I'm not ashamed to admit I don't hate these

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 12/14/2018 at 11:50 • Filed to: None

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They're a good mix of sporty and practical and are pretty fetching from certain angles. Seems like a solid choice for a single person who maybe only has space for one car.

Trunk Impaired 318 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 11:57

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Like a 318ti but slightly faster and much less reliable

Boxer_4 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:01

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Not green enough...

Wacko > Trunk Impaired 318 12/14/2018 at 12:02

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but with working Flashers

FSI > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:04

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Mercedes Benz has a great public archive and a detailed overview of the C Sportcoupe. 

  https://mercedes-benz-publicarchive.com/marsClassic/en/instance/ko.xhtml?rs=0&ls=L2RlL2luc3RhbmNlL2tvLnhodG1sP29pZD01NjE1JnJlbElkPTEwMDImZnJvbU9pZD01NjE1JmJvcmRlcnM9dHJ1ZSZyZXN1bHRJbmZvVHlwZUlkPTIyNDUmdmlld1R5cGU9dGh1bWJzJnNvcnREZWZpbml0aW9uPVRPUElDLTEmdGh1bWJTY2FsZUluZGV4PTAmcm93Q291bnRzSW5kZXg9NQ!!&oid=453364

Ash78, voting early and often > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:07

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These were lambasted for cheapening the brand in the US and being out of character with the rest of the US lineup. IIRC, the main goal was to be able to claim they were selling something for under $25k (cloth interior), but most models were selling for easily $10k more. The 3-series (318 and 323) were basically the same idea.

Fast forward to today and the CLA is arguably an even worse offender, but since it’s a sedan I think people give it more of a pass because it looks sort of like a C-Class. In the late 90s a hatchback in the US was an oddity. A luxury hatchback was unheard of. I would say the Audi A3 was the first semi-successful foray into that space.

CompactLuxuryFan > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:13

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I always loved these! Would still take a well-kept one (does not exist) or, even better, its successor, the CLC! Those seem very rare everywhere so it’s always a treat to see one. Even cam e with the big V6 .

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Boxer_4 12/14/2018 at 12:30

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there is an SLK230 that color in my town. It does not look great. I think it would suit the hatch more. 

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Ash78, voting early and often 12/14/2018 at 12:31

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yeah the C230 and CLA now are both designed to be a 20-30 year old’ s first new Mercedes. the car you buy rig ht after colle ge.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:32

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I like them too, but I would never own one because i wouldn’t trust any 2000s Mercedes to be reliable . or cheap.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:33

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I’m a fan as well. Looked at a couple a few years back and did some reading. Couldn’t find anyone who had anything good to say about keeping them on the road so I passed. 

Ash78, voting early and often > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 12/14/2018 at 12:42

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I just find it funny how willing some companies are to “repeat their own mistakes” after such a short period of time. I guess it’s like when they do a remake of a movie after only 15 or 20 years because they’re out of ideas. And Mercedes suddenly realized that catering only to 50+ year old customers would put them at a disadvantage. And then they suddenly slapped their badge on the Sprinter, something else they had avoided in the US for a long time.

Mercedes vehicles being driven by plumbers?! NO WAY IN HELL.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Ash78, voting early and often 12/14/2018 at 12:46

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my FIL has an Xrta long and tall Sprinter with the 4 banger diesel. It is an awesome van. I brought home a 17foot garage door in it, with t he doors shut.

ranwhenparked > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:50

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I remember looking at the Kompressor version they had displayed inside Radio City for awhile and being shocked by the sticker price. I mean, they were priced comparable to some Oldsmobiles, and that star emblem on the front is the same as the star emblem on the big Mercedes, which is what really matters for most c onsumers.

glemon > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 12:57

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Looked at a couple of these a few years ago.  Thought they were kind of cool.  Decided I couldn't afford a cheap Mercedes....

wafflesnfalafel > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 13:19

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W orked with a guy that had a white one for a couple years, (his had some issues, ended up dumping it for a nice E46 325ci also in white which I believe he still has.) That Merc dropped in kind of that period where not many folks in the states were buying sporty/non-econobox hatches...

syaieya > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 12/14/2018 at 13:21

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Weirdest thing i heard positive on these is that the C sportcoupe had the highest retention rate of mercedes ownership of any other model.

More people got out of these and thought "yes, more of this"

syaieya > Ash78, voting early and often 12/14/2018 at 13:23

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The 190E got that flak as well. The big complaints are always the same

Cheap interior feel, harsh suspension, small back seat, expensive options

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > ranwhenparked 12/14/2018 at 14:07

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It’s funny because in Merc’s own home  market you could get a taxi spec S-Class with cloth interior.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 12/14/2018 at 14:08

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I recall someone on here once describing them as “a car for masochists”

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > CompactLuxuryFan 12/14/2018 at 14:12

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Oh geez I had no clue the CLC even existed.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 15:28

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Bad

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 12/14/2018 at 15:47

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Thank you for your constructive and thoughtfully -written input.

Roundbadge > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 15:53

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I’ve always thought they were nice-looking, but I deferred to my friend who, at the time of their debut, was a Jaguar mechanic at a high-end dealership.

Him: “That engine’s a pig.”
Me: “But it’s supercharged!”
Him: “It’s a supercharged pig.”

A kid who formerly worked in my department bought one a few years ago, when he was still with us. I never got to hear about reliability of a used model, as he was fired shortly after...but I saw him driving it last year. I’m not sure if that says anything or not. His former whip was a rusted hulk of a B3 or B4 Passat, so...again...not sure what that says.

CompactLuxuryFan > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 16:30

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Now here’s what I had no idea existed :o

They actually did a C32 AMG version of the first generation! Apparently only 15 in the world.

ranwhenparked > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 17:44

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Mercedes-Benz has always tried for a much more universally upscale image in export markets than they have in the GDM, other than the vans, of course. Its part of the reason they lobbied Congress so hard for the ridiculous private import restrictions we have now. Back in the ‘80s, grey market importers were bringing in lower end West German models with wind up windows and cloth interiors and undercutting the cars sold officially  through MBUSA dealers, which, of course, Daimler-Benz could not tolerate. 

Monkey B > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 17:56

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I had a gf that had one. It was not a good car.

dogisbadob > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/14/2018 at 20:54

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I also like these more than I should

These would be like a German successor to the Silvia/240SX if they weren’t so crap and expensive to keep on the road :(

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/15/2018 at 01:27

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Hopefully, despite the brevity of my previous comment, the point stuck a chord. Though if you did not find it both clear and concise I would feel obliged to elaborate at your request.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 12/15/2018 at 01:29

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I drive a 263k mile BMW so how much worse can the C230 be from a maintenance standpoint?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/15/2018 at 09:15

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For starters they’re not rewarding to drive, even with a manual. They’re not bad, just not engaging. Sunroofs have issues. All front suspension joints and bushings. Then, depending on which engine you have, M111 in the early ones, or M271, there are specific issues with each of those. They’re both supercharged 4 cylinders.

M111 is the better of the two in my opinion but will likely need the PCV started rebuilt at least once in it’s life, a head gasket at some point, and a supercharger.

M271 might need cam adjusters and a timing chain. A new head because of burnt valves. Belt tensioner which requires surcharge removal to replace.

I guess it doesn't sound like that much, but I don't know any techs that would own one.