[blackwasp]

Mercedes really hit it out of the park with this generation of the C-Class. It looks absolutely stunning & has a stylish cabin too. No longer is this an "entry level" Mercedes. The W205 C-Class might be small, but it is a proper luxury car. Bonus = It also looks rather similar to the S-Class from some angles & is a model currently on sale. We feel this is the perfect "first Mercedes" for anyone.

Positives:

• Admit it, the lure of the 3-pointed star is something else
• Stylish design (baby S looks) that you can stare at & admire all day
• Solid build quality & 5-star safety rating
• Classy cabin with top quality materials
• Fantastic range of diesel & petrol engines. Fast, with good driveability
• Smooth, competent & quick AT gearboxes (9G-Tronic is fabulous)
• C300d's 0-100 km/h time is 5.9 seconds, that's 530d territory
• Enjoyable RWD road manners, very stable at high speeds & nice steering. Strong brakes too
• Loads of technology & features (including a panoramic sunroof, auto-parking...)
• A model that's currently on sale. We also feel this generation will age very well

Negatives:

• Limited rear seat space. Outdone by cars costing 1/3rd the money
• Boot space is small, especially with that spare wheel on the floor!
• Firm ride quality. Bad roads will bother you
• Long-term reliability is patchy (although no longer a deal breaker)
• Some later models are powered by a small 1.5L petrol with hybrid tech
• You need a good independent mechanic to maintain one (authorised workshops are too pricey)
• Expensive spare parts, as is the case with all luxury cars
• Pricey! Some examples hold their value well

Related Threads

• akunchala's C300d AMG Line

• TheGearBox's Mercedes C200

• sgm's C220d

• redindian's C-Class Avantgarde

• W205 C-Class vs W212 E-Class

• Mercedes C-Class vs BMW 3-Series

Mod Potential:

Enormous! You can go as far as your bank balance will allow you to, as this is a very popular model in USA & Europe. Body kits, engine remaps, bigger turbos, sportier suspensions etc. available in plenty.


Source

Availability:

Considering the baby Merc sold in good numbers, you can easily find a clean example in major cities. If you want peace of the mind, you can opt for Mercedes certified cars at authorised dealers. Check out some of the cars on sale here.

[GTO]

Voted Yes . This is an incredibly special sedan that looks awesome, feels awesome & drives awesome. Rightly said, as I also feel it is the perfect entry-point into the luxury car world. It'll get you accustomed to all the good stuff (build, dynamics, safety, luxury, badge) and the bad (maintenance, reliability, jealous neighbours, fragile nature).

Picking this over the 3-Series is simple because I personally didn't like the BMW F30 generation too much (except for the fantastic 328i which is a delight). The nicer G30 3-Series was launched just a year back and hence, isn't a competitor to the W205 C-Class in the used market.

Best part about the W205 is how fresh it still looks. Even if it was launched as a new model in 2020, it would attract buyers.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Most certainly YES.

A complete car that is both aspirational and currently on sale, meaning examples will be fairly new and long term support is assured. The ride will not go obsolete in a couple of years. I won’t mind going down this road.

[CEF_Beasts]

Voted NO

Would rather pick up a W212 Facelifted E-Class for it’s tank-like-build, more space in the rear seat and for that creamy 6 cylinder diesel (E 350 CDi). I know the C-Class W205 is still fresh and looks new even now but as a value proposition the older E class makes much more sense for similar kind of money.

[Abhi5868]

Voted No!!It's a brilliant package, that means it's gonna hold it's value. Pre-owned deals aren't as sweet as they used to be+owners hold on to good cars. 4-5 years down the road it'll inevitably become a money pit, not unreliable but that's how it is.

[.HEM]

Voted Yes!

I'm void of parking space, else would have picked a pre worshiped C-Class. I drool over it in every signal I see that. I really wanted one for my office commute, 90% of the time it will be only me and my car, so I felt this should be the best bet for me.

Will still pick one if I get a good example at the right price. Here in Chennai, The used car dealers and certified cars from showrooms are quite pricy and they ask for a fortune.

[CarBot]

Voted No, I will pick up a 328i instead. But again, at the same money you can still get a new German car from VW or Czech one from Skoda and enjoy the warranty. Of course you don't get the badge, value, presence and associated niggles so it depends. If you want to taste luxury, then not a bad idea with either a C class or a 3 series.

[Mar21]

Voted No.

The merc would be a very sensible buy for someone looking to move into the luxury brands (a friend bought a new one and but for the ground clearance has had no complaints).

It doesn't tug at the strings of the heart. Luxury sedans aren't necessarily VFM either.

