Update: C250 Test Drive (sort of)

"Firewrx234" (firewrx234)
07/07/2015 at 21:23 • Filed to: Test Drive, C250

So, I was asking about opinions on the C250 Coupe on Sunday and yesterday I actually took it out for a nice spirited 1/4 mile drive. Yes you read that right...my test drive lasted for a whole 2 turns before I ran out of gas...

But before I made the world’s saddest test drive, I did get a glimpse of what the car is capable of. First, if you leave it in “E” mode...it’s almost unbearably slow. I did some research and found that “E” stands for Eco and it essentially starts in (Edit) 2nd gear with no intention of listening to the gas pedal for downshifts or otherwise. BUT it also has an “S” mode. This mode is MUCH better and apparently leads to empty gas tanks. I found “S” and made a quick tap of the gas pedal and found the little 1.8L Turbo CAN get up and go if it wants to...as long as there is fuel in the tank. Secondly, the interior isn’t bad and I like the Pano roof. It was a little quirky and refused to close unless I held the button but that is neither here nor there as operator error is Highly Likely. Thirdly, the trunk was much larger than I expected and the rear seats fold down nicely for more access. And finally, when your test drive ends and the main display shows “Fuel - Hemorrhage”, it will confuse the Mrs. and she will think the car has severe problems. I then had to reassure her that it was displaying a song title and that the car was not actually Hemorrhaging fuel lol.

All in all, I do want to give the car a legitimate test drive. Specifically one where I can go faster than 35 mph and preferably not run out of fuel and look like a complete doofus with a Mercedes on the side of the road with the gas tank flap open...

Please tell me if you’ve had a worse test drive. I’d love to feel like I’m not the only fool in the world to ignore that the car was telling me “Low Fuel”.

Thanks for the read and I’ll try to keep you all updated on future vehicle happenings.

DISCUSSION (7)

AM3R shamefully returns > Firewrx234
07/07/2015 at 21:34

I have a pretty funny test drive story.. I was in a BMW 535xi that had high mileage. It drove pretty well, until I got it onto a main road and I floored it. Almost immediately a CEL and a slew of other lights popped up.. I look at the salesmen and he goes “that’s normal, it isn’t a sports car. That’s what happens when you floor it” and he managed to say that in a reassuring voice with a straight face.

Firewrx234 > AM3R shamefully returns
07/07/2015 at 21:36

Oh my god! I would’ve turned right around and said, “Thanks but no thanks!”

That’s just nuts that he thought that was ok!!!

AM3R shamefully returns > Firewrx234
07/07/2015 at 21:40

I laughed it off and immediately turned back to the dealer. No thanks!

I also most recently (earlier today) had a Jaguar/Land Rover salesmen tell me that you don’t have to disclose damage to a car to a potential buyer if you’ve replaced the part.. I quickly left that dealership too!

Firewrx234 > AM3R shamefully returns
07/07/2015 at 21:42

Yeah, as a previous car salesman, those people irk me to death! They are the ones who give salesmen a bad name. It’s just a shame that you can’t have an honest conversation with each other any more. Either way, I did enjoy helping people once they noticed that I wasn’t that “bad salesman” they envisioned.

AM3R shamefully returns > Firewrx234
07/07/2015 at 21:45

Yeah, not all are bad. I regret being so harsh on the guy I bought my Mercedes from because he was actually a really nice guy. His dealership happens to be in an area where pretty much all the cars are junk, so the odds were stacked against him. Once everything checked out I realized the guy actually was trying to sell me a nice car at an agreeable price, and it all went smoothly from there.

Firewrx234 > AM3R shamefully returns
07/07/2015 at 21:48

That’s all it takes. And honestly, the best compliment a salesman can receive is a referral or repeat service (it made my day when I got to see a previous customer again or know that they sent someone in to see me). Other than that, we just have to overcome the “car salesman” stigma, and it’s smooth sailing from there.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Firewrx234
07/07/2015 at 21:55

I once went to look at an early 90’s Ford Taurus for a sister-in-law. Went to take it for a drive and didn’t even get into the road from the parking lot of the owner’s apartment complex because it ran so poorly that it literally would not accelerate over 15mph. So the owner calls up his friend/shadetree “mechanic” to put spark plugs in it. So we had to wait for him to finish. We went to get lunch then came back about two hours later. Owner said “it runs great now!”. I took it for a drive, same story as before and still the owner didn’t understand why I wouldn’t buy it. Sputtering, CEL flashing, slightest odor of fuel from the exhaust. I would have had to be nuts.

Those C250’s are surprisingly fun to drive and peppy. I actually greatly prefer them over V6 204’s. The V6’s have more power but they feel heavier and don’t accelerate with any sense of occasion, they just go whereas the C250 makes an aggravated noise and hits you with the turbo. If I were to buy a 204 it would be either a C63 or a C250.

FYI, eco mode starts in 2nd, among other changes to make the case lazier, and the roof sounds like it needs to be normalized.