it can. I enjoy the car because it is a MERCEDES. The name itself speaks volumes to me. Just evaluate your inner-desire for the car you wish to purchase especially when you cross the $30K threshold.

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BMW 3-Class. Audi A4. Cadillac LS. Infiniti I30. Lexus ES300.

Decent gas mileage.

Service sucks. Have had trouble with supercharger. Interior pieces breaking for no reason. A rattle in drivers door, that has been worked on by MB several times and they have yet to fix it. Doesn't like to start fist thing in morning. Sounds like a diesel engine.

34K. Highly overpriced.Less quality than Toyota . Interior pieces say CHEVY Cavalier, too much cheap looking plastic. Hope to soon replace it with BMW or Lexus. Do not and will not recommend to anyone.

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BMW,TOYOTA

This is a well built solid car.Speed is great for this luxury
lemon.I love the cloth seats they just fuzz fuzz and fuzz.
I like the back taillights nice triangular shape, something different.

The mercedes symbol on the front just keeps breaking off i brought
it to the dealer and they said to use glue but not very affective.
It cost way tooo much to fix the parts.

Yes this car would suit anyone who wants a new car. You pay
what you get for.If you want a amazing luxury sound system then
WABOOM!

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91 cadillac catera,96 lexus es300