![]() Rather, it's a hatchback, the first sporting that famous three-pointed star to land on American shores. The C230 does break the traditional Mercedes mold this is not a true coupe, as its name suggests, with a separate trunk. No annoying announcer blathering on about the engine or its sure-fire appeal. If you've seen the advertisement, you'd note a somewhat shady Russell Crowe look-alike fellow (except that this guy was in a good mood), driving, just driving the C-Class with an alternative band-type song thumping in the background. Yes, they're marketing it toward Generation X, a too-oft-used but accurate enough moniker, to lure this heretofore unmolested segment into viewing a Mercedes as an accessible, possible first-car purchase. It was not designed for the gentrified, moneyed classes whose concerns include osteoporosis and prostate glands, but for those who can still feel the putrid, hot breath of student loans on their backs. While plenty of debates have risen in the past about the appeal of Benzes, this particular model adds a new twist to the argument. Then there were those indignant in the belief that it was a good car and a fair deal in and of itself. On one side of the fence glowered those who believed that the only appeal of the Mercedes C230 Kompressor was its brand-name association. Just me, perhaps.Amidst the bowels of the Xanadu known as the editorial offices, an intense philosophical debate arose, developing factions and sides whose chasms were precipitous enough to threaten the deep ties contrived by executive-mandated fun days and "Quit touching me!" ride-alongs with five fragrant editors squished into a compact coupe. It is STILL an outstanding car and an absolute pleasure to drive, but it let me down, so I don't "love" it as I did. A new Genuine MB seat module could cost about $600, by the way, and though it is absolutely identical to the after-market one, it is no longer a 100% Genuine Mercedes Benz. I know the car is now 17 model years old, and things CAN break, but unless an owner can unplug the old module and plug the new $100 one in, it WOULD be a costly repair, which is unacceptable to me. This would be a VERY expensive repair, so I had to downgrade my "Electronics/Technology" and "Reliability" rating since the car experienced the failure, If it isn't PERFECT and needing ZERO repairs, it doesn't deserve a 5 Star rating. ![]() The dealer would charge $1200 for the repair using new Genuine MB module, which most people would likely have done (most people owning a Mercedes would only want Genuine MB parts installed regardless of cost). I obtained an after-market new module for $110 and installed it myself (it's under the driver's seat) in about 30 minutes using ordinary household tools. Update: Early in 2018 I had my battery go dead overnight and found that the driver seat control modules on tehse cars tend to fail in that way (they fail to "g to sleep" after being used). The car still looks, feels, and handles like a new car, with no degradation as mileage has progressed. In my 6+ years of ownership, the car cost me nothing in repairs (not a single parts failure), though I recently replaced a number of parts and did a transmission fluid change as a preventative measure figuring nearing 90,000 mi a new accessory belt, belt tensioner, water pump, and spark plugs, along with new coolant and transmission fluid were a sensible measure. Fuel economy of 32mph highway and 26mpg suburban on regular fuel (Premium is recommended, but unless one lives in mountainous areas, or is a lead-foot, regular is just fine) is outstanding for the safety and comfort offered. It also lacks GPS navigation, though in honesty I prefer a stand-alone GPS because it can be updated at no cost. ![]() If I have any gripe at all, it's the absence of Bluetooth for cellphone use (The car came with a factory supplied telephone that would now be unlawful to even use in motion.), and does not have aux inputs for audio devices, or a USB connection for digital media. The car just "fits" my typical stature (6 feet tall of average proportions), and is fatigue-free even after many hours of driving. It combines useful room inside (though the aerodynamic rear roof slope can intrude), excellent comfort, and absolutely outstanding fuel economy, and reliability, resulting is low cost of ownership in my case. I've owned my 2002 C320 Sport Wagon for more than 6 years, and after owning over 125 cars in my 50+ years of driving, I can honestly say this has been one of my absolute favorite cars. ![]()
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