Personally, i'd be more inclined towards the BMW 328i (used) or a new Skoda Octavia

[yd_gli]

Voted No. I am not a big fan of it's design and I tend to perceive it as a chauffeur driven old mans car. I've driven one for a bit and it felt okayish, nothing that put a grin to my face. For some reason, none of the Mercedes products barring the AMGs in the Indian portfolio look fun. They all seem to have a bloated look.

I don't care much for luxury and If I had to buy a sedan it would be the Skoda RS245.

[vipul_singh]

Voted 'No' to chocolate type engineering coated in solid feeling steel.

For me, 'aspiration' means Lexus. Besides, this car does not even look good to my eyes (post W221, styling has gone really downhill, in my opinion).

[lamborghini]

Voted NO purely because build quality has taken a beating and maintenance is expensive compared to peers at BMW and Audi.

Our 2016 W205 C220d has already seen some heavy repairs under warranty:
1: front passenger seatbelt sensor replaced 05 months into ownership

2: First service had a ton of rattles to be diagnosed : they have some rattle elimination kit for the sunroof + noisy brakes which hasn't been resolved till date.
Each service has reports of some rattle or the other.

3: Rear Brake Pads replaced at 10,000kms. Too early!

4: Secondary battery gave up in 2.5 years

5: Drivers & front passenger window switch (2) gave up in 2.5 years, 3, and 3.5 years respectively

6: sunroof cover + motor got jammed and ripped the fabric : both replaced under warranty

7: steering logo and other aluminum bits get discoloured over time. Steering / horn pad changed under warranty

8: windshield fluid container sprung a leak and had to be replaced.

Mind you, this car has driven 20,000 kms since 2016: roughly 5,000/year.
Fun drives are taken care of by other cars at home, as are beater chores. This is purely driven by me & wife.

The average ride quality ensures we don't drive it carelessly - heck, its driven more carefully than my lowered 3 series with a stiffer suspension!

The space saver ensures it cannot do fully loaded runs.

That being said, there are the perks:

1) Looks smashing inside out! Feels a segment above it's rivals!

2) Superb steering feel, very fluid and decently weighted

3) Good NVH, and a frugal engine which is linear & easy to drive

And if those perks do you in, please keep in mind the following:
- Throw the RFT out and replace them with nice tubeless options to see a big improvement in Ride.
- Find a good independent mechanic pronto who can service the car well
- Keep a little more cash aside than you normally would to maintain a German : for instance 4th year service including gearbox oil change can cost upto six figures when done at A.S.S.

[AMG Power]

The AMG C300d is a car worth looking at.

What’s good about it:

• Incredibly smooth Diesel engine that is silent right upto its red line. You have to strain to hear the engine even when it's bouncing of the limiter! It is so smooth and quiet almost like some of VW’s TSI engines

• Revs like a petrol right upto the red line of 5200 rpm. Acceleration is linear with a slight shove at 4250 uptil the end.

• Shifts down like a petrol too - you can use the paddle shift and engine brake like a petrol

• Even In comfort mode the gear box is exceptionally sharp. The slightest tap on the accelerator and the gears shift down in a split second to put you in the power band.

• Suspension is comfortable even in Sports Plus mode - ideal for Indian conditions.

• Ability to mask speeds is good. Rock solid stability. In one of the drives, the car flew up on a bump (yump) as the speed was quite high but it still landed without any drama or loss of traction.

And what isn’t:

• Steering does not adequately weigh up at speeds.

• Absolutely no drama - no noise levels fells like a comfortable sedan not at all like an AMG

• Brushed aluminium on steering does not look well finished - almost crude for a Merc

• Colour choices are boring

• No subtle external clues to distinguish an AMG line except for the wheels which could pass off as an after market fitment.No AMG badging on the interiors too. Not even a subtle spoiler at the rear!

[MuzzledMoose]

Voted no for previous generation c class. Current generation C class progressive is a good bet in future.
I owned a C300D last year and sold it a few months back due to tyre burst issues.
The buyer has already replaced 3 tyres by this time.

[BoJack]

The C class is a head turner (in Kerala at least) even though it's still kind of the "baby Benz". The space in the rear is really inadequate, the boot space is also very low, the ride comfort is good but is not anything to write home about. The transmission and the brakes are the things I really love about the car (C 220d). We are on the market for a sedan (new Octavia or Superb) and we considered getting a pre owned C class for a short while then decided against it.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by MuzzledMoose

Voted no for previous generation c class. Current generation C class progressive is a good bet in future.
I owned a C300D last year and sold it a few months back due to tyre burst issues.
The buyer has already replaced 3 tyres by this time.

Can a change of tyre brands not fix this? Are these ultra low profile 18" ones and hence the consistent damage?